Rare Beauty's New Self-Setting Foundation Made Us Matte Skin Converts

It's not normal for a beauty brand, particularly a celeb beauty brand, to hit win after win after win with their product release schedule. Nevertheless, that's what Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez makes happen. It's a facet of the brand that's literally summed up in the name.

On April 2, after months of teasing and sharing product with real fans at activations like Sephoria, Rare's newest complexion superstar is here. Called True to Myself Natural Matte Longwear Foundation, it's self-priming, self-setting, and offers breathable medium-to-full coverage.

Ahead, learn everything there is to know about the new offering—including Team Byrdie's honest reviews.

The Inspiration

When you're getting glammed every day for work, your makeup tastes become a little more particular. You also get really sick of sitting in a glam chair.

Hence, a product that lets you cut down on application steps—while maintaining that camera-ready glow—was necessary.

“I love the way my skin looks on set, so I wanted to create a foundation that gives me that same blurred, velvety look but is easy and comfortable enough for every day," shared Selena Gomez in a press release.

Available in 48 (!) shades, the foundation features an airy, whipped texture that promises not to get streaky or crease when you try to blend it. The finish is matte, but a fresh matte that looks natural. It moves like your skin, but looks a little less shiny.

The Formula

On set, under the bright lights and in front of all the cameras, your foundation needs to be set. With Gomez's inspiration in mind, it only made sense to create a three-in-one formula that could prime and lock itself down. Advanced film formers work as a primer to extend wear and keep the finish fresh while finely milled powders lock in coverage all day for sweat, humidity-, and smudge-proof wear.

Obviously, this isn't just a foundation for actresses. Anyone can appreciate it—pop star, wizard, or otherwise—especially if they have normal, combo, or oily skin.

On the ingredient list, you'll also find the brand's True Comfort Complex, a blend of sodium hyaluronate, ginger root, and algae extract that hydrates and supports the skin barrier.

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Our Reviews

Ali Webb, associate editor

"When I first dispensed this foundation, it felt higher-coverage than something I would normally use. But as I applied it, I realized it blended so easily and gave my skin a radiant, airbrushed finish—I wear shade 9. It hardly budged throughout the day, too: I’d definitely trust it for an evening event or any time I want to look extra put-together."

Olivia Hancock, senior beauty editor

"I’m not typically a matte foundation girl. I prefer a dewy, glowy complexion. Still, I was curious to see how Rare Beauty’s True to Myself Natural Matte Longwear Foundation would perform. My biggest gripe with matte formulas is that they can feel drying and emphasize texture, but this one surprised me. It’s infused with barrier-supporting ingredients like sodium hyaluronate, ginger root, and algae extract, which help keep skin feeling comfortable throughout the day. Shade 26 is a perfect match for me right now and leaves my complexion with a soft, blurred finish. Even better, it sets on its own—no powder required. While I’ll always gravitate toward a dewy finish, this is one matte formula I can genuinely get behind."

Bella Cacciatore, senior news editor

"I'm not a huge matte girl, but I do love anything that promises an 'airbrushed' or 'blurred' finish, so I was excited to put this to the test. This formula is super pigmented, and has a creamy, almost whipped texture that feels much more like a classic complexion product than the current crop of 'serum-like' foundations. It's super pigmented, and a little goes a long way—shade 4 was a great match for my lingering winter skin. It has true medium coverage, easily covering up my redness and breakouts, and dries to a soft matte finish with that airbrushed effect. I have combo skin so I was a little worried about it clinging to any dray patches, but after prepping with a glossy moisturizer I was totally fine! If you're truly dry you might want to steer clear, but overall I was surprised by how much I like this!"