DuJour Summer 2022

BEAUTY

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SUMMER 2022

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PROFILE

A RARE Breed

Selena Gomez’s inclusive beauty brand, Rare Beauty, takes a hard look at the industry’s negative impact on mental health and strives to be better

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inger and actress Selena Gomez wanted to use her inf luence to make positive changes. So the Only Murders in the Building star (its second season is now streaming on Hulu) created a beauty line, Rare Beauty, offering a versatile and inclusive range of multi-use products. “Growing up in a makeup chair, I struggled with society’s impossible beauty standards, which negatively affected my mental health,” Gomez explains to DuJour. “I felt a lot of pressure at a young age to look a certain way, so I wanted to create a brand that changes the conversation around beauty and instead celebrates individuality and uniqueness. The beauty industry is so powerful, and there haven’t been enough conversations being had about mental health.” To this end, Gomez and her brand have committed to raising $100 million for mental health organizations over the next 10 years. “Historically, beauty can have a negative impact on mental health, and we are flipping that,” she says. “We are on a mission to destigmatize mental health, and one of the ways we do that is by donating 1 percent of all Rare Beauty sales to the Rare Impact Fund to expand mental health services and education for

young people. If I had access to these types of resources growing up, my journey would look much different. Rare Beauty is on a mission to break down unrealistic standards of perfection and help everyone celebrate what makes them rare.” Do-gooding aside, the makeup formulations are flattering, easy to use and effective for professionals or novices alike. “Everything has a weightless formula with buildable coverage meant to enhance your natural beauty,” says Gomez. “I like to apply makeup with my hands so it’s important for me to create products that are multipurpose, which is why we use a lot of liquids and creams,” she explains. The brand’s first launch, the Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation, has an inclusive range of 48 shades (“Inclusivity is very important to me, and that’s one of the reasons I started the brand,” she says.) and was followed by bestsellers including Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, Positive Light Liquid Luminizer, Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen and Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Eyeliner. “I love seeing how the community uses products in different ways. It’s so inspiring and I learn a lot from our customers!” ■

PORTRAIT: COURTESY OF RARE BEAUTY

BY NATASHA WOLFF