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Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Liquid Blush is the product that turned liquid blush into a mainstream trend. It’s also a celebrity-founded product: Selena Gomez founded Rare Beauty, which launched at Sephora in 2020, so anything she says about it is the founder talking about her own brand. Here’s what she and the brand have said on the record, why it caught on, whether it’s worth buying, and the cheaper alternatives reviewers compare it to most often.
Quick answer
Soft Pinch is very pigmented, so one tube lasts a long time; that’s the main argument for paying more. If you want to try the liquid-blush look first, e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush is the alternative reviewers compare to it most often.
- The original: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush (Selena Gomez’s own brand), in dewy and matte finishes
- Most-compared cheaper alternative: e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush
- Cream alternative: Revolution Blush Bomb Cream Blusher
- Tip: start with one small dot per cheek; it’s easy to overdo
How we researched this
This guide is researched, not a hands-on review. We used the brand’s own product claims and launches, business reporting on sales, and published side-by-side comparisons by beauty reviewers for the alternatives. Gomez founded Rare Beauty, so anything she or the brand says is not independent praise, and we say so. We did not list prices, because they vary by retailer and change often.
Why Soft Pinch became the liquid blush everyone talks about
Business press tracked how big it got. Glossy reported that in 2024, across all sales channels including TikTok Shop, the brand sold one Soft Pinch Liquid Blush every three seconds. That popularity is part of why cheaper alternatives took off too.
The appeal is easy to explain. It comes in dewy and matte finishes, and Rare Beauty’s own product page says it has long-lasting color pigments and that a little goes a long way. That cuts both ways: it’s easy to use too much.
What Selena Gomez has said about it
Gomez talks about the blush as the founder, so treat her comments as a founder promoting her own product.
The blush also featured in her wedding. Rare Beauty released a wedding kit with the lip and cheek products she wore, including a set-exclusive Soft Pinch Liquid Blush shade called Smitten. Marie Claire describes the shade as an homage to the blush her mother wore on her own wedding day. That kit is a Rare Beauty product launch, so read it as the brand marketing its founder’s look.
Is Rare Beauty Soft Pinch worth it?
Worth it?
If you wear blush most days and like a lot of color from a little product, it can be worth paying for: a tube goes a long way. If you’re just curious about liquid blush, or you tend to overdo pigmented formulas, try a cheaper alternative first and buy Soft Pinch only if you love the format.
Search Rare Beauty Soft Pinch on Amazon
Rare Beauty is also sold at Sephora and on rarebeauty.com; check that the seller is authorized before you buy.
Cheaper alternatives
e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush
This is the alternative reviewers compare to Soft Pinch most often. A Slashed Beauty side-by-side review of the shade Suave Mauve against Soft Pinch in Encourage found that both performed identically for lasting power and overall finish over a day. Not every reviewer agrees on shades, so compare swatches before you pick. It’s a different formula, not a copy.
Search e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush on Amazon
Revolution Blush Bomb Cream Blusher
As the name says, this is a cream blusher, so it’s a cream option rather than a true liquid. Compare swatches and texture before you buy.
Search Revolution Blush Bomb on Amazon
The comparison table
| Product | Celebrity connection | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush | Selena Gomez founded Rare Beauty | Liquid, dewy or matte | Very pigmented; start with one dot |
| e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush | None | Liquid | Most-compared alternative in published reviews |
| Revolution Blush Bomb Cream Blusher | None | Cream | Cream, not liquid |
How to wear liquid blush without overdoing it
- Use less than you think. One small dot per cheek is usually enough with a pigmented formula.
- Dot it on the back of your hand first. Then pick it up with a brush, sponge or fingertip for more control.
- Blend before it sets. Liquid blush sets quickly, so work one cheek at a time.
- Layer it under or over base. Creators on TikTok popularized putting it under tinted moisturizer for a softer flush (Nylon).
FAQ
Does Selena Gomez own Rare Beauty?
She founded it; the brand launched at Sephora in September 2020. Reports on her current ownership stake differ, so we don’t state one.
What’s the best Rare Beauty liquid blush dupe?
e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush is the one reviewers compare to Soft Pinch most often. It’s a different formula, so think of it as an alternative.
Dewy or matte?
Dewy gives more glow and suits drier skin types; matte is the usual pick if you get shiny during the day. Both are pigmented.
What blush did Selena Gomez wear at her wedding?
Rare Beauty says it was a Soft Pinch Liquid Blush shade called Smitten, released in a wedding kit after the ceremony.
Sources
- Glossy: Inside Rare Beauty’s plan to own the blush category
- Rare Beauty: Soft Pinch Liquid Blush product page
- UPI: Selena Gomez launches Rare Beauty (September 2020)
- Marie Claire: Selena Gomez’s wedding makeup kit
- NewBeauty: Rare Beauty’s Selena Gomez wedding set
- Nylon: the viral TikTok blush hack
- Slashed Beauty: Are the e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blushes Rare Beauty dupes?
Last updated: November 1, 2026. Products and availability change; check the retailer before you buy.