We Tried the New Rare Beauty True to Myself Natural Matte Longwear Foundation—And We Have Thoughts

As I write this, my window is flung wide open, a nearly 80 degree breeze is wafting into my Brooklyn apartment, and I am sweating ever so slightly. What a joy after the frigid doldrums of winter! However, it's not lost on me that the shift in temperatures means that it's time to take stock of my beauty routine and make some swaps. From exchanging thick barrier creams for lightweight moisturizers and oil-rich hair masks with lighter, frizz-fighting formulations, product switch ups are a must when the seasons change. Obviously this pertains to makeup as well, especially complexion products—at least if you don't wish to end up looking like an oil slick by lunchtime. Setting powders and mattifying formulas are your friends to keep grease and excess shine in check, and with the forecast predicting spring temperatures for the foreseeable future, it feels like the perfect time to try out the new Rare Beauty True to Myself Natural Matte Longwear Foundation. Selena Gomez, how did we fare with this new addition?

"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," the brand founder says via brand literature. Of course, having a professional makeup artist on set for a photo shoot is a major bonus if you want your makeup to look flawless, but I'll give the newest formulation a go just the same.

Now, for the record, I'm not much of a foundation-wearer by nature, but I do have quite a few spring and summer weddings coming up and I don't intend on blowing out my friends' photographers camera lens with a too-shiny complexion. So, when I heard that Rare Beauty—a beloved Marie Claire brand across the entire team—was launching a new foundation to join the Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation, I was intrigued. We all were, so what else could we do but get to swatching and blending? Keep scrolling for our honest review of the new matte foundation, and whether it will secure a spot in our spring and summer makeup lineups.

The Formula

The brand claims that the new foundation is a "self-priming and self-setting foundation with breathable medium to full coverage and a natural matte finish." Comparatively, the lightweight foundation promises to "even out skin tone and smooth the look of pores." Translation? This is a slightly more robust formula that offers more coverage for acne, dark spots, and general uneven skin tone. It still promises non-comedogenic benefits (meaning it won't clog your pores) and is suitable for sensitive skin. It also boasts a sweat-, humidity-, and smudge-proof finish, with no need to use a primer.

There are, once again, 48 shades in the collection, with peach, neutral, and golden undertones reflected at pretty much every shade level. The formula's hero ingredient is True Comfort ComplexTM, a skin barrier-boosting blend of sodium hyaluronate (a salt form of hydrating hyaluronic acid), ginger root (which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits) and algae extract (which hydrates, soothes, and protects skin). Theoretically, all these skincare goodies should allow the formula to last, and look fresh, for eight hours, particularly for normal, oily, or combination skin types.

Hannah Baxter, Beauty Director

Shade 4

Image 1 of 2

"My skin leans pretty dry, so I already had a few misgivings about trying a matte foundation. But, like I said, the warming temperatures mean my glow is going into overdrive, so I gamely applied a pea-sized amount of foundation onto my face with a dense, fluffy brush to see if the formula could work for my complexion. Honestly, I think I could have used even less product as the coverage felt a little too intense for me—Rare Beauty products are notorious for delivering a ton of color payoff with the tiniest drop of product. I was happy to see that even around my nose, where I'm still struggling with some irritation and dry skin, the formula didn't crack or flake. However, after sweeping this around my complexion and eyeing it close up, it made me really want to dermaplane my face. The peach fuzz looked super noticeable, more so than I've found with other foundations or tinted moisturizers. Maybe if I have used a primer (I know the brand says it's not necessary, but still) the finish would have been a bit more seamless.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that, overall, my complexion still looked even and not like I was wearing a ton of makeup, even after two glasses of wine outdoors at sunset with a friend. I think if I had naturally oily or combination skin, this foundation would be more of a go-to, but I think I'll only reach for this for a summer sweaty summer wedding when I need my beat to last for hours on end without shine."

Danielle Jackson, Senior Beauty Writer

Shades 32 and 35

"I’m an oily girl that mostly likes to stick to skin tints for everyday wear (Rare Beauty’s own tinted moisturizer happens to be one of my favorite complexion products I’ve tried to date), so I get nervous about trying complexion products that are medium-to-full coverage. This one is a true matte, but I was still surprised to see that it stayed put for much longer than I expected without me having to blot, and it didn’t feel like I was wearing something on my face. I think I’d need to mix a few shades to get something closer to my skin tone, but this is definitely something I’d be willing to use on a night out or special occasion."

Siena Gagliano, Beauty Editor

Shade 15

"I love a matte makeup look, but only when it’s done right. The liquid formula blends really easily and sets down to a soft satin-matte finish that keeps shine in check without making my skin look flat. I also had zero trouble finding my shade; the range feels genuinely thoughtful and the undertones make matching pretty straightforward. What I like most is that the finish still lets light hit the high points of the face, so everything looks dimensional instead of overly dull. I also love that it layers really seamlessly with all my other cream and liquid products. It also doesn’t feel too heavy on the skin"

Samantha Holender, Senior Beauty Editor

Shade 8

"I'm really not a matte foundation girl, but this pleasantly surprised me. It's a pretty thick texture (the brand refers to it as whipped) and gives true full coverage. It's very matte, so I've been spraying the Naked Sundays Hydrating Glow Mist on top to bring some life back into my skin. But the combination of the two is chef's kiss. All my redness and hyperpigmentation is camouflaged and with the right setting spray, my skin looks velvety and fresh."

Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer

Shade 36

"I've long been a big fan of Rare Beauty’s complexion products and the True to Myself foundation is no exception. It's matte, which my oily skin appreciates, and offers medium coverage, which is great for everyday wear if you're into that. I chose shade 36, which is just a smidge dark, but matches my undertone really well, so I think I'll stick with the shade and lighten it up with concealer. Overall, I’m happy to report that this is another fantastic complexion launch from Rare Beauty."

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