We Try All Seven Shades Of The New Rare Beauty Bouncy Blush

What are the shades of Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush?

Vegan, cruelty-free, noncomedogenic and suitable for sensitive skin, this new blush comes in seven universally flattering shades that deliver a cloud-like pop of colour. From left to right there's Hope (a nude mauve), Thriving (a bright raspberry), Worth (a true rose), Truth (a soft plum), Happy (a cool pink), Alive (a bright coral orange) and Grateful (a soft red).

VICTORIA’S REVIEW

• Skin type: Combination, at times dry

• Skin tone: Light neutral

• Shade reviewed: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush in Happy, £26.00

For me, no makeup look is complete without a flush of colour on the cheeks. I think it brings the look together beautifully and makes my eyes pop! I wear a blush daily and swear by liquid blush – I find it melts into my skin better than pure powder formulas and gives me that lit-from-within glow I’m always after.

Because of this, I was initially sceptical and didn’t expect to enjoy this new formula. However, I was intrigued by it as it has an interesting putty-like texture. ‘Happy’ is one of my favourite shades in the liquid version, which is why I opted for this shade.

I used my trusty blush brush to apply it by dipping it very gently into the blush and tapping it onto the high points of my cheekbones. It completely melted into my skin, blended in beautifully with my other base products (which isn’t always a given) and provided a very skin-like finish with a slight beamy glow. I was also instantly impressed and positively surprised by the pigment. The colour didn’t fade, and the blush stayed in place all day.

I’ll definitely keep using it, as I love having different formulas in my arsenal and am obsessed with blush! I think I’d even go as far as saying I prefer this version of ‘Happy’ over the liquid formula.

NABILAH’S REVIEW

• Skin type: Dry

• Skin tone: Medium tan

• Shade reviewed: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush in Grateful, £26.00

Because my skin sometimes gets dry, I’ll usually go for dewier blushes and liquid formulas (I love Soft Pinch Liquid Blush); I find these easier to blend. I also have tanned skin, so I’m typically drawn to pink and purple hues. Needless to say, this blush is different from my usual choices but, I wanted to try something different – and I’m so glad I did!

The formula has a puttylike consistency and is so easily buildable for a skin-like finish, which I love as it’s easier to use for everyday makeup. I typically apply my blush on the apples of my cheeks from the top of my cheekbones, for a natural ‘rosy cheeks’, flushed look.

Whilst I don’t think this blush is as long-lasting as Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, I could still see a subtle flush at end of the day. I will definitely keep using this blush in the summer on ‘no makeup’ days. I’d also say not to be intimidated by this shade! Overall, I actually prefer it over the liquid blush for its versatility.

TANYA’S REVIEW

• Skin type: Normal

• Skin tone: Deep

• Shade reviewed: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush in Worth, £26.00

I’m more of a cream blush girl – sometimes, I’ll top up with a powder blush. But, I could never say no to trying a new Rare Beauty blush! I found the texture of it fine, and it was very easy to apply and blend. What I really loved was the packaging and size – it’s so easy to slip into any bag.

I didn’t use it on its own, but rather as a finishing touch to my cream formulas – I even applied it after my translucent powder. Bearing this in mind, it lasted all day. I don’t think any formula could ever steer me away from cream and liquid textures! However, this makes a great match and finishing touch for my current cream blush, so I’ll definitely keep using it.

SHAWNEE’S REVIEW

• Skin type: Dry/combination

• Skin tone: Fair neutral

• Shade reviewed: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush in Thriving, £26.00

I absolutely love blush, so when Rare announced Soft Matte Bouncy Blush I was super excited to try it out! I already use the Liquid Contour and Liquid Blush daily, so this felt like an excellent addition to my routine. I was drawn to the shade ‘Thriving’ as it's a beautiful, bright summer shade that I thought would give the impression of happy, sun-kissed skin. I'm pleased to say that’s what I got!

The texture was really interesting. I use both powder and blush formulas, and this blush felt like a lovely hybrid of the two. It’s pigmented and long-wearing, but nice and easy to blend. However, I find that if you over blend, it can actually lift and go patchy. I would suggest using Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Blush Brush, £24.00 and blending softly towards the hairline, acting quickly to ensure it doesn't try down. I also found it slightly difficult to build the colour up, but after a few days of use I felt like I understood the right amount of product to use to get the perfect amount of payoff.

I felt like this product worked very nicely with my routine. I used it on top of a full-coverage foundation as well as a sheer skin tint, and both times I enjoyed the application and look of the blush.

If you're a lover of Rare's Soft Pinch Liquid Bush, think of this as her big sister. The colours are beautiful and of course familiar to a Rare lover, but the formula and packaging means it's a slightly easier product to use if you're not totally confident with blush. This product isn't as intense as its iconic liquid counterpart, but she gives you results that are just as beautiful!

I would recommend this product to blush newbies and blush loyalists alike. I can see myself using this blush on days where I want something very skin-like, or as a top layer over my powder blush to ensure all-day wear.

ASHLEE’S REVIEW

• Skin type: Dry/combination

• Skin tone: Neutral light to medium

• Shade reviewed: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush in Truth, £26.00

“This has to be Korean!”, I exclaimed with glee as I opened this perfect little compact. I’m an avid K-Beauty lover and could see straight away that this gorgeous new texture takes inspiration from the east. A quick check of the packaging confirmed that yes, this was in fact made in Korea.

Application took a little refining, and I quickly realised that it’s all about the brush. Due to the impressive colour payoff, I prefer to apply this with a light hand and stippling brush. The more you blend this blush, the more it blurs, leaving skin with a flawless finish. It lasted all day too – a refreshing shift from trending balm-like textures that often need reapplication throughout the day.

There’s no shimmer to this, which I prefer – but if you like a little glean on the cheek, layer Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Luminous Powder Blush, £26.00 on top. The viral Soft Pinch Blush had us all at first swatch, and these new cream-to-powder formulas are no exception. As the name suggests, it’s plush and bouncy and playful… velvety soft with a slight cushion effect when you press. It’s the perfect addition to Rare’s existing lineup.

VANESSA’S REVIEW

• Skin type: Oily, sometimes dry

• Skin tone: Light olive

• Shade reviewed: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush in Hope, £26.00

I love blush in every shape and form, and Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Liquid Blush is one of my all-time favourite formulas. Sometimes I’ll step away from it just to avoid neglecting my other blushes… only to go back to it and wonder why I stopped using it.

I wouldn’t say I prefer liquid and cream over powder blushes – I always use either a liquid or cream formula and top up with a powder formula. I do this because I have oily skin and it helps my makeup look last longer. Plus, I do have a touch of blush blindness and love a pigmented look!

I was super excited to try this new blush, and whilst I do love a punchy shade, I settled for ‘Hope’, a soft, warmish mauve – which is quite subtle for me! I’ll start by saying that I love the packaging, it’s so slick and pretty (although I would love a mirror in it). As for the formula, I found it super unique – it just doesn’t feel like anything else I have in my collection. Moreover, I loved it on my skin as soon as I applied it – perfectly pigmented and simply pretty.

Most of the time I wore it over a liquid formula as that’s just how I always wear blush – on the days when I tested it on its own, I didn’t feel like it lasted as long as I’d have liked it to. But given that I have an oily complexion, I expect this with a lot of formulas. It hasn’t put me off in the slightest because of how nicely it sits on my skin – and the colour definitely lasts when it’s over a purely cream or liquid product!

I’d say I actually prefer this new blush over the Soft Pinch Luminous Powder Blush. I love a blush that packs a punch as well as a shimmery look, but I struggled to blend that formula and don’t think it was as flattering on my textured skin.

MELODY’S REVIEW

• Skin type: Combination oily

• Skin tone: Deep tan

• Shade reviewed: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Matte Bouncy Blush in Alive, £26.00

I’m a regular blush wearer, and like to mix things up by using liquid, cream and powder formulas simultaneously depending on the look I’m going for. I’m also a fan of Rare Beauty, it's one of my go-to brands – I swear by the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush and Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer, £26.00.

I tried the shade ‘Alive’ and can safely say it was an instant win for me, I absolutely loved it! I applied it on the apples of my cheeks and across my nose with a brush to give my complexion a natural flush – I loved how it blended so effortlessly and was easy to build, and it had such amazing pigment. It sat well with my skincare and other makeup products; no patchiness or weird reactions. In terms of durability, I found it lasted all day, even in the sun.

I think Bouncy Blush is a great option for those who are relatively new to blush. As well as Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, I’ve also used Soft Pinch Luminous Powder Blush – personally, I found Bouncy Blush's cream-to-powder formula so much easier to blend. I also feel like the shade I tried is great for deeper skin tones – it gives that perfectly peachy, sun-kissed look that really pops.

THE TEAM’S VERDICT ON RARE BEAUTY SOFT PINCH MATTE BOUNCY BLUSH

The results are clear: Matte Bouncy Blush was a hit amongst our colleagues. Many of them praised the cream-to-powder formula, finish and colour payoff, and enjoyed wearing it on its own as well as over its Soft Pinch Liquid counterpart.

The Pros: If you’re looking for a cream-to-powder blush with a kind-to-skin formula that doesn’t emphasise skin texture and works on its own as well as over a liquid or cream blush, this could become your go-to. “It’s blurring, smoothing, and pigmented,” says Ashlee. “What’s not to love? I think Rare’s delivered another winner in the blush category!”

The Cons: Both Nabilah and Vanessa felt the formula wasn't very long-lasting, while Shawnee and Ashlee said it can be a tricky texture to blend. “Lead with a light hand, and make sure your base has dried down before applying,” Ashlee advises.

MORE FROM RARE BEAUTY

As this review proves, many of our colleagues are Soft Pinch Liquid enthusiasts. “I use the shade ‘Encourage’ every day,” says Victoria. “I’ve also recently discovered Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Contour, £27.00 – it’s such a dream to apply and blends into the skin seamlessly.” Additionally, Vanessa loves Rare Beauty Kind Words Lipstick, £21.00 and rates Rare Beauty Silky Touch Highlighter, £26.00. “I love statement highlighters, and this just makes you look so radiant,” she says. For other base options, there’s also Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturiser, £29.00. “It’s one of my favourite products for the warmer months!” says Vanessa.

Then, of course, there’s the brand’s Find Comfort bath and bodycare collection, which, like the makeup, is all about the feelgood vibes. We love the smell of Rare Beauty Find Comfort Body & Hair Fragrance Mist, £28.00, and find Rare Beauty Find Comfort Bouncy Body Cream - Awaken Confidence, £34.00 incredibly soothing. For a moment of relaxation on the go, we love carrying Rare Beauty Find Comfort Stop & Soothe Aromatherapy Pen, £20.00 in our bags.