We Put Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Contour To The Test

Ashlee's Review

• Skin type: Dry/combination

• Skin tone: Neutral light to medium

• Shade reviewed: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Contour, £27.00 in Solace

My skin tone varies so much throughout the year, so I really rely on a golden glow to bring me back to life during the winter months. I’m mostly a bronzer girl; I’m drawn to bronzers that are buttery and easy to blend – I use cream formulas and will usually set them with a powder bronzer. I don’t mind if a bronzer is on the sheerer side (I’m going through a ‘Clean Girl’ phase at the moment).

I only contour when I go out or if I know there will be photos – in my experience, good contouring can take a while, and I can be lazy about it! I just don’t have the patience to be tapping away with a Beautyblender The Original Beauty Blender, £17.00 or sweeping with a brush for too long – but of course, I had to give this new Rare product a test drive.

On one side, I tried the “dot” method. I started with three dots at the “snatch” points I wanted to carve in and then blended them out, like a ‘connect the dots’ puzzle. It worked like a charm. I used the remaining product on the brush on the eye crease and to carve out my nose.

For the other side, I put some on the back of my hand first and then went in and carved out my cheekbones. It was a much more pronounced finish – for days when I need a little more definition, I’ll be doing this. I finished both sides with a little bit of my Rare Soft Pinch Blush to tie the look together. I think the “dot” method gives a much softer sculpt, as you’re really diffusing the edges instead of loading your brush and carving out the face with the product, which provides a sharper edge.

It’s lovely and pigmented – it’s got incredible “blendability”; without compromising on the colour payoff. It has a dewy finish (not oily or too creamy), but you can still maintain the integrity of the contour. Sometimes contours just aren’t strong enough once you’ve blended them out, but I’m happy to report that the slay was there to stay. It lasted all day, didn’t grab onto my dry patches (such a win during the colder months) and didn’t disappear from my oilier T-Zone either.

I was concerned it was going to be too much for my morning routine (I am NOT a morning person) but I look so snatched I have no choice but to make it a part of my staple. Plus, it took literally seconds to perfect. I also used it as an eyeshadow and ran it through my crease with a fluffy brush. It was SO easy to use, and it really helped to wake up my puffy morning face!

Tanya’s Review

• Skin type: Normal

• Skin tone: Deep

• Shade reviewed: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Contour, £27.00 in Tranquil

I contour a lot, more so than bronzing – only because some contour shades are rich enough that I don’t find myself having to top up with a bronzer. I love liquid contouring products – and this Rare Beauty soft pinch is set to become my favourite!

While I was definitely pleased with the shade itself, it was important that I would also like the feel of it on my skin – which I did. At first, I tried only a little because I wasn’t sure how rich it would be. But once I got comfortable, I applied a bit more to further define my cheekbones as well as my jawline. I applied it straight onto my face with the applicator and used a sponge to blend it.

I have no bad words to say about this product. The texture was perfect, especially the liquid consistency. Sometimes liquid products can have an excessively watery feel, but not this one – the finished look was 10/10. Moreover, it lasted all day.

I think anyone who likes a glow will like this. It’s quickly becoming my go-to contouring product – I’ve been using it every time I do a full face of makeup because it’s so easy to use.

Hanitra's Review

• Skin type: Oily and acne-prone

• Skin tone: Medium tan

• Shade reviewed: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Contour, £27.00 in Solace

Contouring is not a part of my everyday makeup, I save it for days when I want to dial up the glam factor and add more definition to my face. When it comes to my day-to-day routine, I like to warm my complexion with some bronzer (I love Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick, £27.00) and blend it in all over my cheeks – I’ve been very into the ‘blonzing’ trend.

With contour products, I like when the applicator is precise, like a stick or a cream. Because I don’t want to wear too much, powder contours are not what I usually lean towards.

The packaging of this contour really reminded me of the OG Rare Beauty products like the Soft Pink Liquid Blush and the Luminizer, so I knew what to expect in terms of application. I did think the bottle looked quite big, and, knowing Rare Beauty, I was expecting a lot of pigmentation.

After my foundation and my concealer, I applied a few dots on the areas I wanted to define (cheekbones, jawline, forehead) straight with the applicator. I used concealer brush to blend it in, I like that it’s quite small and allows to have some control and precision. The texture blends extremely well and I find it very easy to work with.

The texture is really creamy, very similar to the blusher. I like that it doesn’t set too quickly when you apply it – you have time to work with the product and blend as you wish. Because of how pigmented the brand’s products can be, so I applied a little at first and added on to avoid any disasters. I think this shade works really well for me, it’s really cool toned and immediately defines my face.

At the end of the day (and night), it was still on – I don’t think the product faded at all. I thought it looked slightly oily after a few hours, which often happens when I use cream products. But overall, my makeup still looked good, and the contour hadn’t separated from my foundation.

If you’re a Rare Beauty fan, you won’t be disappointed by this product. It’s everything you love about the blusher and luminizer made into a contour. It’s easy to use and has a great colour payoff.

The team's verdict on Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Contour

The contour has been a hit amongst our colleagues, with most of them finding it easy to work with and loving the colour payoff. “It’s so effortless,” says Ashlee. “Another win from Rare!”

• The Pros: Like the blusher and luminizer, the Liquid Contour is a very pigmented product. “A little goes a long way,” says Ashlee. Pigment aside, it blended well for our testers regardless of whether they applied it straight onto their complexions or used a brush or sponge – and all agreed that it was easy to use because it didn’t dry straight away.

• The Cons: Because of its dewy finish, it may not be very long-lasting on oilier skin types. This can be counteracted with setting powder or by layering it with a powder bronzer.

More from Rare Beauty

As expected, this contour product is a match made in heaven for the Rare Beauty Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, £24.00 and Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer, £26.00. If you live for all the colour (or want to ensure a long-lasting look), we’d suggest you team it with the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Luminous Powder Blush, £26.00 and Rare Beauty Silky Touch Highlighter, £26.00.

For more base perfectors, there’s the gorgeous Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturiser, £29.00 and Rare Beauty Positive Light Under Eye Brightener, £24.00, as well as the ultra-flattering Rare Beauty Kind Words Lipstick, £21.00. And for an all-round Rare routine, the bodycare collection promises just as much of a feelgood factor as the makeup.