Selena Gomez Interview on Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil

Rare Beauty has already served up dreamy lip balms, matte lipsticks, and vibrant lip creams. Now, Selena Gomez’s makeup line is expanding its lip family with what is arguably one of the most challenging products to perfect: A lip tint. The line’s new Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil, which will offer a lightweight lip counterpart to the line’s most beloved cream blush colors, comes out on March 30 in eight shades.

Gomez exclusively tells ELLE.com over e-mail that the team spent two years creating a lip oil with a transformative texture, which Gomez describes as “unlike anything I have experienced in a lip oil. When applied, it goes on like a jelly but transforms into a hydrating formula. It’s special!”

The product is made with moisturizing jojoba seed oil and antioxidant-rich sunflower seed oil. Color is designed to stay on all day without becoming what the worst of lip oils can be: sticky.

Gomez explains that having a wide range of shades was particularly important and part of what made the development process take the time it did. She says, “The formula took two years to develop because it’s such a unique texture in a variety of shades—getting the right shades is always really important in our development process.”

The eight colors on offer are Hope (nude mauve), Happy (cool pink), Joy (muted peach), Serenity (warm rose), Affection (muted berry), Delight (rose brown), Wonder (rose mauve), and Honesty (nude brown). And starting Thursday, they’re available to buy for $20 a piece at Sephora, Sephora at Kohl’s, and RareBeauty.com.

Gomez debuts the lip oil in the line’s “Alive With Color” campaign and in an interview with ELLE.com below, details the care and thinking behind Rare Beauty’s newest launch.

What inspired you to create a lip oil? When do you personally use this over a standard lipstick or gloss?

The inspiration came from wanting to create a lip product that could create the same flush of color for lips that the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush creates for cheeks. The lip oil is a great daytime lip product when I want nourishing, long-lasting color that doesn’t need to be reapplied throughout the day. I love the Kind Words Matte Lipstick for a bold, more defined look, and the Stay Vulnerable Glossy Lip Balm on top of color, or when I just want to add a natural, glossy sheen.

Lip tints can be very hit or miss, and some can be quite sticky. When creating this with the team, what qualities were most important to you for Rare Beauty’s lip tint to have? What makes it different from other lip tints on the market?

It’s different from other lip oils because the transformative texture is unlike anything I have experienced in a lip oil. When applied, it goes on like a jelly but transforms into a hydrating formula. It’s special! Most lip oils I have tried have a smaller shade range because it’s hard to develop, but it was really important to us to create a wide range that would be flattering for any skin tone.

Which shade of lip tint is your favorite right now and why?

Happy! It’s so fun and bright (I’m wearing it in the campaign) and it’s inspired by one of my favorite liquid blush shades.



What tips do you have for using this product so that it best stays on? Any tips on how to find the lip tint shade that most flatters you?

Pairing the lip oil with my waterproof lip liner creates serious staying power. On its own, it’s long wearing and leaves lips with a soft stain for all day wear. Makeup is supposed to be fun, so there are no rules in selecting a shade. Since the collection is inspired by our Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, you can choose a shade that complements your favorite blush!

What was the inspiration behind the Alive With Color campaign? How did you choose the models who were part of it with you?

The lip oil is so fun and colorful, so we wanted images that reflected this, which is why everything is bright, and the images just make you feel happy. We worked with some models who had been in previous campaigns and some new models who are all beautiful and unique and reflected the fun nature of the product. We had so much fun on set!

Here is an exclusive look at one candid behind the scene moment:



It’s finally spring! What are your favorite Rare Beauty products and a look you’ve done with them that’s perfect for the new season?

The Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer is my go-to! It creates a beautiful, radiant finish and is the perfect base for liquid blush and cream bronzer. For a fun everyday look, I would top it off with the Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil.

You can shop the lip oils here at Sephora ahead of their March 30 release.

Shop more Rare Beauty essentials below:

Shop the Best of Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty Line



Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen



Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Kind Words Lip Liner



Rare Beauty Kind Words Matte Lipstick



Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Melting Blush



Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation



Rare Beauty Blot & Glow Touch-Up Kit



Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner



Rare Beauty Positive Light Liquid Luminizer



Rare Beauty Discovery Eyeshadow Palette



Rare Beauty Always An Optimist 4-In-1 Mist



Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush



Senior News and Strategy Editor

Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.