Let’s be real for a second. We’ve all been burned by "lip oils" that are actually just overpriced, sticky glosses in a different bottle. It’s annoying. You buy into the hype, swipe it on, and five minutes later your hair is stuck to your face and the color is gone. When Selena Gomez announced the Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil, the collective internet held its breath. People wanted to know if it was just another celebrity cash grab or if Rare Beauty lip oil swatches would actually live up to the pigment of their legendary liquid blushes.
It did. It really did.
The texture is honestly weird at first—but in a good way. It starts as a cold, bouncy jelly. Then, as you rub your lips together, it breaks down into this thin, hydrating oil. But the kicker? The stain. Once the shine wears off, you’re left with a flush of color that actually stays through a cup of coffee. It’s not that neon-pink-stain-of-doom you get from cheap drugstore tints either. It’s sophisticated.
Understanding the Rare Beauty Lip Oil Swatches Across Different Skin Tones
If you’re looking at Rare Beauty lip oil swatches online, you’ve probably noticed they look wildly different depending on who is wearing them. That’s because these are pH-adjacent in their behavior, even though they aren't marketed as "color-changing" oils. The natural pigment of your lips acts as a base layer.
Take "Hope," for example. It's a nude mauve. On someone with very pale, cool-toned lips, it looks like a soft, dreamy lilac-pink. Put that same shade on someone with deep, pigmented lips, and it might just look like a clear, healthy sheen with a hint of coolness. You’ve gotta account for your own lip color before you hit "add to cart."
The range currently sits at eight core shades. You have the lighter, everyday tints like Serenity (a warm rose) and Affection (a muted berry). Then you move into the heavy hitters. Joy and Happy are the cousins to the famous blushes. Joy is a muted peach that looks like you’ve been eating a creamsicle, while Happy is that bright, cool pink that makes you look like you actually slept eight hours.
For the goths and the bold-lip lovers, there’s Delight and Wonder. Delight is a nostalgic rose brown—think 90s supermodel vibes—and Wonder is a rich rose mauve. Honesty is your quintessential nude brown, and then there’s Romance. Romance is a deep, moody plum. It's gorgeous, but it’s the one shade you have to be careful with. Because it’s so dark, if you don’t apply it evenly, the stain can look a bit patchy after a few hours.
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The Gel-to-Oil Science: Why the Texture Matters
Rare Beauty didn't just pour some jojoba oil in a tube and call it a day. The formula is a specific "gel-to-oil" technology. When you first swipe it on, the sensation is surprisingly chilly. It’s refreshing. Most oils feel heavy or greasy, but this feels like water at first.
The ingredients list is actually pretty solid. You’ve got jojoba seed oil, which is a classic for a reason—it mimics the skin’s natural oils so it actually sinks in instead of sitting on top. Then there’s sunflower seed oil. This provides the antioxidant hit. This combination is why your lips don't feel like sandpaper once the product evaporates.
Wait.
I need to mention the applicator. It’s a flat, tear-drop shape. It picks up exactly the right amount of product. You don’t have to double-dip. One swipe, and you’re covered. It’s the little things that make a product feel luxury without the $60 price tag.
How to Make the Color Actually Last
Most people mess up the application. They treat it like a gloss. They put on a thick layer and then get mad when it slips around. If you want those Rare Beauty lip oil swatches to look like the professional photos, you need to layer.
- Apply one thin coat.
- Let it sit for about 60 seconds. Don’t smack your lips yet.
- If you want more punch, add a second layer only to the center.
- Blot the shine if you want a matte stain look, or leave it for the "wet" effect.
Honestly, the best part is that you can't feel it. It’s weightless. You’ll forget you’re wearing it until you look in the mirror and realize your lips still look flushed three hours later.
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Comparing the Shades: Which One Should You Actually Buy?
Choosing a shade from the Rare Beauty lip oil swatches library is a struggle because they’re all so wearable. But let’s break it down by vibe.
If you are a "Clean Girl" aesthetic devotee, you want Hope or Honesty. These are the "your lips but better" shades. They don't scream "I'm wearing makeup." They just make you look polished. Honesty is particularly good if you have warmer undertones; it’s a brown-leaning nude that doesn't go gray.
If you want to look alive on a Zoom call, go for Joy. Orange-toned corals are notoriously hard to pull off, but this one is muted enough that it doesn't look like neon signage. It brightens the whole face. Happy does the same thing for cool-toned people. It’s a literal pop of pink.
Delight is the dark horse. It’s the most popular shade for a reason. It bridges the gap between a nude and a bold lip. It’s a cocoa-rose that looks expensive. If you can only find one shade in stock (because let's be real, they’re always sold out), hope it's Delight.
The Misconception About "Lip Oils"
We have to stop calling everything an oil. Traditionally, a lip oil is a treatment. It’s meant to hydrate. A lip tint is meant to stain. Rare Beauty basically smashed them together.
Is it as hydrating as a dedicated overnight lip mask like Laneige? No. Don’t expect it to cure severely cracked lips. However, compared to a traditional long-wear liquid lipstick or a watery tint like the Benetint, it’s a hydration miracle. It’s a hybrid. It’s for the person who hates the feeling of lipstick but wants the color of one.
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Some people complain that the stain is too subtle. If you have very dark natural lips, the lighter shades like Serenity might just look like a clear gloss on you. That’s a valid critique. For deep skin tones, I always recommend sticking to the darker half of the range—Affection, Delight, and Romance—to ensure the stain actually shows up.
Rare Beauty vs. The Competition
Everyone is doing a lip oil now. Dior has the Lip Glow Oil, which is basically the gold standard for luxury. But Dior is thick. It’s heavy. It’s a "syrup" texture. Rare Beauty is the polar opposite. It’s thin and "inky."
Then you have the Gitti or the Ami Colé oils. Those are beautiful, but they don't stain. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. The Rare Beauty Lip Oil stands alone because of that lingering tint. You’re paying for the longevity.
Actionable Tips for the Best Results
If you've just picked up a tube based on some Rare Beauty lip oil swatches you saw on TikTok, here is how you actually get your money's worth.
- Exfoliate first. Because this is a tint, it will cling to dry patches. If your lips are flaky, the pigment will settle into those spots and look patchy. A quick scrub with a washcloth is enough.
- Don't over-line. If you use a lip liner with these, make sure it's a waterproof one. Since the oil is thin, it can sometimes cause traditional wax liners to bleed if you apply too much.
- Mix your shades. One of the best "pro" tips is to put Honesty all over and then a dot of Romance in the very center for a gradient "bitten" lip look.
- Check the shelf life. Because these contain more natural oils and a high water content (hence the cooling feeling), they can go off faster than a standard wax lipstick. Keep them out of the hot car.
The reality is that Rare Beauty succeeded because Selena Gomez actually uses the stuff. It feels like a product designed for someone who is busy and doesn't want to check a mirror every twenty minutes to see if their lipstick is on their teeth. It’s effortless.
Before buying, look at swatches on people with your specific undertone—check if you are cool, warm, or neutral. A shade like Happy can look incredible on a cool-toned blonde but might look slightly jarring on someone with a very warm, olive complexion. For olive skin, Joy and Delight are almost always the winners.
The hype is justified here. It's one of the few products that actually changed the category. It’s not a gloss, it’s not a balm, and it’s not a traditional oil. It’s its own thing.
Next Steps for Your Rare Beauty Journey
- Identify your undertone: Look at the veins in your wrist. Blue means cool (Go for Happy, Hope, Romance). Green means warm (Go for Joy, Honesty, Serenity).
- Start with a mid-tone: If you're overwhelmed, Delight or Wonder are the safest bets for almost everyone.
- Test the stain: When you swatch it in-store (like at Sephora), leave it on for five minutes, then wipe the top layer off. The color that's left is what you'll actually be living with all day.