It starts as a cold, wet jelly. Then it morphs. Within about sixty seconds, the Rare Beauty tinted lip oil settles into a weightless stain that honestly feels like you aren't wearing anything at all. If you went into this expecting a thick, syrupy Dior Dupe, you were probably disappointed. Most people were.
The beauty community spent months debating whether this product even deserves to be called an "oil." It’s a fair question. Traditional lip oils—think Clarins or Gisou—are built on a fatty acid base that stays glossy, slightly tacky, and high-shine until it wears off. Selena Gomez and her team did something different. They created a gel-to-oil formula that breaks on contact with the lips.
It's weird. It’s innovative. And it’s arguably the most misunderstood product in the Rare Beauty lineup.
The Science of the "Break"
When you swipe the doe-foot applicator across your bottom lip, you’re feeling a high-water content emulsion. This is why it feels cooling. As the friction of application happens, the "gel" structure breaks down, releasing the oils and the tint.
Most lip products use a wax base to stay put. This doesn't. Instead, it uses a mix of Jojoba seed oil and Sunflower seed oil to provide that initial slip. But the real magic—or the "trick," depending on who you ask—is the stain. Unlike a traditional gloss that disappears and leaves your lips feeling parched, this leaves behind a vivid hue that lasts through a cup of coffee. Or two.
Why the texture confuses everyone
If you look at the ingredients, you’ll see ingredients like Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2. That’s a vegan lanolin substitute. It gives the product that cushy, "bouncy" feel. But because the formula is so thin, people often over-apply.
You don't need three coats.
One swipe is enough. If you layer it too heavily, the jelly phase lasts too long and it can feel slightly slippery in a way that’s not particularly pleasant. Give it a minute. Let the water evaporate. What’s left is the oil-infused stain that actually treats the skin rather than just sitting on top of it.
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Rare Beauty Tinted Lip Oil vs. The Competition
We have to talk about the "Lip Oil Trend" of the mid-2020s. Every brand from high-end luxury to drugstore giants like e.l.f. released an version. Most of them are just shiny glosses with better marketing.
The Rare Beauty tinted lip oil stands alone because of the tint longevity.
Take the Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil. It's iconic. It's thick. It smells like minty vanilla. But it's a "true" oil. Once the shine is gone, the color is mostly gone too. Rare Beauty is the opposite. The shine is the first thing to go—usually within an hour or two—but the color stays for six hours. It’s basically a long-wear lip stain masquerading as a hydrating oil.
- Haus Labs Ph D Hybrid: More pigment, less "stain" power.
- Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil: Much more traditional oil feel, very high shine, zero stain.
- Innbeauty Project Glaze: Thicker, more like a treatment, sweet scents.
Honestly, if you want a mirror-like shine that lasts all day, don't buy the Rare Beauty version. You'll be annoyed. But if you hate the feeling of "stuff" on your lips and want to look like you just ate a cherry popsicle, this is the winner.
The Shade Range Reality Check
Selena Gomez usually hits it out of the park with inclusivity, and the eight initial shades of the lip oil were no exception. However, they don't look the same on everyone. Because the formula is a stain, your natural lip chemistry and pH levels will slightly alter the final result.
Happy is the fan favorite. It’s a cool pink that looks like a natural flush.
Joy is a muted peach that surprisingly works on deep skin tones without looking ashy.
Affection is a deep berry that, frankly, can be a bit intimidating in the tube but shears out beautifully.
One thing to watch out for? The staining power of the darker shades like Delight and Hope. They are intense. If you have dry patches or peeling skin on your lips, the pigment will cling to those spots. It’s not a cute look.
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"Lip stains are unforgiving. If your lips aren't exfoliated, the Rare Beauty oil will highlight every single crack." — This is a sentiment echoed by almost every professional makeup artist working with the product today.
Addressing the "Drying" Controversy
There’s a subset of users on Reddit and TikTok who swear this product dries their lips out. Is it possible? Yes. But it’s usually a misunderstanding of how humectants work.
The formula contains glycerin. Glycerin is a humectant, meaning it pulls moisture from the air into your skin. But if you’re in a bone-dry climate—say, an airplane or a desert—humectants can actually pull moisture out of your skin if there’s none in the air.
If you find the Rare Beauty tinted lip oil drying, try this: apply a tiny bit of plain lip balm after the oil has set into a stain. This seals in the pigment and the hydration. It’s a game-changer for people with chronically dry lips who still want that "just-bitten" look.
How to Actually Apply It for Best Results
Forget what you know about gloss.
First, make sure your lips are clean. No leftover balm, no foundation.
Second, apply one thin layer. Don't smack your lips together immediately. Let the "jelly" break naturally.
Third, wait sixty seconds.
Fourth, if you want more shine, you can add a second layer, but the stain is already doing its work.
The applicator is worth a mention too. It’s a flat, pointed doe-foot. It’s designed to hug the contours of the lips, which is vital because you don't want this stain migrating outside your lip line. Once it’s on, it’s on. If you mess up the application, you have about ten seconds to fix it before the pigment grabs hold of your skin.
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The Ingredient Breakdown: What's Really Inside?
Rare Beauty focuses on "comfort" makeup. The lip oil features:
- Jojoba Seed Oil: Mimics the skin's natural oils to moisturize.
- Sunflower Seed Oil: Rich in Vitamin E.
- Glycerin: The hydration powerhouse.
It is paraben-free, vegan, and cruelty-free. It’s also non-comedogenic, though that matters less for a lip product than a foundation. The scent is subtle—sort of a faint, sweet botanical smell—but it doesn't have that heavy artificial cupcake fragrance that defines many celebrity beauty brands.
Is It Worth the $20?
In a market where luxury lip oils are hitting $40, twenty dollars feels reasonable. You're paying for the formulation innovation. There are plenty of cheap lip oils at the drugstore, but very few of them manage the "gel-to-oil" transition without feeling sticky or oily.
The packaging is also classic Rare Beauty—sleek, with a flat side so it doesn't roll off your vanity. It feels expensive. It looks expensive in your bag.
But the value really comes from the versatility. It’s a three-in-one product. It’s a treatment, a hint of gloss, and a long-wear stain. For the minimalist who wants to carry one product in their pocket and be done for the day, the Rare Beauty tinted lip oil is a solid investment.
Practical Steps for the Best Experience
- Exfoliate first. Use a damp washcloth or a gentle sugar scrub. The stain needs a smooth canvas or it will look splotchy.
- Swatch on your hand, but wait. Don't judge the color by the initial wet swipe. Wait two minutes to see the "true" stain color. This is what you'll be looking at for most of the day.
- Mix your shades. Since they are thin, you can actually layer Hope over a darker liner for a custom 90s mauve look that won't budge.
- Clean the neck of the bottle. Because of the thin consistency, the product can sometimes build up around the rim. Wipe it down once a week to prevent the cap from getting stuck or leaking.
- Use it as a base. If you have a lipstick that's too drying, use the lip oil first, let it stain, wipe off the excess "oil" part, and then apply your lipstick. It acts as a color insurance policy for when your lipstick inevitably wears off.
Rare Beauty didn't just release another lip gloss. They released a specific tool for people who want color without the maintenance. It’s not perfect—the shine is fleeting and the stain is stubborn—but for the right person, it’s a holy grail.