The Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush is one of the most-talked-about blushes of the last few years. Selena Gomez's brand turned a $25 liquid blush into a viral staple — makeup artists love it, and it sells out in popular shades on the regular. But sitting right next to it on the shelf, e.l.f.'s Camo Liquid Blush promises a very similar watery, dewy formula for about $7.
Are they actually that similar? Mostly, yes — but not in every way. Here is an honest breakdown of how the two compare, so you can decide whether the $25 tube earns its price or whether the $7 dupe gets you 90% of the way there.
Quick-compare: the two blushes at a glance
| Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush | e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush | |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$25 | ~$7 |
| Size | 7.5ml | 13.5ml |
| Format | Doe-foot applicator | Doe-foot applicator |
| Finish | Dewy, luminous | Dewy, slightly satiny |
| Pigmentation | Extremely pigmented — a dot is enough | Very pigmented — also needs a light hand |
| Blendability | Blends out easily with brush or fingers | Blends easily, sets slightly faster |
| Shade range | ~13 shades | ~10 shades |
| Best for | The iconic formula; the deepest shade depth | The budget buy that genuinely competes |
Prices are approximate and vary by retailer — check current prices before buying.
The formulas: both are watery, both are pigmented
Both blushes are water-based liquid formulas that dry down to a dewy, skin-like finish rather than a powdery one. This is the modern blush trend in a bottle: a fresh, "just-pinched" flush instead of heavy matte color.
The biggest thing they share is pigment strength. The Rare Beauty blush is famous for being so concentrated that one dot covers a whole cheek — and the e.l.f. version is genuinely close. Both will punish a heavy hand. If you are used to powder blush, start with one small dot per cheek and blend; you can always add more.
Where they differ slightly is the dry-down. The Rare Beauty formula stays a touch dewier and stays blendable a little longer, which beginners tend to find more forgiving. The e.l.f. Camo Blush sets a bit faster, which is great for oily skin and long wear, but it means you should blend it quickly after applying.
Shade ranges: Rare Beauty goes deeper
Both lines offer pinks, corals, berries, and mauves — the usual blush spectrum. Rare Beauty's Soft Pinch line has a slight edge in range: around 13 shades, including very deep berry and terracotta tones like Worth and Faith that flatter deeper skin tones.
e.l.f.'s Camo Blush line has around 10 shades, and the range skews a little lighter and brighter. There are good options for medium skin tones (Copper Crush and Berry Well are standouts), but very deep skin tones have fewer choices. If you wear a deeper shade and want a rich berry, the Rare Beauty line is worth a look.
Wear time: surprisingly close
Liquid blushes generally outlast powder blushes on bare skin, and both of these wear well — expect a solid 6 to 8 hours before noticeable fading. The e.l.f. version arguably lasts a touch longer on oily skin because it sets down slightly more. On dry skin, the Rare Beauty version's extra dewiness keeps the flush looking fresh for longer.
Neither is truly waterproof or smudge-proof, and both will fade faster in heavy heat or humidity. For maximum wear from either one, layer a light powder blush in a matching shade on top — this works with liquid blushes generally and is the oldest makeup-artist trick for all-day color.
The price question: is Rare Beauty worth $25?
Honest take: the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch is an excellent blush, and the formula genuinely feels a notch more refined — slightly easier to blend, a slightly prettier dew, a slightly better shade range. If you wear blush every day and want the best possible version, the $25 is reasonable for a product that lasts months (you use so little per application).
But the e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush is one of the strongest drugstore dupes in its category. For $7 you get nearly the same pigment payoff, a very similar finish, and solid wear — plus a bigger bottle. If budget matters or you are buying your first liquid blush and aren't sure you'll love the format, start with e.l.f.
How to apply liquid blush (either one)
Liquid blush is less forgiving than powder if you over-apply, but the technique is simple:
1. Start with one dot per cheek. Seriously — one dot. Both of these are far more pigmented than they look in the bottle.
2. Apply to the apples of the cheeks, or slightly higher on the cheekbones for a lifted look.
3. Blend fast with clean fingertips, a damp sponge, or a stippling brush. Fingers are fine — the warmth helps the product melt in.
4. Build, don't layer thick. If you want more color, add a second tiny dot after the first is blended.
5. Set the T-zone only. If you powder your whole face, do it after blending the blush — powdering first makes liquid blush grab unevenly.
Who should buy which?
- Buy Rare Beauty Soft Pinch if: you want the widest shade range (especially deeper shades), you prefer the most forgiving blend time, or you wear blush daily and want the best version of the formula.
- Buy e.l.f. Camo Liquid Blush if: you want the smartest deal in liquid blush, you're trying the format for the first time, or you prefer a slightly faster-setting formula that lasts on oily skin.
- Buy neither yet if: you dislike dewy finishes entirely — both are glow-forward formulas. A matte powder or cream blush would suit you better.
How we choose
We compare formulas on pigment strength, finish, blendability, shade range, and wear — the things that actually decide whether you'll reach for the product daily. Price is part of the score, not the whole score: a $7 product that underperforms doesn't win, and a $25 product has to justify the gap. No sponsored placements, no paid rankings. Prices are approximate and can change; we check them against typical retail listings, not sale prices.
