Selena Gomez has landed another major cover, but this one comes with something more meaningful than a glamorous beauty moment.
The Rare Beauty founder has been named the first ever recipient of PEOPLE’s Beauty Impact Award, a new honour recognising the way she has used beauty as a platform for something much bigger. Gomez fronts the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands September 18, with the spotlight firmly on the world she has built around Rare Beauty and its mental health mission.
Rare Beauty Was Never Just About Makeup
When Rare Beauty launched in 2020, it arrived in an already crowded celebrity beauty market. What helped it stand apart was the feeling that the brand had a clear point of view from the beginning.
Yes, there were the instantly recognisable blushes, easy textures and soft, wearable makeup. But the bigger idea was always self acceptance. Rare Beauty was positioned against impossible beauty standards, encouraging people to feel comfortable looking like themselves rather than chasing perfection.
That message has stayed remarkably consistent. One percent of Rare Beauty’s annual sales goes to the Rare Impact Fund, which supports access to mental health resources, particularly for young people. PEOPLE reports that the fund has now raised more than $30 million and has supported organisations across multiple countries.
That makes this award feel less like a celebrity beauty accolade and more like recognition of what Gomez has managed to build around the brand.
Beauty, But Without the Pressure
Perhaps the most interesting part of Selena Gomez’s approach to beauty is how little it relies on perfection.
In her new PEOPLE interview, she talks openly about getting older and moving away from the pressure to look exactly as she did years ago. Her beauty routine has become simpler, and her perspective feels increasingly relaxed. She appears much more interested in feeling comfortable in her own skin than recreating an old version of herself.
That philosophy also explains why Rare Beauty has resonated so strongly.
The brand’s language has consistently focused on individuality, vulnerability and inclusivity, while even its packaging has increasingly been designed with accessibility in mind. Rare Beauty has worked on packaging that can be easier to hold, open and use, extending the idea of inclusivity beyond shade ranges and campaigns.
Selena Gomez Is Building Something That Lasts
Celebrity beauty brands can come and go quickly. Rare Beauty increasingly feels different.
Its products have become genuine beauty bag staples, but Gomez has also attached the brand to a purpose that extends far beyond what is sitting on a makeup counter.
That may ultimately be why PEOPLE’s first Beauty Impact Award feels so fitting. Selena Gomez has not tried to redefine beauty by making it more perfect. She has done almost the opposite, making room for imperfection, vulnerability and conversations people once avoided.
Glamcheck Take
A great beauty brand can give you a product you love. A beauty brand with real impact can change how you think about yourself.
Six years into Rare Beauty, Selena Gomez seems to be proving that the two do not have to be separate.
