When Rare Beauty teased something special coming out on October 28 with “some reunions are worth the wait,” the internet was buzzing with speculations. Most of them pointed towards a collaboration with Demi Lovato, given the visuals of a bedroom looking similar to the one from the Princess Protection Program and a video recording screen. As someone who has followed both Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez since their Disney days, I was tingling with excitement at the possibilities.
My excitement quickly waned, however, when the campaign was released. It was confirmed that the collaboration was with Demi Lovato, and the duo delivered lots of “Delena” — the friendship name made by combining their names — content. From the recreation of their Princess Protection Program poster to dancing in a replica of that room and vlogging, it was definitely a sweet reunion. How does it relate to Rare Beauty? There is a limited edition Demi x Selena blush duo. The campaign promotes #DelenaIsBack with the pair wearing their favorite shade of blush, which is available for purchase.
I wish I could be writing about what’s special about the blushes, but other than being “long-lasting and ultra pigmented,” there’s nothing different. That’s because they didn’t come out with new shades of blush. The Demi x Selena Soft Pinch Blush Bundle is available in shades “Virtue” and “Hope,” which already exist. The only difference is putting them in the same box and adding a blush brush for free. For some, like TikTok user @ljcedano, their purchase included a Delena tote that was automatically added to their cart. Some commenters noted that they did not receive a tote in their cart, leading them to believe it was limited stock.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a Selena and Demi reunion. Those have been my girls, and will always hold a special place in my heart. My issue is that they didn’t have to promote a beauty campaign in order to have these nostalgic moments. As a consumer and fan, having this as part of a marketing campaign could’ve been approached a lot better.
For those who know the extensive lore of their friendship, this is a huge deal. If they’re going to be inserting the Princess Protection Program, they could’ve at least created new products. An eyeshadow palette, for example, with the colors of the film and nods to Louisiana would’ve been so cute. Especially since Rare Beauty only has one eyeshadow palette. The hues of green, pink, gold, and teal would’ve been lovely to pair with nudes.
Rare Beauty is best known for its Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, which is probably why the brand releases new shades along with limited-edition shades. In the recent collaboration with BÉIS, a new shade of blush and lip gloss was released to match the luggage being promoted. I think that if they’d done a similar thing with the use of the Princess Protection Program, they could’ve created a new shade of blush for their movie characters. At the very least, two new lip gloss shades paired with the already existing blush shades. It would’ve been great to have a bundle of blush and lip gloss for Carter (Selena’s character) and for Rosie (Demi’s character).
Furthermore, this would’ve been an incredible time for women’s empowerment, and talking about mental health. Both women have opened up about their own mental health struggles since their 20s, and the Rare Impact Fund focuses on mental health. To have these women, whose friendship has fluctuated over the years and who have endured struggles individually, come together now, having a tie back to mental health and empowerment would’ve been huge.
This isn’t the first time brands have been using nostalgia to gain consumer attention. Earlier this year, fitness brand Gymshark collaborated with Bratz. Where there was initially anticipation, consumers were quickly left with disappointment when the clothing dropped. Instagram users were quick to comment “Literally nothing about this screams BRATZ SMH” (@ernietheleo), and “This is lazy – do better” (@tuls14). The gym sets featured leggings, a gym shirt, a sports bra, and shorts, all in solid colors, including navy, orange, black, and pink. Commenter @slimyqueeb noted that “BRATZ would never wear something this bland. We need Cheetah prints, BRATZ logo down pant legs, body pieces with cute arm covers.”
It’s hard not to compare when companies like Glamlite and Colourpop release the full package when they do their collaborations. Their collaborations include eyeshadow palettes, lip gloss, lip liners, highlights, lipstick, and sometimes eyeliner. People love nostalgia — some even crave it, but I do believe it should be done with intention and purpose for the public to get the best out of it. After all, the public is who is being marketed to. Of course, there are those who don’t mind and will buy items for the sake of it. To that I say, to each their own.
It’s important that I reiterate that I have no problem with these women coming together to celebrate their friendship and reflect on a project they worked on. It’s lovely to see, especially when you know the lore. My issue solely lies in tying it to a beauty campaign that offered nothing besides nostalgia. Hopefully, this won’t be the last time the two come together and work on something together. After all, BEIS and Rare Beauty teamed up again a year later, so I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Demi and Selena.
Whatever happens, I look forward to seeing it!