Selena Gomez Bought a Huge Newspaper Ad to Thank Her Rare Beauty Team

If you’re wondering how to thank coworkers or show friends how you care, Selena Gomez has a sweet and novel (albeit extremely expensive) idea. The Rare Beauty founder “was inspired to sit down and personally write” a letter to her team over the holidays, publishing her words on the back of the Styles section of Sunday’s New York Times (January 9).

With a makeup free face, and her new bob slicked back in an easy bun, Selena recorded and shared a quick at-home video of herself (and her dog) reading the article. “It would be an understatement for me to say I’m proud of my @rarebeauty team and what we have accomplished so far. Love you guys!” she captioned the post. The first Rare Beauty products were released by the singer in September 2020, looking to break down “unrealistic standards of perfection” with vegan makeup products that help wearers “embrace uniqueness”. ​The line currently includes setting powder, eyeshadow palettes, mascara, weightless foundation, and skincare products like primers. In particular, the brand’s highly pigmented liquid blushes have become a TikTok favorite.

“I want to thank you for all your hard work in making the brand such a beloved part of our community. None of it would have been possible without you,” Selena wrote in the full-page letter. “My goal with Rare Beauty was to launch a brand that helped shape the dialogue around the beauty of self-acceptance and embracing your uniqueness — something that has been desperately needed in the beauty space. The heart of this brand is in recognizing that we’re not meant to look a certain way, and that we’re all unique and different and that’s something that should be celebrated."

While it can be rare (sorry) to have a boss thanking you in such a public forum like Selena did, she’s previously said she views Rare Beauty as “more than a beauty brand” and instead focuses on fostering community. In fact, 1% of Rare Beauty’s annual sales go directly to the Rare Impact Fund to expand mental health services in underserved communities. “We donated $1.2M to 8 grantees. We also launched #MentalHealth101, a campaign to rally the philanthropic community around mental health in schools, raising 68,000 signatures and $400,000 in support,” Selena wrote in the letter. We really didn’t need another reason to love Selena but she’s given us one anyway.