Does Rihanna's Fenty Beauty collection live up to the hype? We test five products, and found one that's completely changed our makeup routine
Love her or hate her, you can’t deny this: Rihanna’s having a moment. The ultimate bad gal has got us hook, line and sinker – first came the Fenty Puma kicks, then came Fenty Beauty: a makeup collection we haven’t been so hyped about for a while (Kylie Jenner who?). What we love best about Fenty Beauty is its support for diversity – Riri doesn’t just showcase varied women of colour in her campaign video; she did us right by putting out a massive shade range (the Pro Filt’r foundation comes in a whopping 40 shades) and a universally flattering lipgloss.
Recently launched, some of the products made their way to our desks yesterday. No exaggerations: We #hyperFentylated as we swatched everything! Here’s our verdict of the winners (and the one product we officially can’t live without).
Killer highlighters
Available in six shades, the Killwatt Freestyle Highlighter Duos feature a cream-to-powder formula which melts quickly and smoothly into skin, and blends with incredible ease. The ones we tested were Girl Next Door and Chic Phreak (soft pink sheen and peachy pink shimmer), as well as Mean Money and Hustla Baby (a soft champagne sheen and peachy champagne shimmer). These aren’t highlighters which immediately pop – the key is to keep building until you achieve an insane glow.
With the former, Girl Next Door gave a pale, brightening feel while Chic Phreak was a gorgeous pink, rose gold shade – these show up better on porcelain skin.
With the latter, I’d recommend Hustla Baby for those with golden undertones as these will illuminate olive complexions and create a flattering balance for yellow undertones.
Complexion conquerors
The dewy look may be trending right now, but us oily-skinned people know the struggle of looking greasy 24/7. Don’t be caught without the perfect blot – the Invisimatte Blotting Powder ($44) keeps the shine at bay, without drying out or caking skin. Top marks for helping us stay matte after battling hawker center queues at lunch and keeping us photo-ready at impromptu shoots. For those looking for a flawless finish, the Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer ($48) worked a treat in blurring out my pores, mattifying my skin and keeping my makeup from creasing.
The big reveal: the Gloss Bomb Lip Luminizer
“Just one shade?” was the first thing we said when heard that the Gloss Bomb Lip Luminizer ($31) would only be available in rose nude. We totally get the hype and decision now as it’s truly flattering on women of different skin tones. It feels as good as it looks; it’s insanely moisturising, instantly plumps lips and gives your puckers an explosive shine with light-reflecting gold flecks. Not everyone’s on board with the peach-vanilla scent, so keep this in mind if you’re averse to scents. I used to stay clear of lipglosses, but this lippie has me rethinking my entire makeup routine. So thanks Riri! I’m a changed woman.
Need more makeup in your life? Check out these best mascaras, and liquid lipsticks.