"Just like we all remember where we were when Jennifer and Brad broke up or when Netflix announced it was bringing back four new episodes of Gilmore Girls or when Beyoncé dropped Lemonade, I vividly remember where I was when Sephora announced it would launch Rihanna’s makeup line, Fenty Beauty. I watched dozens of Fenty Beauty reviews and waltzed into Sephora, noticing that the Fenty aisle looked like a Toys R Us after Black Friday in the 2000s. “Sold Out” covered half the products in the gondola, but people were still lining up to see the products in the line, testing them across their hands (oh, the days).
Since those fateful days in September 2017, Fenty Beauty has grown into one of the biggest brands in the beauty business with a full range of products covering every category (and even foraying into skin and body care). Because the line is so big and contains a few products for every category, it’s hard to know where to start, what will work for you, and what’s actually worth it. Our team is breaking down the best of the best. Here is a bit more about the brand and the products we’ve personally vetted:
About the Brand
Popstar, philanthropist, and makeup and fashion icon Rihanna developed Fenty Beauty because of her love for makeup and using it as self-expression. She wanted everyone to feel included in her line, which is apparent from the brand making history by launching with a foundation shade range of 40 shades (how wild to think this wasn’t the norm before Fenty?).
But inclusivity goes beyond having a ton of shades for Fenty. Rihanna set out to create a brand that could be universal: for different undertones, different skin types, different skin concerns, and different makeup styles. The full-glam MUA can find products they love just as much as someone who throws on a few swipes of mascara before the big meeting every Monday.
Fenty Beauty is cruelty free and doesn’t sell in mainland China, where animal testing is required. However, its parent company, Kendo, is owned by LVMH, which is not cruelty free, as some of their brands do test on animals. Some of Fenty Beauty’s products are vegan, like all of Fenty Skin, but it is not considered a vegan brand.
Our Reviews
Complexion
Prior to trying the Fenty Matte Foundation, I was a ride-or-die CC cream user. I thought foundations, especially matte ones, were cakey, hard to blend, and simply more trouble than they’re worth. The Fenty Matte Foundation completely dismantled everything I thought I knew about foundation.
My skin can get quite oily, and this is truly the only product I’ve used that combats that without making my skin look and feel drier than the Sahara in a drought. While it definitely offers more coverage than a skin tint or cream, it’s buildable and feels lightweight no matter how little or much product I use. But this product’s real claim to fame? Its longevity. When paired with the Fenty primer, this foundation really stays put all day long. All of this, paired with the impeccable shade range, makes the Fenty Matte Foundation a no brainer to buy.
— Garri, Managing Editor
Years ago, when the original Fenty matte foundation was released, I exclusively wanted to bathe my skin in glowy, dewy goodness. I remember running to the nearest Sephora the day this came out.
It's a medium coverage with a very glowy finish, but it feels lightweight on my skin. Dewy foundations aren't my favorite anymore because I find them sticky and hard to wear with a mask, but I still pick this up often when I want my skin to look radiant (especially when my skin has a hard time producing that same glow on its own).
— Beth Gillette, Beauty Content Manager
I’ve always been someone who loves a base product that’s more on the sheer side, so when Fenty came out with Eaze Drop, I ordered it the very first day and have loved it ever since.
While this product is definitely light coverage, there’s enough that it covers redness and imperfections. But what makes this skin tint so unique is its blurring effect. When I put this on, it feels like I have a filter on my skin, and it looks like my pores have completely vanished. I have very dry skin, but since this product has a natural finish and is hydrating, I feel like people who are both dry like me or as oily as can be would love it. I also feel like it has much more longevity than an average skin tint—I can put it on in the morning before work and it's still intact when I get home at night. I’ve tried a lot of skin tints, but this one is by far my favorite.
—Madeline Galassi, Fashion Content Manager
This is the product that made me realize I might just like powder foundation. It makes my skin look absolutely flawless in just a few swipes of product. It's the quickest foundation to apply and feels lightweight even though it has a pretty medium/buildable full coverage.
I apply this with the puff that it comes with, but if I want a lighter coverage, I'll use a fluffy brush.
— Beth Gillette, Beauty Content Manager
This is my absolute favorite setting powder, period. I use a small, fluffy concealer brush to set just the areas of my face that need it (like around my nose and under the eyes). It blurs my pores and fine lines under my eyes without ever looking cakey or feeling heavy. I also love that it comes in a few different shades. The banana shade is so brightening under the eyes.
— Beth Gillette, Beauty Content Manager
I have tried all sorts of concealers, and I have to say this one is one that feels the most lightweight on my skin. What I love most about Fenty Beauty products in general is that a little goes a long way, and this concealer has lasted me such a long time because it doesn’t take much to see a difference in brightening under my eyes when I apply it. Plus, I love having the option of building it up if I’m needing full coverage.
– Andi Wynter, Social Media Coordinator
My sleep schedule the last year has been practically nonexistent, and I'm not a ripe 21 anymore. I can't just get three hours of sleep and be fine the next day. My dark circles and bags were getting the best of me—just in time for Rihanna to launch this.
This concealer is lightweight and medium coverage, so if you're expecting it to cover your deepest, darkest secrets, think again. But what I love is the slight radiance it gives my under-eyes. This reflects the light, making my dark circles and bags look like they're not there without having to pile on heavy makeup. It's a genius innovation.
— Beth Gillette, Beauty Content Manager
Cheeks
I’ve tried a lot of beauty products in my time, and it is very rare that I actually finish a product before I get bored of it and move on to something new. This cream bronzer by Fenty, however, is one of the only makeup products that I actually have used to the very last bit and want to repurchase again and again. It is perfectly blendable and gives a natural-yet-contoured look that I consistently get compliments on. Whenever someone tells me that my makeup looks good, I tell them that it’s because of this bronzer.
—Jessica Welsh, Associate Editor
I am a blush fanatic, and since cream blushes became hot, I’ve hopped on the bandwagon and tried every one I could get my hands on. Just about every makeup brand has released a cream blush at this point, but this one remains one of the best on the market. It gives your cheeks a sheer, buildable wash of color that just looks like healthy skin. The colors look super bold in the pan, but every one is literally impossible to overdo and somehow give your cheeks just the right amount of color. Despite the other blushes I add to my collection, I find myself reaching for these constantly and can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t like them.
—Madeline Galassi, Fashion Content Manager
I held off on ordering this when it first came out, but it still makes its way into my weekly bronzer rotation, even years after its release—and as someone who tries beauty products for a living, this should tell you something.
This is the type of bronzer that you can't even tell is on your skin. It blends perfectly into whatever products I have underneath (whether that's the whole nine yards or just my SPF), making me look like I just have a natural, golden tan. It's a dream.
— Beth Gillette, Beauty Content Manager
When it comes to contour, the most important thing for me is its blendability. I love how easily this stick contour glides on the skin and can be worked up to full coverage. On days when I don’t feel like wearing a full face of makeup, this paired with the Pro Filt’r Concealer is my go-to dynamic duo that lasts me all day! I think this is the perfect product for people who are new to contouring: The application is super easy, the shades are more on the cool side and give a more natural look, and it lasts such a long time.
– Andi Wynter, Social Media Coordinator
Contrarily, some of our other editors find this isn't the most blendable, so we would opt for the cream bronzer in "Amber" as your contour if you have dry skin.
Eyes
Most mascaras can't do it all. They either lengthen but not volumize or volumize but don't separate. It's hard to find the Goldilocks of mascaras, but this gives her a run for her money. It's dramatic but not so much so that you couldn't wear it every day, thanks to the curling and separating wand. My lashes look long, clump-free, and so full.
— Beth Gillette, Beauty Content Manager
Fenty's first push into eyeshadows had me over the moon, especially because they came in these compact palettes with concise color stories. The mattes are blendable, the shimmers are shiny, and each palette has a special glittery shade that takes your look from day to night in one fell swoop. I wear #4 and #5 religiously.
— Beth Gillette, Beauty Content Manager
I never understood the need for high-end brow pencils. There are thin, waxy pencils at the drugstore for a quarter of the price. Why splurge? But Fenty's—with its impeccable shade range, fine tip, and unique brush to blend it out instead of a spoolie—makes me a believer. No other brow product has a shade as good for my brows as this. If you struggle to find your perfect brow color, give this a go.
— Beth Gillette, Beauty Content Manager
Lips
I haven’t tried as many products from the Fenty Beauty line as I would like, but when the Gloss Bomb was first introduced, I knew I had to get it! I’m definitely not a lipstick or lipgloss gal by any means, but when I first got my hands on this and after figuring out what works best for me and my routine, I felt in motionnnn. By adding my favorite lip liner with this on top, it creates the perfect sparkle I need for a night out ?? On top of that, this doesn’t feel as sticky or thick as other glosses on the market—it’s the perfect amount of hydrating and shimmer without all the downsides of gloss.
—Alex Pizarro, Editorial Assistant
The formula for the Stunna Lip Paint is truly a 10 out of 10! I always get really nervous about my lips drying out from matte lip products, but this lasts all day and feels super lightweight on my lips. The color I have, Underdawg, is a deep wine color and my go-to for the fall and winter. The applicator takes getting used to, but it’s super helpful for lining your lips perfectly, and you don’t need to make multiple passes on your lips for the color to apply evenly.
– Andi Wynter, Social Media Coordinator