Ready to feel old? It’s been nearly 10 years since Rihanna launched her beauty line, Fenty Beauty.
Far from ‘just another celebrity beauty brand,’ the A-list singer’s debut brought us many cult-status products, but also served as a wake-up call that the industry desperately needed.
At a time when beauty brands were still largely (and inexcusably) catering to fair to medium skin tones, Fenty Beauty launched with a foundation range of 40 shades (later expanding to 50), setting the standard for inclusivity almost overnight.
With a wide spectrum of undertones also considered, there was, and still is, something for everyone in RiRi’s beauty line.
Best Fenty Beauty products at a glance
- Best overall: Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer - £16, Fenty Beauty
- Best multipurpose highlighter: Fenty Beauty Diamond Bomb All-Over Diamond Veil - £25.60, Fenty Beauty
- Best foundation: Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation - £17.50, Fenty Beauty
- Best for curly hair: Fenty Hair The Homecurl Curl Defining Cream - £23.20, Fenty Beauty
- Best fragrance: Fenty Eau de Parfum - £92, Fenty Beauty
- Best blush: Shake 'n Play Buildable Liquid Blush - £25, Fenty Beauty
- Best mascara: Fenty Beauty Hella Thicc Volumising Mascara - £16.80, Fenty Beauty
- Best body cream: Fenty Skin Butta Drop Whipped Oil Body Cream with Tropical Oils + Shea Butter - £25.60, Fenty Beauty
- Best setting powder: Fenty Beauty Invisimatte Instant Setting + Blotting Powder - £20.80, Fenty Beauty
- Best shampoo: Fenty Hair The Rich One Moisture Repair Shampoo - £23.20, Fenty Beauty
- Best body wash: Fenty Skin Big Dripp'r Body Wash - £17.60, Fenty Beauty
- Best lipstick: Fenty Beauty Icon Velvet Liquid Lipstick - £20, Fenty Beauty
- Best face moisturiser: Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Broad Spectrum Mineral SPF 30 Sunscreen Moisturiser - £28, Fenty Beauty
- Best bronzer: Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk'r Instant Warmth Bronzer - £24, Fenty Beauty
- Best lip liner: Fenty Beauty Trace'd Out Longwear Waterproof Pencil Lip Liner - £16, Fenty Beauty
Speaking about the launch back in 2017, Rihanna said inclusivity was her number one priority when it came to her own product line. “I was like, there needs to be something for a dark-skinned girl. There needs to be something for a really pale girl. There needs to be someone in between.”
The brand’s ethos, along with some standout beauty innovations like the non-sticky, high-shine Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizers and pore-blurring Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation, proved popular. Fenty Beauty is now valued at a whopping £1 billion, pushing Rihanna into billionaire status too.
But hype aside, the real question is whether the products are actually worth your money. And, if you’ve never tried a product from Fenty Beauty, you might be at a loss of where to start. That’s why I’ve drawn up a definitive list of the best Fenty Beauty products and spotlighted the ones that truly deliver.
How I tested
As a beauty journalist of over nine years, I already swear by many Fenty Beauty products and reach for them on a daily basis. I took these trusted favourites, along with products I’d never tried before, and used them over the course of several weeks. I considered the product’s claims, whether they applied well, how the textures felt, and the results of each product to give a comprehensive review of how they performed.
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Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer
Best: overall
The bestselling lip gloss gives lips megawatt shine without the usual sticky, gloopiness. The doe foot wand applies a generous layer of product in one swipe and, thanks to nourishing shea butter, it keeps lips hydrated and comfortable all day. Lasting well through eating and drinking, it’s a brilliant all-round gloss and comes in 15 different shades.
Buy now £16.00, Fenty Beauty
Fenty Beauty Diamond Bomb All-Over Diamond Veil
Best: multipurpose highlighter
If you’re looking for a product that resembles real-life diamond dust, then you’ve found it in Diamond Bomb All-Over Diamond Veil. Whether you use it as a highlighter, eyeshadow or body shimmer, this jelly-like powder gives the most amazing sparkle without looking like chunky glitter.
Best applied with a finger to avoid fallout, it melts into the skin without feeling gritty and has a buildable formula, depending on how much radiance you’re looking for. Available in five different colours to suit a range of skin tones, each one catches the light in its own way.
Buy now £25.60, Fenty Beauty
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation
Best: foundation
Shine control and longwearing coverage are exactly what this foundation promises and it definitely delivers. Easy to blend, the fluid formula goes on smoothly and dries down into a soft matte finish that looks natural and poreless rather than flat or dry.
Made with climate-adaptive technology to keep shine and oily at bay even when it’s hot or humid, this foundation feels comfortable to wear, rather than like a mask, and comes in a whopping 50 shades.
Buy now £17.50, Fenty Beauty
Fenty Hair The Homecurl Curl Defining Cream
Best: for curly hair
Specifically designed for curly or coily hair, Fenty Hair The Homecurl Curl Defining Cream is a gel-cream styler that defines your curl shape but keeps hair soft, hydrated and flexible rather than stiff or crunchy.
Rich and detangling, but lightweight enough not to weigh down the hair, this silicone-free formula has a lovely scent and easily slots into your wash day routine.
Buy now £23.20, Fenty Beauty
Fenty Eau de Parfum
Best: fragrance
Want to smell like Rihanna? The brand’s Eau de Parfum is about as close as you can get. Using only middle notes of magnolia, musk, tangerine and Bulgarian rose, this warm floral scent is designed to develop slowly and uniquely to the wearer and give the fragrance more staying power.
Sexy, feminine and warm, it oozes confidence and lingers on the skin for hours after being spritzed on pulse points. It’s basically Rihanna bottled and who doesn’t want that?
Buy now £92.00, Fenty Beauty
Fenty Beauty Shake 'n Play Buildable Liquid Blush
Best: blush
For a natural flush, the Shake 'n Play Buildable Liquid Blushes should be on your radar. Just shake the tube, dot onto the cheeks with the sponge applicator and blend with your fingers, a brush or sponge and you get a wash of colour that adds life back into the skin.
The buildable formula means you can apply as much or as little as you want for the perfect pigment and, because it’s waterproof and humidity-resistant, it won’t budge whatever the weather.
Buy now £25.00, Fenty Beauty
Fenty Beauty Hella Thicc Volumizing Mascara
Best: mascara
If your lashes are fine and sparse then invest in this top-rated mascara. With a wiggle and swish, not only does Hella Thicc deliver a massive dose of volume, it also lifts, curls and lengthens each individual eyelash.
The tapered brush makes it easy to reach shorter corner lashes and the longwearing, flake-proof, water-resistant formula won’t ever smudge or transfer onto the eyelids, even in humid weather.
Buy now £16.80, Fenty Beauty
Fenty Skin Butta Drop Whipped Oil Body Cream with Tropical Oils + Shea Butter
Best: body cream
If dry skin is something you’re constantly battling then try this incredibly nourishing body cream. Formulated with antioxidant-rich Barbados cherry and nearly 25 per cent rich butters as well as tropical oils and extracts, it feels thick and indulgent and floods skin with moisture.
Available in 4 delicious scents, each one leaves a subtle glow on the skin and keeps skin hydrated all day.
Buy now £25.60, Fenty Beauty
Fenty Beauty Invisimatte Instant Setting + Blotting Powder
Best: setting powder
As seen during Rihanna’s 2023 Super Bowl halftime show, Fenty Beauty’s Invisimatte Instant Setting + Blotting Powder became a viral bestseller after she paused mid-performance to keep shine at bay with the invisible setting powder.
With a finely-milled, translucent formula it instantly mattifies oily skin and doesn’t turn cakey or flashback in photography. Hey, if it stands up against stadium lights on one of the world’s biggest stages, then you know it’s good.
Buy now £20.80, Fenty Beauty
Fenty Hair The Rich One Moisture Repair Shampoo
Best: shampoo
Suitable for all hair types and textures, The Rich One Moisture Repair Shampoo is a gentle but effective cleanser that works into a rich lather to remove excess oil, product build up and daily grime.
Sulfate-free, silicone-free and safe for coloured hair, this shampoo contains Replenicore-5, a blend of proteins, amino acids and antioxidants, to keep hair healthy and restore softness and shine to damaged tresses. Not only is it a gorgeous, hydrating formula, it also smells incredible with notes of florals and amber making it a pleasure to use every wash day.
Buy now £23.20, Fenty Beauty
Fenty Skin Big Dripp'r Body Wash
Best: body wash
Forget dull, boring body washes, the Fenty Skin Big Dripp’r Body Wash is here to upgrade your shower experience. This thick, honey-like formula not only smells amazing, it lathers into a rich, skin nourishing foam that cleanses the skin while keeping it soft and hydrated.
Available in two scents, it’s fantastic for those with dry skin and brings a little indulgence to an otherwise ordinary shower.
Buy now £17.60, Fenty Beauty
Fenty Beauty Icon Velvet Liquid Lipstick
Best: lipstick
Regular liquid lipsticks can feel drying but thanks to its creamy, whipped formula, the Icon Velvet Liquid Lipsticks give you all the pigment and longevity without leaving your lips parched and flaky.
Featuring a doe foot wand that gives intense colour pay-off in one application, the formula dries down to a velvet-matte finish that feels comfortable to wear all day. Shade The MVP is Rihanna’s signature blue-toned red and an absolute must-have for ultra-glam looks.
Buy now £20.00, Fenty Beauty
Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Broad Spectrum Mineral SPF 30 Sunscreen Moisturizer
Best: face moisturiser
Streamline your routine with sun protection and hydration in one step with this top-rated SPF. Combining hyaluronic acid and niacinamide it works to soothe and brighten the skin, while zinc oxide filters protect from harmful UV rays.
With a lightweight texture, the formula sinks into the skin quickly and makes the perfect base for makeup. As it’s a mineral-based sunscreen, it’s particularly great for sensitive skin and it actively strengthens the skin barrier without clogging pores.
Buy now £28.00, Fenty Beauty
Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk'r Instant Warmth Bronzer
Best: bronzer
For a sculpted, glowy look, try the Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk'r Instant Warmth Bronzer. Available in 9 flattering matte shades, the hydrating powder formula blends onto the face without looking muddy or pulling orange like so many bronzers do.
Effortlessly buildable, it’s formulated with moisturising mango and papaya extracts, helping the powder blend seamlessly into the skin with a natural skin-like finish.
Buy now £24.00, Fenty Beauty
Fenty Beauty Trace'd Out Longwear Waterproof Pencil Lip Liner
Best: lip liner
Want a lip liner that doesn’t dry out your lips? Try the Trace'd Out Longwear Waterproof Pencil Lip Liner. This smooth, creamy formula glides on easily with no tugging, giving you enough time to blend before it sets for up to eight hours wear.
The velvet-matte finish is transfer, fade and feather-proof plus it comes in 16 beautiful colours so you can find one that suits your skin tone or your lipstick of choice.
Buy now £16.00, Fenty Beauty
Verdict: With so many big-hitting products in Fenty Beauty’s line up it’s hard to single one out as the best, but, if push came to shove, it has to be the Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizers taking the number one spot. Non-sticky, moisturising and comfortable to wear all day, each shade gives incredible shine and leaves lips looking fuller and poutier.
Coming a close second is the Diamond Bomb All-Over Diamond Veil. This unique multipurpose product is unlike any other on the market and looks just as though crushed diamonds have been dusted over the skin - incredible.
Is Fenty Beauty vegan and cruelty-free?
Fenty Beauty and its subcategories, Fenty Hair and Fenty Skin, are 100 per cent cruelty-free. They do not test on animals, and neither do their suppliers. However, Fenty Beauty as a whole is not fully vegan. Most of its products are vegan, but some contain animal derivatives like beeswax and carmine so it’s worth checking the ingredients of each individual product before purchasing.
What’s the most popular Fenty Beauty product?
The most popular Fenty Beauty product is the Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer. The non-sticky, super-shiny lip gloss has been a bestseller since its launch and the original shade Fenty Glow, a universally flattering nude/pink, is loved by many makeup artists and industry experts.
Does Rihanna still own Fenty Beauty?
Rihanna still owns 50 per cent of Fenty Beauty, with LVMH owning the other 50 per cent. The singer is still heavily involved with the brand’s creative decisions and she remains the face of the brand for all of its campaigns and product launches.
