When was Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty launched? Products, costs, and more details explored

Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty was launched in 2017 and brought a revolution in the beauty industry with POC-friendly makeup products. With multiple brands targeting a fair-skinned audience and only limited options for people of color, Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty on September 8, 2017, for those alienated.

On the Fenty Beauty website, Rihanna, founder, CEO, and owner of the brand, states:

“Makeup is there for you to play with. It's there for you to have fun with. it should never feel like pressure and it should never feel like a uniform.”

Its promo video had Rihanna with a diverse set of women: Duckie Thot, Slick Woods, Halima Aden, and Paloma Elsesser, making it amply clear that Fenty Beauty was all about inclusion and a true representation of beauty.

Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty gained immense praise for offering a diverse range of 40 shades, compelling many brands to augment their lineup with darker hues immediately. The multifaceted products from Fenty Beauty can be resourcefully used with a highlighter or lipstick, functioning as eyeshadow, too.

How did Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty revolutionize makeup?

Makeup by Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty (Image via Fenty Beauty)

Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty revolutionized makeup for black and brown people to a large extent. Fenty Beauty caters to makeup enthusiasts and offers a wide choice of products that cater to every skin color. It has 50 shades of concealer and 40 shades of foundation.

Fenty Beauty focuses on diversity and inclusivity and makes an important political statement at a time when people are divided based on their color. Many brands that offer a wide range of shades fall short regarding medium to dark skin tones. Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty's most important and unique aspect is that it completely focuses on complexion. It assures users of foundation shades for every skin tone — not a close match but an exact match — and the number of shades it offers is unparalleled.

Previously, London's leading retail establishment, Harvey Nichols, was an exclusive purveyor of Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty. The brand is now offered on its official website, fentybeauty.com, and at Sephora retail establishments, both online and in stores.

A new range of products was announced, and a week later, Boots began retailing Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty products. An exclusive range of products that were once only available at one of the upscale department stores of London was now on the high street, adding to the inclusivity of makeup enthusiasts. Social media popularized this by referring to it as the ‘Fenty effect’ and marveled at how a pop star could revolutionize the makeup game.

Fenty Beauty is more than just about makeup or about Rihanna expanding her empire to other realms - it’s about being a social movement. Her launch started a movement and has motivated established brands to join the movement. Time magazine named Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty one of the most genius companies in 2018 and acknowledged their makeover of the makeup industry. Time wrote, "In only a year, Fenty Beauty has pulled off a makeover of the makeup industry."

It’s amazing what one young woman did to make many people feel seen by bringing inclusivity to the beauty industry.

Products, costs, and more details explored

Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty was created with Kendo Brands and is a 91-SKU line.

Foundation

The brand includes 40 Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation shades to cater to every complexion. It is available for $40 at the official product website. The sheer range of shades of its Pro Filt’R Soft Matte Longwear Foundation makes it easy for everyone to find their shade.

Primer

Rihanna's makeup brand offers one universal Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer for $36. It is an everyday makeup primer suitable for all skin types and tones. It smoothes the skin by minimizing pores and preventing shine. This allows for better foundation application and long-lasting wear.

Versatile skinsticks

Fenty Beauty boasts 30 magnetic Match Stix Skinsticks in matte and shimmer finishes for correcting, contouring, highlighting, and as a blush and concealer. The magnetized packaging helps easy travel and organization and is available for $32 at the Fenty Beauty website.

Highlighters

The brand also has six hybrid cream-powder Killawatt Freestyle Highlighters for the eyes and face at $40. These lightweight, long-lasting highlighters range from a subtle glow to an extremely dramatic look. It has ultra-fine shimmer for a creamy and smooth texture.

Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty mostly offers nude tones, which are extremely popular with the Millennials. The packaging is very contemporary and minimalist, with dusty rose and white colors. Apart from powder highlighters, the brand also offers stick application highlighters, which are very popular with Millennials and Gen Z.

Blotting powder and paper

An Invisimatte Blotting Powder and paper can be bought for $37. It acts as an instant mattifier and is a universal finishing powder that reduces pore size, absorbs excess oil, and keeps makeup long-lasting. The blotting paper is made with natural plant fibers and removes shine without disturbing one's makeup.

Inspired by Saran Wrap, Rihanna's Fenty Beauty's blotting papers are a unique innovation. They are in a tube that could pass off as lipstick and roll out like aluminum foil. This allows one to use it secretly without anyone knowing you are powdering your nose.

Lip gloss

A single universal lip gloss named Gloss Bomb is available for $21 on the official website. Unlike other brands, Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty has a particular approach to lip colors. Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer is a creamy rose nude with a touch of glitter. It’s infused with shea butter to moisten the lips and look good on every skin tone.

Application tools

Various application tools and brushes to apply makeup flawlessly, like a pro, range between $10 to $126.

On Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty's Global Artistry Team, Priscilla Ono, James Kaliardos, and Hector Espinal have been named global makeup artists.

Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty uses models from varied and diverse ethnicities and has introduced the concept of a new generation of beauty. The brand does not cater to a niche audience but focuses on people of all colors and ethnicities. The brand does not compromise on quality at any point, whether it comes to using premium ingredients such as hyaluronic acid for moisture, niacinamide, or Barbados cherry, which helps brighten dull complexions.

People worldwide cannot stop buying Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty products, which has led to it becoming such a big deal in changing the makeup game.