Fenty Beauty Review
I’m not typically one to get excited about celebrity beauty lines or collaborations. I guess it’s the old lady in me. I’m 33 but it’s only a matter of time before I’m bird watching, doing crossword puzzles and yelling at kids to get off my lawn. Ok, maybe I already do some of those things…
Fenty Beauty is the exception and here is why.
I’ve been a fan of Rihanna, real name Robyn Fenty, ever since Jay-Z so kindly introduced us to her. I love her music, her style and I think she’s an overall gorgeous human being. I actually got to see her perform once when she made a surprise appearance during Eminem’s Lollapaloooza performance!
Rihanna launched her beauty line, Fenty Beauty this week. Here’s what made me fire up my Rihanna Spotify playlist and take note.
- The line is 100% cruelty free
- The foundation is available in 40 shades with multiple undertones
- The price point is lower than many lines sold at Sephora
Formula
A liquid foundation that blends out well with brush and damp beauty sponge but does set fairly quickly. There’s a slight scent to it that I’d describe as powdery. It’s pleasant and not bothersome to me.
Finish
Described as a soft matte, this is a self-setting foundation that dry skin like mine doesn’t need set with a powder afterwards. Throughout the day, as my skin’s oil comes through more, I like the finish better. It’s nice to save my setting powder and wear a foundation that seems to get better the longer I wear it. Shade 130
Color
Most impressive of all is the shade range of 40 tones. I chose 130 since it was described as a fair shade with yellow undertones. I’ve often struggled to find a foundation that has truly yellow undertones, with no hint of pink or peach and 130 is it. I thought it might be too light at first but I have to say, this is one of, if not the best shade match I’ve ever had.
For reference, I wear Ivory in , and Ceylan in .
Coverage
This is described as medium to full but it’s pretty much full. It covers my melasma and dark spots almost entirely.
Wear
The foundation describes itself as long wearing and I would agree. It outlasts most of those I’ve tried lately and never needed touched up or blotted once. Keep in mind, I do have dry skin. I primed my skin with my LimeLight One Drop Wonder. I applied it with both a synthetic kabuki brush and a damp beauty sponge and I prefer the sponge.
My oily skin friends have reported back that unfortunately, they still get oily pretty quickly with this and the oxidation factor is real, even with the . Who would have thought that a foundation called Soft Matte might actually work better for dry skin?! Value
At $34 for 1.08 fl. oz., this is an incredible value for a high end foundation, housed in a frosted glass bottle with a pump. Here are a few comparisons to put this into perspective:
Make Up For Ever HD Foundation
Plastic bottle
$43 for 1.01 oz.
NARS Sheer Glow
Glass bottle
No included pump
$47 for 1 oz.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk
Glass bottle and a pump
$64 for 1 oz.
Do I recommend it? Yes. Definitely.
If you’re dry like me, just make sure you moisturize really well beforehand. If you like full coverage, you’ll enjoy it. If you don’t, and you’re more accustomed to tinted moisturizers and BB creams, this isn’t for you.
Formula
This is a powder highlighter with a very silky feel, likely thanks to the dimethicone. Colors/Finish
The Mean Money side (left) is a really subtle, soft glow while Hu$tla Baby (right) is a more metallic gold-toned champagne. I like the shades layered or mixed together, as well as solo. This reminds me of the Stila Kitten Duo, which I’ve always loved.
Wear
This wears about like any powder highlighter. I always use an eye primer so they wore great as eyeshadows too, no creasing.
Value
At $34 for two shades that can be used on face, eyes and body I would say it’s a decent value. It’s pricier than many highlighters but versatile. Wearing the foundation and highlighter on lids, cheekbones, cupid’s bow and brow bone.
Do I recommend it? Yes. They are fun to use but nothing I haven’t really used before. I like the packaging and shades though. Have you seen this woman? JK, but for real. This is like a glamorous mugshot.
If you’d like to see how the foundation and highlighter apply in real time, make sure to watch my video review.
I hope that this review has been helpful, especially for my pale, hella yellow, dry skin men and women. If you’d like to see all 39 other shades, this post has photos of that. You also might spot a familiar face at 130 😉
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Stephanie Looker
09/23/2017 at 1:12 PMThank so so much for the foundation references! I’m NC20 in MAC so this was so helpful! Your post is lovely 🙂 X
Mellisa smith
09/27/2017 at 8:32 PMIn Mac Cosmetics am Foudation NC45 so i would like to know what Shade am in Fenty Foundation?and in the Powder am Shade NC50?
ERIca
10/30/2017 at 7:05 AMDid it oxidize? I’m also an NC20 but having second thoughts of what shade to get in fenty since I oxidize so much but I dont want to get a foundation thats too light also
Adolfo
03/29/2018 at 6:44 AMHallo, wollte nur sagen,, ich genossen Diese Artikel.
Es war inspirierend . Halten Siie über die Entsendung!
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12/12/2019 at 4:43 PM[…] Fenty Beauty Foundation It seems the crowd is split on this but I maintain that this was the best new foundation I tried this year. The coverage is awesome, the shade 130 is probably one of the best color matches I’ve found and the wear time is awesome. I have dry skin but I just hydrate really well prior to applying and don’t have to set with powder because it’s self setting. It doesn’t look too dry or matte and I just really enjoy it. I will say, I love it when applied with a damp beauty sponge so if you haven’t had good luck in the past, try it that way before you write it off. Original review here. […]