Rihanna expanded her empire into skin care — and there’s something in it for you
It’s turned into a holiday of sorts in the culture kingdom. There are new Friday releases from Alanis Morissette, Brandy, Dominic Fike (traditional albums) and, of course, Beyoncé (an anticipated visual album on Disney+).
But don’t forget about Rihanna, the singer-turned-fashion and beauty mogul. Friday is her day too. Her Fenty Beauty brand, which was launched in 2017 to mass appeal specifically for its inclusive color and foundation range, has expanded to skin care. It’s a move that likely will propel the singer’s beauty empire further into the stratosphere.
Following a virtual launch party this week, Fenty Skin, which is now available, is an offering of three gender-neutral products housed in scaled-back, recyclable and refillable packaging.
Although simple in presentation, the launch speaks volumes about Rihanna’s approach to beauty, a streamlined offering of products that are clean, sustainable and aimed to be accessible to people of all skin types and colors.
The three-step regimen of Fenty Skin calls to mind the version launched by Clinique in 1968. The now-classic skin-care system was a beauty breakthrough for its time, giving women a no-fuss approach to treating their skin.
With the tagline “The new culture of skincare,” Fenty Skin is the modern-day and inclusive answer to Clinique’s popular skincare lineup. It’s one that besides being endorsed by Rihanna, whose 2020 Savage X Fenty runway show was nominated for an Emmy Award this week, speaks to a more-diverse consumer.
You probably already know about Rihanna’s beauty and skincare lines. However, there are other Black-owned beauty labels experiencing an increase in sales in this new civil rights era.
“I am a woman of color and I have a lot of sensitivity in a lot of areas on my face,” says the singer in a press video. “So I get really picky with products, and a lot of times I get really scared and cautious. So in developing these products I really wanted to make sure that it felt comfortable. They were effective, credible for people who really know skin care, but also I wanted a product that worked. More than anything, that was just the most important thing for me — something that worked for everyone.”
The launch comprises three products called Fenty Skin Start’rs. The Total Cleans’r Remove-it-All Cleanser ($25) for a daily face wash; Fat Water Pore-Refining Toner Serum ($28) said to refine the look of pores and reduce the look of dark spots; and Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen ($35), which is reef-friendly and formulated to work on various skin tones without leaving a white cast.
Rihanna infused aspects of her home country of Barbados into the line using ingredients such as the vitamin C-rich Barbados cherry and Kalahari melon for moisture. Hyaluronic acid and niacinamide were added to address hydration and hyperpigmentation, respectively.
Katonya Breaux, the mother of singer Frank Ocean, and other entrepreneurs had a hard time finding sunscreen for darker skin. Their solution was to create their own products to fill the void in the left in the sun-care aisle.
“I wanted it to feel approachable, easy and to take the pressure off choosing a routine,” says Rihanna about her overall outlook on skin care. “So I created one for everyone.”
Fenty Skin is available exclusively on fentyskin.com.
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