An innovator in every aspect of her career, Rihanna’s entrance into the beauty space has been particularly impactful. Spurring long overdue conversations on inclusive makeup offerings, the Fenty Beauty founder has permanently altered the world of beauty. Here’s why:
Before launching Fenty Beauty in 2017, Rihanna used her appearances as a means of experimenting with beauty. A lifelong lover of makeup, Rihanna noted the lack of inclusive products, and with Fenty Beauty, she aimed to rectify that, creating products that she hoped anyone could use.
Rihanna attributed a childhood fascination with makeup as her starting point, noting that she first fell in love with foundation. She involved herself in every aspect of creating a makeup line, saying, "There are plenty of options out there when it comes to makeup. My approach with Fenty Beauty was just to do things my way.”
Once released, the impact of Fenty Beauty was immediate. Forty foundation shades were included at launch, and as other beauty brands started taking note and started expanding their shade offerings, a phenomenon dubbed “The Fenty Effect” was coined.
Shortly after its debut, Time named Fenty Beauty one of 2017’s best inventions, and Rihanna promised that she was only just getting started. "The options are pretty much unlimited in the world of beauty, and I love challenges, so I’m going to continue to have fun and push the boundaries in this industry.” she said.
Rihanna later revealed how she had been wearing future Fenty Beauty launches in plain sight. Oftentimes, she was secretly testing out new products, including at the 2017 Met Gala.
She later celebrated the brand's one year anniversary with an Allure cover. Although she wasn't interviewed for the magazine fans and supporters, including Slick Woods wrote of Fenty's one-year impact, calling it "inspiring."
Nearly four years since its debut, and Rihanna's Fenty Beauty has continued to break boundaries. Its collection of products is more extensive than ever, and the line has steadily risen in popularity, becoming one of the most celebrated celeb beauty brands.
Rihanna recently took her Fenty extension a step further. At the start of 2020, she launched Fenty Skin, a collection of skincare products created for anyone to use, no matter their gender or skin type.
With a planned new launch for Fenty Skin, and a willingness to continue to make inclusivity the norm, there's no telling how Rihanna will next impact the beauty industry. However, her legacy as a leader in cosmetics has already been cemented.