I love their promotional imagery so much; I feel like they take and share a lot of their shots, which reflect a diverse selection of models. Their more recent releases have become more consistent (and better), though they still are weaker with eye products.
— Christine
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I didn’t set out this way, but I have ended up with quite a few Fenty products. A lot of releases and finished seem really clever and forward thinking. They’ve even come up with a sparkle highlighter formula that I like! I also like how the brand embraces mini sizes.
I think a potential weakness for the brand could be holiday releases- they seem like a lot and almost over indulgent compared to the more subdued and minimalistic nature of the core product line (maybe that’s the point, though). However, given how those tend to go on clearance a lot, maybe the brand can find a way to pare those releases down.
I agree that it’s awesome they have so many mini sized offerings. Perfect for trying a new formula as well as makeup collectors.
Great cheek products. Unimpressive to terrible eyeshadow
Of course I love how inclusive they are and the fact that they’ve come out with cream products, but I think most of all, I love their partnership with the CL Foundation. I appreciate that they have products sold solely to support the charity.
While Fenty was obviously not the first company to come out with a large shade range, it was really nice to see a brand focus on complexion and a diverse range of shades right off the bat. I will say they’ve had missteps (Geisha Chic highlighter, sigh) but I’ve never felt that they didn’t listen to criticism. I will also say they pay attention to what consumers want – everyone loved the Hot Chocolit shade from last year and instead of saying “too bad, it’s limited edition” they released a regular sized version, and they also released darker tones for the Match Sticks this year if I’m not mistaken after people asked for them.
For dislike, it’s just that I sadly have a weird allergy to nearly all of their products. I’ve been lucky in that the Cream bronzer/brush are fine, but the fragrance in their lip glosses gives me migraines and the foundation makes me break out. I haven’t tried their eyeshadows but that’s mostly because they’ve reviewed so badly I decided it wasn’t worth the try.
Like: When they do a product/formula well it is really well done. Conversely when it is bad, it is really bad. I like the packaging, for the most part. I like the variety of shades and the inclusiveness of the brand. There are definite pockets of products that are really beautiful and worth buying and their price point is pretty good.
Dislike: Their inconsistency since the initial blitz launch. I was all set to really love the brand, buy everything in site and then the performance of products became very hit and miss. All brands have these types of products, no one is perfect all the time but the Christmas launch year before last (?) was so terrible that it really soured me on the brand and I have only picked up one lippie since then.
So much to love! Their foundation range is just about near perfection, and in both a true matte formula as well as a very long-lasting hydrating formula, the latter being HG for me even though I semi straddle two shades. The Gloss Bomb lipgloss formula is HANDS DOWN the most comfortable lipgloss I have ever worn, has a gorgeous lip smoothing effect that makes my lips look plumper without any lip plumping additives, and has some perfect shades, too. Great cheek and highlighting products, also!
The not so great: As much as I adore their foundation range, they need to go a little less orange on some of their medium to tan range shades. I’m quite a neutral golden olive, no orange or pink. 260 matches my winter color very well, but still gives off an odd orangey cast that can look off in certain lighting. I’d love to see a shade 265 that isn’t as orange as 260 or as pink as 270, but soft golden neutral.
Now to address the other issue: no permanent eyeshadow palette or range of singles in a good, solid formula. They really need to make this happen! I know I’m in the minority of those who loved the old LE Galaxy palette, but now for something for everyday usage, not festivals/concerts. And in just as fabulous of a formula as her powder cheek products. RiRi, I know you can bring it!
I remember watching the foundation and match sticks in store when they launched, and had a lot of difficulties finding a light-medium shade that was yellow enough, but not too orange. The line is inclusive, but I had better matches in foundations with 10 shades. But it’s not a critique necessarily, I mean… each skintone is unique, finding an exact match without mixing shades is hard even with 40+ options.
This. Though most lines have the same problem for me. In my skin depth, all the ‘cool’ shades look straight up yellow. not too warm, too yellow. Even the SAs said ‘I can’t believe this is so terrible on you!’ They didn’t even try to mollify me or persuade me otherwise. It was B A D bad. I like the duo HL and a few of the glosses. Still resisting the ream cheek products. The flypencil liners really are the bomb. (Side eye at you, UD!) As Wednesday said, thoughtful. The charity, the diversity, the fun. Somehow, Fenty does not read ‘another celebrity line, cashing in on my visibility.’ Fenty somehow feels needed, IYKWIM.
That problem is indeed not unique to Fenti. And it’s frustrating since as a light-medium complexion one would think it’s easy, but my yellow undertone is hard to match. It makes me realize how hard is for very fair or very dark skin toned people, since unlike me they don’t have the luxury to be able to try 10-20 brands to match an unique undertone.
Your comment actually reminded me that I tried the Flyliner and liked it. Still would purchase the Physicians Formula one, but wouldn’t mind a free sample size. ?
Diverse. Thoughtful.
Sadly, I do not own much; a couple of foundations which are not my preference, but with decent colour match, and the flypencils which I very much enjoy. Overall, the aesthetic of the colour products and formulations are simply not my cup of tea.
Very unpopular opinion, people often attack me for this, but I never liked Fenty Beauty. It’s not that I hate the brand, but I’m just not interested in it. Maybe it’s because I like less… colorful and flamboyant make-up. I am happy people enjoy the brand, but it’s not for me.
I don’t like the white / cream / pinkish packaging nor the hexagonal shapes. I’m not a fan of glosses or too crazy highlighters, cream cheek formulas never vibes with me. The complexion products have fragrance and alcohol, which irritate my skin.
My big issue is how over-hyped the brand is. The big shade range and inclusion is not new, high end and drugstore brands did it before. Maybe the products are awesome for most people, but make-up is personal. I hated to see people attacked because they didn’t liked the products (influencers, not me ?)… common, make-up is so personal, no one hates Rihanna or is a racist if they don’t like that foundation…
What I do love that Rihanna is true to her style. The brand captures her vibes and style, and she’s unapologetic about it.
I wrote my comment then read yours! Lol!! I’ve never expressed my opinion about Fenty but the way influencers gush about the brand no doubt its unpopular. Personally o think they maybe they are star struck .
The brand doesn’t interest me either. Don’t own any products and just walk by the counter at Sephora. Maybe one of these days, something will catch my eye. It’s great for diversity, the marketing is good, but maybe I’m just not in the right demographic.
I love the aesthetic and complexion products. The lip colors are really trendsetting and I love the matte bullet formula although for the price point (and compared to the other Fenty products) the packaging could be more luxurious. I think Rihanna and her team understand both gen z and millennial tastes. They’re rightly one of the most popular and influential brands right now.
Echoing Christine, I think the eye products are Fenty’s biggest weakness, particularly eyeshadows. The duos are really pricey and have a limited range and the palettes haven’t reached the same excellent quality as the rest of the brand.
Great bronzer and eye primer – only products I’ve tried thus far. I want to collect a few blushes next. I like the marketing – it seems fresh and current. I like the packaging for the cheek products.
Not tempted by any if their eyeshadows.
I like that Fenty has so much diversity in shades. What I don’t like is all the hype for a subpar brand. They have a few items that are ok but I don’t waste my money on any of it. I got the foundation…big yuck. The contour stick it was ok. Mascara,,, waste of money. Pastel palette should of returned.
I love supporting black owned brands but too much hype. I feel CT is way over hyped also! Lol
First of all I am in love with RiRi and have been for a long time. I was excited when she said she was coming out with a makeup line, I don’t know what I expecting. I have purchased a few of her makeup products but honestly I have a lot of makeup and don’t need much so what I have purchased has worked fine no complaints. Not everything works for everyone that’s why there are so many makeup brands out there.
LIKE: I love their glam yet somewhat unconventional product color aesthetic, and that the brand stays true to Rihanna’s style. I appreciate the huge, inclusive shade range for complexion products. I really appreciate how they handled the issue with the Geisha highlighter.
Their Gloss Bombs are my favorite lipglosses , and I really like their cream blushes, Lip Stunna lip paints, lipsticks, and powder highlighters
DISLIKE: Eyeshadow quality is inconsistent, and rarely great. Holiday collections mostly miss the mark.
PRO: I really like Fenty Beauty brushes – I have the highlight brush and concealer brushes. They have great shapes, are easy to clean, and are super cute in the pink.
I love their promotional imagery, and would be more of a fan of the colors and styles when I was in my twenties, but they aren’t as much what I tend to wear these days. I like how Fenty Skin is cross promoted with the makeup — I’m loving her sunscreen/moisturizer and the purple package matches with her pink items. I will try the toner next — the witch hazel I think will work on my face mask-breakout.
I like her mattemoiselle lip formula (but not into most of the colors for me), her lip gloss (though not the package shape since it leaks for me), and I’m interested in her flyliners and cheek cream products. I like that many of her product sizes are small, since non-powder formulas tend to turn faster and I hate wasting product.
CON: I don’t like the handwriting aesthetic on many of her products. Not interested in her eyeshadow formula (and the color aesethetic probably wouldn’t suit me), not interested in the foundation products based on reviews.
Definitely they haven’t gotten eye shadows right yet. But I do like the more recent eye products and the gloss is “bomb” LOL!
First time commenter, long time reader! Fenty is always going to have a place in my heart because I’m a pale Middle Eastern girl with a true neutral undertone, and I could never find a foundation that matched me or a contouring product that didn’t make me look dirty (I’m strongly against bronzer-for-contour on my skin and look for a grey undertone). Fenty’s 180 was the closest I’d ever gotten to looking myself that didn’t oxidize or come off unforgiving to my textural issues (I have an autoimmune condition that expresses in the skin, so I’m constantly filling scarring), and then the 185 came out and I’ve never been happier. There are adequate matches for me nowadays, but both Fenty’s foundation formulas, their concealers, the contour matchstick and finishing powder are beyond perfect for me.
Dislikes? So much of the brand featured high-shimmer, high-gloss products that I love using on other people, but avoid playing with because of how those finishes interact with my skin texture, and I do have some skepticism towards the need to warm up the cream products against the skin instead of applying directly in the cold weather here (a waste!). What I needed from the brand was a perfect base, with staying power and coverage, at a price point I’m willing to pay. Fenty delivered where other complexion products didn’t!
Most of my experience of Fenty is with the lipsticks. They’re comfortable to wear and the colors are rich and saturated. What I love most is that the colors are flexible enough to work on a wide variety of people. I’ve gotten colors from that line that I didn’t think I could wear and they don’t look out of place on me. It’s not like some other brands where I’ve put something on that feels like it’s actively arguing about being on my face. Actually I don’t have a color from them that has made me feel that way. The only drawback is that I want new colors! I have everything I’m going to get from what’s available so I’m ready for more.
For me, Fenty’s matte lipsticks are to die for! Probably the best lipstick formula ive ever owned, and ive owned a ton of lippies in my 40+ years of wearing makeup. The texture is wonderful.
I don’t like all of the shades, of course, but the texture is exquisite. My favourite is Spanked, followed by Griselda (rubbed out a bit to not be so dark), Single, Flamingo Acid. I don’t think the greens, blues ot black shades flatter anyone.