Despite getting a ton of PR and beauty swag during fashion week, my beauty-addicted self naturally made time between shows to stop in at Sephora and check out Rihanna's brand-new makeup collection, Fenty Beauty.
After keeping us in suspense for months, Riri blasted us with some stunning previews in the final few days leading up to the release, and needless to say, the beauty community was shook. After getting my makeup done by the talented Stila fashion week team before a show, I was amazed by my eye look but underwhelmed by my skin; the week's crazy schedule had me slapping on makeup 24/7, so Stila's natural, radiant finish didn't quite provide the coverage and contour I was looking for. Fortunately for me, the nearest Sephora was virtually across the street from my prep suite at the Gansevoort!
Packaging: A++...but does it bother anyone else that the color is so similar to KKW Beauty's components? I feel like one brand should have switched it up.
I know the majority of people wanted to get their hands-on the Killawatt Freestyle highlighter in Trophy Wife, but a pigmented swatch told me almost immediately that the stunning pure gold would hardly suit my skin tone. Instead,I opted for one of the powder highlight duos, in shades Mean Money/Hu$tla Baby.
In my swatches below, only one shade looks vibrant, but I can vouch for both as amazing colors on the eye. In a pre-brunch pinch, I used the pigmented peachy champagne shimmer all over my lids, and the softer sheen on my brow bone for a naturally highlighted finish. I liked how both sat on the cheekbones and tip of the nose, but if I'm honest, chances are this highlighting duo will remain in my eyeshadow collection. I can't wait til Fenty Beauty comes out with more powders intended for the eyes, since these indicate that they'll likely be fab!
Moving on to the real stars of the show: the Match Stix. Unsure of how I'd possibly pick my perfect shades from the abundance of options, I was relieved to see that certain shades were being sold in trios, so I picked up Medium 200, which contains Bamboo, Mocha, and Trippin. The packaging for the sticks magnetize, so they cling together like a little honeycomb cluster. Cute and convenient.
You guys might not know this, but I'm OBSESSED with the overpriced yet underrated Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Moon Beach. I can wholeheartedly say that it's the best cheek product I've ever used, and when I saw Trippin, I thought I'd finally found a replacement. However, while the swatch below seems pigmented, I've tried straight to cheek, brush, fingers, and sponge, and I cannot get any pigment to show up on my cheeks!
Technically, Trippin is meant to be a highlight, so maybe I was wrong to expect a blush-level pigment, but all in all I found it difficult to apply on three separate occasions,so it's certainly not the shade for me. That said, I'm head over heels for the other two shades, which I'm confident beat out my KKW Beauty créme contour sticks by far. They're matte, buttery and bendable, and I'll definitely repurchase them the second I run out.
All in all, getting to see and swatch the Fenty beauty range in person was very exciting, and I think it's a stunning collection that it's clear Rihanna has dedicated a lot of time and effort to (Plus, hello, 40 shades of foundation! Take note, other brands!). I'm looking forward to trying more of Fenty Beauty soon, and I'm so glad it will be in Sephora as permanent collection!
