Rihanna finally made something I didn’t love.
(@fentyskin / Instagram)
When Fenty Skin launched a few weeks ago, people of all backgrounds flocked to get their hands on Rihanna’s “new culture of skincare.” Admittedly, I was one of them.
On the Fenty website, Rihanna states she wanted the brand “to feel approachable, easy, and take the pressure off choosing a routine.”
I, like many others out there, wanted to see if I could get that signature Rihanna glow from using her routine for a week — and here’s what happened.
Total Cleanser – A Gentle Wash For All
This cleanser is supposed to be a 2-in-1 makeup remover and face wash that leaves the face clean and soft without stripping it.
My first impression of the packaging, besides the dreamy pale purple exterior, was the easy dispensing of the cleanser. The bottle has a twist and squeeze design with the cap attached, which creates much less mess. (And no more missing caps floating around my bathroom counter.)
I’m not going to lie, I was slightly confused when I tried to unscrew the cap the first time, and I thought it was stuck. But once I figured it out, life was good again.
Rihanna described the cleanser as smelling like cherries and coconut, but to me, it smelled more like a vanilla lotion from Bath & Body Works. The product dispenses like an iridescent pink slime but slowly works up to a nice lather as you add water.
After washing off the cleanser, I have to admit my skin felt very soft. Like, eerily soft. I never realized how stripping my usual cleanser was until this product showed me the light. It also did a pretty decent job at removing my makeup, but that being said, I only really wear mascara and some concealer on a day-to-day basis.
Even though my skin can be a bit finicky, dry and sometimes sensitive to certain ingredients, I felt that since this was a wash-off treatment, my skin liked it.
Fat Water – Looks Can Be Deceiving
Out of all the products, I was most excited for the Fat Water to arrive. Could it be the intriguing name? Probably. Could it be the gorgeous peach and purple color scheme? Most likely.
The Fat Water is a toner/serum hybrid meant to refine pores, reduce dark spots, even skin tone, and combat excess oil. Sounds like a dream, right?
Wrong. I was excited for this product to help with some of the texture and blemishes on my skin while making my skin look less dull, but it didn’t really do much of anything.
The packaging is the same twist cap as the cleanser and is supposed to ensure the user doesn’t overpour, but I still felt like I overpoured every single time. Not to mention that when I applied the watery product to my skin, my face turned red and hot for at least five minutes after.
The ingredients in this toner seem great, with powerhouses like niacinamide, Barbados cherry, and green tea, but it also seemed to be the most fragranced product out of the trio. As soon as I applied it with my hands, it felt — and smelled — like I was putting vanilla perfume on my face.
As far as this product goes, I didn’t see much of a difference from using it besides increased sensitivity in my skin, so I’ll probably give it to a friend to see if it works better on their skin type.
Hydra Vizor – A Love/Hate Relationship
Hydra Vizor is a 2-in-1 moisturizer with SPF 30 which boasts light-as-air hydration, zero white cast, skin-brightening and pore reduction. It also doesn’t contain ingredients that are harmful to coral reefs, unlike most other sunscreens.
The packaging is like no other, with refillable cartridges that easily pop in and produce less waste.
The product itself is pink like the cleanser — and honestly has the texture of the cleanser, too — but it melts into the skin while still providing that iconic Rihanna glow-from-within.
I applaud Rihanna for pushing the importance of wearing sunscreen daily, but this product fell a little flat for me. Not only is the fragrance strong, but it lingers. My face also felt tacky while wearing this product, like it could melt off any moment.
If you’re planning on purchasing this product, my warning is: do not, under any circumstance, get this product anywhere near your eyes. Trust me, I tried it and I was crying and flushing my eyes out for the rest of the day. Don’t be like me.
The Final Verdict
As you can see from the photos, I didn’t experience too much of a difference from these products, good or bad.
Even though I can tell my skin is slightly less dull and maybe even a bit brighter, it’s also a bit more rosy and reactive too. My pores and acne stayed about the same, and by the end of the week I honestly just wanted to get back to my normal routine.
Rihanna does deserve kudos for her message of inclusive skincare and creating an environmentally sustainable brand. Many brands are way behind anything Fenty Skin is doing, and hopefully they'll be motivated to change, too.
That being said, I still think there’s work to be done to make these products more effective, and more inclusive. The fragrance in these products was much contested since the launch, and I agree that these products could potentially be damaging to sensitive skin types, including my own.
Despite loving the concept that anyone can use a basic skincare routine and see results, skincare is not a one-size-fits-all deal.
Maya Lang is an Online Writer at Rowdy Magazine. She enjoys playing guitar, staying up far too late, and daydreaming about living in the '80s. You can reach her at mayalang58@gmail.com for more info and movie recommendations.