By Bailey Morrison
Stepping into a Sephora and coming out without purchasing anything is a rarity for me – I step into the store, the black and white carousels suck me in and in a fugue-like state, I’ve purchased something.
Over the weekend, I stepped in fully expecting the worst and came out without a dent in my wallet, but also with something new – a sample of the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r soft matte long-wear foundation.
So let’s just get into it.
Fenty Beauty is a new brand created and owned by Rihanna.
I’ll be honest – I was skeptical. When I see famous people branching out and starting their own clothing lines, makeup brands, etc., I often expect the products to be low-quality, mass-produced items. I was pleasantly surprised. Rihanna has released an entire line of beauty products which includes foundation, highlighter, lip gloss and concealer.
My focus is the foundation. She released 40 shades, unheard of for a first launch. Her effort was put towards making a foundation for all skin colors – from those with albinism to people with dark complexions.
That’s where many makeup brands fail – they produce maybe two shades of foundation that work for people of color, using the excuse that the product in a darker shade wouldn’t sell. Within two days of Rihanna’s launch, all six of the darkest shades were sold out on her website.
I have never had an issue finding my shade in foundation and that’s because the beauty community caters to people with lighter skin tones. Rihanna and the Fenty brand have done something that is long overdue and I applaud them.
Other brands should take note.
Now on to the formula. Right off the bat, I’ll say this product is not for those with dry skin. While some matte foundations may work for dry skin, this will not. I’ve never worn a foundation that dries down so quickly. However, for those with combination or oily skin, this may be your new favorite product. The formula is light-to-medium coverage, but feels very lightweight and natural on the skin.
With many foundations, it seems apparent that you’re wearing makeup. This foundation would be a great pick for those of you who are fans of the “no makeup” makeup trend.
Typically, with any foundation, I’ll apply a powder over it to set it down so it doesn’t move or slip during the day, but I wanted to truly test the claims that it was a 12-hour, long-wear foundation so I didn’t. After ten hours in 80-degree weather, 20 minutes sitting on the sauna they call the RamTram and two meals, my foundation looked as good as it had when I first put it on.
BONUS: the brand is completely cruelty-free. The Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r soft matte long-wear
foundation retails for $34. I know that next time I’m in Sephora, I will submit to the greater power and purchase this foundation.