October Issue

ARTS & LIFE 27
THE RISE OF
FENTY BEAUTY
Tianna Henry,
Contributor
Rihanna’s new line of cosmetic products, “Fenty
Beauty”, is now available, and it has been a
hit in stores and online. The brand strives for
diversity and inclusivity and aims to challenge
traditional views of beauty.
Picture this: you walk into a cosmetics store
and not one shade of foundation matches your
skin tone. You roam the isles swatching every
color, only to find that it’s either too grey, too
yellow, or too light. You find the darkest shade
a brand carries, look down at your skin, and
notice a big difference. You realize that most
companies don’t cater to dark-skinned girls
like you. You realize they don’t advertise their
products for girls like you. This was the reality
for many coloured girls around the world until
Fenty Beauty came around.
On September 8th 2017, Robyn Fenty, better
known by her stage name ‘Rihanna’, released
a cosmetic line and campaign that represents
diversity, inclusiveness, and modern beauty.
With a foundation line consisting of more than
40 shades, there’s an option for every colour
and undertone. The line has started of with a
foundation primer, foundation, match sticks,
highlighters, application tools, blotting products,
and a universal lip gloss. The Fenty team put
a lot of effort into creating their line, as seen
through the products offered.
Standing proudly by the Fenty Beauty counter
at Sephora, Danielle Clarke, Centennial
College journalism student, commented,
“When I first saw the variety of foundation
shades, I couldn’t believe it. I’ve never seen
so many options for us.”
Unlike brands who quickly sell out of products to
increase their hype, Rihanna’s brand made sure
there were enough items in stock for everyone.
If an item sold out, it was quickly made available
again in stores and online. The darkest colors
available were the first shades to be sold out.
Fenty Beauty pays attention to a market that
has been ignored by cosmetic companies for
decades: it focuses on marginalized groups that
have been systematically ignored. From the
girl wearing a hijab to the black androgynous
people we see in her campaign video, Rihanna
is attempting to redefine the mainstream
perception of beauty.
Fenty Beauty understands that black women
come in more shades than what has been
conventionally provided by brands. The 3 token
dark shades in every line are no longer cutting it.
Instead of “This is the best we can do”, colored
girls worldwide are now are hearing, “Let’s
find the perfect shade for you.” Fenty Beauty’s
launch changed the narrative of modern beauty
and created safe spaces for POC (people of
colour) to shop for cosmetics that cater to them.
Fenty Beauty’s launch signified the wake of a
new generation of beauty: a generation that
doesn’t discriminate or leave out large groups
of people. All in all, I advise celebrity beauty
advocates such as Kim Kardashian and Kylie
Jenner to sharpen their pencils and take their
notebooks out: Fenty is taking over--it is time to
take some notes.
www. the-underground.ca OCTOBER 2017
VOLUME 37, ISSUE 02