Glow Like Rihanna

We caught up with the celebrity make-up artist to learn more about Rihanna’s famously flawless skin and how to recreate her routine at home.

How would you describe Rihanna's signature glowy look?

Stunning! Rihanna is known for her gorgeous complexion, and she loves to keep her skin looking fresh and natural. Rihanna calls her routine the Fenty Face. Her method to getting that killer radiance is to start with a soft matt base, layer that highlight, blot on the fly and then finish with a lip!

The philosophy behind the Fenty Face is that skin should always look like skin — it shouldn’t look like make-up on skin. So, her makeup routine always gives you that perfect radiant, fresh, and natural complexion.

How can we achieve the Fenty Face? Can you walk us through it? 

Yes! It’s super achievable. Let’s do it step by step.

1. Create a smooth matt base with Pro Filt’r Primer 

Fenty Beauty has three options for primers, each designed for a certain skin type: Instant Retouch is best for combination skin, Hydrating for dry and Mattifying for oily. These are lightweight and fast-absorbing primers that create a filter for foundation application. What makes them so special is that they absorb into the skin and feel just like a lotion.

2. Apply your Pro Filt’r Foundation and Concealer   

This foundation comes in two finishes — Soft Matte and Hydrating — and both offer buildable, medium coverage, so your skin will always look natural and real, just more filtered. They’re also sweat-proof and humidity-resistant, making them ideal for Hong Kong weather. I like to apply this foundation with the Full-Bodied Foundation Brush 110 because it doesn’t leave any streaks, but you can also use a damp Precision Makeup Sponge 100 to mimic the skin’s texture.

I recommend applying the product in very thin layers, building as needed. Try to focus your application on areas that need more coverage. For example, I tend to put little to no foundation on my forehead, chin and the outer perimeters of my face, whereas on my cheeks, I use about two to three layers of foundation to cover redness. This creates a more natural look as well as the illusion that I’m wearing less!

3. Reach for your Match Stix Matte Skinstick

I can literally do an entire face with Match Stix because they’re so versatile, and they give your face so much dimension and contour. If these are the only products you have on hand, you can use them as a foundation, concealer, contour, eyeshadow, highlighter, lipstick… the options are endless! I recommend applying your Match Stix colour to the back of your hand to warm up the product, then using your fingers to apply it on your face.

4. Layer on Cheeks Out Cream Blush and/or Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter/p>

The Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter duos are really multifunctional, as you can use them as a cheek highlighter, blush, and eyeshadow. Plus, they add a beautiful glow to any make-up look, day or night — Rihanna loves the Girl Next Door and Chic Phreak combo. To make the application easier, try the Cheek-Hugging Highlight Brush 120, which has a curved shape that hugs your cheeks really precisely.

5. Blot away any excess shine with Invisimatte Blotting Powder, then set!

I’d recommend using Invisimatte Blotting Powder before you set your make-up with Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Setting Powder. If you don’t, you’ll end up trapping unwanted oil under your setting powder and it will start looking cakey as the day goes on. You can also use Invisimatte Blotting Powder throughout the day to make sure your skin stays fresh and flawless.

6. Finish the look with Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer

This is the best lip gloss! It’s universally flattering and makes your lips really shine. Wear it on alone for a light lip tint, or layer it on top of a lipstick to add extra shine.

So, now that we've got Rihanna’s signature glow, how do we take it from day to night?

To transition a look from day to night, I like to incorporate more colour or shimmer to my eyes. For instance, a smoky eye will make the look a bit bolder and help you stand out. I love using the Snap Shadows Eyeshadow Palettes, because they all have a great mix of shades you can use for day or night, or you can snap two palettes together and have that many more options! 

Eyeliner is another great way to add a pop of colour. I’m currently obsessed with Flypencil Eyeliner in the shade Lady Lagoon, which is the brightest, most perfect shade of blue I’ve seen in a liner. The pencil literally won’t budge all night and just glides on, it’s so creamy. 

Of course, for a night out, you’ll want to add a few extra coats of Full Frontal Mascara. Use the fat side of the dual-sided wand to create mega volume, then comb through to remove any clumps with the thinner side. And finally, lipstick is a great final touch. Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored is a beautiful red and is another product that looks good on literally everyone I know!