Fenty Beauty Archives – CULTURE MIX

Rihanna launches Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin in Africa

May 13, 2022

The following is a press release from Fenty:

“I am a proud Bajan who also feels a close connection to Africa, and its people. I’ve had the pleasure, and the privilege, to spend time on the continent and those experiences never leave you. Now, being able to bring Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin to eight African countries and then hopefully more in the future— means so much to me.” – Rihanna

When Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty in 2017 in an unprecedented 17 countries with vision of inclusivity and global reach at its core, she sought to help “everyone feel beautiful and recognized, no matter their race, ethnicity, culture or personal style.” Rihanna was inspired to create Fenty Beauty after trying to find products that worked across all skin types and tones. With Rihanna’s mandate of inclusivity, Fenty Beauty offers a wide range of products for traditionally hard-to-match skin tones, creating formulas that work for all skin types, and pinpointing universal shades. Fast forward to 2020, Rihanna launched her clean, vegan and eco-friendly skincare line, Fenty Skin, and amplified her unwavering mission to provide simple and effective beauty solutions for all. As a result, she ignited a beauty movement and “a community that supports and uplifts each other.” Rihanna created both Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin with a global vision in mind to reinforce the “Beauty For All” notion. It is this brand ethos that makes Rihanna’s decision to expand her Fenty brands to Africa a momentous milestone and natural next step.

“Every launch is exciting— we’re all about being reachable to everyone, everywhere. But launching across Africa in eight countries not only feels really significant to me on a personal level, but is also a big step towards our goal of bringing Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin to the whole world.” – Rihanna

Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin will be available for purchase across Africa, including cult-favorite complexion essentials like Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation and Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter, best-selling lip products like Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer and Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Color, and her must-have skincare starters including Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen and Fenty Skin Total Cleans’r Remove-It-All Cleanser. Additionally, customers in Africa will be able to immediately pick up the newest launches from the brands, like Fenty Beauty Fenty Icon Refillable Lipstick – a luxurious semi-matte lipstick collection – and Sun Stalk’r Face + Eye Bronzer & Highlighter Palette – a do-it-all bronzer-inspired palette with two new highlighter shades – and Fenty Skin Pre-Show Glow Instant Retexturizing Treatment– A powerful exfoliating treatment loaded with 10% AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), rooibos, fruit enzymes, and extracts to make your skin look smooth, glowing, and photo-ready in just one minute.

Within Africa, Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin will be available starting May 27 at the following retailers:

South Africa

Arc Stores
www.arcstore.co.za

Edgars
www.edgars.co.za

Nigeria

Essenza Nigeria
www.essenza.ng

Kenya

Lintons Beauty
www.lintonsbeauty.com

Namibia

Edgars

Botswana

Edgars

Ghana

Essenza Ghana

Zambia

Color Café Zambia
www.colorcafe.com

Zimbabwe

Catts

ABOUT FENTY BEAUTY

Fenty Beauty, led by CEO Robyn Rihanna Fenty, is a partnership between Rihanna and LVMH. Rihanna created Fenty Beauty “so that people everywhere would be included,” focusing on a wide range of traditionally hard-to-match skin tones, developing formulas that work for all skin types, and pinpointing universal shades. Her vision, above all, is to inspire: “Makeup is there for you to have fun with. It should never feel like pressure. It should never feel like a uniform. Feel free to take chances, and take risks, and dare to do something new or different.”

ABOUT FENTY SKIN

Fenty Skin is clean, uncomplicated, effective skincare for all. Led by brand CEO Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Fenty Skin is a result of Rihanna’s personal skincare journey, global experiences, and real-life routine. Each multitasking product is specifically designed to deliver a streamlined, approachable, value-packed regimen and work seamlessly with makeup on all skin tones. Featuring ingredients from around the world, earth-conscious packaging, and vegan formulas, Fenty Skin also celebrates and respects what the planet has to offer. Fenty Skin is a partnership between Rihanna and LVMH.

ABOUT KENDO

Based in San Francisco, CA, KENDO creates or acquires beauty brands and focuses on developing them into global power- houses. The portfolio consists of KVD Beauty, OLEHENRIKSEN, BITE Beauty, Fenty Skin and Fenty Beauty by Rihanna. The name KENDO is a play on the phrase “can do.” What characterizes KENDO is its dedication to product quality, innovation and authentic storytelling. Brands within the KENDO portfolio are distributed in 43 countries worldwide.

Fashion and beauty moguls show more gains on 2019 Forbes list of America’s richest self-made women

June 4, 2019

by Yvette Thomas

Forbes has published its 2019 list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women, and what’s notable about this year’s list of 80 women is that several of the new entries on the newly expanded list are entrepreneurs from the fashion and beauty industries: Rihanna, Patricia Miller, Toni Ko and Karissa Bodnar. The women eligible to be on the list are U.S. citizens or U.S. residents who founded a company that is headquartered in the United States. All net-worth figures are estimated by Forbes, as of June 3, 2019.

Here’s a summary of the moguls from the fashion and beauty industries who made it onto the list:

The Billionaire Moguls

Doris Fisher, co-founder of Gap Inc., is ranked at No. 8 (same as in 2018), and has an estimated net worth of $2.7 billion, down from $2.8 billion in 2018. Gap Inc. is the parent company of such fashion retailers as Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Intermix, Weddington Way and Athleta. Although Gap Inc. has been hit hard in recent months with closures of many of its stores, don’t expect Fisher to lose her billionaire status anytime soon.

Tied at No. 14, with an estimated worth of $1.5 billion each, are Forever 21 co-founder Jin Sook Chang and Proactiv co-founders Kathy Fields and Katie Rodan. Chang, Fields and Rodan have the same rankings and net worths as they did in 2018. Forever 21 has successfully extended its youth-oriented fashion brand with the launch of lower-priced retailer F21 Red and the beauty retailer Riley Rose. Proactiv’s winning subscription-based business model, boosted by celebrity endorsements of the company’s skin-care products, has made Proactiv the leading mail-order service for non-prescription acne treatment.

Anastasia Soare, who built a cosmetics empire with her Anastasia Beverly Hills brand, holds on to her No. 21 ranking on the list, but her net worth increased from $1 billion in 2018 to $1.2 billion in 2019. Spanx founder Sara Blakely is No. 23 (down from No. 21 in 2018) on the list, with an estimated net worth of $1 billion (same as in 2018), thanks to her patented invention that changed the way undergarments can shape a body. Kylie Cosmetics founder Kylie Jenner has now entered billionaire status: She’s tied at No. 23, with an estimated net worth of $1 billion. Jenner was No. 27 on the list in 2018, with an estimated net worth of $900 million. With the help of mother/manager Kris Jenner, Kylie Jenner parlayed her reality TV fame and social-media savvy into the Kylie Cosmetics company, which was founded in 2016. At 21 years old, Kylie Jenner is the youngest person on the entire list.

The Veteran Millionaire Moguls

Most of the women on the list have companies that are more than 10 years old. Some have literally made their fortunes by their names, since their names are the same as their companies. They include fashion designer Tory Burch (No. 29 on the list, with an estimated net worth of $850 million, up from $800 million in 2018, where she was also ranked at No. 29); jewelry designer Kendra Scott (No. 40, net worth of $550 million; up from $500 million in 2018, where she was also ranked at No. 40); fashion designer Vera Wang (No. 45, net worth of $460 million); and fashion designer Donna Karan (No. 49, net worth of $430 million).

Alex & Ani founder Carolyn Rafaelian (who has a majority stake in the accessories company) took a steep tumble down the list. In 2018, she was ranked at No. 21, with an estimated net worth of $1 billion. In 2019, Rafaelian is No. 52 on the list, with an estimated net worth of $520 million. Wang’s fortune also took a hit: In 2018, she was at No. 34 on the list, with a net worth of $630 million. Also sliding down the list was Karan: In 2018, she was No. 43 on the list, with a net worth of $470 million.

Paisley designs have off well for Vera Bradley co-founder Patricia Miller (No. 69, net worth of $300 million), who retired from the accessories company in 2012, but still rakes in a fortune as a significant stakeholder. NYX Cosmetics founder Toni Ko (No. 75, net worth of $270 million) sold the company to L’Oréal for $500 million in 2014. In 2016, she launched sunglasses company Thomas James LA. She is also a venture capitalist; her Butter Ventures company invests primarily in female-owned businesses.

The Upstart Millionaire Moguls

Fashion and beauty moguls on the list who have companies that are less than 10 years old owe most of their marketing success to TV and social media.

Rihanna (No. 37, net worth of $600 million) is best known as a Grammy-winning superstar singer, but she’s made much of her fortune through the beauty and fashion industries. Her inclusive cosmetics company Fenty Beauty (launched in 2017) was an immediate hit. She’s also partnered with Puma for a Fenty brand of shoes. In 2019, Rihanna made fashion history by joining forces with fashion giant LVMH (parent company of Louis Vuitton, among numerous other brands) to create her own fashion brand called Fenty. With this partnership deal, Rihanna became the first woman to create an original brand at LVMH and the first woman of color at the top of an LVMH house.

Huda Kuttan (No. 36, net worth of $610 million), who started off as a makeup artist, became a beauty blogger in 2010, and then used that Internet notoriety to launch the Huda Beauty cosmetics company, which she co-founded with her sisters in 2013. Kuttan’s fortunes have increased every year since then. On 2018, she was No. 37 on the Forbes list, with a net worth of $550 million. She is also the star of a Facebook Watch reality show titled “Huda Boss,” which debuted in June 2018, and has been renewed for a second season.

Jamie Kern Lima (No. 47, net worth of $440 million) used to be a TV reporter, but transitioned into the beauty industry by founding It Cosmetics in 2010, when she first began selling the company’s products on QVC. In 2016, she sold the company to L’Oréal for $1.2 billion, while still retaining leadership of It Cosmetics, making her the first female CEO of a L’Oréal-owned company. Kern Lima’s net worth remains the same from 2018, although she was ranked higher on the list (at No. 44) in 2018.

Kylie Jenner’s half-sister and “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” co-star Kim Kardashian West (No. 57, net worth of $370 million) has made most of her fortune from reality TV and licensing her name to video games, but Kardashian West’s fashion/beauty ventures (including KKW Beauty, the cosmetics line that Kardashian West launched in 2017) have contributed significantly to her wealth. Although Kardshian West is ranked lower on the list in 2019 (she was No. 54 in 2018), her net worth has increased from $350 million in 2018.

In 2013, makeup artist Karissa Bodnar (No. 74, net worth of $275 million) left her corporate job at L’Oréal and made the leap into entrepreneurship by launching Thrive Causemetics, “a direct-to-consumer makeup brand that sells products that are vegan, cruelty-free and without parabens, latex and sulfates,” according to Forbes. Instagram has been a key factor in Thrive Causemetics’ success.

Sephora closes for half-day diversity training after SZA claims she was racially profiled

May 25, 2019

by Daphne Sorenson

Fenty Beauty By Rihanna Paris Launch Party hosted by Sephora at Jardin des Tuileries in Paris, on September 21, 2017. (Photo by Dominique Charriau/Getty Images for Fenty Beauty)

SZA at the 91st annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on February 24, 2019. (Photo by Rick Rowell/ABC)

On the morning of June 5, 2019, beauty-store company Sephora is temporarily closing all of its U.S. retail stores, distribution centers and corporate offices for a diversity-training program for company employees. The decision came after R&B singer SZA (whose real name is Solána Rowe) went public with an accusation that she was racially profiled by Sephora. According to SZA, the incident happened on April 30, 2019, while she was shopping at a Sephora store in Calabasas, California. SZA says that she had security called on her because she was wrongfully suspected of shoplifting.

SZA tweeted that day, “Lmao Sandy Sephora location 614 Calabasas called security to make sure I wasn’t stealing . We had a long talk. U have a blessed day Sandy.”

In response to SZA’s complaint, Sephora tweeted: “You are a part of the Sephora family, and we are committed to ensuring every member of our community feels welcome and included at our stores.”

In a statement on its community page, Sephora announced: “On the morning of 6/5, every Sephora store, distribution center, and corporate office in the US will close to host inclusion workshops for our employees. These values have always been at the heart of Sephora, and we’re excited to welcome everyone when we reopen. Join us in our commitment to a more inclusive beauty community.

Ironically, SZA says she was at Sephora to shop for Fenty Beauty products. SZA was part of Fenty’s lipstick campaign in 2017. Fenty founder Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Fenty, sent a gift card and a handwritten note to SZA that read, “Go buy yo’ Fenty Beauty in peace sis! One love, Rihanna.” SZA shared these messages on an Instagram Story.

SZA is best known for her collaboration with Kendrick Lamar for the song “All the Stars” from the “Black Panther” soundtrack. The song was nominated for numerous awards, including an Oscar and a Grammy.

This isn’t the first accusation of discrimination that Sephora has faced on social media. There are dozens of messages from angry customers who claim that they were racially profiled as potential criminals, even though they say they didn’t do anything wrong. Sephora has also been getting complaints on social media about discriminating against customers over the age of 40 and customers who have physical and intellectual challenges, by treating them rudely and dismissively. It looks like it took a celebrity to go public with a discrimination complaint before Sephora tried to do anything about it.

Rihanna launches makeup brand Fenty Beauty

September 17, 2017

Rihanna and Fenty Beauty products (Image courtesy of Fenty Beauty)

The following is a press release from Fenty Beauty:

Rihanna, in partnership with Kendo Brands, a LVMH-owned beauty developer, launches her global makeup brand, Fenty Beauty, in an unprecedented 1,600 stores across 17 countries in one day. The Beauty industry’s most anticipated launch, Fenty Beauty was created by Rihanna with a vision that’s always ahead of the game. Fenty Beauty redefines the rules with light-as-air formulas that love to be layered, in a global lineup of shades designed for all.

Rihanna was inspired to create Fenty Beauty after trying to find products that worked across all skin types and tones. With Rihanna’s mandate of inclusivity, Fenty Beauty offers a wide range of products for traditionally hard-to-match skin tones, creating formulas that work for all skin types, and pinpointing universal shades.

Just like Rihanna, the brand is both edgy and feminine, with a complexion-focused product assortment developed to work together and provide everyone with Rihanna’s real-life method for killer radiance, The Fenty Face. “The Fenty Face was created for women of all skin tones, of all personalities,” she says. “These steps are key to starting your makeup, no matter the look you’re going for. This is where the fun begins.” For Rihanna, the secret to radiance lies in the very first step of the Fenty Face, a soft matte filter. Because no matter your skin type, adding glow on glow = unwanted shine. The second step? Layer your highlight for strategically-placed glow. It’s all about lighting up where you want. Lastly, get ahead of shine by blotting on the fly, wherever and whenever; Rihanna believes that being photo-ready means being shine-free. Tested backstage, on stage, and in real life, The Fenty Face is the key to unlocking all of makeup’s limitless possibilities. This process is at the core of this 91-sku line, which includes 40 shades of Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation; 1 universal Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer; 30 magnetic Match Stix Skinsticks, in both matte and shimmer finishes to contour, correct, conceal, highlight and blush; 6 cream-powder hybrid Killawatt Freestyle Highlighters for face and eyes; Invisimatte Blotting Powder and Paper; 1 universal lip gloss known as Gloss Bomb; and a variety of application tools.

In addition to creating every detail of each product in her cosmetics collection, Rihanna also personally appointed three prestigious makeup artists to represent Fenty Beauty around the world. This Global Artistry Team includes James Kaliardos as Resident Artist, and Priscilla Ono and Hector Espinal as Global Makeup Artists.

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna is available starting September 8, 2017 at Sephora, Sephora.com and FentyBeauty.com.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga7dKKle774