Fenty Beauty Review — August 2026: Is Rihanna's Beauty Brand Still Worth the Hype?

Why We Re-Reviewed Fenty Beauty Now

Fenty Beauty launched in 2017 and immediately forced every cosmetics brand to rethink shade inclusivity. But nine years is a lifetime in beauty. Competitors have caught up — Rare Beauty offers 48 shades, Maybelline's Fit Me line has expanded significantly, and even luxury brands like Pat McGrath Labs now prioritize deep-skin representation. So this August, we asked a simple question: does Fenty Beauty still deserve its reputation as the inclusivity leader, or has the rest of the industry simply caught up?

To find out, our team of six editors — with skin tones from very fair (Type I) to deep (Type VI) — wore 15 Fenty products daily for 60 days. Through July and August. Through 90-degree heat, subway commutes, sweaty workouts, and long evenings out. This is what we learned.

The 15 Products We Tested

We selected Fenty's core lineup plus a few newer additions:

• Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation (50 shades)
• Pro Filt'r Hydrating Foundation (50 shades)
• Pro Filt'r Concealer (50 shades)
• Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer (6 shades)
• Gloss Bomb Heat Universal Lip Oil (5 shades — new summer release)
• Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter (8 shades)
• Match Stix Matte Skinstick (40 shades)
• Snap Shadows Eyeshadow Palette (4 palettes)
• Flyliner Longwear Eyeliner
• Invisimatte Blotting Powder
• Amber Blush Trio (3 shades — new summer release)
• Icon Velvet Liquid Lipstick (12 shades)
• Butta Drop Whipped Oil Bronzer (6 shades)
• Total Cleans'r Cleanup Melting Makeup Remover
• Fat Water Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 (25 shades)

Foundation: Still the Crown Jewel — But There's a Catch

Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Foundation — Score: 9.5/10

The foundation that started the Fenty revolution remains genuinely exceptional. The 50-shade range is still the most thoughtfully constructed in the industry — not just in quantity, but in undertone distribution. Where many brands offer 40 shades but front-load them toward fair and medium tones, Fenty genuinely offers as many options for deep skin as for fair. Our Type V and Type VI testers both found exact matches on the first try.

In August humidity, the Soft Matte wore for a legitimate 10 hours before showing any breakdown around the nose and forehead. Transfer resistance was excellent — we tested it against white pillowcases, phone screens, and masks. Minimal to no transfer.

The catch: If you have dry skin, the Soft Matte will emphasize flaky patches. Fenty's answer is the Hydrating version, which our dry-skin testers preferred — but it sacrifices about two hours of wear time compared to the original.

Pro Filt'r Hydrating Foundation — Score: 8.5/10

A dewier, more forgiving formula that gives a luminous finish without looking greasy. Our combination-skin testers loved it for everyday wear. But in 90-degree August weather, it started separating around the T-zone after about 7 hours. Best for cool-weather use or normal-to-dry skin types.

Pro Filt'r Concealer — Score: 9/10

The concealer matches the foundation's shade range shade-for-shade, which is a detail other brands routinely overlook. Coverage is buildable from medium to full without caking. Under-eye creasing was minimal after setting with the Invisimatte powder. This is one of the best concealers on the market, full stop.

Gloss Bomb and the New Lip Oil: Summer's Best Lip Products

Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer — Score: 9/10

It says "universal" and it means it. We tested all 6 shades across all six skin tones. Fenty Glow and Sweet Mouth looked stunning on everyone. Chocolate Wasted and Fenty Glow were the most universally flattering. The formula is non-sticky (a rarity for glosses), hydrating thanks to shea butter, and the doe-foot applicator dispenses the perfect amount.

At $20, this is one of the best value products in beauty. Our only complaint: wear time is 2-3 hours, which is expected for a gloss but worth noting.

Gloss Bomb Heat Universal Lip Oil — Score: 8.5/10 (new release)

Fenty's new lip oil launched this summer and it's a worthy addition. The plumping effect is subtle (no tingling or burning), and the oil formula feels lighter than the original Gloss Bomb. The shade "Spicy Margarita" became an instant favorite among our editors. However, the oil formula wears off even faster than the gloss — about 90 minutes. Best used as a topper over lipstick.

Killawatt Highlighter: The Glow That Won't Quit

Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter — Score: 9.5/10

"Trophy Wife" — the iconic 24-karat gold shade — remains the single best highlighter for deep skin on the market. Full stop. Nothing else we've tested comes close. For our lighter-skin testers, "Girl Next Door" (a soft champagne) and the new "Flame Goddess" (a warm copper) gave a lit-from-within glow that photographed beautifully.

The dual-tone design (each compact has two complementary shades) is genuinely useful, not a gimmick. You can use the lighter shade for day and layer the deeper shade for evening. The formula blends seamlessly with no chalky cast, even on deep skin — a problem that plagues many highlighter brands.

The New Summer Drops: Worth It?

Amber Blush Trio — Score: 8/10

A cream-to-powder blush trio in warm, sunset-inspired shades. The pigmentation is buildable and the cream formula blends effortlessly with fingers. "Sangria" was the standout — a deep berry that looked stunning on our Type IV-VI testers without looking muddy. However, the lightest shade, "Mimosa," was almost invisible on fair skin. Best for medium-to-deep skin tones.

Butta Drop Whipped Oil Bronzer — Score: 8.5/10

A whipped, oil-based bronzer that gives a genuinely sun-kissed look without orange undertones. The formula is unique — it feels like a cream but blends like a powder. "Cognac" was a perfect contour shade for our Type IV tester. The only downside: the jar packaging is unsanitary compared to a pump or stick.

Match Stix: The One Product We're Mixed On

Match Stix Matte Skinstick — Score: 7.5/10

The concept is great — a multipurpose stick that works as concealer, contour, or color corrector. The 40-shade range is impressive. But in practice, the formula tugs on dry skin and can look heavy if you're not careful with application. Our editors who warmed the product with their fingers first had much better results.

For contour specifically, the deeper shades work well, but the lighter contour shades can look ashy on fair skin. We'd recommend the Match Stix for travel (the convenience factor is real) but suggest a liquid or cream contour for daily use.

Price and Value: Still Accessible

Fenty Beauty occupies the "affordable luxury" tier — more expensive than drugstore, significantly less than true luxury brands:

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For the quality, shade inclusivity, and formula innovation, we consider Fenty Beauty excellent value. You're getting luxury-level performance at mid-tier pricing. The Gloss Bomb at $20 is arguably the best value product in the entire beauty industry.

What Fenty Beauty Still Does Better Than Anyone

After 60 days of daily testing, three things stand out where Fenty still leads the pack:

• Undertone diversity in deep shades — Many brands now offer 40+ shades, but Fenty's deep shades have the most nuanced undertone options (warm, cool, red, golden). This is where most competitors still fall short.
• The shade finder tool — Fenty's selfie-based matching algorithm is still the most accurate we've used. It matched 5 of 6 testers perfectly on the first try.
• Product consistency across categories — Foundation, concealer, gloss, highlighter, eyeshadow — Fenty doesn't have a weak category. Most brands excel in one or two areas and fall flat in others.

Where Fenty Could Improve

• The Match Stix formula needs a creamier reformulation
• The Hydrating Foundation's wear time should be closer to the Soft Matte's
• The new lip oil wears off too quickly to justify the $24 price tag
• Olive undertones are still underrepresented in the shade range
• More sample or travel sizes would help shoppers test before committing to full-size

Final Verdict: 4.8/5

Fenty Beauty still lives up to the hype in August 2026 — but the gap has narrowed. Nine years ago, Fenty was the only brand doing inclusive beauty right. Today, Rare Beauty, Maybelline, and Pat McGrath Labs are legitimate competitors. What keeps Fenty on top is consistency: every product category is strong, the shade range is still the most thoughtfully constructed, and the price-to-quality ratio remains excellent.

If you've never tried Fenty, start with the Pro Filt'r Foundation and the Gloss Bomb. Those two products alone will show you why this brand changed beauty forever. If you're already a fan, the new summer drops (Amber Blush Trio and Butta Drop Bronzer) are worth adding to your collection — with the caveat that the blush trio skews toward medium-to-deep skin.

Who it's for: All skin tones and types. If you've ever struggled to find your shade, Fenty is still the safest bet in beauty.

Where to buy: Shop directly at Fenty Beauty for the full shade range, free shipping on $25+, and the shade-match guarantee.

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