Fenty Hair is officially here and our Beauty Editor's verdict is in
As the saying goes, the best things come to those who wait, and if there's one thing we know about fashion and beauty mogul Rihanna, it's that any collection she touches—whether it's music, lingerie, or lipstick—is well worth the suspense.
With Fenty hair finally launching online today, is this the missing puzzle piece of her beauty empire? The internet and her Navy fanbase certainly think so. From a business perspective, it makes perfect sense. After all, this is the woman who makes a reported tidy annual revenue of over £477 million with Fenty Beauty, the most successful celebrity franchise to exist.
So, are her latest haircare formulations as award-worthy as her performances? Here's everything you need to know.
What is Fenty Hair?
Known for her rotation of glorious and fashion-forward hair styles, it's no great surprise that Rih's line focuses on hair health. The science behind her 9-product line up of hair healers is powered by what the brand are coining 'Replenicore-5', a proprietary complex (fancy term for signature blend) of potent amino acids, proteins and antioxidants that have been clinically tested to repair, strengthen, hydrate, smooth and protect. Ingredient wise, some are native to Rihanna’s Caribbean roots, like Bajan gooseberry, green tea and as well upcycled Jackfruit extract.
The full Fenty Hair line up includes 9 products
The Rich One Moisture Repair Shampoo, £29
The Rich One Moisture Repair Conditioner, £29
The Richer One Moisture Repair Deep Conditioner, £29
The Comeback Kid Instant Damage Repair Treatment, £34
The Protective Type 5-in-1 Heat Protectant Styler, £28
The Homecurl Curl-Defining Cream, £29
The Gelly Type Strong Hold Gel, £27
The Controlling Type Hair-Thickening Edge Control Gel, £22
The Sidestick 2-in-1 Edge Tool, £15
As for what the fashion and beauty mogul had to say about launch...'hair has always been very personal to me—my hairstyles have been markers of my evolution and growth over the years—so launching Fenty Hair was something I was really passionate about.'
She also added that the line up needed to be fuss-free. 'Creating a lineup of products that were easy to use no matter your hair type or texture that included repair in every step and could keep up with me was crucial.'
In a world where most haircare lines boast some impressive tech, how does Fenty fare? The brand claim their technology creates a continuous loop of repair. It penetrates the hair shaft, helping to mend split ends from the inside out while also hydrating and thickening, which in turn helps to strengthen and prevent future breakage.
If Fenty is good at one thing, it's that they have solid data to support their claims. A word on data for future reference: the quality varies enormously. Consumer perception studies are subjective and rely on how well people think a product works, while clinical studies are objective and carried out in a highly controlled setting, using instrumental measurements to gauge the degree of improvement in the hair. Pleasingly, Fenty has used the latter. So you know the products are going to do what they actually say.
I tried Fenty hair and these are my honest thoughts
I was not blessed in the volume department when God (ok, my parents) were dishing out the good hair genes. While generally shiny, my strands tend to get greasy quickly (it's as if i've dunked my head into a chip fryer) and cling to my scalp, making them appear oily looking and limp.
I've recently joined the bob brigade too, so while my ends needs far less conditioning because I'm having regular trims, I'm now a slave to heated styling tools, meaning protective treatments are high on my hit list.
The products I tried were the The Rich One Moisture Repair Shampoo and Conditioner, The Comeback Kid Instant Damage Repair Treatment and The Protective Type 5-in-1 Heat Protectant Styler. Initially I was worried that the range would feel too heavy for my hair and the lack of the word 'volumising' on all the products felt noticeable.
The good news is that the shampoo and conditioner felt hydrating without weighing my hair down. The bouncy swish-factor will forever be my number one hair goal and pleasingly, the products helped me to achieve it. The shampoo in particular, did a stellar job at cleansing away London pollution, sweat and oil, without leaving my hair feeling squeaky clean, an issue I've had with other shampoos that are marketed towards greasy hair.
The Comeback Kid Instant Damage Repair Treatment was also impressive, again it didn't leave my hair feeling heavy and it feels like a brilliant alternative if you find bond building treatments too occlusive and heavy.
As for The Protective Type Treatment, it did an admirable job, but I would have preferred it in a spray format because I think it allows for better distribution and doesn't feel as weighty. I found I needed more of my usual volumising spray on the days I used this.
The scent of each product is heavenly, it's got that heady floral scent of amber, which feels warm and enveloping and instantly transports you to sunnier climes. As for the packaging and general feel of the brand? The pastel hues and cheeky names (home curl) are no great surprise and feel like an extension of Fenty Skin and Fenty Beauty. The nod to sustainability is also there with aluminum pumps and recyclable plastic. I'm hoping refills make an appearance in the future.
Fenty Hair: My Verdict:
I'll level with you, there are so many celebrity beauty brands, the market has reached peak saturation. And yes, while some are obviously well thought out, affordable and hard-working (Rare and Soul Keys I'm looking at you), more often that not, they can feel like ploy to profit off loyal fans.
So, where does Fenty hair fit in? Well, it certainly doesn't feel like a cash cow, rather a natural follow on from an already successful brand that has an engaged audience.
The products are well formulated, they clearly work and it's also a line that doesn't feel complicated. I think for curly hair types in particular, some of these products will quickly become go-tos. I tried them on my daughter's cascading head of curls and they've never looked better.
As for the price point, it's on the higher side, especially the shampoo and conditioners. But as I alway say, price is relevant to the buyer. For me personally, I would love to see a volumising product, but knowing Fenty and how well they listen to their consumers, I don't think it will be too long before one appears.
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