3 Byrdie Editors Try Rihanna's New Fenty Skin Line—and We Have Thoughts

Her Royal Highness, er, Rihanna announced the launch of Fenty Skin last week, and our complexions have been quivering in anticipation ever since. The ever-thoughtful icon told Byrdie in an exclusive Zoom call that she wanted to launch Fenty Skin to help simplify her follower's skincare routines and make things easier, which is why she only launched with three streamlined products: a cleanser, toner (intriguingly called "Fat Water"), and a moisturizer with SPF that's meant to work on all skin tones and leave no white cast behind. We got our hands on the coveted drop and immediately slathered it all over our faces. Did the products turn us into mini Ris instantly? Could we feel her essence as we massaged the products into our skin? Find out our reviews and honest thoughts on Fenty Skin ahead.

Fenty Skin Total Cleans'r Remove-It-All Cleanser

Fenty Skin Total Cleans'r Remove-It-All Cleanser $25.00

Shop

What it is: A creamy 2-in-1 makeup remover-cleanser that removes dirt, oil, and long-wear makeup without stripping or drying.

The reviews:

"I'm obsessed with trying every cleanser that comes my way, and I'm not being hyperbolic when I say that using this one from Rihanna is a spiritual experience. The texture is just the right amount of creamy and whipped, but it's the scent that really gets me. It smells like...heaven, or paradise, or maybe just a really potent daiquiri. I can picture Rihanna breathing in the scent as she uses it, and for that reason alone, I love it because it makes me feel closer to her. I actually look forward to using this cleanser every night, which sounds dorky but is absolutely true. It's an experience, not just a product." - Faith Xue, editorial director

"This is a cream cleanser, and a thick cream at that. I prefer gel cleansers over creams, but this foamed up into a really thick, satisfying lather in a way that most creams usually do not. It left my skin feeling clean, but not stripped. You know that feeling of 'too clean' where you're left asking, 'Okay, so you removed the dirt and oil but what else did you take from me?' That didn't happen.

I know the biggest point of contention across this collection is that all products have added scent. I don't really mind as my skin isn't very reactive, but I completely see why it bothers other people. That said, and I know this won't be the most popular opinion, but I love the scent. It smells like a Baskin Robbins in the '90s, like chilled sweet cream and recycled air. And I mean that in the best way. I would seriously wear this fragrance. I would also absolutely rebuy this cleanser." - Tynan Sinks, Byrdie Boy

"Cleansing is my favorite part of my skincare routine. I just love the feeling of fresh, clean skin. But I’ll admit, I was a bit hesitant to slather this cleanser on my face because my skin can be a bit iffy sometimes with fragrance. While it has a distinct cherry and coconut scent, my skin has been loving this cleanser so far. The pink-colored cleanser has a thick, creamy consistency, and it produces such a luxurious lather when you apply it to wet skin. During the morning and night, I like to cleanse with this for at least 60 seconds (per esthetician Nayamka Roberts-Smith’s suggestion), rinse, and pat dry with a cloth. It does an excellent job of removing all of the excess oil, dirt, and pollution from my face without drying me out. Another plus? It lives up to its makeup-removing claims. I was able to erase my makeup (brows, blush, and all) effortlessly after massaging this all over my face. Moral of the story: the Fenty Skin cleanser definitely does its job and does it well." - Olivia Hancock, editorial intern

Fat Water Pore-Refining Toner Serum

Fenty Skin Fat Water Pore-Refining Toner Serum $28.00

Shop

"First of all, I just love the name of this product. Second of all, I'm a sucker for any sort of brightening toner/essence/serum, so I was excited to try this. The texture of this product is thicker than most toners, which is why the brand calls is a toner-serum hybrid. I have serums I like to use each night already, so treated this as a toner. The thicker texture meant it took much longer to sink in than an average toner, which was sort of annoying on nights when I was trying to breeze through my skincare routine. It also features witch hazel as a main ingredient and doesn't disclose the percentage, so it can be irritating for anyone who might be sensitive (I had a few coworkers say they experienced redness or irritation after using this product). Overall, I think I was going to love this product more than I did (but still use it pretty regularly, so...)." - Faith

"This one I can't really comment on as I'm keeping an eye out for long term benefits. I will say the serum/toner combo seems a bit counterintuitive to me, until I remember that not all toners are made to gently chemically exfoliate. I do love the texture. It's got more body than the toners I'm used to, like a really thin gel. It's nice and I'm looking forward to looking at my skin over continued use." - Tynan

"When the lineup of Fenty Skin products was released, the Fat Water was the one I was most excited to try. As someone who loves dual-purpose products, Rih instantly intrigued me with this 2-in-1 toner-serum combo. And after trying it, I was not disappointed (like, at all). When I was reading through the ingredients, I was afraid the witch hazel was going to cause some dryness to my skin, but I was pleasantly surprised. When I squeezed it into my hands, I was intrigued by its lightweight gel texture. After pressing it into my skin with my hands and letting it soak in, my skin was incredibly hydrated, plump, and glowing. The Fat Water is definitely the star of the Fenty Skin trio, in my opinion." - Olivia

Hydra Visor Invisible Moisturizer SPF 30

Fenty Skin Hydra Visor Invisible Moisturizer SPF 30 $35.00

Shop

"This was the product out of the lineup I was least excited to try because, well, how exciting can a moisturizer be? How wrong I was. The texture of this moisturizer is incredible—like a light gel-serum that sinks instantly into your skin and leaves a glistening sheen behind. I love that it's made with SPF 30, so it protects while priming and hydrating your skin. I actually use this more like a primer and wear it alone on a good skin day, or apply a light wash of foundation over when I need a big more coverage. Again, this product is just so enjoyable to use, smells like a tropical vacation, and leaves your skin looking lit (literally)." - Faith

"Okay, I love the formula as much as I love the packaging but let's start with the moisturizer itself. I am so excited that this has an SPF. I still wear SPF over this, as I think everyone should (because you wear moisturizer and SPF differently) but i think the SPF is what really shows that Fenty Skin did not come to play games. It's a nice consistency, medium-bodied and feels great when applying. Absolutely no chalkiness or white cast.

The component looks just like Emporio Armani fragrance from 1998. It's refillable, which is huge, and, along with the other two products, there's no cap to remove and keep track of. That's such a small detail but to me, that really is a selling point! The cap won't pop off in your bag when you're traveling, or fall off your sink and bounce off the floor into the toilet. Not that that's happened to me...recently. You simply twist up the bottom to reveal the pump, and twist it back down when you're done. It's just an incredibly thought out touch that really sets the collection apart." - Tynan

"Not every sunscreen is made with melanin-rich skin in mind. But, I knew Fenty Skin would deliver an SPF that didn’t leave a chalky, white cast on any skin tone. While it dispenses as a pink cream, it melts effortlessly into the skin (no pilling here!) and leaves you with a sheer glow. In addition to protecting my skin from the sun, I love that it has so many other skin benefits. It moisturizes without being greasy and brightens my skin up so much. Out of the three products, I would say this one has the strongest fragrance, but I’m not turned off by it, and my skin hasn’t reacted negatively to it. It’s made with Kalahari melon (a wild watermelon), which is what gives it its fresh, sweet scent." - Olivia