Countless breathless column inches have been devoted to the launch of pop star Rihanna’s Fenty Makeup range. It created such a storm that for weeks, queues were snaking out of the doors of Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge, where it launched exclusively. (And in all our born, we can’t remember excitement about a beauty brand enduring for quite so long, in an actual store.) It’s now in all the Harvey Nix stores, NB, as well as on-line.

But we needed time to reflect, experiment and really put Fenty through its paces. First up: go, Rihanna. This woman is more than a music phenomenon (even though we probably couldn’t hum one of her songs if our lives depended on it. Radio Four, anyone?)

Secondly: this range is fantastically inclusive. It’s what we’d have expected of Rihanna, but there is something for every single skintone. Her vision was to create a range where ‘every woman felt included’, and she’s succeeded. Which sure makes a change from foundation ranges which land on our desks, in 2018, featuring basically six variations on a vanilla tone.

We’ll be sharing a few products over the coming weeks and months that we’ve loved in this range – which is incredibly high quality.

The packaging’s great: it’s really high quality and performs various ‘tricks’ – in the case of these blushers/contour sticks, clicking together with magnets. (Ridiculously satisfying.)

Our No. 1 find has been the Match Stix Skinsticks. These come in Shimmer and Matte options. Technically, the matte options are foundation sticks – BUT they’re fantastic for contouring. Not Kim Kardashian sculpting, but just a sweep along the jawline with one of the paler shades (we use Suede), blended with a finger, is amazingly ‘sharpening’, creating the appearance of a much more sculpted jaw. (You COULD probably do this with cheekbones, but that’s not our thing.)

The Shimmer Skinsticks, meanwhile, are great for a swoop of blendable  blush – just brilliantly face-waking mid-afternoon, for instance. Our top choice? The rosewood pink Yacht Life.

Fenty Beauty could just be Rihanna’s biggest hit yet, we reckon. (And watch this space for news of other fave finds.)

£21 – buy here

Prize Draws