Category Archives: makeup kit

I need to be super honest … but very rarely do I buy into celebrity brands. I never really did the Kat Von D. line, in fact, I don’t think I have one thing in my kit from her line. And don’t get me started on anything Kylie, Kendall, or Kim. Just don’t. I also never indulged in Drew Barrymore’s Flower line … AND I LOVE DREW BARRYMORE!

I guess my line of thinking was that while a celebrity does spend a lot of time in the makeup and hair chair, what would they really understand about my skintone, my features, and what I want my makeup to do for me on an everyday basis. Sure they have a treasure box of tips and tricks learned from some of the best makeup and hair teams in the world … but what would they really know about developing a universally flattering red or a foundation that works well with both my skintone AND undertone?

I was stuck in my opinion and my own way.

And then RIHANNA DONE DID IT.

She created a beautiful makeup line that I cannot get enough of. So much so, that I plan trips to Sephora and beeline to the Fenty Beauty section immediately before they “run out” of what I am looking for after creeping #Stunna hashtags on the ‘gram for about ten hours. I’m about .5 of a point below the term obsessed at this point.

I think what really got me going with Fenty Beauty is the marketing campaign itself and how it really did focus on covering all skintones and shades. I realized that even though I’m Asian with yellow undertones and skin that goes super dark after a little sun … I never really thought that other brands weren’t meeting my needs. I always managed to find a close enough shade or flattering shade with almost any other brand I tried. I was basically in this “happy middle” – happy enough with my “go-to” brands (and I still love all my other brands, I really do!) but unaware (and barely concerned) that they could be doing things better for myself and others who shared my skintone and features. I had to ask myself if I was like this because I just believed that the top makeup brands were already out there doing the best that there is for all skin types. Were my years spent with my nose buried in the beauty adverts in Allure magazine – with light skinned versions of anyone ethnic – conditioning me to be okay with being in my “happy middle” with makeup?

Fenty Beauty’s campaign, coupled with Rihanna’s Navy of fans (a selection of beauty addicts who ranged the spectrum of skintone possibility) swatching and posting their success with the foundation shades made me put aside my opinion of celebrity brands for a quick minute and head on in to Sephora to check it out for myself. While I didn’t pick-up my foundation shade – strictly because I’m not a big fan of foundation – I did invest in the Matchstick Trio for medium skintones. It was with this one purchase, my short sighted opinion on celebrity brands changed. The concealer and contour shades melt effortlessly into my skin, don’t turn orange or red after a few moments wear, and feel like silk on the skin. I can apply quickly before I head out the door and my skin looks even and real.
I have since returned to Fenty Beauty, without any hesitation and picked up lipsticks, more matchsticks for highlighting and shading, and the latest : Stunna lip paint. (LOVE!)

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m still not going to go out there and buy something from anyone who’s name begins with a K … but I do have a new found respect for Rihanna and Fenty Beauty!

– xx,
s