I Tried Rihanna's Fenty Hair, These Are The Products Worth Buying
What can’t Rihanna do? Since disrupting the makeup industry in 2017 with Fenty Beauty’s truly inclusive, 40-shade foundation range (today, the brand boasts 50 shades), the music icon turned business mogul has launched Fenty Hair.
It makes sense that hair care was Rihanna’s next natural chapter. Where most public figures are identifiable by a signature hairstyle, the Bajan multi-hyphenate is known for her transformative approach to style. 'Hair has always been very personal to me – my hairstyles have been markers of my evolution and growth over the years,’ Rihanna said in a statement. 'So, launching Fenty Hair was something I was really passionate about.’
Formulated alongside Fenty’s in-house team of stylists, leading chemists, and tested on all hair types and textures, the core collection includes nine haircare and styling products (priced £15 to £34) – one shampoo, two conditioners, one treatment, four stylers, and one tool.
Infused with Replenicore-5, Fenty Hair products have been clinically tested with a proprietary complex that’s designed to repair, strengthen, hydrate, smooth, and protect the hair and scalp. ‘Scalp health is at the root of healthy hair, so we made sure this complex included built-in scalp care and conditioning,’ Rihanna said.
The five key ingredients in Replenicore-5 are Barbados gooseberry (boosts hydration), amino acids (builds protein), green tea extract (powerful antioxidant), upcycled jackfruit extract (rich in nutrients and vitamins) and hydrolysed vegetable protein (optimised to prevent over-proteinisation).
Fenty Hair Review: The Verdict
While repair was the most important factor when formulating Fenty Hair, second was getting the fragrance just right. Regarded as one of the best-smelling celebrities, Rihanna ‘wanted Fenty Hair to smell incredible, like you just can’t stop smelling your hair throughout the day and when you’re lying next to your boo,’ she said.
‘At first, you’re met with top notes of [golden] amber, lemon, and sparkling yuzu. Then, it gets to the heart scent of lily, freesia, and coconut. Everyone is going to be telling you that you smell so good and asking what you’re wearing.’
I can certainly attest to that, upon first trying The Rich One Moisture Repair Shampoo and The Richer One Deep Conditioner, my partner walked into the steamy bathroom and said, ‘It smells so good in here, it reminds me of a holiday.’
As a curly girl (type 3C to 4A), I shampoo and deep condition my hair once on the weekend and do a mid-week conditioner-only rinse to boost hydration and revive my curly pattern. I’ll be honest, The Rich One shampoo and conditioners were perfectly good. Because my hair is very healthy, I don’t notice much of a difference with shampoos and conditioners – unless the product is horrendous (yes, that happens occasionally with drying, hard to detangle, not very delicious-smelling products, of which Fenty does not apply). As these are reparative products, I’m curious to see how my hair health improves (less shedding) in the long-term, as I’ve only tested it for one week.
Moving onto the superstars – the styling and treatment products. Without a shadow of a doubt, the Homecurl Curl-Defining Cream is the best I’ve ever used. Normally, to get hydrated and defined curls, I use a two-step process of a curl cream followed by a curl defining gel. While this is a perfected method, it’s more prone to build-up over time and who wants to use two products when you can use one.
The cream is lightweight and silky, slightly tacky and without any stickiness. It’s best applied to wet or damp hair in sections from root to ends by raking it through detangled hair with your fingers. After diffusing or air-drying, there’s no crispiness to shake off before getting to soft, defined curls or coils. It also smells divine, and the best part? The finish lasts surprisingly long – five days instead of the three days that I’m used to with a wash and go.
For the finishing touch, I used The Controlling Type Hair-Thickening Edge Control Gel with The Sidestick 3-In-1 Edge Tool. Ideal for parting the hair, smoothing edges, and swooping baby hairs, the edge control gel gives a glossy, slick hold that dries soft with zero flaking.
For a blow-out or as a final step before diffusing, I’ve been looking for a go-to product for protecting my curls against heat – and Fenty Hair delivered. The Protective Type 5-In-1 Heat Protectant Styler protects up to 230°C (450°F) and is designed to repair split ends and reduce breakage.
After two passes with my straightener, I had glossy and bouncy strands. Once I was ready to go back to curly, that’s where The Comeback Kid Instant Damage Repair Treatment came in. It strengthens the hair by penetrating deep into the cortex to repair damaged keratin structures. You can either rinse it out after 5 minutes, like I did, or you can leave in the treatment after shampooing.
If you're convinced to try the full Fenty Hair range yourself, you won't regret it. The shampoo and conditioners are ideal for all hair textures that require hydration. The treatment and heat protector are perfect if you reach for hot tools often, while the styling products are must-haves for curly, coily, and wavy hair. Rihanna has done it again.
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