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FENTY SKIN

Listen! Rihanna is a beast when it comes to anything - music, fashion, makeup - just business overall, now she’s launched a fairly new skincare line - Fenty Skin. I was - like half of the globe - hyped up to try it, so I did.

If you know me, you’d know I love a stylish aesthetic with a multifunctional formula and Fenty Skin delivers on both. The entire line features understated packaging in a purplish-grey colour. I can’t be bothered with using ten different bottles of things that you have to remember how many times per week to use. That’s just way too drama for me. I work a 9-5 and I go to the gym so I need something simple and effective that I can use twice a day. I’m a really simple guy.

So… I tried it and despite how minimal it is to extreme skincare enthusiasts, I almost immediately fell in love with the entire system. It’s safe to say that it even though it wasn’t all hype and it actually delivered real results that may benefit all skin types.

The set from Fenty Skin comes with:

STEP 1. The Total Cleans’r Remove It All Cleanser, $25.00

STEP 2. Fat Water Pore-Refining Toner Serum, $28.00

STEP 3. Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen, $35.00

HUMANRACE

Pharrell Williams embodies agelessness and beauty, how does he do it? I remember watching some video and Pharrell said that using cold water was the best way of washing your face - years later I’m still doing that because just look at his skin - he must know what he’s talking about, right? Naturally, when Pharrell dropped his skincare line Human Race, it sold out immediately. I was one of the lucky few to get my hands on the entire three-piece set and as a skincare lover, I had to see how it measured up.

Like Fenty Skin, it’s a three-step system.

STEP 1. Rice Powder Cleanser, $32.00

STEP 2. Lotus Enzyme Exfoliator, $46.00

STEP 3. Humidifying Cream, $48.00

Now, while I thought the product itself did what it promised, I wasn't in love with the lack of lather in the cleanser because I tend to like them a bit more sudsy. I actually felt a burning or tingling sensation like I do with most glycolic acid (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) exfoliants. The product has 8% glycolic acid and 2% fruit enzymes, which are a gentler form of AHAs. The rice powder cleanser functions as a gentle exfoliant, so I’m wondering why he needed to include a separate exfoliant. On the other hand, I loved the whipped texture of the moisturizer. It’s of a heavier consistency which makes it ideal to treat and dry spots but it is also light enough for oilier skinned folks like myself. It’s perfect for night time use to prevent trans epidermal water loss while we sleep. I do wish he included an SPF for daytime use, however.

Next Stop on the Skincare Journey: CEYLON: The Skincare Brand Made for Men of Color. What’s your take on FENTYSKIN and Humanrace?