Rihanna turned an underserved need in the beauty market into a global cosmetics business, with Fenty Beauty estimated to be worth $2.8 billion in 2021 as the singer expanded her business interests beyond music.
Fenty Beauty launched on 8 September 2017, after two years of development with Kendo Brands, a beauty incubator within LVMH. Rihanna was closely involved in shaping the brand, placing complexion products for a wide range of skin tones at its centre.
Its debut foundation was offered in 40 shades, giving consumers a broader selection than many mainstream beauty ranges at the time. The launch quickly attracted attention, with Fenty Beauty reported to have generated around $100 million in sales during its first 40 days.
Fenty Beauty generated more than $550 million in revenue in 2018, according to LVMH figures reported by Forbes. By August 2021, Forbes estimated the brand's value at $2.8 billion and reported that Rihanna owned 50% of the company.
The Beauty Need Rihanna Turned Into an Opportunity
The idea behind Fenty Beauty centred on a consumer need Rihanna had identified: finding complexion products that worked across different skin tones.
Rihanna worked with Kendo Brands for two years before the launch, with inclusivity becoming a defining part of the brand's identity. Fenty Beauty launched through Sephora and online, before expanding its international retail presence.
Speaking about the launch in 2017, Rihanna said: 'It was important that every woman felt included.'
The 40-shade foundation range became the clearest expression of that approach. While other beauty companies, including M.A.C. and Make Up For Ever, already offered extensive shade ranges, Fenty Beauty placed inclusivity at the heart of its marketing and product strategy.
Reports following the launch indicated that several of the deeper foundation shades sold out quickly at Sephora. The strong initial sales provided an early indication of consumer demand for a broader complexion range.
Fenty Beauty was reported to have generated around $100 million during its first 40 days, helping establish the brand as more than a conventional celebrity-backed product line.
From Inclusive Make-up to a Billion-Dollar Brand
Fenty Beauty's early performance gave Rihanna's business venture considerable momentum. In 2018, the company generated more than $550 million in revenue, according to LVMH figures reported by Forbes.
Its growth was supported by Rihanna's international profile, retail distribution through Sephora and the involvement of Kendo Brands, while its broad complexion offering gave the company a clearly defined product proposition.
In August 2021, Forbes estimated Fenty Beauty's value at $2.8 billion and reported that Rihanna's 50% stake was worth approximately $1.4 billion. Those figures were estimates from that period, rather than the proceeds from a disclosed sale of the company.
The wider Fenty business later expanded into skincare, with Fenty Skin launching on 31 July 2020.
The brand's rise expanded Rihanna's business interests beyond music, while Fenty Beauty became a substantial part of her wealth outside her recording career.
What began with a focus on serving a broader range of complexion needs developed into a global beauty business, combining product development, retail distribution and Rihanna's international audience.
The September 2017 launch ultimately became the foundation for a wider Fenty beauty portfolio and a major part of the singer's business portfolio beyond the recording studio.
