TL;DR can RiRi do for lip care what she did for umbrellas?

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Fenty Pro Kiss'r Luscious Lip Balm in Latte Lips & 
Plush Puddin' Lip Mask

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A Deeper Look

Let’s talk about Rihanna. Yes, the Rihanna. That Baijan pop princess who burst onto the millennial dance scene with an island beat and inspired bared midriff envy.

That mom of two who decided that conquering the pop scene wasn’t enough for her and that she needed to concurrently build an empire of fashion, makeup and skincare. That entrepreneur who announced her pregnancy by performing the Super Bowl Halftime Show. That Rihanna.

When Fenty Skin launched, it was peak COVID and I was deep into my newfound skincare obsession (fueled by my recent indoctrination to the world of Instagram). Her three-product drop instantly found its way onto my skincare shelf, where one of them remains to this day (her SPF, for those wondering).

I was not a follower of Fenty Beauty – makeup isn’t really my thing, hence the lip balm collection – so the Rihanna-as-aesthetician concept was new to me. I found the Fenty Skin lineup lovely but mostly a pass (see comment re: Hydra Vizor above).

Interestingly, her lip balm had previously launched with Fenty Beauty and I had completely missed it. Sometime last year, now knowing that Robyn was capable of flashes of skincare creation genius, I decided to give the Pro Kiss’r a try. Subsequently, I picked up the lip mask when it launched a few months afterwards.

If I had to pick one of the two to keep, it would definitely be the “balm.” Liquid balms that are actually hydrating are extremely rare, and rarer still are ones that offer a subtle tint without sacrificing moisture or leaving your lips a sticky mess. This one does both, and rather well. I’ve been a wand hater most of my life, and yet this “balm” managed to turn me into a convert. Would I ever use it as my go-to? Absolutely not. But does it exist happily in my work tote? Absolutely yes.

The mask, on the other hand, is an example of how lip product packaging can be an utter failure. Housing this thick (THICK) formula in a fat, glue stick-like squat cylindrical tube with a roll-up applicator was a strong concept — in theory. I loved the flat disc opening that you have to smear all over your lips to achieve an even layer of the mask. I loved how wantonly I could apply it because a) I only wore it ever before bed and b) it just felt right with this product shape. I loved the extremely subtle taste and scent.

What didn’t I love? As shown in the above photo, the twist-up element fell apart within the first two weeks. I then had to resort to pushing up and holding the bottom of the tube, consistently squeezing out too much product and then having to either saturate my lips in mask or wipe some off on my hands. Not great.

Bottom line: Does not, in fact, make you shine bright like a diamond.

Important: Vegan, Cruelty-Free, Made with PCR (mask)