Rihanna has been dominating the beauty industry since the launch of Fenty Beauty.
With the release of Rih’s 40 Fenty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Foundation shades — along with the rest of her viral launches — she’s basically solidified her place as our brightest source of beauty inspiration. The eight-time Grammy winner has also served as muse (and campaign girl) for Gucci and Balmain.
She’s besties with Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld, Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci, and Alexander Wang. Her street style is always three steps ahead of the game.
Before Fenty, she created a lipstick so irresistible for MAC Cosmetics that it sold out in less than a day. Then, she became the spokeswoman for the brand’s Viva Glam campaign.
And guess what? Before any of that ever happened, she was a Teen Vogue cover star. But Rihanna looked very different then! Before she became the trendsetter she is today, she was a burgeoning pop star from Barbados. Click through our slideshow to see how beauty plays a major role in Rihanna’s ever-developing (and now, iconic!) sense of style.
August 2005
Rihanna is just 17 here, two years before her Teen Vogue cover! She’s keeping things pretty classic with a ponytail, rimmed eyes, and nude glossy lips. Very sweet!
Photo: Getty Images
August 2006
Rihanna nails color theory with this look. Her bottom lashes are lined with cobalt, while her top lid is a beautiful mix of violet and copper. She kept it modern with simple, sleek hair.
Photo: Getty Images
May 2007
If there’s one thing Rihanna is known for, it’s switching up her hair. She never fails to come up with a completely new look, and she always owns it. This asymmetrical bob is one of Rihanna’s first daring looks—in fact, it’s attributed to changing up her musical direction completely for her hit album “Good Girl Gone Bad”. If you’re contemplating a chop, here’s proof that change can be a good thing.
Photo: Getty Images
June 2008
After taking her bob one step further into pixie territory, Rihanna started experimenting with the vampy lip colors she’s become so well-known for. Pair them with a pristine complexion (is anyone’s better than RiRi’s?) and dramatic liner.
Photo: Getty Images
January 2010
A newly-blonde RiRi rocks the red carpet, sporting shaved sides far before it was cool among runway models. She polished off her edgy ‘do with some bronzer, natural lips, and major lashes.
Photo: Getty Images
February 2011
Consider this proof that Rihanna can pull anything off. In fact, she landed the cover of Vogue with this incredible head of cherry red hair. But, dyer beware: Keep the makeup simple when your hair is this big and this bold.
Photo: Getty Images
May 2011
Continuing her scarlet saga, Rihanna pulls off yet another red-haired look here. (Is anyone else getting Ariel vibes?) We love the touch of shadow on the eyes and the pretty, clean feeling of her look.
Photo: Getty Images
February 2012
For the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, Rihanna looks stunning with sun-kissed, beachy blonde waves. (Who doesn’t love a little bit of root?) She kept her makeup simple with copper eyelids and nude pink lips, which balanced out her very dramatic dress quite well.
Photo: Getty Images
November 2012
Note how the stripes and blazer in Rihanna’s ensemble seem to call to mind a nautical theme. When breaking out the blues this summer, take a cue from the singer and wear them with cherry lipstick and an edgy pompadour. It’s all about turning the trend on its head!
Photo: Getty Images
February 2013
With seriously gorgeous hair, luminous skin, and orangey-red lips, Rihanna looks all grown up (and especially ladylike) at the 2013 Grammy Awards.
Photo: Getty Images
September 2013
Leave it to Rihanna to make the mullet “a thing.” And remember what we said about moderation? Rihanna knows no such word. She paired it with blue lipstick.
Photo: Getty Images
March 2014
This photo is symbolic of Rihanna’s role as a fashion icon, and how much beauty really does come into play! For Givenchy’s fall show, she arrived wearing bright red lips (again) with a backwards hat and a veil. You see, it’s always about the full look with Rihanna. And this is one star who is very, very committed.
Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images
May 2014
The annual Met Gala is one of the most important events of the year. Rihanna upped her glam factor with thick liquid liner, pink lips, and perfectly shaded brows. This curly updo was just icing on top of the cake.
October 2014
Can you say “killing it”? Rihanna stole the show at an L.A. gala with this side-parted ponytail, false lashes, and bright orange lip.
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
November 2014
With shimmering white eyeshadow and a cool updo, Rihanna showed how to wear a dark lip in 2014.
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
__ December 2014__
Stop the presses! The pop princess looked perfect at the British Fashion Awards with this oversized bun. Bronze cheeks and eyeshadow and a nude lip gave the star a total bombshell look.
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
December 2014
Rihanna was already the star of the show at her first annual Diamond Ball, but her sleek hair, cat-eye, and shimmering red lip (which perfectly matched her diamond and ruby necklace) made her impossible to top.
Photo: Brad Barket/Getty Images
February 2015
Glowing skin and exaggerated lashes is how Rihanna does the “no makeup” makeup look.
Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage
May 2015
Rihanna pulled out all the stops for the 2015 Met Gala. Bold brows, rosy cheeks, flipped up red hair — it was all there.
Photo: Kris Connor/WireImage
February 2016
The Fenty x Puma by Rihanna show was one of the biggest events of New York Fashion Week. With this chic bob, cat eye, and piled-on necklaces, Rihanna was one of the best dressed stars, too.
Photo: Getty Images
February 2017
With a nonchalant nod to her roots, Rihanna opts for big, breezy copper-toned waves at for the 2017 Grammy Awards, bringing us back to her ‘Pon de Replay’ days.
Photo: Getty Images
May 2017
Rihanna cements her status as a fashion goddess in a custom Comme des Garçons by Rei Kawakubo, elevating her outfit with allover rose-colored blush, brand-new bangs, and a statement lip.
Photo: Getty Images
May 2017
Does Rihanna ever disappoint? (Short answer: No.) Her burnt-copper shadow and matching lipstick channels serious ‘90s vibes, but she makes it look totally modern (not to mention cool).
Photo: Getty Images
May 2017
Rihanna’s just one of a handful of celebs to rock a bob this year, but she switches is up with fresh-out-of-the-shower waves. Defining her pout with a flaming red lipstick, she stuns as usual.
Photo: Getty Images
June 2017
Rihanna dialed up her paired-down makeup with a face-framing bandana-and-hat combo and we seriously can’t stop staring.
Photo: Getty Images
July 2017
Rihanna plays up the vibrancy of her bright red dress with a matte cranberry pout and matching eyeshadow for full-on glamour.
Photo: Getty Images
September 2017
Rihanna’s highlighting skills have always been out of this world, and she fully showed them off at the launch of Fenty Beauty with a head-turning sweep of brilliant, golden luminizer.
Getty Images
September 2017
Rihanna serves a high pony and baby hairs, plus arched brows and a killer smoky eye. The hint of emerald shadow on her lids and smoked out below her underliner is the coolest finishing touch.
Getty Images
January 2018
We wonder which Fenty Beauty products Rih has on in this makeup look. Her purple eyeshadow and coppery lip pair perfectly with her latex dress and her skin is glowing to boot.
Getty Images
January 2018
Rihanna’s “Wild Thoughts” performance was exactly what the Grammys 2018 needed. She let her curls down and accessorized them with a giant pink flower, but her gleaming highlight was what really stole the show.
LUDOVIC MARIN
February 2018
Rihanna opted for a softer look at an education conference in Senegal, with a gleaming highlight, softly smoky eyes, and a sleek ponytail. We’re guessing her makeup is all Fenty everything, but we need to know her skin care routine, stat.
John Sciulli
April 2018
Rih’s ’70s-inspired curled lob, seen here at a Fenty x Puma event at Coachella, is giving us major retro beauty vibes.
Neilson Barnard
May 7, 2018
Rihanna channeled the most ornate of church garments for her 2018 Met Gala look. Her hair was tucked beneath her Papal-inspired headpiece, with only two strands peeking out from underneath. As for her face, she kept it understated, but used a light shimmer all over her body.
Dimitrios Kambouris
June 2018
It may have been summer when Rihanna debuted this unforgettable shade of purple lipstick, but winter was already on her mind. Walking the Ocean’s 8 red carpet, Rihanna was secretly wearing the Smokin’ Purp shade of Fenty’s Frosted Metal lipstick. She chose a similar shade of violet for her eyeshadow, and topped off the look with a sleek, straight hair.
Getty Images
June 2018
Wearing a face full of Fenty Beauty products and a high bun, Rihanna was giving off serious glam. Wearing Fenty Lipstick in Ma’Damn on her lips, Rihanna added to the red lip-focused look with the addition of highlighter and blush.
Getty Images
June 2018
In a moment of unforgettable beauty inspo, Rihanna rocked the perfect set of eye wings. As if the flawless shape of her wings wasn’t enough, the singer also surprised us by choosing white liner to create the look.
Getty Images
September 2018
Pacific Press
September 2018
During the September 2018 Diamond Ball, Rihanna again wore a makeup palette of unreleased Fenty products. In an evening that was all about diamonds, Rihanna wore Diamond Bomb All-Over Diamond Veil on her eyes and Hu$lta Baby from the Fenty Beauty Killawatt Highlighter. Of course, she also wore some actual diamonds, too.
September 2018
This all-pink everything look had Rihanna wearing a neon pink dress and matching lip color. She kept the pink theme going, adding a similar shade of color to her cheeks and eyes. To round out the look, the singer parted her hair to the side and added just a few curls to her ends.
September 2018
Rihanna’s dazzling red lip stole the show. She looked like a total star, pairing the brilliant shade with a loose updo, large hoops, and a golden-brown outfit.
October 2018
We may have been focused on Rihanna’s head-to-toe snakeskin ensemble, but she was actually hiding a beauty secret. Fenty Beauty makeup artist Priscilla Ono revealed that Rihanna’s October beauty routine included the secret debut of Fenty’s Frosted Metallic Lipstick in Frost Sauce.
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