EXPERT TOUCH
Rihanna’s makeup artist Priscilla Ono teaches us how to nail the singer’s ‘Fenty face’
Picture this: you're getting ready for a glam night out and your thumb begins desperately sifting through Rihanna’s Instagram grid, past her captivating campaigns and stunning selfies, until you find it – the one. A beauty moment so radiant, so jaw-dropping, that you must recreate it immediately.
Of course, Rihanna’s endless list of talents includes makeup application, but there’s a certain someone whose magic hands are responsible for her show-stopping looks.
Say hello to Priscilla Ono.
A master in her field, Ono landed herself the job we all wish we had – Rihanna’s personal makeup artist. She also serves as Fenty Beauty’s global makeup artist, setting trends and keeping us in the check-out line at Sephora.
We chatted with Ono about her one go-to product she uses to perfect Rihanna’s radiance, how Fenty Beauty products are put to the test, her secret tricks for mastering sweat-proof skin and how she can do a full face with just one Match Stix.
GET HER GLOW
Not wasting any time, the first tidbit on our list was finding out what magic potion is needed to master Rihanna’s out-of-this world luminosity. Turns out, it only takes three simple steps to look as flawless as the ‘Believe
It’ singer.
“The ‘Fenty face’ is Rihanna’s real-life, universal method for a glowing and defined complexion,” Ono explains.
“The first step is to apply her Pro Filt’r Soft Matte foundation to get a flawless, soft matte base. I recommend applying it over a primer, which smooths your skin for better foundation application and longer wear, and using the Full-Bodied Foundation Brush 110 for the most even and natural-looking application.
“She’ll also use Pro Filt’r Concealer
to brighten her under eye and conceal any specific areas that might need a little more coverage, and then the second step is to add dimension and colour.
“First she contours to add dimension with the Matte Match Stix Skinsticks or Cheeks Out Cream Bronzer. Then she adds a colour with Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter or Cheeks Out Cream Blush.”
Finally, RiRi’s very last step for sun-kissed skin is “to remove shine and set her makeup using Invisimatte Blotting Powder. It has a translucent finish, so Rihanna also uses it for touch-ups throughout the day.”
MAKEUP THAT LASTS
Like Rihanna, Australians are used to standing under a harsh spotlight. For us, it’s the sun. And come time for summer, Ono agrees our skin is “more prone to sweat”, but she knows exactly how to stay feeling fresh, sans the sweat.
“I recommend always starting with a primer so your makeup lasts longer,” she tells us. “I like to use foundation with a soft matte finish that counterbalances oily skin, and of course you want to look for a sweat and humidity-resistant foundation like Pro Filt’r to set your makeup and remove excess shine with [a blotting] powder.”