Hector on make-up for Rihanna

The Fenty Beauty global make-up artist will join boss woman Rihanna and colleague Priscilla Ono in Dubai at the brand’s first ever beauty talk

Fenty Beauty’s global make-up artist Hector Espinal is in Dubai to make history with label boss Rihanna, as part of the brand’s first ever beauty talk.

Espinal and fellow global make-up artist Priscilla Ono will join Rihanna on stage tomorrow. The charity event — all proceeds go towards Dubai Cares — will take place at a location disclosed only to the participants, with most details being kept under wraps. “It’s the first time that Rihanna will be doing this, and it’s the first time that all three of us are going to be in the same room, creating magic,” Espinal told tabloid!.

“Everything else is a major surprise. It’s going to be amazing and definitely historical, not only for the brand, but for us as make-up artists and also for Dubai.”

BREAKING THE INTERNET

Rihanna caused a worldwide frenzy when she launched her brand, Fenty Beauty, and 40 shades of foundation for different skin tones last year. The pop star’s products flew off the shelves and stores were scrambling to restock within weeks. Fenty became an overnight beacon for inclusivity in the industry. Meanwhile, Espinal’s social media notifications went berserk.

“We were sold out worldwide. When I [first] got the job, I had 6,000 followers on Instagram. When I started getting [more] followers, it became so much that it burnt the battery on my phone. I was like, ‘What did I just sign up for?’ Everything happened so fast. We literally just shook up the whole entire beauty industry.”

Espinal, a Dominican and New Yorker, has since had time to reflect on Fenty’s impact and popularity through his own family.

“My mom, I always remember her saying, ‘I’m medium beige.’ She’s like, ‘Oh, send me the foundation medium beige, the Fenty one.’ And I’m like, ‘Mom, what the [expletive] is medium beige?’ She’s like, ‘That’s my colour, medium beige.’ It doesn’t work like that anymore. People were being boxed in,” said Espinal.

With Fenty, “it’s not about the number. It’s not about the fact that we have 40 foundations. It’s about having four families: light, medium, tan and deep. And within each family, you have a