Rihanna

The pop siren on how her makeup made … her

- Kahlana Barfield Brown

Lipstick in Barbados? Not unless I was a bridesmaid in a friend’s wedding,” recalls Rihanna with a laugh when asked about her teenage beauty routine. “My mom wasn’t flexible. I wore no makeup.” Though she wasn’t allowed to partake, Rihanna says her mom, who worked at a cosmetics counter back in the day, inspired her passion for makeup and perfume. Now 29, and with a few credits of her own under her belt (pop icon, designer, actress), Rihanna has channeled her lifelong love of maquill age into Fenty Beauty, her hot new line that has earned raves from both the industry and the general public since it launched in September. Though she loathes the idea of promoting “perfection” (“everyone is beautiful in their own way,” she says), the most buzzed-about products are the ones that allow her fans to share in some of her glow. They include 40 shades of velvety matte foundations that cater to women of all skin tones. (Worth noting: The darker shades sold out almost immediately.) Here, Rihanna discusses how beauty helped her evolve from shy Barbadian to global phenomenon.

Did you always know you wanted to do a makeup line?

You have all these ideas of things you want for yourself, and for me, beauty was a natural fit because makeup is such a huge part of my career and image. I wanted to do a line for years, but it needed to be credible, something that industry pros and girls around the world would respect.

Do you have a favorite product?

I love the Killawatt highlighter because you can use it in so many ways. I put it on my eyes, cheeks, and body. It goes on smooth, and the texture is superfine, almost like liquid—plus it’s extremely high-shine. There’s a ton of different colors.