Rihanna’s Fenty Hair Care Collection: An Honest Review

When it comes to building her Fenty brand of beauty, fashion, accessories, and lingerie, Rihanna’s mantra seems to be “work, work, work.” And the superstar is far from done creating an empire. Now, Rih is broadening her “beauty for all” ethos with the release of Fenty Hair, a reparative haircare range featuring shampoo, conditioner, hair masks, gel, and much more.

In 2017, Rihanna changed the beauty landscape when she introduced her groundbreaking Fenty Beauty cosmetics line, with its 40 inclusive foundation shades (now 50). Fenty Beauty took in $100 million within its first month—and it’s clear Rih intends to leave no coins unclaimed with her latest venture. The ANTI singer has gone through hundreds of hair change-ups in her career; it’s safe to say she knows a thing or two about the damage that can occur from frequent tress transformations. Still, she brought in a team of chemists, along with Yusef and Ursula Stephens, the celebrity hairstylists responsible for some of her most iconic styles over the years, to develop the formulations for Fenty Hair. “Hair has always been very personal to me—my hairstyles have been markers of my evolution and growth over the years,” Rihanna said in a press release. “Creating a lineup of products that were easy to use no matter your hair type or texture that included repair in every step and could keep up with me was crucial.”

Each product in the Fenty Hair range contains Replenicore-5, a proprietary complex with amino acids, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and antioxidant-rich green tea. To round out the formula’s fortifying mix, the Bajan mogul also leaned into her Caribbean heritage and incorporated Barbados gooseberry, a tropical antioxidant favored by inhabitants of the West Indian isle, to moisturize and strengthen hair. There are also upcycled extracts from jackfruit—a tropical produce jam-packed with potassium, magnesium, and calcium—to nourish strands and prevent dryness and breakage. Together, the ingredients help repair, strengthen, hydrate, smooth, and protect your hair.

The nine-piece product lineup consists of a shampoo, two conditioners, a repair treatment, four stylers—to suit curly, straight, slick, or protective ‘dos—plus an edge brush. The warm, sensual, floral scent of the products—which contain notes of amber, lemon, sparkling yuzu, lily, freesia, and coconut—has a rich, lush vibe. (“Everyone is going to be telling you that you smell so good and asking you what you are wearing—let them know it’s Fenty Hair,” Rihanna, who launched her first Fenty fragrance in 2021, wrote in a recent IG post.)

Now, for the product rundown. Although Fenty Hair is touted as an inclusive hair-care brand, every single product in the lineup won’t work with all hair types or styles. The “flexible” range means that, no matter your hair type or texture—or if you wear your hair straight, curly or in a protective style—you’ll still find something in the collection that will work for you. That said, the Rich One Moisture Repair Shampoo is bound to be a favorite for all. The moisturizing cleanser develops a rich, hydrating lather without stripping strands. But it’s lightweight enough that it won’t weigh down finer textures.

The Rich One Moisture Repair Conditioner is best suited for those with fine to medium hair. It’s lightweight enough that it won’t leave strands looking greasy and lank. For those with thicker or highly textured locks in need of extra moisture, the Richer One Moisture Repair Deep Conditioner should be a go-to. The plush conditioner melts into dehydrated strands for intense moisture, and provides great slip for easy detangling.

Similarly, how you use the Comeback Kid Instant Damage Repair Treatment depends on your mane’s needs. If your hair warrants heavy-duty rescue—like, say, from a bad case of split ends and straw-like texture from a recent bleach job—saturate your strands from root to tip, after cleansing, and utilize as a leave-in; no need to rinse out. This product can also be used as a protective measure before a weave install or intricate braids. On the other hand, if your strands are suffering from minimal wreckage, simply slather on your hair, then rinse out after five minutes.

For those who embrace their naturally wavy, curly, or coily coifs, the Homecurl Curl-Defining Cream is a must. It’ll make your hair less frizzy, yet super soft and bouncy. Rake through your corkscrews, crimps, and curvy scallops while still damp, then scrunch for texture definition.

If a slick, snatched pony or updo is on your agenda, the Gelly Type Strong Hold Gel is your styler of choice. And for smoothing and locking down your edges, the Controlling Type Hair-Thickening Edge Control Gel will help keep them laid while minimizing thinning and breaking along your hairline. The Sidestick 3-in-1 Edge Tool is great for taming flyaways and crafting your baby hair into endless swoops and swirls.

When your coif requires a hot tool or a blow-dryer, the Protective Type 5-in-1 Protectant Styler works beautifully. The moisturizing, smoothing cream guards hair from frizz and heat damage—up to 450 degrees—while mending split ends.