In conversation with Fenty Beauty's make-up artist Priscilla Ono

Rihanna’s acclaimed cosmetics line, Fenty Beauty, lands in Hong Kong
this month. We discover why this celebrity-founded cosmetics brand stands out from the rest with its global make-up artist, Priscilla Ono.

Over the summer, Rihanna announced on Instagram that she would be expanding her gorgeous make-up line, Fenty Beauty, to Hong Kong, Macau, Seoul and Jeju Island. RiRi has appointed two extremely talented make-up artists to represent the brand globally: Priscilla Ono (who recently paid a visit to the city) and Hector Espinal. 

Apart from doing Rihanna’s make-up on a regular basis, Ono works closely with the star on pretty much everything to do with the booming beauty brand. So, what should Hong Kong audiences expect? 

“Fenty Beauty is truly a brand for everyone,” says Ono. “There is such attention to detail when it comes to servicing all skin tones, and making sure that every product and shade looks good on every skin tone. On top of that, Fenty’s formulas are incredible. They’re so high-quality.” 

On the day of the social media announcement, @BadGalRiRi (who currently has 74 million followers) also posted a sultry campaign video of models from diverse backgrounds, sporting a variety of Insta-worthy looks that could easily have been inspired by the singer. In the 37-second clip, we spotted a sun-kissed glow, lots of shine and shimmer, an exaggerated winged liner paired with a bold red lip, dark goth make-up and the popular “no-make-up make-up” look. To top it off, RiRi herself also makes an appearance at the end of the video.

“Rihanna is such a chameleon with her make-up – she loves experimenting and trying different looks,” explains Ono. “Her everyday go-to method for a flawless complexion is what we call the Fenty Face. It starts with a soft matte base with the Pro Filt’r Primer and Foundation, then you layer Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter for a beautiful and natural glow. Finally, blot away excess shine with the Invisimatte Blotting Powder and then add a lip. Gloss Bomb is great for a natural, everyday look, while Stunna in Uncensored is a beautiful red to spice it up.”

In 2017, Rihanna joined forces with LVMH-owned beauty brand incubator Kendo Brands to create her fabulous cosmetics label. Since its inception, Fenty Beauty has made waves in the make-up industry, quickly becoming one of the top-selling brands out there for a number of reasons: its high-quality ingredients, sleek product design, lightweight formulas and shades to suit every skin tone.

“I think people fall in love with the amazing quality of the formulas and beautiful range of shades,” says Ono. “When we first launched, it was really touching to see how so many clients could finally find their perfect foundation shade – and they were so excited! It was amazing to see. Since then, I love how the brand has continued to evolve, and people are embracing new looks and having fun with their make-up.” 

Personal favourites include the Moroccan Spice Eyeshadow Palette, the Killawatt Foil Freestyle Highlighter Duo (in Mimosa Sunrise/Sangria Sunset) and the Pro Filt’r Match Stix Trio, which can be used to conceal, contour and highlight. What makes the product even more special? Each Match Stix is magnetic, so they stick to one another, making it that much easier to carry around. 

When it’s Ono’s turn to pick her top Fenty Beauty products, she admits, “I have so many favourites! We just launched the new Pro Filt’r Hydrating Foundation, which has the same insane colour range as the original formula with a beautiful, natural finish. Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer is the best lip gloss; it’s super-hydrating, and looks amazing on its own and on top of any lip colour for added shine. And Invismatte Blotting Powder, which I apply every day and use all day. It gives the perfect soft blur, eliminates oil and sets make-up. It’s the product that everyone should have.” 

Make-up lovers will be thrilled to know that in Hong Kong and Macau, the brand is available at T Galleria by DFS, Sephora, Harvey Nichols, Beauty Bazaar and Beauty Avenue.

The feature originally appeared on #legend’s Sep/Oct 2019 print issue