Fenty is the brand of singer and entrepreneur Rihanna Fenty. I was a fan before I smelled this perfume, and I’m an even greater fan now. Let me bore you with why I love celebrity fragrance: they are made by world class perfumers and more often than not, are priced to sell. There are some true greats among the sleb scents. I adored JLo Deseo, I often wear Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely, and Hilary Duff With Love remains my favourite cedar fragrance ever. That’s before we even get to Britney and Ariana. I eschew the Kardashians and Jenners. Enough said about them.
Rihanna previously had an eponymous range of fragrances which included the excellent Reb’l Fleur, now sadly discontinued. Her eye poppingly successful divergence into beauty, lingerie and fragrance under the Fenty brand has borne copious fruit, and Fenty eau de parfum has joined my collection of favourite fragrances. I’m a tough crowd. I don’t just like any old thing!
As for the perfumer, Jacqyes Cavallier Belletrud, you probably own at least one of his creations without knowing it. He has created fragrances for all the greats: YSL, Lancome, Armani, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, Amouage, Givenchy and Tom Ford to name but a tip of the iceberg. Cavalier Belletrud and Fenty is a match made in heaven .
Firstly, the bottle is a smoky golden brown with an embossed lid. It looks and feels expensive and luxurious. Here’s a quote from Rihanna herself.:
“I wanted a rich color that really represented all genders from across all walks of life. Brown is my favorite color. Brown is who I am. Brown is what I come from. If I’m going to make a fragrance that represents me, even the body language of the bottle needs to marry that. So, I wanted something brown, but also transparent – so you could see the liquid and the fragrance you’re about to experience,”
Rihanna Fenty, founder and CEO of Fenty
Ten out of ten for the bottle that looks more niche than mainstream, but what about the contents? Fenty opens with bright tangerine and blueberry. On my skin this lands like a citrus, but only briefly, because the lush Bulgarian roses bloom everywhere straight away, like sinking your face into an old fashioned rose bush, back when roses smelled like roses.
Fenty contains five of my favourite perfume notes- and remember that notes are like a poem, not an ingredients list- as my friend Sarah McCartney says. The five I love are rose, geranium, magnolia, musk and patchouli, and they are all here, having a party and outdoing each other with their opulence and beauty. I’m always first in line for a rose/musk combination, but this is one of the most beautiful I have smelled and it was love at first sniff.
I’ve been wearing Fenty solidly since I opened the bottle. Although it’s described as unisex, as all fragrances are in my view, I love its femininity and prettiness. Roses, rich and dusky pink, sensuous musk warming on my skin, white magnolia petals and sharp, green, tomato plant-y , lemon-y geranium. Blend seamlessly with a master perfumer and a megastar and you have Fenty eau de parfum. A truly remarkable creation. When this bottle runs out, I’ll be lining up another. Welcome to my top ten, Fenty. You smell beautiful today.
Where to buy it
This was included in the Signature Scent Box from John Lewis, which I received for my birthday last week. It’s a fantastic collection which includes a full 30ml bottle of Fenty, and when you add up the contents, the £65 price tag is an absolute steal. You can buy Fenty on its own from the Fenty website. It’s currently on offer for £46, usual price £67. Prices may vary and other stockists have it too.
Disclaimer
Opinions are my own and it almost goes without saying that I am not affiliated with either John Lewis or the Fenty brand. Unfortunately.
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