French brand Makeup Forever today (September 26, 2017) decided it needed to let the world know Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty line isn’t the only one to carry a wide array of foundation shades.
In a now deleted Instagram post showing its foundation offerings, the caption read, “40 shades is nothing new to us. Since 2015, the UltraHD foundation released 40 shades for everyone’s unique skin tones understanding the difference between red and yellow undertones. With expertise, time and passion, we shall continue to develop and improve our products for pros, for you, for everyone.”
The public service announcement completely backfired when Rihanna decided to weigh in on the post, commenting on the color offerings, “lol still ashy” followed by a second comment reading “shook,” implying the brand was intimidated by Fenty Beauty’s arrival on the scene.
Rihanna deleted her sassy clap back not long after, but her fans caught word, filling the post with mocking responses.
While Makeup Forever’s point may be accurate, part of the appeal of Fenty Beauty beyond its association with Rihanna is that the marketing message from the beginning included women of all shades. And more than just fanfare and pretty pictures, as many makeup bloggers have attested and sales reflect, Fenty Beauty foundation also just works. Currently on sephora.com, of the 40 foundation shades available, a total of 26 are sold out.
Makeup Forever probably should have stuck to picking on a company its own size. Fenty Beauty is not only global and back by LVMH, but its boss is a powerhouse who does not play.