I Tried the Fenty Foundation Rihanna Wore to the Met Gala

E! illustration/Fenty BeautyFenty Beauty's Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Foundation was beloved. When its discontinuation was announced last month, fans were heartbroken that another foundation staple would be leaving store shelves forever. Of course, the celeb-founded brand was prepping a new icon behind the scenes. Introducing the Pro Filt'r Fluid Flex Natural Matte Longwear Foundation. At first glance, this might seem like another reformulation, like the ones that have plagued the beauty industry this year. But according to the brand, the product development team started from scratch with this new complexion product. Inspired by the same vision that brought the OG foundation to life, this new foundation was three years in the making, has a true 12-hour wear, offers more neutrals to the 50-at-launch shade range, won't oxidize to a warm tone, and features a "modern matte finish" that keeps oil at bay where you need it and gives softer dimension to your drier areas. The foundation launches with a new brush that hugs every contour of the face and softly (and effortlessly) blends the foundation into your skin. Crista Chan, Fenty's Global Director of Artistry, recommended doing one pump of the product onto the brush and swiping down and out on the center of the face to blend it in. Fenty Beauty's Pro Filt'r Fluid Flex Natural Matte Longwear Foundation ($48) and Pro Filt’r Fluid Flex Foundation Brush ($36) will be available to purchase on September 4, 2026, on Sephora, Ulta Beauty, and the brand's website.The formula is a buildable medium-coverage, "modern matte" that delivers all-day smooth and flexible wear with a natural-looking finish.Rihanna tested the foundation by wearing it under multiple conditions, including her daily life, red carpet events, and this year's Met Gala. Courtesy of Sofia VieraMade in Japan, it's formulated with a breathable polymer blend, color-true longwear pigments, and starfruit extracts to feel lightweight on your skin, build up coverage, truly last, and control your shine throughout your day. The best part? It's waterproof and won't disintegrate in sweat or humidity. I tried this foundation on multiple long, busy (and sweaty) days, and the foundation looked practically intact. I have combination skin during the summer, and every other foundation pills and disappears on me at the end of the day. This one was perfection. But don't just take my word for it. Rihanna also swears by this new foundation. She isn't just a founder by name only. According to Roshini Greenwald, Fenty's North American General Manager, Rihanna tests every Fenty product rigorously before it launches. She wore the Pro Filt'r Fluid Flex Natural Matte Foundation for everything, including multiple red carpets and this year's Met Gala. "Rihanna's philosophy is you need some mattifying to keep your makeup looking fresh," she told E! at the press preview event. While there are still a few weeks until the official launch date, it'll be well worth the wait. Trust me, I've never used a foundation as good as this one. I'd argue it's better than the OG. In the meantime, keep scrolling to shop other bestsellers from Fenty. E! Illustration/Courtesy of Fenty BeautyShop Other Natural Matte Foundations:Maybelline Super Stay Lumi-Matte FoundationThe O.G. Super Stay got us through chaos and acne, but the reboot is softer, lighter, and way more wearable. It gives medium coverage that builds beautifully without the old-school heaviness.Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin Natural Finish FoundationThis formula lives up to its natural-finish promise with a hydrating mix of glycerin, raspberry extract, and vitamin E. It feels insanely comfortable, builds to the matte level I want, and blends like a dream with a fluffy foundation brush.Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless FoundationThe Charlotte Tilbury foundation has full, creamy coverage that wipes out hyperpigmentation and acne like they never existed. It's my secret weapon when I need skin that looks professionally airbrushed.Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Liquid Makeup FoundationDouble Wear stays locked in like it has somewhere important to be. Matte, long-wearing, and basically bulletproof, it’s still one of the best for oily skin.Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional Blurring & Smoothing FoundationWhen you want real makeup but none of the gloop, this Benefit foundation absolutely delivers. It’s full-coverage, featherlight, and stays dewy-fresh instead of greasy.Shop More Fenty BeautyFenty Beauty We're Even Hydrating Longwear ConcealerA true makeup-meets-skincare product, this concealer melts beautifully into skin in 50 buildable, medium-coverage shades that each give a gorgeous second-skin finish.Set it Down Superfine Blurring Setting PowderThis superfine powder stands up to anything! It's lightweight, waterproof, and extends your makeup. It's packed with hyaluronic acid, which will ensure you don't look or feel dry.Grip Trip Hydrating + Plumping PrimerStart your look with a gripping primer that delivers all-day hydration. This one is packed with ingredients like maple sap extract and butterfly lavender extract for a finish that glides and smooths. You Mist Makeup-Extending Setting SprayLock in your makeup (without losing out on hydration) thanks to this setting spray. It's an ultra-fine mist that extends your makeup wear up to 12 hours.Fenty Beauty Match Stix Shimmer SkinstickBring on the shimmer! The Shimmer Skinsticks work as a highlight and blush, in a luxe cream-to-powder formula that blends weightlessly into your skin. Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream BlushUltra-creamy and light-as-air, this cream blush easily melts into the skin for the perfect flush of color.Fenty Beauty Trace'd Out Pencil Lip LinerThe ultimate lip liner is here! It's a creamy and long-wearing pencil made with pure pigments that won't leave your lips looking or feeling dry.Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Stix High-Shine Gloss StickThink of this high-shine stick as a juicy combo of lip gloss and lipstick. It's packed with lip-loving ingredients to leave your lips looking plump with pigmented color.Looking for more celebrity-owned brands? Shop Beyoncé's hair styling collection!How We ChooseThe E! Insider Shop editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, comb through customer reviews, and use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers.As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think our readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not E!. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.