Rihanna's Makeup Artist Talks Pregnant Star's Glam and 'Relaxed' Mood Ahead of Super Bowl Performance
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Ezra Shaw/Getty Rihanna performing at Super Bowl LVII
The 2023 Super Bowl — also known as the Rihanna concert — will go down in history as one of the most talked about ever.
In fact, Rihanna did make history as the first pregnant woman to headline a Super Bowl Halftime Show. And thanks to her squad of pros, the Grammy winner and her bump were ready to rock.
Dressed in a fiery red, custom Loewe flight suit and leather corset styled by Jahleel Weaver, the superstar commanded a number of aerial platforms during her career-defining performance. And her makeup moment, crafted by her longtime pro Priscilla Ono, was built to last.
"It always begins with the stage and the production," Ono tells PEOPLE of the inspiration. "We consider the moment, the lighting and the set, as a jumping-off point to determine what looks will elevate and celebrate her in that environment."
The duo did three trials together to perfect the look which was centered around her red lip, the new Fenty Icon Velvet Liquid Lipstick in shade ″The MVP.″
"When we did rehearsal and tested the red lip for the first time on the big screen, there was no question after that. It popped so beautifully against her skin both on stage and on the screen, so we just knew it's gotta be a red lip," Ono shares. "It was literally 'The MVP' of the night. Plus, it's classic Rihanna. The show is basically showing off her and her iconic music over the last 18 years and there's nothing more iconic than her red lip."
Getty (2) Rihanna
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The next hero product behind her major makeup moment was Fenty's Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation which Ono says is "meant for the stage."
"She really made this collection to be sweat and humidity proof and long-lasting," Ono tells PEOPLE. "She's singing and dancing nonstop for the entire show so we really needed to make sure her skin held up."
According to Ono, the secret to sweat and smudge-proof foundation is building out the products and adding really thin layers starting with a Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation, then a layer of the Pro Filt'r Powder Foundation followed by the Invisimatte Instant Setting + Blotting Powder.
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"The key is not to cake one product," Ono says, adding, "You want little layers of each so that skin still looks like skin."
Because Rihanna didn't pull out any outfit changes, the star also didn't have any pro makeup touch-ups during her 13-minute performance. She did keep her Fenty Beauty Invisimatte Instant Setting + Blotting Powder right on stage with her though, leading to one of the most viral moments of her performance and a genius branding move from the mogul.
"She wanted to stay on that stage the whole time, so that makeup wasn't gettin' a break either!"
RELATED: Rihanna Is Pregnant with Second Baby, Reveals Bump During Super Bowl 2023 Halftime Show
It should come as no surprise that Rihanna, who has built one of the most inclusive beauty brands on the market today, was involved in every step of her Super Bowl makeup process.
"Rihanna is not only such a creative visionary, but she's very meticulous," Ono shares. "The Halftime Show isn't just about creating a beautiful look, the look's gotta be put to work to perform. The rehearsals were really key to finalizing everything."
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The day of the big show, the whole glam and styling squad followed the singer's lead, and everyone was at ease ahead of the big pregnancy reveal.
"Rihanna has a very chill vibe to her," Ono says. "She's a go-with-the-flow kind of woman and we take our lead from her. It's such an honor — and so much fun — to be a part of this process with her. Even when the stakes are so high, like the Super Bowl, it's a really happy and relaxed environment. We listen to music, we joke around. It's an all-day hangout session with our colleagues who are like friends and family at this point."
