It’s probably safe to say that most of the time, when a celebrity launches a new beauty, fragrance or clothing line, we expect it to be mediocre, bland and overpriced. We, the “people” get it: celebrities makeas much money off of their endorsements and personal product lines than they likely do off of their actual talent. So as the celebrity fragrance and beauty trend began to oversaturate department stores, I knew for sure that as a girl obsessed with beauty, I would not be buying into the hype, no matter how much I loved Bey (and I mean, I love Bey).

But then, I picked up Rihanna’s second fragrance, Rebelle. It was by default: my mom wanted it for her birthday last year. I didn’t even take a whiff as I was purchasing the fragrance. I literally just paid for it, got it gift wrapped, and gave it to her. But the next day, I couldn’t stop smelling my mother. It was ridiculous. Rebelle smelled like heaven.

And so did Nude. And so does Rogue. Jeez, Rihanna.

Does Rihanna plays a big role in the crafting process of these fragrances and makeup collections, I'm not sure. But what I can say is that when it comes to beauty and making a girl smell good, the girl has extremely, good taste.

And it doesn’t end there. Cue in her Riri Hearts MAC beauty capsule collections she has this year with the brand powerhouse. One after another, the collections did not disappoint, selling out in matters of hours. They were actually more reminiscent of her style than expected (I mean, that is why people go out to buy these celebrity branded products anyway…to look, smell and feel like the star, right?)

I’ve been completely turned out by Rogue, Rihanna’s most recent fragrance which hit department stores earlier this month. It even tops Rebelle for me, it feels slightly younger and bolder than the rest of her fragrances (although, I will slip on Nude if I’m feeling in the mood.)

I swear by “Heaux” (a lipstick) for weekends out on the town, and the Smoked Eye trio from her latest fall palette is one of the few that actually looks good on my complexion. My anticipation is getting higher awaiting her MAC Holiday collection, I need to see what cool lipstick names she has up her sleeves. “Riri Boy” and “Heaux”, yes, pronounced hoe, were so on point.

Moral of the story: celebrities looking to create significant scents, beauty lines or fashion apparel need to take notes from the 25-year-old artist. She’s on to something, for real.

Rihanna’s latest fragrance, Rogue, can be purchased at Dillard’s, Belk and Macy’s stores. The Holiday 2013 Riri Hearts MAC Collection is set to hit stores December 2013.

-Melanie Yvette Martin