The moment Fenty Beauty‘s Pro Filt’r foundation launched in 2017, it arrived with a then-rare 40-shade range that shifted what inclusive complexion products were expected to look like. Nearly a decade on, the brand is not simply adding to that legacy: according to WWD, Fenty is retiring the original formula entirely and replacing it with the Pro Filt’r Fluid Flex Natural Matte Longwear Foundation, a new formulation built from the ground up.
That is no small move. The original Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation was, for many people, the first foundation that actually matched their skin. Discontinuing it signals genuine confidence in what comes next.
What the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Fluid Flex Foundation Actually Does
Where the original prioritised a matte, full-coverage finish, Fluid Flex takes a more considered approach to what sits between skin and product. The new formula is powered by polymer technology that works to resist water and sebum, minimise the appearance of fine lines and pores, protect the skin barrier, and deliver a natural, blurring effect. It is non-comedogenic and formulated with starfruit extract for all-day oil control, making it particularly suited to normal-to-oily skin.
The finish is described as a natural matte: present and polished, but not the kind of flat, cakey effect that strips a face of dimension. Coverage is medium and buildable, and the formula is designed to hold for up to 12 hours without transferring. The expanded shade range, now at 50 options, has been developed with undertones at the centre of the selection process rather than added as an afterthought.
Application is straightforward. One pump blends into the skin easily, and WWD notes the launch includes an accompanying Pro Filt’r Fluid Flex Foundation Brush, priced at $36, featuring dense, wavy bristles and a soft-scoop shape designed to press and blend the formula without waste.
Putting the New Formula to the Test
First-hand testing across two genuinely taxing situations (a humid evening out and an indoor concert with dancing involved) produced results consistent with the brand’s claims. Shade 456W provided a precise match, skin-like in both appearance and feel, with no transfer by the end of either occasion. A setting spray applied before completing the rest of the routine adds an extra layer of matte hold for those who need it.
For oily skin types especially, a foundation that genuinely controls sebum without feeling heavy is a specific and recurring problem. The Fluid Flex formula addresses that problem through its polymer technology and oil-control ingredients rather than simply through a heavy pigment load, which is what gives it that skin-rather-than-mask quality that is otherwise so difficult to achieve at full-day wear.
The application method matters, too. A single pump is enough for a natural finish; a second, blended carefully, builds coverage without the formula becoming visible or settling into fine lines. The brush launched alongside it is worth considering, since the dense wavy bristles are designed specifically for this formula’s consistency, though the brand’s existing foundation brushes work well too.
Price, Availability and Where to Buy
The Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Fluid Flex foundation retails at $48 and will be available from 4 September on the Fenty Beauty website, Sephora, Ulta, and Kohl’s. The Foundation Brush 165 will launch alongside it at $36. With 50 shades and a formula designed to replace one of the most referenced foundations of the last decade, the new range will face immediate and close scrutiny from the people who relied on the original. On this evidence, it is ready for that.