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From a viral social media aesthetic to a beauty brand valued at up to $1 billion, Rhode demonstrates how personal identity, recognizable products, and consumer engagement can drive brand growth.
Trends
05 November, 2026
Table of contents
Despite an increasing number of celebrities entering the beauty brand market every day, Hailey Bieber has managed to position her brand, Rhode, as one of the most coveted offerings among young consumers. Since its debut in 2022, Hailey has built Rhode’s identity around skincare, minimalism, and its key signature element the “glazed skin” successfully transforming everyday products into objects of desire across digital platforms.
Unlike other celebrity-founded brands whose relevance often relies strictly on the popularity of their creators, Rhode has built a consistent and coherent visual identity backed by a relatively concentrated product line and a digital strategy specifically tailored to Gen Z consumption habits.
Its success has also translated into record-breaking commercial figures. In May 2025, Rhode was acquired by e.l.f. Beauty in a deal valued at up to $1 billion, following the brand’s achievement of $212 million in net sales during the twelve months ending in March of that year. This rapid growth raises an important question for the industry: how did Rhode manage to transform Hailey Bieber’s influence and an aesthetic trend into an international beauty business?
One of the most influential factors in Rhode’s positioning has been the alignment between Bieber’s personal image and the brand’s core identity. Before launching Rhode, Hailey Bieber was already known for her minimalist style, skincare routines, and especially her signature look defined by glowing skin and natural makeup.
These elements became the foundation of Rhode’s commercial proposition. Instead of creating an aesthetic completely separate from Hailey, the brand developed an image that the public already associated with her, making product recognition seamless in a highly competitive market. For instance, the “glazed donut skin” concept, popularized on social media by Bieber, became a central pillar of this strategy. This trend, centered around deeply hydrated, luminous skin, helped define Rhode’s messaging while showcasing product benefits through an instantly recognizable face.
The brand's visual identity focuses on neutral colors, glossy surfaces, close-up photography, and references to food textures, especially those that convey moisture and softness. This consistency remains constant across product packaging and current social media posts.
Hailey’s ongoing presence has also positioned Rhode products as an extension of her lifestyle. Content featuring her using the products in inventive ways, sharing beauty routines, or participating in launch campaigns keeps the connection between founder and brand alive. However, the brilliance of this strategy lies not just in founder recognition, but in transforming a personal image into a commercial identity that audiences can readily identify with.
This aesthetic has taken center stage in how Rhode presents its products. While other brands highlight benefits through technical ingredient lists and clinical results, Rhode blends those elements with an aspirational, social-media-friendly visual identity. Its campaigns frequently leverage sensory experiences, such as fruits, desserts, and creamy textures, to represent product qualities, conveying hydration, radiance, and softness without relying solely on technical jargon.
Furthermore, this visual strategy has allowed Rhode to maintain a recognizable identity as it expands into new categories, such as makeup, after initially launching as a skincare line, all while keeping its core visual elements intact. This approach reflects a brand that doesn’t just sell products, but offers an aspirational look that consumers want to recreate.
For a Gen Z audience accustomed to discovering trends and receiving beauty recommendations on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, this seamless link between product and aesthetic facilitates content creation and trend participation.
Another key driver of Rhode's popularity is its ability to make specific products the heroes of online conversation. A prime example is the Peptide Lip Treatment, a lip care product designed to hydrate while delivering a high-shine finish similar to a lip gloss. Paired with minimalist packaging and various flavor options, it has kept the brand at the center of beauty reviews, recommendations, and personal routines.
Rhode later expanded its catalog with additions like the Pocket Blush and the Lip Case, maintaining a strong focus on products that easily integrate into daily makeup routines and everyday life. The Lip Case, a phone case designed to hold the brand’s lip treatments, is a clear example of how Rhode combines functionality with digital visibility. Beyond its practical purpose, the accessory allows the product to appear naturally in everyday photos, videos, and social media content, turning it into an additional marketing tool. Rhode’s digital strategy also relies heavily on user-generated content (UGC), creator collaborations, and campaigns that encourage consumers to share their own experiences.
Across TikTok and Instagram, the brand blends editorial imagery, product demos, behind-the-scenes content, and posts featuring Bieber. This variety keeps communication closely aligned with digital trends without losing visual identity. As a result, the community acts as an additional distribution channel:consumers do not simply receive brand messaging; they participate in its circulation through reviews, tutorials, and personal posts. This dynamic has enabled Rhode to maintain a digital presence far beyond traditional campaigns and product drops.
Rhode’s social media impact is clearly reflected in its commercial development. During the 12 months ending in March 2025, the brand generated $212 million in net sales, doubling its customer base compared to the previous year according to data published by e.l.f. Beauty, a performance that ultimately led to its acquisition by the company. The deal was finalized in August of the same year with an initial consideration of $800 million in cash and stock, plus up to $200 million in additional earn outs tied to future performance targets.
This transaction marked a major milestone, transitioning Rhode from an independent brand backed by its founder into part of an international group with deep expertise in distribution, product development, and global expansion. This growth momentum continued into fiscal year 2026: according to data reported by e.l.f. Beauty, Rhode generated approximately $390 million in annual net sales, representing over 80% year-over-year growth, while annualized global retail sales surpassed $500 million.
These figures illustrate Rhode's ability to turn digital popularity into tangible commercial demand. However, they also underscore the importance of building a robust product offering and distribution model capable of sustaining growth beyond viral trends.
Digital visibility has been another key metric. According to e.l.f. Beauty, Rhode ranked #1 among skincare brands in Earned Media Value (EMV) in 2024, recording a 367% year-over-year growth in this metric. While EMV estimates the value of exposure generated by content creators and digital conversations rather than direct revenue, it serves as a powerful indicator of audience engagement.
Together, these results demonstrate that Rhode’s strategy successfully connects three key elements: a recognizable brand identity, an active community, and a commercial model capable of converting digital interest into sales.
In its early years, Rhode operated almost exclusively on a Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) model through its online store. This approach allowed the brand to maintain full control over the purchasing experience, product launches, and community communication. However, following its acquisition by e.l.f. Beauty, Rhode entered a new phase focused on expanding its distribution footprint.
In 2025, Rhode launched in physical Sephora stores across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. According to e.l.f. Beauty, its North American debut became the largest brand launch in Sephora’s history in that region, a record-breaking achievement matched in the UK. Expanding further, in September 2026 Rhode arrived at Sephora across continental Europe in 19 new markets, including Italy, France, and Spain.
This retail expansion represents a significant evolution in Rhode’s business model. While digital platforms remain essential for generating buzz and launching products, physical retail presence helps the brand reach consumers outside Hailey Bieber's or Rhode’s existing online communities. Crucially, this brick-and-mortar presence allows consumers to try products in person, test textures, and receive personalized recommendations during their shopping journey.
Rhode’s growth demonstrates how a beauty brand can transform a founder's personal identity and a digital trend into a globally recognized commercial entity. Hailey Bieber has been a central figure in this process, providing visibility, a defined aesthetic, and a direct line to consumers who already followed her beauty routines. However, viral product innovation, visual consistency, and active community engagement have been equally vital in building a brand identity that extends beyond its founder.
The acquisition by e.l.f. Beauty and international expansion through Sephora mark a new chapter in Rhode’s evolution as it consolidates its growth within an increasingly competitive market. Its trajectory reflects a broader shift in the beauty industry, where social media serves not just as a promotional channel, but as a space to co-create products, build community, and shape purchasing decisions.
For brands aiming to connect with Gen Z, Rhode serves as a masterclass in combining cultural influence, consistent branding, and commercial execution to translate digital hype into scalable enterprise growth.
Cover Image: BeautyNewsDaily’s website
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