HOW Hailey Bieber Turned Rhode Into a Billion Dollar Beauty Brand
From glazed donut skin to a glossy $1B exit...how Hailey Bieber built, scaled, and sold Rhode like a beauty business pro.
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When Hailey Bieber launched Rhode in 2022, many brushed it off as another celebrity vanity project. Fast-forward to May 28, 2025, and Rhode isn’t just a skincare line, it’s a billion-dollar business acquired by E.l.f. Beauty in what might be the most glamorous M&A deal the skincare industry has ever seen.
Rhode was always more than just pretty packaging and influencer hype. Hailey, despite the nepo-baby whispers and famous last name, played the long game, pairing minimalist branding with strategic product drops, smart pricing, and cult-worthy formulas that kept Gen Z (and millennials too) coming back for more. With just a handful of SKUs, Rhode scaled like a tech startup but glowed like a dewy serum.
The billion dollar question: how’d she do it?
This isn’t just a story about a celebrity. It’s about restraint, brand clarity, and understanding internet culture like it’s your second language. If you’re building a beauty brand, or any consumer brand in 2025, this breakdown of how Hailey Bieber scaled Rhode might be your new blueprint. Spoiler: It’s not about having the biggest line. It’s about having the right one.
Let’s reverse-engineer Rhode’s billion dollar rise.
From Celebrity to CEO: Building Trust in a Crowded Market
Hailey didn’t just slap her name on a bottle, she architected a brand ethos. From the start, Rhode was rooted in a “one of everything good” approach: limited SKUs, high performance, accessible pricing. With a focus on barrier-repairing skincare, she tapped into a white space between drugstore simplicity and luxury results.
Strategic Drops, Not Stockpiles
Instead of launching a million SKUs, Rhode operated like a capsule collection. Every launch felt curated, limited, and viral-worthy. Scarcity was a growth strategy, not a glitch.
Glaze, Gloss, Repeat: Nail the Hero Product
Rhode’s Peptide Lip Treatment became an internet sensation. TikTok beauty creators and fans alike dubbed it the glazed donut lip, and Hailey leaned into it. The brand’s aesthetic, clean girl, glossy skin, glazed finishes aligned perfectly with social media trends.
The Power of Packaging and Price Point
Hailey cracked the code on affordable luxury. At $16–$30 per product, Rhode felt luxe without gatekeeping. Combine that with sleek, neutral-toned packaging (basically designed for Instagram), and the products looked three times more expensive than they were.
Community Over Clout: Building a Loyal Fan Base
Hailey leveraged her audience but didn’t rely solely on them. Rhode prioritized skincare education, relatable content, and consumer feedback. Their waitlists weren’t just for hype, they were tools for listening.
Exit Strategy: Why E.l.f. Paid $1B
E.l.f. Beauty’s acquisition wasn’t just a flex, it was a strategic win. Rhode brought a built-in Gen Z audience, a booming DTC model, and brand equity that had already done the impossible: beat the celebrity beauty curse.
According to reports, Rhode is on track to hit $100M in net sales this year alone. And Hailey? She’s officially entered billionaire territory, with dewy skin to match.
Final Thoughts
Hailey Bieber didn’t reinvent skincare, but she definitely redefined what a celebrity beauty brand can be. With focused growth, trend fluency, and CEO level vision, she glazed her way into a billion-dollar exit.