For UK fans, Mirror Head of Beauty Zoe Cripps examines what E. L. F’s purchase of Hailey Bieber’s Rhode brand means.
I didn’t plan on coming up with the news that Rhode had been purchased by e. L. F, but we are now, and I want to explain why it’s exciting for us in the UK. I’ve been working in beauty for more than ten years, and I’ve seen numerous large and small brands’ acquisitions.
Hailey Bieber launched Rhode in mid-2022 after she, a model, noticed a gap in the industry for simplified, high-performance skincare essentials. This makes the brand a newborn in beauty world years. Acquisitions of this scale tend to happen when a brand establishes credibility over time, proving it has strong growth, has demonstrated strong shopper loyalty and continues to thrive well beyond its first ‘viral’ moment. Rhode has ticked all of these boxes, plus plenty more, in under three years—a rarity.
To put it another way, a group of dermatologists founded the market-leader CeraVe in 2005 before selling it to L’Oreal in 2017. Before an investor decided to bid, which is almost a decade more than Rhode, the project took 12 years to demonstrate its viability.
E. l. f, however, is gaining ground against rivals like L’Oreal and Estee Lauder in its early investment in young, successful beauty brands. For instance, it purchased Naturium, a skincare company Susan Yara founded, for $355 million (roughly £279 million) in 2023. Another extremely quick sale for the brand, which was only established in 2019. However, with Rhode being purchased for $1 billion (£790 million) in three years, what? That takes home the prize for one of the brand’s youngest investments in beauty. However, Rhode’s performance over the next three years is said to be a determining factor in the roughly $200 million figure.
What does this mean for consumers in the UK Rhodes?
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Onto the good stuff. As part of the deal, Hailey is staying on as Chief Creative Officer and Head of Innovation. This means we’re still going to be getting products of a similar creative calibre. Hailey has proven her credibility when it comes to creating useful, innovative, skin-friendly and cost-effective skincare and makeup products, and we’re going to see more launches from the inner workings of her brain. And when I say more, I mean more launches than we’re used to seeing from Rhode right now. E..l.f buying the brand means it has the cash to launch products faster, which is set to spell a catalogue expansion by as early as autumn.
Additionally, we don’t have access to the brand in any stores like Boots, LookFantastic, or Sephora because Rhode is currently only selling through a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model, which has its own website at rhodeskin.com. Additionally, there is a £7 delivery fee for orders under £70 for orders placed with us, which is unusual considering that many other e-tailers now offer free next-day deliveries. With Sephora already confirmed to stock its products from autumn 2025, E. L. F.’s Rhode win means we’ll be able to access the brand much more.
Another benefit of this purchase is that Hailey now serves as E. L. F.’s strategic advisor in addition to the UK market, and E. L. F fans in particular. That means what? The majority of us are anticipating a Rhode x E. L. F. collaboration that will undoubtedly sell like hot cakes. This also implies that Hailey’s inventive creator mind will lead to some fresh and exciting innovations from E. l. f.
What a beauty editor purchases from Rhode Island on a regular basis.
Do you want to try some Rhode products for yourself? Here is the constant purchase I make.
Rhode Pocket Blush
A soft, all-natural flush that lasts all day and smoothly glides on. With a radiant, non-greasy finish and a light formula, this lightweight formula leaves cheeks feeling baby-soft. Piggy is my go-to shade of baby pink. It has now been repurchased twice. For her ideal pop of color, my friend with a darker complexion swears by Freckle, a peach shade.
Rhode Glazing Milk
A light, nutrient-packed essence that instantly restores the skin’s barrier and leaves a radiant, fresh glow. It’s Hailey’s (and my!) the foundation for makeup and calming the skin is always the first step. It’s probably the first skincare line to truly become popular when it first launched.
Rhode Peptide Lips
This lip liner, one of Rhode’s newest releases, has a silicone smudger at the end to diffuse the lip line and give a smudgy, plump lip effect. It glides on effortlessly to give lips a contoured appearance while delivering potent ingredients that clearly increase lip volume. It is smoother and more seamless than a lip liner.
Rhode Lip Case
Source: Mirror
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