To say that the Rhode Skin products created by Hailey Rhode Bieber are a hot commodity would be an understatement. Maybe you're one of 100,000 people on the waiting list for peptide polish.
Maybe you're trying to determine if the hype is real, or if it's the glazed donut marketing campaign and Hailey's naturally great skin -- which, of course, isn't entirely down to the serum -- that's responsible for the sales.
I've been using all of Rhode's products since they launched—the serum, moisturizer, and lip balm—and have gotten a lot of questions about whether I like them. Basically, I'd say all three are well designed. Honestly, I really like what Haley is doing here.
To be honest, I got Rod's entire collection as part of the job. However, I confirm that price is an important factor as it is not a barrier to entry: each product costs less than £29. After trying the expensive cream, Hayley decided the premium wasn't worth it.
"A lot of the PR surrounding skincare will make you think that expensive products should be more important than affordable ones — and in my experience, that's not the case," explains Hailey. Since "expensive, high-end products" weren't giving Hailey what she wanted—consistently radiant, clear skin—she began analyzing the ingredients.
"You can have products that are amazing, effective, and affordable, which is why I wanted to work with this brand: to create amazing formulas with ingredients that I love and that I find work for me."
So let's look at the formula. Rhodes skin peptide glaze. The serum is a gel-based formula (a glaze), so it's slightly heavier than the watery liquid in the dropper. I apply two pumps to my fingers and rub it into my skin. It feels pleasant and refreshing.
You know when you sometimes use a serum and feel how it tightens your skin? Not this one; it's super gentle. The formula is made with skin-strengthening peptides, oil-removing niacinamide and hydrating hyaluronic acid, as well as nourishing marula oil, so it doesn't react negatively to my dry skin.
It's a seamless addition to my streamlined summer skincare routine: I wet my face with cold water, then apply a peptide polish and barrier repair cream (we'll get to that). I only use it in the morning because I use the active ingredients in the evening, but I think you can use it at night too.
What's interesting about this serum, in my opinion, is that Hailey also uses it under makeup. In a recent TikTok video, she demonstrates how to use it, pumping it onto the back of her hand and swiping it over her cheeks with a beauty blender—almost like a liquid highlighter, giving her glamor an extra dewy finish.
I tried the off-label approach. At lunch, I applied more glass directly to my cheekbones and under my eyes. It refreshes my concealer and makes my makeup look more natural, but I'd probably only recommend it to people with dry skin whose makeup tends to crease.
I have one drawback, though, and that's the bottle. It's a bit big and bulky for me, not suitable for traveling. Plus, there isn't a lot of frosting liquid in the bottle. I ran out of the serum quite quickly, in less than three weeks, so I recommend using it once a day to avoid buying more right away.
Rod Skin Barrier Repair Cream. Think of it as a simple, no-frills, fragrance-free moisturizer. The purpose of a serum is to soothe and moisturize the skin. It’s made up of peptides, fatty acids, squalane, and more niacinamide.
Why do peptide glazes and barrier repair creams contain niacinamide? Hailey says it was this single ingredient that had the biggest impact on her skin's texture and tone, which is why she included it in both products.
In contrast, niacinamide is essentially a form of vitamin B3 that can control excess oil, minimize pores, and relieve acne flare-ups. Other ingredients contained in the cream - peptides, fatty acids, squalane - moisturize and regenerate the skin barrier.
I use this cream in the morning directly after my polish and before applying sunscreen. Do I think it's the best or most hydrating day cream I've ever used? No, but it does moisturize my skin and keep it on all day long.
Plus, unlike peptide polish, Barrier Repair Cream comes in a tube. After three weeks, I still had a small patch left, which I was surprised because it was about the size of hand cream. Rhode Skin Peptide Lip Treatment
I'm honestly surprised that Hailey Lord launched a lip treatment. (I initially thought it was just a simple lip gloss—but it's not.) However, after meeting Hailey in person, I got it. It may sound weird, but her lips are full and glossy.
She also told me that she "can't deal with dry lips," which is why some kind of lip balm is important for her. Of all three of Lorde's products, this peptide lip treatment has received by far the most reviews. If I were to recommend one Rod skin care product, it would be this one.
I use it all the time. I carry this with me everywhere and it keeps my lips moisturized and a little shiny. My final lip combo is a lip liner with some Rodeptide Lip Treatment on top. It comes in different flavors – salted caramel, watermelon, and unscented – and Hayley and I’s favorite is the salted caramel version.
Smells a bit like cinnamon, so you must like the taste of sugar on your lips. It's thicker than the gloss but more viscous than the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, but I prefer this Rod formula because I can squeeze it out of the tube instead of digging my nails into the jar.
Of course, I think this is a big plus for Hailey as well, because people are talking about Rod and her manicures with the same passion.