We Tried Rhode Skin — Here’s What We Really Think

In the ever-evolving world of skincare, Rhode by Hailey Bieber has emerged as a brand worth watching. Bieber’s impossibly dewy glow has had fans begging her to drop the skin routine — and she finally did, in the form of a line of carefully curated skincare essentials. Take a scroll through Hailey’s Instagram and you’ll find her products sprinkled throughout like Easter eggs, tempting you to know more. Seeing her juicy vacation lips and that sleek lip gloss she seems to take everywhere, we just have to know: are her products worth the hype? We decided to find out.

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What you should know about Hailey Bieber’s Rhode products

Rhode’s product line spans six products, ranging from a moisturizing cream to a gel serum. But the star product is their peptide lip treatment, emblazoned with an Allure Best of Beauty award. Infused with high-performance ingredients, the products seem to focus on one goal — moisture. Ooey, gooey, dewy, delicious moisture to keep your skin happy and hydrated. The brand prides itself on its simplicity, which you can see from the packaging, and aims to be your go-to essential. And because they highlight authenticity as one of their brand values, we tried each product in the line to give our most authentic take on whether they live up to their hype.

Barrier Restore Cream, Rhode, $29.

I’ve heard great things about the Rhode Barrier Restore Cream (BRC) so I couldn’t wait to try this product out. I have sensitive and dry skin where I normally get oily and dry around my T-Zone, so I initially get nervous and need to be careful trying new products. I also only break out when it’s my time of the month (and right now it’s time), so I was hoping this would calm my skin down — and it did. I like the BRC. It’s not thick or oily, it’s fragrance-free and smooth on my skin. I applied it after doing my usual skincare routine and the BRC was what I needed to lock everything in place. My skin feels moisturized right after and it kind of helped bring the redness of my breakouts down.

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Half a finger length, as it suggests on the packaging of the cream is all that’s needed to work its magic and make your skin feel restored. While I do enjoy this, I don’t love how it feels during the day under makeup. To me, it felt a tad bit heavy and moved a bit. I would rather use it at night as a moisturizer alone and I feel like my skin would appreciate it more. 

Peptide Glazing Fluid, Rhode, $29.

One of the best tricks to always having that glowy “no makeup” look is to start with a skincare serum that can do just that. For that reason, I do love Rhode’s Peptide Glazing Fluid. It gives you that “lit from within” look that comes through your finished makeup look, or just a simple refreshed, and hydrated look for those no-makeup days (which is how I’ve been using it the most).

While I’ve truthfully used some serums that give me a more immediate glow, I feel like this product just has to be used for a longer period to gain that look consistently. I did appreciate how smoothly it goes on without a heavy feeling or a sticky residue that some serums leave behind. For now, with just a week’s worth of use, I can confidently say I will be adding it into my skincare routine to see just how much of that iconic *glazed donut* look it can give me.

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Peptide Lip Treatment in Unscented, Rhode, $16.

I’ve been hearing all about Hailey Bieber’s Rhode skincare line for a while now and as a self-proclaimed lip gloss expert, I knew I had to get my hands on the Peptide Lip TreatmentAt first glance, I liked how the formula includes shea butter, babassu, and peptides to help create and maintain “pillowy-soft lips. The application is easy to apply and practically mess-free. It leaves my lips feeling smooth, soft, and moisturized without leaving creases or gloss lines behind. The moisture lasted for about four hours before I felt like reapplying again. 

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I like this product and think it’s a great investment for someone who is looking to splurge on a high-quality lip treatment. It can be used on its own or on top of your favorite lip liner and lipstick. A bonus is that it works well on sensitive skin so you don’t have to worry about feeling irritated after a long wear. Also, a little goes a long way with this product and you can feel the positive difference on your lips instantly. I’m a fan of this ‘new philosophy on skincare’ by Mrs. Bieber.

The balm is available in three flavors – watermelon slice, salted caramel, and an unscented version. So you can take your pick and have loads of fun. The product adds the extra oomph and gloss and all things good that give your lips the much-needed tender loving care.

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FINAL VERDICT

While all of Rhode’s products are solid options worth trying if you’re looking for hydrating products or an entry into skin care, they’ll have to be combined with other products to target specific skin concerns that acne-prone or mature skin types might want to treat.

@rhode

@haileybieber’s nighttime rhoderoutine. ✨ three easy steps for dewy, delicious skin. ☁️

♬ Countless – Official Sound Studio

If someone is combating more severe acne, hyperpigmentation, or inflammation, they would need to utilize skin care with active ingredients that are tailored to treating such skin conditions.

PRIMP TIP: Of course, if you’re concerned about any of the ingredients, it’s best to consult your dermatologist.

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As for user experience, all of the products are accessible and well made (and use recyclable postconsumer materials when possible), but I noticed that the Peptide Glazing Fluid bottle contains less product than you might think when looking at it (the cap is nearly the same volume as the bottle itself).

Have you tried Rhode Skin? And if so, would you be willing to try Rhode cleanser, toner, vitamin C, and eye cream if they extend their line?

FEELING ANXIOUS? This Hack Can Help You Calm Down Fast

For quick anxiety relief, look to … your freezer? Y’all know we love a good hack here at BeautyLeeBar, so when our FYP served us a video about “vagus nerve icing” to quell anxiety in record time, we had to look into it.

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As it turns out, there’s something to it.

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First, let’s turn to the longest cranial nerve in the body—the vagus nerve. It runs from the brain to the abdomen, carrying signals from the brain to organs and organs to the brain. It regulates important body functions like heart rate, respiratory rate, and digestion, plus some reflexes like swallowing and vomiting.

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The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). A quick refresher on the nervous system: The PNS is responsible for “rest and digest,” and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) takes care of “fight or flight.” When activated, the vagus nerve tells the body to calm the eff down by slowing the heart rate and lowering blood pressure. (Tbh, that’s the only time we’re okay with being told to calm down.)

@therapywithsarah

#stitch with @jessekatches one of my favorite methods to stop a panic attack! You can also dunk your face into a cold bowl of ice water. #panicattack #panicattacks #panicattacksupport #anxiety #anxietytips #anxietyfacts #anxietysupport #therapy #mentalhealth

♬ Love You So – The King Khan & BBQ Show

Studies have suggested that stimulating the vagus nerve with a cold can help regulate the nervous system and lower heart rate.

Cooling hard-boiled eggs in a glass bowl with cold water and ice cubes.

Vagus nerve icing is popular on TikTok, thanks to a video by Frankie Simmons, who relies on this hack when she can’t fall back asleep. “I swear, when I found this, an hour and a half of trying to calm myself down to get back to sleep when I woke up at 4 am turned into 15 minutes,” she says in the video.

It’s not just a TikTok thing, however. Cold temperature is also used as a distress tolerance skill in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Distress tolerance = being able to handle tough emotions without becoming overwhelmed. It’s a short-term coping strategy that can quickly reduce the intensity of emotions.

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Ways to activate the vagus nerve with a cold:

  • Splashing cold water onto your face
  • Holding your breath and submerging your face in a bowl of cold water
  • Holding a soft ice pack over your eyes
  • Drinking ice-cold water
  • Taking a cold shower

What I Wish I Knew About Bronzer as a Black Girl

I’m a black woman who grew up in a mostly white suburbia. As you can imagine, I heard things, almost daily, that made me question my identity. I frequently heard people I went to school with talk about laying out and tanning in an attempt to get “as dark as me.” Back then, and even still today, being tan was one of the many beauty industry standards that trickled its way down to little high school me who just wanted to get her hands on as much makeup as she could. And the only makeup I had access to was the dollar store makeup and my mom’s brown lipstick was way past its usability (according to her it was still perfectly good).

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Unfortunately, products like bronzer, which helped women achieve that “dark as me” look that was all the rage, seemed to exclude me from the narrative that makeup was for everyone. At the drugstore, I wasn’t able to find shades that fit my skin tone. The shelves were only filled with products for fair to medium-skinned people, and no one else. I wanted to try it but it wasn’t a priority for businesses to cater to people who looked like me. The complete lack of bronzers for people with my skin color made me feel weirdly othered from something I had an interest in. 

Bronzer’s main job is to mimic where the sun hits your face—a concept I couldn’t grasp even after watching hours of beauty content on YouTube. Additionally, I could never get past the mental block that years of being told not to let the sun hit my face cemented in my mind. If anything, I am a rule follower to a fault. However, it was colorism that kept me from trying it for so long. Letting the long-term effects of racism and prejudice judge how I used something as simple as a new makeup product. Who knew it would be that deep? And even worse, it made me feel like I was trying to be someone else. 

Bronzer continued to be one of those steps in my makeup routine that I avoided. First, I didn’t know what it was for. Then, it felt like it was too late to learn. It felt like a stranger, when doing makeup had always felt like a close friend. Something that bonded me to my mom, my sister, and my friends. 

Education became the key. Specifically, watching and learning from makeup artists of color put me in the position to feel like I could try it and succeed. I turned to artists like Danessa Myricks and Pat McGrath who always celebrated makeup for women of color. I know I can’t be alone in these feelings and they’re not exclusive to bronzer. So, to my fellow Black girls and any readers who have experienced the fatigue of not being able to find a bronzer that fits in your routine, there are products out there for you. Go out and find the brands that are working hard to be inclusive and bring more makeup lovers into the fold. But before you do that, here’s what I wish someone would have told me about bronzer all those years ago:

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What I Wish I Knew About Bronzer as a Black Girl

@leomieanderson, @tatianaelizabethh//Instagram

It brings warmth back into the face

As someone who was very into the huge Tarte Shape Tape triangle method of concealer application (IYKYK), I know a thing or two about brightening the face. What I didn’t know is that when you brighten you also need something to counter that effect. Bronzer is key in adding back that sun-kissed glow. Anytime you put on makeup, it’s about striking the right balance of highlights and shadows. Starting here is the best way to create your best complexion routine.

PRIMP TIP: Use a cream or powder bronzer with the right undertones (aka zero percent orange) for dark skin and you’ll be golden—literally.

A little goes a long way

The first bronzers I ever bought was Fenty’s Bronzer ( I still highly recommend this) and Anastasia Beverly Hills Powder Bronzer. At the time, Anastasia was one of the few brands that carried darker bronzer shades for people with my skin tone. Of course, when I first tried it I went way too heavy-handed (let’s just say “sun-kissed glow” was an understatement). Seriously, I looked like I’d been left in a toaster oven while the chef took a smoke break. To avoid this, I use a light hand and in the words of every beauty influencer on TikTok, found a product that’s “super buildable.”

Practice makes perfect

This is a cliché but it’s a worthy one! It took practice to figure out that it only takes a little to create the perfect bronzy look that we’re all going for. The right tools go hand in hand with this as well, whether that’s a sponge, a brush, or your fingers. Taking your time also helps. I recommend using your next “do nothing” day as an opportunity to practice your application. In time, you’ll become a pro!

Makeup is for everyone

This is more of a gentle reminder I have to give myself from time to time. Makeup is more art than you might think. We’ve seen an incredible rise in people from all shades and backgrounds who create amazing looks. And the unbridled joy I get from just trying out products serves as that reminder. It’s always good to remember that at the end of the day, makeup is supposed to be fun. I no longer want to give that much power to an industry that was born to prey on our natural insecurities in the first place. We are beautiful and worthy no matter what we decide to put on our faces every day. The industry has its issues but at the end of the day, it’s the consumer and wearer who gets to define what is for you and what isn’t.

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My Favorite Bronzers

BENEFIT COSMETICS

Hoola Matte Powder Bronzer

4 shades available

FENTY

Matchstix Matte Contour Stick

9 shades available

SAIE

Sun Melt Cream Bronzer

6 shades available

RARE BEAUTY

Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Sticks

8 shades available

PATRICK TA

Major Sculpt Crème Contour & Powder Bronzer Duo

5 shades available

BLACK RADIANCE

Pressed Powder

6 shades available

FENTY BEAUTY

Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer in Mocha Mami

9 shades available

5 Beauty Tips We Learned From the Moms in Our Lives

We all know we couldn’t do much without the moms in our lives — especially when it comes to the beauty tips and tricks we’ve acquired throughout the years. From the first product she ever bought you to the makeup lessons she passed down to you, every memory is special.

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In honor of Mother’s Day, our editors rounded up the best-kept beauty secrets, hacks, and rules they learned from their moms. You probably won’t be surprised to find out that many of us still swear by them every day.

Blend Your Foundation Down Your Neck! 

My mom was like the jawline police — always rubbing my face whenever my foundation stopped at my chin and didn’t blend with my neck. Now, I think about it constantly. Even if I know my foundation was perfect when I left the house, I find myself neurotically blending throughout the day. Thanks, Mom!

Find Your Signature Scent (or Two!) 

I have such lovely memories of wandering around department stores’ fragrance counters with my mom and sampling new arrivals. Our shopping trips made me fall in love with the concept of having one or two signature scents and gave me an appreciation for the fragrance category as a whole. Right now, I’m loving Dossier fragrances— classic scents.

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Prioritize Skincare 

My mother has always kept her makeup minimal and natural (a trait I’ve inherited from her), but she has loved skincare and skincare products for as long as I can remember. When I was growing up, her bathroom was a magical land perfumed with the scents of her extensive collection of creams and lotions. It’s no surprise that her biggest beauty advice is to start prioritizing skincare at a young age. Since I entered my 20s, she has sung the praises of using retinol to address early signs of aging. But the silky, deliciously-fragranced face and body creams are what I remember most from my childhood — plus, she always had the softest skin! The TATCHA AGELESS ENRICHING RENEWAL CREAM is a face cream you and your mother will both love! 

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 Less Is More 

My mom has always been a minimalist when it comes to her beauty routine. While I was dousing my hair in bleach and dyeing it candy colors by the time I was 13, she didn’t get highlights until she reached her 50s. We may be opposites in terms of our willingness to experiment with beauty, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to love her “less is more” approach. I recently converted to using brown mascara instead of black — something my mom begged me to do when I first started wearing makeup. It turns out she was right — the softer shade makes my brown eyes pop without overpowering my features. Mom knows best, despite my reluctance to admit it!

A Look Isn’t Complete Without Lipstick 

I can remember sitting on my parents’ vanity as my mom applied lipstick before an event. It was always the final step of her routine and I always took it as lipstick completing every look. Now, I find myself packing several lip options in my purse before I go out. I don’t feel like I finished my makeup without adding something to my lips.