By Sophia Madeb, Arts and Culture Editor
As a kid, I was always told never to judge a book by its cover. I vaguely remember picking up a book in my school library because of the cool colors running across the cover. The librarian looked over at me, giving me that “look” as she told me to put the book back on the shelf, repeating to me this very statement. As life has progressed, it seems like this sentiment has followed me through time. However, it doesn’t just apply to books, but to makeup as well. As wild as it seems, people might carry books, but I carry lip gloss. I keep a couple in my school bag, a handful in my purse and the occasional one I find in my back pocket.
Like books, lip products can come in all different varieties. They can be a stick, balm, or my favorite, gloss. They can be a long-lasting tint or a clear, sticky smudge. They can have enticing smells and some even have great taste. As the never-ending list continues, there are many great brands that make great products. But the one lip brand I could never understand joining my other essential lip products is Rhode Beauty.
I can’t help but wonder if Rhode, a skincare brand founded by Hailey Rhode Bieber, is successful because of its ability to create beneficial products worth buying, or is it simply fueled by publicity and popularity as a celebrity brand? This led me to my next question: does it matter, as a society, whether products like Rhode are worth buying because they stand on their own, or are we just judging what is on the outside?
Rhode first launched on June 15, 2022, offering limited products focused mainly on hydration, promoting refresh and rejuvenated skin while achieving a glazed, dewy look that was surfacing at the time. One of the most anticipated products was the lip peptide treatment, aimed at leaving lips hydrated and moisturized. According to Glossy.co, in only three days the brand sold out, making around 10 million dollars in revenue and collecting a 440,000 person waitlist.
Rhode appears to have generated a successful business, even selling a branch of the company for one billion dollars to e.l.f Cosmetics in the spring of 2025, becoming a billion-dollar brand and securing placement with other high-end products in Sephora in early September 2025. However, public feedback does not align with this outward success. Many have complained that the lip product becomes grimy over time, feeling like grains on the lips, or even feels that way from the start. Others claim they need to put the product in the freezer regularly just to maintain its consistency.
Additionally, a lack of originality seems prevalent in the making of this brand. For one: the packaging. If someone is spending 20 dollars on lip products, it is expected that the packaging is worth their penny, not some kind of plastic tube. It seems that for a product marketed as luxury, especially by someone of high-status, customers expect a higher standard, one that plastic doesn’t fulfill. Bluntly speaking, if a customer wanted a plastic lip gloss to throw in their bag, they could have bought a 5-dollar one from any pharmacy instead of Sephora or the Rhode website.
Secondly, an infamous case occurred when a woman purchased Rhode products, including the lip treatment, and required medical assistance, as the products contained macadamia nut oil — which was not clearly labeled. As someone with a nut allergy, she experienced a reaction, reporting redness, itchiness, and hives to the products. In fact, others online have raised similar concerns about the brand’s use of nut-related ingredients. Beyond the legal implications of failing to disclose allergens, what stands out is that, despite this, 440,000 people still rushed to purchase Rhode.
The answer may lie in the name itself: Rhode. Many celebrities before her have done this, Rhianna named her brand Fenty after her last name. By putting their names and faces behind the brand, more people are drawn to buy it, often without questioning the product itself. Society just gets the book by the cover, even if the packaging is simple or cheap material. At the end of the day, it is recognizable as hers, and sales increase.
However, it is more than just Hailey’s name. Hailey’s husband, Justin Bieber, one of the biggest pop stars of the 21st century, also plays a role. While the brand clearly reflects Hailey, it is also promoted heavily through her husband, his friends and their shared network, reaching a wide audience.
It spreads beyond everyday consumers to celebrities with high status, creating the expectation that the product is high-end and desirable. There is a saying that success comes from who you know, and it seems Hailey has taken advantage of her connections, particularly through her husband, to build her business. It becomes less about the product itself and more about the face behind it.
Take Coachella, for example, a festival discussed year-round that takes place over two weekends. It brings people together for music, culture and fashion, though many mainly attend for the headlining artists, including Justin Bieber this year. Coincidentally, Rhode released a limited-edition caramelized banana lip peptide treatment, along with pimple patches and eye patches, right before the event.
These were not just ordinary products, but part of a collaboration tied to the event. Hailey understood the timing and was able to successfully capitalize on it. People attending Coachella purchased the product for the experience, while those who could not attend bought them as a way to feel connected to the event in some type of way and to the Biebers.
In this view, while the quality of Hailey’s products may be debatable, there is no question that she is strategic in her business approach. She knows who to connect with and when to promote her products. The real underlying issue may be us as a society as blinded consumers. Similar to my childhood self, we continue to judge a book by its cover. Today, people often buy products based on trends and popularity rather than their actual quality. Society has shifted toward valuing appearance over substance. In other words, the rationale behind purchases has become the cover, not the content. I just hope it was worth the spend, because it was certainly worth the financial risk for Hailey when starting Rhode.
Photo Credit: Unsplash