In a landmark deal shaking up the beauty industry, Hailey Bieber, the model and influencer with 55 million Instagram followers, has sold her skincare and cosmetics brand, Rhode, to e.l.f. Beauty for $1 billion.
The transaction, announced on May 28, 2025, includes $600 million in cash, $200 million in e.l.f. Beauty stock, and a potential $200 million earnout based on the brand’s performance over the next three years. Bieber, who founded Rhode in 2022, will remain with the company as Chief Creative Officer and Head of Innovation, ensuring her vision continues to shape the brand’s future.
From Zero to $212 Million in Three Years
What makes this deal particularly remarkable is the meteoric rise of Rhode under Bieber’s leadership. Launched just three years ago, the brand has grown from nothing to $212 million in net sales by March 2025, relying entirely on a direct-to-consumer model.
With only 10 products in its lineup — including fan favorites like the Peptide Glazing Fluid and Pocket Blush — Rhode has capitalized on Bieber’s massive social media influence and her ability to set beauty trends like “glazed donut skin” and “latte makeup.”
This growth, driven by her 55 million Instagram followers and authentic engagement, showcases the power of influencer-led brands in today’s digital landscape.
Unlike many celebrity brands that lean on traditional retail from the start, Rhode’s success has been fueled by Bieber’s online presence and her knack for creating viral moments.
The brand’s tightly curated product range and immersive campaigns—like pop-up activations and a lip gloss-toting phone case that sparked a frenzy — have resonated deeply with Gen-Z and millennial consumers.
In 2024 alone, Rhode became the No. 1 skincare brand in earned media value, growing 367% year-over-year, a testament to Bieber’s cultural influence and marketing savvy.
A Strategic Move for Global Expansion
The acquisition by e.l.f. Beauty marks a new chapter for Rhode, which has previously sold exclusively through its website, rhodeskin.com. Later in 2025, the brand is set to launch its first physical in-store partnership with Sephora across North America and the U.K., a move that will significantly expand its reach.
Partnering with e.l.f. Beauty, a company known for its disruptive approach and viral-friendly products, aligns with Rhode’s ethos of making prestige beauty accessible. e.l.f. CEO Tarang Amin described Rhode as a “like-minded disruptor,” emphasizing that the acquisition will allow the brand to maintain its identity while scaling globally.
Bieber expressed her excitement about the partnership, stating, “From day one, my vision for Rhode has been to make essential skincare and hybrid makeup you can use every day.
This partnership with e.l.f. Beauty marks an incredible opportunity to bring Rhode to more faces, places, and spaces globally.” As Chief Creative Officer, she will continue to oversee creative direction, product innovation, and marketing, ensuring that Rhode retains its founder-led authenticity.
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A New Era for Celebrity Beauty Brands
The $1 billion deal not only highlights Bieber’s entrepreneurial prowess but also signals a shift in the beauty industry. While many celebrity-backed brands like Kosas and Rare Beauty have struggled to find buyers amid a market downturn, Rhode’s success underscores the value of genuine involvement and strategic vision.
Bieber’s hands-on approach — coupled with her ability to drive trends and build a fervent community — has set a new benchmark for what it takes to create a lasting celebrity brand.
For someone in 2010, the idea of a model leveraging social media to build a billion-dollar beauty empire in under three years would have seemed unimaginable. Back then, Instagram was just launching, and the influencer economy didn’t exist.
Today, Hailey Bieber’s sale of Rhode for $1 billion proves that in the age of digital influence, a single individual’s vision and online presence can redefine an industry.
As Rhode prepares to hit Sephora shelves and expand under e.l.f. Beauty’s umbrella, Bieber’s journey is a powerful reminder of how the beauty world continues to evolve with the times.
