Hailey Bieber’s skincare line, Rhode, is entering the color cosmetics market for its latest product launch. After months of hints from Hailey’s social media, a recent announcement revealed what we were all hoping for: the cult-classic Peptide Lip Treatment is being released as a lip tint.
The Peptide Lip Tint is made with the same formula as the previously colorless Peptide Lip Treatment and comes in four universally flattering tones (espresso, ribbon, toast, and raspberry jelly). The introduction of color to the product marks a pivotal period for Rhode as they formally enter the world of color cosmetics, and from a marketing standpoint, they could not have handled the transition better.
For the initial launch of Rhode in June 2022, Hailey rolled out three skincare products: the Peptide Glazing Fluid, the Barrier Restore Cream, and the Peptide Lip Treatment (in three different “flavors”: Salted Caramel, Watermelon Slice, and Unscented). Her brand was based around achieving her signature “glazed donut” look: glowing and dewy skin that resembles the shiny appearance of — literally — a glazed donut.
The original Rhode products sold out in under 10 minutes and were raved about all over social media for their sensitive-skin-safe formula, the transparency in ingredients, and the way that they really did give that much sought-after “glazed” skin look. The one thing that has been critiqued is the plain, gray appearance of the packaging —although aesthetically pleasing, people were expecting more.
In terms of branding, the packaging was a genius move that lay the groundwork for Rhode’s current push into color cosmetics. The “boring” gray packaging places less emphasis on the product itself and more emphasis on the ingredients inside, and gives the product an almost clinical and scientific appearance. As Rhode expands into color cosmetics with four new peptide lip tints, they can now easily differentiate between products that are ingredient-focused skincare and those that are all about putting color on the face.
As for the campaign used to promote the new lip tints, the Rhode team outdid themselves once again by flawlessly executing an appealing promotional photoshoot. For the photos, they paired the new lip tint flavors with a matching food product: the “espresso” shade was leaned up against an espresso martini,“toast” was plated on top of a slice of syrup-y French toast,“berry” was stood up in a display of jello, and “ribbon” is the topping on a strawberry sundae. This is especially smart when we think of the way that it brings us dopamine to indulge in delicious, sweet foods. Associating something sweet and glossy, like the lip product, with a sweet treat, like the food used in the ad, makes us want to use and buy the product for a dopamine surge. Also, who doesn’t love a lip product flavored the same way as our favorite sweet treat?
We can look at Rhode’s latest product release, as well as the company’s overall branding, as a perfect example of what smart and well-executed marketing can do for a brand. Rhode has the ideal blend of practical and effective products that are consistently met with brilliant marketing and branding. As a long-time Rhode fan, I’m looking forward to receiving my new tinted lip treatment in the mail as well as seeing how they expand further into color cosmetics in the future.