Who Owns Rhode?

Rhode's sustainability and ethics practices focus on mindful consumption, responsible ingredient sourcing, and packaging reduction.

Cruelty-Free and Vegan: Rhode is certified cruelty-free by both Leaping Bunny and PETA. The brand's formulations are vegan, fragrance-free, and dermatologist-developed. No animal testing is conducted at any stage of product development or manufacturing.

Post-Consumer Recycled Packaging: Rhode's bottles, tubes, and caps are made with post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials. The brand provides information about recycled content percentages for each product and includes recycling instructions on packaging.

Recycling Program: Rhode offers a take-back program where customers can ship back at least three empty products for complimentary recycling. Free shipping labels are provided via email request. The brand also uses Boox zero-waste shipping boxes that can be reused up to 12 times, reducing environmental impact by up to 70% compared to single-use shipping boxes. Customers can scan a QR code on the box to return it for reuse.

Mindful Consumption: Rhode's limited product releases and curated product line reflect a commitment to mindful skincare, encouraging consumers to purchase only what they need. This approach helps reduce waste compared to brands that encourage extensive product accumulation.

Rhode does not hold B Corp certification. The brand's sustainability practices are reported through its website rather than through a formal annual sustainability report, as it operates as a brand within e.l.f. Beauty rather than as a standalone company.

Rhode's recognition comes from retail launch records, brand valuation milestones, and industry awards:

• Rhode's September 2025 launch at Sephora North America was the retailer's largest brand launch ever, exceeding $10 million in retail sales in the first two days and lapping the previous record-holder by 2.5 times, according to YipitData. Rhode became the top-selling brand at Sephora North America following the launch.
• Rhode's November 2025 launch at Sephora UK drove the highest number of consumer sign-ups ever for a brand launch in the retailer's history.
• Rhode's February 2026 launch at Mecca in Australia and New Zealand was the biggest launch in Mecca's history, with over one million visitors across 110 stores on launch weekend.
• Beauty Inc recognized the e.l.f. Beauty acquisition of Rhode as Deal of the Year 2025, describing the $1 billion transaction as one of the largest beauty brand acquisitions of the decade.
• Rhode ranked as the number-one skincare brand by earned media value in August 2025 according to CreatorIQ, maintaining the position month-over-month through 2025.
• e.l.f. Beauty stated that Rhode "could be the fastest beauty brand to achieve $1 billion in annual net sales" based on its current growth trajectory, having reached approximately $260 to $265 million in its first full year under e.l.f. Beauty ownership.
• Rhode's Peptide Lip Treatment became one of the most viral beauty products of 2022 and 2023, creating the "glazed donut skin" aesthetic that dominated social media platforms and was widely covered in beauty industry publications.

No Product Recalls: Rhode has not been subject to any product recalls since its founding in 2022. The brand's products are manufactured through contract manufacturing partners and are subject to FDA cosmetic regulations, but no recall events have been publicly documented.

Trademark Infringement Lawsuit (2022 to 2024): In June 2022, Rhode-NYC, LLC, an unaffiliated clothing and lifestyle brand that had been using the Rhode name since 2014, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Hailey Bieber's Rhode beauty brand in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The original Rhode alleged that Bieber's use of the name "Rhode" for beauty products caused consumer confusion and infringed on its trademark rights for apparel and accessories.

In July 2022, Judge Lorna G. Schofield denied Rhode-NYC's motion for a preliminary injunction, finding that the older brand failed to demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merits. While the similarity of the marks weighed slightly in favor of the original Rhode brand, the judge held that the proximity of the marks and their competitiveness weighed toward Bieber's brand. The legal battle concluded in July 2024 with both parties agreeing to voluntarily dismiss their claims and pay their respective costs. The settlement allowed both brands to continue using the Rhode name.

The trademark case became a notable example in beauty industry discussions about brand naming, trademark protection, and the challenges faced by celebrity-founded brands versus established companies with similar names. It was frequently cited in industry analyses of celebrity beauty brands and trademark strategy.

Celebrity Brand Authenticity Debate: Rhode has been part of a broader industry discussion about celebrity-founded beauty brands and whether their success is driven by product quality or celebrity association. Some industry commentators have questioned whether celebrity beauty brands can maintain their position without the founder's continued involvement. Rhode's strong product reviews and repeat purchase rates, combined with its successful retail expansion under e.l.f. Beauty, have been cited as evidence that the brand has substance beyond celebrity endorsement. However, the brand remains closely associated with Hailey Bieber's personal brand, creating a degree of dependency on her continued involvement and public profile.