A lot has changed for Hailey Bieber this year. She celebrated her 30th birthday, launched the overwhelmingly viral Rhode Pocket Blushes, and became a mom. “Welcoming my son into the world has obviously changed my whole life,” Bieber tells me over Zoom. “That has been the best part of the year for sure.”
But one thing that’s stayed consistent? Her dedication to taking care of her skin. “My time has become different, and I definitely appreciate things that are quick, easy, and fast,” she says. “My routine was already very minimal, and I feel like my skin-care philosophy melted very well into my new life.”
Quick, easy, and fast captures the spirit of Rhode. Each of Bieber’s beauty brand’s five other skin-care products—Pineapple Refresh (cleanser), Glazing Milk (essence), Peptide Glazing Fluid (serum), Barrier Restore Cream (moisturizer), and Peptide Lip Treatment (lip balm)—focuses on soothing and supporting the skin barrier with gentle, sensitive, skin-friendly ingredients rather than harsh, flashy actives. “Keeping our barrier hydrated and moisturized and healthy has always been the sole focus for me,” the founder explains. Now, she’s making room for another skin-loving step in her regimen: The new Rhode Barrier Butter ($22–38), which launches on October 28. Designed to be the last step of your nighttime skin-care routine, the rich formula is basically the brand’s take on something you might use for slugging—the practice of applying an occlusive product before bed to seal in moisture and beneficial skin-care ingredients all night long.
“If you were to ever look back on skin care or ‘get ready with me’ videos I’ve done, I’ve talked a lot about sealing things in underneath my makeup with a balm, or swapping out my moisturizer for a richer, thicker, balmier moisturizer. This is my version of that,” Bieber says.
Unlike petroleum jelly, which is often used for slugging, Barrier Butter also brings an ensemble of nourishing ingredients to the table, including hyaluronic acid, murumuru butter, and polyglutamic acid. Another notable star in the formula is ceramide NP, which helps strengthen the skin barrier. “I love ceramides,” Bieber shares. “We have ceramides in our Glazing Milk as well, which is that girl to me—that’s my favorite thing that we’ve done.”
She and her team also went the extra mile to ensure that anyone with sensitive skin could use the balm as well. After all, Bieber has been open about her struggles with perioral dermatitis, a condition that can cause small inflamed blisters and bumps on the skin. Whether you deal with acne, eczema, or rosacea, you should also be able to enjoy the product’s benefits, as it’s both non-comedogenic and earned the Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association. Personally, I deal with a dry complexion, and I’m prone to rosacea, and my skin loves the Barrier Butter—every time I’ve used it, I’ve woken up with calm, deeply hydrated skin that feels smooth and soft to the touch. I was also impressed by how non-sticky it is. Turns out, that’s one of the reasons the product took nearly two years to formulate.
“I wanted it to be a rich, nourishing, and hydrating balm, without it feeling greasy. I wanted it to be safe for acne-prone skin and be really good for fine lines and plumping and hydrating the skin. So it took me a lot longer to approve this product, but we totally got there in the end,” Bieber says.
The brand is launching the balm in two different sizes: 1.35 oz. ($22) and 5 oz. ($38). As with everything else about the brand, this was an intentional decision. According to Bieber, she wanted to offer a small one so people could slip it into their purses and so they could try the product without having to splurge on the bigger size. Meanwhile, the larger version is meant to be kept in your bathroom or on top of your vanity and used on, yes, your face, but also other parts of your body that could benefit from some extra TLC. At the end of the day, the moisturizer is a multi-purpose product that’s “not only really good for your face, neck, and chest, but also something that you could use on your hands, arms, and wherever else,” Bieber explains.
Supermodel Claudia Schiffer holding a tube of the Barrier Butter.
Sometime later this year, we can look forward to yet another launch from the brand: a collection of Lip Cases in brand-new fall-appropriate colors. “We’ve had so much fun with these phone cases. We weren’t anticipating that they would be received the way that they have. So we just want to continue giving people fun colors,” Bieber says. She recently whipped countless social-media users into a frenzy when she teased a case that matched the Peptide Lip Tint in Espresso, and now, Rhode fans can rest assured that it is indeed coming to market very soon.
As for Bieber? After a busy year, she’s anticipating plenty of precious moments with her loved ones. “I’m looking forward to keeping cozy and enjoying my time. I love the fall time. It’s my favorite time of year, and I’m excited about Halloween and getting to experience a lot of things with my family and with my baby.”
The Rhode Barrier Butter will be available to shop on rhodeskin.com on October 28.
Carol Lee is the Associate Beauty E-Commerce Writer at ELLE.com, where she covers all things beauty and personal care. Before joining the team, she was an editor at Food Network Magazine and HGTV Magazine and ran the beauty section at The Pioneer Woman. Carol received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from New York University and was one of the first customers to visit Glossier’s flagship store in New York’s Soho neighborhood. Over the years, she’s tested countless makeup, hair, and skin care products, and written hundreds of articles covering the beauty space, from pieces about the trendiest launches to roundups of the best products on the market. As a Korean-American, she grew up in a sea of Korean makeup and skin care products and is a bona fide expert on the ever-expanding world of K-beauty, helping lead our coverage. Additionally, she’s also always on the hunt for the perfect lipstick and watches the same few comfort sitcoms (Frasier, Cheers, Seinfeld, New Girl, etc.) over and over again.