What does Elf buying Rhode mean for us in the UK? A beauty editor takes a deep dive

Waking up to was not on my Thursday vision board, but here we are– and I'm about to tell you why it's exciting for us in the UK. As someone who has worked in beauty for well over a decade now, and watched the acquisitions of countless large and small brands, I can't say I'm surprised that it happened, but I am surprised at the timeline.

Hailey Bieber launched Rhode in mid-2022 after she, a model, noticed a gap in the industry for simplified, high-performance skincare essentials. This makes the brand a newborn in beauty years. Acquisitions of this scale tend to happen when a brand establishes credibility over time, proving it has strong growth, has demonstrated strong shopper loyalty and continues to thrive well beyond its first 'viral' moment. Rhode has ticked all of these boxes, plus plenty more, in under three years—a rarity.

To put it into context, market-leading skincare brand CeraVe was first founded in 2005 by a group of dermatologists and was ultimately sold to L'Oreal in 2017. That's 12 years of proving its sailability before an investor decided to bid – almost a decade more than Rhode.

E.l.f, however, is building its reputation for investing in young and successful beauty brands early, beating out competition from the likes of L'Oreal and Estee Lauder. In 2023, for example, it acquired Naturium, a skincare brand founded by Susan Yara, for $355 million (roughly £279m). The brand was only founded in 2019, making it another very quick sale. But with Rhode being acquired within three years for $1 billion (£790m)? That's taking the crown for one of the largest beauty investments for such a young brand. Roughly $200 million of that sum, though, is said to be contingent on Rhode’s performance over the next three years.

So, what does it mean for UK Rhode shoppers?

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Onto the good stuff. As part of the deal, Hailey is staying on as Chief Creative Officer and Head of Innovation. This means we're still going to be getting products of a similar creative calibre. Hailey has proven her credibility when it comes to creating useful, innovative, skin-friendly and cost-effective skincare and makeup products, and we're going to see more launches from the inner workings of her brain. And when I say more, I mean more launches than we're used to seeing from Rhode right now. E..l.f buying the brand means it has the cash to launch products faster, which is set to spell a catalogue expansion by as early as autumn.

Also, Rhode is currently only selling through a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model – its own rhodeskin.com website – meaning we don't have access to the brand in any shops like Boots, LookFantastic or Sephora. Plus, to ship to the UK, you have to pay a £7 delivery fee for orders under £70, which is high when many other e-tailers now offer free next-day deliveries. E.l.f.'s Rhode win means we're set to get much more access to the brand, with Sephora already confirmed to stock its products from autumn 2025.

Another win from this acquisition for UK shoppers, and E.l.f fans in particular, is that Hailey is also now serving as strategic advisor for E.l.f itself. What does that mean? Most of us are expecting an imminent Rhode x E.l.f collaboration, which will undoubtedly sell like hot cakes. It also means we may see some new and exciting innovations coming from E.l.f., thanks to Hailey's keen creator eye.

What a beauty editor buys on repeat from Rhode

Feel like testing out some Rhode buys for yourself? Here's what I buy time and time again....

, £24

A soft, natural flush that glides on smoothly and lasts all day. This lightweight formula hydrates the skin, leaving cheeks feeling baby-soft with a radiant, non-greasy finish. My favourite shade is Piggy– a perfect baby pink. I've now rebought it twice. My friend with a darker complexion swears by the peachy shade Freckle for her perfect pop of colour.

, £32

A lightweight, nutrient-packed essence that instantly hydrates and supports the skin barrier, leaving a fresh, radiant glow. It’s Hailey’s (and my!) go-to first step for calming the skin and giving a smooth base for make-up. It's also probably the first product that really went viral when the skincare range launched.

, £24 in 11 shades

One of the newest Rhode launches, this lip liner has a silicone smudger at the end of it to diffuse the lip line and create a smudgy, plump lip effect. Creamier and more seamless than a lip liner, it glides on effortlessly to create a contoured look while delivering effective ingredients that visibly boost lip volume.

, £38

You'll have seen these everywhere on social media, and the phone case is still the must-have accessory for any lip gloss lover. The case snugly holds your choice of Peptide Lip Tint shades, meaning you're never left with dry, cracking lips while you're out and about. When I say I ran to get one of these cases, I really did.