Rhode v. Rare
Image Courtesy: Pop Crush
The emergence of celebrity-founded skincare and makeup brands has skyrocketed over the past several years. But where did this sudden passion for entering the beauty industry come from? It was around the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when celebrities such as Hailey Bieber, Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner, Ariana Grande, and Kim Kardashian crossed over into beauty from their respective industries. Naturally, there will be competition and comparison between whose brand is more sustainable, more authentic, and overall, just works best. The recent drama between Hailey and Selena has prompted the dissection of each woman’s brand by fans, even resulting in other celebrities voicing their opinions on the matter. As an owner of products from both Rare Beauty and Rhode Skin, I can confidently give you my opinion on them.
Although Rhode Skin and Rare Beauty produce and sell different categories of products, they are still worth comparing because sustainability, authenticity, marketing, and performance can be used to compare any two products or companies. The drama between Hailey and Selena might make me slightly biased, but I will review these brands as honestly as possible, putting aside the feud.
Image Courtesy: Rhode Skin
Starting off with Rhode Skin, you can already tell from the photo above that minimal effort was put forth for the brand’s image. Everything is just…gray. I do like the minimalistic vibe, but you can tell that the creative choices were lazy ones. For the price, you aren’t getting much. On their website, one 10-milliliter tube of the Peptide Lip Treatment is $16. The same exact amount of Aquaphor is $5.49 from Ulta. If you’re considering a lip treatment, take my advice and treat yourself to that Aquaphor instead. I have the Peptide Lip Treatment in the flavor of salted caramel, and the flavor is good, but the results are not worth $16. If you’re interested in all five of the Rhode products, you can get them in a boring gray package for $95. I have also tried the Barrier Restore Cream, and again, my skin did not look like a glazed donut, but rather like I hadn’t even put anything on it. There are so many other amazing skin creams on the market for a better price point too. Lastly, their idea of sustainability is to make all the packaging recyclable and their products vegan and cruelty-free. Coming from Hailey Bieber, someone with access to any resource in the world, this just seems like the bare minimum. Ultimately, you are paying for the brand name and for Miss Hailey’s vacations, not for results.
Image Courtesy: Page Six
I absolutely love everything about this brand. I swear, I am not being biased! The Rare Beauty website is colorful, inviting, and bright. Something that Rare Beauty has worked hard on is their brand positioning—a marketing strategy used to create a brand’s identity while conveying their unique value. Rare Beauty represents Selena Gomez’s idea that every person is rare. She also has a page on her website dedicated to the awareness and fundraising of mental health. For the sake of comparison, let’s look at Rare Beauty’s lip products. They range between $15 to $20, which is about the same price as Rhode’s lip products. However, these prices are far more reasonable considering they are makeup products that are available in 15 different shades, not just clear lip balm. There is also a bundle available of two Matte Lip Creams for $20, which is a great deal. I own the viral Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in the shade Hope, and I believe it lives up to its hype. As you may know, a little bit of this product goes a long way, so I am confident it will last me a long time.
No matter whose side of the drama you’re on, I encourage you to make your own assumptions about each brand’s products. Everyone’s preferences are different! However, I will also say this—a person’s character reflects in everything they do. If you’re passionate about hard work and making a positive impact on the world, your audience will see that. Anyways, #TeamSelena.
Strike Out,
Writer: Mia Serrano-Salow
Editor: Noelle Knowlton
Tallahassee