Breaking Down Rhode's $1B Growth Through Influencer Partnerships

Rhode Skin sold to e.l.f. Beauty for $1 billion in May 2025. But how did they get there? Influencer partnerships.

Image Taken from Rhode Skin Instagram on June 1, 2026

Hailey Bieber founded Rhode Skin in 2022 after her journey to healthy skin pushed her to develop products that not only work but were accessible to everyone.

She first launched with only 3 products: the Peptide Glazing Fluid, Barrier Restore Cream, and Peptide Lip Treatment.

Since then, she has launched a 16-SKU product portfolio that now includes Peptide Lip Shape, Glazing Mist, and, most notably, the Lip Case.

In the 12 months ending in March 2025, Rhode generated $212 million in net sales. Their high-performance, research-backed ingredients are not the only ones to thank. Their influencer partnerships and community focus are too.

Influencer Marketing 101

According to Breef.com, influencer marketing is a form of social media marketing where businesses partner with influencers with large followings across different social media platforms. These influencers then leverage their platforms to create content to promote products and brands in a more organic way.

The content created is usually video content, such as TikTok or Instagram Stories.

An article from University of Miami about best practices for influencer partnerships stated that social media platforms tend to favor creator content rather than paid ads.

Not only do algorithms favor influencers, but so do consumers. They feel that influencers create organic content that is less-sales driven than the ads marketing teams push through.

Even if consumers see a paid partnership label attached, they are still likely to favor it over paid ads.

Statista reported influencer marketing market size went from $1.7 billion in 2015 to over $32.5 billion in 2025. Showing that the right creators or brand ambassadors can do more than most paid ads.

Although influencers have gained popularity over the last decade, not all are equal.

Not Every Influencer is the Right Fit

There are three different types of influencers. Those include celebrity influencers, subject matter experts, and thought leaders. They are then categorized into either macro-influencers or micro-influencers.

The main difference between macro- and micro-influencers is their follower count. Micro-influencers have a few thousand followers. Macro-influencers have hundreds of thousands to even millions of followers.

Macro-influencers are better at raising general brand awareness due to their massive following, though micro-influencers typically have the better ROI (return on investment).

Micro-influencers have audiences passionate about their niche and who interact with their posts more often. This then leads to a higher engagement rate across platforms.

Brands analyze these key metrics like engagement rates to determine their influencer partners.

But why can Rhode's success be attributed to influencers so much? Well, it all started with the woman herself, Hailey Bieber.

Influencer Turned CEO

Founder Hailey Bieber is a celebrity and influencer first, CEO second. When she founded the brand back in 2022, she was the sole face of the brand. It was her alone who sparked everyone's interest in the brand.

From posting GRWMs (get-ready-with-me videos) to product teases, she was at the center of the brand. Although she is often featured in her brands campaigns, she is no longer the only face featured.

With the help of Lauren Ratner (President and Chief Brand Officer), Rhode turned into the community and influencer marketing powerhouse that it is today.

The Rise of Rhode's It-Girl

When a brand's founder is an it-girl herself, it is only natural to turn to influencer partnerships through both influencer-driven campaigns and more authentic user-generated content (UGC).

Just like any other brand, Rhode uses key metrics to determine their influencer partnerships.

Rhode also picks influencers and creators based on the moments already occurring within pop culture.

No matter what, Rhode will always find creators that have the right niche and align well with her audience demographics.

The most recent influencer collaboration was with actress Sarah Pidgeon.

Pidgeon was at the epicenter of pop culture with the rise of her latest show, Love Story, which follows the story of Carolyn Bessette and John F. Kennedy Jr.

It was only right for her to be the face of Rhode's Spring collection, allowing them to highlight '90s minimalism and the iconic red flush in their new Candy Apple color.

Prior to Pidgeon, Rhode collaborated with influencer Alexandra "Alex" Leclerc (then Saint Mleux). Alex used Rhode's products organically for many years before ever collaborating with the brand on her own campaign.

Before Alex gained a following as F1 driver Charles Leclerc's partner, she used Rhode in her daily routine. Once her own campaign launched, promoting the fall collection, her 4.9 million Instagram followers knew it had to be good. They even sold out the collection.

Because Alex consistently promoted the brand before she ever became an official partner, her audience knew her support was genuine. Rhode was also able to see the value she brought to the brand.

The Brand Trips Everyone Is Talking About

Paid influencer partnerships and campaigns aren't the only way Rhode utilizes influencers. They also use influencer brand trips. They bring creators together to share their love for the brand in one place.

Rhode hosted its first influencer brand trip in 2025 in Mallorca, Spain. It celebrated the Rhode Summer Club Campaign.

Rhode brought both macro- and micro-influencers along, which allowed them the brand to reach as many consumers as possible. It also created some iconic pop culture moments centered around the brand. It created authentic content in the moment that had audiences obsessed.

The Community Pop-Ups Everyone Knows and Loves

Rhode is a community-driven brand that highlights its everyday consumers just as much as the influencers it collaborates with. What better way to bring all your consumers together than with a pop-up?

Rhode utilized pop-ups located in Rhode Island, Dallas, and Vancouver to share their Summer '26 collection, allowing consumers to experience the collection in real life and shop limited-edition merch.

The buzz surrounding these pop-ups drive even non-influencers to post on their social platforms. Highlighting their experience and excitement.

Oftentimes, the built-up excitement for the potential of free products and guaranteed access to the limited-edition products leads consumers to start lining up hours in advance.

The anticipation her team and community create surrounding these pop-ups leads to them being consistently promoted across all social media platforms before the event even begins.

The Influencer Olympics

Rhode also knows how to do it big with pop-ups at the influencer Olympics, aka Coachella. Influencer partnerships thrive at Coachella. It's where every brand goes big or goes home.

Coachella's location is in the middle of the California desert. It may not seem ideal, but nearly 125,000 people attend the festival each weekend, making it one of the best ways for companies and brands to have direct access to consumers, influencers, and brand ambassadors all at once.

Not all Coachella brand activations are the same. It's in all the details.

Rhode always makes an impact at Coachella, but with Bieber's own husband performing during both weekends, Rhode had the opportunity of a lifetime.

The pair came together not only to promote Justin's much-anticipated headline performance, but also the launch of their new Spotwear. It was designed in collaboration with Justin himself.

The hydrocolloid, mushroom-shaped stickers are clinically proven to minimize the look of spots. They also add a fun touch to Instagram selfies.

Coinciding with the launch, Rhode hosted an immersive, invite-only pop-up during Weekend One. The pop-up was home to a glam and touch-up room sponsored by Sephora, product discovery areas, and games with Rhode products as the winning prize.

Even though it was exclusive, the pop-up was still seen around the world. Rhode generated 68.5 million likes, comments, shares, and views across all creator content that highlighted Rhode across the festival.

Key Takeaways

Influencer partnerships aren't only about finding the right creator, giving away free products, and creating compelling content. It's about the pop culture moments, community engagement, and doing what feels natural.

Rhode has figured that out. They know that both macro- and micro-influencers can make a difference. Community moments that gain traction can have just as much impact as influencer partnerships. Staying true to your roots and following the natural progression of the brand will do more than forcing any trend to match.

Hailey Bieber started as an influencer who struggled with healthy skin and turned it into a $1 billion brand that focused on influencers just like her.

🪽 Written by Emily Schulz