Rare Beauty vs Rhode: Who’s Winning the Celebrity Beauty Battle?

 


Celebrity beauty brands are more than name recognition—they’re movements. In a saturated market, Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez and Rhode by Hailey Bieber have each carved distinct spaces with loyal fans, effective products, and strong brand values.

This is less about stans and more about substance. So if you’re stuck between a blush with serious color payoff and a glow that feels like skincare, this breakdown is for you.

Brand Overviews

Rare Beauty’s Bold Start

From the beginning, Rare Beauty was about breaking beauty standards. Selena built the brand to empower users, and it shows—from inclusive shades to messaging around mental wellness.

Its hero product, Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, is iconic for good reason. The color is intense, the formula is airy, and the range of finishes—from dewy to matte—suits every vibe. Colors like Bliss, Joy, and Love work across undertones, and ingredients like mica, dimethicone, and sunflower seed oil ensure blendability and wear.

Rhode’s Skin-Loving Simplicity

Rhode prioritizes less-is-more skincare beauty. Hailey’s own skin struggles influenced the brand’s ultra-clean, moisture-rich approach. The Peptide Lip Treatment won fans early on, and the new Pocket Blush continues Rhode’s glow-forward ethos.

Rather than bold pigment, Pocket Blush offers gentle tints and skin-friendly ingredients—perfect for fans of a “your skin but better” look.

Face-Off: Blushes with a Purpose

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch

If you’re into high-impact color, this is the blush for you. It lasts all day, blends like a dream, and the range of undertones is unmatched. Whether you wear a full beat or want something to pop on bare skin, it delivers.

Rhode Pocket Blush

This is all about enhanced natural beauty. No bold streaks or build-up—just smooth, hydrated skin with a soft flush. The creamy formula with Cupuaçu butter and peptides makes it a dream for dry or textured skin.

Sustainability Comparison

Rare Beauty

The brand checks several sustainability boxes—recycled cartons, compostable fillers, cruelty-free status, and FSC materials. But its transparency around ingredient sourcing, especially mica, still lags.

Rhode

Rhode is more innovative, especially with its Boox returnable packaging and a curated lineup to reduce waste. Formulas are vegan and contain nourishing botanicals like squalane and niacinamide.

Brand Ethics

Rare Beauty doesn’t just sell products—it funds change. The Rare Impact Fund backs mental health organizations, a mission that’s deeply embedded in the brand’s story.

Rhode takes a quieter but deliberate approach—pushing sustainable consumption, accessibility, and clean formulation over louder activism.

Price & Where to Buy

At Mimic Makeup, Rare Beauty’s rare-beauty-soft-pinch-liquid-blush/, while Rhode’s Pocket Blush is just $10. Rare Beauty wins in distribution with broader retailer access. Rhode is gaining steam but remains more niche in availability.

Conclusion: Which One Wins?

Choosing between Rare Beauty and Rhode depends on what matters most to you.

Pick Rare Beauty if:

  • You love pigmented products

  • Mental health advocacy resonates with you

  • You want customizable, long-wear blush

Choose Rhode if:

  • You prefer minimalism and clean beauty

  • Sustainability guides your purchases

  • You want skincare in your makeup

You can’t lose either way—and both are available for less at Mimic Makeup.