On Good Morning America, Hailey Bieber shared some contradictory skincare tips. So, Cassandra has been trying to get her hands on some Rhode Beauty Products for quite some time, but they keep selling out. There have definitely been mixed reviews. Some say the line is amazing while others have claimed it to be irritating. So, let’s analyze this. 

There are a lot of interviews, skincare routines, and tips that Hailey Bieber has given, but we’re going to specifically address the ones she shared on Good Morning America. While Hailey gives some solid tips, they are still a little questionable because of certain contradictions. 

On GMA, Hailey says, “I decided to launch a skincare brand because I am skincare obsessed, and as I’ve developed my beauty philosophy over the last few years, I just wanted to create a curated line.” So, let’s analyze how informed these tips truly are. 

Tip 1

Hailey’s first tip is not to over-exfoliate. If you over-exfoliate, it’s true that your skin doesn’t have time to rebuild, and this can lead to barrier damage and irritation. But, if you look at Hailey Bieber’s skincare products, they literally have both glycolic and lactic acid in them. These acids are known as AHAs, and yes, they are exfoliating. They have very small molecules that penetrate deep into the skin, and they actually break down skin cells and desmosomes. You can think of desmosomes as little nails that hold the skin together. But, if Hailey Bieber is saying not to overexfoliate, the products she uses every day are literally doing just that.

Rhode Barrier Restore Cream -$29 

For example, this product includes both lactic and glycolic acid which can definitely be overexfoliating, especially for people who have a low tolerance for these ingredients.  That’s why knowing your ingredients and how they work is so essential. To provide another example, if a product is just labeled as “gentle,” you might think it’s fine to use it every day or multiple times a day. But, if you turn it around, the ingredients might not always tell the same story. The product might include fragrances or harsh exfoliants. This is a terminology issue in the cosmetics world. Although Cassandra hasn’t tested the Rhode product because it’s always sold out, she’s interested in seeing if the barrier restore cream product specifically matches the pH of skin (around a 5.5) or if it’s more acidic.

Tip 2: Always hydrate

This is good advice but hydration is different than moisturization. Hydrating products are used to bring water into the skin whereas moisturizing products seal in moisture. Many moisturizers are usually hydrating but not always. While Haily Beiber advises us to hydrate, the imagery shown on screen is her applying the Rhode Skin Lip Balm. 

Rhode Lip Peptide Treatment -$16

So, how is this relevant? Well, when we look at the lip product’s ingredients, it doesn’t seem that hydrating. The first ingredient is hydrogenated polyisobutene, and this ingredient is often used in different body products. Basically, it’s liquid oil, an emollient, not a hydrator. Hydrators are more like glycerin or hyaluronic acid. Now, when we look deeper into the ingredient list, it does have peptides that hold onto water and bring them into the skin. But, our lips, specifically the epithelial cells on our skin don’t work the same. Likewise, peptides may not function the same on lips as they do the rest of our face. 

However, it does seem like a really good lip moisturizing formula. There is shea butter in this lip product as well, and they are claiming that this is hydrating. But, based on the ingredients, Cassandra would argue that this is more of a lip moisturizer than a hydrator. So, while it looks like a good product, and Cassandra would spend her money on it, it doesn’t necessarily hydrate the lips. It just hold moisture in.

Tip 3: Less is more

This is a tip that not every celebrity advises. Back before Hailey Bieber launched Rhode Beauty, she did a video on YouTube where she had six steps, and none of them used products from her own skincare line. She encourages having few steps. But, as someone who’s a medical esthetician and has struggled with acne her entire life, Cassandra personally believes that it’s more important to focus on isolating your variables and switching them out slowly. 

You can have 3 steps in your routine, or you could have multiple. But, if you don’t know which of these products is creating a change in your skin then having a few steps won’t really matter, especially if you’re switching things out quickly. That can be just as irritating. If you have an allergic reaction, you’re not going to know unless you switch products out slowly - even if you keep steps to a minimum.

For example, people who used Hailey Bieber’s lip products say they really irritated her skin. But, is it because of the Rhode Skin Lip Balm, or is it because they mixed it with other things? Switching things out slowly is what’s going to let you know what’s giving you a positive or negative effect on your skin. 

Overall, just because a celebrity loves skincare something doesn’t mean they’re qualified to share advice. While Hailey Bieber has given some solid tips, be skeptical when taking the advice of celebrities.