We Tested Every Rhode Beauty Product. Here’s What We Liked.

A milky essence that actually makes a difference

Glazing Milk is one of the items that our panelists, across all skin types, liked the most. This “milk” is effectively an essence, meant to moisturize, soothe, and smooth the skin. When you pour it out of the bottle, the liquid has the opacity of, well, milk, and applying it to the skin feels instantly nourishing.

Our testers with dry skin found it made their skin look extra dewy. “Unlike other essence-type products out there, this left a finish on my skin and actually seemed to hydrate, where other essences seem to soak into my skin and then evaporate,” said beauty writer Neha Tandon.

The overall hydration can probably be credited to the inclusion of ceramides, fatty lipids that help keep skin hydrated. Testers with sensitive skin found it to be particularly soothing and even calmed redness on the face post-workout. That could be because of the mineral complex of zinc, copper, and magnesium — three ingredients that help soothe irritated skin and aid in wound-healing and collagen production. Glazing Milk has the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance, which means it’s free of ingredients known to trigger eczema flares.

It might feel too rich or greasy under makeup for people with oily skin, and it’s not essential in every routine, but if you’re really looking for that glazed-donut finish, this is the product to pick up.

A lightweight moisturizer for daily dew

Not to be confused with Barrier Butter, Barrier Restore Cream is the more lightweight of Rhode’s two moisturizers. But counterintuitively, this formula contains ultra-moisturizing shea butter, which is usually associated with richness and added weight in a product. It comes in a tube, and you only need about a nickel-size amount to cover your face. We found it to be surprisingly, and pleasantly, refreshing on the skin.

“It was the perfect combination of lightness and moisturizing,” said writer Samantha Schoech, who has combination-to-oily skin and is in her 50s. Writer India Edwards, who has oily skin, said it was still too heavy for daytime use compared with her usual lightweight gel cream; however, she loved it for evening use.

The brand does not declare this formula noncomedogenic as it does with its other moisturizer, Barrier Butter, and some people with acne-prone skin may find shea butter leads to more clogged pores. Our acne-prone tester didn’t report any breakouts triggered by the moisturizer, but ultimately, “Trial and error is the only way to know,” said dermatologist Angelo Landriscina.

Our main concern with Barrier Restore Cream was the price. At about $19 per ounce, it’s even more expensive than Barrier Butter, roughly $11 per ounce, but it is less expensive than other lightweight formulas sold at Sephora, like The Outset Nourishing Squalene Daily Moisturizer, one of our top picks in our guide to moisturizers. But if you want a juicy moisturizer that delivers a dewy finish without too much weight, then it’s worth the splurge.

A dewy, thick, long-lasting face moisturizer

We previously tested Barrier Butter moisturizer and came to the same conclusion this time around: This heavy-duty moisturizer has a long-lasting finish, but it may be too rich for everyone, especially for daytime use. The Barrier Butter also has the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance.

Testers with dry skin adored the butter and the long-lasting finish. Neha, who has dry skin, said, “The texture was somehow so lightweight though. It almost reminded me of the Augustinus Bader moisturizer, but this is way better priced, feels more hydrating, and also gives skin a better finish.”

The brand suggests the product is noncomedogenic, or won’t clog pores, and our testers with dry, acne-prone skin didn’t experience any new breakouts when testing the cream. Still, Samantha found it too greasy for daytime but ideal for night, making her skin feel “plump and glowy.” She also noted visible smoothing on her neck and décolletage after the two weeks.

The price is right, too; at about $11 per ounce, it’s comparable to some high-end drugstore moisturizers, like those from La Roche-Posay. However, it’s worth noting the packaging was recently reduced from 5 to 3.4 ounces, and the price remained largely the same due to supply-chain costs, according to Rhode in an email to customers.

A sudsy, fragrance-free face wash

Pineapple Refresh Cleanser is so-called because it contains pineapple extract, not because it’s pineapple-scented — it’s actually fragrance-free. The extract contains a pineapple enzyme that acts as a gentle exfoliant, and the cleanser is meant to remove sunscreen, makeup, and dirt easily while leaving the skin smoother, softer, and more hydrated.

The golden balm lathers up to a bubbly cream, and it cleanses the skin deceptively well for the milky texture. Several testers said it wiped away light makeup and sunscreen without any issues, but some found that it was difficult to remove more stubborn makeup, like waterproof mascara or long-wear eyeliner. Our testers with dry skin found it to be less stripping than other gel cleansers they’ve tried, too. But it should be noted that our tester with sensitive skin, writer Claire Wilcox, said it caused some irritation around her eyes.

In many ways, this cleanser falls in the middle of the spectrum: It’s not as gentle as a traditional cream cleanser, but it also doesn’t have as much exfoliating strength as a cleanser with an AHA or BHA. Based on our testing, it’s a good fit for someone who wants a powerful yet non-drying cleanse from a more luxurious-feeling formula than what you can find at the drugstore.

A foolproof, creamy blush stick

Pocket Blush launched in June 2024, marking Rhode’s entrance into color cosmetics, and it has become a favorite on social media. It comes in 11 fun shades — including baby pink, bright coral, deep plum, and toasted maroon — and the brand claims it’s long-wearing and doesn’t leave a greasy or sticky feel on the skin.

All of our testers loved the packaging and found the blushes to be “super pigmented.” The blush looked great on our cheeks after initial application, but some testers found the color faded by the end of the day if it wasn’t applied in layers or set with powder. However, it’s unbelievably easy to pop in your pocket (no pun intended) and take on the go for reapplication.

The two testers who gave Pocket Blush a middling review had different qualms. Neha, who has a medium skin tone, said she thought most of the colors were made for either very light or very dark skin tones and wished for more options for her. Meanwhile, Claire, who has combination skin, found the finish looking “splotchy” on her cheeks and said it didn’t sink in quite as nicely as other cream blushes she’s tried. Most of our testers had an easy time using the blush, just blending with their fingers, so we’d recommend it for people looking for an easy-to-use cream blush that delivers a natural, dewy finish with buildable pigment.

A Wirecutter-pick lip balm

If there’s one product that you might recognize from Rhode’s line, it’s Peptide Lip Treatment, which went almost immediately viral after the brand’s initial launch (and has that matching iPhone case). We’ve previously tested this lip treatment, and our staff likes it so much that it’s earned a spot in our guide to the best lip balms. Our opinion didn’t change much here.

Our testers like the long-lasting moisture and high-shine finish that still looks natural for “no-makeup days,” India said. It comes in four scents, as well as unscented; we tested strawberry glaze, which is reminiscent of a pink Starburst. The glossiness can be polarizing, though — and it’s not as simple as swiping and going. Samantha, who also wrote the lip balm guide, said she’s learned to apply less to avoid a “too goopy” feel.

It also claims to be more than a hydrating lip balm: It contains lactic acid, which offers light exfoliation, and a peptide (palmitoyl tripeptide-1) known for its collagen-stimulating effect, though it’s far down on the ingredient list. Previous formulations sometimes developed a graininess due to dried product on the applicator tip, but the brand’s since addressed those concerns, and no one on our panel had any issues.