I Tested Hailey Bieber’s New Rhode Barrier Butter Launch
Almost every single Rhode beauty product Hailey Bieber launches goes viral. The secret sauce? An undeniable combination of the founder’s influence and her simple approach to developing products that work well (seriously, the Rhode Pocket Blush is—hands down—one of my favorite launches this year). Now, Bieber is expanding her skincare lineup (which currently includes the Pineapple Refresh Cleanser, Glazing Milk, Peptide Glazing Fluid, and Barrier Restore Cream) with the new Barrier Butter ($38), a thick, multipurpose moisturizer made to keep the thirstiest skin (i.e., mine) quenched, and we got all the details.
The formula
I got to test Barrier Butter a few weeks before its launch and can confirm that it is a super hydrating balm-cream hybrid that won’t leave behind a “dewy” or greasy finish. If you’re looking for the shiny, greasy finish, you’d get from slugging with Vaseline or Aquaphor; this isn’t it. Instead, this pumps out like a true thick cream but melts into the skin quickly like a balm. It has a true satin finish that isn’t overly tacky, so you won’t feel like a peel-off sticker on your pillowcase once you lay down.
Its ingredients list features a few standout mentions—including hyaluronic acid, murumuru butter, and ceramides—all typically found in super hydrating, “barrier-boosting” skincare. Together, they plump and trap moisture in the skin, so your skin feels less dry and dull over time.
How to use it
The brand recommends using this at night, after applying your before-bed serums, moisturizer, etc., to trap all the juiciness while keeping your face plump and not overly dry when you wake up. You can also massage some into larger areas like your elbows or knees if they need some extra moisture. I’ve been taking a bit of this down to the backs of my hands and wrists (both usually are super dry), and they always feel softer once I’ve rubbed this in.
My combination skin gets seasonally dry (especially once the radiator is on my pre-war apartment), so hydrating my skin before bed is critical, or I wake up with flaky dryness, especially around my chin and mouth. This has been a nice last step in my routine these past few weeks. I’ve been using a generous amount and focusing it around my chin and mouth before rubbing the rest into my neck and chest. It’ll stand the real test of time once the New York City winter chill becomes a primary factor in the coming weeks.
Final thoughts
Like with any skincare product, you want to keep your skin type and preferences in mind before dabbling into a buttery, thick-barrier slugging cream like this one. While drier skin types might eat this up, you may not love it if you’re usually super oily. But, again, this isn’t greasy or tacky at all, so it could feel good on any face that needs some extra love. It’s also completely fragrance-free, which is great if you have any sensitivities or strong preferences in that area.
Barrier Butter is available now, and it’s the first Rhode skincare product that comes in two sizes: an “on-the-go” 1.35 oz tube ($22) to toss in your purse, nightstand, etc. and an “on-the-shelf” 5 oz. ($38) tube that can live in your medicine cabinet, so you always have a little hydration boost when/if you need it.
