After months of teasing on social media, Hailey Bieber‘s Rhode lip liner—a.k.a. the Rhode Peptide Lip Shape—is finally here. Featuring the brand’s signature peptide ingredient, the Lip Shape marks Rhode’s second color cosmetic launch following the release of the Pocket Blush last year.
If you’re a beauty obsessive, you’ve probably seen some of your favorite influencers swiping on the Rhode lip liner and blending out with its viral smudging end. The formula, which features skin-care infused makeup, promises “soft-focus color and high-performance skin care,” to give the lips a contoured effect.
Rhode Peptide Lip Shape
Rhode
As for the “skin care” in question? The brand says it uses a “short chain of three amino acids” to soften and hydrate lips as well as fenugreek extract, which derives from organic fenugreek sprouts, to enhance volume and give a firmer appearance.
The lip shape is available in 11 colors, all with different undertones: lift (a soft neutral pink), press (a warm pinky mauve), bend (a soft peachy beige), lunge (a rose beige), twist (a warm taupe), balance (a caramel brown), lean (a warm medium brown), stretch (a neutral mocha brown), flex (a rich neutral brown), spin (a rich plump brown), and move (a deep cool brown).
Described by the brand as “creamier and more effortless than a lip liner,” the lip shape can be used to line, over-line, and fill in lips and is meant to be paired with the Pocket Blush (another multi-use product) or the Peptide Lip Tint.
I was only able to receive three of the Rhode lip liners to test before launch (supply versus demand, people!) and chose my colors without swatches and based on the descriptions. Since the colors seemed to be divided into three families—pink, beige, and brown—I decided to try one from each that I felt would best suit my skin tone.
I was especially excited to try a brown shade, which has become my go-to color for lip combos recently. And the shade “spin,” a rich plump brown, greatly resembled one of my current favorite lip liners, the Fenty Beauty Trace’d Out Pencil Lip Liner in Brown’d Out.
Spin, rich plum brown
When I first applied spin, I worried that I’d picked the completely wrong shade. But I decided to trust the process and see if Rhode’s claims about the formula being soft-focused and easily blendable were true after all.
They weren’t wrong: The formula was really smooth and creamy, and I was surprised at how wide the tip was. It’s definitely more of a lip crayon meets lip liner, but the wide tip ended up being a lot easier to use because it doesn’t require as much precision. I applied a bit unevenly on my bottom lip—but again, I decided to trust the process.
I really went to town with the smudger, which looks like a tough plastic but is actually a really pliant, soft silicone-like material. It helped in diffusing the color and creating that contoured gradient. I topped things off with Summer Friday’s Lip Butter Balm in Hot Cocoa, which is a super sheer brown color. The pairing worked together beautifully, and I felt like my lips had a nice touch of dimension.
Rhode Peptide Lip Shape in Spin
Rhode
Lunge, rose beige
Lunge is described as a rosy beige, but it was more of a pink on my skin tone. I usually don’t apply lip liner under nude or pink lip products, but I was pleasantly surprised by lunge, a subtle rosy beige shade that layered well under my favorite Rhode Peptide Lip Tint in Toast, a rose taupe. It gave my lips just the right amount of dimension without looking too heavy or lined. In fact my lips looked more lifted than usual.
I’m not sure if the highly-touted skin care ingredients did much for me other than its functional purposes—an extra smooth and creamy liner—but then again, I recently wrote a whole story on whether or skin care is efficacious in makeup. The TL;DR? It’s a supplemental benefit that certainly doesn’t hurt.
Rhode Peptide Lip Shape in Lunge
Rhode
Stretch, neutral mocha brown
I realize this is another brown, however, it was more of a beige with my skin tone. I would consider the color a shade or two darker than my natural lip color and paired it with another good neutral for me: the Rhode Peptide Lip Tint in Toast. I found it to be a super flattering option for no-makeup makeup days when I want to look a bit more together. In a pinch, I can use it filled in all over my lips.
My only note of feedback? The liners aren’t very long-lasting. You’ll find yourself re-applying often, especially if you’re eating and drinking. Given that Rhode is all about the “you, but better” look, it’s not surprising that the formulas aren’t long-wear or full coverage. If you want something that survives the night, you might have to pivot to a traditional lip liner. It’s a better option for everyday, when you want hydrated, natural-looking lips.
Rhode Peptide Lip Shape in Stretch
Rhode
That being said, you might not mind the constant re-applying. There’s no denying that Rhode products have become a status symbol (again, supply versus demand!). Whenever I’ve pulled the Lip Shape out at dinners, it’s attracted lots of fanfare and questions. Plus, it’s truly easy and fun to apply. The smudger feels great to run against your lips, and the crayon goes on so smoothly.
At the very least, it’s a pretty low-stakes investment at $24. If you can get your hands on one, it’s worth discovering what all the hype is about.
Ariana Yaptangco is the senior beauty editor at Glamour. Follow her @arianayap.
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