Last week, Rhode Beauty officially landed in Mecca stores, and it was nothing short of chaos.
Lines stretched out the doors, the website crashed within minutes, and over in Sydney, Hailey Bieber herself hosted a launch event that made headlines – for all the wrong reasons. The controversy? A serious lack of diverse creators invited, leaving some questioning the inclusivity of the brand’s rollout. Kiwi fans were left watching from the sidelines, snubbed from any in-person fun, while Sydneysiders scored a selfie with Bieber herself.
As someone who had never tried Rhode before (outside of a bootleg phone case and a friend’s possibly Poisonous Lip Peptide from Thailand), I dove in with zero expectations – and plenty of curiosity.
Why Mecca? Rhode Skips Sephora
An interesting choice for Rhode’s AU/NZ launch was to stock exclusively with Mecca rather than Sephora, its North American distribution partner. According to Tracksuit data, Mecca is a leader in the beauty retail space: awareness sits at 72% (ahead of both the category average of 64% and Sephora’s 68%), with strong consideration (43%) and preference (14%). The audience skews 18–44, closely aligning with Rhode’s target demographic, and Mecca is widely seen as trendy, youthful, premium, and high-quality—all qualities that mirror Rhode’s own brand positioning.
Connor Archbold, CEO and Co-Founder of Tracksuit, explains, “In North America, Rhode uses Sephora to drive scale. In Australia and New Zealand, choosing Mecca signals a deliberate play, prioritising brand strength and alignment at launch rather than distribution alone. Rhode’s Australian and New Zealand launch is a strategic bet on an established retailer with strong brand equity, one whose meaning and audience already align with Rhode’s own.”
It’s great to see international brands recognising both AU and NZ as key markets, and Rhode’s Mecca partnership feels like a calculated move to win over the down under beauty audience from the get-go.
Glazing Milk
Let’s start with the Glazing Milk Ceramide Facial Essence. As a dry-skin girlie, this one lives up to the hype. Packed with ceramides, it left my face feeling plump, refreshed, and perfectly primed for makeup. Honestly, it smells like a Krispy Kreme glazed donut – if your skin could taste like dessert, this is it. The texture is lightweight but hydrating enough to make layering feel indulgent rather than heavy. First impressions: total winner.
Peptide Glazing Fluid
Layered over the Glazing Milk, the Peptide Glazing Fluid Dewy Gel Serum worked as the perfect hydrating base for makeup, locking in all the goodness from the milk. Its gel-serum consistency is lovely on the skin. That said, I was a little underwhelmed by the packaging and product weight – it feels a bit light in the hand. But let’s be real: it looks cute on the bathroom shelf, so I’ll let it slide.
Shop Peptide Glazing Fluid at Mecca
Pocket Blush – Juice Box
When I opened the Pocket Blush Buildable Hydrating Cream Blush – Juice Box, I was initially nervous. Juice Box is a bright, hot pink—far from my usual blush pick. But it surprised me: it applies like butter and buffs out into a beautiful, almost universal shade. I can see why some get “blush blindness” here – it does take a few layers to hit the pigment you want – but once blended, it’s stunning. Packaging again feels a little cheap, and the brown exterior could easily be mistaken for a bronzer stick in a makeup bag. Still, I’m curious to try more shades.
Peptide Lip Tint – Salty Tan
Finally, the Peptide Lip Tint Nourishing Glaze – Salty Tan. Nothing revolutionary here, but I was thrilled with the shade we received. Applying it felt like joining the Rhode community I’d only observed through other creators and Hailey herself – there was a cultural relevancy to it, if that makes sense. But, honestly? For the price, I’d stick with a trusty tinted Lanolips.
Shop Peptide Lip Tint at Mecca
Final Thoughts
Overall, Rhode’s first impression in my skincare routine is mostly positive. While some packaging feels light and a few products aren’t groundbreaking, there are definite winners here – especially if you’re a dry-skin type in need of that plump, dewy base. That said, Rhode feels very much like skincare made for the makeup girlies: the ingredients aren’t particularly targeted at long-term skin health or clinical results, but they do an excellent job prepping your face for flawless makeup application. For results-driven skincare, other clinical brands would be a better bet. Still, if your goal is a radiant, hydrated canvas for your makeup, Rhode hits the mark.
