By Ali Ikhwan 
PARIS — In a move that signals the next chapter of its explosive global trajectory, Rhode, the beauty brand founded by entrepreneur and style icon Hailey Bieber, is officially crossing the channel. Starting this Wednesday, the brand will launch exclusively in over 500 Sephora doors across 19 continental European markets, marking the company’s most significant retail expansion to date.
For a brand that built its reputation on a digital-first, community-centric model, the transition into brick-and-mortar retail across Europe represents a strategic pivot toward physical accessibility. As the brand eyes the coveted $1 billion net sales milestone, this European rollout serves as a litmus test for its ability to maintain its “viral” status in diverse international markets.
The Geography of Growth: A Massive Continental Rollout
The scope of the expansion is comprehensive. Rhode is launching in Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey.
Until now, European consumers looking to purchase Rhode products were limited to the brand’s direct-to-consumer (DTC) platform, rhodeskin.com. By partnering with Sephora, Rhode is moving from a shipping-dependent model to an experiential one, allowing customers to engage with the textures, scents, and packaging that have defined the brand’s cult-like following.
Chronology: From Digital Native to Global Retail Powerhouse
Rhode’s journey from a niche skin care label to a global retail behemoth has been remarkably swift.
- June 2022: Rhode officially launches as a minimalist skin care brand, focusing on high-performance, accessible products.
- 2025: Rhode makes its high-profile entry into physical retail, launching in Sephora stores across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It quickly climbs to the top-selling spot in these markets.
- Mid-2025: Rhode enters the fold of E.l.f. Beauty, a strategic acquisition that provided the infrastructure for accelerated scaling.
- Summer 2026: The brand conducts a highly successful “summer stations” tour throughout Europe, building pre-launch hype and gathering data on consumer preferences in the region.
- September 2026: The official launch into 500+ Sephora doors across 19 European nations, accompanied by an immersive pop-up activation at Café Rhode in Paris.
Supporting Data: The Metrics Behind the Momentum
Rhode’s growth trajectory is nothing short of clinical in its precision. According to figures provided by CEO Nick Vlahos, the brand has seen astronomical financial growth. Just one year ago, in June 2025, the company was generating approximately $212 million in net sales. By June 2026, that figure had ballooned to over $500 million—a feat achieved despite a limited product assortment and restricted distribution channels.
Furthermore, the brand’s digital footprint provides a roadmap for its expansion. Approximately 74% of Rhode’s social media following is based outside of the United States. This data point was instrumental in convincing leadership that European retail was not just an option, but an immediate necessity. Rhode is currently ranked as the top skin care brand in the U.S. by earned media value (EMV), according to data from CreatorIQ, a testament to the brand’s ability to turn social media engagement into tangible sales.
Official Responses: The Philosophy of “The World of Rhode”
Hailey Bieber, serving as chief creative officer and head of innovation, emphasizes that this expansion is about more than just distribution; it is about the "retail experience."
“Every time we expand somewhere new, it feels just as special and exciting as the time before,” Bieber said. “But I think being able to expand into Sephora in Europe feels a little bit extra special, because it’s going to be the first time so many people will have a retail experience with Rhode. That always makes me very giddy.”
Catherine Spindler, president of Sephora Europe and the Middle East, echoed these sentiments, noting the alignment between the two companies. “Rhode’s social-first model, which has fueled viral demand and built a highly engaged global audience, resonates with Sephora’s commitment to bringing innovative and culturally relevant brands to our beauty community in the region.”
Lauren Ratner, Rhode’s cofounder and chief brand officer, highlighted the intentional nature of the rollout. “There has always been a global demand for Rhode, and European retail has been part of our plan from the beginning. We wanted to do it in a way that felt thoughtful and true to how we’ve built the brand. Selling directly to customers is how we built our community, and we were incredibly intentional about that.”
Strategic Implications: Redefining Retail
Rhode is avoiding a "cookie-cutter" approach to its retail presence. Instead, the brand is leveraging custom architectural builds, such as the immersive, 3D-inspired installations in select flagship stores. The takeover of the Sephora Champs-Élysées location in Paris is a prime example of this strategy, transforming a retail space into an extension of the brand’s identity.
Customization and Exclusivity
To incentivize the European launch, Rhode is introducing region-specific exclusives. The "Pretzel" collection—featuring a unique scent and a "mauvy pink" color palette—includes a limited-edition Baby Bubble Bag and the return of the Peptide Lip Tint in Lemontini. By offering these items in limited quantities, the brand creates a "discovery" element that drives foot traffic into Sephora stores.
The Role of "Café Rhode"
To celebrate the launch, the brand has opened Café Rhode at La Bonaparte in Paris’ 6th arrondissement. The pop-up serves as an offline touchpoint where the brand’s community can collect custom postcards and metro cards that function as vouchers for skin care samples at participating Sephora locations. This "surround sound" strategy—using digital hype to drive physical retail traffic—is a blueprint that the brand intends to replicate as it enters new geographies.
The Path to the Billion-Dollar Mark
With eyes set on the $1 billion milestone, the leadership team at Rhode remains bullish on their strategy. The goal is not merely to sell products, but to build an ecosystem.
“We want to make these products available to consumers throughout the world,” says Vlahos. “We are pacing very well, based on the growth numbers, to be able to achieve that ultimate goal that’s in front of us. So, a lot of opportunity lies ahead.”
As Bieber approaches her 30th birthday this November, she is already teasing a new, milestone-focused collection that will further blur the lines between skin care, lifestyle, and fashion. The success of the "phone case" launch—a peripheral product that sold out repeatedly—demonstrates that the Rhode brand has the "permission" from its consumer base to expand into categories beyond simple serums and lip treatments.
Conclusion: A New Decade for the Brand
As Rhode enters its third year of operations, the brand has successfully navigated the transition from a celebrity-backed project to a legitimate, high-growth beauty powerhouse. By successfully translating its digital engagement into physical retail performance in the U.K. and North America, and now across Europe, Rhode has proven that its "minimalist but intentional" philosophy has universal appeal.
The challenge now will be one of scale: maintaining the "exclusive" feeling of the brand while being available on the shelves of 500+ mainstream retail doors. However, if the current trajectory holds, Rhode is well-positioned to dominate the European market, further cementing Hailey Bieber’s legacy not just as a face of the industry, but as a formidable architect of modern beauty retail.
Sagoh 
Nana 