Hailey Bieber sells makeup brand Rhode to Elf Beauty in Ksh129B deal
Model Hailey Bieber’s makeup and skincare brand, Rhode, is being snapped up by Elf Beauty (ELF.N), opens new tab for about Ksh130billion, giving the budget cosmetic retailer access to a celebrity-endorsed product line that has become hugely popular among Gen Z and millennials.
Elf said on Wednesday it would pay Rhode shareholders Ksh103billion in a combination of cash and stock and an additional potential earnout consideration of Ksh25 billion subject to certain performance-related conditions.
Last month, Reuters reported that Bieber was exploring a sale of the brand, which could be worth more than Ksh130billion.
For Elf, the deal would mark a shift in strategy and expand into the prestige beauty market as the company faces weak demand from mass market customers who are being pressured by persistent high inflation.
“The Rhode deal is a bold move for e.l.f. into premium beauty at a time when the prestige side of the industry has lost some of its momentum as a result of consumers buying less or trading down,” said Sky Canaves, eMarketer analyst.
However, Rhode has bucked this trend, Canaves added, with a strong Gen Z following and significant buzz around its product launches, positioning it well for a strong expansion.
On the other hand, Rhode — which launched in 2022 and gained popularity with TikTok viral products such as its Ksh2,326 “peptide lip treatments” — sells exclusively through its own website or pop-up stores, relying heavily on Hailey Bieber’s social media influence.
“e.l.f. Beauty marks an incredible opportunity to elevate and accelerate our ability to reach more of our community with even more innovative products and widen our distribution globally,” Bieber said.
The company raked in about Ksh27 billion in sales for the year ended March 31 and is planning to start selling at Sephora stores across the U.S. and Canada coming this fall, followed by the UK.
“Rhode further diversifies our portfolio with a fast-growing brand that makes the best of prestige accessible,” Elf CEO Tarang Amin said in a statement.
Earlier this year, Elf’s shares cratered 20% after the company cut its annual forecasts and warned of weakening demand.
Elf’s deal with Rhode would mark its biggest acquisition to date and follows its acquisition of skincare company Natrium in 2023.
Bieber will continue her role as founder and will also act as a “strategic advisor” after the deal closes. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of fiscal 2026.
Separately, Elf on Wednesday refrained from providing a fiscal 2026 forecast due to uncertainty surrounding import tariffs despite beating Wall Street expectations for fourth-quarter sales.
The company, which sources about 75% of its products from China, down from 100% back in 2019, said last week it would raise prices by Ksh129 to combat tariff pressure.
Shares of Elf were down about 1% after the bell.
