Case Study: From Glazed to Global — Lauren Ratner’s Masterclass in Building Rhode
It began with a minimalist, modern and monochrome bottle -soft greys- Peptide Glazing Fluid bottle—bottle—soft greys—the now-iconic Peptide Glazing Fluid, a glossy balm-meets-treatment hybrid that quickly has become Rhode’s viral hero. An essential packed in an array of flavors that sold out before they even launched. A million-strong waitlist followed. And soon, Rhode was more than a skincare brand—it was the beauty whisperer of a new kind of beauty: one that enhances, not masks.
Hailey Bieber, founder of Rhode, isn’t about heavy glam or a restrictive beauty mind set. It’s about skin that looks like it just woke up from a 12-hour, deep REM sleep. It’s about looking effortlessly clean, the result of enhancing what comes from being. From the blush balms that leave cheeks radiant to a donut-glazed flush that feels more like a lifestyle than a trend. With what can only be described as a masterclass in brand marketing, Rhode has done the near-impossible: it’s transcended the typical celebrity beauty brand fate. It’s not just another vanity project or a one-off product launch—it has become a formidable force in the global skincare and cosmetic industry.
This isn’t just another in-between-gigs project—it’s a brand people repurchase. As I sit here, mind-mapping my next lip peptide gloss in Espresso (mind you, I’ve gone through four tubes already), I can’t help but marvel at its infallible formula. There is simply nothing like it, or at least I haven’t come across one like it. The cult status is real—and yes, I’m going there—I dare use the word iconic. But here’s the thing: it’s not by accident. It’s not just some stroke of luck. It’s strategy and hard work. And standing alongside Bieber, executing the revolutionary vision? Lauren Rtaner.
This is Rhode, and this is Ratner’s case study.
It’s no easy feat to bring the next big thing into fruition—especially in a time when everything changes by the second, and attention spans last less. But Lauren Ratner has made a habit out of cutting through the noise. Her approach? Creating solutions for everyday needs. Take their now-viral Lip Case, for example—a product that honestly deserves its own case study. Equal parts functional and stylish, it reimagines how we carry and interact with lip care. A solution no one needed but definitely wanted.
Ratner has said that every Rhode launch comes from an intuitive place, but it’s not just instinct—it’s backed by data and deep consumer insight. She and Bieber aren’t just launching products—they’re reading the room. And they get it.
You may ask, what is it that we want?
We want aesthetically pleasing packaging. We want a brand face who feels aspirational—someone we admire for her style, lifestyle, and beauty ethos. We want to belong to a shared space where beauty isn’t a performance, but part of a larger, daily act of self-love.
And by not surrendering into the trend-chasing strategies, they’ve carved authenticity, intention, and a little bit of gloss.
Ratner has been with Rhode since 2020. Previously, she served as Senior Director of Marketing at James Perse Enterprises, Inc. Prior to that she worked at Michael Kors as the Associate Manager of Global Marketing back in 2015. Then in 2016, she joined Reformation as Director of Marketing. Armed with a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Pennsylvania, she brought with her not just experience, but a thirst to be disruptive. Let’s just say: creative genius alert.
In today's attention-deficient digital world, that genius looks like this: Hailey Bieber casually drops a line on TikTok—“I don’t go to bed without looking like a glazed donut.” The internet goes crazy. Without hesitation or letting the hype die, under Ratner’s strategic lens, that one comment became a full-fledged cultural moment.
The move? An unexpected yet brilliant partnership with Krispy Kreme, releasing limited edition versions of their cult-favorite Peptide Lip Treatment in a doughnut Glaze flavor. Just like that—viral quote, viral product, massive sales.
That’s the Ratner difference. She knows that modern beauty isn't just about what you sell—it's about how you enter the conversation. And Rhode, with that in mind, is not just a part of the conversation, they are writing it.
