Hailey Bieber knows how to cause a stir, and her brand, Rhode, has had the beauty set buzzing since its 2022 debut. While the model-turned-beauty mogul has launched several swoon-worthy products, her latest drop is one fans have been waiting for. Aptly named Lip Shape ($24), the liner is made to deliver a subtle, your lips but better effect akin to the model’s signature look. It’s also loaded with the brand’s hero peptide ingredients to improve the appearance and feel of your lips over time.
Lip Shape is much more than a traditional lip liner and aims to give you a plumped effect and blurred wash of color. Ahead, we put it to the test to see if it’s worth the hype.
What makes Rhode’s Lip Shape special
Rhode’s Lip shape is defined as a contouring lip shaper and is designed to provide a sculpting effect, much like a contour wand or stick does for your face. While many lip liners are dual-ended, this one is distinctly unique. Instead of a true pencil, it features a crayon-like format infused with peptides and skin-care ingredients on one end and a small silicone smudger on the other. Together they deliver a creamy wash of color that diffuses and blurs beautifully thanks to the additional applicator tool.
The colors themselves are meant to match the undertones of your lips for a subtle yet enhanced look. The full lineup includes a diverse 11 hues that range from a soft neutral pink to a deep cool brown and are intended to be used to “shape” the natural curves of your lips.
How to use Rhode’s Lip Shape
Even if you’re not seasoned in the art of lip liner, you’ll find that applying Lip Shape is a breeze. The buttery formula glides on smoothly, while the larger tip ensures that the color deposits evenly across your lips. Despite the soft consistency of the product, you want to follow the natural outline of your lips and only add color to that area. Once applied, you can use the smudger to blend the shade towards the center of your lips, giving them a blurred and sculpted look.
My honest thoughts
The contoured lip look isn’t new, as lip combos have been trending for years now. Perfecting it usually requires a good amount of effort to appear undone. With Rhode’s Lip Shape, you get that effortless look in two simple steps. The liner is velvety smooth and melts into your lips, leaving behind a good amount of color, while the formula infuses them with skin-care ingredients to fight dryness and cracking. Applying the product is as foolproof as they come, and the silicone smudger makes it even easier. It’s pliable and glides over your lips gently to diffuse the color. It even has an angled tip in case you need more precision.
I tried Rhode’s Lip Shape in the shade Spin, a rich plum brown, and was pleasantly surprised by the effect. I’m a fan of MAC’s Nightmoth ($25) pencil liner, and this gave me the same moody look. It’s a touch darker than my natural color, but when blended, it helped enhance the pinker parts of lips much better than a traditional brown. The result was a blurred look that was natural and seamless. I topped my lips with a light gloss for added shine but can attest that it looks just as effortless with your favorite lip balm.
