Our Mirror beauty lead got her hands on Rhode’s summer make-up range – here are her honest thoughts after a week of using it
There are very few brands that can create pre-launch hype quite like Rhode. Previous collections have amassed waitlists of up to 500,000 people, but for the new summer 2026 collection, numbers reached a whopping 700,000. And it’s hardly surprising, considering the latest range promised to deliver exactly what your skin needs to look its healthiest during the sunshine months.
Keeping true to Rhode’s skin-first ethos, the new launches come infused with this season’s buzziest ingredients – peptides and ceramides – and promise to give a Hailey-worthy glow and contour with minimal skill and effort. It’s also helped that the model-turned-mogul has been teasing the launches on her socials for a while now, creating a buzz before the product details even dropped.
Now launched, you can officially get your hands on the four new beauty buys (along with some other merch essentials). But be warned, stock won’t last long…
What’s in the Rhode summer ’26 collection?
Highlight Milk in four shades, £28
Pocket Bronze in eight shades, £25
Peptide Lip Shape in three new shades, £24
Peptide Lip Tints in three limited-edition new shades, £20
The star of the range really is the Highlight Milk, which the brand describes as giving “a touch of glow before you go”. In four shades ranging from a pink pearly hue to suit lighter skin tones, to a pearly rich bronze that complements darker skin tones perfectly, it’s easy to pick your shade.
Infused with a ceramide trio, vitamin E, and a mineral complex, it won’t just sit on your skin and look pretty; it’ll also improve the condition of your skin over time, and with wear. The result isn’t a pop of punchy highlighter, but rather a sheer glow that’s usually reserved for supermodels.
The second highly anticipated addition to Rhode’s growing make-up line-up is the Pocket Bronze. Made to mimic the best-selling Pocket Blush in terms of packaging and texture, it’s got an impressive eight-shade collection of light, medium and deep shades. If you have a dark skin tone, you won’t be disappointed by the depth of the deep tones.
I’ve secretly worn M&S’ new £22 luxury perfumes for weeks– one beat my Kayali favourite
A bronzer/contour hybrid, the cream texture glides over skin thanks to the hydrating formula, giving a natural skin finish rather than a cakey layer. The colour is also buildable, so you can blend it out to a full-face bronze or layer it slightly to give more of a contour to cheekbones.
If you’re a Rhode wearer already, you may already own a Peptide Lip Tint and a Peptide Lip Shape, but the two products have now expanded their range with summery new shades. The lip tints, with their nourishing peptide-infused formula, now come in Colada, a pearly peach tan, Macadamia Butter, a caramel brown, and Honey Mango, a pearly rosy bronze. The lip shapers – creamier and more seamless than a regular lip liner – have launched in a soft natural beige, a cool taupe, and a chocolate brown, so everyone can find their perfect match.
Zoe’s week of wear
The real perk of my job is that I can try out loads of lovely new beauty launches, but I will say, I’ve always had a soft spot for Rhode, much like everyone else. I’ve truly bought into the hype of it, so much so that I put my name on the waitlist as I would have been happy to buy the range myself.
In a stroke of joy, the summer 26 range arrived at my desk just a few days later, and I immediately added all the buys to my make-up bag. I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed, because I already use and love the lip tints and shapes, but I wasn’t expecting to love the Highlight Milk as much as I do. I’ve never really got on with highlighters – I often find they either make me look glittery or feel sticky – but a couple of drops of Rhode’s offering and I’m glowing. I don’t mean in an intrusive ‘hello, highlight’ kind of way. It gives a subtle, sheer glow that cheats healthy-looking skin. I’ve worn it every day for 7 days, and I’ve had multiple comments on how healthy my complexion looks.
As for the Pocket Bronze, it’s exactly what I hoped it would be. Creamy, lightweight, layerable – tick, tick, tick. I picked both of the light shades, and I can’t really decide between them, so I’ve been blending out the lightest tone into more of an all-over bronze, and then using the second lightest shade as a contour on my cheekbones and down the bridge of my nose.
All in all, it’s been a good, no, excellent, make-up week thanks to Hailey.
Looking for other buzzy beauty launches? Our beauty lead got a first look at Marks & Spencer’s new range of Studio fragrances, £22.50 for 100ml bottles, with scents ranging from luxe vanillas to more gourmand ambers.
