Hailey Bieber‘s Rhode Skin brand has been praised for its response after being called out for not carrying flattering blush shades that worked on darker skin tones.
In a video posted earlier this month to TikTok by popular US beauty influencer Golloria George, she tested the new Rhode cream pocket blushes, but was met with disappointment.
George shared that the shades, which came in a range of different colors of pinks, oranges and mauves, made her look ‘ashy.’
‘I just feel like in 2024, if you’re gonna drop anything complexion that it should be able to work for any skin tone and complexion, right?’ she explained in a video earlier this month, adding that the blushes ‘needed some work.’
In a follow-up clip, she tested out the blushes again after receiving some negativity in the comments section, and applied more of the product and with different tools and brushes – but was still met with the same disheartening result.
This summer, Hailey Bieber’s beauty brand, Rhode Skin, launched their pocket cream blushes in a variety of colors
‘You guys keep saying, “Well, why does this blush look different on this person, oh, well, I saw this person try it, and it worked for them,”‘ she said.
‘For one, I don’t know why it looks different on that person, and for two, I have a very different complexion than most people, and not every product is going to look the same on dark skin, because there are different tones of dark skin,’ she continued.
‘What works on someone else, may not work on me.’
She also called out some of the ‘hateful’ and ‘violent’ colorism that was happening in the comments section.
After speaking out, the video made waves in the beauty community, and was met with almost 20 million views in total and thousands of comments, many of which agreed with her.
The review even reached Hailey Bieber herself, prompting the star to reach out personally to George and correct the issue, sending her two new shades of Rhode blushes that appeared to have a new formula.
George showed viewers the new shades in a TikTok posted this week – one a pink-y mauve color, and the other darker cherry, both of which looked gorgeous on her skin.
‘This is why I complain,’ she said, as she patted and blended the products on her cheeks.
Popular U.S. beauty influencer Golloria George tested out the new Rhode cream pocket blushes, but was met with disappointment
Bieber, who recently gave birth to son Jack Blues Bieber with husband Justin, launched her beauty brand in 2022
‘You see how beautifully flushed I am without looking ashy?’ George said.
She then encouraged viewers to speak up for themselves.
‘This is why you advocate for yourself,’ the beauty guru said. ‘You see what happens whenever you’re not complacent, and that’s what we call redemption.’
‘Hailey, thank you for reaching out and listening to me and treating me like a human,’ she continued. ‘This is redemption.’
In a separate comment on the video, which was screenshotted and posted to Reddit, George also shared that the new mom to son Jack Blues Bieber called her on the phone, ‘took accountability’ and listened to her.
George added that she was also compensated for helping them consult on the shade, and that Bieber ‘didn’t dismiss’ her experience with the previous formula.
George posted the comment to her Instagram story, writing, ‘Not only did she listen to Black women, she also recognized the value of our time and energy.’
‘Handled with intention,’ she continued. ‘Muah!!’
The blushes currently come in six colors, including piggy, a light pink shade (left) and spicy marg, a peachy-pink (right)
George’s review even reached Hailey Bieber herself, prompting the star to reach out personally to George and correct the issue
Now, the beauty brand, which the star launched in 2022, is being praised by customers for their attentive and personal response to George, who boasts over two million followers on the platform.
In the comments section of George’s video, many users shared how grateful they were for her advocacy and Bieber’s response before the month was even over.
‘That’s amazing that Hailey reached out. The color looks gorgeous on you,’ one person wrote.
Another agreed, ‘This single-handedly made me a Hailey/Rhode fan!’
‘Hailey you’ve got a new fan because all makeup brands need to take note,’ someone else typed.
One user admitted, ‘That was fast, that was mature and class of Rhode, I love the brand.’
‘Hailey not only listened but took your criticism and made change FAST! Bravo to you and kudos to her!!!! Amazing!’ another seconded.
This is not the first time that George has gone viral for her powerful voice in the beauty industry, either.
George shared that Bieber personally called her on the phone and spoke to her, even compensating her for her input on the blush shades
In the comments section of George’s video, many users shared how grateful they were for her advocacy and Bieber’s response before the month was even over
Earlier this year, she shared her issues with the $48 Date Night Skin Tint Serum Foundation by the brand Youthforia.
The brand previously launched a foundation that upset customers because it included only 15 shades, and many influencers spoke out about how the brand was not inclusive.
This spring, the brand introduced 10 new shades, but the darkest shades contained no undertones, according to a cosmetic chemist.
George went viral after she put black face paint on one side of her face and applied the Youthforia foundation to the other to point out how similar they were.
In an interview with Elite Daily last month, George, who is from South Sudan, shared more of her story and thoughts on the beauty industry.
‘It finally feels like people are listening,’ George told the outlet about her viral Youthforia clip.
She said that she has also started ‘shade consulting’ with different brands.
‘They’re probably listening by force a little bit, but they’re listening,’ she said. ‘For a company to actually take accountability, come back, and do it correctly, that’s what we want. I definitely do believe in redemption.’