Hailey Bieber just became a billionaire. How did we get here?
Hailey Bieber is the latest celebrity-turned-entrepreneur to join the coveted billionaire club.
On Thursday morning, e.l.f. beauty, an American cosmetics brand, announced it would acquire the social media star’s skincare brand Rhode for US$1 billion ($1.5 billion). The sale comes a week after it was announced Rhode would be available at American beauty retail outlets of Sephora in an exclusive partnership, and a few weeks after Bieber starred on the cover of US Vogue.
Just shy of its third anniversary, Rhode’s rapid ascension to a billion-dollar valuation is rather remarkable, cementing her status beyond her famous family and husband. But who is Bieber? And how did we get here?
Justin and Hailey Bieber at the 2021 Met Gala.Credit: Getty Images
Who is Hailey Bieber?
Her modelling career and marriage to pop star Justin may have helped raise her profile, but 28-year-old Bieber was born into the world of the Hollywood elite.
An image of the couple the “first time they met”, according to a post shared by Justin Bieber on Instagram.Credit: Instagram/@justinbieber
Hailey Rhode Bieber, née Baldwin, is the daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin, younger brother to Alec Baldwin. Her mother is graphic designer Kennya Deodato Baldwin, daughter of Brazilian musician Eumir Deodato.
Bieber started working in the entertainment industry early, starring with her family aged nine in television documentary Livin It: Unusual Suspects and appearing alongside uncle Alec Baldwin in a 2009 episode of Saturday Night Live.
At 18, Bieber signed with modelling agency Ford launching a successful career in the fashion industry fronting campaigns for brands like Guess, Levis and Ralph Lauren and featuring in magazines like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.
Like many women who came of age in the 2010s, Bieber was a die-hard Justin Bieber fan well before she became his spouse. They dated briefly in 2015, before reuniting in 2018 and marrying in November that year. The couple welcomed their first child in August 2024.
The Rhode beauty empire
In June 2022, Bieber joined the leagues of other celebrity beauty entrepreneurs like Rihanna, Kylie Jenner and Selena Gomez when she launched Rhode, which is her middle name.
Despite the over-saturated market of celebrity beauty brands, the business move was a shrewd one given Hailey Bieber’s ability to command fashion and beauty trends, particularly among younger audiences.
“Hailey Bieber Nails”, for instance, topped Google’s list of most-search terms of 2022 in the beauty category.
The skincare brand enjoyed early success for viral products like a lip tint and lip gloss phone case, while its campaigns have inspired beauty trends like “glazed donut skin”, “vanilla girl make-up” and “latte-girl make-up”.
The brand more than doubled its customer base and brought in US$212 million ($330 million) in net sales between March 2024 and March 2025, according to e.l.f.’s announcement.
As part of the sale, Bieber will remain on board as chief creative officer and head of innovation, as well as acting as a strategic adviser to both companies.
In an exclusive interview with The Business of Fashion, e.l.f. chairman and chief executive Tarang Amin said of the partnership: “What we saw in Rhode was another like-minded disruptor. I see Hailey as much more than a celebrity, she is one of the most thoughtful founders I’ve ever met. She has incredible instinct, a beautiful aesthetic that’s absolutely resonating with her community.”
What’s going on with Hailey and Justin?
Over the past few months, the couple has been plagued by rumours of a split, largely due to Justin’s social media behaviour and growing concerns for the singer’s health.
In January this year, fans noticed Justin had unfollowed his wife on Instagram, which he later blamed on hackers.
After Bieber starred on the cover of US Vogue’s May issue, Justin reshared the image on Instagram, writing in a since-deleted caption that he once told his wife she would never make the cut:
“Yo this reminds me when Hailey and I got into a huge fight. I told hails (sic) that she would never be on the cover of vogue (sic). Yikes I know, so mean,” he wrote in the caption.
Justin later apologised for the comment.
The pop star’s former long-term girlfriend Selena Gomez has also been drawn into rumours over the marriage, including claims that Bieber “stole” Justin from Gomez.
Both parties have denied the separation rumours and continue to be photographed together, with Justin sharing the news of his wife’s e.l.f. acquisition on Instagram this morning. Bieber is perplexed that interest in the state of her marriage has not dissipated.
“Well, I thought seven years in it would’ve already, and it hasn’t,” Bieber said in an interview with USVogue .
“You would think after having a child, people would maybe move on, chill out a little bit, but no.”
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