We Read 50 rhode Emails. Not One Had a Discount Code.

rhode is Hailey Bieber's skincare brand. In 2025, e.l.f. Beauty bought it in a deal worth up to $1 billion. One of rhode's own emails now says "now part of e.l.f. Beauty."

So we wanted to know how a brand like that uses email. We read 50 of rhode's marketing emails in a row, sent between August 14 and November 8, 2026.

Not one of them had a discount code. No "20% off." No countdown timer. No "last chance."

We put the best of them into a free swipe file. It has 10 of rhode's best emails, each with the subject line on top and a short note on why it works, plus a breakdown of all 50. Scroll and zoom right here:

Open the full file in Figma

Here is what we found.

1. Subject lines are three or four words

The average rhode subject line is 3.4 words long. Most are two to four.

Seal it in
Find your flush
Tint the night
Layer by layer
Teeny terracotta

None of the 50 subject lines uses an emoji. There are no capital letters shouting at you, no "you won't believe," no fake "Re:". They read like a caption a friend would write under a photo.

The preheader then does the explaining. "Seal it in" comes with "lock in moisture with Barrier Butter." The subject makes you curious and the preheader tells you what it's about.

What to take from it: if your subject lines need an emoji and a number to get opened, the problem is often the list's trust in you, not the subject line. Short and calm works when people already like what you send.

2. One photo, two lines, one button

Most rhode emails follow the same simple layout:

One big product or lifestyle photo
Two short lines of copy
One button

The buttons sound like a person talking: "Just in case." "Yours again." They don't say "Shop Now" in capital letters.

What to take from it: every extra block you add gives the reader another reason to stop. One idea per email, one place to click.

3. About four emails a week, almost always at noon

50 emails in about 12 weeks works out to roughly four a week. And 44 of the 50 went out at 12 pm Eastern time.

That's a lot of email. It works because every one of them is worth looking at. There's a new shade, a new way to wear a product, a creator's routine or an event. Nobody is getting four "SALE" emails a week.

Sending at the same time also trains the list. Fans know when the email is coming.

What to take from it: frequency is not what makes people unsubscribe. Boring, repeated emails are. If you have something new to show, you can send more often than you think.

4. How they get people to buy now, without a discount

If there are no discounts, where does the urgency come from? From these:

Drops with an exact time. The Alexandra Leclerc collaboration was announced, then celebrated, then "now live."
Restocks the fans asked for. "Pretzel is back forever." "Scented tints are here forever."
Waitlists before a launch. People sign up before the product exists, so launch day already has buyers.
Proof on the photo. "Award-winning glow" puts the Allure Best of Beauty win right on the hero image.
Real-world events. The rhode summer station on the Amalfi Coast got two emails of its own.

Every one of these gives people a reason to buy today that has nothing to do with price.

5. Content that isn't a sales pitch

A big share of the emails don't sell one product hard. They show how to use one.

"3 ways to wear Pocket Blush"
"The first step in your routine, for 3 different skin types"
"lip contouring: how to create fuller-looking lips"
Creator routines, like "@madhulikasharmaa's late night faves"

These emails keep people opening between launches, so the launch emails land with an audience that's already paying attention.

Why this matters for your brand

A lot of e-commerce brands do the opposite of rhode. Every time sales dip, they send a discount. After a few months the list learns the pattern and waits for the next code. Full-price sales drop, margins shrink, and the brand has to discount even harder.

rhode shows another way to do it. Give people something new to look at, keep the emails short, send at a steady rhythm, and create urgency with launches, restocks and proof instead of price cuts.

You don't need a celebrity founder for most of this. You need a clear layout, short copy, a sending schedule you stick to, and a calendar of real reasons to email: new products, restocks, how-to guides, customer stories and reviews.

Get the swipe file

We put 10 of rhode's best emails into one Figma file. Each email has:

The subject line and preheader on top
The full email design
A note on why it works

There's also a breakdown of patterns across all 50 emails. Use it as a reference the next time you plan a campaign.

Open the rhode email swipe file in Figma →

All emails are rhode's own public marketing emails. We are not affiliated with rhode or e.l.f. Beauty.