Rhode's Highlight Milk Delivers A Hailey Bieber-Level Glow

Just when I think I’ve kicked my beauty FOMO and have all the products I could ever need, Hailey Bieber teases a new Rhode launch, and all bets are off the table.

If you’ve followed the brand, you know the drill: Bieber starts sneaking an unreleased product into selfies, the internet turns detective, and by launch day, it's practically guaranteed to sell out.

The Rhode effect reached a fever pitch this spring, though, when Bieber started dropping hints about the brand's upcoming launches everywhere from Instagram makeup tutorials to behind-the-scenes photos from the Met Gala. Fans wondered: Why had she been looking especially bronzed and radiant lately? The secret’s finally out.

This week, Rhode officially announced its summer collection. Launching June 9, it includes the brand’s first-ever bronzer and Highlight Milk — a liquid luminizer designed to give your skin the kind of fresh, reflective finish that’s become the brand’s calling card. Naturally, after spending the better part of a month wondering what exactly was responsible for Bieber’s glow, I had to test it for myself.

Fast Facts

• Price: $28
• Best for: A dewy, shimmery finish
• Rating: 4.5/5
• What I like: The versatility — it works as a highlighter, primer, and body oil.
• What I don’t like: The glow started to look a little intense on my oily skin.

The Rhode Highlight Milk

When Rhode launched in 2022, it was strictly a skin care brand. Since then, it’s ventured into makeup with blush and lip products, but the ethos has stayed largely the same: no-fuss, nourishing formulas that make you look healthy and hydrated. The new Highlight Milk runs with that idea.

The glowy serum is all about makeup as skin care, promising a pearly shimmer while being packed with the same ingredients found in the brand's cult-favorite Glazing Milk, including ceramides, glycerin, vitamin E, and a mineral complex of magnesium, zinc, and copper. Like the rest of Rhode’s skin care lineup, it's also fragrance-free, dermatologist-tested, and has even earned the Seal of Acceptance by the National Eczema Association.

The hydrating formula comes in four shades: pearly pink and champagne for a more translucent glow, plus warm bronze and rich bronze for a deeper, sun-kissed tint. And you can use it in multiple ways. The brand suggests applying it under SPF if you’re on the go, mixing it with a foundation to sheer out coverage, combining it with a moisturizer, or simply wearing it across the body for a light-catching glow — just be sure to shake the bottle first.

My Review

NGL, when I first rubbed Highlight Milk onto the back of my hand, I was scared. The milky texture felt silky and hydrating enough, but the shimmer caught me off guard. Under my phone flash, I could see tiny particles of glitter, and my immediate thought was: Am I about to look like Robert Pattinson in that Twilight scene?

Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. Once I stepped into natural lighting, those visible sparkles disappeared, leaving behind a pretty pearlescent finish.

I applied the champagne shade all over my shoulders, then used it as a makeup primer for my face. I wasn’t convinced it would be hydrating enough on its own because the formula is *so* lightweight, so I moisturized one side of my face beforehand. Turns out, I shouldn’t have bothered. There was virtually no difference between the two — both sides looked equally smooth and glowy after I applied foundation and concealer.

That being said, less is definitely more. I got a little carried away when I first tried it and ended up looking 2016-adjacent. If you use it as a primer, I’d skip adding more as a highlighter on top — a thin layer gives you the best lit-from-within effect. But even when I applied too much, it never felt sticky. My skin just drank it up.

As for wear, I was genuinely impressed. It didn't transfer onto my clothes, and the radiance lasted all day. The only caveat? My oily T-zone. By late afternoon, I noticed my forehead looking much shinier than usual, and some of my makeup started separating around my eyebrows. If you have oily skin like me, you’ll probably want to keep the application concentrated on the high points of the face only.

Still, the payoff is worth the strategic placement for me. It lands in that sweet spot between noticeable and over-the-top — glazed and glossy, rather than glittery.

The Verdict

If you're the type of person who already owns bronzing drops, a glowy primer, a liquid highlighter, and a body shimmer, Highlight Milk might be your excuse to consolidate your collection. I used it on top of my makeup (magically, it didn’t disturb the cream products), mixed it into my body lotion, and wore it underneath my complexion products. Each time, it worked like a charm.

In terms of how to choose your shade, I’d worry less about matching your exact skin tone and more about what kind of glow you’re in the mood for. Of course, there’s a limit, but the formulas are on the sheer side, so it really comes down to the different undertones — the pearly pink gives a cooler glow, the champagne feels more neutral, and the bronze shades add warmth.

What impressed me most, though, was how much it streamlined my routine. Normally, this level of luminosity requires a combination of skin care and makeup. With Highlight Milk, it came from a single bottle. At the risk of sounding like my FOMO won, it absolutely lives up to the hype.