Is Rhode Barrier Butter worth it?

Mostly yes. 5 of the 6 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 87%.

What is Rhode Barrier Butter's Guru Score?

Rhode Barrier Butter holds a Guru Score of 87%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 6 independent expert reviewers we have collected. It is also Guru Certified, our mark for products that hold broad approval across many expert reviewers.

Who is Rhode Barrier Butter best for?

Rhode Barrier Butter is generally suited to dry skin and sensitive skin.

Rhode

Barrier Butter.

Moisturizers

About this product

A thick, balm-like moisturizer formulated with hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid, niacinamide, and glutathione to strengthen the skin barrier and deliver long-lasting hydration.

Best for

Dry skin Sensitive skin

Type

Moisturizers

Key actives

Hyaluronic acidVitamin ECeramidesPeptides

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Full ingredients

Water (Aqua) (Eau), C13-15 Alkane, Butylene Glycol, C15-19 Alkane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Trioctyldodecyl Citrate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Synthetic Beeswax, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Polyglutamic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Bisabolol, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Dextran, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Benzyl Alcohol

Guru Score

87%

Approved

6 experts · Strong agreement

Guru Certified

Broad expert consensus

6Gurus

5Approved

1Mixed

0Skip

What the gurus are saying

This balm sinks in without leaving a sticky film, earning praise for genuinely moisturizing and protecting the skin barrier, though it spreads with resistance on damp skin and works best applied to completely dry skin. The polyglutamic acid and multiple weights of hyaluronic acid deliver a plump, glowing finish that holds up through the night, and dermatologists recommend it as a reparative layer on nights you skip actives like retinoids, or strategically on friction-prone areas like underarms and inner thighs to cut irritation.

Synthesized from 6 expert reviews · most recent take January 2026

Where to buy

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How it works Independent by design. Every take comes from a creator we have no relationship with. We do not ask anyone to review, and affiliate links never move a score.

Every take, in full

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Approved takes Critical takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

James Welsh

1.58M subs

✓Approved

"Rhode Barrier Butter surprised me in a very, very good way. I'm not a huge fan of the brand, but I'm not not a fan; I'm interested in the sense that I want to try everything Rhode has to offer because I feel like their products are good at worst and excellent at best. It has that thick, almost comforting, medical-feeling kind of texture to it, but this feels very elevated as far as the sensorial experience goes. The claims that Rhode make are that it helps strengthen the skin barrier, delivers deep long-lasting hydration, plumper and more toned-looking skin, softer fine lines over time, and an immediate glow. And honestly, it does 99% of that. I think Rhode are very good at their marketing without all the marketing fluff in their product descriptions. I feel like they never overpromise, so you're not left massively disappointed, even if you do find the products basic. Looking at the ingredients, there are five different weights of hyaluronic acid. Nothing new, but it's decent, it does the job it needs to do, meaning you get those different layers of hydration, giving you that plump glow-from-within kind of feeling and look. But then there's polyglutamic acid, which is kind of like a much better hydrator in my opinion."

Dr Dray

2.67M subs

✓Approved

"Their newer Barrier Butter with poly glutamic acid is so good. It's so good."

All 3 takes from Dr Dray

Moisturizer Stacking, Estate Sale & Ollie's Shopping | Vlog

"This is a balm, it's balmy, and so the spread of this on the skin is not easy. It's got some resistance to spread because it really wants to lie down on the skin ASAP and form a protective film. So if there's moisture on the skin surface, I find that that does not go on so easily. It's not as though it can't be done, but it doesn't glide on easily. Similar to if you were to take a diaper rash cream and try and put it on the skin while it's wet, you're going to get more resistance because these balms are intended to really help provide as much as possible a watertight seal, so they don't really mix well with damp skin. This has niacinamide and glutathione, those are antioxidants that help in the battle against hyperpigmentation, oxidative stress that contributes to skin aging, weathering from environmental aggressors, and niacinamide is also great for the moisture barrier as well."

*NEW* Rhode Barrier Butter | Dermatologist Reviews

"It does sink down into the skin nicely and doesn't leave that kind of cruddy film on the skin surface, but it does feel very balmy, very filmy, very thick and it's a little challenging to spread efficiently on the skin surface. But ultimately after using it for a week at this point both on my body and on my face it does do a good job moisturizing the skin, reducing transepidermal water loss. It's also very good at lubricating the skin surface and reducing external friction, which ultimately can further compromise barrier integrity. If you're someone who deals with redness, irritation under the arms, maybe the sides from sweat from running, from working out, this would be a great option to apply in that area to lubricate the skin and cut down on shaving and irritation. Likewise it's really good between the inner thighs, it's also good around the ankles if you get a lot of irritation there from friction, walking, running, maybe you wear a particular type of shoe that tends to rub in that area, sandals, strappy high heels. This is great to use to cut down on that irritation from that friction and from pressure from shoe straps. It has the eczema seal of approval on it. If you're using it strategically to just certain areas as a skin protectant it will go a long way."

Which Milky Toner Actually Lives Up to the Hype? Byoma vs Rhode & Celimax

"Their newer Barrier Butter with poly glutamic acid is so good. It's so good."

Dr. Sam Ellis

865k subs

✓Approved

"On the nights that you are not using your retinoid don't just use your regular moisturizer on your skin use a true barrier support and repair product like the Rhode Barrier Butter. These are going to be thicker, richer, more skin-supporting, more reparative, more soothing to your skin so that on the next night when you go in with your retinoid your skin is actually ready to receive it and benefit from it."

Caroline Hirons

251k subs

✓Mixed

"I really, really like the Rhode Barrier Butter. It's very nice, it's just cocooning but it's not too thick. I love it."

All 2 takes from Caroline Hirons

Glad We Had This Chat Takes New York - Katie Jane Hughes

"I really, really like the Rhode Barrier Butter. It's very nice, it's just cocooning but it's not too thick. I love it."

S2 Ep22: GLAD WE HAD THIS CHAT TAKES NEW YORK: Katie Jane Hughes

"I really really like the Rhode Barrier Butter. It's very nice, it's just cocooning but it's not too thick. It rubs around -- Skin Food is great but it's a certain vibe, and I love it but it's also like the scent sometimes throws me, and sometimes I want it and sometimes I don't, and it's greasy -- even the light one it's grease, the light one peels a little bit unfortunately. But I love the Rhode Barrier Butter."

Jamie Genevieve

976k subs

✓Approved

"When my skin is feeling dry, I love putting an occlusive layer over my skincare. Rhode Barrier Butter is so nice, it's so good, so thick."

Gothamista

684k subs

✓Approved

"I wouldn't normally include this in my end-of-year favorites, but Rhode Barrier Butter is kind of an exception. I would categorize it as a hybrid cream and balm; it's way more intense than your average moisturizer to just be classified as such. From first use I kind of fell in love with this because I've always longed for a formula that dares to be this intense. It kind of saved my skin during the period when I was really ill; there were moments where almost everything was cracking, I would just grab this, sloppily apply, and my skin was embalmed for a few days. This is not something that disappeared when I woke up the next day; 'protected' is probably the best word I can use. I also want to mention this will give you the most intense glow on the surface of your skin no matter what is happening underneath, no matter how dull, dry, cracked, or dehydrated. This is meant to be used during your evening skincare routine, although if you are going to be out in extreme weather conditions you could use it during the day as well. I use this as a moisturizer; it's kind of the two-in-one moisturizer and slugging effect. If your skin is really dry, you could even use this over your moisturizer."

Top Pick: intense moisturizer balm