A bag charm and a lip tint have caused a backlash against Alexandra Leclerc. Shortly after her long-awaited Rhode collaboration launched, F1 fans accused her online of copying the idea from her husband Charles Leclerc's ex-girlfriend, while dismissing the rest of the collection as 'just another lip gloss'.
On the F1 WAG snark forum r/f1wagssnark, users pointed out that the charm looked suspiciously similar to an existing line from Charlotte Sine, who dated Leclerc before Alexandra came into the picture. One commenter accused her of 'throwing shade', while another said the timing was far too convenient to be a coincidence.
Whether that is a genuine pattern or fans hunting for rivalry where none exists, it has turned a straightforward beauty launch into a proper row.
The Charlotte Sine Charm Controversy
This charm accusation is the sharpest point of contention in the whole discussion. Some fans reckon Alexandra took the idea outright, pointing out that Charlotte's own charm brand came first.
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Others think that's a stretch, arguing bag charms are hardly a new invention and that Rhode is simply following a trend already sweeping fashion and beauty. Either way, it is this comparison, not the products themselves, generating the most heat online.
Is the Collection Worth the Hype?
Once the copycat chatter settles, a second argument takes over: whether the range offers anything genuinely new. The peptide lip tint draws the most eye-rolls, with critics labeling it as just another lip gloss, while defenders argue its formula is designed to plump and firm the lips, not just add colour.
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The mini blush drew its own criticism for being almost impossible to see in photos, with one person joking the campaign looked more like an advert for hair products than makeup. The bag charm fared no better, dismissed as 'so tacky'.
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For sceptics, all three products sum up the wider complaint that this collaboration sells a vibe rather than anything genuinely new.
Not everyone views it as a flop. Supporters argue the smaller, travel-friendly format solves a real problem for anyone struggling to fit full-size products into a small bag, and that the shade range covers skin tones often overlooked in bigger launches. For these fans, the collaboration is less about reinventing beauty and more about Rhode widening its customer base.
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Why Some Fans Say She Looks Different This Time
Plenty of the conversation has focused purely on the photography. Several commenters felt Alexandra looked far more relaxed and natural than in past campaigns, describing her as 'relaxed, loose and natural' compared to her usual, stiffer posing.
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Supporters see this as proof she is growing into her own as a public figure, while critics think it is simply a new look over the same old celebrity collaboration formula.
What began as a beauty launch has quickly turned into a bigger conversation about whether Alexandra can be taken seriously as a beauty figure in her own right, rather than someone borrowing credibility from her husband's fame and the Rhode's brand name.
With the collection only just landing and the charm comparisons still spreading fast, the real test comes once the reviews start rolling in.
