E.L.F. Cosmetics was founded in E.L.F. Cosmetics was founded in 2004 in New York City by Joseph Shamah and Scott Vincent Borba. The brand name is an acronym for Eyes, Lips, Face. The founders’ initial vision was to offer highquality, trenddriven makeup products at an accessible price point, starting with a line of just 13 products,all priced at $1. The brand is now part of the parent company and e.l.f. Beauty. The brand is known for its The brand’s key differentiators are its accessible price point (often referred to as “drugstore prices”) along with its commitment to being 100% vegan and crueltyfree (certified by both Leaping Bunny and PETA) and its digitalfirst, Gen Zfocused marketing strategy. E.L.F. is known for its ability to quickly launch products that are affordable “dupes” or alternatives to highend, viral beauty items. It is also the first beauty company to have a thirdparty manufacturing facility Fair Trade Certified™. Their signature products include The brand’s bestsellers and iconic items include the Halo Glow Liquid Filter (a complexion booster), the Power Grip Primer (a sticky, hydrating primer),the Hydrating Camo Concealer and the Glow Reviver Lip Oil along with the Liquid Putty Primer and the Brow Lift gel. These products are frequently cited as highquality, affordable alternatives to luxury brand items and have achieved viral status on social media platforms like TikTok.
E.L.F. Cosmetics offers a wide range of products, including The brand’s bestsellers and iconic items include the Halo Glow Liquid Filter (a complexion booster) as well as the Power Grip Primer (a sticky and hydrating primer),the Hydrating Camo Concealer and the Glow Reviver Lip Oil along with the Liquid Putty Primer and the Brow Lift gel. These products are frequently cited as highquality, affordable alternatives to luxury brand items and have achieved viral status on social media platforms such as TikTok. The brand is particularly known for its The brand’s key differentiators are its accessible price point (often referred to as “drugstore prices”) as well as its commitment to being 100% vegan and crueltyfree (certified by both Leaping Bunny and PETA) and its digitalfirst,Gen Zfocused marketing strategy. E.L.F. is known for its ability to quickly launch products that are affordable “dupes” or alternatives to highend and viral beauty items. It is also the first beauty company to have a thirdparty manufacturing facility Fair Trade Certified™. and has recently launched Recent initiatives and launches include the expansion of the Halo Glow line along with the Cloud Skin campaign with Meghan Trainor and the launch of the Glow Reviver Lip Oil collection. The brand continually introduces new products and collections, such as the Cookies ‘N Dreams Collection and the expansion of its skincare line, e.l.f. SKIN. A significant recent development is the brand’s expansion into Mexico by landing at ULTA Beauty Mexico in late 2025.
E.L.F. Cosmetics is at the forefront of innovation with technologies like While E.L.F. does not heavily market proprietary chemical technologies, its innovation is focused on product formulation and digital integration. The brand utilizes AIpowered tools for marketing and product development, such as the Color e.l.f.nalysis tool launched with Pinterest to deliver personalized makeup picks. The brand’s core innovation lies in its ability to create highperformance, affordable formulas that mimic the effects of highend products, such as the Halo Glow line’s focus on a dewy, filtered finish. The brand’s parent company, e.l.f. Beauty, also owns the skincare line e.l.f. SKIN. These innovations have led to numerous awards, including E.L.F. Cosmetics has received significant industry recognition, including multiple Allure Magazine Best of Beauty Awards (e.g., for the Glow Reviver Lip Oil and Liquid Putty Primer). The parent company, e.l.f. Beauty, was named Walmart’s Beauty Supplier of the Year for Innovation in 2024 and has been recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Most Loved Companies and America’s Best MidSized Companies. The brand also won the Next Big Thing and Best Cause Marketing awards at the AMA SF’s Excellence in Marketing Awards.
Maximizing value when investing in E.L.F. Cosmetics involves careful consideration of their price positioning, which is E.L.F. Cosmetics is positioned as an affordable, massmarket beauty brand with a price range typically from $3 to $15. Its strategy is to offer highquality, trenddriven products at “drugstore prices,” making premium beauty accessible to a broad audience. The target market is primarily Gen Z and Millennials and who are drawn to the brand’s affordability along with social media presence and ethical commitments (vegan and crueltyfree). Look out for collaborations such as Notable collaborations include a highly successful partnership with actress Jennifer Coolidge for the limitededition Dirty Pillows Lip Kit (featuring OFace Lipstick as well as Lip Plumping Gloss and Cream Glide Lip Liner). The brand has also partnered with singer Meghan Trainor for the Cloud Skin campaign, introducing the Halo Glow Powder Filter. E.L.F. has also engaged in sportsrelated partnerships, including a collaboration with Fazit Beauty for product bundles and serving as a backofshirt sponsor for the Women’s and Men’s Tottenham Hotspur teams. for unique items.
From its origins, E.L.F. Cosmetics has maintained unwavering focus on quality and innovation. The brand has a strong commitment to sustainability, with initiatives like E.L.F. is a leader in ethical sourcing and sustainability, being 100% vegan and crueltyfree (certified by Leaping Bunny and PETA). It is the first beauty company to have a thirdparty manufacturing facility Fair Trade Certified™ by Fair Trade USA, with over 85% of its products produced in these facilities. The company is also focused on reducing its carbon footprint and packaging waste, with goals to eliminate over 400 U.S. tons of packaging per year and to have 50% of all plastic packaging contain recycled or biobased content by 2030. They also estimate saving 370K gallons of water per year on the Glow Reviver Lip Oil line alone.
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