 | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cosmetics |
| Founded | June 2004; 21 years ago (2004-06) |
| Founders |
|
| Headquarters | Oakland, California, U.S. |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
|
| Products | Makeup, bath products, skin-care products |
| Revenue |  US$1.02 billion (2024) |
| US$150 million (2024) | |
| US$128 million (2024) | |
| Total assets | US$1.13 billion (2024) |
| Total equity | US$643 million (2024) |
Number of employees | 475 (2024) |
| Website | www |
| Footnotes / references Financials as of March 31, 2024[update].[2] | |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. is an Americancosmetics brand based inOakland, California. It was founded by Joseph Shamah andScott Vincent Borba in 2004.[3] The company sells items include bath and skin-care products, mineral-based makeup, professional tools,[4]eyeliners,lipstick,glosses,blushes,bronzers,brushes andmascara.[5][6][7] Its products are sold in 18 countries and in several stores includingTarget,[8]Kmart,[7]Dollar General[3] andWalmart.[5] Over half the company's sales come from its website, which is also as asocial networking site with over two million members.[9]
e.l.f. (short for EyesLipsFace[10]) Cosmetics was founded by Joseph Shamah and businessmanScott-Vincent Borba in June 2004, with the assistance of Shamah's father, Alan.[11][3][10] The duo originally met at a party in 2002; Shamah was a 23-year-oldNew York University business student. Borba previously launched brands such asHard Candy cosmetics.[11][12]
On February 3, 2014,TPG Growth bought a majority stake in e.l.f. Cosmetics.[1] Joey Shamah was replaced by Tarang P. Amin, who "has been appointed president, chief executive officer and director of e.l.f. Cosmetics."[1]
In August 2023, it was announced e.l.f. had acquired theWest Hollywood-headquartered skin-care brand, Naturium for $355 million.[13][14] The acquisition was finalized in October 2023.[15]
In April 2025, British professional auto racing driverKatherine Legge, supported by E.l.f. Cosmetics, competed in at least seven NASCAR National Series events, including a return to the NASCAR Cup Series in Mexico City in June of the same year. This partnership continues E.l.f.'s trailblazing presence in motorsports, following their role as the first beauty brand to sponsor a driver and activate at the Indianapolis 500.[16][17]
In May 2025, E.l.f. Cosmetics became the first beauty sponsor of theNational Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in a three-year deal starting with theNWSL Challenge Cup. The partnership includes a talent development initiative, the “Glow for Glory Contest,” and content collaboration with Footballco. It aims to support young female athletes and promote leadership through sports.[18][19]
E.l.f. announced on May 28, 2025 that it intends to acquireRhode,Hailey Bieber's beauty brand, for up to $1 billion.[20][21] The acquisition was completed in August.[22]
The company started with only 13 makeup products, but has since developed more than 300 products that include bath products, skin-care products, mineral-based makeup, professional tools,[4]eyeliners,lipstick,glosses,[6][7]blushes,bronzers,brushes,mascara,[5] and many more. Most items are considered affordable, with an average retail price of $9.[23] The variety of e.l.f. products allows the company to target a demographic with a broad age range, from teenagers to women in their 40s and 50s.[3] According to the company, all its products are vegan and free of animal testing.[24][25] The company supportsPETA's no fur campaign and has been reviewed inGlamour,Allure,Self,[7]InStyle, andGood Housekeeping.[12][26]
In 2011, the company carried different product lines, which include e.l.f. Studio, e.l.f. Minerals, and e.l.f. Essentials.[3]
In 2011, e.l.f. Cosmetics had three different lines:[citation needed]
As of 2023, the company has only two product designations,e.l.f. Cosmetics ande.l.f. Skin. The latter is a skin-care line similar to the discontinuede.l.f Bath & Body line, both includingmoisturizers,cleansers, and other skincare products.[3][23]
In January 2026, e.l.f. Cosmetics announced its first fragrance collection through a limited-edition collaboration withH&M. The partnership marked e.l.f.’s first fragrance release and its first global collaboration with a fashion retailer.[28]
e.l.f. Cosmetics is currently available in 18 countries including theUnited States,Canada,Australia, theUnited Kingdom,Saudi Arabia,France,Colombia, andSpain.[3][8] Products can be purchased at regional drug chains across the United States and Canada.[12] e.l.f products are most commonly found in Target. In March 2010, e.l.f.'s $1 and Studio line of products were placed in over 700Target stores,[8] with most individual items prices at $1 and $3.[5] Another Target expansion to include most outlets happened in March 2011.[5] Other stores includeUlta,[29]Dollar General,[3] andWalmart.[5] e.l.f. is also sold at various supermarkets and women's apparel discount retailers, often in four-tiered spinners or "fish bowls" in impulse-buy sections.[4]
In 2004, the company was having only partial success stocking its products in retail stores, includingdollar stores.[30]Glamour magazine wanted to feature an e.l.f. product but told the company they couldn't unless the product was nationally available for their 2 million-person readership base.[4][10] e.l.f. Cosmetics at that point had a website intended as a product showcase,[4] and that year it relaunched the site as ane-commerce site, quickly shipping out thousands of orders.[12] Since the premiere of the new site, e.l.f. products have been featured inGlamour over seven times.[31] The website is now the brand's primary sales vehicle[12] and accounted for approximately 50% of all sales in 2008.[6]
In June 2007, e.l.f. launched a beautyblog andadvice column that touts products (not only e.l.f.) and talks about celebrity sightings. Since then, the length of customer visits to the website has tripled.[6] All product pages on the site host a "chat now" button that lets customers connect directly with one of the company's in-house professional makeup artists. The site hosts a "virtual makeover lab", where customers can digitally test products on models or their own photos.[10] Customers can create a personal profile, publish and comment on blogs, converse with other customers, and access a beauty encyclopedia.[4] They can also create a "beauty profile" and are recommended e.l.f. products according to their skin type, hair and eye colors, and typical beauty regimen.[4][7] Also included is the option to create a wish-list that connects toFacebook,[6][32] or view educational web videos on makeup techniques and styles.[3][30]The website currently includes over 2 million members.[9]
In 2007, the company began to invest heavily inemail marketing, and its weekly email campaigns are considered byeCommerce-Guide to be the company's strongest promotion.[10] The company offers a near-constant supply of promotions to its customers, largely through its website. Subscribers on themailing list can earn points or gift certificates for making web referrals that turn into sales transactions.[6][32] Shamah claimed that as of September 2009, more than 500,000 friend referrals had come back to make a purchase.[10]
It also frequently hosts online events, and since 2010 has asked customers of all ages and ethnicities to submit to a casting resource to select a yearly model representative for the brand. Four selected individuals are brought to New York City to receivemakeovers from Achelle Dunaway, e.l.f.'s Creative Director and lead makeup artist, as well as participate in aphoto shoot. There are various cash prizes for nominees, and the winner is dubbed "face of e.l.f."[8][33]
e.l.f. products have been favorably reviewed in dozens of major magazines, includingGlamour,Allure,Self,[7]InStyle, andGood Housekeeping.[12] A segment on e.l.f. premiered on theStyle Network as well.[30] The business has been profiled by publications such asEntrepreneur,[11][32]CNN,[12]Retail Merchandiser,[4]Information Week,[6] andThe Wall Street Journal.[5] In December 2010, the e.l.f. product '100-Piece Endless Eyes Pro Eyeshadow Palette' was featured in "The O List: Holiday Edition" ("Oprah's Favorite Things") inOprah Winfrey'sO magazine. The magazine stated the set included "almost every color imaginable," and the product quickly sold entirely out of stock. In January 2011, e.l.f. reintroduced the product at half price, or $10.[9]
In April 2023, e.l.f. debuted a digital series, "Vanity Table Talk", which will be released monthly onYouTube,Instagram, andTikTok. The first episode featured actressJennifer Coolidge.[34]
In November 2023, e.l.f created theRoblox experience "e.l.f UP!", a Robloxtycoon game where players become entrepreneurs.
For the108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2024, e.l.f sponsored the No. 51 IndyCar ofKatherine Legge, becoming the first beauty brand to be a primary sponsor in theIndianapolis 500. This partnership (according to areport to investors) started after the previous years Indy 500.
e.l.f further sponsored Katherine Legge's racing for 2025, this time in NASCAR (both theCup andXfinity Series) for at least seven races starting at the Xfinity Series' return toRockingham Speedway in April.
On August 10, 2025, e.l.f. released an ad with comedianMatt Rife and drag queenHeidi N Closet playing lawyers who were fighting beauty injustices and overpriced products.[35] The ad gained controversy as Matt Rife has made sexist jokes that involved body shaming women, shaming women who wereOnlyFans models, and made a domestic violence joke to open his comedy special.[36] e.l.f released a statement on Instagram saying, "You know us, we're always listening, and we've heard you. This campaign aimed to humorously spotlight beauty injustice. We understand we missed the mark with people we care about in our e.l.f. community."[37]
During October 2004, just months after its founding, e.l.f. donated 20% of the proceeds from its 'Shimmering Facial Whip' to Win Against Breast Cancer's research and facilities. It also provided "Color Therapy Care Packages" tobreast cancer patients ininner-city hospitals inLos Angeles.[11]
The brand only uses products that arecruelty-free.[26] In 2007, it was announced that e.l.f. was sellingtweezers in afaux leather case[38] that read "e.l.f. Professional SupportsPETA in theFur Free Campaign. 50% of the proceeds from sales of these tweezers go straight to PETA!" CEO Joseph Shamah later earned PETA's "Trail-Blazer Award", given for "compassion and commitment to nevertesting on animals."[7]
e.l.f. Cosmetics announced the "Mi & You Can Make a Difference" campaign days after the2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami disaster, which helped fund relief efforts. The program donated 5% of all online purchases to the Red Cross for Japan's crisis recovery initiative.[39]
In 2024, e.l.f. conducted an advertising campaign entitled "So Many Dicks" that highlighted "that nearly as many men named Richard, Rick or Dick served on public US company boards as women altogether".[40][41] e.l.f. cites its loyal customer base in and CEO Tarang Amin has stated the company is not worried about anti-DEI pushback.[40]
