E.L.F. enters hair care, brings “E.L.F.fordable luxury” to mass beauty

E.L.F. has entered the hair care category with a six-piece “prestige-quality” portfolio. The move aims to bring luxury-standard products into everyday beauty rotations with their accessible price points.

According to E.L.F., the launch addresses consumer demands for affordable hair care, with 77% of those in the company’s community expressing purchase intention of hair care products.

“Our community has been asking us to bring ‘E.L.F.fordable luxury’ into hair — and we listened,” says Kory Marchisotto, president at E.L.F. Brands. “E.L.F. Hair is a natural next step, rooted in our belief that the best of beauty should be accessible to every eye, lip, face, and now hair.”

The six-product launch features Never Thirsty Moisturizing Shampoo, Never Thirsty Moisturizing Conditioner, Gloss Mode Treatment Oil, Humidity Hero Anti-Frizz Styling Spray, 3-in-Wonder Magic Styling Cream, and 3-in-Wonder Magic Styling Cream Wand.

Consumer informed products

In what it refers to as its “Zero Distance commitment,” E.L.F.’s business model centralizes consumer insights to inform its products, believing that “modern brands grow by proximity, not polish.”

In a pilot launch approach, the company released two limited edition hair styling products — Power Grip Styling Wand and Power Grip Hair Gel + Brush bundle — earlier this year. The styling products boasted successful numbers as the company reported 96% positive sentiment across all social platforms, and that 65% of purchasers across connected commerce were new to E.L.F.

E.L.F. also presents broader market data around how consumers regard their hair. A majority of consumers (84%) view hair as a form of personal identity and self-expression. Additionally, 73% of women and 75% of men between the ages of 18–34 report deriving joy from caring for their hair.

The launch is accompanied by a campaign starring actress Peyton List and digital creator Yonna Jay, and features a cameo by cryptid Bigfoot, to offer “unexpected and entertaining” content.

Affordable luxury

ELF says consumer insights shaped its hair care debut.

Earlier this year, E.L.F. entered the fragrance market with an all-vegan limited edition eau de parfum collection in partnership with H&M. The three-piece launch consisted of H&M’s olfactory interpretations of E.L.F.’s best-selling cosmetic products — Power Grip Primer, Halo Glow, and Camo.

Similar to the narrative around E.L.F.’s entry into hair care, the fragrance collection heavily focused on E.L.F.’s and H&M’s “shared belief in democratizing access to high-quality beauty experiences,” said Cathrine Wigzell, general manager at H&M Beauty.

Over its two-decade presence in the beauty market and its affordability-focused launches, E.L.F. has carved out a place for itself in the “affordable-luxury” space. This space may prove to be increasingly valuable as high-shelf luxury is experiencing a fiscal lull, largely due to political and economic volatility.

Earlier this week, Luxury beauty conglomerate and powerhouse LVMH was rumored to be considering the offload of its stake in Fenty Beauty as it reassesses its beauty portfolio amid the weaker luxury demand.

The rumored deals involving Fenty Beauty and Remedy reveal how the luxury conglomerate and its affiliates are repositioning in a softening luxury beauty market.

At the top of the portfolio, LVMH may be parting with one of its highest-profile beauty assets. MarcyPen Capital Partners has reportedly emerged as a contender to buy its 50% stake in Fenty Beauty.

Lower down, LVMH’s affiliated money is still flowing in. Dermatologist-developed skin care brand Remedy raised US$20 million in a Series A led by L Catterton, the LVMH-affiliated, independently run private equity firm.