Company Description
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (NYSE: ELF) is a purpose-led beauty company in the retail trade sector, focused on cosmetics, skincare and related beauty products. According to the company, its mission is to make the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip and face, combining positivity, inclusivity and accessibility across its portfolio. e.l.f. Beauty positions itself as a different kind of company that seeks to disrupt norms, shape culture and connect communities while operating as a public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker ELF.
The business operates a multi-brand model. In its own descriptions, e.l.f. Beauty highlights a family of brands that includes e.l.f. Cosmetics, e.l.f. SKIN, Keys Soulcare, Well People, Naturium and rhode. These brands are described as being led by purpose and driven by results, with a shared emphasis on e.l.f. clean and vegan products. The company states that its offerings are double-certified as cruelty free by both PETA and Leaping Bunny, and that it is proud to have products made in Fair Trade Certified facilities, noting in several disclosures that it stands as the first beauty company with Fair Trade Certified facilities.
Within this portfolio, e.l.f. Cosmetics is described as the global flagship brand. The company characterizes e.l.f. Cosmetics as making the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip and face by bringing together beauty, culture and entertainment. It emphasizes delivering premium-quality products at accessible prices, and notes that many products are positioned as e.l.f. clean and vegan. e.l.f. SKIN is referenced alongside e.l.f. Cosmetics in multiple announcements, reinforcing the company’s presence in both color cosmetics and skincare within mass and specialty retail channels.
e.l.f. Beauty’s own communications underscore a strong focus on ethical and social-impact dimensions of its business model. The company repeatedly highlights that it donates at least 2% of the prior year’s profits (or 2% of net profits, depending on the specific disclosure) to organizations that make positive impacts, citing areas such as boardroom diversity, animal welfare, health and wellness, women’s empowerment, LGBTQ+ advocacy, disaster relief and other causes aligned with its values. In its FY2025 Impact Report, e.l.f. Beauty frames this approach under an evolved purpose statement: to make the world a better place for every eye, lip and face.
From an operational standpoint, e.l.f. Beauty describes itself as a company whose brands are “elevated by superpowers,” a phrase it uses to refer to attributes such as accessible pricing, clean and vegan formulations, and culture-shaping marketing. The company notes that a large share of e.l.f. Cosmetics products are priced at or below certain thresholds to maximize accessibility, and that a significant portion of its brands’ products are manufactured in Fair Trade Certified facilities, as detailed in its impact reporting. It also reports progress on packaging intensity reduction and the use of Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood handles in cosmetic brushes, positioning these efforts as part of its broader environment and sustainability focus.
e.l.f. Beauty’s filings and press releases show that it pursues growth through both organic expansion and acquisitions. An 8-K filed in August 2025 details the completion of the acquisition of HRBeauty LLC, known as rhode, which became a wholly owned subsidiary of e.l.f. Cosmetics. The transaction was funded in part through a new term loan facility under an amended credit agreement, illustrating the company’s use of debt financing to support portfolio expansion. Pro forma financial information and audited financial statements for the acquired business were later filed in an 8-K/A, reflecting the regulatory requirements associated with this type of transaction.
In its proxy materials, e.l.f. Beauty describes its performance track record and market positioning in the consumer sector. The company notes a long run of consecutive quarters of net sales and market share growth, and states that e.l.f. Cosmetics is a major mass cosmetics brand in the U.S. by unit and dollar share. It also highlights growth in skincare through brands such as e.l.f. SKIN and Naturium. These disclosures emphasize the company’s strategy of gaining share in color cosmetics, skincare and international markets, and its belief that there is significant whitespace for further expansion.
Beyond products and financial performance, e.l.f. Beauty emphasizes culture and community engagement as core elements of its identity. The company frequently references campaigns and partnerships that align with its purpose, such as its “Change the Board Game” coalition to expand boardroom diversity, its investments in women’s sports through partnerships with organizations including the National Women’s Soccer League and other leagues and events, and social-impact initiatives like the “Sound of Kindness” campaign with Beekman 1802 and Kindness.org. These programs are presented as extensions of the company’s belief that “anything is e.l.f.ing possible” and its desire to connect with communities through shared values.
e.l.f. Beauty also participates in digital and interactive experiences as part of its brand-building efforts. The company has launched and expanded experiences on the Roblox platform, including e.l.f. UP!, Glow Up! and related virtual environments that focus on entrepreneurship, financial literacy and self-expression through virtual makeup. These initiatives are described as community-led and co-created, designed to empower players to express themselves and reflect e.l.f. Beauty’s mission in virtual spaces.
As a U.S.-based public company, e.l.f. Beauty files regular reports and current reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K and proxy statements. These filings provide detailed information on its financial condition, results of operations, acquisitions, governance and executive compensation. The company’s common stock is registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ELF, as confirmed in multiple 8-K filings.
Business model and brand portfolio
e.l.f. Beauty presents its business model as building and scaling purpose-led beauty brands that offer clean, vegan and cruelty-free products at accessible prices. The company’s own descriptions emphasize:
- A portfolio of brands (e.l.f. Cosmetics, e.l.f. SKIN, Keys Soulcare, Well People, Naturium and rhode) that collectively cover color cosmetics and skincare.
- A focus on e.l.f. clean formulations and vegan products, with double cruelty-free certification from PETA and Leaping Bunny.
- Manufacturing in Fair Trade Certified facilities for a substantial portion of its products, which the company highlights as a differentiator in the beauty industry.
- Marketing that seeks to disrupt norms and shape culture through campaigns, partnerships and digital experiences.
Revenue and profit details, as well as segment performance, are disclosed in the company’s SEC filings and earnings releases. For example, its second quarter fiscal 2026 results press release discusses net sales growth across retailer and e-commerce channels in the U.S. and internationally, along with metrics such as gross margin, SG&A expenses, adjusted EBITDA and net income. These figures illustrate how the company’s strategy translates into financial performance, but they are time-specific and best reviewed directly in the underlying filings for the most current data.
Purpose, impact and governance
In its FY2025 Impact Report and related communications, e.l.f. Beauty frames its operations around an integrated view of purpose, people, performance and possibilities. The company reports on areas such as donations to causes aligned with its values, participation in coalitions to improve board diversity, progress on environmental targets like packaging intensity reduction, and the extent of Fair Trade Certified production. It also describes its governance structure and executive compensation practices in its definitive proxy statement, where it outlines items of business for its annual meeting, including director elections, advisory votes on executive compensation and auditor ratification.
For investors and other stakeholders, e.l.f. Beauty’s combination of a multi-brand beauty portfolio, emphasis on clean and vegan products, Fair Trade Certified facilities, and stated commitment to social impact and inclusivity defines its role within the cosmetics and personal care landscape. Its ongoing SEC reporting, impact disclosures and brand communications provide a detailed view of how the company seeks to balance growth, ethics and community engagement over time.