Dive Brief:
- California-based beauty brand E.l.f. Cosmetics debuted on Tuesday its first European business office in London, according to a press release.
- The company said prioritizing its international business is among its top priorities for overall growth and market penetration.
- The 10,000-square-foot space located at 2 Upper Street in Angel, Islington, serves as a global hub, the company said. The office currently has 40 employees.
Dive Insight:
E.l.f. Is leveraging its growth in the market to expand its European footprint. The company is now the No. 6 mass makeup brand in the U.K., compared to No. 12 five years ago - growing 10 times the market, the company said, referencing a Nielsen report in a press release. E.l.f. entered the U.K. with an e-commerce presence in 2014. In 2017, the brand first became available at physical retail through health and beauty retailers like Superdrug and Boots in 2019. According to the company, E.l.f. debuted in the Italian market late last year.
“We see significant runway in both the U.K. and other markets around the world,” said Tarang Amin, Chairman and CEO. “Our vision to empower a global community that shares our vision of positivity, inclusivity and accessibility means we are moving into markets where there is an opportunity to connect more directly with consumers and demonstrate directly that we are a different kind of company,” Amin said.
In addition to its international operations, E.l.f. is prioritizing color cosmetics and skin care.
This month, E.l.f became one of the first beauty brands to launch a virtual experience for Apple Vision Pro, the mixed-reality headset. The “your best e.l.f.,” app has guided meditations, an interactive paint-by-numbers game and three environments modeled after popular “holy grail” products from the brand.
Additionally, the brand acquired Natrium in August 2023 for $355M with the deal expecting to double E.l.f. 's skin care presence to about 18% of retail sales. At the time of the acquisition, Amin hinted at future opportunities for growth outside the U.S
