The six haircare products will first be available on TikTok Shop, from June 16, followed by the Elf and Target websites from June 24, and then across US Target stores starting July 5. (Target is the brand’s exclusive retail partner.) “Obviously, we are a very socially driven brand,” Marchisotto says. “With the massive acceleration of TikTok Shop, we’ve seen unbelievable traction with our brands.” Beauty shoppers spend 55% more on TikTok Shop ($59.84) than they do off-platform ($38.54), according to recent research by Globaldata, while 53.4% of users who discover a beauty brand on TikTok Shop go on to make a purchase, which is the highest conversion rate of any category.
Launching on TikTok is a buzz-driver too, Marchisotto adds. “The other thing that is really important is that it sets off the flywheel,” she says. “It’s where discovery and exploration happen, and we want to make sure that we can speak to a wide audience — and then give them the opportunity to shop directly through TikTok Shop, if they would like.”
Much of the social rollout will center around Elf’s haircare campaign, which stars TikToker Yonna Jay and actor Peyton List, who encounter an Elfed-up Bigfoot in the woods (with great hair). “We put a lot of stimuli to market, we have a large number of campaigns, and the ones that perform the highest are entertaining and funny,” Marchisotto says. On June 16, Elf is also adding haircare to its Roblox product repertoire, plus a collection of exclusive hair accessories.
Beyond the initial launch, the haircare growth opportunity is big. The global haircare category is expected to grow 24% by 2030, reaching $173 billion — and, in doing so, outpacing growth of established beauty verticals including makeup and fragrance. “When we created Elf Skin, we didn’t think it would cross the $200 million mark as quickly as it did. So what’s important for us here is to walk in eyes wide open, to be incredibly curious, to listen to our community, and to follow the signals wherever they may lead us,” Marschisotto says. “We know that the global haircare market is massive. So there’s plenty of white space opportunity here.”
Marchisotto is anticipating both category and product range expansion, which, she says, will be driven by consumer feedback, as is the company’s usual approach to growth. She’s not ruling out future haircare acquisitions, either. “We have made no secret that we are open for business as it relates to mergers and acquisitions,” she says. “So if we find another incredible brand that matches the Elf ethos and that can deliver a distinctive yet complimentary position in our portfolio, we are definitely open.”
Correction: Keys Soulcare is no longer part of Elf’s portfolio of brands as of May.
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