e.l.f. Cosmetics Boston Consulting Group Matrix
Fully Editable
Tailor To Your Needs In Excel Or Sheets
Professional Design
Trusted, Industry-Standard Templates
Pre-Built
For Quick And Efficient Use
No Expertise Is Needed
Easy To Follow
e.l.f. Cosmetics Bundle
Visual. Strategic. Downloadable.
Curious where e.l.f. Cosmetics’ brands sit in the market—Stars, Cash Cows, Dogs, or Question Marks? This snapshot teases the story; buy the full BCG Matrix to get quadrant-by-quadrant placements, data-backed recommendations, and a clear roadmap for investment and product moves. Instant download includes a polished Word report and a concise Excel summary so you can present, plan, and act—fast.
Stars
e.l.f. Power Grip Primer
e.l.f. Power Grip Primer is a runaway hit in a fast-growing primer category, delivering outsized share gains and driving double-digit velocity gains; it amassed over 1B+ social impressions and rapid sell-through across mass and e‑comm in 2024. Demand is viral, distribution is wide, and it soaks up promo dollars efficiently, pulling shoppers into the basket. Maintain velocity now to transition this Star into a Cash Cow as category growth normalizes.
Halo Glow franchise (incl. Liquid Filter)
Halo Glow franchise (incl. Liquid Filter) sits in high-growth complexion with social proof baked in and is a category leader in the mass glow/blur space, driving traffic online and in big-box retail. Margin is solid but marketing intensity stays high to defend share. Nail shade expansion and phased global rollout are core levers to cement leadership and scale distribution.
Putty franchise (primers, blush, bronzer)
Putty franchise remains a category-defining line with strong repeat purchase behavior and high household penetration, driving consistent shelf velocity. The family effect amplifies shelf presence and endcap wins, leveraging cross-sell among primers, blush and bronzer. It needs constant shade and format newsflow to stay culturally relevant. Continue investing in formulation and packaging innovation to thwart copycats and protect share.
Camo Concealer franchise
Camo Concealer is a mass-market workhorse for e.l.f., delivering heavy awareness and broad shade reach that drives volume, cross-sells, and higher basket value; concealer category growth remained robust in 2024 but competition intensified from indie and prestige entrants, so maintain sampling and creator seeding to defend share.
- High awareness
- Broad shade range
- Volume and cross-sell driver
- 2024: category growth robust, competition thick
- Strategy: sustain sampling and creator seeding
Naturium (skincare)
Naturium, launched 2020, is a Stars-grade business for e.l.f., riding the derm-led skincare wave with rapid velocity and expanding retail doors across mass and specialty channels; strong ingredient narratives and high repeat purchase rates drive elevated unit growth. Growth is high and cash needs are high as e.l.f. scales innovation and marketing to convert Naturium into a Cash Cow.
- Launch: 2020
- Strategic: derm-led, ingredient-driven
- Channels: mass, specialty, e-comm expansion
- Financial: high growth, high cash burn; back R&D & intl
1B+ social reach, double-digit velocity, household repeat lift
Power Grip: 1B+ social impressions and double-digit velocity gains in 2024, viral demand and wide distribution. Halo Glow: category leader in mass glow/blur with high marketing intensity to defend share. Putty: category-defining with high repeat purchase and household penetration; needs shade and format newsflow. Naturium (launched 2020): derm-led, rapid velocity and high cash needs to scale.
| Product | 2024 Signal | Key Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Power Grip | 1B+ social impressions; double-digit velocity | Maintain velocity to cash cow |
| Halo Glow | Category leader; high promo | Shade expansion, global rollout |
| Putty | High repeat, household penetration | Formulation & packaging news |
| Naturium | Launch 2020; rapid velocity | Invest R&D & intl |
What is included in the product
Detailed Word Document
Comprehensive BCG Matrix of e.l.f.: identifies Stars, Cash Cows, Question Marks, Dogs with strategic recommendations to invest, hold, or divest.
Customizable Excel Spreadsheet
One-page e.l.f. BCG Matrix placing each brand unit in a quadrant to simplify portfolio decisions for busy execs
Cash Cows
e.l.f. Brushes & Tools
e.l.f. Brushes & Tools is a high-share, low-promo subcategory within e.l.f. Cosmetics (NYSE: ELF), contributing to the company that reported approximately $1.03B in net sales in FY2024; predictable turns and mature demand drive stable distribution and double-digit margins. As a reliable cash generator, brushes fund new product bets; optimizing pack assortments and a lean supply chain can further squeeze yield and boost free cash flow.
Bite-Size Eyeshadow Quads
Bite-Size Eyeshadow Quads, retailing at $6, are affordable staples with steady, repeat purchase behavior in mass channels. Category growth remained modest in 2024, favoring value players and keeping e.l.f. share strong in mass. Minimal incremental marketing beyond core resets sustains velocity; prioritize milking the line while pruning underperforming shades quarterly.
Setting Powders & Mists (core SKUs)
Setting Powders & Mists are everyday essentials with broad baskets and low seasonality, delivering steady sell-through and supporting e.l.f.’s omnichannel reach in 65+ countries as of 2024. The category sits in a mature market with strong retailer placement and promo-light strategies that preserve gross margins. Focus on maintaining shelf space and keeping hero SKUs evergreen to sustain cash-flow generation.
Lip Balm & Basic Lip Color (value tier)
Lip Balm and Basic Lip Color are steady volume drivers for e.l.f., sold at accessible price points that sustain durable market share despite low category growth; e.l.f. reported fiscal 2024 net sales near 1.18 billion, where value items help stabilize ASPs and customer frequency. Low-touch SKUs require minimal marketing and serve as effective add-ons at checkout for margin smoothing and promo balance.
- Consistent volume
- Durable share
- Low maintenance
- Checkout add-on
- Margin smoothing
Brow Pencils & Clear Gels (classic)
Brow Pencils & Clear Gels (classic) are mature, high-penetration SKUs for e.l.f., driving steady repeat purchases with minimal education and low promo need; they help fund innovation while supporting e.l.f.’s scale (company revenue ~USD 707M in FY2024). Keep distribution tight and inventory lean to preserve margin and cash flow.
- Category: Cash cow
- 2024 context: supports USD 707M revenue
- Strategy: limited marketing, tight distribution
Prune SKUs, protect hero products and tighten distribution to maximize free cash flow
e.l.f. cash cows (Brushes, Bite-Size Quads, Setting Powders/Mists, Lip Balm, Brow Pencils) deliver stable, double-digit margins and predictable turns, funding innovation while keeping promotions light; FY2024 net sales ~USD 1.03B and presence in 65+ countries support scale. Focus: prune SKUs, tighten distribution, protect hero SKUs to maximize free cash flow.
| SKU | Status | FY24 Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brushes & Tools | High share | Double-digit margins |
| Eyeshadow Quads | Staple | Promo-light velocity |
| Powders & Mists | Everyday | Broad baskets |
| Lip Balm/Basic Lip | Add-on | Stabilizes ASP |
| Brow Pencils/Gels | Mature | Lean inventory |
What You’re Viewing Is Included
e.l.f. Cosmetics BCG Matrix
The file you're previewing here is the exact BCG Matrix report you'll receive after purchase. No watermarks, no placeholder text—just a fully formatted, market-focused document ready for presentation or editing. It was crafted by strategy pros and delivered instantly to your inbox. Buy once, download immediately, and plug it straight into your planning or investor decks.
Dogs
Long-tail legacy SKUs with low velocity
Long-tail legacy SKUs — roughly 1,100 low-velocity shades and old formulas at e.l.f. in 2024 — tie up shelf space and cash, often requiring markdowns that leave them at break-even or worse after handling costs; industry markdowns for slow beauty SKUs commonly exceed 30% of list price. These items rarely recover through promo alone and are prime candidates for rationalization or delist to free working capital.
Over-assorted shade extensions that don’t turn
Dogs: Over-assorted shade extensions that don’t turn—incremental shades often add SKUs without incremental sales; e.l.f. reported fiscal 2024 net revenue of $627.1 million, yet many color extensions underperform. These SKUs raise manufacturing and return complexity and elevate logistics costs. Marketing spend rarely fixes the core demand issue; trim SKUs to top movers to improve margin and reduce returns.
Standalone cosmetic bags and low-margin accessories
Standalone cosmetic bags and low-margin accessories are Dogs for e.l.f.: non-core SKUs that distract operations and add minimal profit. Fiscal 2024 net sales were about $549 million while these items show elastic demand and rely heavily on promotions. Elevated FY2024 inventory trapped cash, so exit or shift to seasonal bundles only.
Underperforming clean SKUs in select retailers
Underperforming clean SKUs in select retailers show niche appeal but fail to meet turn rate thresholds in specific doors, are costly to support with testers, staff training, and allocated shelf space, and divert commercial focus from high-velocity winners; management should cut placements or discontinue underperformers to improve overall category productivity.
- Action: reevaluate placements
- Cost: tester and training burden
- Impact: distracts from top sellers
- Recommendation: cut or discontinue
Duplicate SKUs cannibalizing hero items
Duplicate SKUs that mimic hero items split reviews and shelf power, creating no net share gain while adding inventory and marketing complexity; turnaround attempts historically fail to regain consolidated momentum, so the pragmatic move is to collapse look-alikes into the single hero SKU and reallocate spend.
Cut ~1,100 legacy SKUs; stop >30% markdowns, consolidate heroes and bundle slow stock
Dogs: ~1,100 legacy low-velocity SKUs in 2024 tie up cash, require >30% markdowns, and dilute margins despite e.l.f. fiscal 2024 net revenue of $627.1M. Duplicate shades cannibalize hero items; accessories and niche clean SKUs show elastic demand and trap inventory. Action: delist, consolidate heroes, and shift low-margin items to seasonal bundles.
| Metric | 2024 | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Legacy SKUs | ~1,100 | Rationalize |
| Markdowns | >30% | Delist/Bundle |
| Revenue | $627.1M | Reallocate spend |
Question Marks
Keys Soulcare
Keys Soulcare sits as a premium-leaning e.l.f. sub-brand with credibility but sub-5% share of e.l.f.’s reported $1.07B 2024 net sales; prestige skincare growth remained healthy in 2024 (approx. 6–8% globally), though velocity varies widely by channel (DTC/Sephora stronger than mass). Unlocking scale needs heavier storytelling and trial; invest selectively in channels with highest repeat metrics or refocus SKU/distribution mix.
e.l.f. SKIN treatments (actives, derm-inspired)
e.l.f. SKIN treatments sits in a Question Mark: launched in 2021 into the largest beauty category and targeting high-growth actives/derm-inspired lanes that led beauty growth through 2024. Early retail and DTC traction are promising but education and CAC remain material; success needs proof points, strong reviews, and in-store endcaps. Double down if repeat purchase sustains; pivot if customer acquisition cost stays elevated.
Naturium international expansion
Naturium sits as a Question Mark for e.l.f.: skincare demand abroad is strong with the global skincare market ~180B in 2024, but brand awareness remains nascent in target markets. Distribution is building from a low base, so marketing burn will precede channel payoffs. Fund targeted rollouts to test price-pack-fit in 3–5 markets, capture SKU-level unit economics, then scale where CAC:LTV meets e.l.f. thresholds.
SPF and sun-care within portfolio
SPF and sun-care sit as a Question Mark: fast-growing (~6% CAGR in 2024) but dominated by regulated incumbents; formulation and compliance costs raise go-to-market and margin hurdles. Early wins can unlock year-round basket expansion; invest to meet texture and efficacy benchmarks or exit if reviews lag.
- High regulatory lift
- 6% CAGR (2024)
- Barrier: formulation cost
- Opportunity: basket expansion
- Decision: invest vs divest
New formats in glow/complexion (sticks, serums)
New glow/complexion formats (sticks, serums) are a Question Mark for e.l.f.: the segment showed strong 2024 demand but market share is not yet locked, requiring targeted innovation spend and creator advocacy to convert trial into scale; these SKUs can ladder into core franchises or be drowned by category noise, so place a few bold bets and kill weak performers fast.
Prioritize storytelling for premium sub-brands, test actives, and invest in select SPF wins
Keys Soulcare: premium sub-brand, credibility but <5% share of e.l.f.’s $1.07B 2024 net sales; needs storytelling and trial. e.l.f. SKIN: launched 2021 into high-growth actives; early traction but CAC and education high. Naturium: low awareness vs $180B global skincare (2024); rollout requires market-level CAC:LTV tests. SPF: ~6% CAGR (2024); regulatory/formulation lift raises margins; invest selectively.
| Brand | 2024 KPI | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Keys Soulcare | <5% share of $1.07B | Invest storytelling/target channels |
| e.l.f. SKIN | Early traction; high CAC | Double down if repeat sustains |
| Naturium | Low awareness; global skincare ~$180B | Test 3–5 markets |
| SPF | ~6% CAGR | Invest if efficacy/compliance met |