e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF) has teamed up with Hello Sunshine to launch Sunnie, a bold new media and experiential lifestyle brand created to empower, inspire, and connect young women through a dedicated community built around real support, not pressure.
Sunnie is designed as a full-spectrum ecosystem focused on guiding Gen Z women through their formative years with tools that promote emotional well-being, creativity, and self-expression, without the expectation of having everything figured out. The brand’s founding principle centers on equipping young women with what they need to define success on their own terms.
The announcement marks e.l.f. ‘s foundational partnership in the venture, supporting Hello Sunshine, founded by Reese Witherspoon, in shaping a space that puts connection, confidence, and joy at the heart of everything. In a joint appearance at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity today, Witherspoon and e.l.f. Beauty Chief Marketing Officer Kory Marchisotto is leading a conversation titled “Joy Is Rebellion: Hello Sunshine and Gen Z Rewrite the Narrative.”
“At e.l.f., we use our platform to create pathways for growth for the next generations. Our stars align with Sunnie’s mission to help young women star in their own stories,” said Kory Marchisotto, Chief Marketing Officer, e.l.f. Beauty. “We are joining forces to create cultural change and give rising stars what they’ve been missing to reach their highest potential: tools, support and space to shine.”
To build a platform grounded in real experience, Sunnie conducted a research study in collaboration with Etre and Ypulse. The findings, from a survey of 1,000 girls aged 13–18, revealed that 92% of respondents value brands that encourage them to define their own vision of success. In response, Sunnie aims to deliver more than just inspiration, providing a platform filled with community-driven content, offline experiences, and meaningful resources.
“We couldn’t be more proud to have e.l.f. as a foundational partner in bringing Sunnie to life,” said Hello Sunshine’s Head of Direct-to-Consumer, Maureen Polo. “Sunnie is built to fuel connection, creativity, and confidence, and e.l.f. ‘s fearless approach to disrupting norms and celebrating self-expression makes them an ideal partner in this mission. Together, we’re creating a cultural force that meets young women where they are and empowers them to shine on their own terms.”
Sunnie’s offerings will span multiple platforms and feature content focused on identity, emotional wellness, style discovery, and storytelling. One highlight is color e.l.f.-nalysis, a playful beauty-meets-personality tool accessible via Sunnie’s newsletter and Pinterest that helps users explore their “color season” to embrace and own their unique aesthetic.
Sunnie is not just a media brand, it’s a growing community redefining what empowerment looks like for today’s young women.
About e.l.f. Beauty
e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF) is fueled by a belief that anything is e.l.f.ing possible. We are a different kind of company that disrupts norms, shapes culture and connects communities, committed to positivity, inclusivity and accessibility. Our mission is clear: to make the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip and face. Our brands, e.l.f. Cosmetics, e.l.f. SKIN, Keys Soulcare, Well People and NATURIUM are led by purpose, driven by results and elevated by our superpowers. e.l.f. Beauty offers e.l.f. clean and vegan products, all double-certified by Leaping Bunny and PETA as cruelty free and we proudly stand as the first beauty company with Fair Trade Certified™ facilities. A kind heart is at the center of our ethos: We donate 2% of net profits to organizations that make positive impacts.
About Hello Sunshine
Founded by Reese Witherspoon, Hello Sunshine puts women at the center of every story it creates, celebrates and discovers. Hello Sunshine tells stories across all platforms – from scripted and unscripted television, feature films, animated series, podcasts, audio storytelling, and digital series – all shining a light on where women are now and helping them chart a new path forward. Hello Sunshine is also home to Reese’s Book Club. Fast growing in reach and influence, this community is propelled by meaningful connections with stories, authors, and fellow members.
Hello Sunshine is part of Candle Media, an independent, creator-friendly home for cutting-edge, high-quality, category-defining brands and franchises. By bringing together elite talent operating at the intersection of content, community, and commerce, it helps to position leading entertainment businesses for accelerated, sustainable growth in the current market and beyond. Candle is run by its Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs, leading entertainment executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, and backed by investment capital from funds managed by Blackstone’s flagship private equity business.
