How is e.l.f. Cosmetics performing amid the Rhode acquisition?
Following e.l.f. Beauty’s the high-profile acquisition of Hailey Bieber’s skincare brand Rhode —reportedly valued at up to $1 billion — new insights from YouGov BrandIndex explore public perception of e.l.f. Cosmetics in the US market.
We used YouGov BrandIndex, which tracks perceptions of brands on a daily basis, to understand how consumers view e.l.f. Cosmetics and who would consider buying from the brand.
E.l.f. Cosmetics’ Index score — a composite metric that averages six key brand health indicators — has seen a steady climb in recent months. The brand’s Index score averages 12.8 so far in 2025. While this is slightly below the sector average of 13.4, it positions the brand within reach of industry benchmark, according to YouGov data.
Let’s take a closer look at the broader aspects of brand health. These six key metrics from YouGov BrandIndex provide insights into the strengths and areas for improvement for the brand compared to the overall cosmetics and skincare sector.
E.l.f. performs strongest on Value, a metric that reflects perceived value for money. With a Value score of 13.9, it notably surpasses the sector average of 10.2. This suggests that affordability continues to be a key differentiator for the brand.
The brand also edges past the sector average on Satisfaction, registering a score of 11.9 compared to 10.6. This indicates that those who buy from e.l.f. are generally satisfied with their experience.
Despite strong marks in Value and Satisfaction, e.l.f. underperforms in perceived Quality. Its score of 12.5 trails the sector average of 16.8, signaling a potential gap between consumer expectations and product performance.
Consumer Consideration when planning to buy cosmetics
Despite some of the challenges reflected in e.l.f. Cosmetics' brand health metrics, its Consideration scores — indicating how likely consumers are to choose the brand during their next cosmetics purchase — remain strong. In 2025, its average Consideration score sits at 13.6%, around the sector average of 11%.
E.l.f.'s strong value perception and steady Consideration scores show it remains top of mind for American shoppers.
Looking further into whether there is a difference in Consideration score between Millennials and Gen Z reveals that both generations are as likely to shop at e.l.f. Cosmetics the next time with an average score of 16.2% and 15.3%, respectively.
Gen Z interest, in particular, has surged in recent months. Consideration jumped from 8.2% on April 6 to 26.1% by May 18, suggesting a wave of renewed enthusiasm.
Methodology: YouGov BrandIndex collects data on thousands of brands every day. A brand’s Index score is an overall measure of brand health, made up of General Impression, Customer Satisfaction, Quality, Value, Corporate Reputation and Recommendation and delivered as a net score. Its Consideration score is based on the question: “When you are in the market next to book a flight, from which of the following would you consider purchasing a ticket?” Data from surveys of adults aged 18 years and above residing in US from January 2025 to June 2025. The figures are based on a 4-week moving average. Learn more about BrandIndex.
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