E.L.F. Cosmetics faces backlash after hiring Matt Rife in latest beauty campaign

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E.L.F. Cosmetics, a major Vegan beauty brand popular with Gen Z, is facing backlash for featuring comedian Matt Rife in its latest ad campaign. Critics say the partnership clashes with the brand’s values, citing Rife’s controversial humor, including his 2023 Netflix special Natural Selection, which drew criticism for jokes about domestic violence. The ad, part of E.L.F.’s “beauty justice” campaign, stars drag queen Heidi N Closet and Rife defending clients from overpriced products, but many fans say the messaging falls flat.  Rife, who recently became caretaker of the Warren Home & Occult Museum, rose to fame through viral TikTok clips and self-produced stand-up specials, eventually landing Netflix deals and a growing Gen Z fanbase. His critics point to his controversial jokes, including a dark opening bit in Natural Selection, and his sarcastic “apology” linked to a website selling helmets for people with disabilities. The controversy comes alongside a $1 price hike across E.L.F.’s product line, but many are more focused on the decision to hire Rife, seeing it as a deliberate attempt to spark conversation and boost brand awareness.

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00:00Elf Cosmetics, one of the biggest beauty brands for Gen Z, is facing a wave of backlash after

00:05featuring comedian Matt Reif in their latest ad campaign. Critics say the choice undermines the

00:09brand's values, pointing to Reif's track record of controversial humor. The August 10th commercial

00:15plays off Elf's beauty justice theme with drag queen Heidi in Closet as Alfino and Reif as Schmarnes,

00:21defending clients from overpriced beauty products.

00:30Elf's chief marketing officer Cory Marchesato called it a celebration of high-quality beauty

00:34without compromise to your wallet or your values. But some fans say the last part rings hollow.

00:44Online reactions were swift and harsh. One thread post read,

00:47For those who don't get why we should boycott our favorite vegan cosmetics,

00:51here's why Matt Reif is an issue. That post pointed to his Netflix special Natural Selection,

00:56where his dark, controversial humor was not well-received by the public.

00:59The comedian who recently made headlines as a new caretaker of the Warren Home and Occult Museum,

01:04home to the real Annabelle doll, rose to fame largely through TikTok clips of his quick-witted

01:09crowd work and self-produced stand-up specials.

01:12Because women are kind of like Cap'n Crunch, right? Like, they're the best right before they're gross.

01:18That success eventually landed him a Netflix deal and a growing Gen Z fan base, many of them women.

01:23Testing the waters, just seeing if y'all are still fun. Just wanted to see. Just wanted to see.

01:28But Reif's critics often point to his 2023 Netflix special, which opened with a joke about a

01:33waitress with a black eye, widely interpreted as trivializing domestic violence.

01:37Put her in the kitchen or something where nobody has to see her face, you know? And I was like,

01:42yeah, but I feel like if she could cook, she wouldn't have that black eye.

01:47When called out, Reif doubled down, posting a sarcastic apology that linked to a site selling

01:52helmets for people with disabilities, drawing further accusation of ableism. The backlash from the recent

01:57ad comes as Elf has just raised prices across its entire product line by a dollar,

02:01the third hike in the brand's 21-year history. CEO Tarang Amin defended the price increase,

02:06citing tariff pressure while still promising affordability. And while some have criticized

02:11the price increase without any improvement in quality, many more are concerned about the

02:15brand's decision to hire Matt Reif, with some feeling it's a deliberate attempt to stir

02:19controversy and boost brand awareness. But what's your take? Share your thoughts and follow us

02:24everywhere at What's Trending.

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