E.L.F. Cosmetics Products in Mean Girls Movie: Review
Every Single E.L.F. Beauty Product in the New "Mean Girls" Movie, Ranked
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Can you believe it's been 20 years since Regina George first got hit by a bus? That means two whole decades of trying to make "fetch" happen. To celebrate the fact that it didn't, we've got a brand-new "Mean Girls" film to enjoy. This time, it's part remake of the original and, hear me out, part musical. The singing takes a moment to get used to (I certainly wasn't prepared for Janis 'Imi'ike, this generation's Janis Ian, to burst into song in the opening number), but you'll be into it after the first 15 minutes.
It's also, coincidentally, 20 years since E.L.F. Cosmetics first launched as a super-affordable but very much under-the-radar beauty brand. Everything cost around $2 or less, but beyond the why-not prices, it was pretty much your run-of-the-mill drugstore brand. Slowly but surely, though, E.L.F. has been on the rise, with a glow-up to rival Cady Heron's. Now it's all over TikTok and products are selling out so fast that retailers can barely keep the shelves stocked. Case in point: its Halo Glow Liquid Wands were as hard to find as a junior-year girl who wasn't in the Burn Book when they launched last year. Its prices have gone up, but not to Freddo levels of inflation, with most things still under $15.
As I and my family-size tub of popcorn settled in to watch the new film, I started to notice a few E.L.F. products popping up here and there, like the skin care in Regina's bedroom and the makeup the Plastics were slicking on. But by the time Cady told Aaron that her lipstick was "E.L.F. O Face," it was clear this wasn't just a cute nod to a brand but an in-your-face, all-out paid collaboration.
I've watched some videos from fans who think it's unrealistic that Regina George would be using an $8 lip oil, but I, for one, didn't feel personally victimized by the decision. The integration actually makes a lot of sense to me. It's refreshing to see product placement that teenage girls, aka the demographic of the film, can actually afford. Well played, E.L.F.
Image Source: Jess Beech
If you've been influenced by Regina to stock up on cargo pants, flip-flops, and a whole load of E.L.F. products, you'll be pleased to know I've put everything I spotted in the film to the test, and you can bag the whole lot for less than $68.
1 E.L.F. Retinoid Serum
E.L.F. Skin Youth Boosting Advanced Retinol Serum ($22)
Spot it: In Regina's room
Finding a decent retinol serum can be confusing, but trust me when I say that this one from E.L.F. is good — really good. Instead of retinol (the most commonly used type of retinoid and the one you've probably heard of before), it uses a mix of retinal and Granactive retinoid, which work much faster than retinol and are far less likely to irritate your skin. These ingredients are normally only used by more expensive skin-care brands, making this a total bargain. The only catch is the yellow tinge, which is down to the color of the raw ingredients, but the silky texture and fine-line-busting results make it worth marking your pillowcase a little (don't worry — it washes out easy).
2 E.L.F. Lipstick
E.L.F. O Face Satin Lipstick ($9)
Spot it: Worn by Cady in class
I like lipsticks that don't make wearing them feel like a full-time job. Essentially something that glides on easily without the need for liner or a magnifying mirror and that won't jump ship the moment I take a sip from my water bottle. This is a real box ticker with a creamy, satin texture that's a doddle to swipe onto lips with impressive color payoff in just one coat. I did my usual apply, blot, reapply, and blot again, and that was enough to keep it in place for a good four hours before needing to touch up. It's available in 20 shades from neutral nudes to deep berry tones — and plenty of pinks for Wednesdays, obvs.
3 E.L.F. Cleanser
E.L.F. Holy Hydration! Daily Cleanser ($6)
Spot it: In Regina's room
When people ask me where in their beauty routines they should be spending money, I always say not to bother with a fancy cleanser. It's on your skin for such a short amount of time that it's really not worth splurging on — you just need something that gets rid of makeup and grime. This is exactly that: a relatively no-frills gel-based cleaner that did a brilliant job of whisking away excess shine and leftover makeup from the surface of my skin post-gym without leaving it feeling stripped or tight. Although it's a gel, which I'd normally recommend more for oilier complexions, the addition of hyaluronic acid and ceramides makes it gentle and hydrating enough for drier skin, too.
4 E.L.F. SPF 30
E.L.F. Suntouchable! Whoa Glow SPF 30 ($14)
Spot it: In Regina's room
Let me remind you that UVA rays (the kind responsible for skin aging and skin cancer) are present all year round, so you're not going to maintain Plastics levels of plumpness if you avoid it for half the year. Part SPF 30, part makeup primer, this glow-giving formula managed to make even my sun-starved, exhausted January skin look suddenly full of life. It's available in three shades that should suit most skin tones when worn on its own, or it goes completely undetected beneath foundation.
5 E.L.F. Contour Wand
E.L.F. Halo Glow Contour Beauty Wand ($9)
Spot it: When applied by Karen
The point of contouring is to amplify and exaggerate the shadows of your face so that you look like you've got cheekbones to rival Reneé Rapp (even if you don't). The padded applicator of this contour wand is the perfect size and shape to carve out your features, slotting neatly beneath your cheekbones, down the sides of your nose, and across your jawline. It also blends really well, so I wasn't left with any harsh, telltale lines. If anything, I'd say the color payoff could be deeper (I used shade Light/Medium), but it's probably better that way than straying into muddy territory.
6 E.L.F. Tinted Lip Oil
E.L.F. Glow Reviver Tinted Lip Oil ($8)
Spot it: When Regina drops it
Nothing says Plastics quite like glossy lips, and this one is as much of a keeper as Aaron Samuels. The applicator is huge (the brand describes it as XXL, and it's not joking), which makes on-the-go application easy. As a bit of an early-'00s throwback, the formula also has a slightly minty taste and scent to it, which tingles a little but doesn't sting. As it's an oil rather than a gloss, I'd say the texture is more tacky than full-on sticky, and it sinks into the lips over time as opposed to just sitting on top and drying them out. I wouldn't say I could see much of a difference from the tint (I used Pink Quartz), so if it's a change of color you're after, apply a slick of lipstick first and use this as a shiny topper.
