“We understand we missed the mark”: e.l.f Cosmetics respond to ‘Overpriced Beauty’ ad backlash featuring Matt Rife

Elf Cosmetics took to Instagram on August 13 to apologize for featuring Matt Rife in their new ad. The affordable beauty brand collaborated with drag queen Heidi N Closet and controversial stand-up comedian Matt Rife for their latest campaign, which launched on 11.

In the statement, elfcosmetics said,

"You know us, we're always listening and we've heard you. this campaign aimed to humorously spotlight beauty injustice, we understand we missed the mark with people we care about in our e.l.f community. while e.l.f.ino & schmarness closes today, we'll continue to make the case against overpriced beauty (red heart emoji)."

The ad titled, "The Law Offices of e.l.f.ino & Scharmanes" features Rife and Heidi playing personal injury attorneys who protect customers from overpriced beauty products. However, e.l.f. and the ad soon received backlash for featuring Matt Rife, who cracked a domestic violence joke in his 2023 Netflix special.

Why did E.l.f. Cosmetics receive backlash for collaborating with comedian Matt Rife?

Comedian Matt Rife, in his 2023 Netflix special, had joked about domestic violence. Netizens and audience believed that the ad was insensitive for collaborating with Rife for an ad targeted towards women.

In the episode, Rife detailed a story about a waitress who had a black eye,

"And my boy who I was with was like, 'Yeah, I feel bad for her, man. I feel like they should put her in the kitchen or something where nobody has to see her face. And I was like, 'Yeah, but I feel like if she could cook, she wouldn't have that black eye."

After receiving backlash for his remarks, instead of apologizing, Rife posted an Instagram story with a link to helmets for those with disabilities, with the caption,

"If you've ever been offended by a joke I've told - here's a link to my official apology."

While talking to People about his ad with e.l.f, Rife spoke up about the "biggest beauty crimes",

"Charging $30 for mascara should honestly be a felony. I'm not out here blending foundation or applying highlighter, but even I know when something's overpriced. That's the whole point of this campaign: calling out the absurd stuff in beauty and defending the people's wallet."

In the interview, he also spoke about working with Heidi, his daily skin care essentials, his pre-show grooming rituals, and how much time it takes for him to get ready for an event. He also added that he says a prayer to his grandpa before every show.

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