Social Rocket
e.l.f. Cosmetics is expanding its brand strategy with another entertainment format: with “Mirror Mix”, the beauty brand is releasing its second own compilation album. Seven emerging artists are involved, including Brasko, Flau’jae Johnson, Hello Sister, Joaquina, Mamii, NEZZA and Sadie Rose Van. At the same time, Venezuelan singer-songwriter Joaquina is becoming the new brand ambassador.
The album will be available on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. The tracks are also set to be available in e.l.f. UP! on Roblox. A joint Genius Open Mic with a live audience has additionally been announced for 30 September 2026.
Music becomes a recurring brand format
“Mirror Mix” is part of e.l.f. Made, the brand’s entertainment division for music, sports, gaming and other cultural formats. With this, e.l.f. goes beyond a single celebrity deal and builds a recurring content system.
Similar approaches can be seen at other brands too. Coach combines “Live Your Story” with Spotify, events and Gen Z communities. Gap is trying to build entertainment more strongly into its brand management with its “fashiontainment” strategy around boy band JYT.
Joaquina becomes brand ambassador at the same time
The connection with Joaquina is particularly close. According to e.l.f., she is its newest brand ambassador. Her song “Ya No Estoy” was created in collaboration with e.l.f. and the agency CROING and is also meant to serve as the second single of her new musical phase.
This means the brand is not only the sender of a campaign but part of its production and distribution. For creator and influencer marketing, this is relevant: co-creation can generate more credibility than pure placement, provided the creative role of those involved remains clear.
Streaming, Roblox and live content interlock
Distribution is deliberately designed across platforms. Streaming services provide reach, Roblox creates an interactive touchpoint, and the Genius Open Mic generates additional live and social material.
In the beauty sector, Sephora’s TikTok Shop strategy with exclusive drops and creator lives also shows how brands interlock platform mechanics, creators and commerce.
According to company information, the first e.l.f. album by 2024 achieved more than 500.000 Spotify streams and 10 million YouTube views. These figures come from e.l.f. itself and have not been independently audited, but they explain why the brand is continuing the format.
What marketers can take away
Three points are particularly relevant:
- Entertainment works better as a system than as a single stunt. Recurring formats create more connection points for social, streaming and community.
- Co-creation can be stronger than classic sponsorship. When artists help create real content, the brand becomes part of the format rather than just its sender.
- Platforms should play different roles. Streaming provides reach, Roblox provides interaction, and live formats add further content.
For e.l.f., “Mirror Mix” is therefore less a music project alongside its core business than another building block of a brand strategy that connects beauty with entertainment and community.