Just like with celebrity beauty brands, I have mixed feelings about collaborations. There’s the initial “Ooh! This could be fun” reaction to the news, often followed by “Ugh, but do we really need another one of these?” But every now and then, a cosmetics company will launch a collaboration that will spark immediate and sustained, unabashed enthusiasm in me. And perhaps it’s the caffeine talking, but I am so excited that E.L.F. is launching a collection with Dunkin’.
When I first heard about E.L.F. x Dunkin’ a couple of weeks ago and wasn’t allowed to tell anyone yet, I was reasonably suspicious. After all, it’s said to be launching on March 31 on E.L.F.’s website and on April 3 at Ulta Beauty — a somewhat dubious time of year. I consider myself a very good judge of what may or may not be an April Fool’s joke, and in the world of beauty-industry press releases, something with this level of quirk can definitely set off prank alarms. (I’m still patiently waiting for Head & Shoulders to launch a Knees & Toes body wash for April Fool’s Day.) But considering that E.L.F. had a highly successful and very real Chipotle collaboration in 2020, I really had no reason to believe that this marriage of two beloved brands is anything but the real deal.
There are five items on the E.L.F. x Dunkin’ menu, and they appeal to both coffee fiends and donut lovers. (I am proudly both of these things.) First, there’s The Dunkin’ Dozen ($16), three four-pan palettes with shades inspired by favorite donut flavors: strawberry frosted with sprinkles, chocolate frosted with sprinkles, and Boston kreme. In keeping with the donut theme, there’s also the Glazed for Days Lip Gloss Set ($12), featuring two tubes, each in one of Dunkin’s instantly recognizable logo colors.
