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.
