This e.l.f. Cosmetics Campaign in Mexico Feels Like Watching Your Favorite Telenovela

This e.l.f. Cosmetics Campaign in Mexico Feels Like Watching Your Favorite Telenovela
Credit: TikTok/ @elfyeah

e.l.f. Cosmetics did something most brands never quite get right. Usually, brands that try to be “inclusive” throw in a Spanish tagline or cast a Latina model and call it a day. But we all know that speaking to the Latino community requires more than that. That’s why e.l.f. Cosmetics built an entire campaign around something deeply woven into Latino culture. They turned a beauty campaign into a telenovela. 

“At e.l.f., campaigns do not launch. Movements begin,” says Kory Marchisotto, Chief Marketing Officer of e.l.f. Beauty. “The telenovela format introduces beauty with an element of surprise.” 

The campaign, “Descubre e.l.f.ecto” (translated to “discover the effect”), reimagines beauty advertising as an e.l.f.enovela, a two-part series on TikTok and Instagram that delivers the intensity and theatrics of a classic telenovela. Only available in Mexico, the campaign introduces prestige beauty at accessible prices through a storytelling format that resonates across generations. 

Why Telenovelas Are Important to Latino Culture

Telenovelas hold power. They have shaped the way Latinos (especially Latinas) experience storytelling for decades. A mix of melodrama, romance, and scandal, they took inspiration from radio serials of the 1940s before transitioning to television in the 1950s. Mexico became a powerhouse, exporting some of the most influential telenovelas across Latin America, Europe, and even Asia. Iconic productions like María la del Barrio and Rebelde became household names, launching careers and influencing Latinos for decades. 

Their effect has been so grand that families have built routines around these shows. 

Grandmothers passed down their favorites. Mothers bonded with daughters over plot twists. Neighbors dissected every episode. Characters became household names, and their beauty standards influenced generations. Actresses like Thalía and Verónica Castro defined the aspirational looks of their time. A perfect blowout, a dramatic lip, and sculpted brows turned into symbols of the confident, glamorous protagonists at the heart of every telenovela. 

e.l.f. Cosmetics Gets It

e.l.f. understood that this history could not be ignored. After all, the e.l.f.enovela does more than reference a genre. It honors a cultural phenomenon that shaped beauty ideals, social conversations, and generational traditions. 

The brand launched in Sephora México in October 2024, bringing fan-favorite products like Power Grip Primer, Camo Liquid Blush, Brow Laminating Gel, and Glossy Lip Stain to a market that values high-quality beauty without the exclusivity. Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara will see real-life activations that immerse fans in the e.l.f.enovela, where beauty is as dramatic as the storylines. 

Watch the e.l.f.enovela unfold: 

@elfyeah

get a grip on your makeup (and your ex) with the viral Power Grip Primer! shop all your e.l.f. faves in Mexico, exclusively at @Sephora México – online and in-store. 🇲🇽 – – –  controla tu maquillaje (y a tu ex) con el Power Grip Primer viral! compra todos tus productos favoritos de e.l.f. en México, exclusivamente en @sephoramexico – en línea y en tiendas. 🇲🇽 #elfsephoramexico #elfenovela

♬ original sound – e.l.f. Cosmetics

@elfyeah

serve main character energy all day long with the pigment-packed Camo Liquid Blush. 💁‍♀️ shop all your e.l.f. faves in Mexico, exclusively at @Sephora México – online and in-store. 🇲🇽 – – –  energía de protagonista en todo momento con Camo Liquid Blush, un rubor líquido y altamente pigmentado.  💁‍♀️compra todos tus productos favoritos de e.l.f. en México, exclusivamente en @sephoramexico – en línea y en tiendas. 🇲🇽#elfsephoramexico #elfenovela

♬ original sound – e.l.f. Cosmetics

e.l.f. Cosmetics didn’t just tap into Latino culture. They stepped into it, script and all – and we are here for it.  

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