The (G)low Down:
e.l.f. Beauty launched “Zero Distance,” a new Substack designed to bring our community closer to how we think, build and lead.
Zero Distance is focused on transparency, storytelling and connection.
The “Zero Distance” Substack features essays, Q&As and insights from leaders, creators and voices across the e.l.f. Beauty portfolio, including e.l.f. Cosmetics, e.l.f. SKIN, Well People, Key Soulcare, Naturium, and rhode.
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The platform reflects e.l.f. Beauty’s belief that modern brands grow by proximity, not polish.
Zero Distance is free to subscribe and open to all.
We have liftoff! e.l.f. Beauty officially launched our Substack, titled “Zero Distance” — a new owned content platform from e.l.f. Beauty, designed to bring our community closer to how we think, build and lead.
This new content platform is an extension of how we show up as a beauty brand: transparent, community-first and always listening. We call that Zero Distance, letting the walls disappear between our C-suite and e.l.f.z (what we call ourselves) and the community we serve. At its core, Zero Distance reflects e.l.f. Beauty’s belief that modern brands grow by proximity — not polish — and by meeting communities where they already are with transparency and intention.
Who We Are: Bold disruptors with kind hearts.
Our Mission: We make the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip and face.
These principles guide everything we do at e.l.f. Beauty — and Zero Distance is a natural expression of how we disrupt norms, shape culture and connect communities through positivity, inclusivity and accessibility.
Substack provides a space for meaningful connection with our community, allowing us to go deeper and tell the stories behind our brand strategy, company culture and innovation across the e.l.f. Beauty portfolio, including e.l.f. Cosmetics, e.l.f. SKIN, Well People, Keys Soulcare, Naturium and rhode.
Described as “the home for great culture,” Substack has more than 50 million subscribers and is rapidly growing. As a platform for “high-quality editorial content”, Substack fosters community-building through long-form storytelling and thoughtful insights.
For e.l.f. Beauty, Substack represents a strategic investment in owned storytelling — a channel where we can publish without filters, algorithms or intermediaries, and build long-term relationships at scale.
Storytelling is more important than ever in today’s media and retail landscapes. As reported by The Wall Street Journal*, “Media consumers are increasingly seeking information from trusted online voices. Newsletter platforms see significant growth opportunities in adapting the formats they offer to meet growing demand for even more personalized content.”*
In a fragmented attention economy, long-form newsletters offer something increasingly rare: time, trust and depth — all essential to building enduring brand loyalty in beauty.
It’s also good for business. According to Inc. Magazine**, “Storytelling is the power to generate sales,” while Ad Age*** notes that “curated storytelling gives brands more than an elegant creative approach — it delivers measurable results.”
On Zero Distance, e.l.f. Beauty is showing up with a thoughtful, behind-the-scenes view into how we build culture, community and category-disrupting innovation across e.l.f.’s portfolio of brands. With a dedicated veteran journalist as its “e.l.f.itor,” it will serve as an editorially driven space featuring essays, Q&As and insights from voices across our portfolio of brands, the e.l.f.iverse and the larger Substack community.
Topics will span leadership, innovation, culture, marketing, retail, technology and community — offering insight not just into what we make, but how and why we make it.
Zero Distance debuted with a post focused on our community and why we’re showing up on Substack, along with a column from Chairman and CEO, Tarang Amin.
Future content will continue to spotlight voices across e.l.f. Beauty — from leaders and creators to operators and partners — reinforcing Zero Distance as a living, evolving conversation.
Delighting our community has always been one of our values because our community inspires and informs everything we do. And while fans can engage directly with our ideas, stories and e.l.f.z, we can learn from our community, too.
This two-way dialogue is intentional: Zero Distance isn’t just a publishing platform, it’s a listening tool — shaped by feedback, participation and shared values.
Community building is a “vital differentiator” in creating “emotional connections that extend far beyond transactional relationships,” according to The Business of Fashion****.
“Today’s most resonant brands don’t just sell — they listen, co-create and connect with their consumers,” they wrote in a piece about how “authentic community building is redefining loyalty in fashion and beauty retail.”
“When done intentionally, these efforts pay dividends — higher engagement, deeper loyalty and advocacy that amplifies a brand’s story organically.”
Throughout, Zero Distance shows e.l.f. Beauty’s distinct personality — one fueled by positivity, inclusivity and accessibility — with the signature e.l.f. wink.
As e.l.f. Beauty continues to scale globally, Zero Distance ensures our growth never comes at the expense of closeness.
With accessibility in mind, Zero Distance is free to subscribe for every eye, lip and face to enjoy.
To sign up, please visit: https://elfbeauty.substack.com/.
We believe anything is e.l.f.ing possible — and this is another step in that direction.
Sources:
* WSJ
** Inc.
*** AdAge
**** Business of Fashion