With its latest acquisition of rhode, e.l.f. Beauty is well on its way to becoming the next major beauty conglomerate, but the buzzy brand isn’t stopping there. E.l.f. Beauty teamed up with Hello Sunshine, Reese Witherspoon’s media and production company, to launch Sunnie, a Gen Z-focused experiential media and lifestyle brand created to empower, celebrate, and uplift the next generation of women.

Witherspoon and e.l.f. Beauty Chief Marketing Officer Kory Marchisotto made the announcement at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in Cannes, France. Sunnie will target Gen Z through social content, experiential events, book clubs, and digital zines. The initiative will include collaborations with Gen Z creators and celebrities such as Lana Condor and Hello Sunshine Collective talents Molly Carlson and Raegan Revord.

“At e.l.f., we use our platform to create pathways for growth for the next generations. Our stars align with Sunnie’s mission to help young women star in their own stories,” said Marchisotto in a press release. “We are joining forces to create cultural change and give rising stars what they’ve been missing to reach their highest potential: tools, support, and space to shine.”

Founded by Witherspoon, Hello Sunshine focuses on telling female-driven stories across film, TV, and digital platforms. Past projects include Where the Crawdads Sing, Daisy Jones & the Six, The Morning Show, and Little Fires Everywhere, among others. As the sister label of Hello Sunshine, Sunnie will have an advisory board of teenage girls to help shape its content offerings.

“It’s been a dream of mine to build a space where young women can be the truest version of themselves,” said Witherspoon. “We’ve discovered that young women are not defined by doom and gloom as they’re often portrayed in media—they’re complex, creative individuals with incredible agency. Sunnie will be a celebration of that spirit, giving them the tools and community to navigate life’s challenges while embracing their authentic selves.”

To better understand its audience, Sunnie commissioned a research report in partnership with Être and YPulse that surveyed 1,000 girls ages 13-18. The data found that 92% of 13- to 18-year-olds appreciate brands that encourage them to define success in their own way. Responding directly to these key insights, Sunnie aims to offer young women the positivity, inclusivity, and accessibility they seek, rather than engaging in performative marketing.

“We couldn’t be more proud to have e.l.f. as a foundational partner in bringing Sunnie to life,” said Hello Sunshine’s Head of Direct-to-Consumer, Maureen Polo. “Sunnie is built to fuel connection, creativity, and confidence—and e.l.f.’s fearless approach to disrupting norms and celebrating self-expression makes them an ideal partner in this mission. Together, we’re creating a cultural force that meets young women where they are and empowers them to shine on their own terms.”

Witherspoon was inspired by her nieces, Abby and Draper Witherspoon, to create a version of the popular Hello Sunshine media and production empire for the next generation. Hello Sunshine is also home to Reese's Book Club, which is popular among millennial women.

“[Gen Z] don’t want us to tell them what they think,” said Witherspoon. “They know what they think. They don’t want to hear from me. They’re athletes (…) They love makeup. They love fashion, but they also love technology and AI.”

As a foundational partner, e.l.f. Beauty is supporting Hello Sunshine in its mission to create content around emotional wellness, identity, self-expression, and style discovery. The first project from this partnership was e.l.f. Beauty’s recently introduced color e.l.f.nalysis—a global, AI-powered digital experience designed to deliver free, personalized beauty recommendations via Pinterest. The tool was featured in Sunnie’s newsletter to help users discover their “color season” and own their personal aesthetic.

For e.l.f. Beauty, this partnership marks a strategic step in its ongoing mission to blur the lines between beauty, entertainment, and culture and connect with consumers on a different level. By joining forces with Hello Sunshine, the brand is not only extending its influence beyond the beauty aisle but also positioning itself at the intersection of storytelling, community, and purpose-driven content. It allows e.l.f. Beauty to move beyond traditional advertising, integrating its products and brand ethos into compelling narratives that resonate with consumers on a deeper, emotional level. With Hello Sunshine's powerful storytelling capabilities and deep connection with female audiences and e.l.f. Beauty’s cultural caché with Gen Z, Sunnie is poised to be a powerful player in the next wave of media.