The Big Dill: e.l.f. Cosmetics brought back its viral pickle lip balm with two new flavours

e.l.f. Cosmetics has brought back its viral pickle-inspired Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balm after the original release sold out in only eight minutes.

The limited-edition return expands the idea into three pickle flavours, supported by a pickle-shaped makeup sponge and an experiential activation at the Minnesota State Fair.

It is a playful example of how a beauty brand can respond quickly to online demand, use an unexpected cultural trend and turn a novelty product into a customer acquisition tool.

The original balm sold out in eight minutes

e.l.f. first introduced its pickle-inspired Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balm in February 2026.

The unusual combination of cosmetics and pickle flavour immediately attracted attention. What could have been treated as an early April Fools’ joke was a genuine product, combining the hydrating and glossy qualities of the Glow Reviver formula with a savoury pickle-inspired taste.

The limited release sold out in eight minutes. More importantly, 77% of the people who purchased it were new to e.l.f., showing that the product had reached beyond the brand’s existing beauty audience.

Instead of treating the sell-out as the end of a successful stunt, e.l.f. used the response as evidence that the idea could become a larger collection.

Three flavours offer different versions of the joke

The returning collection includes three limited-edition Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balms, each priced at $9 in the United States.

The Real Dill delivers the most traditional interpretation, combining a classic pickle flavour with notes of vinegar, herbs and dill. It comes in a sheer green shade that keeps the product connected to its main inspiration.

e.l.f. von Dill offers a lighter combination of sweet, salty and tangy flavours. Created as a nod to German pickle fans, it has a glossy pearl finish and a fresher flavour profile.

Spicy Lil’ Dill takes the collection in a bolder direction. It combines a pickle flavour with a chilli pepper kick, a deep red sheen and a new plumping formula.

The three versions allow e.l.f. to stretch one strange product idea across different tastes, shades and beauty benefits without losing the humour that made the original popular.

A pickle-shaped sponge completes the collection

The lip balms are joined by the Briny Blender, a limited-edition makeup sponge shaped like a pickle and priced at $6.

Unlike the lip balms, the sponge does not need to translate pickle flavour into a functional beauty product. Its purpose is more visual and collectible, giving fans another way to participate in the launch.

The product also helps the collection become instantly recognisable in photographs and social content. Its unusual shape turns a familiar beauty tool into something designed to be shared, discussed or given as a novelty gift.

Together, the balm and sponge demonstrate how e.l.f. uses packaging, naming and product design as part of its communication. The products do much of the advertising themselves.

Community demand shaped the comeback

The expanded collection was developed as a direct response to the reaction surrounding the first launch.

According to e.l.f. Chief Brand Officer Laurie Lam, the company began testing additional flavours within weeks of the original release. The strong response also encouraged the team to extend the concept through a new plumping formula for Spicy Lil’ Dill.

This rapid development reflects the brand’s wider approach to social listening. Rather than simply observing a viral conversation, e.l.f. used customer interest to guide product innovation and distribution.

The pickle theme is also connected to a broader food trend. Research cited by the brand found that more than 20% of Gen Z consumers describe themselves as obsessed with pickles.

By combining that enthusiasm with an established lip-care range, e.l.f. created a product that could interest beauty customers, pickle fans and people attracted by the absurdity of the crossover.

The launch expanded across online and physical retail

The limited-edition collection launched in the United States on 20 August 2026 through e.l.f.’s website, Ulta Beauty’s website and TikTok Shop.

It also marked the first time e.l.f. products became available through Ulta Beauty’s TikTok Shop, connecting the launch directly with the platform where unusual products can quickly become social content.

All three balms and the Briny Blender arrived in Ulta Beauty stores on 23 August, supported by a special gift with purchase while supplies lasted.

The collection also received an international rollout. It launched online in the United Kingdom on 20 August, followed by Boots stores on 26 August. A German release through DM was scheduled for 24 September.

e.l.f. took the pickle theme to the Minnesota State Fair

The campaign moved beyond stores and social platforms with a large-scale activation at the Minnesota State Fair from 27 to 30 August.

The fair offered an appropriate physical setting for the idea. State fairs are strongly associated with surprising food combinations, oversized attractions and products created to generate conversation.

e.l.f. brought beauty and food culture together through a pickle-themed presence that included product gifting for attendees. The activation marked the first partnership between the fair and a beauty brand in more than 20 years.

Placing the collection inside a major food and entertainment event also allowed e.l.f. to reach people who may not normally interact with a cosmetics launch.

A novelty product became a recruitment tool

The pickle balm works because it is not only strange. It still provides the shine, hydration and colour associated with the Glow Reviver range.

That balance between novelty and usefulness helped the original product move beyond a joke. Its eight-minute sell-out proved demand, while the high percentage of first-time buyers showed that cultural curiosity could introduce new customers to the brand.

No sales figures have been announced for the expanded collection. However, e.l.f. has already demonstrated how an unexpected product can move from a limited experiment to a broader launch across ecommerce, physical retail, social commerce and live experience.

By listening to its audience and acting quickly, the brand turned one pickle-flavoured lip balm into a much bigger dill.

Credits

The limited-edition pickle-inspired Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balm collection was created and launched by e.l.f. Cosmetics, with Ulta Beauty serving as its exclusive physical retail destination in the United States and the Minnesota State Fair supporting the experiential activation. Laurie Lam is Chief Brand Officer of e.l.f. Cosmetics, while Kaitlin Rinehart is Vice President of Merchandising at Ulta Beauty. Additional creative agency, production and media credits have not been publicly announced.