Key Takeaways:
- "Sunhinged" is e.l.f. Made’s first SPF-focused comedy roast, starring Marie Faustin, Heidi N Closet, Meghan Trainor, and more.
- 64% of Gen Z skip sunscreen, and only 34% use it to prevent skin cancer.
- 91% prefer funny brand content, and 90% recall it better.
Sunscreen is still getting ghosted, even by the most skincare-obsessed generation.
e.l.f. SKIN is addressing this major skincare gap with "Sunhinged," a one-night roast comedy special set to stream on YouTube on June 14.
The special features Marie Faustin as the main host and include Meghan Trainor, Jon Rudnitsky, Heidi N Closet, and Andrea Jin.
In a press release, Kory Marchisotto, Chief Marketing Officer at e.l.f. Beauty, explained the brand’s approach to connecting with its core audience:
“Our audience is stuck between multi-step skincare and forgetting sunscreen altogether.”
“Humor gives us a way to meet them where they actually are.”
Comedian Jon Rudnitsky, also featured in the special, described the concept as uniquely strange.
He noted that sunscreen has probably never been the main subject of a comedy roast before, calling it equal parts entertaining and unexpected.
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The idea behind the campaign is grounded in behavioral data.
64% of Gen Z frequently forget to apply sunscreen, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association.
Meanwhile, only 34% use sunscreen to help prevent skin cancer.
These habits stand in sharp contrast to their commitment to anti-aging products and skincare tutorials.
“Sunhinged” takes a different approach by turning SPF education into entertainment.
Instead of highlighting health risks, the special satirizes the sun itself.
It’s part of a campaign for e.l.f. SKIN’s Suntouchable collection, which features lightweight, no-cast formulas intended for daily use.
The brand is proving that branded entertainment can drive both cultural relevance and product awareness without traditional advertising.
Comedy as a Cultural Strategy
91% of consumers enjoy humorous brand content, and 90% remember it more easily, based on findings from a 2023 Morning Consult study.
These insights reflect e.l.f.’s strategy to engage younger audiences through relatable, shareable content.
e.l.f. Made, the company’s original content studio, in partnership with Above Average, a comedy production house backed by Broadway Video, produced the special.
This latest campaign follows other entertainment-driven moves by the brand, including those with Jennifer Coolidge and collabs with music artists like Vanessa Hudgens.
The trailer for "Sunhinged" premiered on June 6 at the Tribeca Festival, where it was shown before over 400 screenings.
The full special will premiere on YouTube at 6 p.m. ET on June 14.
With this, e.l.f. isn’t just promoting sunscreen.
It’s turning a health reminder into a cultural moment rooted in humor and behavior change.
See how e.l.f. is expanding its influence with the acquisition of Hailey Bieber’s Rhode, marking its entry into luxury skincare.
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