“Never in a million years did we imagine we would introduce a black-and-white [makeup] collection in a coffin,” laughs Kory Marchisotto, Chief Marketing Officer of e.l.f. Beauty.

But that’s precisely what e.l.f. is launching today, March 26, as a result of a collaboration with beverage brand Liquid Death. Founded in 2019, Liquid Death is a fast-growing non-alcoholic drink packaged in recyclable tallboy cans known for breaking traditional beverage marketing rules (hence its recent partnership with e.l.f.) The brand also has sustainability and social good as part of its DNA: a portion of Liquid Death’s proceeds goes to help fight plastic pollution, as well as bring clean drinking water to those in need.

“We look to disruptor brands for inspiration,” says Marchisotto, who was recently part of the public company’s iconic ringing of the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on March 18. “We’ve watched their every move, in awe, since their launch,” says Marchisotto. “We love how they’ve disrupted the water aisle in a sea of sameness. There are connective tissues between what they are doing in water and what we do in beauty.”

Founded by Mike Cessario, a former Creative Director at Netflix, Liquid Death has succeeded in the crowded water market thanks to playful marketing campaigns. Verbiage on containers encourages people to “murder their thirst.” Past partnerships are far from ordinary, like a limited-edition signature skateboard decorated with paint and blood from skater Tony Hawk. Recently, Liquid Death featured an enema kit with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker (complete with a custom branded enema bulb and signed beverage can). Despite its macabre positioning, Liquid’s Death’s ultimate message is to reduce plastic pollution.

The result of combining e.l.f. with Liquid Death is Corpse Paint, a five-piece, heavy-metal-inspired collection that Marchisotto expects will sell out quickly. E.l.f. has a strong batting average with other successful collaborations, such as tie-ups with Chipotle and Dunkin.

“We’ve had a lot of fun — and a lot of laughter — bringing Corpse Paint to life. Pun intended,” she says.

Corpse Paint includes Matte Magic Mist & Set, O FACE Satin Lipstick in All Night, No Budge Cream Eyeshadow in Wispy Cloud, H2O Proof Eyeliner Pen, and a Putty Applicator. “We put our fan-favorites in the collection. The unexpected part is that we did it all in black and white,” Marchisotto says.

Shrouded in a coffin keepsake box, the Corpse Paint collection retails for $34 and will be sold exclusively at elfcosmetics.com\corpsepaint. Product names such as Kiss of Death, Dead Set, and Closed Casket reinforce the imagery.

The heavy metal community is synonymous with bold makeup. “Think how many times they’ve put it on or taken it off with every show. E.l.f. was the perfect partner to bring this collab to life because they could help bring this versatile, everyday looks to the masses with high-quality, cruelty-free products,” says Andy Pearson, Vice President of Creative at Liquid Death.

A head-turning, social-first campaign supports the limited-edition assortment. “It is campy, self-deprecating humor produced by two brands that don’t take themselves too seriously,” explains Marchisotto.

While e.l.f. often takes inspiration from products its community admires, Corpse Paint is “not chasing a trend,” she says. “It is about two brands coming together to create an entirely new dimension that neither one thought possible. It allows us to step into territories no one else would.”

E.l.f. is celebrating its 20^th anniversary and recorded its 20^th consecutive quarter of growth. “We’re a different kind of company,” Marchisotto says. “We do it with giving every employee equity, we do it with the people we partner with, and with the collections we create together.”