A lip balm with a spicy gherkin flavour should not be one of the most difficult beauty products to find this year. e.l.f. Cosmetics' pickle-flavoured Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balm sold out in just eight minutes, and 77% of the buyers had never purchased from e.l.f. before. This £9 novelty balm did what an entire marketing budget would.
e.l.f. is now chasing the brine harder. The collection has expanded to four pieces: three new flavours plus a novelty makeup sponge shaped like the snack that started it all. Beauty circles are already calling it Pickle-Core.
Commenters on r/BeautyGuruChatter have dubbed it the ultimate £9 gag gift, while TikTok users film themselves pulling the gherkin-shaped tube out purely to watch friends react. This is less a daily lip balm than a shareable social prop.
e.l.f. Pickle Lip Balm Range: Prices, Shades & Formulas
Each balm runs £9 / $9 / €10 and shares the Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balm base, but the finishes and flavours differ:
- The Real Dill: sheer green, sharp and unapologetically pickle-forward. The original sold-out formula, back by demand.
- e.l.f. von Dill: glossy pearl finish, a sweeter, saltier, German-pickle-inspired flavour built for a subtler shine.
- Spicy Lil' Dill: deep red sheen with a hot kick, and the collection's first plumping formula.
- Briny Blender: a pickle-shaped makeup sponge with no flavour angle, purely for the novelty of it.
e.l.f. Pickle Lip Balm Release Dates & Stockists: UK & US Launch Schedule
- 20 August: Online drop via elfcosmetics.com, elfcosmetics.co.uk, Ulta.com, and e.l.f.'s debut on Ulta Beauty's TikTok Shop.
- 23 August: Exclusive in-store launch at every US Ulta Beauty location (with gift-with-purchase while stocks last).
- 26 August: UK in-store release at Boots.
- 27–30 August: Pop-up at the Minnesota State Fair, e.l.f.'s first beauty partnership with the fair in over 20 years.
- 24 September: Germany in-store release at DM.
Why Savoury Beauty Is Having a Moment
Pickle-flavoured lip balm works because it taps into a broader shift away from florals and fruit. Food-inspired beauty products and savory scents, such as tomato-leaf perfumes and salted-caramel lip oils, have begun to appear on shelves over the past few years.
Research from YPulse reveals that over 20% of Gen Z shoppers now consider themselves pickle-obsessed. e.l.f. Cosmetics didn't create this trend but acted quickly enough to capitalize on it before it faded, launching a four-product lineup in just a few weeks.
Is a Lip Balm Worth £9?
The business case was already proven: a sold-out debut and a 77% new-customer rate. Early reviews answer the rest.
The Real Dill goes on almost translucent despite its green bullet, leaving a faint high-shine gloss rather than any visible tint. Upon application, the scent is strong, with dill and vinegar prominently present, but it softens into a sweet, herbal finish within ten minutes. Spicy Lil' Dill provides a mild, warm plumping effect from chili extract, resembling a cinnamon lip plumper rather than something excessively spicy, making the range more wearable than its packaging implies.
The original balm disappeared in eight minutes. Anyone hoping for The Real Dill, von Dill, or Spicy Lil' Dill should set alerts for 20 August, considering e.l.f. has already proven it can sell out before most shoppers open the app.
