Article Summary: Estée Lauder's new gourmand fragrance Glimmer, fronted by Hailee Steinfeld, was named among WWD's 2026 most powerful beauty launches as the brand targets a younger audience.
Estée Lauder’s Hailee Steinfeld-Fronted “Glimmer” Named a Top 2026 Beauty Launch
Runway Magazine Editorial Team
Estée Lauder Glimmer, fronted by Hailee Steinfeld, just earned major industry recognition. The fragrance is helping the brand reach an entirely new generation of shoppers.
Estée Lauder is building on its beauty momentum with a new blockbuster fragrance, Glimmer, fronted by actress and singer Hailee Steinfeld, named among WWD’s 2026 list of the industry’s most powerful beauty launches.
This launch matters because it marks Estée Lauder’s first fragrance built entirely around gourmand notes. Furthermore, pairing the brand’s 80-year legacy with a younger celebrity face signals a deliberate generational shift in its marketing strategy.
What Is Estée Lauder’s Glimmer Fragrance?
Glimmer is an amber floral fragrance with a gourmand twist, featuring notes of macaron rose accord, raspberry mousse accord, and vanilla bean. Perfumers Dominique Ropion, Anne Flipo and Jean-Marc Chaillan of IFF crafted the scent. According to WWD, Glimmer launched August 6, priced at $160 for 100ml and $130 for 50ml.
Global Brand President Justin Boxford called the launch a move into “new territory” for Estée Lauder. “We actually have not played in gourmand notes before,” he said, describing the shift as a deliberate attempt to capture a fragrance trend particularly popular among younger consumers.
Who Is the Face of the Campaign?
Hailee Steinfeld fronts the global Glimmer campaign, which debuted across TV, print, digital, in-store and outdoor advertising on July 30. Boxford described her as embodying what the fragrance represents: “she is confident, has a contagious sense of joy, and understands the power of connecting with her community.”
Steinfeld’s own résumé spans acting, music, and now fragrance. She’s known for roles in Sinners, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and True Grit, as well as a recording career that includes double- and triple-platinum singles. “Fragrance has an incredible ability to tell a story without words,” Steinfeld said of the collaboration. “What drew me to Glimmer is that it’s more than a fragrance; it’s a feeling.”
Why Is It Considered a Top 2026 Beauty Launch?
WWD’s 2026 Most Powerful Brands in Beauty feature named Glimmer as Estée Lauder’s key play to build on existing momentum. Per FashionNetwork, the campaign positions Steinfeld and her singing voice as catalysts for the joy and connection the fragrance aims to represent.
The launch also builds on real momentum elsewhere in Estée Lauder’s portfolio. The brand’s reimagined Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation was the top makeup launch of 2026 year-to-date, and Advanced Night Repair grew 16% against a 10% increase in the overall serum market, according to Circana data cited by WWD.
2026 most powerful beauty brands coverage continues to point toward celebrity-fronted, emotionally driven campaigns as the industry’s strongest growth lever this year. Hailee Steinfeld beauty ambassador partnerships like this one tend to move quickly once a campaign hits wide release, so shoppers interested in Glimmer should expect strong early sell-through at major retailers. Runway will track how the fragrance performs through the rest of the fall launch season. For more of this year’s biggest celebrity beauty partnerships, visit Runway Magazine’s beauty trends coverage.
