Notes on e.l.f.’s Fragrance Launch
Another major beauty headline caught my eye last week.
e.l.f. Beauty recently announced its debut into fragrance, launching in partnership with H&M.
e.l.f. has spent years showing that accessible doesn’t mean unsophisticated. They understand culture, speed, and consumer behavior, and they’ve built trust by showing up in everyday moments that feel real and familiar. Adding fragrance fits naturally into that approach.
The choice of H&M is interesting. It’s a brand that sits at the intersection of fashion, lifestyle, and self-expression. People shop there based on mood, identity, and a sense of self, which makes it a natural environment for fragrance. Scent belongs alongside outfits, seasons, and daily routines. Launching in that context suggests a focus on emotional connection rather than traditional prestige positioning.
It also reflects a broader shift we saw take shape in 2025. Brand collaborations moved beyond novelty and became a real strategic lever. Instead of launching everything alone, brands are choosing partners that already sit close to their consumers’ lifestyles. Going into 2026, I expect we’ll see even more of this, especially from brands expanding into new categories while trying to stay emotionally relevant.
Looking at the bigger picture, this move connects to the broader ecosystem e.l.f. has been building. With ongoing conversations around brands like Rhode, founded by Hailey Bieber, it’s clear e.l.f. is intentional about aligning with cultural relevance, taste, and trust. These are brands that resonate because they feel familiar, current, and emotionally grounded.
Fragrance plays a unique role in beauty because it’s so deeply tied to memory, mood, and identity. It becomes part of a person’s daily ritual in a very personal way. Entering this category through a lifestyle-driven partnership feels considered and aligned with how people actually use scent.
Overall, this move reflects an understanding that beauty today extends beyond individual products to how people move through the world and how they want to feel while doing so.
Dania Khalife
