Beauty has finally understood the potential of women's sports

Some time ago, we reflected on the surprising lack of partnerships between makeup, skincare, and haircare brands and female athletes in women’s sports. Now, it seems that the situation is slowly improving, and beauty brands are finally recognizing the potential and power of women’s sports, along with their visibility and popularity. As usual, this shift is happening first in the United States and other English-speaking countries. In Italy, the process is slower, but we hope the country will soon catch up.

Beauty brands investing in women’s sports

e.l.f. Cosmetics has announced a multi-year collaboration with the NWSL, the top division of American women’s soccer, ahead of the 2025 season. The brand will be the official makeup and skincare partner of the league. This collaboration adds to a series of sports sponsorships already launched by the brand, including the Billie Jean King Cup, the Professional Women’s Hockey League, Indy 500 driver Katherine Legge, and Paralympic swimmer Anastasia Pagonis. Furthermore, Charlotte Tilbury has renewed its sponsorship of the F1 Academy, aiming to support and inspire a new generation of women in motorsports. Other notable examples include Sephora, the beauty partner of Unrivaled Basketball and WNBA’s Toronto Tempo, Glossier with basket's Team USA ahead of the Olympics, and CeraVe with Paige Bueckers.

The benefits of these collaborations

The reasons behind this growth are no secret. Beauty brands are entering the sports culture with strategic collaborations to increase their visibility among a broader and more diverse audience, expand their target market, and associate themselves with a different, multifaceted concept of femininity. According to Daniela Morosini, beauty correspondent for The Business of Fashion, cosmetic brands are discovering that sports provide a highly fertile marketing ground because they convey a positive message and allow brands to authentically showcase their commitment to supporting female empowerment, without the risks of scandals that could damage their image.

Between strategy and creativity: beauty campaigns for women’s sports

On top of that, this is still a relatively new and diverse territory, allowing for fresh and engaging creativity. For example, e.l.f. Cosmetics, in its partnership with NWSL, structured the collaboration around a shared goal: increasing women’s access to sports through targeted initiatives. Sephora, in its partnership with Unrivaled Basketball, introduced unique and strategic branding elements: players walk the “Sephora Carpet” before games, Get Ready With Me content has been created with Angel Reese and DiJonai Carrington, and even referees in the tournament wear Sephora-branded uniforms. A standout example in the industry is Paige Bueckers, the American basketball star, for whom the haircare brand Madison Reed has launched a hair dye called UConnic Blonde. In short, this new wave of collaborations proves that the relationship between beauty and sports is set to become deeper, more strategic, and fully integrated into both industries.