Beauty Brands Embrace Women’s Sports: Grit, Goals, and Glam

In recent years, beauty and sports have started to overlap in ways we haven’t really seen before. Beauty brands now see huge potential in sponsorships and partnerships, especially in women’s sports.

Who could forget Megan Rapinoe’s pink hair at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup? Or Marta’s bold red lipstick? These moments didn’t just look cool—they changed how we think about sports marketing. Female athletes are finding new ways to express themselves, and beauty brands are jumping in to connect with fans who care about more than just the game.

The Evolution of Beauty in Women’s Sports

The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup felt like a turning point. Megan Rapinoe’s pink hair wasn’t just a style choice; it became a symbol of self-expression on a global stage.

For others, Marta’s red lipstick during Brazil’s match against Italy made a different kind of statement. She’s a six-time FIFA best player of the year, and she picked that shade to stand for blood and passion. Suddenly, a tube of lipstick meant a lot more than just color—it was a message.

The Impact of Marta’s Red Lipstick

Marta didn’t just wear red lipstick for herself. She teamed up with Avon, and the results were wild.

Avon saw a massive spike in engagement after Marta showed up on the field. According to Brazilian ad exec Miguel Ferreira, Avon store visits shot up by 2,000 percent. Searches for “Avon lipstick” jumped 585.9 percent, and the company sold over 1 million units of their Power Stay lipstick.

Even with all that, most beauty brands didn’t jump in right away. It actually took about four more years for the beauty industry to really notice how big women’s sports were getting.

The Growing Business Opportunity

Women’s sports started pulling bigger crowds, getting prime-time TV slots, and blowing up on social media. Beauty brands couldn’t ignore it anymore.

Genius Sports’ Sports Intelligence Unit found that 67 percent of women’s sports fans actively support brands that back their favorite teams or athletes. That’s a pretty convincing number if you’re deciding where to spend your marketing budget.

e.l.f. Beauty’s Strategic Move

e.l.f. Beauty was one of the first to really go for it. In 2023, they ran a Super Bowl ad—pretty gutsy for a beauty brand.

Then they partnered with NASCAR driver Katherine Legge. But the big move was becoming the first official makeup and skincare partner of the NWSL in March 2023.

That partnership took off fast. e.l.f. connected with 3 million fans across 29 games in just a few months.

They also added NWSL players like Melanie Barcenas, Abby Dahlkemper, Lo’eau LaBonta, and Jaedyn Shaw to their talent roster. The content they’re creating shows both their skills on the field and their love of beauty.

The Role of Authenticity in Brand Partnerships

If you ask around, the secret sauce for beauty brands in women’s sports is authenticity. Natalie McKeogh, a trend forecaster and color designer at Nike, says you’ve got to understand the athletes and what beauty means to them.

There’s still so much room for brands to make a real impact, as long as they keep it genuine.

NYX and Angel City FC

NYX, which is part of L’Oréal, really gets it. They’ve sponsored the WNBA’s New York Liberty and kicked off a multi-year partnership with Angel City FC in 2024.

Their “Make Them Look” campaign with Angel City’s Alyssa and Gisele Thompson shows there’s real momentum here. It’s not just about competition—these athletes have other passions too, and beauty is one of them.

Sephora and Unrivaled

Sephora, the French beauty giant, signed a multiyear deal with Unrivaled, the new 3×3 league started by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. This happened before the league’s first season even started.

The partnership’s already brought in strong media value and tons of social engagement, especially with content like pregame fit checks and tunnel walks. Clearly, fans want to see more than just the game.