Are beauty brands finally noticing women’s sports? Partly, yes. At least in the States, where female athletes are gradually gaining more recognition, not just for their talent on the field, but also for their charisma and sense of style. For instance, after E.L.F recently partnered with the Professional Women’s Hockey League, Glossier will become the first beauty partner and dedicated sponsor of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). This announcement comes ahead of this summer’s Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games and extends a collaboration that began in 2020 with a campaign for the brand’s Body Hero line featuring Izzy Harrison of the Chicago Sky.
The long-term agreement includes Glossier providing its products to some of the top American basketball players, who will be seen in action at the Olympics, including Brittney Griner, Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Plum, and Sabrina Ionescu. The athletes will wear mascara, blush, and gloss starting at the WNBA All-Star weekend in Phoenix and then for games, social media advertisements, and high-profile Olympic events such as the opening ceremony on July 26.
“For a long time there’s been a false narrative that sports and beauty shouldn’t mix“, said Glossier’s CEO, Kyle Leahy, adding, “Our initial partnership with the WNBA four years ago wasn’t seen as the hottest thing to do, but now this is the direction the industry is headed and we’re fielding calls from all kinds of sports organisations“. Glossier’s choice, if followed by others, could open up new business opportunities, increased attention to women’s sports, and also a cultural and social shift towards a more diverse, multifaceted idea of beauty that doesn’t solely align with a thin, white, delicate, and somewhat reassuring woman.