11th March 2025
In today’s brand landscape, cultural relevance is currency. The brands that win are the ones that embed themselves authentically into the conversations, communities, and movements shaping consumer behaviour. And right now, one of the most lucrative and untapped intersections is where beauty meets sport.
Long gone are the days when sports sponsorships were reserved for beer brands and energy drinks. Beauty has made its move—and it’s playing to win. This isn’t just a passing trend. It’s a fundamental shift in how beauty brands position themselves in the broader cultural ecosystem, leveraging the star power of athletes and the cultural cachet of sports leagues to capture new audiences. But as with all things in marketing, the key to success isn’t just about showing up—it’s about showing up in the right way.
From Surface-Level Sponsorships to Strategic Cultural Plays
The first wave of beauty’s foray into sports was largely experimental—think one-off sponsorships or logo placements that felt more like a box-ticking exercise than a meaningful collaboration. But we’ve since moved beyond the early, surface-level partnerships. The brands making the biggest impact are those thinking strategically, embedding themselves within the sports world in a way that feels organic, purposeful, and aligned with their brand DNA.
Take e.l.f. Cosmetics, for example. Their multi-year partnership with the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) isn’t just about brand visibility—it’s about shared values. By positioning itself as the league’s official makeup and skincare partner, e.l.f. is tapping into the growing influence of women’s sports while championing female empowerment. This is no passive sponsorship; it’s an integrated cultural play, with activations spanning social, digital, and experiential channels to ensure that their presence in the sports space is felt, not just seen.
Similarly, Sephora’s partnership with Unrivaled Basketball isn’t merely about aligning with women’s sports—it’s about amplifying the existing cultural synergy between beauty and basketball. The introduction of the “Sephora Carpet” for tunnel walks (akin to the red carpet but for athletes) is a masterstroke, tapping into the undeniable influence of athletes as style icons and the ritualistic nature of beauty in self-expression. These are not just sponsorships; they are brand-building moments designed to resonate far beyond the court.
Why Sports Is Beauty’s Next Frontier
For years, fashion brands led the charge in infiltrating the sports space—luxury labels like Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Balenciaga recognised early on that athletes are cultural powerhouses capable of selling more than just sneakers. But beauty brands have been slower to capitalise on this potential. Until now.
The past year alone has seen an explosion of beauty-meets-sports deals: Charlotte Tilbury backing the all-female F1 Academy, CeraVe partnering with athletes like Anthony Davis, and Glossier making a play for women’s basketball with its Team USA partnership. Even traditionally fragrance-first brands like Jo Malone are getting in on the action, tapping NFL players and securing Super Bowl ad placements. Why? Because the power of sport goes beyond the game itself—it’s an entry point into global fandoms, deep emotional connections, and the aspirational storytelling that beauty brands thrive on.
And let’s not forget the biggest untapped market in all of this: men’s beauty. Grooming, skincare, and even nail colour are increasingly part of the modern male athlete’s image. The fact that Sally Hansen is aligning with NBA rookie Jared McCain—who openly embraces nail polish and TikTok culture—speaks volumes about where the industry is headed. Sports offer beauty brands a way to reach male audiences in an authentic, aspirational, and non-intimidating way.
Winning the Beauty x Sports Game
The brands making the most impact in this space are the ones treating it as more than just a sponsorship opportunity. They are tapping into the emotional connection that fans have with their favourite athletes, aligning with leagues that share their values, and, most importantly, finding authentic ways to integrate themselves into the sports conversation.
This is not a short-term marketing play—it’s a long-term brand positioning move. The brands that get it right will reap the rewards of being seen as cultural leaders, not just advertisers. Beauty isn’t just infiltrating sports—it’s rewriting the playbook.