Beauty brands flock to Olympic partnerships following record interest in women’s sports

07 Aug 2024 --- Women’s sports are experiencing a record year with more interest and recognition than ever before, prompting beauty brand and athlete collaborations to capitalize on the momentum. 

Deloitte predicts that this year, for the first time, women’s elite sports will generate revenue surpassing US$1 billion — a 300% increase from the industry’s evaluation in 2021. This record-breaking number intrigues beauty brands to collaborate with and highlight female athletes this Olympic season. 

Olympic partnerships
Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) Olay collaborated with the event for the first time, sponsoring Team USA and employing female athletes to promote its new Cleansing Melts as the team’s “official facial cleanser.” Athletes promoting the product include track and field stars Sha’Carri Richardson and Athing Mu; soccer player, Rose Lavelle; climber Natalia Grossman and ex-gymnast, now commentator Laurie Hernandez. The Cleaning Melts are also provided to athletes as part of their welcome kits.

Other P&G brands, such as Pantene, Mielle and Gillette, created a salon in the Olympic and Paralympic Village where athletes receive complimentary hair and nail services. 

Milani Cosmetics partners with multiple female athletes during the Olympics.Fenty Beauty by Rihanna is a partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and gives makeup kits containing products like Fenty’s foundation, lip gloss and setting powder to 600 volunteers who are awarding athletes medals. 

Coty, Adidas’ fragrance and beauty licensee, is partnering with the sportswear giant on an over 16,000-square-foot space where athletes can receive services like makeup touch-ups and nail art. Adidas House will also include a sports bar, a rooftop terrace and a “calm zone.” 

Glossier is the official beauty partner of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team, expanding on its pre-existing partnership with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The skin care and makeup brand launched social media content, advertisements and “community engagement moments” involving athletes and gifting team members products. 

Simone Biles began a two-year ambassadorship with hair care brand K18 earlier this year, which will continue during the Olympics. The most decorated gymnast of all time’s hair stylist, Jasmine Johnson, also joined K18 as an ambassador. The brand asserts that the two use the Molecular Repair Hair Oil and Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask.

Another Team USA gymnast, Suni Lee, partnered with Kiss as the face of the nail care brand’s new Salon X-tend soft gel extensions, made for at-home application. Lee explains that flexibility, weightlessness and strength are essential qualities for both gymnastics and a competition-ready manicure.

Hair care company Conair partnered with track and field star Masai Russell to promote the Girlbomb, a body hair trimmer that can be used on the underarm and bikini area.

Dermalogica recruited three US athletes — Dalilah Muhammed (track and field), Kristen Nuss (beach volleyball) and Taryn Kloth (beach volleyball) — to appear in a series of social-first videos championing its Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50 sunscreen. 

Milani Cosmetics partnered with Team USA silver medal-winning artistic gymnast Gymnast Jordan Chiles, WNBA player Sabrina Ionescu, Team USA volleyball gold medalist Chiaka Ogbogu and weightlifter Mattie Rogers to promote its Make It Last Setting Spray. The cosmetic brand created a series of social media posts and ads on streaming channels, dubbed the “Face Set. Mind Set.” campaign.

Sephora, an official Olympic sponsor, helped sponsor the torch relay in May. The beauty retailer set up pop-ups, open to the public, at 46 locations throughout the route. The activations offered educational sessions, giveaways and prizes that could be won by competing in games.

By Sabine Waldeck