Lip Gloss & Layups: How Beauty Brands Are Finally Showing Up for the WNBA

If you had told me five years ago that one of the most exciting crossovers in pop culture would be between lip gloss and layups, I wouldn’t have believed you. But here we are! Beauty brands are finally paying attention to the WNBA, and the partnerships are actually hitting. 

Glossier renewing their partnership as official beauty partner. Fenty Beauty x New York Liberty. Sephora Canada x Toronto Tempo. And let’s not get these confused with one-off moments either. You can easily tell they’re part of a bigger change, one that says, “we see you” to the fans who’ve been showing up, supporting women’s basketball, while simultaneously caring about their lip combo. 

The WNBA’s audience is mostly Millennials and Gen Z, two groups who are super plugged in. And if you’ve learned anything in our newsletter articles you know by now that these generations value representation, and can smell inauthenticity a mile away.  It’s about more than just slapping a logo on a jersey. When a player drops 20 points and then posts their post-game skincare routine, that’s called influence. It’s brand alignment that means something.

Most importantly, this is about putting real dollars behind women athletes. A lot of WNBA players are more than just competitors, they’re cultural leaders who’ve built platforms, audiences, and now, beauty brands are finally paying attention…and paying up. These kinds of deals offer players visibility, of course, but also financial support that helps close a gap that’s been way too wide for way too long. 

Finally, we’re moving away from this idea that sports and femininity are on opposite sides. From pre-game fits to game-day routines and tunnel walks, WNBA players are showing that athleticism and aesthetics don’t have to live in separate lanes. You can be dominant on the court and still pull up with a flawless beat. 

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Written by: Giovanna Pagano