E.L.F. Cosmetics sponsors girls’ wrestling as sports and beauty collabs climb

E.L.F. Cosmetics has become the first beauty sponsor of the largest high school girls’ wrestling competition in the US, reflecting its brand ethos of disrupting societal norms that exclude girls from the sport.

This year marked the sixth year of The Wonder Women of Wrestling Varsity Tournament, with 700 athletes from 83 teams and 3,000 spectators for 1,300 matches over two days. “Participation in the sport is exploding thanks to girls embracing a space traditionally dominated by boys,” says the cosmetics brand. 

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, wrestling is the fastest-growing high school sport in the US. The number of girls participating in the sport has jumped from 112 in 1990 to over 64,000 in 2024. 

E.L.F. says that its cosmetics brand and girls wrestling “challenges misconceptions and disrupts norms,” which led to the partnership.

“E.L.F.’s sponsorship of the Wonder Women of Wrestling Varsity Tournament reflects an ongoing dedication to support underrepresented women’s sports and inspire the next generation of aspiring athletes,” says the company.

Sports and beauty intersect

E.L.F. Cosmetics is funding nine scholarships for college-bound senior wrestlers participating in the Wonder Women of Wrestling Foundation essay competition.

The Women in Sports Foundation reports girls who played sports fulfill various leadership roles in adulthood across sectors, with more than 69% of former female athletes defining their current roles as “public sphere leaders.”

Patrick O’Keefe, chief integrated marketing officer at E.L.F. Beauty, says: “These young women are breaking barriers in the sport with passion, resilience and courage — exemplifying E.L.F.’s mission to be bold disruptors with a kind heart. This sponsorship is a continuation of E.L.F.’s journey in empowering female athletes and investing in game-changing initiatives like this for years to come.”

Olympic wrestler Helen Maroulis commends E.L.F. for sponsoring The  Wonder Women of Wrestling Varsity Tournament.The brand has also sponsored the Billie Jean King Cup, the Professional Women’s Hockey League and Indy 500 driver Katherine Legge.

Mike Wakim, Jr., president of the Wonder Women of Wrestling Foundation and tournament founder, adds, “E.L.F.’s involvement is nothing short of amazing, elevating our event to the next level and supporting our vision of empowering the next generation of female athletes to pursue their dreams, on and off the mat.”

The beauty company’s collaboration with girls’ wrestling reflects a larger industry trend of beauty companies partnering with women’s sports. For example, this month, Sephora US announced a multiyear partnership with Unrivaled, a new women’s basketball league founded by Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. The collaboration aims to celebrate and promote women in sports.

Motivating the youth

E.L.F. also brought Olympian Helen Maroulis to E.L.F.’s Twitch stream of the tournament as its special guest. Twitch is an American live-streaming service popular for video games and broadcasts of esports competitions.

Maroulis is the most decorated female wrestler for Team USA, having won three consecutive Olympic medals, most recently a Bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

“I’m thrilled that E.L.F. Cosmetics is supporting women’s wrestling and was delighted to share my story as part of their event,” she says.

“If there had been more support for girls wrestling earlier in my athletic career, with incredible initiatives like this, I wouldn’t have had to fight so hard just to fit in. I would have had an unshakable belief in myself, my decisions and my Olympic dreams. Young female wrestlers are now growing up with the positive environments and dedicated resources they deserve. They have no doubt they belong in this sport and can achieve their wildest dreams as their fullest, most authentic selves –– and I love seeing that.”