• Status: Brand Launch / Strategic Partnership
• Company: FORTA Cosmetics / Faves Athlete Network
• Lead: Lexie Hull (WNBA, Indiana Fever) / Sarah Guller
• Key Product: Lock & Go Setting Spray

The WNBA boom isn’t just about viewership—it’s about the massive commercial infrastructure being around the league at large. Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull is the latest to capitalize in this capacity, officially launching her performance beauty brand, FORTA Cosmetics, in a strategic partnership with the athlete-backed commerce platform, Faves.

Co-founded by Hull and her Stanford roommate Sarah Guller, FORTA is positioning itself as “Beauty Hardware” for the high-intensity athlete.

Here’s what you need to know.

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The Product Spec: Lock & Go Setting Spray

FORTA isn’t entering the market with a generic makeup line; they are starting with a utility-first “Hero Product.”

• The Hardware: The Lock & Go Setting Spray is engineered specifically for “Active Wear.” Unlike traditional setting sprays designed for studio lighting, FORTA’s formula is stress-tested for 90 minutes of high-cardio movement, sweat, and physical contact.
• The Distribution Tech: To scale, FORTA is utilizing the Faves Athlete Network. Rather than buying traditional Instagram ads, the brand is seeding the product to a curated grid of 30 professional female athletes (including runners, boxers and pickleball players).

The Faves Multiplier

Featured Photo: FORTA

The partnership marks a shift in how athlete-led brands go to market. Faves, co-founded by Luke Katz, functions as a two-sided marketplace that connects brands directly to the athletes who actually use them.

• Proof over Influence: The Faves strategy leans on a 2025 Campaign Red study showing that over 50% of global consumers find athlete endorsements more credible than standard influencers.

The Bottom Line

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With the Portland and Toronto expansion teams officially entering the WNBA, the “Athlete-as-Founder” model is becoming the primary driver of league valuation. Lexie Hull’s move into the beauty space proves that WNBA roster spots are now high-value launchpads for venture-backed consumer goods.

Featured Photo: Forta

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Author Bio

Jael Rucker is the founder of Decked Out Magazine. She has previously worked as the Associate Commerce Editor at PureWow, focusing on analytics and trends to pitch stories and optimize articles that build and engage their audience. Her work has also been seen in Footwear News and WWD. Prior to 2024, she was the style and pop culture editor at ONE37pm for over three years, contributing numerous product reviews, brand profiles and fashion trend reports, which included interviewing Steph Curry, Snoop Dogg and more.