How Milani Cosmetics is leaning into women’s sports

When Milani Cosmetics noticed creators talking about the longevity of its “Make It Last Setting Spray” last year, the brand recognized a challenge. The product, which locks in and sets makeup, had claimed it would set makeup for 16 hours, but online commenters said it could keep faces intact for much longer. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, check us out on Spotify and hear us on Amazon Music/Audible. This is our RSS feed. Tell a friend! The brand tested and rested its spray and found that it could achieve up to 24 hours of wear. “We said great, we’re going to start to lean into that,” said Jeremy Lowenstein, Milani’s chief marketing officer, speaking on the latest episode of the Marketer’s Brief podcast. The brand launched a campaign last year around endurance testing and partnered with Barry’s Bootcamp in New York and Los Angeles. Building on that success, Milani in late June debuted a new campaign, “Face Set. Mind Set,” featuring female athletes such as gymnast Jordan Chiles, WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu, volleyball gold medalist Chiaka Ogbogu and weightlifter Mattie Rogers. The effort, which was done with creative agency Cult LDN, marks the first time Milani has partnered with athletes, according to the brand. All of the athletes except for Rogers (who is rehabbing from an injury) are set to compete in the Olympics in Paris later this month. Milani has no specific plans for Olympics marketing. Catch up on Olympics marketing news here @milanicosmetics How does @Sabrina Ionescu set her game face so her mind can focus on what matters? With Make It Last Setting Spray!🏆✨🏀 When your face is set, your mind will follow - that’s Sabrina’s secret to winning on & off the court. #SetWithMilani #MilaniCosmetics ♬ original sound - Milani Cosmetics “We see the continued rise of women in sports,” said Lowenstein. “This is actually the perfect marriage to capitalize on the cultural moment—we see that our consumers are actually engaged in sports and we know this product is great for endurance.” The new push is the latest example of 23-year-old Milani pushing itself into current trend-driven conversations. Lowenstein said the brand regularly listens to its customers through platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube as well as through ratings and reviews. “Everything is consumer-insight driven,” he said. “I look for those little insights and nuggets that I can take and say, ‘Hey, how do I amplify this in the Milani way that brings the story to life?’” On the podcast, Lowenstein also discusses Milani’s roots in inclusivity. The brand was founded to provide affordable and accessible beauty offerings for Black women. The brand has aimed to become more multicultural, even as newer inclusive brands such as Fenty have entered the market and existing brands expand their skin tone range. “There’s a lot of brands that have shifted their marketing strategy to try to attract a new consumer,” said Lowenstein. “For us, it’s just about how we’ve always shown up, from our distribution to the talent that we feature to the shades that we develop.”

How Milani Cosmetics is leaning into women’s sports

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