Clinique is proud to announce its official partnership with the Red Roses, England’s women’s rugby team, ahead of a landmark summer season. This groundbreaking collaboration marks the first-ever beauty partnership for the Red Roses and signals a bold new chapter in Clinique’s ongoing support for women’s sport — where skincare, self-assurance, and performance meet in powerful synergy.
Building on the success of GameFace — Clinique’s grassroots initiative launched in 2022 with creative agency MATTA — this national partnership extends the brand’s deep commitment to empowering young women in rugby and beyond. Through GameFace, Clinique has addressed the growing confidence gap among teenage girls, helping clubs across the UK with essential funding, equipment, and educational resources. Now, with the Red Roses, that mission expands to the elite level.
“Confidence has always been core to Clinique,” says Karen Ehrlich, VP/GM of Skincare, Estée Lauder Companies UK & Ireland.
“For over 50 years, we’ve helped young women feel good in their skin. With GameFace, we saw a crucial gap: girls were leaving sport due to low confidence, body image concerns, or simply feeling like they didn’t belong. We asked — what if a trusted beauty brand could help close that gap? What if we championed participation, not perfection? That’s how GameFace was born — as a movement, not just a campaign. We began at the grassroots, because that’s where confidence is first built — on muddy pitches, not big stages.
Our partnership with the Red Roses takes that mission further — supporting elite athletes with the same purpose, and using their platform to inspire the next generation.”
High-Performance Skincare for High-Performance Sport
For professional athletes, skincare isn’t just cosmetic — it’s part of performance prep. Hours of outdoor training, intense physical demands, and varying climates all affect the skin, making proper care essential.
To meet those needs, Clinique is providing the Red Roses with 1:1 skincare consultations from trained consultants, supported by dermatologists, creating personalised skincare and makeup routines for each player. Just as nutrition and recovery are crucial to matchday readiness, so too is a skincare routine that helps players feel confident, resilient, and ready — both on the pitch and beyond.
Clinique and MATTA are bringing this message to life through player-led storytelling, social content, ambassador programs, and visible matchday presence, blending beauty and sport in authentic, powerful ways.
Red Roses standout and GameFace ambassador Holly Aitchison shared her experience:
“Clinique is such a refreshing brand. They truly care about the people they work with and tailor everything to the individual. Over the years, they’ve helped me maintain healthier skin — which has massively boosted my confidence, both on the field and in everyday life. Having their support as our Official Beauty Partner means a lot. We know they’ll be in our corner during what’s set to be an incredible few months.”
Driven by Purpose, Informed by Data
Clinique’s investment in women’s rugby is more than symbolic — it’s backed by data. According to the Women’s Sport Trust (July 2025), brands involved in women’s sport consistently outperform traditional sponsors on metrics like emotional connection, brand affinity, and long-term loyalty.
Clinique ranks among the top-performing brands for brand positivity, with over 70% of those aware of the Red Roses partnership reporting a more favorable impression of the brand.
With 72% of consumers valuing athlete mental health in sponsorships and 68% expecting long-term support, Clinique’s approach isn’t trend-chasing — it’s purposeful, strategic, and rooted in cultural credibility.
Redefining Sponsorship Through Emotion and Impact
Clinique’s collaboration with the RFU represents a new era of sponsorship — an evolution of the GameFace mission, grounded in emotion, shared values, and lasting community impact.
Where women’s sport was once an afterthought, it is now a cultural frontier. And beauty brands like Clinique — once seen as outside the stadium — are stepping into the spotlight, helping athletes thrive and reshaping the narrative around confidence, care, and representation.
Key Takeaways
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From Grassroots to Greatness: Clinique’s partnership with the Red Roses builds on its GameFace initiative, evolving from local club support to elite-level backing — all centered around confidence, care, and cultural relevance.
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Confidence as Preparation: Just like nutrition or physio, skincare is part of athlete readiness. Clinique is empowering the Red Roses with expert-led, personalised routines to support performance and well-being.
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A New Model of Sponsorship: This partnership reflects a deeper brand purpose — showing how beauty can drive emotional resonance, social progress, and brand impact when grounded in authenticity.
