WNBA Star Launches Makeup Brand
Lexie Hull, a WNBA star, and her college roommate Sarah Guller, have turned their friendship into a business, building a performance cosmetics company called FORTA. Hull, a three-time All-Pac-12 selection, helped lead the Stanford Cardinal to the 2021 NCAA national championship, and was later drafted sixth overall by the Indiana Fever.
Guller, on the other hand, took a different path, working in private equity and evaluating consumer brands professionally. Years after graduating, the two Stanford roommates reunited to build FORTA, with Hull’s career supplying both the problem the brand exists to solve and the testing ground to prove it worked.
The Problem That Started It All
Hull did not set out to become a beauty founder, but rather to stop ruining towels with her makeup during games. She recalls wiping her face with a towel at a timeout and seeing half of her makeup on it, and became used to her mascara running by the fourth quarter.
As an athlete who believes appearance and performance are not supposed to be in tension, Hull refused to accept the idea that she needs to compromise between performance and beauty. This led her to start FORTA, with the goal of creating makeup that can keep up with women like her.
What makes FORTA’s approach to “long-wear” different, according to Hull, is that it was tested against her actual job, not a marketing lab. The brand’s products were tested under real conditions, with Hull wearing them on the court during games.
From Idea to Reality
Guller’s route into FORTA started with a leap of faith, as she and Hull entered Estée Lauder’s new brand competition with nothing but an idea. They were chosen as finalists and flown to Paris to pitch in person, which validated their thesis behind the brand and led Guller to go all in on the business.
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Guller’s experience evaluating beauty and wellness brands from the investor’s side gave her a clear-eyed view of where the category’s long-wear claims tend to fall apart. She and Hull had to solve for the fact that “long-wear” often just means waterproof, whereas sweat contains salt that breaks down products.
They also had to ensure that their products were not only long-lasting but also clean and intentional in their ingredient lists, as many products that do last are either tacky or cause breakouts. Hull and Guller personally funded their first production run, with $17,000 covering the caps for their setting spray bottles. They saw $30,000 in sales in the first week with no paid advertising.
The brand’s two-piece lineup, built for zero touch-ups, includes the Lock & Go Setting Spray, priced at $26, and another product. The Lock & Go Setting Spray is an ultra-fine mist designed to lock makeup in place through heat, sweat, and long days.
The brand’s products have been mentioned by athletes like Sophie Cunningham and Genie Bouchard, and have received unprompted press coverage from outlets including Marie Claire, Glamour, Business Insider, and Glossy.
FORTA’s products can be found on their website, with the Lock & Go Setting Spray priced at $26.
Product Details
The Lock & Go Setting Spray is $26.
