WNBA's Lexie Hull Brings Forta Cosmetics to Sephora Accelerate

Forta Cosmetics, the active-lifestyle beauty brand co-founded by WNBA player Lexie Hull and former private equity investor Sarah Guller, has been accepted into the Sephora Accelerate incubator program. The cohort also includes Mowe Beauty, another label focused on performance-oriented makeup for active consumers.

The brand launched in March with a single product: Lock & Go Setting Spray, priced at $26. The spray is designed to withstand sweat and movement, catering to women who need makeup to last through workouts, games, or busy days. Within 24 hours of launch, the product generated over $10,000 in sales.

Hull, a guard for the Indiana Fever, identified the need for long-lasting, sweat-resistant makeup during her own athletic career. She brought the idea to her former Stanford roommate Sarah Guller, who previously worked at private equity firms Summit Partners and The Chernin Group, where she evaluated consumer brands including Oura, Dr. Squatch, and Brooklinen.

“I would put on a full face of makeup or less than a full face and it be on my jersey or towel and no longer on my face during practice or games,” Hull recalled. “That’s when we were like, ‘OK, it’s not out there, let’s just do it ourselves.'”

The brand name Forta is a play on “for the active,” reflecting its mission to create beauty products that transition seamlessly from professional settings to active lifestyles. Hull and Guller have long aspired to be in Sephora, and the accelerator placement marks a key milestone for the young brand.