The Super Bowl just got way more beautiful! 💋🏈

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Today's read time is ~4 minutes.

I hear all of you football fans out there asking, what is going on with Beauty's takeover of the Super Bowl??? Yes! for all beauty lovers out there like me, we are beyond excited to see the impact of our industry and the growing audience of football. While normally, touchdowns and halftime shows steal the spotlight, I think this time it will be all about red, plumped lips, glow and a little skin love!

With 115 million viewers tuning in to the Super Bowl last year and even more expected this Sunday (with even more females), advertisers are stepping up their game. I cannot wait to watch all of the epic lineup of brands that will grace our screens during the big game- – including a few of our Ulta Beauty brand besties like e.l.f. Cosmetics, CeraVe, and NYX. I’ve been watching these “Super Beauty Bowl” teasers and am loving what I’m seeing so far. 

 Now, let’s get into these beauty gamechangers…

NYX Professional Makeup: That’s Suspicious!

L'Oreal's NYX Professional Makeup is marking its 25th anniversary with a groundbreaking milestone: its first-ever Super Bowl commercial and first major celebrity partnership. In defying the historically male-dominated football industry by championing the power of women, NYX has enlisted rapper Cardi B to showcase the brand's latest viral product, the Duck Plump High Pigment Plumping Lip Gloss. Unbelievable for me, but did you know that Cardi B has never done a beauty collaboration?? Well now, with NYX Professional Makeup she is front and center —and it’s red HOT! 🔥💄 🏈

What’s more, we at Ulta Beauty are thrilled to partner with NYX to turn this into a 360-degree campaign. In the commercial, Cardi will rock a special Duck Plump shade, ‘Cherry Spice,’ which was exclusively launched on Ulta.com and NYXCosmetics.com on February 1. NYX has also rolled out experiential events at Ulta Beauty stores nationwide — which kicked off last weekend at five of our locations, including one near Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas where the game is taking place. We’re talking fun opportunities to test out the gloss, snap photos, and have the chance to win free products. Sign me up!

e.l.f. Cosmetics: Go Big or Glow Home

I loved e.l.f.’s spot last year so it’s great to see them back in the game and serving lustrous justice with the cast members of the hit TV show Suits, which surged to become the top-streamed show of 2023. The reunited stars, along with Judge Judith Sheindlin (aka Judge Judy, portraying the role of Judge Beauty), Grammy-winning artist Meghan Trainor, comedian Benito Skinner (aka Benny Drama), RuPaul’s Drag Race personality HeidiNCloset, and more, receive fake notices for “jury beauty” that say “you've been summoned” – except for one that quips “You've been e.l.f.ing served.” Cheeky! Watch here. Kory Marchisotto you crushed it!

CeraVe: Developed with Dermatologists, not Michael Cera

If you’re following along on social, you’ve likely seen actor Michael Cera all over your feeds as the new face of CeraVe. It is taking the world by storm right now. The brand, known as the go-to for dermatologist-developed moisturizers, cleansers, and serums, is also making its Super Bowl debut. And here I was under the impression that the “Cera” in CeraVe actually stood for Ceramides – the brand's key ingredient in all their products. Ha!

All told, these brands aren’t just about makeup and skincare; they’re about self-expression, empowerment, and joy – and I’m here for it. And they’re not just selling products; they’re sparking conversations, empowering us to feel fabulous in our own skin, and injecting humor into our beauty routines. So, while many of you might be rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs, the San Francisco 49ers, or even Usher, I'll be celebrating this brand-building moment and cheering on these beauty trailblazers!

#JoyForward #ThePossibilitiesAreBeautiful

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Author: Michelle is the Chief Marketing Officer of Ulta Beauty. Before that, Michelle was the Chief Marketing, Citizenship & Communications officer for Samsung Electronics America and spent 16 years at Procter & Gamble, most of her time in Prestige Beauty, then moved to become the CMO at Vertu, British luxury handmade mobile handsets. For upcoming posts, follow Michelle on Instagram, LinkedIn and twitter. All statements made, and opinions expressed in this article only reflect her personal opinion.