Rugby phenom Ilona Maher co-launches skincare line for women athletes

The GIST: U.S. Olympic rugby (and TikTok) star Ilona Maher and former NCAA swimmer Ann Ragan Kearns launched a skincare line today, called Medalist. The brand’s products are specifically designed for women athletes, which involved rigorous testing from Maher and other athletes across different age groups and sports. Gold in a bottle.

The founders: Kearns is a former Penn State Division I swimmer and a beauty brand veteran thanks to her award-winning PR firm, Odyssey Public Relations. Maher is a rugby sevens player who represented Team USA in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and will again in Paris this month. She has also built a strong audience in the athlete and body positivity space with over 1.5M social media followers.

• Kearns came up with the idea for Medalist after experiencing irritation from chlorine — she wanted to create a brand that was tried and tested by athletes like her. She reached out to Maher, who felt Medalist aligned with her dreams of flexing her entrepreneurial muscles. A match made in heaven.

The details: The women-founded company is driven by an entire team of women athletes, from those creating the products to the graphic designers creating launch imagery. Products are also tailored for different athletic environments across multiple sports, which differentiates Medalist in the skincare market.

The industry: The beauty industry is booming — it generated $625B in revenue globally in 2023. Social media and influencer marketing helps, especially for Gen Z (and Gen Alpha) brand-driven crazes on TikTok. Medalist kept that in mind by tapping a bevy of Trinity University athletes to model for the launch of its line.

Zooming out: Kearns and Maher identified a niche gap in the beauty industry and used their skills outside the game to fill this need. Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams each got into the makeup and skincare game recently, but it’s rarer to see a rugby player like Maher as an influencer while her sport is still securing a U.S. foothold. Even if rugby doesn’t have brand recognition in the U.S., Maher does.

• Medalist also represents a good add to the marketplace outside of sports, because if it works at clearing skin in the toughest environment, it works period. WNBA testers said they loved using the products on and off the court, which is why pro leagues are already discussing partnerships with the brand. A lay-up.