Beauty

How beauty brands are supporting the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement

02.06.2020

By Wei Yeen Loh

How beauty brands are supporting the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement

As mass protests and demonstrations over the death of George Floyd and police brutality enter its seventh consecutive day in the United States, a string of beauty brands have stepped up to pledge their support for the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

Whether allocating funds to organisations that fight racial injustice or taking part in #AmplifyMelanatedVoices and #BlackoutTuesday (ceasing the posting of branded content on social media and closing the doors of brick-and-mortar stores), brands such as Glossier, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Marc Jacobs Beauty and more are proving that taking action is perhaps the most important first step to creating change—and there is no better time than now to stand in solidarity.

Glossier

Glossier has pledged a total of USD$1 million in the form of grants (to Black-owned beauty businesses) and funds to organisations that aim to combat racial injustice. Their initiative has been lauded by users on social media—”The most impressive corporate statement I’ve seen. Words and action,” tweeted one user, and “Do international shipping so we can support you!” wrote another.

Sunday Riley

Sunday Riley penned a heartfelt message in the caption of an Instagram post on her namesake beauty label, stating that she went to the same high school as George Floyd, albeit in a different year. “We had entirely different lives, different opportunities, and faced different challenges. Had we both been in the exact same situation, at the exact same moment, I think it would have ended differently for me. Actually, I know it would have. That reality pierces me to my core,” she wrote. “Being from Houston, as a team, we want to support the Black community locally and are looking for meaningful ways that we can support … we are limited in our resources, but not in our voice.”

Biossance

Sustainable beauty brand Biossance has pledged USD$100,000 to organisations including ACLU, the Minnesota Freedom Fund, Color of Change and Black Lives Matter. They’ve also included a list of educational resources on podcasts, books, films, petitions and organisations on their Instagram Highlights.

Youth To The People

Youth To The People was one of the first few beauty brands that spoke up earlier this week, posting a slew of posts on the importance of calling out racism and demanding justice. “Not everyone can give, and not everyone has a platform to amplify the message. We believe that the words spoken in your home, among your friends and family, and to your children are transformative. Speak for justice,” said the caption. The brand has also opted to mute its channels on #BlackoutTuesday. “This is not a day off. This is a day to reflect, have hard conversations, and find ways to make real change through action. We ask you to join us.”

Versed

Versed’s corporate statement on the importance of getting educated speaks volumes, as seen on its Instagram post two days ago. “Being silent is being complicit. If you’re not discussing anti-Black racism, please educate yourself and start bringing it to the forefront. We’re responsible for the society we live in. That means making it equitable for members of our Black community. It’s a process. Do your research and tackle your own belief system, uplift Black voices, talk to family members and friends who may not want to speak up. Now is not the time to sit back. It’s okay to not have it all figured out, take the steps needed to make our communities safe and fair.”

Herbivore Botanicals

Non-toxic beauty brand Herbivore Botanicals has promised to donate 100% of its profits from this weekend to Black Lives Matter, along with a vow to make the amount donated public (according to a reply to one of its comments) once it’s been calculated. “That’s very generous especially considering the pandemic impact on businesses. This shows how committed you are as a company and your ethics,” commended a user on the same Instagram post.

Summer Fridays

Alongside making donations to Black Lives Matter and Minnesota Freedom Fund, Summer Fridays has also shared a compilation of Black-owned beauty brands as an effort to support the community.

ILIA

Clean beauty brand ILIA has spoken out against racism and injustice on Instagram, followed by a pledge to donate $50,000 to a few organisations and initiatives. Check out more anti-racism resources on its website here.

First Aid Beauty

First Aid Beauty has stepped up with a corporate donation to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, along with a personal donation by founder Lilli Gordan to match. “We stand with the #blacklivesmatter movement and will continue to do our part as a brand and as individuals to support our Black community,” said the caption in the post on Instagram.

Krave Beauty

Krave Beauty has always championed inclusivity in its ethos, from featuring a diverse cast of models in its ad campaigns to offering skincare solutions for all skin types. Just a few hours ago, the brand announced that it will participate in the #AmplifyMelanatedVoices initiative by muting branded content on its Instagram feed from June 1 to 7,  “in order to give more visibility to the #BlackLivesMatter movement and create more opportunities for Black voices to be heard. We will be bringing light to important issues affecting the Black communities.”

Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs Beauty has announced that they will donate to the #BlackLivesMatter movement, along with a plea to the public to sign petitions with the NAACP and Change.org to shine the spotlight on these relevant issues.

“In solidarity with the Black community, our employees, our friends, our families and our colleagues across industries, we are proud to take part in #BlackoutTuesday. Fighting racism, racial inequality and injustice doesn’t stop with financial donations or words of support: Marc Jacobs Beauty will not be conducting any business on Tuesday, June 2. This is not a day off: This is a day to reflect and to find ways to make lasting change.”

Hourglass Cosmetics

Cruelty-free beauty brand Hourglass Cosmetics has donated USD$100,000 across five organisations—NAACP, Black Lives Matter, Marsha P. Johnson Institute, Loveland Foundation and Thurgood Marshall College Fund; with brief descriptions in the Instagram post caption on how each organisation is combating racial injustice. “Thank you for being specific and intentional with your post. So many brands are failing to be genuine and intentional and we as the consumer see right through the vague, passive posts! This is awesome and I am proud to continue to support your brand!” wrote one user.

Anastasia Beverly Hills

Apart from pledging a USD$1 million donation (starting with a $100,000 donation across a few non-profit organisations), Anastasia Beverly Hills has also vowed to roll out new initiatives to support Black-owned businesses and artists in the beauty industry.

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