In today’s world, it can be difficult to decide which beauty product is just right when there are so many to choose from. Factors like cost, brand or online reviews are usually valued as the most important. In an effort to stand out and make a difference, beauty companies around the world are now donating proceeds from profits to charities and foundations of their choice. Next time the urge hits to splurge on a new moisturizer or lipstick, why not splurge for a cause? Here are five beauty brands giving back to keep on the radar in 2019.

Five Beauty Brands Giving Back

1. INDIGO & IRIS: Based in New Zealand, Indigo & Iris is the brainchild of two best friends committed to all-things-beauty and preventing avoidable blindness. Indigo & Iris donates 50 percent of its profit directly to the Fred Hollows Foundation, which aims to address and end avoidable blindness in impoverished populations around the world. In developing countries, the absence of healthcare for eye-related diseases leads to 4 in 5 people going blind when the problem could be medically treated. Indigo & Iris’s breakout product is their mascara, Levitate, which is vegan, cruelty-free and receives high marks from online beauty and style publications such as Allure and PopSugar.
2. SCHMIDT’S NATURALS: Looking for a fresh scent? It may be time for a new deodorant or soap. Schmidt’s Naturals is a sustainable, Portland-based manufacturer that crafts their formulas with soothing plants and minerals that are free of chemicals or harsh additives. The newest collection, Lily of the Valley, showcases a body wash and deodorant that were concocted with Jane Goodall’s favorite aromas in mind. And if having a Jane Goodall inspired body wash isn’t cool enough, 5 percent of all profits from these products go directly toward global environmental conservation efforts and the protection of wild animals through the Jane Goodall Institute.
3. MDNA SKIN: Pop and humanitarian icon, Madonna’s nonprofit, Raising Malawi, is instrumental in providing free access to education and health for nearly 10,000 children as of 2018. Madonna’s skincare brand, MDNA Skin, donates a portion of the proceeds from her Reinvention Cream to the initiatives of Raising Malawi, which include the construction of brand new schools in the Kasungu province of Malawi. MDNA skin features a wide selection, including a chrome clay mask, a refreshing rose mist and a facial rollerball to ease away any and all kinks from the day. Lay back and relax knowing that a portion of the revenue from some of these products helps to create educational and economic opportunities for the current and future generations of Malawi.
4. MARULA BEAUTY: As the brand’s name would suggest, Marula Beauty specializes in skin and hair care products infused with marula oil. Marula oil is especially beneficial for skin as the oil contains antioxidant and hydration properties that reduce fine lines, enhance overall complexion and act as antimicrobials. What makes this beauty brand unique is their dedication to working directly with women in African villages where there are Marula trees. Marula Beauty offers employment and fair wages to these women as they tend to and harvest the Marula trees until the oil is ready to be extracted. In this way, Marula Beauty honors the connection African communities hold to their land while offering compensation in exchange for the Marula trees’ potential, definitely earning Marula Beauty a spot on this list of five beauty brands giving back.
5. NU SKIN: Nu Skin is a globally established company that develops and distributes skincare and dietary supplements as well as other health-related products. Whether it be the search for a rejuvenating beauty mask or lavender essential oil, Nu Skin has an array of selections and a diverse price range. The nonprofit behind the company, the Nu Skin Force For Good Foundation, utilizes a large amount of revenue from Nu Skin to fund grant projects including the School of Agriculture for Family Independence in Malawi. The school trains attendees in subjects such as sustainable agriculture, animal husbandry and forest conservation while sending their children to primary school for free. The foundation has also established the Greater China Children’s Heart Fund in response to the fact that two out of three children in China with pediatric congenital heart disease are unable to receive treatment due to cost. Money allocated for the grant goes toward covering medical and surgical expenses entirely.

Buying makeup or skincare online can often feel like a one-sided experience. Investing in the products offered by these five beauty brands giving back ensures that there is someone on the other side also profiting. And as Audrey Hepburn famously said, “I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls.”

Photo: Flickr