Many beauty brands (natural, organic as well as non-green brands) do their bit to support the environment and people and animals all around the world; from AIDS to coral reefs and women’s health to cheetah conservation (my daughters future career apparently), its good to know that something more comes from your purchase.
With Christmas just around the corner (as we are in December I am now free to mention the C word), I thought it would be an apt time to give a shout out to some of the companies who’s philanthropic ventures help to change lives, bring about change and make a difference.
Here are my Top Five charitable beauty buys this Christmas…
An oldie but a goodie, the Bee Lovely range has been around for a while now but it is a firm favourite amongst many NYR fans. Bees face extinction in many countries and since 2011 sales of the collection has raised over £80,00! This year the money has supported the London Beekeeper’s Association, PlantLife, Bees for Development and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Neal’s Yard Remedies also support a number of other very worthy causes including The World Land Trust, Breast Cancer Haven and Women for Women International.
Whatever you buy from this company you can be safe in the knowledge you are helping to do your bit as they donate 20% of net profits to charities that improve the lives of people and animals in the UK and around the world. So committed to supporting and raising awareness about ethical issues in the beauty industry that PHB founded their own charity and in 2015 the One Love Foundation set out on it’s journey to share, give back, help others and to care for the earth. Currently the charity are supporting Vision Zambia, Sense, The Trussell Trust and Birmingham Homeless Outreach.
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Founded in 2010, Lyonsleaf are relatively small in the natural beauty world but their products get rave reviews! It is your feedback which count for the Somerset based company and they are now donating £3.00 to charity every time a customer leaves a product review. Currently Lyonsleaf are supporting the British Red Cross who do some amazing work at humanitarian disasters and emergencies around the world as well as here in the UK – such as the horrific Grenfell Tower Disaster earlier this year.
London based skincare brand Skin & Tonic is committed to making a difference, ethically sourcing their ingredients from Fairtrade women’s co-operatives and from British producers. They also strive to be carbon neutral and plant trees in the Suffolk countryside to offset their carbon footprint. They also donate 10% of their profits to Charity Water who invest in building sustainable, community-owned water projects around the world (so far they have funded 24,537!). These projects provide essential, clean water and sanitation to rural and impoverished communities for whom water is scarce.
Gift sets from Green People are always a winner in my book – over the years I’ve given them to so many people – sometimes thrice over! This year GP are supporting Plantlife, a conservation charity that works to save threatened wild flowers, plants and fungi in the UK, with a donation from the sale of each Modern Botanicals gift going to the charity. Also available on the website (and in the sale) are a number of last years gift sets too which support Butterfly Conservation.
I am sure you will agree all of the companies I’ve mentioned support very worthwhile causes and they of course are not alone in their philanthropic activities so take a closer look at the small print on brand websites to fine out more about their charitable donations.
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From time to time we all receive gifts which we would rather not have been given so rather than throwing them away take a trip to your local charity shop who will no doubt appreciate the donation. If you are unsure as to whether your donation will be suitable just ask or check their website.
The Guardian newspaper ran an article (albeit a number of years ago) about the restrictions that Oxfam has on donations – it makes for insightful reading. You can read it here.
If you have opened a beauty product only to discover that you aren’t that enamoured then don’t be discouraged. Opened and part used products will not be accepted by most charity shops (they will be discarded if they are received) however if you are in the UK, the ycan be donated to Give and Makeup (there are similar companies in the US and Australia). Give and Makeup support Refuge and Women’s Aid.
Do you actively choose brands who regularly make charitable donations?
Images: (1) via Kiplinger; (2) Neal’s Yard Remedies; (3) PHB Ethical Beauty; (4) British Red Cross; (5) Charity Water; (6) Plantlife
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