Indie Beauty Businesses’ Efforts To Support Beauty Professionals Affected By COVID-19’s Economic Impacts And The Medical Community Fighting The Virus

By: JANE CARLSON

The shutdowns of non-essential businesses to slow the proliferation of COVID-19 has affected almost every industry, but beauty professionals relying on in-person services for their income have been particularly hurt economically. Spas, and hair and nail salons have closed their doors, and employers have had to make tough decisions about layoffs and pay cuts. Hundreds of thousands of beauty professionals are uncertain about how they’ll sustain themselves and their families in the coming weeks. 

Indie beauty business owners aren’t simply riding out the storm without taking action. They’re realizing that, while alone they may have limited resources, together they can have a big impact. They’re bolstering the beauty ecosystem with efforts to support cash-strapped beauty professionals, and shoring up the medical response to the pandemic by appealing to their audiences to donate much-needed supplies.

We’ve compiled a list that will be updated regularly highlighting brands giving back to beauty professionals or helping medical workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis through special initiatives, commission offers and GoFundMe campaigns.

Brands Making Charitable Contributions For The COVID-19 Medical Response

• Non Gender Specific has launched a N95 Mask donation page to send N95 masks to hospitals across the United States. Consumers choose the hospital and purchase the masks. The brand takes care of the shipping. Masks cost $1.50, shipping included, and the minimum donation is 20 masks. Donate here.
• Blunt Skincare is donating 50% of sales to Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund. Learn more here.
• Adwoa Beauty is asking people to nominate service professionals risking their lives on the front line by tagging them here, explaining what they do and why they’re being nominating them. Ten service workers will be given a $50 digital gift card to be used at their convenience. Recipients will be announced Wednesday at 5 p.m. CST.
• Grande Cosmetics is donating 15% of revenue to Feeding America. Learn more here.
• Lab to Beauty is donating 100% of retail profits to GlobalGiving’s Coronavirus Relief Fund.
• Mila Moursi is donating 20% of proceeds Meals on Wheels until April.
• Equilibria is asking its community to nominate women via an online form working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic to receive 30-ml. flavored drops. Over $100,000 worth of CBD will be given out.
• Pacific Shaving Co. is donating 100% of sales from its website to the CDC Foundation through March 31.
• Miller Harris has pledged to donate 11,000 hand products, hand washes, hand lotions and soap bars to Age UK, which will distribute the items to people over 70 years old across the country.
• Kusshi is starting a healthcare worker giveaway this Saturday(3/28) where anyone can nominate a healthcare worker to receive a KUSSHI bag and pocket organizer from the collection. Each Monday they will announce and feature a winner on their Instagram account. Visit their Instagram on Saturday for more details.
• Croon has been preparing care packages to donate to healthcare workers who have been getting skin irritations from continuous (but necessary) face masks use. To Learn more visit the brand’s Instagram page. ⁣
• Austen Parker, a professional makeup artist and influencer, is asking brands to donate supplies for 50 care packages going to medical professionals. Check out his Instagram Stories here for details. Brands interested in donating can reach out directly via direct message or by email to austen.r.parker@gmail.com.
• Aerangis is offering 20% off every purchase through the end of March 2020. In addition, with each candle sold, it will donate $20 to Direct Relief, a nonprofit delivering protective masks and other medical supplies to healthcare organizations across the country. Use code Together2020 at checkout.
• Velour has introduced a collection of lashes at a special price of $12, 50% of proceeds from this collection will be donated to Global Citizen & World Health Organization’s COVID-19 relief fund.
• Sumbody is collecting N95 masks, shoe covers, face shields, goggles, disposable gowns and gloves for medical personnel. The items should be sent to 350 Morris St, Suite C Sebastopol, CA 95472. Sumbody founder Debbi Burnes’ daughters Autumn and Mica are a doctor and nurse combating the coronavirus. Beauty entrepreneurs interested in donating can find out more from her via email at debbi012@yahoo.com.
• HAIELLE is offering 10% all products using code 10CARE, and they will donate another 10% to No Kid Hungry.
• Volto Urbano will donate 50% of all profits to No Kid Hungry, Meals on Wheels and God’s Love We Deliver.
• O’o Hawaii  is offering a buy 1 get 1 50% deal with the code BOGOHEALTHY through the end of March, with proceeds that are normally donated to the Keauhou Bird Conservation Center now being donated to the dog rescue efforts going on in Hawaii.
• Pai Skincare will give one Hand Sanitizer Gel away for each gel purchased to a local (UK) school, nursery or beauty bank charity. For more information, click here.
• Beekeeper’s Naturals is offering 50% off all products to anyone helping their communities (from grocery store workers and first responders to health care professionals). Reach out to here to share your role and how you are helping the community to receive the code.
• Codex Beauty is sending free cases of the travel size Skin Superfood to any hospital that sends a direct message to the brand on Instagram, for as long as supplies last.  Currently, they have 6,000 units to give away and are manufacturing 30,000 more to give away as soon as possible.
• Naturium is donating 30% of proceeds to Feeding America.
• HatchBeauty Brands is making donations of NatureWell clinical moisturizing creams to local Los Angeles and North Carolina hospitals. Additionally, $1.00 from every sale on NatureWellBeauty.com will go toward the purchase of important medical supplies for those on the front lines.
• Wander Beauty will be donating a Good To Go Mini Hair Essentials Kit  (which features a deluxe-sized All Inclusive Shampoo & Body Wash and Scenic Route Hair Treatment) to a healthcare worker for every purchase of a full-sized skincare, hair or body product from April1 – April 3.
• ORLY International is reconfiguring their factory to produce hand sanitizers, the first batch of 10,000 units will be donated to the City of Los Angeles to be distributed to the at-risk homeless population.
• Merle Norman Cosmetics has retooled their machinery to also produce World Health Organization approved Hand Sanitizer and will soon be available to be distributed online, to the health care industry, front line workers and in partnership with Merle Norman Studio franchise owners.
• H. Hazel is offering customers who buy a 3-pack of their eye gels the chance to provide the name and address of a friend to receive a free eye gel pack.  Add the recipient’s information to the “name drop” section at checkout and H. Hazel will ship the gift at no cost.
• Pause Well-Aging is donating care packages of their skincare products to healthcare workers to help alleviate skin conditions caused by wearing protective gear for long periods of time. The packages were sent to hospital healthcare workers in New York and Virginia this week.
• Apostrophe is temporarily prioritizing the formulation of Hand Sanitizer in its California-based pharmacy/lab and donating 100% of profits to the WHO COVID-19 Response Fund.
• CHI has donated $1 million worth of their Organic Gardens Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer to the cities of Houston & Tomball, TX..
• Nursem launched #HandsUpForNurses, a program to donate 10,000 hand creams to nominated nurses and NHS workers. To nominate someone, click here.
• Unwrapped Life is donating 10% of all sales from their “The Essentials” bundles toFood Banks Canada through March 31.
•  Cirem has begun producing hand sanitizer at its factory and will be donating the hand sanitizer and social distance symbols to local hospitals in the Los Angeles area.
• Tata Harper is creating alcohol based hand sanitizers in compliance with the government guidelines set in place at their labs. This initiative was spurred by a request for hand sanitizer Tata Harper received from celebrity makeup artist, Sir John, who will be donating 500 bottles of the Tata Harper hand sanitizer, Reparative Moisturizer and Rebuilding Moisturizer to members of the medical community in Los Angeles.
• Good Vibe Mafia  is giving away free bottles of CBD hand sanitizer with purchase of any CBD products on their website.
• Pulleez is donated hundreds of their  metal charm ponytail holders to hospitals around the U.S. to keep health care workers’ hair up and away from their faces.
• Dr. Barbara Sturm is donating products and the ticket sales from her weekly 75-minute Zoom masterclasses directly to Baby2Baby.
• Ipsy will be giving care packages to 50,000 healthcare workers across the country and invites you to share this sign up form with healthcare’s selfless workers here. The company is also supporting the American Nurses Foundation by matching every dollar donated to them, up to $50,000. Donate directly here. 
• Augustinus Bader will send a free 15ml of The Cream or The Rich Cream to anyone of your choosing with your next order. In addition. On the order confirmation page, complete the form and nominate someone special to receive their free 15ml The Cream or The Rich Cream. The brand will be donating 12,000 50ml samples of The Rich Cream to hospitals for doctors and nurses to fight against skin irritation and bruises from masks and glasses.
• We Are Wild is donating one product for every product purchased to healthcare workers. All products are 30% for the month of April. If you are a healthcare worker, visit the website to request a product.
• Beast Brands is donating 1000 Liter-Sized-All-In-One soaps to organizations that help keep people safe and healthy. They are asking their followers to nominate organizations, charities, foundations and hospitals, etc. that need the soap to defend against the spread of the disease and they plan to send 50 organizations 20 bottles each.
• Playa is donating 25 meals through Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund for every online order in April, and offering frontline healthcare workers a 50% discount off of their Everyday Shampoo, Supernatural Conditioner & New Day Mist.
• True Moringais sending a care package of True Moringa products to frontline healthcare workers at Cambridge Health Alliance Hospitals for every purchase.
• It’s A 10 Haircareis donating over $5.4 Million worth of products to multiple product-philanthropy nonprofits including, Good360, the global leader in product philanthropy and purposeful giving.
• Gallinée is donating 1,000 hand creams and 1,000 cleansing bars to hospitals and retirement homes across the UK and France.
• Nuria is donating 100% of revenue through April to Save the Children’s COVID-19 response.
• Timeless is sending healthcare workers at Southern California hospitals on-the-go Hyaluronic Acid-based products to help heal and soothe their skin.
• Endure Beauty has secured FDA approved face masks for hospital workers and volunteers on the frontline. It has also turned its fulfillment warehouse and sister company, Endure Productive, into a donation center for emergency supplies. Donations will be distributed between several local hospitals; some of which also house the family rooms supported by Chyler’s Family Room Project an extension of Ronald McDonald House Charities.
• Sanatio Naturaliswill give away one product for each product purchased to a UK NHS staff member. Select your home spa gift, place your order via the website and then email info@sanationaturalis.com with the order number, name of your chosen NHS person, with their address and postcode, together with a scanned copy of their NHS Foundation Trust ID Badge. They will send the same item purchased to the designated person for free.
• Bateman Skincare is donating all proceeds from their ongoing sale to Direct Relief.
• Merlot Skin Careis donating $100,000 worth of skin care products to Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas.
• Juno & Co. is gifting 10,000 of it’s microfiber sponges (its micro-fiber composition makes them the cleanest option in a makeup sponge) to healthcare workers, via a nomination form on Instagram (here). In addition, JUNO & Co. has donated 5,000 masks to nurses in Sacramento.
• Shabby Chic created face masks, and for every set sold they will donate a set of 4. 
• Nufabrx is partnering with Bossong Medical and Manufacturing Solutions Center to create a new line of reusable copper medical masks called TheraMasks. The masks are now available for pre-order and the team is currently sending to hospitals and first responders.
• Recess is partnering with S/O/S, launching the #GiveSOS campaign to support women on the frontlines in the medical community. This partnership creates a platform to donate wellness-based care packages to these brave women on the front lines.
• PCA SKIN will be donating 100% of proceeds from their daily care mask sales on pcaskin.com, professional drop ship orders and on participating e-tailer websites including Dermwarehouse, to FABRIC’s 501c3 non-profit, Arizona Apparel Foundation from April 13^th to 30^th. Proceeds up to $10,000 will assist FABRIC in ramping up production at their Arizona facility to produce PPE.
• SpaRitualis donating one Citrus Cardamom Moisture Balm for every for everyone purchased to local hospitals.
• Jouer has donated 25,000 supplies to Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, as part of an on-going effort, to the doctors, nurses and all healthcare warriors on the frontlines. In addition, Jouer has created a new sku, Hand 2 Hand Sanitizer, that will be available for purchase beginning on April 15th, while supplies last. For every one Hand Sanitizer purchased, one will be donated to local healthcare heroes.
• Qurate Retail Group(a select group of brands, comprised of QVC®, HSN®, Zulily®, Ballard Designs®, Frontgate®, Garnet Hill®, Grandin Road®, and Ryllace^TM) is supporting Meals on Wheels America and No Kid Hungry, by matching customer and team member donations—up to $1 million in total company contribution. To learn more please visit QVC.com or HSN.com
• Lycored is partnering with Food4hungry.org to deliver up to 10K meals and letters of love to elderly and homeless people in need. Visit www.littleglowapp.com to submit a digital letter and Lycored will ensure the card is safely delivered, along with a nutritious meal with fresh fruits and vegetables, through their designated drive-thru pantries.
• St. Rose is introducing Shield Hand Sanitizer and for every hand sanitizer sold, ST. ROSE will donate a 15mL hand sanitizer to NYC hospitals and first responders. Over 1,500 15mL’s have been donated already. 
• Givz has partnered with Milani Cosmetics to provide relief for communities around the country affected by COVID-19, as well as allow customers additional ways to contribute to the effort. For every purchase made on MilaniCosmetics.com, each customer receives a 10 percent credit from their order total to donate through the Givz platform. Customers can choose to donate to a myriad of organizations likeCDC Foundation, Direct Relief, Meals on Wheels andGLAM4GOOD amongst others. 
• Copperhed donated 25 free Copperhed Care Kits, worth $108 each, to front line workers. This included emergency room doctor, Dr. Brianna Garrett, and her staff of 20 nurses at Bethesda Hospital East in Boynton Beach, FL. See the video here.
• Zoya, in partnership with the state of Ohio, has swapped their production to meet the demand of much-needed hand sanitizer for first-responders and consumers Now available to all consumers, ZOYA’s hand sanitizer, a 70% Isopropyl Alcohol Topical Solution Gel, includes Vitamin E and conditioners to help maintain condition of the skin. ZOYA Hand Sanitizer is available in an 8 oz Pump ($8.50), 8 oz Spray ($8.50) and 2 oz Spray ($2.99). To date, ZOYA has already supplied over 200 businesses, several police and emergency dispatch departments, nurses groups and nursing home with this critical supply
• Nomad Cosmetics is is donating 20% of sales from their NYC collection, starting April 21, to Mt Sinai hospital to buy PPE for nurses and doctors.
• Top The Organic Project, a female-owned company that makes 100% organic, eco-friendly cotton tampons and pads, has launched an initiative called, ‘Tampons for All.’ Top is donating 110,000+ period products to Period Inc. – which will be distributed in cities impacted the hardest by COVID-19 and help about 8,000 women. TOP has also made 750,000 tampons and pads available here via a bulk sponsorship that people can purchase at cost, then designate where they’d like their donation to go (neighbor, local food bank, friend, etc.). 1 box of pads supplies 65 women for a month and 1 box of tampons offers 120 women a month’s worth of product.
• Sips by put together a special package, Health Heroes Tea Care Pack, that you can send to essential workers in your life. 10% of proceeds from this box will go to the CDC Foundation, an independent nonprofit created by Congress to mobilize private-sector resources to support the CDC’s work. They will also donate 5% of proceeds from items purchased in the Tea Care Package Shop to Feeding America, through Mother’s Day.
• Wellnesse has pivoted their product development plan to offer consumers Hand Sanitizer. For every purchase that includes hand sanitizer, Wellnesse will gift the recipient $3 to donate to the Covid-19-related charity of their choosing including: The Robinhood Relief Fund, Food for the Poor, and Charity Water. Pre-orders begin today, product ships on 5/11. Additionally, the brand will send “Well Wishes” care packages to a select amount of NYC-based medical professionals that include a mix of toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner and hand sanitizer.

Initiatives Supporting Beauty Professionals And Retailers

• Dome Beauty launched Dome Beauty Cares in partnership with the Professional Beauty Association (PBA) and The Makeup Show. The fundraising effort raises money to support independent and freelance workers in the beauty industry, including makeup artists, hairstylists, nail technicians and aestheticians. Proceeds will donated to the PBA’s nonprofit for hair professionals and The Makeup Show’s network of artists. Those interested in supporting the initiative can shop on Dome Beauty’s website, where $5 from every product sold will be put toward it, or donate directly via GoFundMe.
• Persons of Interest Barber Shop has set up a GoFundMe campaign to support barbers.
• Sundays has launched an initiative that will dedicate 100% of revenues from e-gift card purchases to its employees and a GoFundMe campaign to support its nail artists. The nail concept is offering customers 20% off the e-gift cards with the code Sundays20.
• Paddywax has put together a #shoplocal online program allowing closed independent retailers to get credit for candle sales when customers purchase on the brand’s website. In the checkout on Paddywax’s site, customers should look for the box that says, “Support your local Paddywax retailer,” and enter the name, city and zip code of the store where they typically purchase their Paddywax candles.
• In Common and Nine Zero One have initiated a program in which customers can support hairstylists carrying In Common products by using the brand’s commission referral link. Hairstylists will receive 35% commission, a percentage 10% above the normal commission rate, for every purchase made through their personalized links. Find a local hairstylist and their referral links through the Artist Locator page. In addition to increasing commissions, In Common is making payouts weekly and streamlining the sign-up process to make it easy and fast for commission checks to get in the hands of the hairstylists.
• Bulletin has created a shoppable store directory that allows people to shop hundreds of retailers from around the country. Visit its website to shop and donate to the Small Business Relief Fund.
• dpHUE is asking clients to purchase products through their colorists/stylists who will receive 50% commission on sales. Pros are able to make dpHUE product recommendations tailored for each client based on their formula. For more information, reach out directly to your colorist.
• The Brown Beauty Co-Op has set up a GoFundMe campaign to collect funds to be directly donated to support the livelihood of their staff and contractors.
• The NY Nail Salon Workers Association just announced the formation of a Covid-19 Relief and Resilience Platform, in which it will solicit donations for nail techs.
• Amika has set up an online affiliate program for hairstylists to receive commissions on client sales. Stylists can register here on the company’s website for a unique custom vanity link which will enable them to receive a 40% commission from orders placed.
• Huda Kattan announced on Instagram that the company would be allocating $100,000 toward freelance makeup artists.
• Chillhouse announced a GoFundMe for its retail staff, service providers, baristas and hosts. Donate here.
• Playa is offering an increased commissions of 30% in our Salon Affiliate Program for their community of salons and licensed hair professionals.
• LASIO Professional Hair Care is launching “National Frizz-Free Week” to support salon owners across the United States. The event will go into effect two weeks after the shutdown has been lifted. The company is investing $400,000 in product savings and packages for participating salons.  It’s offering $99 Keratin Treatments in advance so that hairstylists can book appointments in advance and be ready to welcome customers back, post-shutdown. Through the initiative, the goal is to book 10,000 keratin appointments nationwide to generate $1,000,000 for the salon industry.
• Tippy has launched a free virtual tip jar, TIPIT >> FWD.  The virtual tip jar is a safe and simple way for patrons to tip their favorite service professionals and share an uplifting message during these challenging times. The tips are for just because, not for any services exchanged. Think “pay it forward” transitioned to “Tip it forward” then became “TIPIT>>FWD”.
• Dome Beauty is raising money for independent and freelance workers in the beauty industry, including makeup artists, hair stylists, nail technicians, and estheticians, many of whom are single mothers raising young children by establishing Dome Beauty Cares. Dome is donating $5 dollars from every purchase to Dome Beauty Cares and accepting donations here.
• Bellami is partnering with the Professional Beauty Association COVID-19 Relief Fund by donating services valued at $300,000 in the form of monetary relief, complimentary educational trainings and a donation of goods. Monetary Relief: $100,000 cash donation to the Professional Beauty Association COVID-19 Relief Fund, which provides support for professional hairstylists who are currently unable to work and facing financial strains due to the global pandemic. Donation of Goods: $100,000 of Bellami Professional Hair Extensions to stylists in the BELLAMI brand network. This resource aims to prepare stylists with an arsenal of products for immediate client appointments once social distancing guidelines allow; this will also result in a larger profit margin for the stylist’s services. Complimentary Education Training: $100,000 worth of the brand’s education training, translating to 125 professional stylists receiving complimentary access to the BELLAMI Hair Professional Master Extensionist Certification program following the global pandemic.

Beauty Changes Lives

Beauty Changes Lives is responding to the economic plight of licensed US. beauty professionals affected by the closing of spas/salons due to the global pandemic. Starting April 20, an additional $70,000 in $1,000 grants will be available for application on the Beauty Changes Lives website.The latest round of grants is funded by L’Oreal, Wella, Ratner Group, TIGI, KMS, Moroccanoil, Pivot Point, Ulta, Barboleta, Hattori Hanzo, John Paul Mitchell Systems, Oribe, American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) Board of Directors, ISPA, AG Hair, Ergo, and Greg Dawson. These gifts follow an initial $124,000 in COVID-Relief grants funded by CND and the Horst M. Rechelbacher Foundation. Professionals who previously applied for a Horst M. Rechelbacher Foundation grant were not awarded a grant will be automatically entered in the second class of grant applications.

#BetterTogether

37 female-owned, independent brands have partnered together to support each other and the greater community by giving away more than $2,000 in prizes with 5 self-care packages. In addition to that, each brand has committed to giving back to their communities through local charity programs supporting a cause of their choice. All of the brands are offering exclusive discounts with one community code BETTERTOGETHER. Click here to see all of the participating brands and learn more about the #BetterTogether initiative.

Beauty United

Multiple beauty and wellness brand founders,  including Gwyneth Paltrow, Drew Barrymore, Huda Kattan and The Honey Pot Company’s Beatrice Dixon,  are joining together under the Beauty United initiative, an effort to support doctors, nurses, and all the health-care workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Under Beauty United, members pledge to raise immediate funds and donate personal care products to support frontline responders. To learn more, click here.

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