Mediaboss Marketing

The world has witnessed waves of unrest following the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and Tony McDade, whose unjust killings have spurred countless people to actively join the fight to end racism, the murder of unarmed black people, and the criminalisation of black skin. Corporations and brands are also being called upon to actively participate in the dismantling of systemic racism, and a number of big names in beauty have stepped up to the plate, through substantial donations to anti-racist organisations, efforts to raise awareness of the killings, and commitments to self-education.

Beauty brands owe a great deal of their success to black creators and influencers, as well as black consumers, who, despite having historically been left out of the beauty conversation, have in the past been found to spend as much as 80 per cent more on cosmetics, and twice as much on skincare, as their non-black counterparts in the US. Given that research carried out by social marketing agency Vamp found that 83 per cent of black women use Instagram to access beauty content, its only right that the beauty brands black women continue to invest their money and time in use their platforms and followings to spread the anti-racism message.

Beyond mere Instagram posts, prominent black figures in beauty, such as YouTuber Jackie Aina, are calling on brands to increase the numbers of black employees at all levels of their business, to hold themselves accountable for having turned a blind eye to racism in the past, to further diversify their campaigns, to safeguard the health and welfare of their existing black staff, and to commit to being non-optical allies from now on.

Below, eight beauty brands that have shown solidarity.

We are joining in the fight against systemic racism, and we encourage those who are not familiar with the Black Lives Matter movement to educate themselves and take action. Thats one of several messages of solidarity and support shared by Huda Kattan and her Huda Beauty team in recent days. But words aside, Huda Beauty a brand that is loved and has been popularised by many black beauty influencers pledged $500,000 (395,000) to the NAACP (the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). The organisation, founded in 1909, is Americas first and largest grassroots civil rights association dedicated to fighting for the constitutional rights of African-Americans, and against systemic racism.

Kristyn Potter, head of content at cruelty-free beauty brand Allies of Skin, has spoken frankly of her fears for her brother as a young black man living in America. Every day I worry about the safety of my little brother, a black man in America, she shared. When he was younger, I worried that he would experience racism in school. When he went to college in a rural town, I worried that he would get pulled over and shot by the police. Every single day. Now that hes out of college, I worry that he will be one of the many black people targeted for a crime and killed ruthlessly, like George Floyd. I worry for his safety more than I worry for mine. But that isnt to say it doesnt happen to black women as well (see the recent killing of Breonna Taylor) and black trans people (Tony McDade).

Allies of Skin has since donated to Black Lives Matter; ACLU Nationwide (the American Civil Liberties Union) which works to protect voting rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, and vulnerable people in prisons, jails and immigration detention centres; and the Minnesota-based Black Visions Collective, which is committed to dismantling systems of oppression and violence.

Taking a stand against racism and police brutality, natural beauty brand Herbivore Botanicals has donated its profits from the past weekend to the cause. The $46,000 (36,300) fund will benefit ACLU Nationwide, Black Lives Matter and the Minnesota Freedom Fund, which seeks to end discriminatory, coercive, and oppressive jailing, and also funds criminal bail and immigration bonds for low-income individuals. Herbivore has long advocated for marginalised communities, including the LGBTQ+ community 1 from every sale of its Prism Exfoliating Glow Lotion benefits LGBTQIA+ charities.

Disciple London committed itself in 2019 to supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, donating 1 from every sale of its CBD oil, Miracle Drops, to the cause. In a racially unjust prison system, black and minority people are disproportionately jailed for cannabis-related crimes in the US, where cannabis is now not only legal in a number of states, but has provided profitable businesses for many. The number of black and minority ethnic people behind bars as a result of the same thing cannabis businesses were making money from did not sit well with Disciple founder Charlotte Ferguson. She has since backed the fight for social justice through raising awareness, and financially supporting, those affected.

People-powered millennial brand Glossier has joined the fight against white supremacy. It has pledged a total of $1,000,000, (800,000) to organisations that fight racial injustice, as well as supporting black-owned beauty businesses. $500,000 (400,000) will be spread across Black Lives Matter; the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; the Equal Justice Initiative; the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, which protects and defends the human rights of black transgender people; and We Are The Protestors, headed up by activist and educator DeRay, activist, data scientist and policy analyst Samuel Sinyangwe, and activist, writer and educator Brittany Packnett Cunningham. Together, they have built a database that allows users to track how US legislation impacts every state, giving civilians the information they need to hold representatives accountable for police brutality and violence. Glossier has also pledged to donate another $500,000 (400,000) in grants to support black-owned beauty businesses, and promised to provide further details on this initiative in June.

The British brand Nails Inc. shared its appreciation for the black talent it works with, and is donating all of its June profits to Black Lives Matter. It has continued to share resources and details of other organisations focused on combating racial injustice, including the George Floyd Memorial Fund, Brooklyn Community Bail Fund and Women For Political Change.

Anastasia Beverly Hills has pledged $1 million (800,000), with $100,000 (79,000) going to Black Lives Matter, the Innocence Project, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Black Visions Collective and the Marshall Project. It is also set to release details of new initiatives that will provide financial support to black-owned businesses and artists in the beauty industry. The brand has vowed to use its platform and privilege to amplify the voices of the marginalised from now on.

In Honest Beautys declaration of support, the brand pledged $100,000 (79,000) to organisations fighting racial injustice, including the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Equal Justice Initiative. The Equal Justice Initiative, founded by Just Mercy author Bryan Stevenson, works to challenge and advance reform within the criminal justice system through litigation, policy reform and education. The non-profit law firm provides legal representation for prisoners wrongly accused, or who have been denied a fair trial. Once it has succeeded in winning an appeal or having a wrongful conviction overturned, it helps wrongfully incarcerated individuals to reintegrate into society. Honest Beauty has also promised to match all employee donations made to civil rights organisations.

More from British Vogue:

Originally posted here:
The Beauty Brands Stepping Up In The Fight To Dismantle Systemic Racism - British Vogue