Fashion and beauty are industries that, historically, have never been there for us. Whether the issue is not creating products that cater to our needs or refusing to use Black bodies to promote their items, the relationship between the Black community and these capitalistic pillars has been contentious, to say the least.
Thankfully, the uprisings that occurred in cities throughout America this past weekend have finally struck a chord within the beauty industry (fashion, not so much), with many prominent brands not only openly declaring that they stand with the Black community in the midst of the killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and so many others, but also putting their money where their mouth is. Here are beauty brands that donated dollars to civil rights organizations fighting for the liberation of Black people across the country this weekend.
1. Glossier
On Sunday, clean beauty brand Glossier declared a stance in solidarity with the Black community against systemic oppression and white supremacy and announced a donation of $500,000 across various organizations working to eradicate social injustice, including Black Lives Matter and the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.
2. e.l.f.
In acknowledging other beauty brands that have taken a stand, e.l.f. cosmetics took its own by announcing a $25,000 donation to Color of Change, an organization dedicated to holding prosecutors accountable and inflicting real change in the criminal justice system.
3. NYX Cosmetics
Three little words said so much when NYX Cosmetics stated on Instagram Saturday that the treatment of Black men and women in this country is simply not OK. The brand also announced a donation to Black Lives Matter and the Minnesota Freedom Fund.
Sunday Riley, founder of the eponymous skincare brand, pointed out her personal connection to George Floyd as a Houston native who attended the same high school as the slain father. She also committed a $50,000 donation to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and shared her company is looking for additional grassroots organizations to donate to in Houston as well.
Clinique showed they get it when they posted that they do not tolerate racism, hatred, or violence, and went a step further to write, “We know that just stating our support isn’t enough—we need to take action and will be announcing our additional support this week.”
6. Urban Decay
In a time when so many brands have indeed decided to be silent, Urban Decay determined they would not be one of them. The cosmetics company is donating to Black Lives Matter and the Minnesota Freedom fund and sharing links to educate and empower its customers to get involved.
Stating “Together we can make change happen,” cosmetics giant Maybelline decided to help lead the way as the brand announced a donation to the NAACP in light of the current fight for justice.
Tarte cosmetics got straight to the point in acknowledging “We need to do better” while sharing it is working to educate themselves and their community. The beauty brand also announced a donation to the NAACP.
9. ColourPop Cosmetics
In quoting Martin Luther King, Jr., cruelty-free, Los Angeles-based cosmetics brand ColourPop announced they will be making donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund and the American Civil Liberties Union.
10. Ulta Beauty
In an effort to live up to the words of Equal Justice Initiative founder Bryan Stevenson, Ulta Beauty announced it will be donating to the organization which works to eradicate mass incarceration and excessive punishment for people of color.
