Valentine's Day Beauty Buys That Give Back
Shop the Beauty Brands That are Showing Real Heart This Valentine’s Day
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Valentine's Day is a moment to celebrate love, whether you're in a relationship or not. As shops become filled with gushy cards, couple's meal deals, and heart-filled products, there is always that underlying feeling that the occasion is yet another event promoting consumerism under the guise of love. But this year, brands are taking the opportunity to show some real heart above sales and profits.
Both Lush and Lottie London are two standout beauty brands wearing their heart on their . . . products. Teaming up with important charities to help promote vital work, both for the LGBTQ+ community and for victims of sexual harassment, they are proving that Valentine's Day is a moment to extend love and compassion for everyone.
Read ahead to find out how they are supporting worthy causes, and shop some of the products that look good and do good. Whether you opt to bag them for your significant other, as a treat for your friend, or as a gift for yourself in the name of self-love, they are the ideal weekend pick-me-up.
Lottie London
Lottie London often uses celebratory occasions for good causes. Having previously used Halloween as a means to encourage consumers to donate blood, it is now raising awareness for another important topic this Valentine's Day. It's "Consent to Kiss" campaign aims to help others feel safe online, and better armed from sexual harassment, cyberflashing, and unwanted attention on the internet and social media.
The topic is an important one. Recently, Emily Atack raised awareness of the issue via her superb BBC documentary where she opened up about the sheer amount of unsolicited and explicit images she is sent on a daily basis. Furthermore, a recent YouGov survey carried out by UN Women UK found that a huge 45 percent of women would not report sexual harassment because they have no trust that anything would be done and they don't know where to report it.
That's why Lottie London has partnered with Brook, a leading sexual health and wellbeing charity which supports, trains, and educates others on safety in relationships. The brand is donating 10 percent of sales from its Valentine's collection to the charity. The range itself includes an adorable Heart-Shaped Lip and Cheek Stick (£6), a Totally Mint Eyeshadow Palette (£6), and a new Oil Slick Lip Oil (£6).
Lush
Everybody deserves love, and that's why beauty brand Lush is using Valentine's Day to call on MPs to ban conversion therapy — with no exceptions. Plans to scrap the practice, which attempts to change or suppress someone's sexual orientation or gender identity, have been discussed in government for years, at one point to ban it for everyone except transgender people. The government has now stated it will ban all forms of conversion therapy in England and Wales, including those targeting trans people, but with an aim of passing it before the next general election (which might not be until Jan 2025). As such, Lush is calling upon the government to urgently ban it now.
If you walk past a Lush store between 10 and 16 Feb., you'll see its windows shedding light on the issue. The beauty brand has teamed up with Galop, the LGBTQ+ anti-abuse charity, to call on MPs to ban the abhorrent practice imminently. Customers will be able to scan a QR code in store to send a Valentine's e-card to their MP, encouraging them to have a heart and speak up on the issue.
In addition to it's V-Day collection, Lush is also launching a Limited-edition Heart-shaped Wash Card (£3), made from apple pulp and scented with grapefruit, which lathers up to give perfumed skin. It is stencilled with the words "Proud To Love You". All sales of the product will be donated to Galop.
