It's hard to believe how quickly June arrived. It seems like just last week we were in the middle of March. It was then that time — and everything else "normal" — stopped due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Although we're now on the road to reopening, social distancing will continue to limit large gatherings for some time. Unfortunately for the LGBTQ+ community, that means annual Pride events across the country will no longer take place this month. But that doesn't mean the celebrations have to stop [1].
Every year, the beauty community steps up [2] to support its LGBTQ+ peers, businesses, and customers. Sometimes it's by way of colourful, limited-edition products to benefit a variety of charities, for others it's large donations and social media movements. For 2020, we're seeing all of that and more. In some cases, brands are even increasing their donations to make up for this year's cancelled events.
Keep reading for a full breakdown of how your favourite beauty brands are supporting the LGBTQ+ community during Pride month [3] (and beyond) this year. Benefiting LGTBQ+ suicide prevention organisation via The Trevor Project [4], primary and secondary students through Diversity Role Models [5], and more, let this inspire you to kick off June with extra pride.
Morphe
On 28 May, Morphe launched its Pride-themed "Free to Be" collection. Including four new products — an eyeshadow palette, brush set, lipgloss, and setting mist — 100 percent of the net proceeds (a minimum of $50,000, or approximately £39,500) will benefit GLSEN, a global education led charity that helps create safe and supportive school environments for primary and secondary school students. And the seven faces you'll see in the campaign? They're GLSEN student ambassadors who use their voices to create meaningful change in their communities.
Marc Jacobs Beauty
If you're already a fan of Marc Jacobs Beauty's Enamoured lipglosses, you'll love what's in store for Pride month. Five new shades — aptly called Enamored (With Pride) — join the lineup in June, each in special, limited-edition packaging for £24 each. Marc Jacobs Beauty will also donate $10,000 each (approximately £8,0000) to two charitable organisations: SAGE [6], the world's largest and oldest organisation dedicated to improving the lives of older LGBTQ+ adults, and Le Refuge [7], a French organisation preventing the isolation and suicide of LGBTQ+ youth by providing shelter and support.
Harry's
If new shaving tools will be on your "to buy" list anytime soon, consider being extra conscious about where you're putting your money. Harry's teamed up with artist José Roda to make its four-piece "Shave With Pride Set" truly special. Each iridescent handle is entirely unique — no two are the same — with £10 from every sale donated to the Albert Kennedy Trust (akt) [8].
E.L.F.
E.L.F.'s "Celebration Pride Bundle" [9] is full of colour and sparkle, featuring the 18 Hit Wonders Eye Shadow Palette, a sparkly Lip Lacquer, and two Liquid Glitter Eyeshadows. Not only will this set help you step up your makeup game all year round, but on the 27th and 28th June, 50% of sales of the Pride Bundle will go to the It Gets Better Project [10], a nonprofit organisation that helps uplift, empower, and connect LGBTQ+ youth through creating a platform that allows people to share their inspiring stories in effort to provide young people with hope and support. Additionally, at the end of Pride month, E.L.F. will donate an additional £10,000 to the UK arm of the charity.
Kiehl's
To show its support for the LGBTQ+ community, Kiehl's is partnering with LGBTQ+ youth charity, Just Like Us [11]. The brand will be donating £20,000 through sales of the limited-edition Ultra Facial Cream (£10 of every pot sold will go directly to the charity), which launches on 19 June and features artwork created by Just Like Us ambassador Jay.
Face Halo
"Love yourself, love each other, love the environment" is Face Halo's message this month, and to show its support, the brand has created a limited-edition version white-and-rainbow version [12] of its best-selling sustainable makeup remover, which you can buy in a pack of three. The brand promises to donate 5% of all proceeds from the campaign to The Trevor Project, "with the total donation amount being varied at the moment as it is based off net sales of the total campaign," according to a spokesperson for the brand.
Batiste Love is Love Limited Edition Dry Shampoo
Exclusive to Superdrug, Batiste celebrates Pride month with a limited-edition bottle and scent of their iconic dry shampoo. The Love is Love Dry Shampoo [13] (£3) comes in a rainbow lip-printed bottle and features a sweet, uplifting scent that contains citrus notes, raspberry, jasmine, rose, and vanilla, to name a few.
And while the new bottle comes out in June, the brand's support is all year long. The brand has pledged a £30,000 donation to the LGBT Foundation [14], one of the largest charitable organisations for the LGTBQ+ community in the UK.
Sigma Beauty
To support the LBGTQ+ community, Sigma Beauty introducing a new, limited edition brush to its family of beauty tools. The special F80 Flat Kabuki will launch at the beginning of Pride month, with 50 percent of proceeds benefitting the It Gets Better Project [15]. The brush — a reimagined version of a top-seller — will be outfitted with a holographic and iridescent rainbow handle.
Simple
This year, Unilever has joined forced with Superdrug, the two companies making a joint donation of £50,000 to the Switchboard LBGTQ+ helpline, a charity service founded in 1974 that has phonelines open 365 days a year, from 10a.m. to 10p.m., free of charge.
In addition to the monetary donation, starting in July, both Simple and Vaseline will launch limited-edition products — in Simple's case its the brand's Biodegradable Cleansing Wipes — that not only feature the celebratory Pride rainbow, but also bring attention to Switchboard's important work — clearly printing the helpline's contact number on the front of the packaging so it's easily accessible for anyone who needs it.
Vaseline
Starting 15th June, limited-edition tins of the Vaseline Aloe Lip Therapy [16] also feature the phone number for Switchboard LGBTQ+ helpline.
OGX
Add a little Pride to your shower routine with limited edition bottles from OGX. Through 11 July, special Pride designs will be available at Target in the brand's most popular scents, including Argan Oil, Liquid Pearl, Teatree Mint, and Coconut Miracle Oil. OGX also supports the Johnson & Johnson CARE WITH PRIDE initiative, which has raised over $1 million for LGBTQ+ non-profits including Family Equality, PFLAG, Trevor Project, and others nationally and globally.
Pantene
The Dresscode Project [17] is a global alliance of salons and barbershops on a mission to create safe, affirming, and inclusive spaces for the LGBTQ+ community. This year, it's also the partner for Pantene's 2020 Pride initiative. As part of the brand's commitment to the community, Pantene will offer $10,000 to eight salons to support and enable positive change. It will also donate $30,000 to the Dresscode Project, allowing salon owners and stylists to become Dresscode Project members for free.
NYX Cosmetics
Live events might be cancelled for the foreseeable future, but that doesn't mean you can't show up virtually. That's why NYX launched its 2020 Pride campaign, #ProudAlliesForAll. Starting 1 June, the brand will begin its virtual "march," where supporters can use an "I March For" Instagram filter and share photos with the campaign hashtag for a chance to be reposted on NYX's socials. What's more, the brand has partnered with the LA LGBT Centre [18] for a live benefit event and to create and validate Pride messageing. The organisation also received a portion of NYX's $50,000 donation to global LGBTQ+ organisations. Special-edition, pride-inspired products are available for a limited time, too.