The fatal shootings that occurred on March 16 across three Atlanta-based spas, which resulted in eight people being killed, six of whom were Asian women, came after a year of heightened discrimination, harassment, and violence against the Asian community amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In just 2020 alone, the Stop AAPI Hate Reporting Centre reported nearly 3,800 incidents of hate [1] against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and that astonishing number doesn't even include incidents that went unreported.
The recent surge in violence against Asian Americans [2] has sparked awareness about yet another prevalent instance of racism and xenophobia in the US and has many people asking themselves what they can do [3] to help. Brands across the beauty industry [4] have started to come forward to show their support as allies for the Asian community with initiatives and donations to AAPI-focussed organisations, but far too many are still silent, especially given the industry's habit to capitalize on Asian beauty practices.
As a whole, the business of beauty profits off of Asian culture by adopting ingredients, traditions, and products (like sheet masks, jade rollers, and essences) as their own. Soko Glam founder Charlotte Cho told POPSUGAR in a previous interview that part of being an ally is speaking up about anti-Asian violence and hate, but it goes beyond that. "Part of that is giving credit where credit is due; honouring traditions, talking about the inspiration," Cho said. "A beauty brand can create, say, a sheet mask with ginseng in it, but they should be acknowledging the inspiration behind it and the fact that ginseng is an ingredient historically used in Korean and Chinese medicines for generations."
Ahead, we rounded up the beauty brands breaking that silence, taking action, and donating to organisations to help fight violence against the Asian community.
Savor Beauty
Savor Beauty is donating to the Asian American Legal Defence and Education Fund [5] from March 9 through April 9 and donating $1 for every Quench Hyaluronic Acid Serum [6] purchased to Her Justice [7], a New York City-based nonprofit organisation.
Freck
Freck is donating 100 percent of profits from March 18 and March 19 to Stop AAPI Hate [8].
Riki Loves Riki
Riki Loves Riki and Glamcor are each donating one percent of all sales through the end of March to AAPI Women Lead [9].
Cocokind
Cocokind is donating 100 percent of profits on March 18 to the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum [10].
Touchland
Touchland donated 100 percent of proceeds on March 17 to Stop AAPI Hate [11].
Milk Makeup
Milk Makeup is donating $50,000 to the AAPI Relief Fund [12] on GoFundMe.
Tula
Tula told POPSUGAR it donated to the Asian American Legal Defence and Education Fund [13] (AALDEF), although the brand did not disclose how much.
Juara
Juara is donating 10 percent of sales of select products from now through April to Stop AAPI Hate [14].
Velour
During March, Velour will donate 10 percent of net proceeds to Stop AAPI Hate [15] in the US and CPAC [16] in Canada.
Orcé Cosmetics
Orcé Cosmetics is donating 100 percent of sales on March 18 to the AAPI Community Fund [17].
Orly
Orly is donating $10,000 to Stop AAPI Hate [18].
Free + True
Free + True told POPSUGAR it's donating to Stop AAPI Hate [19], although it did not disclose how much.
Estate Cosmetics
Estate Cosmetics is donating 10 percent of sales in March to Hate Is a Virus [20].
Aloisia Beauty
Aloisia Beauty is donating 10 percent of sales through the end of March to various organisations supporting the AAPI community.
Nue
Nue is donating a percentage of all proceeds from every sale to the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum [21] (POPSUGAR has reached out for more specifics).
Purigenex
Purigenex is donating a portion of all sales to Stop AAPI Hate [22], although it did not disclose how much.