Founders of some of the biggest beauty brands in the world are banding together to form a new initiative called BeautyUnited, focused on doing all they can to support those on the front lines of the pandemic.
Victoria Beckham, founder of Victoria Beckham Beauty, Drew Barrymore, founder of Flower Beauty, and Gwyneth Paltrow, founder of Goop, are among more than 40 beauty and wellness leaders who have joined BeautyUnited.
The group is focused on donating essential products to first responders, as well as raising $10 million in small donations through a GoFundMe to support the Frontline Responders Fund to provide personal protective equipment. The founding members came together to voice their support and mission in a video that was edited by Milk Digital.
It all started a few weeks ago when BeautyCon founder, Moj Mahdara, helped connect a group of fellow beauty founders. Zanna Roberts Rassi, co-founder of Milk Makeup, was one of those members.
She recalled the group coming together to create something "forward facing, because it is so powerful," Rassi told TODAY Style. That's when BeautyUnited was born.
Each of the brands recently sent 2,000 products to the Jacob Javits Center in New York City, where a temporary hospital is set up to help coronavirus patients and where the annual beauty convention is normally held.
The products included moisturizing creams, oils, soaps, sanitizers and more, according to Rassi. “The idea is to send product with minimal packaging, make it easy to distribute and go straight to the place where it's needed," she said.
The BeautyUnited founders are also taking care of doctors staying in nearby hotels by providing the personal care protects they need, along with items such as bath salts to help them unwind after a long shift.
“They are all working so tirelessly for us. It is our duty to keep them safe," Rassi said. "Without them, we are not safe.”
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Moving forward, she said the group is excited to work with additional partners listed on its website, including Dove, Revlon, Unilever and other household names to make a wider impact. They also plan to help salon freelancers.
"Now we have hopefully more leverage as well with products and brands to fund salons and individuals and whoever else may need us," she said.
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