After the past, almost 3 years of living through a global pandemic, health and safety have never proven more important. However, not all communities have access to high health standards.
Indigenous communities across Canada have been grappling with crisis after crisis but more predominantly, it’s the major issue of these communities not having access to clean drinking water. According to Water First, a charitable organization supporting Indigenous communities to address the water crisis, as of January 2022, approximately 94 (or about 1 in 6) First Nations communities in Canada don’t have access to clean water. These numbers include both short-term and long-term boil water advisories and do not consume advisories.
This month is Indigenous History Month and to recognize it, Indigenous-owned beauty brand Cheekbone Beauty has unveiled an unsellable contaminated lipgloss set to raise awareness about the water crisis.
The lipglosses in this unsellable collection have names like Luscious Lead, E.Coli Kiss, and Mercury Shimmer, with the campaign posing the question, “Would you put it to your lips?” The brand is fully aware that it’s unacceptable to sell contaminated and dangerous beauty products while it’s acceptable for these Indigenous communities to have no access to clean drinking water.
“It’s time to stop glossing over this issue,”
Jenn Harper, founder and CEO, Cheekbone Beauty.
“Everyone should have access to clean, safe drinking water. That’s why #GlossedOver is so important: you wouldn’t put a contaminated gloss on your lips, so why should anyone put contaminated water to theirs?
Looking to help where they can, Sephora Canada is putting their money where their lip-glossed mouths are. For the entire month of June, the mega beauty retailer will donate all proceeds from the sale of Cheekbone Beauty to Water First.
“As a purpose-led organization, we have a responsibility to enable change and are humbled to support both Cheekbone’s Beauty’s brand journey, and the impactful work of Water First and the communities they support,” says Debbie McDowell, Director, Communications and Social Impact at Sephora Canada. “Addressing the water crisis for Indigenous communities in Canada is mission-critical and this donation aligns with Sephora’s giving strategy of driving meaningful change and championing a more diverse, inclusive and empowered beauty community.”