Beauty Backed campaign raises nearly £300,000

Beauty Backed is a campaign launched by beauty industry powerhouse Caroline Hirons to provide financial support for struggling beauty therapists, aestheticians and make-up artists affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The campaign has raised nearly £300,000 since Monday.

The beauty industry was expected to open on the first day of August, however due to a U-turn by the British government, declaring that the return of all “close contact services” was to be postponed for another two weeks, many members of the professional beauty industry were unable to return to their careers and have been unable to do so for almost five months due to the lockdown.

Addressing her Instagram audience of almost 500,000 followers, Hirons said: “We have to do something for these people who aren’t earning money. We cannot keep letting our industry be left behind when so many people have fallen through the cracks.”

The campaign is in partnership with British Beauty Council, the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology, and Hair and Beauty Charity.

The money raised will be donated to British NGO Hair & Beauty Charity, which offers financial support to industry professionals and their children due to unforeseen circumstances such as poor health and bereavement.

Significant donations so far include £25,000 from Trinny London and £10,000 each from Zelens, Sunday Riley, Elemis, Cult Beauty, Tan Luxe and Deciem.

Other brands which have offered monetary aid include Kate Somerville, Dennis Gross, Dermalogica UK, Murad Skincare UK, Space NK, Chantecaille Beauté, REN Clean Skincare, Medik8, Paula's Choice, FaceGym, Pai, Aurelia, Ultrasun, Nails Inc and Bondi Sands.

Hirons stressed to her 500,000 Instagram followers that no donation is too small and she is calling in favours from PR agencies and brands.

Beauty Backed exceeded its original £100,000 goal within 24 hours.

Hirons said on her Instagram: "The aim is just to get beauty up and working again"

"I would hope that we can get rid of this campaign in a month. My fear is that they're not going to open and we are going into a second lockdown".