If you’re a lover of red lipstick and sparkly eye makeup, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that the average woman spends $15,000 on make-up over the course her lifetime, according to a study by the financial site Mint.com. Since that’s a rather large amount, wouldn’t it be great if some of that money went to a good cause?
That’s just what is happening with the newly re-launched Jane Cosmetics Company. Lynn Tilton, CEO and Owner of Jane, wanted to to use her company to encourage women to be both confident and socially conscious. So she came up with a way to re-direct some of Jane’s profits to organizations that empower women in all realms of life.
The company has a simple model: For every cosmetic sold, Jane donates an equal beauty product to a local women’s shelter. Last December, Tilton and a team of celebrity stylists visited women’s shelters around the country to do full makeovers for the residents there.
You may not think that lipstick can solve systemic violence against women, but Tilton believes small acts of kindness actually can. In addition to donating items to women’s shelters, Jane is co-sponsoring this year’s FIRST Robotics Championship, an international competition held in St. Louis, Missouri with more than 10,000 K-12 participants.
At the event later this April, Jane will be giving away 4,000 gift bags to the young women who are competing. Sarah Lucero, a celebrity stylist and make-up artist for Jane/Stila and Ken Paves, will be giving full makeovers to the championship’s female winners, who also win academic scholarships for their science savvy.
Jane Cosmetics has a unique vision for the future of the beauty industry. Many women spend tons of energy (and money) to find the most enhancing mascara or the most beautiful blush. Tilton and Jane Cosmetics want to funnel that energy into building women’s confidence and community, whether in a women’s shelter or at a high school robotic competition. The company is proving that there can be more to eyeliner than simply whether or not it’s waterproof.