Europe Social Media Pulse: Beauty Brands – For Peace in Ukraine

Europe Social Media Pulse: Beauty Brands – For Peace in Ukraine

The beauty and fashion world has turned to social media and online messaging to show their support for the people of Ukraine.

Brands, large and small, have been quick to pledge large financial donations and supplies to various organizations providing humanitarian aid in Ukraine. To wit: Danish brand Skandinavisk is providing financial support to both humanitarian and economic institutions, donating 2% of its monthly income for February (approximately 50% of its profits for the month) to the International Red Cross as well as the Ukrainian Central Bank, alongside 100% of the profits of its blue ØY fragrance and yellow LYKKE fragrance, in an ongoing effort to help the people of Ukraine. The natural and organic beauty brand also encouraged other companies to step forward and help the cause. 

Elsewhere, UK beauty brand Bramley Products posted that it would donate 10% of its sales on Sunday February 27 to the British Red Cross to aid their humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, while True Organic of Sweden pledged 100% of its sales, on the same day. Others offering both moral and financial support to Ukraine across social media include 111SKIN, Madara Cosmetics, Und Gretel Cosmetics, BasicLab Dermocosmetics, and You&Oil Beauty and Wellness, to name a few.

Polish brand Pixie Cosmetics respectfully delayed the launch of their foundation samples stating: “We don’t feel like now is a good time for this,” while Gitti Beauty took a conscious break from social media to show that the brand’s “solidarity and thoughts are with all those affected inside and outside of Ukraine.” 

A number of companies are going beyond financial aid to appropriate charities and written solidarity on social media by setting up various systems which directly support their employees – not just financially, but also logistically, emotionally, and medically. Cue Inglot who is not only donating to humanitarian aid in the form of supplies, but is also using one of its key warehouses to facilitate this. The brand is further “providing accommodation for people coming from Ukraine,” giving additional days off for current employees who are involved with providing help to Ukrainian refugees, and recently reminded those entering Poland from Ukraine that their recruitment process for various positions “is open for people coming from Ukraine.”

L’Oréal informed online: “For our employees who remain in Ukraine we are providing financial assistance and psychological support,” and added, “our local teams in neighbouring countries are personally welcoming those employees who have crossed the border, and we are providing them and their families with accommodation, access to private medical care, psychological support, financial assistance and legal advice.” Similarly, the LVMH group has not only donated €5M to the International Committee of the Red Cross, but is also providing its 150 employees in Ukraine with direct financial and operational assistance, according to its IG feed.

Meanwhile, Beiersdorf communicated on its official website that it has pledged €2M in immediate financial aid to its humanitarian partners as well as providing accommodation, access to private medical care, psychological support, and legal advice to the company’s employees in Ukraine. In a move of great sensitivity at a remarkably difficult time, the industry giant also expressed its empathy and pledged its support to its 320 Russian employees, who are also being affected by a war that “is not the choice of the Russian people.”

In yet another example of a brand providing next-level support during this crisis, Avon has given wage advances to its Ukrainian employees, alongside setting up a 24/7 helpline for individuals to access logistical and mental health support. In addition, Avon is donating essential hygiene products to humanitarian causes as well as ongoing financial contributions to support those affected by the war. 

In a more drastic move, some brands have suspended business both with, and within, Russia. Sephora cited “the complexity to operate” at this time while Chanel referred to the paramount “safety of our affected employees” as their respective reasonings for the decision while others, such as Unilever, have openly called out the Russian government, stating on their homepage: “We condemn the Russian state’s invasion for what it is: a brutal act of war against a neighbouring sovereign country.”

What’s more is that logistical opportunities for store-trading and e-commerce have now become even more difficult following VISA and Mastercard’s recent decision to suspend operations in Russia in protest against the invasion of Ukraine. Unsurprisingly, some of Instagram and TikTok’s most-trending hashtags (including #standwithukraine, #ukraine, and #supportukraine) have amassed over 30 billion shares between them.