Beauty Almanac Loves…Giving Back

Few things in this world are more appealing to me than the utter joy of getting a brand new tube of lipstick or bottle of perfume. Swiping the bullet or pushing the atomizer down for the first time is a nearly religious experience for me. Mind you, I may be just a bit more beauty obsessed than most but I have a feeling that if you’re here you might just feel the same. Even better, however, is the feeling you get when you are able to give back to a community or cause for which you are passionate about. That’s precisely why I wanted to share these three beautiful products with you, each one contributing to an incredibly worthy cause.

Viva Glam Lipstick | MAC AIDS Fund | MAC Cosmetics

Of the three products on this list the Viva Glam lipsticks from MAC Cosmetics are easily the most prolific. They’ve been around for longer than I’ve been wearing makeup and I’ve owned just about every one of them at one time or another. My personal favourite is easily Viva Glam I, an exquisite crimson with a velveteen matte finish that was released in collaboration with the legendary drag queen RuPaul. 100% of the purchase price of any Viva Glam product is donated to the MAC AIDS Fund, a charity founded by Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo which provides educational programs as well as financial assistance to those suffering from HIV/AIDS globally. I can’t think of a better reason to rock a beautifully painted pout, can you?

$17, available at MAC Cosmetics.

Rose Of No Man’s Land | Doctors Without Borders | Byredo

One of my very first forays into the world of niche fragrance was with the house of Byredo. Shortly after the opening of their flagship in Stockholm a baby Trésor rustled up the courage to give the boutique a call and ask for a sample of one fragrance (Rose Noir, naturally), only to find samples of the entire collection in their mailbox a few weeks later. That act of generosity was never forgotten and it seems as if that same spirit has remained for with every purchase of Rose Of No Man’s Land a portion of the proceeds is donated to Doctors Without Borders, one of my most favourite charitable organizations. As for the fragrance itself, an opening of scintillating baie rose makes way for an incredibly satisfying heart of jammy Turkish rose, sumptuous yet restrained. A dry down of airy white musk and papyrus await as the fragrance fades gracefully upon the skin. Do good, smell good. 

$150 for 50ml, available at Byredo.

Powder Blusher in S.O.P.H.I.E | Sophie Lancaster Foundation | Illamasqua

 
A veil of a glimmering peachy-pink on the cheeks has become nearly ubiquitous as one of the staples of modern makeup, owed in great part to the phenomenal success of NARS bestselling blush Orgasm. While everyone and their mother fell for the wonder of Orgasm, I couldn’t quite find the same affection myself, the formula never seemed to marry well with my own skin. On my journey to find an alternative I stumbled upon this blush from Illamasqua and the harps began to sound, I’d found *my* shade. The formula is so finely milled, beautifully pigmented and melds with the skin in the most immaculate fashion. A delicate aura of ultra fine gold shimmer dances upon the skin as this beautiful blush makes one’s complexion seem as it’s radiating this elegant coral hue from within. Even more beautiful than the colour itself is the cause to which a portion of the purchase price is donated, one which hits very close to home. The Sophie Lancaster Foundation, an organization devoted to ending hate crime and educating the public on the subcultures which are so often victimized. 

 
$28, available at Illamasqua.

Products mentioned in article

MAC Viva Glam Lipstick

Illamasqua Powder Blusher

Trésor Prijs

Fragrantica contributor from Canada. Trésor is a fashion and beauty model and writer, the owner of visual diary of a non-binary 90's kid who...(more)