Cosmetics Help Water Crisis In Canada’s Indigenous Communities

We’re wowed by Cheekbone Beauty’s latest charitable campaign, which will support Indigenous communities to address a dire water issue.

The #GlossedOver campaign features a line of “unsellable” lipgloss inspired by contaminated water—a crisis that remains present in more than 30 Indigenous communities across Canada. These glosses aren’t real, but the ongoing water problem is. For the month of June, Sephora Canada will donate all proceeds from Cheekbone Beauty to Water First, a charitable organization addressing these challenges—because it’s seriously time to stop glossing over this issue. According to Water First, as of January 2022, approximately 94 (or about one in six) First Nations communities in Canada don’t have access to clean water. These numbers include both short-term and long-term boil water advisories as well as do not consume advisories. With names like Lucious Lead, E.Coli Kiss, and Mercury Shimmer, the lipglosses featured in the campaign raise the question, “Would you put it to your lips?” While Cheekbone Beauty recognizes it’s unacceptable to sell contaminated products to the public, it demands to know why it’s acceptable for many Indigenous communities and their access to drinking water.

“It’s time to stop glossing over this issue,” says 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?” —Vita Daily

sephora.com