Love In A Lip Balm: Clarins’ Share The Love Campaign

If a small purchase could make someone feel a little more like themselves during a scary time, wouldn’t you want to help? That’s the simple, powerful idea behind Clarins’ Share the Love campaign, returning for its fifth year from November 2 to 29 at 850 Shoppers Drug Mart locations nationwide (and online). For every Hydra-Essentiel Lip Balm or any product from the Hydra-Essentiel range purchased during the campaign, Clarins will donate $5 to the Look Good Feel Better Foundation—the charity that’s been running free confidence-building workshops for people facing cancer for nearly three decades. Réponses Vita Magazine

We spoke with the Clarins team and Susan Larkin, President & CEO of Look Good Feel Better, about why this feels less like a marketing moment and more like a mission. As Clarins puts it, “self-confidence is a core value”—and the brand truly leans into that. “This campaign reflects our commitment to the community and our desire to make a tangible difference for those affected by cancer,” a Clarins spokesperson told us. “Beauty is not just about aesthetics; it’s about compassion and helping people feel seen.”

So what does a $5 purchase actually do? Susan explained it plainly: “Our workshops provide practical skincare and makeup guidance, and they create a safe space for people to share and reconnect with their sense of self. That donation helps us keep these programs free and accessible—whether online or in person.” In other words, that cute little lip balm you toss in your basket becomes part of a kit, a class, a conversation that can lift someone’s spirits when they need it most.

Clarins has a long connection to this idea. The brand’s founder famously said, “beauty is meaningless without humanity,” and that ethos shows up in the campaign’s focus on dignity and emotional well-being. Clarins chose the Hydra-Essentiel line this year because, as the PR team explained, the range “embodies care, hydration and overall well-being”—qualities that matter when someone is navigating treatment and the physical effects that often come with it. The line’s Hyaluronic Power Complex and organic Kalanchoe extract are a concrete way the brand talks about care; the campaign is how they translate that care into community impact.

There are moving stories behind the numbers, too. Participants often say the workshops helped them “feel like themselves again.” “Hearing that is a powerful reminder of why we keep doing this,” Clarins shared. Susan added, “When people regain a sense of control, it can have a measurable effect on their mental well-being. The workshops give tools and community—and that matters.”

A bit of perspective: since 2021, Clarins Canada and Shoppers Drug Mart have raised more than $140,000 for Look Good Feel Better—a level of community support the charity says is essential for keeping programs free and expanding their reach. “Financial support helps us continue to offer these workshops, and the awareness helps more people learn that support exists,” Susan told us.

If you’re wondering how you can help (and also treat yourself), the campaign is an easy one: pick up a Hydra-Essentiel Lip Balm or another product from the range between November 2 and 29 at Shoppers Drug Mart or online, and Clarins will donate $5 per qualifying purchase. “Taking care of ourselves and taking care of each other is important—and that’s what Share the Love is all about,” Susan says. “When you take part in the campaign, you truly make a difference for people facing cancer and those who love them.”

Bottom line: it’s one of those feel-good moves that actually does good. The next time you need a new lip balm (or want to top up your moisturizer), consider grabbing a Hydra-Essentiel product and share the love—a small beauty buy with a big human impact. —Noa Nichol