Last night was probably one of the most exceptional events I’ve ever had the please of putting on. For new years my #1 resolution was to give back and be apart of a more sustainable industry and last night it all came full circle. In February, I received an email from the non-profit, Family-to-Family about wanted to drop off beauty products to homeless shelters for Valentine’s Day. Instead of doing a post about it, I offered to run a drive out of NYC and work with local beauty bloggers and brands to do a collection.
Family-to-Family was so impressed by what we were able to do, that they asked if I would head up their beauty division and create a program. And thus the Share Your Beauty program was born. Our mission is to create a more sustainable beauty community, donating excess products to those in need. And while many households have excess clothing they are able to donate, it’s really editors/bloggers that get the insane amount of beauty products that they don’t know what to do with. Until now…
With the new Share Your Beauty program, the Pretty Connected team aims to unite a coterie of beauty bloggers, editors, publications, and brands in creating ongoing beauty collection drives and events, delivering unused beauty products to select New York-based organizations serving impoverished women in crisis. The program’s mission is to provide single mothers and women who have been the victims of domestic violence with gift bags filled with beauty and personal care products.
To kick off the Share Your Beauty program, my partner Ashley Tschudin and I hosted an event last evening inviting inviting guests to celebrate with us and donate their excess products. Guests that we’re unable to join were able to drop off their beauty donations to Caravan Studios at the Carlton Hotel prior to the event.
Everyone else joined us at Davio’s Modern Italian Restaurant (447 Lexington Ave at 45th Street), on April 30th where we celebrated the launch of Share Your Beauty. LeSportsac donated 100 bags of which guests we’re asked to add a personalized Mother’s Day note on and then fill with as many beauty products from our donation table. Additionally our friends at Birchbox provided 100 boxes for each bag. Our goal for the evening was to fill the bags and I’m so excited to announce that we not only met that goal but far exceeded it! In addition to the bags we had over 35 boxes filled with beauty product sent to the the Shelter for Domestic Violence Survivors and Third Street Women’s Residence at Henry Street Settlement that will be given to the residence at these homes on Mother’s Day!
Filled with the spirit of charity, guests shared their #MosaicMoments, which will go into a special album created with the Mosaic photo book app to be donated to Family-to-Family and the generous sponsors of this event. In addition to sponsoring the event (we owe them a huge thank you!) they pledged to donate $1 to Family-to-Family for every tagged image from the evening that used #MosaicMoments and followed @HeyMosiac on twitter or @MosaicBook on instagram. They are continuing the program through Mother’s Day, so be sure to tag any special moments especially ones with mom through May 11th!
We also need to thank Davio’s for making all of this possible! Not only did they offer us a beautiful space but also catered the entire evening and it was delicious! Everyone go eat there:)
Additional pictures from the event are posted here: on.fb.me/1fAf6Hr
For anyone interested in donating unused beauty products please contact [email protected] and for more information visit http://www.family-to-family.org/share-beauty/
Thank you to all of the amazing guests and bloggers for donating! It was such a special eventing and your contribute is going to make such a difference for these women on Mother’s Day!
xxLara
