Every October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and brands march out countless numbers of pink products  with the stated goal of helping breast cancer awareness and supporting the search for a cure by donating a portion of the proceeds to breast cancer research. The products often have a big PR push and are covered by numerous print and online sources. They often also rarely donate the full amount of the profits to breast cancer charities with many donating as little as 10%. And there is the rub. With the amount of exposure brands get for their pink products and the potential for increased sales because of that, when very little of the profits are donated, it takes on the appearance of being a profit building scheme for the companies involved instead of for the charities. Companies may also note that the plethora of pink products build “awareness,” but I think the world is already quite aware of breast cancer and supportive of research.  What really is needed is more money going directly to research charities instead of into corporate coffers.

Because of these concerns, I am not covering many pink products this year and will only cover items that send 100% of the profits to charity. In fact, that will generally apply throughout the year to other charity efforts as well. I believe that if a company truly wishes to be philanthropic, it will not take a profit from a product developed for a charitable campaign.

Frankly, if you wish to support breast cancer research, your best option is to choose a charity and send them money directly. Only then can you assure that your money is going to the place you think will use it best. Want some guidance on who to donate too? See this Chicago Tribune Article:  How Much Pink turns Into Green?

I will admit that certainly, if you really wanted a pink purse, running socks, T-shirts, toaster, branded lipstick, etc, and were going to buy such an item anyway, then buying one that sends a portion of profits to charity can be a nice thought, and any little bit helps. However, I suspect that many pink product purchases are not items that people were planning to buy anyway.  Instead, most are designed to be limited edition impulse purchase types of products. At that point, ask yourself why you are buying and, if it is solely because a portion of the profits benefit a charity, consider sending a donation directly instead.

As for the brands that send 100% of profits to charity, going through my PR emails, they are few and far between. But I came across a few and will cover them in a separate upcoming post or posts. Also, the pin pictured in this post is from the Simply Vera Wang Committed To The Cause Collection at Kohl’s which gives 100% of the profit to charity.

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

Here are a couple of neat pink “tech” items for your October shopping. If you have been considering one of these and love pink or want to see a portion of your investment go to charity, here is your chance!

The CLARISONIC Skin Care Brush Limited Edition Pink, Breast Cancer Awareness + 2 oz Cleanser. I have yet to try the Clarisonic, but it gets generally pretty good reviews. The pink version is adorable!

The Nu Face Facial Toning System, Limited Edition Pink is an FDA approved device that uses microcurrent technology to lift and tone the face, reduce and eliminate fine lines and wrinkles, improve facial circulation, skin exfoliation, lymphatic drainage, treat sun damage and skin pigment, and improve product penetration. the NuFace Toner is another one that I haven’t personally tried.

Both are expensive, so if you plan to spend, you might as well assure that a bit goes to charity!

BBNBCA

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

Nubar makes some great shades of pink nail polish. This one sends 10% of the proceeds to City of Hope for breast cancer research.

You can purchase Nubar nail lacquer at bynubar.com.

BBNBCA

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

I love, love, love, grapefruit scented products. So it is no surprise that I took a shine to Surgeon’s Skin Secret Beeswax Moisturizer in grapefruit scent!

Packaged in a cute pink and white tube, $1 from each sale goes to Breastcancer.org.   The moisturizer is a skin balm made with beeswax and grapefruit extract. The tube provides a good amount, and the twist up nature of it makes it perfect for applying to rough patches of skin without having to make a mess of your hands. It is nice stuff!

Surgeon’s Skin Secret is also available in an unscented version and numerous other scents.

Shop for Surgeon’s Skin Secret

BBNBCA

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

Japonesque has a full line of makeup and cosmetic tools and brushes. For October, they have released a neat little item, the Limited Edition Pink Ribbon Japonesque Pocket Eyelash Curler. This is a pink version of their regular Go Curl Pocket Eyelash Curler.

This cute pink curler is perfect for your purse or travel kit. A lever in the back flips down to operate the curer, which is pretty easy to use and has a good pad. The shape makes it slightly odd to use, but I loved the combo of the white pad and pink plastic.  It allowed me to easily see that I had all my lashes in the curler—something I have troubles with when using a regular eyelash curler. Indeed, aside from the charitable aspects, I recommend the pink version over the regular black one for that reason.

At $11, this is a good value item. 20% of the purchase price goes to the City of Hope Foundation.

Shop for Japonesque Cosmetic and Beauty Tools

BBNBCA

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

Here it is, October 1st, which means that a busy month is ahead. During October, companies brand pink products with a portion of the proceeds going to breast cancer research. This year, the Beauty Blog Network is also reviving its popular Comments for a Cure promotion and it has partnered with the Estee Lauder Company to raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Throughout the month, look for Network blogs to pledge donations to various cancer research charities based on your comments. For more, visit the Beauty Blog Network Breast Cancer Awareness Page.

Beauty and Fashion Tech and Girl Gloss will be taking part, with a donation going to the Walter Payton Cancer Fund. I will donate $1 for each comment made between October 13 and 15 up to a total of $50. Readers can also leave their own donation, using the chipin widget in the left sidebar. Want more choices? Visit some of the other member blogs participating in Comments for a Cure.  Both sites will also be listing or reviewing pink products throughout October.

Keep in mind that while buying pink products is fun, a direct donation is still the best way to assure that the entirety of your funds goes to cancer research and support!

A few other things to watch for during October from members of the Beauty Blog Network:

• Reader giveaways of pink products on blogs from the Beauty Blog Network and from Total Beauty
• Chipin widgets on sites that allow you to add your own direct donation to a variety of causes
• Many product reviews of Pink items on network blogs

October is a great time to browse all of the beauty blogs! Want to see other posts? Look in the loser right sidebar for the Beauty Blog Network Widget featuring Breast Cancer Awareness posts from network members!

BBN_BCA  BBN_C4AC

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

I have always loved Whole Foods Market. When I lived in Nebraska, I was jealous of my friends in Omaha who had one. Now that I am in Illinois, I have a Whole Foods Market, but I wish it were closer! I have reason to make another trip now.

Whole Foods is spending October focusing on natural makeup and will be carrying an exclusive “fresh face starter kit” by Mineral Fusion for $20 (a $120 value). In addition, as is fitting for the pink month of October, a portion of the proceeds will go to Pink United, a nonprofit organization focusing on fighting breast cancer.

The kit includes pressed base in two different shades, duo bronzer with a sheen glow and matte finish, a Kabuki brush, and hydration mist.

Whole Foods Market also has a great video on their mineral cosmetics that includes application instruction as well. You can view the video at the Be Good to Your Body Podcast Blog. You can also learn more at the Mineral Fusion website.

Comparison Shop for Mineral Makeup

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

October is about pink. The month when companies put out cool pink stuff and donate a portion of the proceeds to breast cancer research. It isn’t without controversy. Some companies donate little of the proceeds and it is sometimes unclear where the proceeds go. In other cases, cosmetics from the companies contain ingredients that may be linked to cancer.

As a result, I have seen suggestions that instead of buying pink ribbon products, your money would be better spent on direct donations. I don’t disagree with that. With that said, October often brings some neat limited edition products that will be of interest and that many will want to buy. So I certainly plan to feature some items in October, with greater attention to those that donate a larger potion of the proceeds. But I would be remiss if I did not point out the criticisms. For more on that, see Think Before You Pink and this week’s Time Magazine article: Pink Ribbon Promises .

So, on to some products. The following items donate 100% of the purchase price to cancer charities:

At Target, the Sonia Kashuk Pink Case Brush Set  sends 100% of the proceeds to breast cancer research. I have previously discussed Sonia Kashuk brushes. The pink case sure is cute!

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech