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How Beauty Brands Can Use Their Power to Help People in Ukraine
Nidhima Kohli and I are separated by an ocean — the Atlantic, to be exact — but our thoughts couldn't be any closer to each other than they are now, given that the Russian attacks on Ukraine have occupied so much of both our headspaces. By way of a WhatsApp phone call, Kohli and I discussed how she managed to turn her sentimental thoughts for the people of Ukraine into one, big donation effort… all within less than a week.
Ultimately, her desire to collect donations in the form of hygiene products was ignited by the former investment banker-turned-beauty executive's work (she's the CEO of both the beauty products price comparison website, My Beauty Matches, and Beauty Matching Engine, a personalized beauty shopping platform). Knowing how crucial toiletries, period products, and nonperishable food items are to day-to-day life, she sprang into action and called on her connections in the industry.
Kohli says that her CTO of five years, who she refers to as her "work husband," is based in Ukraine. "Given that I was seeing what's happening in the news, I was feeling incredibly helpless," Kohli tells me. "And I was like, 'This is not OK anymore.'"
Answering a Call to Action
What initially started as perusing through WhatsApp chat groups that were calling for donations to help Ukrainian refugees in Poland, Moldova, and other Eastern European nations, turned into Kohli asking her fellow beauty industry colleagues for help.
Aaron Chatterley, founder of e-commerce beauty retailer, Feelunique, was among one of the first people that Kohli contacted. "I was like, 'Aaron, we need this, we need shampoos, we need cleansers, we need this, we need that,' she recalls.
Kohli eventually expanded her outreach to other people and brands she knew, such as journalist Sonia Haria, who she credits to connecting her to brands and helping her get the word out about her donation efforts on social media.
The interest in gathering donations grew to the point where Kohli no longer had enough space for all of them. That's where the Montessori Group came in, who was kind enough to let Kohli use their nursery space to store deliveries. Soon after, London-based aesthetics doctor Galyna Selezneva put her in touch with Ukrainian postal company Nova Poshta, which partnered up with two logistics companies — Uniworld Logistics and Active Freight — to secure warehouse space for the donated items.
As we speak, the number of donations keeps growing. So far, donations have included skin-care products from 111 Skin and 450 kits containing body washes and creams from Elemis. She tells me that personal care retailer, Superdrug, sent first aid supplies, hand gel, Wet Wipes, toothbrushes, and toothpaste.
By the time you read this, the items that Kohli has collected thus far will be placed on trucks en route to Ukraine. But that doesn't mean that Kohli's donation initiative has met its end.
How Beauty & Wellness Brands Can Join the Effort
At this time, the initiative is only accepting corporate donations and would like to invite beauty and wellness brands in providing hairbrushes, feminine hygiene products, toothbrushes, toothpaste, baby soap, and pillows. For brands that are interested in learning more about Kohli's initiative, you can send her a message on her LinkedIn page.
If you'd like to make an individual donation to help the people of Ukraine, UNICEF, Save The Children, and GlobalGiving are three great starting points. Below, we break down how each organization is providing relief to the nation's people, and how you can contribute to their ongoing efforts as well.
According to UNICEF's website, members from the organization's team are currently on the ground in Ukraine to help "the mounting needs of families in crisis." That said, the organization has created an emergency fund that would monetarily help its efforts in Ukraine and its surrounding countries.
Per the organization's updates on the crisis, UNICEF has been able to provide diapers, wipes, safe drinking water, and much more to Ukraine's people throughout the past week. To help continue UNICEF's efforts in giving basic living essentials to Ukraine's people, you can issue a monetary donation of your choice at unicefusa.org.
As its name implies, Save The Children's work is focused on fostering the wellbeing of children around the world. Amidst the Russian attacks in Ukraine, the organization has developed a Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund, which will go towards "food, water, hygiene kits, psychosocial support, and cash assistance." You can assist in Save The Children's quest to help the people of Ukraine by making a financial contribution of your choice on savethechildren.org.
Known as "globalgiving.org/aboutus/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' >a nonprofit that supports other nonprofits," GlobalGiving has established a Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund that has a goal of raising seven million dollars. As stated in the fund's description, the donations will help to bring "shelter, food, and clean water for refugees, health and psychosocial support, access to education and economic assistance, and more. To learn more about the fund or to make a donation, you can take a look at its website, globalgiving.org.
More stories on how members of the beauty industry are using their influence for good:
- Shirley Raines Is Giving Makeovers to the Unhoused Community in L.A.
- I Create Accessible Beauty Products for a Living
- Molly Burke: Here's How to Make the Beauty Industry More Accessible
Now, watch how these two women took action in their community: