Charlotte Tilbury announces magical £1 million pledge to Women for Women International

“A lipstick can change a life because if you can change how a woman feels, you can change a community, and you change the world!” – Charlotte Tilbury

Today, makeup artist to the stars, Charlotte Tilbury announced an incredible £1 MILLION PLEDGE to the charity Women for Women International, and revealed for the first time that she will launch a new Hot Lips collection with ‘Hot Lips 2’ launching in June 2019!

Since 2016, Charlotte has been a Global Ambassador for Women for Women International, and as such is committed to helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives. Charlotte’s support of the charity sparked from one woman’s emotional story of how she felt empowered by her lipstick while living in conflict – her bold red shade was a symbol of power, and it gave her the confidence, strength and defiance to continue.

Continuing the work from Charlotte’s first Hot Lips collection in 2016, this year she plans to support the charity to give even more women the opportunity to enrol on their year-long training programme and change their lives. This pledge is one of the largest corporate donations that Women for Women International has received, and it will be instrumental in helping women living in some of the world’s most dangerous places choose their own futures.

Thanks to this pledge, the charity will be able to bring their incredible year-long training programme into new areas, meaning more women will learn how to earn and save money, improve their family’s health and make their voices heard at home and in their communities.

“It’s hard to put into words what the £1 million pledge means to Women for Women International – it’s almost indescribable! To know that Charlotte believes in our work and is ready to commit the full force of her business to bringing about change for women in some of the world’s most dangerous places is truly inspirational. We will be sharing this news with the women we serve around the world – so they will know that there is light at the end of the tunnel, even if they can’t currently see it. This generosity doesn’t just have an impact on women who take part in our programme – the families and communities of the women we serve will also feel the ripple effects of change. With every woman that graduates from our training programme, Charlotte Tilbury is helping to change the world!” - Brita Fernandez Schmidt, Senior Vice President for Global Partnerships, Women for Women International

When Charlotte first met Brita Fernandez Schmidt, Senior Vice President for Global Partnerships, at Women for Women International, back in 2014, Brita shared a moving story about women in conflict zones who would wear lipstick as a symbol of their womanhood and defiance. It was their strength. Charlotte felt incredibly inspired and decided to join forces with Women for Women International to bring lipstick confidence to the world in the form of her Hot Lips collection.

“I have a 27-year study in the magical psychology of lipstick! During my 27-year career as a makeup artist, I have found that lipstick has this ability to pick you up when you are down and change your mood. I believe it is a MAGICAL CATALYST FOR HAPPINESS! When you paint it on, your frequency changes, it morphs your outlook, it emboldens you, a lipstick can change the way you feel inside, it can make you dream, it can help you channel your best self, it can give you confidence when you feel afraid, help you inspire others… Because when a woman or man applies lipstick, they channel a ‘lipstick magic’ that affects change. I always talk about that magical chain reaction – you smile at me, I smile back, and the world smiles with YOU!” - Charlotte Tilbury

In 2016, Charlotte launched her first Hot Lips collection, bottling the beauty DNA of some of the most inspiring and brilliant women she has worked with. From the collection, £1 / $2 from every lipstick sold during the first two months, was donated to Women for Women International. This was further supported by a social media campaign using the hashtag #LIPSTICKCONFIDENCE to raise awareness of the charity’s work.

“From the very beginning, our partnership has been grounded in a mutual and immense desire to create transformational change. Charlotte Tilbury’s support has helped hundreds of women survivors of war graduate from our year-long training programme with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency. Our partnership has helped to inspire hope for the future for the women we serve, empowering them to become leaders and role models in their communities.” - Brita Fernandez Schmidt, Senior Vice President for Global Partnerships, Women for Women International

Charlotte and the brand have been raising the voices of women survivors of war through a number of initiatives including donating 15% of all CharlotteTilbury.com retail sales to celebrate Giving Tuesday, creating magical looks for shoppers at Women for Women International’s annual #SheInspiresMe Car Boot Sale and hosting special staff talks to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Charlotte and the company also sponsor sisters through the charity’s year-long training programme. Personally, Charlotte sponsors Atosha from the Democratic Republic of Congo and various teams throughout the organisation sponsor a further 12 sisters through the programme, regularly exchanging letters of support and encouragement with their sisters.

To date, Charlotte Tilbury Beauty’s donation of £190,526 is enough to fund over 350 women through the year-long training programme.

Photo credit: Serrah Galos

UK Charity Registration Number: 1115109