World Mental Health Day: 10 ways the beauty industry is helping bring peace of mind

Published: 10-Oct-2017

Tuesday 10 October marks World Mental Health Day and the connection between the beauty industry and wellbeing is more relevant than ever – but 2017 has been a year of ups and downs. While some brands have been staying inside their comfort zones, many have been harnessing realism over airbrushed images, and taking steps to help consumers in other ways...

Here's a round-up of Cosmetics Businesses' top stories about mental health you might have missed:

1. Barbers and mental health advice: Is it a good idea?

World Mental Health Day: 10 ways the beauty industry is helping bring peace of mind

UK Prime Minister Theresa May recently presented UK barber Tom Chapman (pictured) with a Point of Light Award for his work to set up the Lions Barber Collective.

With the support of suicide prevention charity Papyrus, the collective gives barbers professional training to help them advise men with mental health issues while they have their routine haircuts or shaves.

Barbers are instructed on how to recognise, talk to, listen to and advise their clients that exhibit signs of mental health problems, potentially saving lives.

2. Mental health: Philosophy asks consumers 'how are you, really?’



Skin care brand Philosophy is urging consumers to engage in conversations about mental health.

The Coty-owned brand launched the Hope & Grace Initiative earlier this year to support women’s mental health.

The media push features a digital campaign and a television public service announcement which encourages women to ask the question and shun the stigma surrounding mental health.

3. Teen beauty: The truth about the 'selfie generation'


Cosmetics Business investigates the often misunderstood relationship between teens, mental health and the beauty industry's role

Today’s teens are the most open-minded generation to have existed, but they have to deal with growing up in a politically and economically challenging world as well as the pressures that come with being more connected such as having their personal lives (sometimes unwillingly) displayed over the internet.

But what does all of this mean to you?

4. 67% of millennials are unhappy with their facial features

World Mental Health Day: 10 ways the beauty industry is helping bring peace of mind

The majority of UK millennials would consider surgery in order to change their facial features, a study by Australian oral care brand White Glo has found.

Two thirds (67%) of 18-34-year-olds revealed they are so unhappy with their facial features they would consider going under the knife.

5. Do we need gendered marketing in the 21st century?

World Mental Health Day: 10 ways the beauty industry is helping bring peace of mind

Sam Farmer is the founder of unisex personal care brand for teenagers SAMFARMER. A stay-at-home dad for more than 15 years, he decided to retrain and create the brand in a bid to combat the gendered marketing his adolescent children were exposed to.

Here he talks to Cosmetic Business about the limitations and potentially damaging impact of gendered marketing, as well as how brands should connect to the generation shunning the marketing stereotype.

6. Axe confronts sexist past by revealing men struggling with macho stereotype

World Mental Health Day: 10 ways the beauty industry is helping bring peace of mind

In just a few years Axe has gone from targeting the ‘lads mag’ stereotypes to unashamedly opposing them.

Its latest campaign aims to get under the skin of men and to reveal their innermost secrets.

The Is It Ok For Guys? campaign is backed by NGO Promundo and aims to show the damaging impact of enforcing male stereotypes.

7. The fragrance helping to fight depression one bottle at at time

World Mental Health Day: 10 ways the beauty industry is helping bring peace of mind

100% of sales of new Hope fragrance products will go towards research by the Hope for Depression Research Foundation

Audrey Gruss was inspired to create a fragrance range in order to raise funds to support her organisation, which carries out neuroscience research into the causes, treatments and prevention of depression and related mood disorders.

8. Dr Brandt raises awareness of mental illness on new website


Dr Brandt has given its website a makeover to help consumers learn more about its legacy and shed light on the issue of mental illness.

The skin care company has created a tribute page for its founder, Dr Fredric Brandt, and now provides details of its skin care specialists and the Dr Brandt Foundation.

9. Help your customers deal with the psychological effects of their skin problems

World Mental Health Day: 10 ways the beauty industry is helping bring peace of mind

Customers come into your store daily to chat about their skin problems and, more often than not, finding a solution will be easy.

At this time of year a common question might be: ‘how do I get rid of my dry skin?’, and you can point them in the direction of a thick and nurturing body moisturiser such as Aveeno. Problem solved!

For others, however, confiding in you about their troublesome skin might be the first step in dealing with a problem that is having a detrimental effect on their lives, not only in terms of how they look, but also how they feel.

10. What does the beauty industry mean to feminists?

World Mental Health Day: 10 ways the beauty industry is helping bring peace of mind

Feminism and beauty: it’s a big topic, full of contradictions and loose ends. But it’s a subject that is rearing its head thanks to the rise of what is described as the fourth wave of feminism.

The fourth wave, defined in part by new feminism and gender equality, may still be in an emerging state, but it has already impacted the beauty industry in ways more monumental than its previous iterations ever did.

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