Conscious Fashion: One Lipstick at a Time

Although slavery in the U.S was abolished in 1865, the fight against modern-day slavery continues. Human trafficking is the second fastest growing criminal industry and affects nearly 27 million victims annually. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes, Human Trafficking “involves an act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring or receiving a person through a use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them” (unodc.org). Even though Human Trafficking can victimize both men and women, the majority of victims are female. Fueled by the injustice of trafficking, Nicole Marett was inspired to take action. Combining her desire for change and her passion for make-up, Marett developed Radiant Cosmetics. Marett felt that the woman dominated industry of cosmetics would be the ideal platform for raising awareness.

The driving philosophy behind Radiant Cosmetics is: beauty with a purpose. Radiant believes that “through ordinary purchases we can make a difference in this world” (radiantcosmetics.org). Through financial contributions and marketing efforts, Radiant Cosmetics helps raise awareness for Human Trafficking. Not only do customers have the opportunity to learn more about Human Trafficking, a minimum of 20% of the profits from a purchase go to Free the Captives, an organization that mobilizes efforts to fight Human Trafficking. Radiant Cosmetics believes that the fight against Human Trafficking should be fought by both non-profits and for-profit businesses. Involving and educating consumers is also very important; no one should be alone in the fight against injustice. According to Radiant Cosmetics, they are fighting human trafficking one lipstick at a time.