Beauty companies are generally concerned with our outward appearance only, but JAFRA is different. From its very inception in 1956, Jan and Frank made it clear that JAFRA’s mission was to create an empowering community focused not only on making people look their best but feel their best, too. This mission is such a big part of what makes JAFRA unique, and the depth of its meaning has trickled down from the corporate offices to the individual consultants.
The last year and a half have shown us how kind gestures really count, no matter how big or small. As a company, JAFRA has chosen to step up in many ways, leading by example and illustrating that the best way to create a beautiful world is to care for one another and oneself. As individuals, Independent Beauty Consultants have been empowered by JAFRA to find their own ways to give back to the communities they serve.
In early 2020, the demand for specific self-care items skyrocketed, but the supply was insufficient to keep up. Companies that create and manufacture beauty products were uniquely equipped to step in and help when this need arose—and JAFRA did just that. When it heard the cry for hand sanitizers, JAFRA shifted priorities and devoted additional resources to creating and producing a new product line. As a result, JAFRA Daily Advanced Hand Sanitizer was launched, formulated with moisturizing aloe and glycerin.
JAFRA’s internal team spread the word and partnered with organizations that supported community workers in response to a need that it now had the means to fill. This included health facilities, residents and staff of nursing homes, women’s shelters, and food banks. In addition, JAFRA was fortunate to partner with Christian Community Action, Salvation Army, Los Angeles Food Bank, and more.
With summer quickly approaching the leaders at JAFRA decided to put their knowledge of skin-care and sun protection to great use and offer some extra help to some of the most essential workers in the world—the farmers! JAFRA's company philosophy has always embraced the “sharing is caring” mantra. The company recognized the need for better sun protection for farm workers since they have to worry about sun exposure daily. One of JAFRA’s largest donations went to the United Farm Workers (UFW) and consisted of over 3,000 sunscreens and JAFRA Daily Hand Sanitizers.
JAFRA Independent Beauty Consultants are uniquely positioned to see the needs of their local communities and respond to those needs. One such consultant, Hannah Wachter, identified a cause and organization needing assistance during 2020 that was important to her personally: Clackamas Women's Services (CWS). CWS is a non-profit that focuses on ”reconnecting survivors of domestic and sexual violence with the safety and well-being that they deserve.” Hannah's support efforts were tri-fold:
- In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, for every person who became an Independent Consultant, she purchased a kit for a survivor of domestic violence.
- She donated 10% of all of her sales in the month of October.
- She was able to help one woman out of a dangerous situation and get her into a shelter thanks to the proceeds from a JAFRA party she hosted.
Throughout the year, Hannah partnered with other consultants to sponsor women who were receiving support at CWS. Through donating a portion of her commission, matching sponsorships with new Independent Consultant signups, and additional donations, Hannah was able to bring goodie bags filled with self-care items and hand sanitizers, a cash donation, and a laptop to CWS.
Of course, efforts have not stopped. The need for quality beauty and toiletries products hasn’t slowed down this year, and neither has JAFRA. JAFRA continues to provide products like hand sanitizers and face masks to local organizations like the Los Angeles Women’s Shelter to provide face masks and hand sanitizers. And of course, JAFRA is always on the lookout for new ways to give back and help everyone feel beautiful, inside and out.
This year JAFRA celebrates sixty-five years of giving back, creating community, inspiring future generations, and sharing a love for world-class cosmetics. The generosity of JAFRA has continued to pour over communities in need through donations of self-care kits. These kits full of beauty essentials, hand sanitizers, and JAFRA's new We Fragrance were gifted to West Houston Assistance Ministries, a Texas-based non-profit providing help to families in need, and HOPICS, a Los Angeles-based non-profit outreach organization that helps the homeless. JAFRA believes in uplifting others, and the gift bags were given to help people in need stay well, safe, and feel their best.
As we get closer to the end of 2021, transformations in the beauty world and how we interact with each other continue to reverberate one principal message—when we take time for self-care and care for each other, we create a beautiful community.