This month, we invite you to join us in celebrating Liptember! (As if you needed another excuse to stop by Sephora or Ulta.)
What’s Liptember you ask? It’s your chance to make an impact, both in your look and in women’s mental health.
The annual Liptember campaign began in 2010. That inaugural year, more than $55,000 was raised for women’s mental health. Since then, they’ve raised more than $12 million for the cause. Surprised you haven’t heard of this campaign? The reason it’s not nearly as well-known as campaigns like Movember is that it began in Australia. Today, the Liptember Foundation’s reach extends worldwide. The funds raised support many organizations, including Centre for Women’s Mental Health, Lifeline, Batyr, The Jean Hailes Foundation and Pretty Foundation.
This annual campaign is an important one because female mental health hasn’t always been understood, or a priority. In fact, dating back to Ancient Greece, women’s mental health issues were simply deemed “hysteria,” which simply refers to any time a woman is emotional. Not only have diagnoses been less than stellar in the past, the remedies have often left something to be desired. For example, physicians in the 19th century removed women’s ovaries to “cure” the most unruly women. Even in more modern times, most mental health research has been focused on men, with any findings simply applied to women. This has led to programs and strategies that aren’t suited to the specific needs of the female population. And, it’s negatively impacted women overall. According to the Liptember website:
- 1 in 6 women will experience depression.
- 1 in 3 women will experience anxiety.
- Women are more likely to experience eating disorders and report body image concerns.
This is where the Liptember Foundation comes in. They want to change these statistics by creating solutions that serve women’s unique mental health needs with gender-specific care. In addition to raising funds, the goal of the annual campaign is to raise awareness of the unique needs of women’s mental health.
How can you celebrate Liptember? There’s more than one way you can get involved.
First and foremost, join in on the campaign. Register online and receive support from friends and family, just for wearing lipstick. How do you register?
- Create a fundraising profile by signing up here. Don’t forget to share your “why.”
- Choose your favorite lip color at Ulta or Sephora. Every day of September, wear your color proudly. Rocking a bright lipstick color is the best way to show your support. This acts as an outward symbol and a conversation starter.
- Continue to talk about the cause and share your fundraising URL to raise vital funds.
After you raise at least $50, the Liptember Foundation will send a fundraiser pack of freebies, including the 2022 Limited Edition Lipstick.
In addition to creating your own fundraising profile, the Liptember website shares the following ideas to get involved:
- Schedule an event with friends and family.
- Schedule a dinner party.
- Organize a sporting match or fun run to help raise money in a mental health-promoting way.
- Ask your employer for dollar matching.
- Working from home? You can still show your support with a statement lip in your Zoom meetings.
- Post about Liptember on social.
- This will allow you to expand your impact beyond those you see in person. Don’t forget to use #Liptember.
- Most importantly of all, take care of your own mental health.
- Go for a run, catch up with a friend, take a technology detox, enjoy a bubble bath, journaling, yoga, etc. Your action will inspire others to prioritize self care that promotes mental wellbeing.
Check out the Liptember resources here for merchandise you can purchase to show your support beyond lipstick alone, social media assets and more.
Stop by Sephora or Ulta to find your cause-supporting, statement-making lipstick. Before coming in, check out Sephora’s lipstick selection here or Ulta’s selection here. Then, stop in to try on some shades. While you’re browsing, take advantage of the beauty advisors’ expertise. They’ll help you find a shade that will suit you best and make the best statement all month long.
Happy Liptember, Rookwood family!