From women’s initiatives to politically charged lipsticks, the once seemingly contradictory worlds of activism and beauty are converging even further.

The average woman spends 9 days each year applying makeup and approximately $95,000 on her appearance during her lifetime. So while of course there are those campaigning for #nomakeup, as long as we are physical beings, there will be some time, thought, and finances going into the care of our bodies and (optional) decorations.

Whether it’s barely-there products that accentuate one’s natural beauty, a complete dismissal of any makeup whatsoever, or the extravagant creations of self-expression—complete with false lashes, contouring, and overdrawn lips—that rule Instagram, personal empowerment and the beauty industry have a multifaceted relationship. Despite having one of the highest percentage of women working in the sector, positions of power in the beauty industry still predominantly belong to men. Female-led start-ups such as Glossier and Birchbox contribute to 20% of overall start-ups, while 34% of women are in board seats and 24% in executive positions at beauty companies.

Naturally there are matters of internalized misogyny, deeply ingrained consumerist mindsets, and the presumption that beauty brands should simply stay in their lane and not mix politics and cosmetics. For the conscious consumer, putting their dollar (or local currency) towards enterprises that funnel their profits toward making a positive change is one way to demonstrate their personal stance and beliefs. 66% of millennials and Gen Zers want brands to promote progressive values, play a more substantial part in society, and get involved in larger debates, be it electoral politics or the Black Lives Matter movement. Millennials are 30% more likely to buy from a brand that donates to a charity, while 87% of Gen Zers expect brands to do more than produce products, although they are more invested in social as opposed to political topics like their millennial counterparts.

In a world of tokenism and performative one-offs, the brands truly putting their money where their mouths are have personal empowerment built into their DNA. BeautyMatter rounded up 9 brands looking to improve the world, one product at a time.

Thrive Causemetics: Founded in 2015 by Karissa Bodnar, a former L’Oréal product manager who has since garnered a spot on Forbes’ America’s Self-Made Women 2020 and 30 Under 30-Retail & Ecommerce lists, Thrive Causemetics is a clean beauty wunderkind and self-made success. The brand boasts a vegan and cruelty-free range of makeup and skincare established in the spirit of a friend of Bodnar who passed away from cancer at just 24 years old. “Thrive Causemetics is Bigger Than Beauty: For every product you purchase, we donate to help a woman thrive,” the company states.

In 2020, the brand gave back to over 200 nonprofits targeted to helping homeless women, domestic abuse survivors, cancer survivors, and female veterans. Its mission is proving popular; in the last year the company generated an estimated $150 million in revenue, and is rumored to be exploring a sale or IPO with Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

The Lipstick Lobby: “We are a social justice movement for change, progress and equality. We empower women through statement lip products to fight for the issues most critical to our lives,” states The Lipstick Lobby, creator of cosmetics and #LipstickItToTheMan. Each product launch donates 100% of net profits to a different cause: In the Clear balm supports the UnPrison Project, Kiss My Pink donates to Planned Parenthood, and FIRED UP contributes to The Brady Center to prevent gun violence.

REALHER: The color cosmetics brand was founded by Bill Xiang, proof that feminism isn’t confined to female-identifying people. Inspired by the birth of his own daughter and his realization of societal impacts on women, Xiang developed RealHer with makeup artist Megan Merid. “Support and empowerment of women should be a social norm, not a political hot pot,” Xiang tells BeautyMatter. Each products bears a motivational and empowering slogan on its packaging, and the company also volunteers with and donates to humanitarian nonprofits. “Each REALHER product speaks to you with the bold affirmations that we incorporate into every piece, it’s like having your biggest supporter in your purse ready to cheer you on,” Merid adds.

Lipslut: Lipslut is not for the faint of heart. Katie Sones was inspired to create the brand the night of Trump’s inauguration, creating products with names such as F*ck Trump (a rosy pink liquid lipstick) and No Malarkey, and lip glosses made of male tears. “I was fueled by the belief that beauty could empower people to fight the issues affecting their communities through everyday purchases,” she states. To date, the brand has raised over $200,000 in funds for charities such as the National Organization for Women.