L’Oréal announces beauty industry ‘new normal,' donates haircuts for COVID-19 frontliners
MANILA, Philippines (As released) — International beauty brand L’Oréal Philippines has announced its local solidarity commitments towards the fight against novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) with actions that accompany the initiatives of the brand’s markets across the world.
The company will focus locally on spearheading safety training and protocols in salons and beauty counters, providing care services and products to frontliners, and providing financial assistance for employees and partners.
In support of the hairdressing industry and its recovery, the company said it will lead the local release and implementation of salon hygiene standards created by the brand worldwide. These guidelines will outline new procedures for proper sanitization and services, including social distancing guidelines between customers.
The company’s three brands L’Oréal Professionnel, Kerastase, and Matrix will spearhead the immediate cascade with their partners as salons and barbershops across the nation prepare to recover from this crisis.
The brand has committed to ensuring that beauty remains a safe experience within beauty counters and stores and will also take the lead in new safety guidelines for its other beauty brands including L’Oréal Paris, Maybelline, Garnier and Kiehl’s. Beauty has always been a hygiene industry with tools and consumer environments always disinfected; the arrival of new guidelines across salons, barbershops, counters and stores will reinvent the consumer experience to become even safer than before.
Addressing the requests of the medical community for safety haircuts allowing them to perform their jobs better, the company has answered this call by committing 1,000 safety haircuts starting this week with selected partners and hospitals. These haircuts will be performed following strict safety and hygiene procedures validated by the requesting medical teams, and will be done by graduates from the company’s Beauty For a Better Life program and volunteer hairdressers from key partner salons.
Recognizing the role that care can play in feeling good and regaining morale in these uncertain times, the company has pledged to provide 10,000 free self-care services across the nation towards frontliners after we recover from the peak of the crisis. These care services will be conducted within the company’s premises and with key partner salons.
Over P30 million worth of aid in the form of 100,000 skincare and haircare products will be provided for frontliners, partners, and providing relief to people affected by COVID-19 in the Philippines. These actions will also mobilize its employees to take part in showcasing selflessness by personally bringing care to the most vulnerable, and showcasing its true meaning and value for those that need it most. Beneficiaries of the beauty brand’s donations of skincare and haircare hygiene kits will be frontliners of all kinds within the community whose courage and selflessness to take of others during this time are beautiful in its own way.
During the first few weeks of the health crisis causing a global disruption across different industries, the brand implemented safety and precautionary measures for all employees, as their health and well-being are of utmost priority. As the country moves closer to a recovery period in due time, the brand has also continued to provide employees guaranteed basic pay, and financial assistance for partners assigned to its business including beauty advisors from its counters and stores.
Upskilling and educating these partners have also been of top priority for the beauty brand, as they continue to make learning accessible through online classes for beauty advisors and hairdressers. Through various recovery programs, the brand aims to empower their partners to withstand the consequences of this pandemic while ensuring they remain equipped and empowered to bounce back.
As the world continues to combat COVID-19, the brand’s foundation has kick-started its efforts globally by donating one million Euros and through brands like L’Oréal Paris and Garnier have produced hand sanitizers and hygiene kits for partner beneficiaries, hospitals, pharmacies, social workers and volunteers. The group has transformed its operations in 28 plants across the world to produce over 40 million units of hand sanitizers.
“Beauty is and will always be a way to feel good, to regain morale, and to see the good in things,” said Jean Paul Agon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the L’Oréal Group.
