PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSIE MARAN
What was your experience like during the fires?
I was out of town during the fires, but my daughters were in L.A. staying with their dad. When they called I could hear smoke alarms going off in the background and could actually see the orange in the distance. I begged them to get in their car and evacuate as soon as possible, but of course, it felt like an eternity before they finally got out of there. I’ll never forget that feeling of panic and hopelessness as a mom not being able to be in control of the situation and just wanting my babies to be safe. I’m so grateful that they are OK and feel so deeply for those who weren’t so lucky.
Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter, josiemaran.com; PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSIE MARAN
Everyone responds differently in moments of crisis. It’s incredible what you pulled together. Can you walk me through how BeautyTogether came to life?
I wanted to do something to combat that feeling of helplessness. I wanted to act immediately to directly help our L.A. community affected by the fires, so I sent an email to top California beauty brands asking them to join the newly formed BeautyTogether initiative, where we launched a charity sales event. It is almost unfathomable to comprehend what becoming homeless and possession-less overnight really looks like. Let’s help ease this unimaginable stress and uncertainty with direct financial support—just as so many are already doing via the hundreds of beautiful GoFundMe campaigns receiving such an outpouring of support from around the world. I asked that we use our beauty power to support this movement, immediately raise additional money for our neighbors and give directly to them. Over 30 beauty brands jumped in with me, and the rest is history.
How did you come up with the participating brands? Did you have prior relationships with them?
The first thing that came to my mind was rallying together brands based in California, like us. But then, very quickly, we decided not to limit it, as the goal was to maximize the impact of the fundraising efforts by working together. Our exclusive retail partner, Sephora, was very helpful in making connections, and it was truly amazing to see how quickly so many brands agreed to participate and help.
Josie Maran 100% Pure Organic Argan Oil, josiemaran.com; PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSIE MARAN
How much have you raised so far?
Because the fundraiser went beyond Jan. 16, we are still calculating the total, but so far, we have crossed the $500k mark.
How will BeautyTogether’s mission evolve over the next weeks, months and years?
It will be a long road “home” for so many in our beloved city, so we are still raising money. Many brands are joining on and doing what they can to continue to raise more money, which is going to the BeautyTogether Wildfire GoFundMe. Going forward, we’ll assess the needs and decide how we can make an impact from the power of the beauty industry uniting for good.
Are there any moments from this time that stand out as meaningful and moving?
We had such an amazing turnout for our live charity fundraising event with many brands joining me on Instagram Live, and it was so beautiful to hear each founder’s moving stories, [see] their brand’s product demonstrations and just the sense of community felt by us all coming together, dropping all ego and competitiveness and becoming a unified force for good. Every beauty founder I’ve ever met is in the beauty business to help people in one way or another and this initiative enabled us to do just that in an immediate and actionable way. BeautyTogether brought out the best in us and allowed founders to show up in a way that was so sincere, heartfelt and purposeful. We have become a beautiful sisterhood of women using our power for good.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSIE MARAN
L.A. is such a special place. What do you love most about it?
L.A. is where I started my family and my brand. It’s always been a place where people come to make their dreams into reality, and I’m so grateful for all the ways L.A. has enabled me to create and launch my passions.
What are three words you use to describe Los Angeles?
Beautiful. Diverse. Home.
What’s your hope for Los Angeles moving forward?
My hope for L.A. is that this will inspire the children, the future of L.A to rebuild stronger and more sustainably. I hope that it helps us remember what’s most important in our lives and sparks new ways to have deeper relationships with each other and our possessions. I also hope it helps us become more aware of the materials we use when rebuilding and how they affect our health and our planet’s health.
Photography by: Courtesy of Josie Maran
