This certainly isn’t the first time a beauty brand has gotten involved in an election or been created for the sole purpose of fundraising—in fact, the industry has become increasingly involved in politics in recent years, especially in support of Democratic or left-leaning causes. In 2020, Lipslut donated all the earnings from their F*ck Trump liquid lipstick to a variety of organizations that support voting rights;The Lip Bar and Michelle Obama teamed up on a $13 red lipstick to support the nonprofit organization When We All Vote that same year. There was also Biden Beauty, an anonymously led brand that launched in September 2020 and supported the Democratic National Committee via the sales of a blue makeup sponge.
In 2020, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, many beauty companies, like E.L.F. Beauty and Benefit Cosmetics, made significant contributions to organizations that support reproductive rights, such as Planned Parenthood and the ACLU. Others used specific products to raise funds. Dieux Skin, for example, said that moving forward $1 from all sales of its Instant Angel Moisturizer would go to an organization fighting for reproductive justice. Saie spearheaded The Every Body Campaign, with participating brands repackaging a best-selling product in a limited-edition “Every Body Green” carton, inspired by the green bandanas often seen at abortion rights demonstrations. All proceeds went to SisterSong, a national activist organization that works to protect those most impacted by anti-abortion legislation.
So why did the United Colors Project choose nail polishes in particular as a fundraising tool? “Beauty, especially nail polish, is an intimate form of self-expression that speaks to both personal and public identity,” Rosenthal and Friedman told Allure via email. “We wanted to create something that is both personal and public and that reflects the refined power, inspiration, and glam that is Kamala Harris.”
The referential names of the polishes are, of course, very intentional. “We wanted to connect the names and their associated colors to the idea that politics shouldn’t feel so far removed from everyday life because it shapes everyday life,” the duo explain. “Our colors and names help bring these big, often abstract issues down to a more personal level, and wearing them feels like an everyday act of support for something bigger.”