Giving thanks

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you reading this in the US. I hope you're having a day filled with family, love, laughs and, of course, lots of food!

While we all take a moment to reflect upon the things that mean the most to us (a roof over our heads, family and friends, food in our bellies), I'd like to take a moment to share with you a great idea submitted by a lovely reader recently.

Reader "A" (I'm not sure if she'd like me to use her name) is part of a forum on Reddit that discusses beauty, and she let me know about a recent topic regarding beauty products donations to women's shelters. You can check it out here if you'd like.

If you're in a position to be charitable this holiday season (or any time), I'd like to encourage you to take any unused beauty products or feminine hygiene products you may have and seek out your local women's shelter for a donation.

As the folks on Reddit mentioned, women's shelters have a HIGH DEMAND for things like foundation, concealer and feminine products. These are things we take for granted in our daily lives, but many women across the country may not be able to afford them or have easy access to them.

We all know that something as simple as being able to cover under-eye circles can give us a little bit of extra confidence to meet the day. When you're shopping at the drugstores this holiday season and you come across a great deal, consider picking up an extra lipstick, concealer, foundation, shampoo, box of pads or tampons or anything else you think a women in need could use.

I'm not going to link to a specific women's shelter directory on this post (there are a lot of scam sites out there), so if you don't know where the local women's shelters are in your town, do a google search for "women's shelter" and your city and see what pops up. If you're not sure as to the legitimacy of the organization, jot down a phone number and give them call. Find out who they're affiliated with, and if they accept donations. Ask them what they need the most for the women in their facility and build a small list for yourself.

A few years ago I came across a great sale on some shampoo at Big Lots and ended up purchasing way too many bottles (you know how that goes). So on the suggestion of a co-worker at the time, I gave my stash of unused/unopened shampoo to a local women's shelter and they were incredibly appreciative. If you have unexpired, unused stash that you KNOW you won't get to within the next year, please consider giving it to a woman in need. (NOTE: all beauty product donations must be unused and unopened.)

I know that many of you reading this are not in a position to purchase things for yourself right now, let alone give to others. I completely understand and respect that and I'm in NO way trying to guilt-trip anyone into making a donation that is beyond their means. I'm just suggesting to those who CAN purchase an extra lipstick or two, or have a bountiful stash that they can't use up themselves, to give to a women in need.

The power of a new lipstick may not change someone's current position in life, but it can give them a tiny boost of self-confidence at a time when they need it the very most.

Thanks again to reader "A" for the great reminder and suggestion.

Love, 

G. xo