Ulta Beauty has raised more than $67 million for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation since 2009, and its October point-of-sale campaign is running again this month. The retailer's charitable foundation gives 100 percent of donations collected at checkout to BCRF (the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, a nonprofit funding breast cancer research). That figure sets the scale for this October's wave of cause marketing across the beauty industry.

Seven initiatives stand out this month. Most center on BCRF, the organization founded by Evelyn Lauder, the late Estée Lauder Cos. executive. Donations tied to product sales, not flat corporate checks, dominate the format.

What is Estée Lauder doing?

Six brands within the Estée Lauder Cos. portfolio have released limited-edition products supporting breast cancer awareness, with varying portions of sales donated to BCRF through June 2027 or until supplies last. The participating brands: Aerin, Aveda, Bumble and bumble, Clinique, Dr.Jart+ and Estée Lauder.

Four additional portfolio brands — Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Jo Malone London, La Mer and Tom Ford Beauty — will each make direct donations to BCRF ranging from $110,000 to $200,000 in fiscal year 2027.

The structure matters for shoppers. Some products carry a fixed percentage of proceeds; others rely on a company-level donation that does not change with individual purchases.

Which brands give 100 percent of proceeds?

Three campaigns stand out for full transparency on proceeds:

• La Bonne Brosse: the French hairbrush maker brings back its limited-edition pink brush across five of its models, at $198 each, with 100 percent of proceeds going to BCRF-funded research.
• Lys Beauty: the brand launched its Triple Fix pressed powder in Sincere, a new pink shade. All net proceeds from October sales go to The Pink Agenda, which funds breast cancer research and care.
• iS Clinical: all profits from October sales of its $75 Poly-Vitamin Serum go to the National Breast Cancer Coalition, an education and advocacy group.

What about smaller indie brands?

Qure Skincare will donate $3 from every direct-to-consumer purchase through October to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, which focuses on educating women about breast cancer and early detection.

Savor Beauty will donate a portion of all October sales of its pumpkin products — including the Sleeping Beauty Pumpkin Face Cream and Pumpkin Seed Serum — to Share Cancer Support, a nonprofit serving breast and gynecologic cancer patients.

What does this change for shoppers?

The donation mechanics vary widely: 100 percent of proceeds, net proceeds, profits only, a flat $3 per order, an unspecified "portion" of sales, or a fixed corporate gift. Consumers who want maximum impact per purchase can compare these structures directly — the full-proceeds campaigns at La Bonne Brosse, Lys Beauty and iS Clinical transfer the most per unit sold.

The Estée Lauder commitments run through June 2027, meaning the corporate-donation tier extends well beyond the October awareness window. Most other campaigns end when October does.

By Daniel Okafor