The Beautywell Project

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The Beautywell Project

The Beautywell Project aims to end skin-lightening practices and chemical exposures.

Individuals live in a healthy lifestyle and embrace their identity and culture.

05/29/2026

Our mission is to end colorism, skin lightening, and chemical exposure—but what do these terms really mean?

Colorism, skin lightening, and chemical exposure are silent public health issues. Although they are prevalent and pervasive around the globe, they are rarely spoken about openly.

We want to change that. The Beautywell Project aims to destigmatize these topics, empower our communities with knowledge, and end these systemic cycles of harm one step at a time through:
📚 Education & Advocacy
⚖️ Regulations & Policy Change
🌱 Community-led Initiatives
✊🏾 Youth Empowerment
🤝🏾 Developing systems of support and resources for impacted communities

Knowledge is power. Swipe through our guide to see how these three issues connect, and let’s start breaking down the cycle together.

For more information, visit our Knowledge Hub and Product Database:
🔗 thebeautywell.org/data

05/23/2026

🚨 WARNING: MINNESOTA & 31 OTHER STATES AFFECTED BY MORINGA SALMONELLA OUTBREAKS

At the Beautywell Project, your health, wellness, and safety are our top priorities. If you use Moringa Leaf Powder or moringa capsules for your health, skin, or hair routine, please read this right now.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has issued an urgent warning after new Salmonella cases were confirmed right here in Minnesota, linked to tnvitamins brand Moringa Leaf Powder Capsules purchased on Amazon.

This is part of a massive, ongoing nationwide public health issue. Multiple Salmonella outbreaks tied to contaminated moringa leaf powder have already sickened at least 97 people across 32 states, leading to 26 hospitalizations.

🌿 Moringa is widely loved in the beauty and wellness space for DIY hair growth masks, anti-aging routines, and skin health. However, contaminated dietary supplements can carry dangerous bacteria. Because these products have a very long shelf life, they might be sitting in your beauty pantry right now.

🔍 CHECK YOUR BOTTLES IMMEDIATELY FOR THESE DETAILS:
Brand: tnvitamins Moringa Leaf Powder Capsules (Sold on Amazon)
Lot Number: 2793
Expiration Date: February 2028
Brand: Rosabella-brand Moringa Powder Capsules (Sold on Amazon, Shein, TikTok Shop, eBay, Etsy)
Brands: Live it Up Super Greens & Why Not Natural Moringa Capsules (Sold on Amazon/Walmart)

⚠️ What you should do:
STOP using these products immediately. Do not consume them, and do not use them topically for DIY beauty routines, as cross-contamination to your eyes, mouth, or open skin can easily happen.
Throw them out or return them.
Watch for symptoms: Fever, severe stomach cramps, and diarrhea.
Consult a healthcare provider if you have used these products and feel unwell.

Please share this post and tag your friends who love holistic wellness and DIY beauty routines. Let’s keep our community safe!

👉🏿 Read the full MDH press release here: https://www.health.state.mn.us/news/pressrel/2026/salmonella052226.html

WellnessAlert CDCOutbreak MNHealth

05/18/2026

Over the past 18 weeks, our Young Women’s Wellness and Leadership Initiative participants have been learning, growing, building confidence, and finding their voices. 💛

As Cohort 12 comes to an end, our young leaders presented final projects focused on topics that matter deeply to them and their communities — including beauty standards, mental health, self-esteem, identity, and the impact of technology on youth.

Through research, discussion, teamwork, and creativity, they used their presentations to educate others, share their perspectives, and advocate for change.

We are incredibly proud of the courage, leadership, and thoughtfulness these young women brought into this space. Watching them grow in confidence and use their voices with intention has been powerful to witness.

We’re looking forward to celebrating this amazing cohort again at their graduation ceremony in the coming weeks.

SelfEsteem

05/12/2026

Banned toxic skin lighteners continue to flood markets globally—often appearing in rural areas where even basic food is scarce. 🛑🌍

At Beautywell, we don’t just wait for change; we drive it. Through community-based research and commercial lab testing, we expose the $13 Billion industry’s most dangerous secrets. Our work in the US, East Africa, and beyond is uncovering the truth about unlisted mercury and toxic steroids in everyday products.

We are fighting for:
⚖️ Stricter Enforcement of existing bans.

🔬 Transparency in product ingredients.

🛡️ Public Safety through data-driven education.
Our mission is to protect the global community and empower individuals to reclaim their health.

🔗 Take Action with Us:
🛡️ Search our tested product database: https://thebeautywell.org/data/database/
📺 Watch the full BBC interview with our founder and Executive Director Amira Adawe : https://youtu.be/qSXbWRU0vs8

BBCFocusOnAfrica EndColorism HealthEquity AmiraAdawe

05/08/2026

Did any of these myths or facts surprise you? Let us know in the comments 👇🏿

Misconceptions about skin-lightening perpetuate harmful ideas about the safety of toxic products. Protecting our health and the health of the future generations starts with awareness and knowledge to make informed decisions for our health and wellbeing.

For more information, visit our Knowledge Hub & Product Database: thebeautywell.org/data

There is nothing safer than embracing your natural beauty and skin-tone 💚

—
The Beautywell Project is the leading nonprofit organization doing international work to end skin-lightening practices and colorism in communities around the world. We work holistically on community, institutional, and systemic levels to address the impacts of colorism and the ways it perpetuates skin-lightening practices and fuels the multibillion dollar global skin-lightening industry. We also actively work to fight the public health and environmental harms caused by colorism and skin-lightening practices around the world.

05/06/2026

A heartfelt thank you to Arpita Appannagari (NIRH), Tran Huynh (U of M) and Fatima Molas (MAAN) for their incredible contribution to our Young Women’s Wellness and Leadership Initiative Cohort 12 Virtual Career Panel! Your expertise, career journeys, and inspiring words meant the world to our young women. We are so grateful! 💚

04/29/2026

Is Lead Hiding in Your Beauty Routine? 💄

While many think lead is a thing of the past, it is still a very real health risk today. We often hear about lead in old house paint (pre-1978), but it’s hiding in places you might not expect—including your makeup bag.

✨ Spotlight on Cosmetics
Lead can be found in everyday products like lipsticks, mascaras, foundations, and powders. Because these are applied directly to your skin daily, they can cause especially high levels of exposure over time.

Other Common Sources of Lead:
Toys: Specifically plastic toys made from vinyl or PVC.

Pottery: Vintage or handmade cookware and food storage can leach lead from decorative glazes and paints.

Water: In homes built before 1930, lead piping can leach into your water system.

Soil & Dust: Lead from old exterior paint or historical leaded gasoline can settle in the soil near roads and buildings, or turn into household dust.

Why It Matters
Lead exposure is often “invisible” until it becomes severe. It can lead to neurological, kidney, and liver damage, as well as pregnancy complications and developmental harm in children.

Protect Yourself
Test: Ask your healthcare provider for a lead lab test—it’s the only way to know for sure if you’ve been exposed.
Screen: Use home testing kits for household items or send water samples to an accredited lab.
Learn: Knowledge is power!

🔗 Visit our database for more info: thebeautywell.org/data

HealthyLiving

04/25/2026

📢 Research Alert: Toxic Heavy Metals in Salon Products

At the Beautywell Project, we are dedicated to ensuring that beauty is safe and healthy for everyone. In partnership with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, we are conducting a study in local salons to address chemical exposures and improve the environment for both workers and clients.

Research Findings:
A total of 21 frequently used salon hair products were tested for six toxic heavy metals: Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Lead, Nickel, and Mercury.

● Products of Concern: Our research identified four specific products with elevated toxic concentrations that exceed global regulatory limits:

○ Custom-made henna powder: Found with elevated cadmium, lead, and nickel.

○ ColorProof Powder Fix Spray: Found with elevated lead.

○ Matrix Color Sync: Found with elevated nickel.

○ Calura Permanent Shine Color: Found with elevated nickel.

⚠️ A Critical Warning:
There are no safe levels of heavy metals. Any level of exposure is unsafe for salon workers and clients. Because these products are used frequently over long periods, these toxic metals can build up in the human body, leading to severe, long-term health risks.

🌿 Take Action:
These results highlight an urgent need for safer product choices in our salons. By staying informed and demanding healthier alternatives, we can protect our staff, our customers, and our entire community from harmful chemical exposures.

Always check out Beautywell’s database where we share products we tested: www.beautywellproject.org

HealthEquity CleanBeauty

04/22/2026

Celebrate Earth Day with Beautywell! 🌍✨

At Beautywell, we believe that true beauty is sustainable. Protecting our planet means embracing natural beauty and choosing products that are kind to both our bodies and the Earth. 🌿

Join us in celebrating our home today and every day. Let’s commit to a future where beauty and sustainability go hand in hand.

04/14/2026

Children look up to their parents and learn from what they witness.

When we use skin-lightening products, we are setting an example to our children and reinforcing colorism from within the home. When a child witnesses her mother trying to change her skin tone , she also learns that there is something wrong with her own skin tone , which creates an intergenerational cycle of skin lightening and trauma from colorism.

Daughters often look up to their mothers, and see them as the most beautiful woman in their eyes, the same way mothers often see their daughters as the most beautiful girl. We should value ourselves the same way we value our mothers and daughters.
Set a good example for your children and stop using skin-lightening products. Embracing your natural beauty will allow your children to embrace their natural beauty. Destigmatize this topic with your children and have open conversations about the importance of embracing your skin tone and staying away from skin-lightening products.

For more information and to access our product database, visit:

thebeautywell.org/data

Address

1821 University Avenue W Suite 464-28
Saint Paul, MN
55104

Website

http://www.thebeautywell.org/

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