Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2020: From lipstick to shampoo, these products give back to charity

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK. According to the NHS, one in eight women are diagnosed with it during their lifetime, with a good chance of recovery if it is detected early on.

Every year, October marks Breast Cancer Awareness month, in which individuals, organisations and brands set out to raise awareness and funds for relevant charities fighting the disease.  

Many brands create dedicated products and collections for the cause, donating some or all of the proceeds to various breast cancer charities. This money helps support people affected by the disease, contributes to research and provides education on spotting the disease.

It’s important to regularly check your breasts to look out for changes. According to Cancer Research, signs can range from a new lump or thickening in your breast or armpit, a change in size, shape or feel of your breast, skin changes in the breast such as puckering, dimpling, a rash or redness of the skin, fluid leaking from the nipple in a woman who isn’t pregnant or breastfeeding and changes in the position of the nipple.

While not all lumps are cancerous, it is recommended to get them checked out by your GP.

If you’re very tall or overweight, previously found a benign lump or have a history of breast cancer, you’re also more likely to be at risk, so should often check for any changes.

It’s not just a disease that affects just women either and while not as common, roughly 350 men are diagnosed each year in the UK with about one in 100 cases found in males.

From make-up and fragrance to clothing and furniture, we’ve found the products that are giving back this October.

You can trust our independent roundups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

Breast cancer charity Future Dreams has teamed up with luxury brow brand, Blink Brow London, to create a limited edition palette, with everything you need to maintain perfectly groomed brows. In it, you’ll find two velvety-smooth powders and a highlighter to sculpt and define brow hairs.

The brand’s managing director, Taj Giles, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 and struggled to find a product that worked with her sparse hairs that had been affected as a result of chemotherapy, so this caters to the real needs of those dealing with cancer. 

From every product sold, 50 per cent of the proceeds will go to Future Dreams, which raises funds to support those with cancer, as well as research into the disease.

While Peloton is known for its top of the range exercising bikes for at-home spin classes, they also have a range of fitness apparel.

Between 29 September and 31 October, 20 per cent of the purchase price of select items, up to $25,000, will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that supports breast cancer research at medical institutions worldwide.

We the look of this fleece pullover. Its the perfect addition to your wardrobe now that temperatures are starting to drop and will come in handy when you come out of your next gym class and head home.

Elemis’ bestselling moisturiser has turned pink to support Breast Cancer Now – £10 from each sale will go towards helping the charity provide support care and vital research into breast cancer. Regardless of sales, the skincare brand will also be donating £40,000 too.

It’s a lightweight gel-cream texture with anti-ageing properties. Promising to hydrate and add radiance, it also works to improve firmness and elasticity.

It comes in a keepsake box too, so would be the perfect gift for skincare lovers. 

Some of the successes it has had include setting up the UK’s first breast cancer tissue bank, funding much-needed research and helping to set up Breast Cancer Now’s helpline to provide support to those affected by breast cancer. 

One of our favourite pieces from this year’s range is this reusable water bottle that’s fun, colourful and will keep you hydrated no matter where you are.

Staff in-store will also be fundraising so if you can, spare some change and donate directly.  

Beauty brand Bobbi Brown is known for its long-lasting make-up formulas and beautiful packaging, and this October it’s launching its annual limited edition “powerful pinks” luxe matte lip colour duo to raise money for charity.

Since its launch in stores on 7 September, the brand has been donating the full £38, minus VAT, to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and the set will be available online from 1 October. 

Both of the shades – “boss pink” and “razzberry” – are matte, full coverage and long lasting, promising 12 hours of wear, perfect for the autumn and winter months. “Boss pink” is a dusty rose shade while “razzberry” is a rich berry tone.  

If you’re looking to freshen up your space with some new furniture and want to support a good cause with your purchase, look to Shabby Store’s “think pink” edit.  The online store is donating 10 per cent of profits from the collection to the Pink Ribbon Foundation, a trust that funds projects and provides financial support to UK charities that help people suffering, or affected by breast cancer.

We’ve got our eye on this pink felix velvet armchair (Shabby Store, £469) that will make a plush addition to a living room or home office. Cosy up on it with a book or show it off in Zoom meetings with colleagues.

The gold metal legs and millennial pink velvet give a contemporary contrast for a chic finish.

While Philip Kingsley’s daughter Anabel is now at the helm of the brand since her father’s death in 2016, he originally formulated the no scent shampoo and conditioner duo to be gentle enough for his wife to use when she was battling breast cancer.

As a result, it’s extra gentle, free from fragrance and colour and suitable to be used daily for women undergoing treatment for cancer, as well as for those who are prone to redness and irritation.  

From each bottle sold, 50p goes towards Look Good Feel Better, a charity dedicated to improving the wellbeing and self-confidence of people undergoing cancer treatment, not just for the month of October, but throughout the year.

According to the brand, it has raised £23,707 for the charity since 2016.

No one knows hair quite like ghd, from straighteners to hairdryers, the brand is well-loved by pros and novices alike.

It has partnered with Breast Cancer Now to raise awareness of the importance of checking your boobs, and £10 from the sale of each product in its pink collection goes to the charity.

We’re big fans of ghd’s straighteners and the powder pink finish makes us want them even more. They heat up in seconds and deliver sleek, straight strands, soft curls, or beachy waves with minimal damage to your tresses.

We’re always on the lookout for something that will transform short lashes with length and curl, so we’ll be stocking up on this eyelash conditioner that promises to last up to six months.

It improves the strength and flexibility of hair, is oil-free and safe to use with eyelash extensions too, while being vegan-friendly and cruelty-free. You simply apply the formula using the wand to the root of your lashes once a day and let it dry before you use any further beauty products.

For every “eternally pink” tube purchased, the brand will donate $2 to cancer research and education initiatives around the world, to honour the legacy of the CEO Michael Brinkenhoff’s wife Gayle, who was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at the age of 32.

With notes of jasmine, rose, gillyflower and red apple, the fragrance has a fresh scent that’s perfect for crisp autumn days.

Launching online and in store from 1 October, the limited edition bottle is printed with a pink ribbon to mark the cause.

The bestseller in Estee Lauder’s long line-up of products is its advanced night repair serum, and to support breast cancer awareness, it’s turning pink, as it launches a limited edition advanced night repair synchronised multi-recovery complex (Estee Lauder, £82) with a collectable pink ribbon bracelet.

Delivering long-lasting hydration, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and leaving skin radiant, it’s a must-have for anyone on the hunt for an all-encompassing anti-ageing serum.

Launching online on 30 September and at select Estee Lauder counters nationwide, 20 per cent of the proceeds from each purchase will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation until June 2021.

Set up by Lauren Mahon, a breast cancer survivor, Girls vs Cancer began as an online community and safe space to support those affected by breast cancer.

Mahon created a line of T-shirts, which have since expanded into hooded sweatshirts and jumpers, when she was ill and unable to work, and has continued to create clothing to spread awareness and support charities since. For every sale, 25 per cent of profits are split equally four ways between its partner charities, which include Coppa Feel! Future Dreams, Trekstock and Look Good, Feel Better. 

We love this female form one tit-tee (Girls vs Cancer, £32), a unisex style with a boyfriend fit. It’s made from 100 per cent organic cotton and is adorned with a minimal line drawing of a woman who has had a mastectomy.