Industry non-profit organisation Beauty Changes Lives has announced it will launch a second round of relief funding to support US beauty professionals or students of beauty programmes, whose lives have been drastically changed by the mandated closures in response to COVID-19.

The funding has been made possible by a US$70,000 gift from sponsors of the eighth annual Beauty Changes Lives Experience fundraising event which is usually held during America’s Beauty Show – which has been cancelled this year due to the virus outbreak.

Sponsors have redirected their funding from the fundraising event into the relief grant which will be offered in individual US$1,000 grants, available for application on the Beauty Changes Lives website.

Applications for the grant are available until 4 May 2020 and offer financial relief for future and licensed professionals in massage therapy, cosmetology, esthetics, nail technology and barbering.

Selection of those receiving the new grant will occur in three qualifying rounds where 30 applicants will be awarded at the end of May, June and July 2020.

Beauty Changes Lives has already launched the first round of relief grants following a US$124,000 donation by Creative Nail Design and the Horst M Rechelbacher Foundation – the organisation dedicated to the founder of US cosmetics brand Aveda.

Sponsors that contributed to the latest relief fund include: ISPA, L’Oreal, Wella, Ratner Group, TIGI, KMS, Moroccanoil, Pivot Point, Ulta, Barboleta, Hattori Hanzo, John Paul Mitchell Systems, Oribe, American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) Board of Directors, AG Hair, Ergo, and Greg Dawson.

Beauty Changes Lives president and founder Lynelle Lynch said: “We’re deeply touched to see these sponsors rally around the professional beauty community. While we had looked forward to hosting a celebratory evening, we’re instead blessed by beautiful acts of generosity supporting those who call beauty their craft, calling and livelihood.”