Last updated on June 13th, 2024
CVS Pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Health in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, has made significant progress toward the goal of full transparency for all of its beauty imagery by the end of 2020 and its efforts to create new industry standards for post-production alterations of beauty imagery.
Just one year after the company made the commitment to create new standards for post-production alterations of beauty imagery, nearly 70 percent of beauty imagery in store locations nationwide will be CVS Beauty Mark compliant, which means that all beauty imagery either features the CVS Beauty Mark watermark, highlighting that it has not been materially altered, or the image is clearly labeled “digitally altered.”
First announced in January 2018, the CVS Beauty Mark initiative was introduced to lead positive change around transparency in beauty in order to educate customers on the difference between authentic and digitally altered imagery.
At an event at the location in Times Square held on Jan. 28., the company revealed the first look at updated beauty aisles and celebrated the leadership of the brand partners that joined in the effort over the past year to strive for transparency for beauty imagery.
“As a purpose-led health care company as well as the second largest beauty retailer in the country, we want the millions of customers that visit CVS Pharmacy locations each day to see a more authentic and diverse representation of beauty,” said Kevin Hourican, president. “We applaud the brand partners that truly embraced this initiative and helped us in taking significant steps forward in our effort to change an industry standard that has an impact on the health and self-esteem of our mutual customers.”
Brand partners throughout the beauty industry that have made the commitment to work together to reach the goal of full beauty imagery transparency by the end of 2020 include Neutrogena, Covergirl, Revlon, Olay, Almay, Aveeno, Rimmel, JOAH, L’Oreal, Maybelline, Unilever, Burt’s Bees and Physician’s Formula.
In addition to the beauty imagery in store locations, all beauty imagery, including brand partner imagery and in all marketing to customers, including on social media and for external advertising and promotions, reflects the CVS Beauty Mark commitment.
The company is proud to support Girls Inc. to help girls become strong, smart and bold in celebration of the initiative. During select weeks in February, with the purchase of select Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble and L’Oreal beauty products, a $1 donation will be made to Girls Inc., up to $300,000 collectively for the entire promotion period.
“The mission of Girls Inc. is to inspire all girls to be strong, smart and bold. Foundational to this work is ensuring girls have the skills and knowledge to critically analyze the messages and images they receive daily and reinforcing the importance of valuing their whole selves. The commitment CVS Pharmacy has made through the Beauty Mark initiative aligns perfectly to our mission and sends a powerfully positive message to girls that beauty comes in all forms and is a reflection of every part of who they are and what makes them unique,” said Judy Vredenburgh, Girls Inc., president and CEO.
CVS Pharmacy also partnered with lifestyle experts Sara and Erin Foster to create a limited-edition t-shirt that celebrates unaltered imagery and the CVS Beauty Mark. The Sara & Erin x CVS “Sans Retouching” t-shirt are available for purchase on cvs.com/beautymark with 100 percent of the proceeds supporting Girls Inc.
CVS Health has previously made significant changes in its retail stores with the health of its customers in mind, such as ending the sale of tobacco products, delivering healthier food options throughout CVS Pharmacy stores and committing to remove parabens, phthalates and the most prevalent formaldehyde donors from our store brand beauty and personal care items by the end of this year.
CVS Pharmacy is a retail pharmacy with more than 9,800 locations.
