Transgender actress, internet personality, and author Dylan Mulvaney has had her share of not-so-great brand partnerships. But in a new collaboration with U.K.-based bath and body brand Lush, the tides are turning.
Earlier this year, Lush announced a new bath bomb in conjunction with the release of Mulvaney’s debut memoir: “Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer.”
Aptly named “Late Bloomer,” the bath bomb is a pink rose-shaped accessory that reportedly has notes of “feel-good florals, gorgeous pink luster” and features a “crisp rose and subtle citrus perfume.”
But even more enticing than the soothing scents is the fact that 75% of the purchase price of every bath bomb sold supports trans-led organizations “working to ensure that trans people thrive,” per the product page.
With the product available online and in stores for the past couple of months, Mulvaney announced this weekend — while hosting Lush’s “Resist Ball,” that it has brought in over $30,000 for trans-led organizations.
She made the perfect candidate, as a spokesperson for the brand through this collaboration, and as a former Lush sales associate from her teenage years.
The Resist Ball was an event that brought together advocates and change-makers across various issues and celebrated Lush’s milestone of donating $100 million to charities across the globe.
“Hosting the Lush Cosmetics Resist Ball was the most full circle moment, and my 16-year-old sales associate heart can’t take it,” Mulvaney wrote on Instagram this weekend.
“Celebrating 100 million dollars raised for charities worldwide, plus knowing that the Late Bloomer had a tiny little part in that, is heaven. Thank you to all who have purchased, and it’s still for sale! This company talks the talk AND walks the walk, I love them.”
This isn’t Lush’s only campaign supporting trans rights this season.
Earlier this spring, the brand partnered with U.K.-based trans-led groups TransActual and My Genderation for a public campaign across all U.K. storefronts.
It featured a whimsical and joyful window display in all 101 stores that read: “Imagine a world where these are the headlines,” accompanied by illustrations of newspapers sharing good news, headlines spanning “The UK: A Safe Haven for LGBTQ+ Asylum Seekers” and “Hate Crimes At Historic Lows.”
The campaign also offered free informative booklets in all stores, affirming signage in stores, and another line of “Liberation” bath bombs that raise funds for partner nonprofits.
Most notably, however, was a Gender Affirming Care policy Lush rolled out alongside this campaign, which offers support to Lush employees at any stage in their transition journey, including dedicated transitioning leave “to ensure that trans employees have the time and support they need to access gender-affirming care.”
“This campaign comes from the heart of the business,” Lush said in a statement.
“Requested by our staff and led by our incredible campaign partners, it comes at a time where positive trans representation is needed to counterpoint some of the toxic narratives that have been shaping public discourse. We hope that the vision presented in this campaign becomes reality and helps to shape a world we can all be proud of.”
It’s unclear where exactly funds from Mulvaney’s bath bomb line will go, but Lush’s long-time commitment to uplifting and supporting LGBTQ+ employees, shoppers, and brand partners is what inspired her to take the opportunity in the first place.
“I’ve been a little less likely to jump on any campaign these days,” Mulvaney told Campaign, a public relations news outlet. “But it feels like the universe, or God or whatever, is orchestrating all of this and really wanted me to have this full-circle moment.”
When she was younger, Mulvaney said Lush played a vital role in helping her feel affirmed in her identity, even if she wasn’t sure of it herself quite yet.
“Lush was one of the only places I felt safe as a queer kid — all the women and queer people who worked there made me feel like I could be myself,” she told Campaign.
Her bath bomb is still available for purchase, with funds continuing to support trans-led organizations.
“It’s always been about trying to find the right people,” Mulvaney told People Magazine earlier this year.
“And I think my fanbase is very similar to the Lush fanbase, and that's what makes me so optimistic about the idea of queer and trans people still being able to find brand deals and exist in this industry because there are good companies like Lush and good people that are still proud to work with us.”
Header images courtesy of David Brandon Geeting and Lush
