Fears surrounding the coronavirus has led to the shortage of sanitizers globally, prompting many brands to begin producing hand sanitizer in an effort to help with the deficit. Estee Lauder is the latest company to switch from cosmetics to hand sanitizer, following beauty and fashion conglomerates L'Oreal and LVMH.
According to WWD, Estee Lauder is planning to reopen its manufacturing factory located in Melville, NY to produce hand sanitizer for medical staff. Lauder's announcement comes on the heels of the company pledging to donate a $2 million grant to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, to support the organization’s work in treating the coronavirus in countries that lack the resources and have been severely impacted.
"The Estée Lauder Companies is proud to contribute to the broader COVID-19 relief efforts by reopening our Melville manufacturing facility this week to produce hand sanitizer for high-need groups and populations, including front-line medical staff," a spokesperson for the company told the outlet. "We are grateful to our employees who have worked tirelessly to make this possible. Compensated, employee volunteers will support this vital, meaningful effort."
Fellow beauty behemoth L'Oreal announced last week that it would be producing hand sanitizer for hospitals and pharmacies in Europe, in addition to halting all debts owed to them by small and medium-sized businesses due to the pandemic.
"In this exceptional crisis situation it is our responsibility to contribute in every possible way to the collective effort,” Jean-Paul Agon, L’Oréal chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement. “Through these gestures, L’Oréal wishes to express its appreciation, support, and solidarity with all those who mobilize with extraordinary courage and abnegation to fight against this pandemic."
Nerisha Penrose Assistant Editor Nerisha is the assistant editor at ELLE.com, covering all things beauty and fashion.
