For over 15 years, Renata Helfman has worked as a celebrity makeup artist. During this time, she cultivated a passion for chemical-free products and the positive benefits they have on the body and mind. Determined to make luxury natural products more accessible to the public, Renata founded Vert in 2007, the first eco-chic beauty boutique in the nation. The store instantly became an overnight success, capitalizing on the public’s longing for a cohesive selection of safe, chemical-free beauty and skincare products. To further spread information about the benefits of all-natural products, she began writing for the Huffington Post in 2009. She has received international editorial recognition from every sector of the beauty industry and has been featured in Elle, The Los Angeles Times, Natural Health, Vogue, and numerous other publications and media outlets.
Renata Helfman first conceived of Lipstick Angels, a nonprofit, after her volunteer experience at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Always searching for ways to share her knowledge and help those around her, Renata began volunteering with cancer patients at Cedars Sinai in 2011 and was surprised to learn that the hospital did not have a beauty program in place. Specifically, she made it her mission to bring beauty, compassion, and human touch to patients in need. The program was designed to create an uplifting experience to support and bolster the self-esteem of patients dealing with the emotional and physical side effects of cancer treatment.
My dream is to make Lipstick Angels a program
that is accessible to all hospital patients nationwide.
Providing a comforting, healing touch
while restoring a sense of dignity through beauty
has a potent effect on the mind, body, and spirit.
Since March 2012, Lipstick Angels has provided a wide range of beauty support services including makeup application, hydrating facials and skincare, hand massages, and aromatherapy to thousands of cancer patients. When the program began at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Lipstick Angels offered one three-hour session per week. Due to the program’s success, sessions are now available up to three times a week in Cedar-Sinai’s Samuel Oschin Cancer Center. Cedars-Sinai is the third highest-ranking hospital in California and a recipient of the prestigious Commission on Cancer Outstanding Achievement Award, which has only been given to 10% of U.S. hospitals.
In August 2013, Lipstick Angels officially became a nonprofit when we received our 501c3 status. We began our fundraising efforts in earnest to expand the program and received our first grant from the Annenberg Foundation in September 2013. Shortly afterward, we received our second grant from the Good News Foundation. To date, we have received grants from numerous foundations including the Green Foundation, Allergan Foundation, and others. In addition, we receive support from several partner companies such as Credo Beauty.
In July 2014, we launched a program in Long Beach Memorial’s new Todd Cancer Institute. This innovative cancer center is at the forefront of cancer management and offers an integrative approach to medicine (mind, body and spirit).
In August 2015, we launched a new program at the City of Hope National Medical Center. The City of Hope is one of 41 comprehensive cancer centers in the nation, the highest designation bestowed by the National Cancer Institute for excellence in cancer treatment, research, prevention, and education. We currently offer two sessions a week to cancer patients undergoing outpatient chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
In October 2016, we expanded into the East Coast with a program at the renowned New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center in Manhattan. New York-Presbyterian is one of the nation’s most comprehensive, integrated academic health care delivery systems, dedicated to providing the highest quality, most compassionate care and service to patients. The Lipstick Angels program perfectly complements the hospital’s existing palliative care programs.
Since the inception of the organization, Lipstick Angels has been featured in various media outlets including press, social media platforms, and television. In December 2013, Renata appeared on the internationally broadcast show, the Doctors, and again on the nationally aired Queen Latifah Show. Both shows brought Lipstick Angels’ national and international attention. Since then we have received requests to launch Lipstick Angels programs from patients, caregivers and hospital staff in numerous states and countries including India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom.
MISSION
Lipstick Angels’ mission is to strengthen the dignity, hope, and self-esteem of individuals with cancer or other chronic illness
VALUES
Our values guide the organization and set the standards by which we serve patients:
- Courage: We recognize the determination, drive, and bravery of the patients we serve. We value our Angels’ compassion and commitment to serve patients.
- Respect: We understand that each patient is an individual who deserves to be treated as a whole person with unique needs, values, and preference
- Dignity: We appreciate the innate value and worth of each patient and strive to create an environment in which all patients feel comfortable and in-control of the services they receive while undergoing treatment for cancer or other chronic illnesses
- Compassion: We utilize touch to physically and emotionally connect with patients to create an environment that fosters caring, healing, and wholeness
- Quality: We strive to provide exceptional patient-centered services that surpass our clients’ expectations to promote the healing and well-being of the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. We use the highest-quality natural and chemical free products to conscientiously care for our clients.
PILLARS OF EXCELLENCE
These pillars provide the framework and foundation for all we do:
- Service: We have assembled a committed team of make-up artists, certified estheticians, and wellness professionals selected for their professionalism, expertise, compassion, and commitment to Lipstick Angels’ mission and values. We provide high-quality and compassionate clean-beauty and wellness services that are carefully tailored to meet the unique needs of each patient.
- Education: We provide comprehensive training to our team in the areas of patient care, oncology esthetics, oncology massage for the hands and face, aromatherapy, clean-beauty products, and the transformative importance of touch and active listening. We teach the patients, their families, the caregivers, their health care team, and the community about the benefits of our hands-on, caring approach and the advantages of using natural, chemical-free beauty and wellness products.
- Innovation: We provide a unique, cutting-edge, and ever-evolving program that is not available anywhere else. We are committed to the continual pursuit of new and effective ways of caring for our patients through new beauty products as well as new wellness and healing modalities.
Thank you for reminding me
that I am not defined by my illness
and for rekindling the fire within me!
You are truly amazing!
Melissa
MENU OF SERVICES
Glow & Go
Personalized makeup application from a professional makeup artist to help you look and feel beautiful. We can create any look you desire and promise it will put a smile on your face.
Luxurious Hydrating Facial Treatment
We use the highest quality natural and chemical- free skin care products to deeply cleanse, calm, and nourish the skin. Refreshing, healing and invigorating!
Easy Breezy Brows
Our Angels will custom fit you for a complimentary brow stencil and color to frame your face and make filling in your brows a cinch!
Aromatherapy
Organic essential oils are used to create a relaxing atmosphere and help reduce anxiety, stress and pain. Relax your muscles, deepen your breath, and lift your spirits with these wonderfully unique essential oil blends.
Hand Massage
Enjoy the amazing power of a totally relaxing hand massage. Luxurious oil and lotion restore lost moisture, leaving hands and cuticles soft and hydrated.
P.O. Box 480366
Los Angeles, California 90048
[email protected]
lipstickangels.org (Company Website)
huffingtonpost.com/renata-helfman (Blog)
Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City
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