Happy Women’s History Month! While we like to think of every day as a chance to honor the accomplishments of the fabulous ladies who came before Us and continue to inspire Us, March is officially devoted to celebrating girl power. And with International Women’s Day on Friday, March 8, beauty, fashion and lifestyle brands are partaking in the festivities by offering exclusive products, perks and charitable deals that allow you to shop for a good cause.
During the height of the feminist movement of the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s in the United States, Congress passed a resolution in 1981 requesting President Ronald Reagan proclaim the week of March 7, 1982, as “Women’s History Week.” The timing coincided with the United Nation’s International Women’s Day, which has been celebrated every year on March 8 since 1977.
By 1987, the National Women’s History Project in the U.S. urged Congress to turn the annual week into a month-long affair, and Women’s History Month was born. Today, the Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join together each March to commemorate, observe and celebrate “the vital role of women in American history.”
Brands and retailers have gotten in on the action by donating portions of their proceeds to women’s organizations and charities throughout the month, much in the way they do for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. There is also a host of limited-edition products (think: empowering totes, tees, lotions, potions and more) designed specifically for the occasion.
In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, we’re rounding up the best products and promotions that give back. Keep scrolling to shop our favorites — and be sure to check back for updates all month long!