Beauty: Think pink

Estee Lauder Perfectionist Wrinkle Lifting Serum $195. Photo / Supplied

Next month is a great chance to back a worthy cause.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month so expect to see plenty of pink ribbon products popping up on shelves.

The beauty industry is a big fundraiser for both medical research and sufferer support, providing direct assistance and donations from sales.

Some companies pledge a set sum upfront to allow charity groups to budget ahead. Others promise a cut of an item's sale price or its net profit. The percentage given can differ markedly between products, with lower percentages most likely on items that sell in large numbers, but this rule of thumb does not always apply.

With a mini-marketing industry having sprung up over charity sales in recent years, it is worth checking who gets what as we've done with our featured items. While every little bit helps the charities, it is worth considering how much is going their way from what you buy and - if yours is not a routine or incentivised purchase - whether you might prefer to make a direct donation.

1. Estee Lauder Jewelled Pink Ribbon Pin $36

Pink crystals are supplemented by a blue stone on this jewelled ribbon to represent the 1 per cent of breast cancer sufferers who are male and the many men who are impacted by having loved ones diagnosed. Estee Lauder gives 20 per cent of the purchase price to the foundation locally, with companies in the global group particularly active supporters of breast cancer charities. (Estee Lauder counters.)

2. Dove Pink at the Pictures $20 and Dove Pink Summer Glow $7.09

Book a movie ticket for October 26 for special evening screenings of Breakfast at Tiffany's at Event Cinemas nationwide. The entire $20 price goes to the Breast Cancer Foundation which funds research for a cancer cure. Dove is also fundraising by selling a shelf-full of pink ribbon products next month to fulfil a $100,000 pledge to the foundation. Among them are this combined moisturiser and gradual tanner which is an excellent value preparation for stepping out this spring. (Movie tickets can be purchased online.)

3. Estee Lauder Perfectionist Wrinkle Lifting Serum $195

A hefty 20 per cent of profits is donated from sales of these pink keychain-decorated bottles of serum, which targets wrinkles and age spots.

4. Dr LeWinn's Hand and Nail Cream $19.90

This protective barrier cream in a dark pink tube also helps condition nails and is available at a special $10 saving, meaning the buyer rather than the charity is the main beneficiary. 50c from each sale in October to December goes to Look Good Feel Better which offers women with cancer, appearance advice and support. (From selected department stores and pharmacies.)

5. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion $120

This cornerstone of the Clinique range is sold with a miniature picture frame key chain and pink ribbon charm and a $5 contribution. (Clinique counters.)

6. ghd Pink Orchid Limited Edition styler set $329

Hot pink plates and a pink and black lace bag make this a ghd Gold Series classic styler with a difference. From each purchase, $20 goes to the NZ Breast Cancer Foundation, with $2.5 million raised in Australasia over the past eight years. (From ghd salons, for stockists ph 0800 424 744.)

7. Bio-Oil 60ml pink pack $20.45

Bio-Oil is giving $2 to the BCF from every pink-stickered pack sold. The company is a new supporter of the cause, but as its brand manager Fiona Stackpole says the alignment makes sense for what is the number one-selling product for scars and stretch marks, given this "is a brand that many women use at times when healing is important". (The multi-purpose oil is available from pharmacies, supermarkets, Farmers and The Warehouse.)

8. Jane Iredale Roses & Lollipops lip duo keychain locket $59

Each year the English mineral makeup specialist comes up with a special product to sell. This time it features two favourite lip shades: the universally flattering Roses, in a creamy lipstick, and Lollipops, in a petroleum-free gloss, with 5 per cent of the purchase price going to charity. (From beauty salons, ph 09 636 1966.)