Beautywell Project
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE BEAUTYWELL PROJECT ADDRESSES THE CRITICAL ISSUES OF SKIN-LIGHTENING PRACTICES AND CHEMICAL EXPOSURES WITHIN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. OUR MISSION IS TO FOSTER HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH EDUCATION, WELLNESS, AND LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES, SUCH AS OUR YOUNG WOMEN'S WELLNESS AND LEADERSHIP COHORT.
- Income
- $382,003
- Spending
- $297,780
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 61%
- Employees
- 3
- Highest pay
- $105,311, executive di
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (social science, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 22% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 61 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (social science, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (5)
- $204,545 spent. YOUNG WOMEN'S WELLNESS & YOUTH LEADERSHIP WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY EXPANDED THE YOUNG WOMEN'S WELLNESS AND LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE (YWWLI), WHICH TRAINS EAST AFRICAN AND OTHER YOUNG WOMEN OF COLOR (AGES 14-18) TO LEAD IN AREAS OF HEALTH, ADVOCACY, AND SOCIAL- EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. COHORT IMPACT: PARTICIPANTS MEET WEEKLY FOR 18 WEEKS TO DEVELOP SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS AND GAIN POLICY SKILLS TO ADDRESS COLORISM AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. MENTORSHIP: THE PROGRAM PROVIDES SAFE SPACES FOR EXPLORATION AND INCLUDES ONE-ON-ONE MENTORSHIP THAT CONTINUES AFTER GRADUATION. YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD: IN 2025, OUR YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD ESTABLISHED THE BEAUTYWELL YOUTH INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT, CREATING A DEDICATED DIGITAL SPACE TO RAISE AWARENESS AND ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH THEIR PEERS ON WELLNESS AND SELF- ESTEEM. EXPANSION: NEW GRANTS ALLOWED US TO INCREASE OUR MENTOR COUNT AND SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS, REACHING MORE YOUNG GIRLS THAN EVER BEFORE. YOUNG WOMEN'S WELLNESS & YOUTH LEADERSHIP WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY EXPANDED THE YOUNG WOMEN'S WELLNESS AND LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE (YWWLI), WHICH TRAINS EAST AFRICAN AND OTHER YOUNG WOMEN OF COLOR (AGES 14-18) TO LEAD IN AREAS OF HEALTH, ADVOCACY, AND SOCIAL- EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. COHORT IMPACT: PARTICIPANTS MEET WEEKLY FOR 18 WEEKS TO DEVELOP SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS AND GAIN POLICY SKILLS TO ADDRESS COLORISM AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. MENTORSHIP: THE PROGRAM PROVIDES SAFE SPACES FOR EXPLORATION AND INCLUDES ONE-ON-ONE MENTORSHIP THAT CONTINUES AFTER GRADUATION. YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD: IN 2025, OUR YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD ESTABLISHED THE BEAUTYWELL YOUTH INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT, CREATING A DEDICATED DIGITAL SPACE TO RAISE AWARENESS AND ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH THEIR PEERS ON WELLNESS AND SELF- ESTEEM. EXPANSION: NEW GRANTS ALLOWED US TO INCREASE OUR MENTOR COUNT AND SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS, REACHING MORE YOUNG GIRLS THAN EVER BEFORE.
- $15,792 spent. WE HAVE DEVELOPED THE BEAUTYWELL PROJECT DATABASE THAT ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM OF SKIN-LIGHTENING PRODUCTS, CHEMICAL EXPOSURES, AND COLORISM IN THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY. THIS DATABASE CONTAINS SKIN-LIGHTENING PRODUCTS THAT BEAUTYWELL HAS TESTED IN LABS AND IDENTIFIED TO CONTAIN HARMFUL INGREDIENTS THAT POSE SIGNIFICANT RISK TO INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITIES HEALTH. THIS WILL GIVE INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT THIS TOXIC SKIN-LIGHTENING AND OTHER COSMETICS PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN HIGH LEVELS OF TOXIC CHEMICALS. THIS WILL HELP INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR HEALTH AND ADVOCATE FOR SAFER BEAUTY PRACTICES AND STRICTER REGULATIONS WITHIN THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY. LAST YEAR WE HAVE TESTED MORE BEAUTY PRODUCTS INCLUDING SKIN-LIGHTENING PRODUCTS WHICH SHOWED ELEVATED LEVELS OF MERCURY. LAST YEAR WE HAVE INCREASED OUR PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH ON THE HEALTHY BEAUTY SALON PROJECT WHICH IS COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH PROJECT THAT HELPS BEAUTY SALON OWNERS DELIVER THE HEALTHIEST EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR CLIENTS AND WORKERS. THIS PROJECT HELPED US WORKING WITH SEVERAL SALONS AND LEARNED THE TYPE OF PRODUCTS THEY USE AND WE WERE ABLE TO COLLECT SAMPLES TO TEST THE PRODUCTS THAT THEY USE. THIS LEARNING ALSO HELPED US DEVELOP EDUCATION AND TRAINING MATERIALS FOR THE SALONS. WE HAVE TRAINED STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS TO EFFECTIVELY WORK WITH SALONS AND CONDUCT COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH IN SALONS AND COMMUNITIES. BEAUTYWELL HAS BEEN WORKING WITH SOME SALONS TO PREPARE THEM FOR GREEN BUSINESS CERTIFICATIONS. WE HAVE DEVELOPED THE BEAUTYWELL PROJECT DATABASE THAT ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM OF SKIN-LIGHTENING PRODUCTS, CHEMICAL EXPOSURES, AND COLORISM IN THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY. THIS DATABASE CONTAINS SKIN-LIGHTENING PRODUCTS THAT BEAUTYWELL HAS TESTED IN LABS AND IDENTIFIED TO CONTAIN HARMFUL INGREDIENTS THAT POSE SIGNIFICANT RISK TO INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITIES HEALTH. THIS WILL GIVE INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT THIS TOXIC SKIN-LIGHTENING AND OTHER COSMETICS PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN HIGH LEVELS OF TOXIC CHEMICALS. THIS WILL HELP INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR HEALTH AND ADVOCATE FOR SAFER BEAUTY PRACTICES AND STRICTER REGULATIONS WITHIN THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY. LAST YEAR WE HAVE TESTED MORE BEAUTY PRODUCTS INCLUDING SKIN-LIGHTENING PRODUCTS WHICH SHOWED ELEVATED LEVELS OF MERCURY. LAST YEAR WE HAVE INCREASED OUR PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH ON THE HEALTHY BEAUTY SALON PROJECT WHICH IS COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH PROJECT THAT HELPS BEAUTY SALON OWNERS DELIVER THE HEALTHIEST EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR CLIENTS AND WORKERS. THIS PROJECT HELPED US WORKING WITH SEVERAL SALONS AND LEARNED THE TYPE OF PRODUCTS THEY USE AND WE WERE ABLE TO COLLECT SAMPLES TO TEST THE PRODUCTS THAT THEY USE. THIS LEARNING ALSO HELPED US DEVELOP EDUCATION AND TRAINING MATERIALS FOR THE SALONS. WE HAVE TRAINED STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS TO EFFECTIVELY WORK WITH SALONS AND CONDUCT COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH IN SALONS AND COMMUNITIES. BEAUTYWELL HAS BEEN WORKING WITH SOME SALONS TO PREPARE THEM FOR GREEN BUSINESS CERTIFICATIONS.
- RESEARCH, DATABASES, AND SALON SAFETY BEAUTYWELL REMAINS AT THE FOREFRONT OF CHEMICAL EXPOSURE RESEARCH THROUGH THE BEAUTYWELL PROJECT DATABASE. LABORATORY TESTING: WE TESTED BEAUTY PRODUCTS THAT REVEALED ELEVATED LEVELS OF MERCURY, LEAD, AND ARSENIC, PROVIDING COMMUNITIES WITH THE DATA NEEDED TO MAKE INFORMED HEALTH DECISIONS. HEALTHY BEAUTY SALON PROJECT: IN COLLABORATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, WE CONDUCTED COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH WITH SALON OWNERS TO IDENTIFY TOXIC PRODUCTS AND PROMOTE GREEN BUSINESS CERTIFICATIONS. PROFESSIONAL TRAINING: WE TRAINED STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS TO CONDUCT PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SALON INDUSTRY. RESEARCH, DATABASES, AND SALON SAFETY BEAUTYWELL REMAINS AT THE FOREFRONT OF CHEMICAL EXPOSURE RESEARCH THROUGH THE BEAUTYWELL PROJECT DATABASE. LABORATORY TESTING: WE TESTED BEAUTY PRODUCTS THAT REVEALED ELEVATED LEVELS OF MERCURY, LEAD, AND ARSENIC, PROVIDING COMMUNITIES WITH THE DATA NEEDED TO MAKE INFORMED HEALTH DECISIONS. HEALTHY BEAUTY SALON PROJECT: IN COLLABORATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, WE CONDUCTED COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH WITH SALON OWNERS TO IDENTIFY TOXIC PRODUCTS AND PROMOTE GREEN BUSINESS CERTIFICATIONS. PROFESSIONAL TRAINING: WE TRAINED STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS TO CONDUCT PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SALON INDUSTRY.
- $4,060 spent. WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR REACH INTO HIGHER EDUCATION TO ENSURE A CONTINUUM OF LEADERSHIP. COLLEGE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM & COMMUNITY EDUCATION COLLEGE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM: IN 2025, WE HIRED COLLEGE-AGED YOUNG WOMEN AS AMBASSADORS. THESE LEADERS RAISE AWARENESS ON THE INTERSECTIONS OF COLORISM, CHEMICAL EXPOSURES, AND BODY IMAGE, WHILE ACTIVELY PROMOTING DIVERSE BEAUTY STANDARDS AND HOLISTIC WELLNESS ON THEIR CAMPUSES. KNOWLEDGE HUB: WE LAUNCHED A DIGITAL KNOWLEDGE HUB FEATURING VIDEOS AND INFOGRAPHICS IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES TO HELP INDIVIDUALS STOP THE USE OF TOXIC PRODUCTS. CONFERENCES: STAFF CONDUCTED NUMEROUS EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS AT NATIONAL CONFERENCES TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL IMPACTS OF COLORISM. CULTURALLY SPECIFIC OUTREACH TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF SKIN-LIGHTENING USE, WE DEVELOPED ANIMATION VIDEOS IN SEVEN LANGUAGES, INCLUDING SOMALI, SPANISH, HMONG, AND AMHARIC. THESE VIDEOS BRIDGE THE GAP IN CULTURALLY SENSITIVE EDUCATION BY ADDRESSING SOCIAL PRESSURES AND THE LACK OF REGULATION IN THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY. OUR OUTREACH UPLIFTS DIVERSE BEAUTY STANDARDS WHILE COMMUNICATING THE SPECIFIC RISKS OF HYDROQUINONE AND STEROID EXPOSURES.
- WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR REACH INTO HIGHER EDUCATION TO ENSURE A CONTINUUM OF LEADERSHIP. COLLEGE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM & COMMUNITY EDUCATION COLLEGE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM: IN 2025, WE HIRED COLLEGE-AGED YOUNG WOMEN AS AMBASSADORS. THESE LEADERS RAISE AWARENESS ON THE INTERSECTIONS OF COLORISM, CHEMICAL EXPOSURES, AND BODY IMAGE, WHILE ACTIVELY PROMOTING DIVERSE BEAUTY STANDARDS AND HOLISTIC WELLNESS ON THEIR CAMPUSES. KNOWLEDGE HUB: WE LAUNCHED A DIGITAL KNOWLEDGE HUB FEATURING VIDEOS AND INFOGRAPHICS IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES TO HELP INDIVIDUALS STOP THE USE OF TOXIC PRODUCTS. CONFERENCES: STAFF CONDUCTED NUMEROUS EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS AT NATIONAL CONFERENCES TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL IMPACTS OF COLORISM. CULTURALLY SPECIFIC OUTREACH TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF SKIN-LIGHTENING USE, WE DEVELOPED ANIMATION VIDEOS IN SEVEN LANGUAGES, INCLUDING SOMALI, SPANISH, HMONG, AND AMHARIC. THESE VIDEOS BRIDGE THE GAP IN CULTURALLY SENSITIVE EDUCATION BY ADDRESSING SOCIAL PRESSURES AND THE LACK OF REGULATION IN THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY. OUR OUTREACH UPLIFTS DIVERSE BEAUTY STANDARDS WHILE COMMUNICATING THE SPECIFIC RISKS OF HYDROQUINONE AND STEROID EXPOSURES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2019.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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