Trust Your Innersense™ with Joanne Starkman

14 - Beauty With a Purpose: The Healing Mission of Lipstick Angels

Joanne Starkman Episode 14

A Chance Encounter Sparks a Movement
Renata Helfman shares how caring for her grandmother during cancer treatment revealed a gap in emotional support for patients. As a working makeup artist, she began volunteering at Cedars-Sinai, offering beauty services to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. What started as simple acts of care grew into Lipstick Angels, a nonprofit now serving major hospitals nationwide with beauty and wellness support for those facing cancer.

Redefining Beauty in the Face of Illness
Renata opens up about how her definition of beauty shifted from Hollywood sets to hospital rooms. Lipstick Angels provides organic, toxin-free services including makeup, facials, aromatherapy, and scalp treatments—designed to bring dignity, confidence, and joy to cancer patients in their most vulnerable moments. It’s a program for everyone, including men and caregivers, creating an inclusive circle of healing. She encourages others to discover what feeds their soul and brings them joy—something that feels deeply meaningful—because that’s often where true purpose begins, just as it did for her.

A Mission Rooted in Wellness and Service
Now over a decade in, Lipstick Angels is about more than just looking good—it’s about being seen, held, and supported. Renata expresses deep gratitude to her donors, especially Innersense™ for helping add a deeply cherished scalp treatment to the program. She shares her hope that more healthcare leaders embrace wellness as part of the healing journey and invites listeners to get involved through volunteering or donations.

Check out Lipstick Angels, Volunteer, or Donate: Lipstick Angels

Chapters
01:28 Renata's Journey and the Birth of Lipstick Angels
06:30 Growth and Expansion of Lipstick Angels
08:49 Services Offered by Lipstick Angels
11:23 Training and Onboarding of Team Members
13:33 Finding Your Calling and Giving Back
14:49 The Meaning Behind the Name 'Lipstick Angels'
18:31 Inclusivity and Virtual Programs
18:57 Embracing Wellness in Beauty
22:11 The Importance of Clean Beauty
26:38 Breaking Stigmas in the Beauty Industry
29:29 Future Aspirations for Lipstick Angels
32:21 The Power of Touch and Self-Care

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