Enrichment Arts & Culture

Lush Cosmetics quitting social media to bring awareness to mental health

Story at a glance

  • Global cosmetics company Lush is swearing off certain social media platforms.
  • The company announced it will be deactivating its Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Tiktok accounts globally beginning Nov. 26.
  • The company said it wants to see these social media companies implement stronger best practice guidelines and international regulations to be enacted.

Beginning Nov. 26, Lush said it will be deactivating its Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok accounts, the company announced through a press release. Lush admitted that its fear of missing out drove the company to continue to keep its social media accounts, but described the platforms as, “places no one should be encouraged to go.”

The company decided to finally part ways with a handful of major social media players, but said it will keep on its Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube accounts. 

Lush said the effects social media have on consumers’ mental health is being ignored by certain platforms, and until changes are made, the company won’t participate.

“We feel forced to take our own action to shield our customers from the harm and manipulation they may experience whilst trying to connect with us on social media,” Lush in a statement.

The company also said it hopes to see stronger best practice guidelines put in place and for international regulations to be enacted.


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“I’ve spent all my life avoiding putting harmful ingredients in my products. There is now overwhelming evidence we are being put at risk when using social media. I’m not willing to expose my customers to this harm, so it’s time to take it out of the mix,” Lush co-founder and CEO Mark Constantine OBE in a statement.

Lush isn’t the first company to walk away from Meta, the newly named parent company of Facebook and Instagram. Clothing retailer Patagonia has ceased all paid advertising campaigns on Facebook since June 2020 to protest the distribution of divisive content. The company recently renewed its boycott of the social media giant after internal Facebook documents were leaked by Frances Haugen, whistleblower and former Facebook product manager.

Haugen’s leaked documents came alongside testimony she gave on Capitol Hill where she emphasized, “the choices being made inside Facebook’s leadership are a huge problem — for our children, for our public safety, for our democracy.” 

Lush has more than 900 stores in North America and plans to remain off Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok globally. It’s not clear how or when Lush will reassess its social media presence moving forward.


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