“This feels so smooth!”

“This smells so pretty!”

“I feel so pretty!”

Exclamations and squeals of delight punctuated the recent Lancôme Day of Beauty at YAI.

Lancôme teamed up with YAI’s Employment Initiatives program to share information, products, and hands-on tips with women with developmental disabilities who are searching for jobs.

“If you look good, you feel better,” said Leslie Gilreath, Assistant Vice President of Education Development at Lancôme. “Brining out your inner beauty can build confidence for an interview.”

“Putting your best face forward says a lot about you as a potential hire,” said Ginger Bishop, Director of Education at Lancôme.

“I want to have a nice face,” said Jennifer, who participates in a YAI employment program in Brooklyn. “It’s good to learn how to put on make-up correctly. It makes me feel good about myself.”

Each participant received a gift bag full of Lancôme cosmetics and cleansing products tailored to her skin tone and type. 

 “I love the make-up!” said Anna, a participant in YAI’s employment program in the Bronx. “It’s fun to learn how to put it on!”

In addition to teaching the women how to use each product through demonstrations and individual coaching, Ginger and Leslie shared valuable tips. Among their advice was avoiding perfume on job interviews, based on reports from employers that overdoing it on scent can distract and leave an unfavorable impression on the person conducting the interview.

“We’re so appreciative of the partnership with Lancôme,” said Brooke Drexler, Assistant Manager of YAI’s Corporate Volunteer Program. “The Day of Beauty was a great way to empower all of the ladies and give them a sense of self confidence.”

“Our company was invented to give all women ways to express and celebrate their own beauty,” said Leslie of Lancôme’s long and successful history.

“Beauty is for everyone,” Ginger said. “It should be accessible to everyone.”