Beauty tycoons, Broadway stars and next generation influencers descended upon Gotham Hall in New York City on Wednesday night for the annual BeautyCares DreamBall Gala led by Look Good Feel Better, a global charity organization that supports people with the appearance-related effects of cancer treatment.
The event was hosted by Emmy-winning actress and bestselling author Melissa Gilbert and honored Broadway star Kara Lindsey, president of Parfums Christian Dior North America Charlotte Holman Ros and influencer and POV Beauty cofounder Mikayla Noguiera, who is the first BeautyCares influencer and founder honoree. The evening also included a performance from Jasmine Rice LaBeija, an opera singer, drag performer and “Britain’s Got Talent” finalist. Additional guests included model and fashion designer Brooks Marks, actress Krysta Rodriguez, actress Caroline Bowman, actor Timothy Busfield and Meredith and Seth Marks of “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.”
David Greenberg, recently appointed chairman at L’Oréal USA and board chair of the Personal Care Products Council and Look Good Feel Better Foundation, opened the night with a message for the beauty industry.
“Each of us here can impact the life of someone facing cancer, but to bring our life-affirming message of strength and hope to more people, we must take our program to the next level,” he said. “We need to build awareness, forge new alliances and engage our young leaders in the future of Look Good Feel Better. This is our program and we want to see it innovate, grow and serve people in need for decades to come. We are already well underway.”
David Greenberg, recently appointed chairman at L’Oréal USA, speaks at the gala.
Addressing the room before her, Noguiera discussed the intersection of beauty and vulnerability.
“A major reason that I have gone so far in my career so fast comes down to one word — vulnerability. I have always been the type of person who instantly feels like a friend when you talk to me. Someone you feel you can confide in, trust and share your story with,” she said. “When you combine that vulnerability with a passion for beauty, it’s explosive. Because beauty requires vulnerability. Beauty requires you to get out of your comfort zone. Beauty requires you to take a risk. Beauty requires you to trust yourself, trust your artistry. It doesn’t matter what your level of skill may be, but what truly matters is how you feel when you put that makeup brush down and look in the mirror.“
During her speech, Holman Ros discussed a heartfelt encounter with a customer named Lily, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
“As women so often are when faced with the greatest obstacles, she was determined to hold herself together. She told me she walked into the bathroom and did the one thing that made her feel powerful in that moment: she swiped on the brightest, boldest red lipstick she had. It happened to be the iconic Dior Rouge 999,” she said. “Then to every hospital appointment, every infusion, every hard conversation, even on the phone with her health insurance, she wore her Rouge 999. She said it lit up her exhausted face, gave her courage when she felt afraid and it became her armor.…That is the power of beauty.”
She added: “At Dior, our foundational commitment to making women feel happier could not be more aligned with the mission of Look Good Feel Better. That’s why tonight — and our more than 25 years of partnership with Look Good Feel Better — mean so much to me, and to all of my team at Dior because our industry is about so much more than great product and beautiful stories. It’s about how we make our clients feel: at all stages of their life.”
Lindsay, who hosted the event three years ago, discussed her personal journey with breast cancer.
“The truth is, cancer doesn’t just attack your body. It chips away at your identity. The treatments, chemo, surgery, medically induced menopause at 39, hair loss, the unbelievable fatigue, all strip you of everything that feels like ‘you,’” she said. “That’s why programs like this one are so incredibly important. They give us back a piece of ourselves. Whether it’s a wig, a beauty bag, a support group or a moment of laughter in the middle of grief, they really do help us look good and feel better. And when you’re in the fight of your life, sometimes just feeling like yourself again — even for a moment — can be the thing that helps you keep going.”
To close out her speech, Lindsay thanked the people who supported her, including her sister, husband and mother, who was also diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in 2020.
“Resilience isn’t just about being strong. It’s about allowing others to hold you up when you can’t stand on your own. It’s about finding light in the darkest places, and it’s about remembering who you are even when everything else tries to take that away,” she said. “Look Good Feel Better reminds us of who we are and puts us back together again.”