L'Oreal wades in with help

L’OrealThailand is one of the big corporations that have shown more than a “cosmetic” concern over the flood disaster. Its health-minded “Wellness Today for Beautiful Tomorrows” campaign has been bringing smiles to victims’ faces.
L’Oreal representatives have visited 10 shelters in Bangkok in recent weeks and will continue right through December. After that, the firm plans to offer skills training so that people hamstrung by the catastrophe can boost their income.
The programme has had the cooperation of the Dermatological Society of Thailand and hair salon Ketvadi-Gandini. Dermatologists volunteer to make the rounds, treating skin problems while hairdressers do shampoos and haircuts.
On an excursion last week to Nong Khaem School, more than 100 of the 450 people sheltering there were happy to have the free services and receive bags of essential items.
Top hairdresser Saisuda “Lek” Chuawiwat led nearly a dozen of her staff members, toting all their own equipment, to the school. Actress Janie Tienphosuwan, an ambassador for Maybelline New York, took the stage in a small hall to lead the evacuees in amusing games.
Afterward there was ice cream for everybody, served by Janie and L’Oreal managing director Umesh Phadke, a 10-year resident of Thailand who admitted he’d never seen flooding so bad.
A lot of people had a go at decorating bags with paint for fun, and Janie was asked to autograph many of the finished products.
“I just wouldn’t feel right doing nothing to help when so many people are suffering,” Janie said. “This disaster has affected people badly, and I think we should try to help in any way we can.”