Malaysia is now home to Asia’s first-ever Beauty for a Better Life Salon, a dedicated space created under Fondation L’Oréal Beauty for a Better Life programme aiming to fight exclusion through beauty. The initiative is designed by Fondation L’Oréal and championed locally by L’Oréal Malaysia in collaboration with Yayasan Food Bank to provide underserved communities with free beauty and wellness treatments, alongside hygiene and beauty products while creating a supportive space that helps restore self-esteem, confidence, and social connection.
Since 2016, the Beauty for a Better Life programme has empowered 249 women from Malaysia’s underserved communities through professional hairdressing and beauty training. By equipping them with vocational skills, the programme fosters confidence, resilience, and self-belief, opening doors to sustainable livelihoods. Impressively, 90% of graduates secure employment within three months, with many rejoining the workforce or launching their own businesses.
The Salon is a new initiative under Fondation L’Oréal Beauty for a Better Life programme and is the first of its kind to be launched in Asia. It offers services delivered with empathy and care – directly echoing the ethos of Fondation L’Oréal’s shared belief that beauty is not a luxury, but a basic human need.
Tomas Hruska, Managing Director of L’Oréal Malaysia, said, “The Beauty for a Better Life Salon is a meaningful next step in our mission to uplift underserved communities through the transformative power of beauty. It reflects our commitment to long-term, sustainable impact, where trained beauty professionals not only build careers but also become catalysts for social reintegration and empowerment.”
“With the continued expansion of the Fondation L’Oréal Beauty for a Better Life programme, L’Oréal Malaysia is set on empowering 5,000 beneficiaries by 2027 locally. This is an ambitious target, but we are driven by our core belief that beauty is more than skin deep; it can spark real, lasting change. Every salon visit, every skill learned, and every life transformed creates a ripple effect, uplifting families, strengthening communities, and helping women lead empowered, independent lives.”
For many in vulnerable situations, something as simple as a haircut can restore self-esteem, rebuild confidence, and offer renewed strength to face daily challenges. A 2019 study in France by Association Joséphine revealed that 89% of women who received beauty treatments reported increased self-confidence, while 81% reported a more positive self-image.
The Salon is also staffed by graduates from the Fondation L’Oréal Beauty for a Better Life vocational training programme, many who are from Malaysia’s low-income communities. This brings the empowerment journey full circle: turning care received into care given. The Salon’s hairdressers provide not just grooming services but emotional support for individuals facing social difficulties, offering a moment of care that helps individuals feel seen and valued. Beyond personal care, the Salon also serves as a vital hub for social connection, fostering a sense of belonging and strengthening community ties among those often excluded.
Johan Halid, Chief Executive Officer of Yayasan Food Bank Malaysia, shared, “At Yayasan Food Bank Malaysia, we believe no one should go without essentials, whether it’s a nourishing meal or the simple reassurance of being cherished. Just as food provides physical nourishment, the Beauty for a Better Life Salon provides emotional nourishment. A warm meal fills the stomach; a haircut or a moment of grooming fills the soul. Both are acts of care that restore dignity, self-worth, and remind those in need that they’re seen, valued, and worthy. That’s why this collaboration with L’Oréal Malaysia is so meaningful.”
The Beauty for a Better Life Salon marks a new chapter in bringing the transformative power of beauty to those who need it most, restoring dignity, fostering empowerment, and building stronger communities in Malaysia and beyond. It also signals Malaysia’s contribution to Fondation L’Oréal’s global mission, which has empowered over 67,000 women in more than 28 countries through professional beauty training since 2016, and reached on average 20,000 women through social and wellness treatment every year.
For more information about the Beauty for a Better Life programme, please visit L’Oréal Fondation.