Beauty Night Society was created in 2000 by Caroline MacGillivray. Caroline first became of aware of the plight of women in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside while volunteering at the Women’s Information Safe House (WISH), a drop-in centre for sex-trade workers.

One evening, a woman walked into WISH upset and crying. Caroline comforted her and started helping her do her hair, and by end of the night, the woman gave her a big hug. Caroline realized that most of the time these women were treated as if they were invisible in our society, and that a little compassion and care could make a big difference.

Caroline recognized that a simple gesture of positive human contact builds relationships with these women and their self-esteem. It took little convincing for WISH to let her host her first “Beauty Night” - an evening of fun, friendship and makeovers for the centre’s clients. Soon, Caroline was hosting more Beauty Nights, with more and more volunteers and clients joining her for this unique experience.

Today, Beauty Night has given more than 11,000 makeovers to women and youth in Vancouver, Victoria and Toronto, and has expanded to include other programs that help clients with their self-esteem and confidence.

Our Clients

Beauty Night clients are primarily women, but we also have some programs for youth of both sexes. Beauty Night’s first clients were primarily women living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, an area struggling to cope with high rates of unemployment, homelessness, addiction and reliance on the sex trade. Today, we offer our services to women and youth who experience any form of hardship that affects their self-esteem and self-worth, including addiction, poverty, homelessness, HIV-status, criminal convictions and mental illness.

Our Volunteers

Volunteers are the backbone of Beauty Night. They include hairdressers, makeup artists, aestheticians, massage therapists, physical fitness instructors, nursing students, dental hygienists, fundraisers, caterers, communications professionals, designers, accountants, human resources professionals, facilitators and more. Most inspiring is that many of our clients have become Beauty Night volunteers themselves.

Our Organization

Beauty Night was incorporated and trademarked in October 2002, and achieved charitable status in April 2005. We consist of a board of directors, headed by President Caroline MacGillivray, and have chapters in Vancouver, Victoria, Prince George, and Toronto.

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You can read the complete story of Beauty Night’s creation here.