Vaseline commissioned the original artists of faded murals in Baltimore (Maryland), Brooklyn (New York) and Hartford (Connecticut) – once vibrant reflections of the culture of the communities that lived there – to restore their artworks. In doing so, the brand aims to remind people that without proper care or resources, murals can fall into disrepair over time, symbolising the neglected and overlooked aspects of healthcare for communities of colour. It emphasises that with sufficient and accessible resources, people can look after their skin in the same way as maintaining precious paintings.
The installations incorporate QR codes linking community members to the See My Skin platform, where they can find dedicated skin health resources tailored to BIPOC consumers. Vaseline has committed to donating $250,000 across local charitable health clinics close to the revived murals. Members of the public have also been invited to submit a mural they feel is important to their community for a chance to have it restored next.
With initiatives like this, Vaseline acknowledges that skin health for people of colour has long been overlooked due to healthcare inequities that lead to misdiagnoses, untreated conditions, and increased mortality rates for skin cancer. “Mended Murals is a continuation of Vaseline's long-standing commitment to enable 15 million people of colour to access more equitable skin health care by 2025,” said Kathleen Dunlop, chief marketing officer of Unilever Beauty & Wellbeing, North America. “Every mural restoration project helps encourage community members to access skin health resources.”
