People Are Painting Their Nails Purple For Domestic Violence, But The Action Shouldn't Stop There

Beauty is a way to express yourself without having to say a word. With the swoop of a winged line or the a swipe of a gloss, you are telling the world something about yourself. And now, you can use your daily beauty routine to tell the world about a worthy cause.

For their annual viral campaign, nonprofit Safe Horizon is fighting domestic violence with purple nail polish and celebrity power. Notable figures and influencers in the US are painting their ring fingers purple to spread awareness of domestic violence — and they are encouraging you to do the same. Through the Put A Nail In It campaign, celebrities, influencers, and advocates hope to raise money, promote awareness of domestic violence, and encourage survivor support — because it takes all three to make a difference.

Domestic violence impacts one in four women and one in seven men in the US, according to Safe Horizon. Those are startling stats that should call anyone to action, and talking about the problem is the first step toward a solution.

Instead of just focusing the conversation around National Domestic Violence Month in October, Safe Horizons is leading up to the month with a three month campaign. By painting a ring finger purple for three months, the organization hopes to make raising awareness a part of people's daily lives and remind them of the impact of domestic violence through a manicure.

But many people claim beauty can't make a difference — that buying a shirt that donates proceeds or wearing a certain color nail polish doesn't matter. And they are simultaneously right and wrong.

While Safe Horizon's aims to spread the word about domestic violence through polish, that isn't the only step. In order to truly fight back, you need to make that donation and tell your friends why your mani looks a little silly. And you need to advocate for the safety and empowerment of survivors now and always.

So far, celebrities like Kyra Sedgwick, Dave Navarro, and Tamron Hall have all come together to spread the message and make a change. And some of that change can start with a touch of purple polish.

The campaign isn't just for celebrities, though. Everyone can join in by painting their ring finger purple, making the donation, and spreading awareness. A mani never mattered so much.