PeaceKeeper Cause-metics founder Jody Weiss was born in an era when principles like fair treatment and fair trade took precedence over profit margins… or, at least we’d like to think they did. Heavily influenced by her mother’s peace efforts during the Vietnam War era, Jody left a lucrative career as a sports agent to join the fight to help impoverished and disenfranchised women and children all over the world.

As pragmatic as she is compassionate, Jody Weiss dares to dream of a world in which corporations will not only sell goods to people, but will support their communities, as well. And, as you will soon see, she would love it if the rest of us would get with the program, as well.  Wiles recently sat down with Jody, and these are just a few of the thoughts she shared with us.

Wiles:  WHAT WERE YOU DOING PRIOR TO FOUNDING PEACEKEEPER?

JW:  I was a sports agent at IMG during the height of the American track & field movement.  I managed contract negotiations, special appearances, etc., for stars like Mary Decker, Flo-Jo and Jackie Joyner-Kersee.  At that time, I was probably the most powerful female agent in track & field, but I came to a point where I just couldn’t be a part of generating such large sums of money and not doing any good, or service with that money.  I wanted to create a movement for women, and I saw how successful Paul Newman was with his Newman’s Own business.   I knew that if he could raise and donate millions of dollars to charity selling salad dressing, that I could use women’s buying power to help women and children.

Money making solely for the sake of profit is no longer a viable option for our planet.

One-sixth of the planet lives in utter abundance, and three-fifths lives in utter poverty.  Affluent women have a unique gift in that we can use our buying power to change lives.  It is a fundamental responsibility of privilege and wealth to help the less fortunate, and it begins with changing our mindsets. Our mantra at PeaceKeeper is “Transform you. Transform the world.”

Wiles:  WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BRAND ATTRIBUTES OF THE PEACEKEEPER CAUSE-METICS PRODUCT LINE? 

JW:  We are a natural lip and nail line.  We offer 12 natural lipsticks, 3 natural lip glosses and 2 natural lip balms. We also offer beautiful shades of natural high-quality, low-chip nail polish and amazing natural nail polish remover.  Our lipsticks (aka “Lip Paints”) were nominated as a finalist for “Best Lip Product of the Year” by Cosmetics Executive Woman (CEW), and they’re a beautiful balance between pigment and luminescence.  They’re 76% organic, and on the back of our famous lipsticks it reads, “Directions: Apply A Kiss And Then Give It Away. Exhibit In the Kiss Museum.”

Each lipstick is packaged with a KISS CANVAS inside, so you just put on the lipstick, kiss the canvas and write to whom the kiss is dedicated and why you are sending them a kiss. Then, you mail the kiss and a dollar or more to us. The money is then placed in our fund to help woman and girls who have been indentured or who live in poverty. Your kiss then gets placed in the Kiss Museum on our website and you can look up your kiss and share it with you friends and loved ones.

Our lip glosses are named for the charities they benefit, and our products are also all named after qualities that we’d like to see in ourselves – like “Paint Me Brave, “Paint Me Mysterious,” and “Paint Me Oh-So-Sexy!”

On the production side, we’re totally committed to using non-toxic ingredients.  Our slogan is “No Nasty Anything,” and we’re ranked one of the cleanest cosmetic companies in the United States.  For instance, our nail polish remover is made from a combination of rosemary spearmint, glycerin, and water. It smells like spearmint, works on any nail polish, and is eco-friendly – which makes it both innovative and game-changing.  Customers go to our website at iamapeacekeeper.com for a complete list of our product ingredients.

Wiles: WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR BEST PRACTICES THAT SUPPORT YOUR MISSION YET ENABLE YOU TO YIELD FAVORABLE RESULTS?

JW:  As an all-benefit company, all of our distributable profits are donated to charity.  We carefully consider every step in the cradle-to-cradle process. With each potential product and ingredient we evaluate, from inception to biodegradation, whether or not something will tear down society or raise social consciousness. We consider factors like exploitative business practices at any point in the supply chain, as well as whether or not our partners in the process offer their employees fair wages, benefits, retirement plans, and so on.

Wiles:  HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHAT ORGANIZATIONS PEACEKEEPER WILL SUPPORT?

JW:  Wherever there’s poverty, there’s exploitation.  We currently focus on human rights organizations and our efforts are typically tied to an NGO (non-government organization) that works to alleviate violence against women and children, including things like infanticide, human trafficking, domestic violence, and so on, in impoverished areas.  We’re working to help women to learn how to create boundaries, and become empowered to say “No” and “Enough is enough!”

Wiles:  THE PEACEKEEPER MOVEMENT ASSERT THAT REAL LOVE CAN CHANGE ACTUALLY THE WORLD. HOW DOES PEACEKEEPER CAUSE-METICS DEFINE “REAL LOVE”?

JW:  “Real love” is a verb that is expressed through acts of love, and it exists when you step out of your comfort zone.  “Real love” also can’t be a narcissistic sentiment that requires one person to gratify another.  Love, in fact, is looking at someone else, seeing who they are, and loving them without an agenda.

Wiles:  WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR GOALS FOR THE PEACEKEEPER MOVEMENT?

JW:  Ultimately, I think I want PeaceKeeper to redefine what real beauty is.  Real beauty is humanity, and philanthropy.  It’s important for people to realize that our beauty is internal and we wear makeup – not to conceal or hide – but as a mark of empowerment.  The word “cosmetic” originally came from the word “cosmos;” and makeup purposefully mirrors the most exquisite attributes and colors that our planet has to offer.  When we apply cosmetics to our faces, it’s simply an extension of the beauty we see around us.  Embracing the concept that we are beautiful at any age, and that each of us can light up a room because we own the fact that beauty comes from inside, is a paradigm shift. In that way, we anoint ourselves with the celebration of our beauty, and makeup is transformed into a tool for play and celebration, instead of one of self-loathing.

I also hope to one day see the corporate machine become a “corporate love machine” as opposed to a “corporate profit machine.”  In addition to that, communicating the concept of real beauty is really important to us and will always be a major focus in our mission. Love isn’t about finding a love. True love is about claiming and loving yourself.

The PeaceKeeper Cause-metics product line is currently available at Ralphs (West Coast) and Wegmans on the East Coast, and at Whole Foods stores nationwide.  For more information about carrying the product line at your spa or retail outlet, please contact Jody R. Weiss at jody@iamapeackeeper.com,

To find a PeaceKeeper Cause-metics retailer in your area, and to learn how you can join the movement, please visit:  www.iamapeacekeeper.com.

A KISS FROM WILES!  Hey Wiles women, join the ranks of luminaries like Bonnie Raitt, Julia Ormond, and Darryl Hannah who have already become a part of the PeaceKeeper Cause-metics all month long – right from your computer – through our month-long “A Kiss from Wiles Campaign!”

Simply download and print the form below – fill out your dedication, give it a kiss and mail the form, along with your donation, to the address stated on the form.  Then check back to see your kiss in the PeaceKeeper Cause-metics Kiss Museum!

This Valentine’s Day, show love in a way you never have before!

“Wiles Kiss Campaign” in support of the PeaceKeeper Kiss Museum