Call For Nominations: L'Oreal Paris Announces Search For Women Making A Beautiful Difference In The World With First-Ever Women Of Worth Forum

NEW YORK, April 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- To kick-off the ninth annual Women of Worth program, L'Oreal Paris will convene thousands of women, including Maria Shriver, Arianna Huffington, Mika Brzezinski and L'Oreal Paris Ambassadors Lea Michele, Eva Longoria and Liya Kebede for the first-ever Women of Worth Twitter Forum.  This day-long discussion on April 16 will focus on the power of self-worth and its ability to propel women forward.

More than 40 years ago, L'Oreal Paris' iconic brand philosophy "Because I'm Worth It" was launched to celebrate women's worth and self-esteem. This signature phrase was brought to life when L'Oreal Paris established Women of Worth to honor women making a beautiful difference in the world through volunteerism.  Starting on April 16, nominations for the 2014 Women of Worth program will be accepted at WomenofWorth.com.  The 10 women selected will be awarded $10,000 and one woman will be named the national honoree and awarded an additional $25,000 to further her philanthropic efforts.  All 10 honorees will be recognized in December at a star-studded awards ceremony hosted by L'Oreal Paris in New York.

THE WOMEN OF WORTH FORUM
To celebrate the call for nominations and to ignite a discussion on the dynamic role of self-worth among women today, L'Oreal Paris is inviting all women to join the Women of Worth Twitter Forum on Wednesday, April 16. Join the conversation by following @LOrealParisUSA and tweeting during one of the five scheduled chats (#WomenofWorth):

• 9 a.m. ET: Women of Worth: Celebrating Extraordinary Women
• 1 p.m. ET: The Worth Effect: The Power of Giving Back
• 4 p.m. ET: Passion and Positivity: How Feeling Your Best Fuels Success
• 8 p.m. ET: The Beauty of Worth: Achieving Happiness in Life, Work and Love
• 9 p.m. ET: What's Worth It: Charting Your Course & Realizing Your Dreams

"Celebrating the intrinsic beauty and worth of all women is the heart of the L'Oreal Paris brand - and we are deeply committed to championing women who are going above and beyond to serve their communities," said L'Oreal Paris President, Karen T. Fondu.  "Worth has a multi-dimensional role in a woman's life – it's more than just confidence or self-esteem – it's the foundation of everything we can and will achieve.  The Women of Worth program was conceived as a way to demonstrate, through the achievements of incredible women, the impact of pursuing your passion and believing in your worth."

In a recent study commissioned by L'Oreal Paris* on the power of self-worth, 81 percent of women agree that seeing other women give back inspires them to do the same.  The study goes on to find that those giving back themselves tend to enjoy a stronger sense of self-worth.  The L'Oreal Paris Women of Worth program shines a spotlight on amazing women who give back, helping to fuel a cycle of self-worth for all women.

STUDY FINDINGS

• Helping others is the number one driver of self-worth: 96 percent of women feel that helping others is a part of life that gives them self-worth.
• The effect of giving back: Women who do give back through their charity involvement (such as volunteering time or money, being a member, managing or being on the board, or founding the organization) are particularly likely to have a strong sense of self-worth compared to those who are not involved.
• Women fuel Women's Worth: More than 90 percent of women's self-worth role models are women they have a personal connection with.

ABOUT WOMEN OF WORTH
Since 2006, L'Oreal Paris Women of Worth has recognized 80 inspiring women who have selflessly devoted themselves to causes at the local and national level, and have motivated others to get involved. The Women of Worth program is conducted in partnership with Points of Light, the world's largest volunteer service organization. Past honorees have been involved in a range of important causes from advocating for victims of childhood abuse and mentoring homeless youth, to helping break the cycle of poverty and empowering teens with disabilities.

"The L'Oreal Paris Women of Worth program reinforces the importance of recognizing exemplary women who have dedicated their time to supporting the needs of others," said Tracy Hoover, President, Points of Light. "Exceptional women everywhere are leveraging their time, skills, resources, and personal power to solve the world's most pressing challenges and to inspire others to serve."

For more information on Women of Worth and to learn more about past honorees, visit www.WomenofWorth.com.

*L'Oreal Paris' study on Self-Worth was conducted online by Ipsos.  The study tapped 1,006 women ages 18-74 from all over the United States and was fielded in February 2014.

ABOUT POINTS OF LIGHT
Points of Light -- the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer service – mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Through affiliates in 250 cities and partnerships with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages 4 million volunteers in 30 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people to bear where it's needed most. For more information, go to http://www.pointsoflight.org.

ABOUT L'OREAL PARIS
The L'Oreal Paris division of L'Oreal USA, Inc. is a total beauty care company that combines the latest technology with the highest in quality for the ultimate in luxury beauty at mass. The L'Oreal Paris brand encompasses the four major beauty categories – hair color, haircare, skincare and cosmetics – and includes such well-known brands as Preference, Excellence, Feria and Healthy Look hair color; Advanced Haircare, Advanced Hairstyle, Elnett Satin Hairspray, EverPure, EverStrong, EverSleek, EverCreme, EverStyle, EverCurl and L'Oreal Paris Kids hair care; Advanced Suncare, Youth Code, Revitalift, Age Perfect, Ideal Clean, Ideal Moisture, Sublime Bronze and Men's Expert skincare; and the Colour Riche, True Match, Infallible, Visible Lift and MAGIC cosmetics collections, along with a portfolio of mascara including Voluminous, Double Extend and Telescopic among many others. For more information on L'Oreal Paris and its brands, and to receive personalized beauty advice, expert tips and exclusive beauty content 24-7 (wherever you may be), check out www.lorealparisusa.com.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140415/73187  

SOURCE L'Oreal Paris