
Rodrick Samuels on The Silent Work, Modern Beauty Education and Why Empathy Wins
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OPI offers Taylor Blue nail color to raise money for Taylor's Gift Foundation to support organ donation during National Donate Life Month.

Through the end of April, which is National Donate Life Month, proceeds raised from sales of a specially formulated OPI shade will help support organ donation. This is the second consecutive year that the shade, “Taylor Blue,” is part of OPI’s Paint It Forward campaign. The 2013 Paint It Forward campaign raised $40,000; the ambitious goal for 2014 is $100,000.
The story behind the development of the nail color is heart-wrenching. After losing their 13-year-old daughter Taylor in a skiing accident in March 2010, Todd and Tara Storch founded Taylor’s Gift Foundation to support and promote official Donate Life organ donor registrations in the United States. They had the cause; what they needed was a “conversation starter.”
Tara Storch explains, “We’re aware that this isn’t an easy topic for most people, so we decided we needed something that could make it easier to talk about. Since our largest support group comes from women 18-44, we decided that a nail polish would be a great way to spark conversation.
Taylor had the most beautiful eyes in a gorgeous blue and always got compliments on them, even as a baby. Only a week before the accident, she said to me, ‘Mom, I love the color of my eyes. That’s the color I want for my bridesmaids’ dresses some day.’ From that point on, that color was precious to us, and there was no question the color of the nail polish would be ‘Taylor Blue.’”
Now that color is spreading the message of organ donation. "People have the opportunity to help someone else's life one day," Tara continues. "This color became the link that made organ donation an easy topic to talk about, discuss and share. And it all started with a conversation on how you can 'outlive yourself.'”
The official mission of Taylor’s Gift Foundation is to “Regift Life, Renew Health and Restore Families” by increasing official organ donor registries. Taylor’s Gift Foundation sponsors the Donate Life Rose Bowl Parade, provides Taylor’s Gift Scholarships to graduating seniors and is launching Taylor’s Legacy Gift Grants to financially help those touched by organ donation.Taylor’s Gift Foundation also has a presence on every top social medial platform. To purchase OPI’s Taylor Blue nail color, visit TaylorsGift.org.

MODERN SALON sat down with Samuels to discuss the book, beauty education, mentorship and the habits that help beauty professionals thrive.

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