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The Surprising New Hero In The Fight To Save The Great Barrier Reef

This iconic beauty group has donated over $50 million to coral conservation projects
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Clad in a full-body stinger suit to protect myself against Tropical North Queenslandโ€™s venomous Irukandji jellyfish, I stand on the coral-strewn shore of Fitzroy Island and gaze out across the glittering Coral Sea. Itโ€™s hard to believe that just a short paddle from the beach lies one of the worldโ€™s most magnificent natural wonders: the Great Barrier Reef.

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I step into a pair of flippers, strap on a snorkel and mask, and dive into the ocean. Within seconds, Iโ€™m surrounded by an underwater paradise. Orange clownfish dart into the wavy tentacles of sea anemones, a school of iridescent parrotfish swim by, andโ€”to my delightโ€”a majestic sea turtle glides above the coral gardens. Heaven.

The Great Barrier Reef is the worldโ€™s largest living structure, home to thousands of species of marine life. But when I duck dive for a closer look, most of the coral reef is stark and white as boneโ€”a sign of coral bleaching.  

Located 25 kilometres east of Cairns, Fitzroy Island is home to coral beaches lined with
coconut trees and lush rainforest. (Credit: Kayla Wratten)

According to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, coral bleaching has already wreaked havoc on two-thirds of our national treasure. When corals are under stressโ€”from issues like rising sea temperaturesโ€”they expel the microscopic algae that live in their tissues. And without these algae, coralsโ€™ tissues become transparent, exposing their white skeleton.

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While my snorkelling sojourn was a surreal experience, it also exposed me first-hand to the devastating impacts of climate change.

But itโ€™s not all doom and gloom. Lโ€™Orรฉal Groupe, which owns 36 international brands including Lancรดme, Kรฉrastase, La Roche-Posay, Ralph Lauren and Prada Beauty (to name a few), has partnered with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF) to help preserve the future of marine life.

โ€œCoral reefs are one of the most valuable yet vulnerable ecosystems on the planet. Without our help, these beautiful underwater cities and the animals that call them home will not withstand the impacts of climate change,โ€ GBRF managing director Anna Marsden tells marie claire Australia.

The sparkling aqua-blue water of the Coral Sea is home to whales, dolphins, turtles and over 1,500 species of fish. (Credit: Kayla Wratten)
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โ€œOur partnership with Lโ€™Orรฉal will deliver game-changing innovation in how we measure, protect and restore marine biodiversity, bringing hope to the future of coral reefs and the one billion people who rely on them,โ€ she says.

Working with the foundation, Lโ€™Orรฉal Groupe aims to deploy two million heat tolerant corals on the reef by 2030. While ambitious, this goal is a vital intervention to help coral reefs withstand the devastating impacts of climate changeโ€”reducing the impact of total reef bleaching from marine heat waves.

โ€œThis collaboration is about more than restoration aloneโ€”itโ€™s about building a sustainable model for nature regeneration that the world can follow,โ€ Marsden says, describing the coral conservation project as a โ€œlasting solutionโ€.

Garnier is also a partner of the GBRF, helping to restore damaged areas of the reef through coral planting. Garnier helped the foundation plant 500,000 baby corals during the 2023 coral spawning season. (Credit: Supplied)
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โ€œWe are thrilled to be working closely with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation on this coral restoration project, marking one of the largest investments from the โ‚ฌ50 million [$82 million] Lโ€™Orรฉal Fund for Nature Regeneration,โ€ says Alex Davison, CEO of Lโ€™Orรฉal ANZ.

โ€œFurthermore, we aim to establish a new market for sustainable funding through a Coral Biodiversity Credit scheme. At Lโ€™Orรฉal Groupe we recognise our responsibility to contribute to vital causes like the improvement of ocean and reef health.โ€

If youโ€™re interested in supporting the preservation of the Great Barrier Reef, consider donating to the GBRF here. Otherwise, we encourage you to keep learning and playing your part in lessening our global footprint on climate changeโ€”every small step contributes to a more sustainable future for our planet.

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