Leona Lewis and The Body Shop Are Activist BFFs

“ONLY 24 hours until Leona reveals her super secret exciting new project! This deer is the project Logo which Leona helped to create. Think you know what the project is? Start guessing! Hint: the deer has a special meaning!”

The coy little minx Leona Lewis posted that message and what may become an iconic photo on her Facebook page yesterday (http://www.facebook.com/leonalewis), one day before a certain bit of news traveled the world like wildfire.

Former The X Factor champ is soon to be seen and heard on the frontlines – flanked by two formidable advocates – of a campaign beseeching countries to ban animal testing in cosmetic production and ingredients.

In case word hasn’t spread to your neck of the woods, LL is the new Brand Activist for The Body Shop (http://www.thebodyshop.com). The announcement was made yesterday after a global search by the UK-based cosmetics and skincare company. It is an outfit that has been cruelty free from the get-go (1976 ), long before the issue was en vogue or in “Vogue.” As part of her job, LL will join The Body Shop partner, Cruelty Free International (CFI (http://www.bit.ly/KhMUFe), in the street fight to save animals from some pretty despicable treatment.

Effective 11 March, a ban on animal testing will be the law in EU countries. The troika will no doubt leverage that ban to reason with Africa, America, Asia and the rest of the world where the ghastly practice is commonplace. CFI, which recruited The Body Shop to its worthy mission, seems to have a good plan. It has pages on its Web site dedicated to the issue and has composed a simple pledge that anyone can make:

“I am adding my voice to call on governments around the world to introduce a ban on animal testing for cosmetics.” If that’s you, simply input the requested information such as your name and email address into the appropriate fields and hit the send button. Eureka!, you are now part of the pledge drive. (https://www.secureweb-services.com/cfi_pledge/?seg=CFIBodyShop&lang=en)

LL Facebook fans and nearly a million Twitter followers can expect her to be holding forth on this issue. Clearly she will be, which portends a dedicated commitment. On 24 Feb on Twitter, more coyness: “Buns, my exciting new project is just around the corner! I can't tell you about it just yet, but will share soon. Xx”

It’s really a fine fit, the British company and the British singer, because she has been a vegetarian since she was a girl. Plus, she hasn’t been seen sporting real fur or anything like that. Naturally, we all have to be given a pass for wearing clothes and shoes for those who become uber technical whenever the conversation turns to advocating for animals in certain commercial practices. Let’s just hope that LL doesn’t go on a buck-wild, shoe-buying binge, causing eyebrows to raise.

In any case, she brings immediate cred to her new do-gooder gig. “They have such a great soul and a great heart and that’s why I enjoy the products so much, ...” the singer says about The Body Shop in the video (above) during her statement disclosing their joint venture.

Remember that drawing that Leona Lewis is holding. There will be a quiz. Photo from Leona Lewis Facebook page.

Meanwhile also to the point of her news, whether The Body Shop tossed it in to sweeten the pot is not clear, but the Limited Edition Collection by Leona Lewis debuts in The Body Shop stores (that’s potentially in 65 countries!) on 25 March. The next day LL will perform a livestreamed concert to celebrate its launch. Of course, the cosmetics line is vegetarian and cruelty-free and said to be in fashion, color scheme-wise. Guess what the logo is?

The very same floral deer motif that girlfriend posed with on her Facebook page! Not only is LL coy, she is a tease (in a good way)! Rx