Until 14 April, in Milan, cosnova Italia will host an art exhibition on the colours of beauty. LifeGate is among the realities awarded for their commitment to making the Planet more liveable.

"Beauty is nothing but the unveiling of a fallen darkness and the light that has emerged from it." So begins one of the poems by Milanese writer Alda Merini. Light allows us to see the world in colour, to perceive the nuances of nature and rediscover the enchantment of life, which stands in contrast to concrete and rubble. It is in Alda Merini's very birthplace, coinciding with Milano design week 2025, that cosnova Italia invites us to discover the colours of beauty. During the Chase4Beauty days, from 11 to 14 April, the cosmetics company's new offices – at via Ettore Romagnoli, 6 – will host a rich contemporary art exhibition.

The initiative, created in collaboration with the association Verso un nuovo rinascimento, with artistic direction by Davide Foschi and Rosella Maspero and under the patronage of Municipio 6 – Comune di Milano, aims to encourage the public to reflect on the concept of beauty and on the importance of educating new generations to recognise the value of an inclusive society; all through the concrete experience of encountering art, that is "the manifesto of every great cultural revolution", to use Foschi's words.

The full programme of the event can be found on the dedicated website, which also offers the possibility to register. The presentation of artistic and literary works by national and international authors is planned, including works created as part of the Arte e autismo project by the foundation Oltre il labirinto. Musical performances, immersive experiences and conferences are also scheduled, including an in-depth discussion on beauty and artificial intelligence.

On Friday, in the presence of councillors Francesca Gisotti and Francesca De Feo of Municipio 6, the Chase4Beauty awards were presented to cosnova Italia's partners who have carried out social, environmental and cultural projects to counter "ugliness" and build a more harmonious and liveable world for everyone. The aim is to promote "beauty as a gesture, as an action, highlighting initiatives that have created beauty for those who have benefited from it, and wellbeing for the community", as Rossella Maspero emphasised. "The connection between what is beautiful and what is good is suggested to us by the etymology of the word 'beauty': that which pleases the senses and the spirit. cosnova Italia believes that beauty is an instrument of knowledge, capable of bringing us joy", added Bice Gargiuolo, senior finance manager of the company.

LifeGate is among the realities that were awarded as "ambassadors of beauty" and received a print of the work "La nuova cena" by Davide Foschi, alongside Legambiente, Spazio aperto, Farsi prossimo onlus, Fare x bene, Caf onlus, Il vespaio, Re-cig, Unika-plast, Frutta in campo, Cascina biblioteca and the foundation Oltre il labirinto itself. "Being ambassadors of beauty means educating people in responsibility and committing to countering every form of degradation and discrimination", declared Gargiuolo.

Specifically, LifeGate received the "People, planet, profit" award in the "Zero waste, environment, and climate" category. "I want to share this award with everyone who works at LifeGate. Humans think they can dominate nature, but that is not the case; on the contrary, it is from nature that we must learn what beauty is: to take, and to give back", commented Simona Roveda, editorial director of LifeGate. "We are facing many challenges at a global level, but we must press on, because after dark times humanity has always been reborn. We must acknowledge our mistakes and face the future with honesty and courage and with the awareness that sustainability is an indispensable necessity, a harmonious connection between environmental, social and economic aspects: without balance, there is no wellbeing. We must live this moment as an opportunity to promote innovation and bring about an evolution that, all together, we can make possible."

"It is no coincidence to receive this award today, which is the National Day of the Sea, because cosnova has joined a great alliance aimed at defending our waters and collecting invisible waste, which threatens both marine wildlife and our health", added Lajal Andreoletti, social & environmental manager of LifeGate.

The motto of cosnova, known for the brands Essence and Catrice, is Make everyone feel more beautiful. So that the Earth too may feel more beautiful, cosnova Italia has chosen to power itself with renewable energy from LifeGate Energy, offset residual emissions generated by the organisation of events through Climate Action and, above all, to join the Water Defenders Alliance, a network bringing together companies, institutions, ports and researchers committed to defending aquatic ecosystems through projects conceived by LifeGate. Thanks to the cosmetics company's commitment, two Seabin devices – capable of collecting floating plastics and microplastics – are currently in operation. The first was adopted in Genova, initially at Porto antico and from June at Marina Genova, while the second is located at the sailing club Fraglia vela di Riva del Garda.

The staff of Marina fiera Genova, a tourist marina in the city centre, has also been provided with an innovative kit to combat marine pollution caused by accidental oil and hydrocarbon spills. "Oils that are then recovered, in a circular economy perspective", as Andreoletti explained. In June 2024 the port's staff took part in a training course to learn how to use the kit in the best possible way and intervene promptly in the event of accidents. The owners of berths also enthusiastically welcomed the opportunity to receive an emergency kit to keep on board their vessels: one hundred were delivered. This year the sailing club Fraglia vela di Riva del Garda will also be equipped with a hydrocarbon kit.

So far, thanks to the collaboration between cosnova and LifeGate, over 1,100 kilograms of floating waste have been collected, 70 per cent of which consists of plastic: that is the equivalent weight of nearly 75,000 half-litre plastic bottles. "Our products have always been free from microplastics, vegan and cruelty-free. We believe that, in order to succeed in the long term, it is necessary to operate sustainably", concluded Veronica Barbetti, commercial director of the company.