Black Girl Magic: Meet The Beauty Brand That’s Building Wells In Africa

Source: Courtesy of Psyche Terry/Urban Hydration / Courtesy of Psyche Terry and Urban Hydration

Psyche Terry, CEO Of Urban Hydration Is Giving Back In A Big Way

A burgeoning black beauty brand is putting its money where its mouth is – using some of its revenue to help provide access to clean drinking water in Africa.

Psyche Terry founded Urban Hydration with her husband, Vontoba, after suffering from skin ailments for years. The result is a line of plant-based skin and hair care products, like an aloe vera gel mask and coconut oil shampoo and conditioner – that is in some 9,000 stores nationwide.

“We’ve been very intentional with our ingredients,” Terry said. “if you’re struggling with any disease, you can feel safe using it or with your children or on a pet.”

Source: Courtesy of Psyche Terry/Urban Hydration / Courtesy of Psyche Terry and Urban Hydration

But Terry said Urban Hydration’s goal is not just to create beautiful hair and skin, but to also give back to people in need. Last year, the company donated 16 percent of its revenues to charity, Terry said.

In 2017, the company partnered with nonprofit WATERisLIFE, and a portion of the proceeds from every product sold provides a gallon of water to families in need. The company has financed two wells in Kenya and is now helping to build a third in the Congo. Urban Hydration also awards a college scholarship annually and supports a school for the blind.

“We have a heart for serving, and we’ll see where that takes us,” Terry said. “We just want to work as hard as we can so that more people can see that it doesn’t really matter where you come from or how much you have, you can give back. it’s our hope to grow that message.”