Your hair may be your beauty, but prioritizing your mental health is your life.

PsychoHairapy, a Black-owned global mental health and hair movement company founded by Dr. Afiya Mbilishaka, is partnering with Maui Moisture, a hair care brand owned by Johnson & Johnson, based in Tampa Bay, Florida.

The $100,000 donation will help train hairstylists to recognize mental health issues in their clients. Additionally, it will administer culturally informed mental health services and resources. The training includes teaching the history of African hair, recognizing symptoms of mental illness, and offering micro-counselling skills for business owners.

Sheena Henry, an earned media manager for Maui Moisture, said PsychoHairapy’s mission connected with the company’s values.

“We know that texturism, microaggressions, and discrimination have a deep and negative impact on how our consumer sees herself, affecting her confidence and overall mental health,” Henry said in a statement. “We understand the deep connection between hair and mental health and want Black women and girls — especially those in underserved communities — to have the best resources for both their hair and mental wellbeing.”

Maui Moisture provides vegan-friendly formulas that use 100 per cent aloe vera in its hair care products, which it claims can deliver 40 times more moisture and 80 per cent stronger hair after continued use.

The $100,000 donation could help PsychoHairapy train more than 100 barbers and stylists and help hire mental health professionals to offer virtual group therapy sessions.

Dr. Mbilishaka started PsychoHairapy as a research space for psychology faculty and students at Howard University in 2014. As a proficient hairstylist, she had a lot of clients, many of whom would turn to her for advice.

From there, she recognized the intersection between psychology and hair care and started doing more research.

Dr. Mbilishaka uncovered that Black women are more likely to book a hair care appointment than a mental health appointment and collected data from hair salons and barbershops in Washington, D.C.

In 2019, she established the PsychoHairapy Certification program for barbers and stylists, who during the pandemic, were some of the only care professionals available to people experiencing grief, depression, and anxiety.

The program has certified nearly 200 stylists, a statement reads.

“I am humbled and honoured to collaborate with Maui Moisture on my life's passion, using hair as an entry point into mental health care,” Dr. Mbilishaka said in a statement. “I can more confidently imagine a world where hairstylists can support clients through stressful life experiences, by building confidence in using healing words and hair products.”