Teen Sisters Launch Burd™ Beauty: A Hair Care Brand Turning Shampoo Into a Life-Saving Mission

Founded by Leah (17) and Misha (15) Burdeen with their mom Julie Smolyansky, Burd Beauty is fighting teen dating and domestic violence through awareness, training, and policy change

CHICAGO, Oct. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Two Chicago teens are taking on teen dating violence with shampoo and conditioner. Today, sisters Leah (17) and Misha (15) Burdeen, together with their mom Julie Smolyansky (CEO of publicly traded Lifeway Foods), launch Burd™ Beauty: a clean, cruelty-free hair care brand with a life-saving mission: to prevent domestic and teen dating violence.

Every bottle sold funds training for hairdressers to spot and respond to signs of abuse, building a trusted frontline network across the U.S. through a partnership with Shear Haven. The Nashville-based organization educates, trains and hosts community programs for hair stylists to spot signs of abuse, turning every wash into a small but powerful act of prevention. Burd Beauty is also championing policy reform and peer-to-peer conversations on teen dating violence through social platforms and community engagement.

"Dating violence has become far too normalized in our society, especially for teens," says Misha Burdeen, co-founder of Burd Beauty. "We've built a brand that's more than hair care, it's about community, conversations, and giving young people the power to speak up. Every bottle helps protect someone from harm. We're launching a movement in a brand."

Her sister, Lead Burdeen, co-founder of Burd Beauty adds, "stylists aren't just about hair, they're trusted friends and confidants. We saw Shear Haven's impact and realized we could bring that mission to every community and to our peers, amplifying this important message but also elevating conversations around healthy relationships, red and green flags, and what strength looks like in culture today."

"When we created Shear Haven, our mission was simple: to make sure no one slips through the cracks," states Susanne Post, co-founder of Shear Haven. "Seeing Leah and Misha carry this message forward through Burd to the next generation is deeply inspiring. We're proud to support this company's mission and continue building a community of life-saving care."

Burd Beauty debuts with two essentials designed to make everyday self-care both indulgent and impactful:

• Soothing Vanilla Cashmere Shampoo  – a rich, gently cleansing formula crafted with clean, cruelty-free ingredients that leaves hair soft, healthy, and refreshed
• Soothing Vanilla Cashmere Conditioner – a nourishing, hydrating companion that smooths and strengthens

Packaged in recycled bottles and made without harmful additives, both products embody Burd Beauty's commitment to clean beauty and eco-conscious choices. Even more important, the back of each bottle includes the toll free number for the National Domestic Violence Hotline available 24/7/360 at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or Text: "BEGIN" to 88788 as well as statistics around the prevalence of gender based violence. The company was born when Leah and Misha saw how often toxic relationships are brushed off as "normal." They turned to their mom, Julie Smolyansky, herself a survivor, pioneer in socially responsible business, and a 30-year leader in the movement to end violence against women, to help transform their concern into action. Together, they created a brand that merges self-care with social change.

"One in four women will experience violence from a partner, and young women are most at risk," said Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway Foods and co-founder of Burd Beauty. "As a survivor and as a mom, I knew this was a chance to give my daughters' generation the tools I never had, using every day beauty products to create change."

Julie became the youngest female CEO of a publicly traded company when she took over Lifeway Foods at age 27, and brings deep experience in consumer packaged goods and purpose-driven business to this new venture. Her advocacy started as a teen herself, co-writing Chicago's first teen dating violence prevention curriculum in 1991, and she went on to serve as a certified rape crisis counselor, produce the Academy Award–nominated documentary The Hunting Ground, and join Lady Gaga and fellow survivors on stage at the 2016 Oscars. She also co-founded Test400K, a nonprofit that drove rape kit reform in all 50 states.

Burd Beauty is building on policy momentum, including Tennessee and Illinois' landmark laws requiring domestic violence awareness training for stylists, and supporting the SALONS Stories Act at the federal level. Through its social media channels (@getburd on Instagram and TikTok), the brand is creating a safe space for conversations on teen dating violence, prevention, and resiliency, sparking a movement led by young voices.

Burd Beauty products are available now at burdbeauty.com, TikTok Shop, and Instagram, and will expand into select retailers and salons nationwide.

About Burd™ Beauty
Burd™ Beauty is a purpose-driven hair care brand founded in 2025 by sisters Leah and Misha Burdeen with their mom, Julie Smolyansky. The brand pairs clean, eco-conscious products with a mission to prevent domestic and teen dating violence. A portion of every purchase supports Shear Haven's training for beauty professionals, turning everyday self-care into community care. Burd Beauty's debut vanilla cashmere shampoo and conditioner are cruelty-free, sustainably packaged, and designed to make an impact beyond the shower. https://burdbeauty.com/

About Shear Haven
Shear Haven, an initiative of YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee co-founded by stylist and survivor Susanne Post, equips beauty professionals to recognize signs of abuse and safely support their clients. What began in Tennessee has reached over 100 countries and helped inspire a 2021 state law requiring domestic violence training for licensed stylists. Shear Haven's goal is to make this education a beauty industry standard—transforming trusted relationships behind the chair into life-saving connections.

About The Founders
Leah, a senior in high school, is an Associate Producer on several documentaries – including one that was an Oscar-contending film – and founder of a student-led organization preserving analog photography on campus following her school's cellphone ban. Misha, a sophomore in high school, is a patent-pending package designer whose designs helped inspire Burd's sleek, sustainable aesthetic. She's a cheerleader and passionate advocate for mental health and self-expression among teens.

SOURCE Burd Beauty