In an enclave along the Caribbean coastline, Palmaïa is one of the most secluded resorts on the Yucatán Peninsula—a paradise carved from jungle with oceanfront swim-up suites, private beaches, and luxurious spas. The wellness resort is like a mirage in the southeastern Mexican state of Quintana Roo, where tourist hotspots like Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum are known for their vibrant energy.
The lobby at The House of AïA smells of fresh linen and aquatic breeze. With its stylish, bohemian chic ambiance, the resort exudes an ethereal, understated charm. As I await my interview with Psyche Terry, one-half of the founding couple behind the clean skincare brand Urban Hydration, I find myself lulled by the vibes. By the time she emerges to greet me, I am nuzzled comfortably in the corner of a plush couch, feet tucked beneath me, pillow resting on my lap.
We spot one another across the expansive lobby and share a knowing laugh. “I forgot where I was,” I say. Without missing a beat, she reassures me, “No, you didn’t. You’re exactly where you need to be.” And with that, our rapport was set.
Terry exudes sophistication. Wearing a sleeveless linen suit vest and matching wide-leg pants, her look is both business casual and vacation-relaxed. With her blemish-free complexion, dewy and glistening from the humidity, and flawless middle part bust down hitting right at shoulder length, she looks every bit the successful CEO and organic skincare maven she is.
“It’s all about embracing your natural beauty, beginning with healthy, radiant skin as the foundation for whatever else you choose to add, and maintaining healthy hair beneath whatever we choose to lace or sew up in there,” she said. Millions of people subscribe to that philosophy.
Urban Hydration’s clean skincare and hair products are widely available, stocked in over 30,000 retail locations, including major chains like Target, Ulta, CVS, and Walgreens. The brand’s signature Aloe Vera Leaf Gel Moisturizer reportedly sells every five minutes, while its Honey Health hair products are rapidly gaining in popularity among customers.
Making a Mogul: The Influence of Elders, Sorority Sisters, and a Village Of Matriarchs
Psyche Terry is blessed, and she knows it. She is humbled by it, and material gains are the least of what makes her wealthy. “My story is profoundly average,” she said. “Honestly, it’s probably less than average with some of the things I’ve experienced. But God sprinkled some extraordinary things into this very ordinary life,” she told ESSENCE. For Terry, the blessing lies in that contrast. “It’s my testimony,” she said. “It has created so many opportunities to minister and motivate. It’s helped to shift mindsets, especially back home.”
“Back home” is a layered concept for Terry. Born to a single mother in Chicago’s notorious Cabrini–Green, her journey has taken her from Louisiana to Los Angeles, to Las Vegas, and beyond. But her earliest memories are from Benton Harbor, Michigan, where a great-aunt took her in. “She was the one person [in my family] that had made it out. She graduated college, became a teacher, and had her own home and car. Then, out of nowhere, she was given this baby to raise,” Terry recounted. “She didn’t intend to be a single mother. She did all she could to change that trajectory for herself. Then, here I come, this little baby in her arms.”
That fateful start would profoundly impact both their lives: “She did well by me,” Terry said of her beloved matriarch. “We were always in church. She reared me with a sense of community in mind. My great-aunt was an AKA, and her chapter also helped raise me. Those women nurtured me into womanhood,” Terry said. Today, herself Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority member Terry maintains that community-centric approach.
Community-Centric Leadership: Terry and Vontoba’s ‘Better-Making’ Mission
Terry’s dedication to community is woven into every facet of her business, a shared passion with her husband and business partner, Vontoba Terry. Together, as co-CEOs of UI Global Brands encompassing Urban Hydration and Clean Beauty, they are propelled by a mission centered on ‘better-making.’
“That’s the ‘why’ behind it all,” Psyche explained. “As ‘better-makers,’ when we see an opportunity to enhance something or uplift our community and world, we seize upon it,” she emphasized. Their unwavering commitment to providing clean water and educational opportunities underscores a profound dedication to social impact.
Teaming up with WATERisLIFE, Urban Hydration pledges a gallon of water for each product sold, establishing three clean drinking water wells. Additionally, they contribute to advancing education by offering scholarships for business students at their Western Michigan University alma mater. Psyche’s involvement extends further, serving on the university’s Alumni Association and the board of Collin County’s Boys & Girls Clubs.
For Psyche Terry, giving is the easy part, but accepting help when needed—well, that’s another story. If community and sustainability are core principles of the business, efficiency is a critical third. At the time of this report, the company had just eight full-time workers on staff, but it’s time to expand.
“This has been such a spiritual time for me at this resort because I really feel like I’m being challenged to accept help. It’s necessary for the next season we’re stepping into,” she said. If there are apprehensions about expanding the business, they’re largely fear-based—a familiar but surmountable struggle for Terry. “But weren’t you afraid to be a mom because your mom didn’t want to be a mom? Weren’t you afraid to raise a family and get married? To step out and leave corporate?” she said, offering a glimpse of her prayerful conversation. “The God that was there for me then is here with me now.”
Sometimes, as Terry’s entrepreneurial journey demonstrates, the testimony is for yourself.