By Rachel Sokol
There’s nothing quite like helping others while making a meaningful impact. Which is exactly why you need to know about two remarkable sisters who aim to save lives—one shampoo at a time.
Last year, business-savvy teens Leah and Misha Burdeen (ages 17 and 15) transformed their passion for beauty into a purpose-driven movement with the launch of burd™ beauty—a haircare brand rooted in impact. Co-founded alongside their mother, Julie Smolyansky, a longtime advocate for survivors of domestic violence, the brand stands for far more than great hair—it stands for change.
At its core, burd™ is committed to raising awareness and helping prevent domestic and teen dating violence—issues that continue to affect millions. With every purchase of their shampoo and conditioner, a portion of proceeds directly supports education, training, and community-based programs that empower survivors and provide resources for those seeking a path to safety.
This is the next generation of beauty—where purpose meets product, and every purchase becomes part of a larger mission to heal, protect, and uplift.
These are not your average hair care products. Their labels list resources for help if you’re looking to escape a volatile relationship.
Misha and Julie spoke with Preferred Health about their new venture and why supporting domestic violence survivors is so deeply personal and important to them.
PHM: How did the brand come about?
Misha Burdeen (MB): burd beauty™ started when my mom, my sister Leah, and I watched It Ends With Us. [A film about domestic violence based on the novel by Colleen Hoover.] We felt the subject of domestic violence wasn’t handled with compassion, especially in the press and interviews. We saw that as an opportunity to shine a light on domestic violence and to start more meaningful conversations around it. Actress Blake Lively was launching her own haircare line at the time and never shared the domestic violence hotline number, but she starred in the movie. That’s why we included it on the back of every burd bottle—so people have the information right there, especially since you’re reading labels in the shower.
PHM: As the burd product labels state: it’s a beauty product that can save lives.
MB: My sister Leah and I love beauty products, but didn’t see many brands having real conversations with impact. burd gives us the chance to address an epidemic: one in three families experiences violence. Gender-based violence crosses all boundaries—there’s no border, no level of affluence. We want burd to start conversations, especially for younger people. Once the brand launched, someone at school told me about a really toxic ex-boyfriend. I had no clue he was like that. You really never know what someone else is going through.
PHM: Proceeds from burd™ products support organizations like Shear Haven, which played a key role in advancing the SALONS Stories Act. Can you further explain this?
MB: The Salon Stories Act, in states like Texas, Illinois, and Tennessee, requires beauty professionals to recognize signs of domestic violence and know how to help. Getting your hair done is such an intimate experience. Stylists see you without makeup, they see the back of your head, they might notice bruises or marks, and you’re often having deep conversations. Shear Haven is one of the initiatives that educates hairstylists on this topic.
Julie Smolyansky (JS): Tennessee-based hairstylist and survivor Susanne Post founded Shear Haven and helped pioneer salon legislation in Illinois and Tennessee. Some of burd’s proceeds help scale that work. I’m a survivor too, and I’ve spent years working on policy change, from rape kit reform to the broader Violence Against Women (#MeToo) movement.
PHM: Julie, what’s a major missed sign of domestic violence?
JS: Jealousy is one of the most misleading signs. It can feel flattering at first: ‘you’re mine,’ ‘don’t talk to that person’...but it’s actually toxic. Monitoring social media, controlling what you wear, questioning who comments on your posts…these are relationship red flags. Slowly, isolation happens. Then fear. Then the cycle of violence, apologies, and escalation.
PHM: Talk about the shampoo and conditioner. It smells amazing.
MS: The shampoo and conditioner are scented with vanilla cashmere. We wanted it to feel cozy, warm, and comforting, like a hug. Whether you’re a survivor or someone supporting the mission, we wanted a scent that feels safe and comforting while people navigate hard moments or new chapters.
JS: Aromatherapy can be healing, and we wanted softness and comfort. Cashmere symbolizes that. Our shampoo and conditioner are vegan, made with clean ingredients, no harsh chemicals, and they’re safe for all hair types and for the earth. The purple packaging is intentional–purple represents domestic violence awareness. The bird logo comes from our last name, Burdeen, and symbolizes resilience. The products are made in Israel, which has incredible beauty resources and ingredients. We’re Jewish, and after October 7th, watching the violence unfold felt unbearable, and this felt like a small but meaningful connection. Trauma doesn’t disappear—it carries forward generations.
PHM: What’s next for the brand?
JS: At the music festival Coachella, we're going to fabricate a life-size nest, with the idea, “welcome to the nest,” with a mirror and a beauty chair. The idea is that your reflection can save a life with this product. We’re going to invite people to come and sit in the “burd” chair and share, ‘what does empowerment look like? What does resiliency look like?’ We want it to be uplifting and empowering. Coachella is where so many of Leah and Misha’s peer groups are…it will be their demographic; their generation is there.
These moments of cultural relevancy and having these conversations with young people are just the beginning of building a brand. It takes time, but it's small steps and small conversations that–we think–are super important, and hopefully go viral, giving young people new tools to talk about. We’re also currently sold online-only, but we’re talking to Ulta, Sephora, Target, and Amazon. Nothing is confirmed yet, but the conversations are happening. It’s exciting.
PHM: What additional message do you want to share with Preferred Health?
JS: Domestic violence happens to everyday people. It’s hidden, it’s taboo, and it happens over and over again. We’ve come a long way since the #MeToo movement, but I also feel there’s been backlash. I worry this generation isn’t learning the vocabulary to describe what’s happening to them or knowing where to go for help. That’s why I love what Leah and Misha are trying to do, creating space for these conversations early.
If you or someone you love feels unsafe, you are never alone. Call 1.800.799.SAFE (7233),
Text: "START" to 88788 or visit: thehotline.org. THIS HOTLINE IS HERE FOR YOUR 24/7.
To learn more about burd, visit: burdbeauty.com.
To learn more about Shear Haven’s training programs, visit: shearhaventraining.org.