amika, the Brooklyn-based hair care brand, is proud to announce the launch of two major initiatives with Beauty Changes Lives and the SoGal Foundation as part of its refocused DEI and Giving Back strategy. In amika’s mission of being a friend to hair, hairstylists, people and the planet, the brand commits to donating at least 1% of profits to causes focused on progressing people and increasing equity within the beauty industry by investing in the next generation of hair care leaders: hair stylists and hair brand founders.

“amika has championed self-expression and individuality since our launch 16 years ago,” said Chelsea Riggs, amika Brand President. “We have always valued diversity, but as we grew more aware of the inequities within our society and the beauty industry, we felt compelled to apply our brand values and make a true difference in the lives of our communities. The partnerships with SoGal and Beauty Changes Lives will serve as a springboard for how our brand and teams can serve as change-makers in the professional beauty industry for a more equitable and inclusive future.”

With its heritage as a salon-grown brand, stylists are the heart and soul of amika and continue to be a top driver of brand discovery. amika has partnered with Beauty Changes Lives to create the "Friend to Hair" scholarship program. The program will fund $100,000 worth of scholarships to twelve aspiring hair stylists and beauty professionals between 2023 and 2024. The scholarship programs will focus on BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ aspiring stylists specifically during the Spring Season (March 1–May 31, 2023) and Fall Season (September 1–November 30, 2023).

“amika’s purpose around being a friend to stylists aligns perfectly with our mission of making beauty a first-choice career,” said Lynelle Lynch, Founding President of Beauty Changes Lives. “We are grateful for amika’s support with Beauty Changes Lives as we work to expand our scholarship program to help BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ stylists reach their goals and empower the next generation of beauty professionals.”

amika is also partnering with the SoGal Foundation to launch the "Rooted in Growth" Startup Grant Program, created for BIPOC or LGBTQIA+ Founders, which will provide impactful monetary grants of $25,000 to four haircare founders and innovators who identify as female or nonbinary. The grants will work to provide longevity and sustainability in their businesses, paired with targeted knowledge and networking that will empower the mentees. Through the program, amika will also offer a robust mentorship program to support brands in the areas of professional distribution, marketing, creative, finance and more.

"amika has built a global brand with its community and planet at the forefront. This mission is core to SoGal Foundation's values, and we are honored to partner with amika to fund the next generation of BIPOC & LGBTQIA+ hair care entrepreneurs,” said Pocket Sun, Co-President of SoGal Foundation. “With amika, we are excited to put underrepresented founders at the forefront and change the face of entrepreneurship."

Additionally, amika continues its longstanding commitment toHairToStay, a nonprofit organization that aims to increase awareness and provide financial support to cancer patients for scalp-cooling technology—a treatment that can dramatically reduce chemotherapy-induced hair loss. Since 2018, amika has donated 1% of all e-commerce sales to HairToStay, while also giving the option to its customers to add an additional donation at checkout. Every year, amika launches a limited-edition product to further support HairToStay and partners with its network of salons across the US in its effort to raise funds for HairToStay’s mission. Most recently, the brand hit a $1,000,000 million donation milestone to HairToStay.