Urban Hydration Launches Whitney Houston-Inspired ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ Collection

Urban Hydration has just cemented its place in beauty history via a ground-breaking partnership with JCPenney and Sony Pictures. The Black-owned beauty brand introduced a first-of-its-kind launch inspired by the legendary Whitney Houston and her latest biopic, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” 

[SEE ALSO: JCPenney Partners With Thirteen Lune To Launch In-Store Beauty Shops Featuring Black- And Brown-Owned Brands]

The Urban Hydration x ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ launch features four beauty sets: Fresh Glam Skincare, Curl Glam, Glow Hand, and Glisten Body, with offerings such as a face wash, toner, body oil, lotions, shampoo, conditioner, curl cream and detangler.

“Everything is paying homage to Whitney,” Psyche Terry, Urban Hydration founder, told Sadiaa Black Beauty Guide during a launch celebration earlier this month. Terry explained it’s not just the beauty of Whitney, but her brand as a businesswoman.

The collection also stays true to Urban Hydration’s trailblazing beginnings as a plant-based clean beauty brand for skin, hair, and the body. 

“It’s glamor, it’s fun, but it’s all the same good insides — no parabens, no paraffin — all the good stuff,” said Terry. “We definitely have phenomenal flavors and fragrances. They all do the same good thing, but they’re shiny.”

The launch is part of a decade-long partnership with JCPenney. Urban Hydration first launched in the retailer’s Salon nearly 10 years ago and is now in the retailer’s new in-house JC Penney Beauty experience alongside more than 250 indie, Black- and Brown-founded, and established beauty brands. 

Psyche Terry and Vontoba Terry, Sr., her husband and Urban Hydration co-founder, were front and center at that grand-opening celebration in Frisco, Texas this past October. It is also how they were able to move from an idea at the top of the year to a full-blown launch and celebration. 

“We’re like family!” said Psyche Terry. “I really want people to understand how much I care about JCPenney and now JCPenney Beauty. Truly they embrace this idea […] where I can pick up the phone or pick up a text and say, ‘I got this crazy idea.’ And the team goes, ‘bring it on.’ And here we are, just months later, at the top of the chain embracing this. 

The partnership is also further proof of JCPenney’s commitment to diversity on its shelves, particularly for women-owned, indie, and people of color-owned brands. 

“I think it just shows the credibility of JCPenney Beauty,” said Michelle Wlazlo, JCPenney Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer, about the new “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” collaboration.  “That we already have amazing products and founders and brands within here and just the fact that one of our brands can be part of something like this.”

Urban Hydration is now in over 230 JCPenney Beauty installations. The retailer is opening approximately 75 new experiences within their stores each month, with over 300 by January and 600 by the summer – and Urban Hydration will be in each one of them. 

“I’ve never seen a small Black woman-owned business do anything like this at this scale and be embraced,” said Terry. “It’s amazing!”

The Urban Hydration “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” collection sets retail from $29.99 to $34.99 and are available exclusively in JC Penney Beauty stores and jcpenney.com.