In Montréal and across Québec, a rising concern is quietly affecting the health and self-worth of young girls and women: unsafe beauty practices, limited access to holistic wellness education, and culturally irrelevant mental health resources. From exposure to toxic cosmetics to unregulated beauty services, the risks go far beyond skin-deep, impacting physical well-being, self-esteem, and emotional stability.
Studies by INRS and UQAM reveal that many salon workers and beauty consumers, especially in Black and immigrant communities, are regularly exposed to harmful chemicals found in hair relaxers, skin lighteners, and other beauty products — leading to skin damage, hormonal disorders, and other health challenges.
These issues are not abstract to our founder, Oluwanifemi — they are deeply personal.
Growing up in Nigeria as a young African Black girl, She experienced firsthand the absence of accessible resources to support her wellness journey. While she was blessed with love and guidance from her mother and grandmother, much of her journey to wholeness was navigated inwardly, alone, as an introvert, and without community-based wellness education.
Today, as a mother of three beautiful girls, She is more passionate than ever about changing this narrative. Many families still face this gap — not due to a lack of love but due to a lack of accessible, practical, and culturally relevant support systems. Parents and caregivers shouldn’t have to carry that burden alone.
This is the heart of Niffy Wellness Foundation: a safe, conscious, and empowering platform designed to address the complex and often overlooked wellness needs of girls and women. Through free community programs, beauty and hygiene education, mentorship, and emotional support, we create safe spaces where girls can reconnect with their inner strength and grow into confident, healthy women.
We believe beauty should never come at the cost of health, and confidence should never require compromise. Our work is urgent, our cause is personal, and our vision is clear: to nurture whole, healthy, confident women who inspire greatness in themselves, their families, and their communities.