Actress and entrepreneur Vanessa Simmons looks to illuminate the purpose of her beauty brand, U4ia, and encourage affordable and accessible self-care through her inaugural wellness retreat Experience U4ia, coming to Dallas on Jan. 6, 2024.
“I wanted to find a way to make the words and the information I was sharing come to life in some way, and to make it tangible, putting that wellness into action, which is when we really start to see the differences that we’re going after,” Simmons said.
The eldest daughter of hip-hop legend Rev Run of RUN DMC founded and established U4ia as a platform that offers information and guidance to those trying to reach new levels of health and wellness while becoming their most euphoric selves.
During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, Simmons started archiving and sharing information on mental health and caring for your well being with her family and friends, and realized she could have an even greater impact with the platform she has developed for herself. She wanted to educate and inspire others that were not just in her personal network to help them prioritize the health of their minds, bodies and spirits.
The ‘Growing Up Hip-Hop’ cast member promotes taking action when it comes to achieving your most authentic and healthy self with her upcoming retreat. With Dallas being the first stop because of the plethora of wellness companies and businesses in the city, Simmons hopes to bring this rejuvenating experience to others nationwide.
“My inspiration and goal is to come to different cities and highlight the different local companies that are there where people can continue on their wellness journey, or start their wellness journey, and feel empowered and encouraged in some way,” Simmons said.
The retreat will begin with a full-body trampoline workout by Brittany Thompson, which is intended to help guests get energized and provide them with health benefits like stress reduction and cardiovascular health improvement. Attendees will get the opportunity to continue working with Thompson with membership access to her online workout community, even past the date of the retreat.
Retreat guests will then get to wind down with a sound bath experience to learn about the therapeutic benefits of sound therapy, offered by a Richardson-based company: Simply Aware Wellness Training. Attendees can also experience what Simmons calls a “wellness hour”, where people can enjoy post-workout foods and drinks like press juices and smoothie bowls that will be provided by Manna Juice Bar, a Mansfield-based business.
To help reduce inflammation and offer mental clarity, Cryo1one, which serves Dallas, Plano and Oak Lawn, will have two full-body cryotherapy stations available as well as cryo treatment for those who may have pain in specific areas of the body. Along with mini facials, massages and advice from medical experts, Simmons still has more wellness surprises in store for attendees.
“I’m putting together a really exciting lineup,” the ‘Deadly Entanglement’ actress said. “These are things that I personally do in my life to kind of seek solace and go about my wellness journey. I’m looking forward to sharing that with everybody.”
Simmons wants retreat attendees to leave the experience not only more invigorated, but also hopeful for their health’s future. She believes January was the best month to host the event since most people will be more open to taking their wellness seriously and taking the steps needed to reach that ultimate level of serenity going into a new year.
This retreat motivates people to take initiative after the event to continue seeking resources to help their minds and bodies. Utilizing the local wellness businesses in Dallas brings these companies to the forefront for residents to see the accessible and affordable services that they can use even when the event ends.
Simmons plans to push out this message on a nationwide scale with U4ia.
“The mission of U4ia is to show that you don’t have to break the bank to live your very best life,” she said. “I’m really hoping to push that with this brand and show people new ways of healing and just prioritizing their self care and their mental and emotional health.”
At U4ia, they stand by the notion that “optimal health is a journey”, and in order to get to your destination, action is needed, which is why the retreat was made. Simmons finds sharing wellness education and information from different perspectives an essential part of anyone’s self-care journey.
“I feel like the more we share information with one another, the better we can thrive as a community,” Simmons said.
Tickets for the retreat, which will be located at 2616 Commerce Event Center in Dallas, will go on sale at the end of this month, and more information on how to get them will be available on the U4ia website and Simmons’ social media platforms. There will also be giveaways, which can also be found on Simmons’ social media pages.