We love to see naturalistas who appreciate and nurture their mane right from the beginning of their hair journey. Amina’s hair progress has been a constant motivation for many new naturalistas. Her well-researched content on her Instagram page and blog help both old and new naturals alike. Our interview with her reveals the experience that made her return natural, her thoughts on hair confidence, her brand, and other things you’d love to read.
1. How long have you been natural and why did you decide to return natural?
I did my big chop by June 2018 so I’ve been natural for 2 years and 7 months. I went natural because of a bad relaxer experience. My hair is really hard to relax while I have a very tender scalp. You can imagine what happens when these two traits are mixed up. I had chemical burns after every relaxer day. The last one I did was even worse. My whole scalp was burnt and it was so painful. I vowed never to let relaxers touch my hair again. I cut my hair a month after that.
2. Is the actual natural hair experience like you had anticipated? What’s the most interesting part of it for you? And what is your least favorite?
I didn’t really expect anything from the journey. I just decided to cut my hair and grow natural hair because that’s the only way I could escape the burns from relaxers.
The most interesting part is getting to know my hair. It feels like I have a personal relationship with it now. I could tell if it wants a particular treatment. There’s no least favorite part. I enjoy everything about my hair journey.
3. Do/did you ever feel less confident in your natural hair? How do you maintain confidence, wearing your own hair?
I’ve always been confident in my natural hair. I’ve been wearing my hair for about a year now without extensions. I just feel comfortable in it. It’s part of me.
4. Now that you’re years into your journey, is there anything you wish you had known earlier in your natural hair journey? If yes, what?
I don’t think there’s anything I should have known earlier. I read a lot about how to care for natural hair before I cut my hair and I’ve had a pretty smooth journey so far.
5. We sometimes see women who have been natural for a while feel like they need to chop it all off to take a break or start all over. Do you relate? Is it something you might do?
I don’t see myself ever cutting off my hair. I’m so attached to it. I don’t know if that is healthy. I could cry if anything happens to my hair.
6. About being a natural hair influencer and content creator, what is it that you want your followers to think about or leave with every time they visit your page and YouTube channel?
I want them to leave having a better knowledge of how to care for their hair. That’s what my page is about – hair education.
7. And then there’s your natural hair product brand, “Mina’s Care.” Could you tell us more about it? And what inspired you to create your own line of products?
Mina’s care is a natural beauty brand that creates safe and effective hair care products using quality natural ingredients. Our products solve common hair issues such as hair loss, itchy scalp, dandruff, receding hairline, dry hair, excessive shedding, and breakage. Our products guarantee healthy, longer, and fuller hair when used consistently in the right way.
What inspired me to start the brand is my urge to help people solve hair issues. As a natural hair influencer, I meet a lot of people online with one hair issue or the other asking for product recommendations. I just thought, why not just create a product that could solve these issues? That was how the idea came up.
8. As someone who has her own natural product range, what do you think about products that offer the high promise of long, healthy hair in little time and with little effort from the user?
I think that is deceptive. Yeah, I know products could help grow long and healthy hair but it doesn’t come overnight and you have to use them the right way and do the right things to your hair.
9. Would you attribute the fullness and length of your hair to genetics or would you say your hair care has played a larger part?
I have genes for full and long hair but my hair could never have gotten to the point it is now if I didn’t take care of it, so I’ll say my hair care played a larger part.
10. Do you mind sharing your top tips for growing healthy natural hair?
My top tips;
- Keep your hair moisturized
- Keep your scalp clean
- Have a protein/moisture balanced routine
- Keep your hair protected
- Stay hydrated and eat healthily
11. Did you or do you still have any natural hair inspiration – someone whose natural hair journey motivates you through yours? If yes, who?
Yes, that is @naturalblackgirlie. She has always been my inspiration. I’ve been following her since I cut my hair.
12. A recent topic for debate has been whether natural hair is a trend that would fade with time. What is your take?
I’ve never seen natural hair as a trend. All I see is women embracing their roots. I don’t think it will fade with time.
13. Any message for naturalistas who are just starting out their journey or are finding it hard to embrace their hair?
My message to them is to calm down and get to know their hair. I know it feels overwhelming at first due to the amount of information online but with time, it becomes easy.
Amina makes it obvious that being confident in your hair right from the start and consistently using the right products with the right practices effectively result in an enjoyable and healthy hair journey. There’s more to see and learn from her.
Find her on Instagram, @natural_hairducation and on YouTube as Natural Hairducation. You can visit her blog for natural hair tips and to get her natural hair products range, head on to @minascareng on Instagram.