friend of amika: how Rian is learning to embrace her natural hair
The name amika means friend in the language Esperanto and is a symbol of our belief in power of community and the beauty of diversity. For us, being a friend means creating a platform where everyone feels 100% welcome and at ease to be themselves. We want to cut through the noise by being straightforward and championing positivity, realness, and fun.
You are the reason why we continue to create haircare and tools that are effective, high performing, and let you be your unique self. So, to give some love back to our community, we’ve created a series where we feature YOU; the people that inspire us the most.
what's your name, friend?
"My name is Rian Kinnard."
how long have you been a friend of amika?
"3 years."
how did you find out about amika?
"I actually discovered amika at Beautycon. I kept seeing people with the colorful bags with a logo on it and it just grabbed my attention. It was there that I fell in love with glass action universal elixir."
tell us about your favorite amika products + why you love them!
"I love the phantom hydrating dry shampoo foam and the silken up dry conditioner. These are now the only dry shampoo and conditioner combo that I use. I also love the soulfood nourishing mask. It makes my hair feel really soft after and glass action is a great finishing touch for my hair. These products all smell amazing so that's an added bonus."
how would you describe your relationship with your hair?
"To quote Ariana Grande, 'one taught me love, one taught me patience, one taught me pain.' I love my hair but it takes such a long time to do. It can also be a headache when trying to understand what my hair needs and doesn't need."
do you feel that your hair is part of your identity?
"Yes, for years I kept my hair straight through relaxers until I finally stopped. I think it took me so long to embrace my natural hair because of all of the negative stigma surrounding it."
what's your favorite thing about your hair?
"How big it gets! The bigger, the better. "
what's your usual hair routine?
"Moisture, moisture, and more moisture. My hair can dry out pretty easily, so I follow the LCO method, which is a leave-in, a cream, and an oil."
are there any new hair rituals, tricks, or styles you’ve been trying recently?
"I have been trying to perfect my 3 strand twist and let's just say that there is room for improvement."
We love having thought provoking dialogue with our amika fam + friends. If you want to be part of the conversation, don’t be afraid to reach out. For the chance to be featured on The Strand and be part of our ever-growing community of friends, click here and tell us a little bit about your relationship with your hair.
