Becoming a leader in the beauty industry requires a balance of grace, panache, knowledge, and expert application. One woman in the natural hair care category has perfected this balancing act.
I believe that hair must start with a great foundation. -Alana Snowden
Inspired to push women with texture past their styling boundaries, Snowden joined the As I Am haircare team with the intent of educating women about general hair maintenance, styling, and product use. She describes the experience as, “My greatest achievement thus far in the natural hair care space. I love this opportunity and responsibility because it allows me to educate consumers and hairdressers globally.”
So how does one become a leader like Alana Snowden?
It starts with positive role models, mentors, and icons in the category.
“The women that have inspired me are Annie Malone and Sarah Breedlove (aka”> Madam C. J Walker,” Snowden says of her inspirations,”These women were pivotal in making historical moves in the Black hair care arena. They were entrepreneurs, educators, and philanthropists. I strive every day to add value to others and just not myself. These women were the epitome of this.”
Other ways Snowden keeps her attention laser-locked into what’s happening in the natural hair care category is by taking time out for self-care.
“I have a daily practice of reading something positive and journaling,” she explains, “I have a journal at my desk, I carry a journal while I am traveling, and I journal at home. This helps me to keep focus and check in on my goals. I am also a little obsessed with putting sticky notes of positive affirmations on my desktop and bathroom mirror.”
Self-written notes of encouragement? That’s definitely a tip we could all benefit from!
Holy Grail Recommendations from the Expert on Moisture and Frizz Control
To add moisture and fight frizz from the deepest level, cleansing and conditioning is important. -Alana Snowden
Being an expert in her field, Snowden’s career has been a decades-old journey in the making. As a professional hairdresser and educator, she understands that the key to educating consumers on moisture and frizz control is to get your hands in their hair! You can trust that her expertise led her to the following recommendations for your next Holy Grail purchase:
- As I Am Cleansing Pudding, a low-foam cleanser that adds moisture while removing flakes and oil from scalp.
- As I Am Coconut Co-wash, a favorite in the natural hair care community, is a no-foam conditioner designed for cleansing and maximizing hydration.
- As I Am Leave-In Conditioner is great for adding moisture to prepare hair for styling and most importantly, helps reduce the chance of styling product from flaking.
- As I Am Hydration Elation is the intensive conditioner that will add moisture and strength to the hair.
BONUS: When asked about her personal style, Snowden says, “Right now I am wearing my hair in a wash and go hairstyle. My Holy Grail of products that help me maintain my curls and define them include As I Am So Much Moisture because it is glycerin-infused to help attract and maintain moisture in my hair throughout the day. In addition to this, I use As I Am Curl Defining Jelly to define my tightly coiled hair without it feeling sticky.”
From Healthy Curls to Positive Lifestyle Practices… is there more advice for us NaturallyCurly community members?
Of course, there is! For all aspiring entrepreneurs in the hair care industry… or any industry for that matter, Alana Snowden offers this to us all:
“The biggest advice I can give to an aspiring entrepreneur or inventor that wants to change their passion for natural hair into a thriving business is that ‘Successful people do the things unsuccessful people aren’t willing to do.‘ I live by this in all aspects of my life. When things get challenging and I want to give up I remind myself of this and stay on course. There will be challenges and roadblocks, these things are designed to push you in the right direction. In every failure there is success!”
Don’t you just love that curl boss spirit?
Great! Share your thoughts, words of encouragement, questions about entrepreneurship in the comments section below.
Our NaturallyCurly and CVS Pharmacy’s Who Run the World? Curls! series for Women’s History Month 2017 features beauty industry trailblazers and their product innovations.
As a treat to you for being a member of our NaturallyCurly community, here’s a video featuring a delightful meditation on what it means to be a powerful woman.
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