About Me
"I absolutely adore being
an Afro Textured
Hair Stylist & Educator"
Why? Because as an Afro Textured Hair Stylist & Educator, no two days are the same!
Having the knowledge and skills to work with all skin tones and hair types keeps me on my toes, as I’m always learning new things and meeting new people. I enjoy transforming brides into “their best versions of themselves” for a day and providing a natural hair service for brides that wish to wear their hair natural is everything to me. I love being creative and working in this industry allows me to do just that.
My degree in criminology and criminal justice is a far cry from the creative flair of the hair and makeup world! I giggle when I think about it, but I’m proof that it’s never too late to change your career path for something that you love doing. In 2014, I studied hair and makeup at an Academy for 3 months and never looked back! I then trained and worked for Blow Ltd, gaining experience and confidence in my craft, and refining it through further training with Michelle Garande and Kevin Fortune.
Since then I have had the pleasure of appearing as a guest speaker, creating hair and makeup looks for hundreds of brides, theatre productions, award shows, short films, and even the 2022 Afro Hair Show. If you need me to name-drop, have a look at Instagram!
Why Aina.M Academy was CREATED
I wanted to start Aina.M Academy, as I realised that there is a significant lack of shared knowledge of how to style or care for textured hair. As an Afro Textured Hair Stylist & Educator, I feel that it is my duty to help fill the knowledge gap.
And I am determined to do something about it!
A defining moment was being on a set, working with a number of models of colour, and their narrative all seemed to be the same. They spoke of their negative experiences with hairstylists and or makeup artists who lacked the knowledge, skills, and experience to work with their complexion and or hair texture.
This truly hurt my heart, as the lasting effect of these negative experiences on the models, can be a lot deeper than just “not getting their hair done”, it was emotional and mental and I wanted to change this.
After research, it became apparent that there are limited courses available that actually teach how to style Afro and Textured hair.
I wanted to offer an afro hair education that was an affordable and fun experience, not only offering tutorials but breaking down the barriers of cultural differences and stereotypes.
I, therefore, give you Aina.M Academy. Trumpets, please…
Sooo that is enough about me, I want to hear more about you! How can I help?
