BEAUTY BRANDS TO KNOW: HAJIA BEAUTY
HAJIA BEAUTY
Fanta Ndao is a licensed esthetician and founder of Hajia Beauty, a culmination of ancient African beauty rituals and Islamic culture that offers facial and body treatments with natural and organic ingredients from various regions in Africa. While building her Islamic faith and simultaneously navigating her challenges with acne and hyperpigmentation, Fanta was able to build a brand that intersects her cultural identity and passion for natural skincare. In the midst of COVID-19, you can gift a healthcare worker a facial treatment through Hajia Beauty that will be honored once social distancing restrictions are lifted.
SHEER: Tell us a little bit about yourself and where you're from.
FANTA NDAO: My name is Fanta Ndao and I was born and raised in New York but my background is West African from Senegal and Guinea. I'm a licensed esthetician and owner of Hajia Beauty. Hajia Beauty is a holistic skin therapy brand that is inspired by African beauty rituals and Islamic lifestyle.
SHEER: How did the idea for Hajia Beauty come about?
FN: Hajia Beauty came about when I decided to enroll in an esthetics program in 2018. It was the first time in three years I was around people in a school setting. I previously took a hiatus from school and work to figure out what direction I wanted to go in with my life. The isolation made me reflect and learn to enjoy spending time with myself and setting boundaries. During that time, I also started practicing my Islamic faith and one of my acts of worship was to start embracing wearing a hijab. Covering my body was liberating for me because I felt over-exposed in the past and it was a way for me to start over.
I was looking forward to starting esthetics school and to build friendships, sisterhood, and possibly business/creative collaborations but unfortunately the girls were not as welcoming as I imagined. The school lacked accommodations for privacy and I had a hard time adjusting because I was worried about my modesty. I tried to fit in by participating in workshops but it made me very uncomfortable and I couldn't think straight, continuously trying to find loopholes to be able to participate in the techniques that exposed certain body parts that I chose not to expose. I ended up transferring to Christine Valmy School which was an overall better experience for me. I learned from my past experiences to stay focused and to not compromise my religious beliefs or well being. Also, I remembered being in a theory class discussing the history of esthetics and Egypt was mentioned for all of its amazing innovation but the way they worded it in the textbook I felt like it was intentionally to avoid the fact that Egypt is located in the continent of Africa. I was triggered and disappointed so I decided to use that energy to create a safe space for women that want to enjoy a relaxing facial while highlighting African beauty rituals and elements of the Islamic lifestyle.
SHEER: What are some of the biggest skincare myths, especially for women of deeper complexions, that Hajia Beauty is trying to address and correct?
FN: A huge myth is that women of deeper complexions don't need sunscreen due to the amount of melanin we produce. It's 100% correct that our melanin does protect us from some UV rays but we actually still need to wear sunscreen. Skin cancer is possible for lighter and darker skin tones and aging lines are still possible if you don't take preventative measures. I make sure whenever I perform facials on my clients that I mention the importance of SPF. You can purchase Black Girl Sunscreen on the Hajia Beauty website. It's an amazing product for sun protection and is weightless, ultra sheer, and fragrance free with nourishing ingredients like jojoba and shea butter that will moisturize your skin.
SHEER: How did your own personal experience with your skincare inspire you to become an esthetician?
FN: I suffered from acne for about a decade. It was very discouraging at times when I was in and out of dermatologist offices and felt like I tried every product on the market and every morning I would still wake up with a new pimple. My overall skincare journey was a trial-and-error experience. I would find myself on Youtube all day googling skincare products and I would overwhelm my sisters with my skin’s progress. When you find yourself always talking about something it's most likely a passion of yours and you should explore it further. In that moment I realized that I needed to take the step to go to school .
SHEER: How do you develop the formulas for the different treatments you offer? And what are the top ingredients and chemicals that women should avoid when shopping for skincare products or building their skincare routine?
FN: For many of my treatments I use products from Shea Terra. They formulate their products to be gentle on the skin, and improves you skin’s condition rather than to strip it with harmful chemicals. I also enjoy learning what plants are utilized by different communities and understanding their benefits and how they are used. As an esthetician, I notice that women tend to be self-conscious about their hyperpigmentation and dark spots. Hydroquinone is a risky ingredient that is supposed to help with hyperpigmentation but can cause cancer and ironically cause discoloration in the skin. Also when it comes to searching for a cleanser, look out for sodium lauryl sulfate as it is known to be a skin irritant and can strip the skin of its natural oils leading to dry skin, irritation, and reactions.
SHEER: Out of all of the facials you offer, which would you say is the most popular and why?
FN: The Hydration Facial is the most popular, no matter what your skin type and condition is. Hydration is necessary if you are experiencing very oily skin that might be dehydrated and overcompensating by producing more oil. If you restore water content into your skin it will help balance it out and If your skin still feels dry it could be due to seasonal changes, environmental irritants, not drinking enough water, or even using harmful or moisture-stripping products on your face. Dehydrated skin is also less resilient to environmental irritants. When your skin is fully hydrated, it is able to fight and flush out toxins more effectively because your cells are getting the maximum amount of hydration that they need to function at their best.
SHEER: In what ways do you encourage women of color to approach their skincare routines holistically?
FN: Patience and consistency is key so your skin has the ability to heal itself. The ingredients are there to encourage you so don't depend solely on the products. It's a team effort so you have to pay attention and listen to your skin.
SHEER: What challenges did you face as a black woman starting her own business in the skincare industry?
FN: A challenge I faced as a black woman in the skincare industry is trying to tune out all the noise of the naysayers. I experienced people projecting their fears and limits on me. They would say things that insinuate why would your business be a success because there's so many bigger brands that can just start doing whatever you want to do and you will lose at the end. Since I was a little girl I felt like people placed their own fears onto me and it affected me as an adult woman. I have learned that you have to protect your plans and be very careful who you share your energy with. You want to avoid people taking your excitement away so I choose to go with my intuition, trust God and enjoy learning.
SHEER: How are you navigating the COVID-19 social distancing policies as a business owner who provides beauty services?
FN: I was informed by the Division of Licensing Services that due to the Executive Order 202.7, I cannot provided esthetics services while maintaining social distance until further notice. I had to postpone all of my appointments scheduled for March and April. I'm taking this time of quarantine to reflect on my past and present as well as finding solutions to better navigate my life in the future. I have been practicing massage techniques and brainstorming creative and educational content and Hajia Beauty will be coming back stronger than ever.
I would like to show appreciation to all the healthcare workers that are sacrificing their lives fighting COVID-19. God Willing we will get through this hard time. Healthcare workers are constantly using hand sanitizer, face masks and rubber gloves etc, which can cause major irritation and dryness to the skin so a Hajia beauty treatment would be beneficial for them and they can get to relax and leave with soft and glowing skin.
A great way to thank our medical heores is to gift a facial treatment. You can go to www.hajiabeauty.com to book any service as a gift of your choice and we will send a confirmation email to organize the best date of service after social distancing is over for the recipient of your gift. You can also email us at hajiabeautynyc@gmail.com to request a service by filling out the name, phone number, and email of the healthcare worker you’re gifting the facial to.
SHEER: How do you hope to grow Hajia Beauty in the future?
FN: I hope to open up a skincare studio and skincare line.