This post is part of an ongoing series called Fur We Love, where we focus on people's relationship to their hair and the routines they've built around haircare. This week, we talked to Nina Weithorn, an urban farmer and herbalist based in Los Angeles, about making her own shampoo and conditioner, clay armpit masks, and letting your hair do its thing.
What are some of your haircare and grooming routines for hair all over?
I think I’ve tried every curly hair product that has ever existed, and at this point I pretty much make all of my shampoo and conditioner myself because I feel like my hair just responds better to natural ingredients. I got really obsessed with apple cider vinegar hair rinses about a year ago. I actually just stopped shampooing my hair all together and find that the apple cider vinegar rinse is really clarifying and gets rid of all the residue and build-up. I also use my clay-based face masks on my armpits—it feels VERY weird, but it's a nice detox.
What hairstyles make you feel the most confident?
I like doing a big messy bun on top with two little tendrils coming down on each side in the front.
What's one trick that always works for you?
I sleep with my hair in pigtail braids, which gives it a nice texture in the morning. I also only let professionals do anything to my eyebrows because I’ve screwed them up too many times.
How has your relationship to your hair changed over time?
I used to shave my armpits, legs, and bikini line pretty religiously when I was younger and now I just kind of let all of that hair do its thing. I also used to chemically straighten my hair in high school and it took me so so long to repair the damage done from those treatments, that I would never even consider doing it again. Now I really loveeee my curls even though they can be temperamental at times.
What's one hair style or haircare routine you had to try but are happy to have left behind?
For a few months in college I used an eyebrow pencil to darken my eyebrows, but have just always been lousy with makeup and was filling them in pretty unevenly. Luckily I have very honest friends.
Do you have a hair icon or someone in your life you look to for inspiration?
Honestly, I love Zendaya’s hair when it’s big and curly.
What do you love the most about your hair?
It’s versatile and grows very very fast. I also love making my older relatives uncomfortable by wearing tank tops with my unshaven armpits at family gatherings.
