We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Allana Hairston a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Allana , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Last year marked the toughest period of my life. My father was battling cancer, and his condition was deteriorating. Amidst the turmoil, I found solace in conversations and prayers with God, who sent me vivid dreams, perhaps as a way to prepare me for the inevitable. Sadly, in October 2023, my father passed away, plunging me into the depths of grief. As I navigate this new journey of mourning, I’ve discovered moments when the pain weighs heavier than usual. During these times, I prioritize self-care, finding comfort in long showers and moments of rest. However, I’ve also found a deeper purpose in my grief – to extend a helping hand to others experiencing similar losses. My aim is to channel my own sorrow into something meaningful, offering support to those grappling with grief or the loss of a cherished person or thing.

Allana , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

It all began in 2020, initially as a personal endeavor for my mom. She crafted hair butter as a moisturizer following a significant hair change. Despite its effectiveness, she hesitated to turn it into a business due to time constraints. However, my passion for creating effective products dates back to high school, where I consistently developed items that delivered tangible results.

Building upon the success of the hair butter, I expanded the “Buttered” line to include body butter, scrubs, and natural soaps. While the journey has been marked by highs and lows, understanding customer preferences and finding our community has been an ongoing process.

What sets “Buttered” apart is our commitment to helping clients feel confident and comfortable in their own skin, embracing their natural beauty as intended by a higher power. I’m particularly proud of the courage it took to showcase our offerings to the world.

In essence, “Buttered” isn’t just about skincare; it’s about empowering individuals to embrace their uniqueness and feel good from within.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

As I navigate this new journey of mourning, I’ve discovered moments when the pain weighs heavier than usual. During these times, I prioritize self-care, finding comfort in long showers and moments of rest. However, I’ve also found a deeper purpose in my grief – to extend a helping hand to others experiencing similar losses. My aim is to channel my own sorrow into something meaningful, offering support to those grappling with grief or the loss of a cherished person or thing.

This journey has taught me the true meaning of resilience – the ability to face life’s darkest moments and emerge with newfound strength and purpose. It’s an ongoing process, but I’m determined to honor my father’s memory by making a positive impact on the lives of others, even in the midst of my own pain.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn was the belief that everything needed to be perfect before putting it out into the world. This mindset stemmed from my desire to showcase my product in the best possible light, fearing that imperfections would hinder its success. However, I soon realized that this pursuit of perfection was actually preventing me from growing.

The backstory behind this realization involved moments of hesitation and self-doubt. Despite having a great product, I found myself constantly obsessing over minor details, particularly when it came to visual representation, like product photos. I would hold off on launching until everything met my unrealistic standards, fearing that imperfections would undermine my credibility

Contact Info:

• Website: https://butteredbyallanajanae.com
• Instagram: @butteredbyallanajanae_