“Ouch!” I screamed. “Well, keep your head still,” my mama yelled. My eyes filled with water, ready to cry. Then came that look—the one every Black girl knows. “And you better not cry before I give you something to cry about,” she warned.
Typical Black mama saying.
She’d part my hair into four sections, her hands slick with a jar of Blue Magic grease, preparing my thick coils for whatever style she had in mind that day.
No, she wasn’t a beautician, but you couldn’t tell her otherwise. Me, tender-headed as could be, would sit between her knees, surrendering to the pull, tug, and sting of that fine-tooth comb.
From hot combs and Pink Lotion to Creme of Nature and Just for Me perms — my hair has been through it all. And at what cost? Years of trying to fit an image of what “good hair” was supposed to look like, instead of embracing what it actually was: mine.
Reimagining The Idea Of “Good Hair”
So, what is “good hair,” really?
As an adult, I can confidently say it’s hair that’s healthy — hair I can care for, love, and feel confident in. It’s not about texture or length, but about ownership. About learning to nurture what grows from your own roots instead of wishing for something that doesn’t.
Recently, I had the privilege of diving deeper into a conversation on hair with powerhouse entrepreneur Shaina Rainford, CEO and founder of Bask & Lather Co, a haircare brand that’s empowering Black/Brown women with products to repair hair loss and hair trauma.
I was fascinated to learn that Shaina was inspired to start her business after watching her sister’s journey with hair loss. It soon turned into a legacy rooted in healing, restoration, and self-worth. Read highlights from our conversation below.
The Power Of Restoration
Bask & Lather was born from a place of faith.
In our candid conversation, Shaina opened up about the moment a simple dandruff misdiagnosis left her sister Aaliyah completely bald. She remembers doctors telling their mother that Aaliyah’s hair would never return — but a mother’s love, faith, and determination don’t recognize limits. “My mother refused to accept that, and began researching natural ingredients and experimenting at home, to help Aaliyah’s hair recover,” Shaina shared with BrownStyle Magazine.
Shaina’s mom began researching natural ingredients, creating a homegrown oil that would soon become the foundation of what we now know as the Scalp Stimulator — Bask & Lather’s cult-favorite product. “When Aaliyah’s hair grew back thick and healthy—and mine did too—I knew this was something special. It was hope meant to be shared!”
When Aaliyah’s hair returned thicker, fuller, and stronger than before, and Shaina herself experienced regrowth after severe post-COVID hair loss, she knew this was bigger than their family. It wasn’t just a solution — it was a calling. “When my hair began falling out in chunks, I returned to the oils my mother had created for my sister. With consistent use, my hair not only grew back but returned thicker, fuller, and healthier. That experience affirmed this was more than a personal solution—it was something meant to be shared,” she explained.
Bask & Lather: Turning Pain Into Purpose
Over the years, I’ve learned that hair is more than a mark of beauty— it’s culture. It’s a community. It’s strength, identity, and resilience woven together.
When Shaina spoke about losing her hair, she didn’t shy away from the pain. “It was devastating,” she told me. “I had just survived COVID, and then my hair was falling out in chunks. I felt defeated.”
But when she returned to the oils her mom created, something changed. Her hair — and her confidence — began to grow back. “It wasn’t just about the products working,” she said. “It was about realizing that my story wasn’t over.”
That moment became her motivation to help others facing the same heartbreak. Bask & Lather became a sanctuary for healing, offering women, men, and children not just solutions, but hope.
Reclaiming Our Edges
What sets Bask & Lather apart is simple: every single product is made with purpose. Each formula is rooted in real results thanks to science-driven, nature-powered, and ingredients mixed to solve real problems like thinning edges, breakage, alopecia, or postpartum hair loss.
But more than that, it’s a reminder that caring for your hair should feel good. “The name Bask & Lather is about taking time to enjoy yourself,” Shaina shared. “To bask in self-care, to lather in love.”
It is clear to see that Bask & Lather believes hair health is family health, with products that help women, men, and children love their natural hair.
And truly, the more I’ve grown, the more I’ve realized that hair is never just hair — it’s memory, heritage, and a testament to everything we’ve survived.
With movements like the Crown Act (which protects against discrimination based on hairstyles like braids, locs, twists, and knots in the workplace and public schools), we are rewriting negative narratives about our natural curls and turning what once felt like shame into strength. We’re reclaiming what we were told to minimize. And in doing so, we are honoring the stories our edges hold — the burns, the breakage, the braids too tight, the perms too young— and inspiring the next generation to wear their crowns with pride.
Visit baskandlatherco.com to explore their line of products and discover haircare tips that help you grow from the root up.
