Hair Full of Secrets
Our hair care routines are deeply personal. From our first salon experience to the first product we fell in love with, every moment is a part of our hair story. At Byrdie, we’re fascinated by the entire journey—the styling triumphs and the lessons we’ve learned from wash day disasters. With Hair Full of Secrets, we’re bringing you the tried-and-true products, rituals, and recommendations your favorite celebrities, founders, and influencers swear by.
For five blissfully chaotic weeks, the world was united in the name of love—Love Island USA to be exact. Season 7, the most-watched Peacock original to date, had us screaming, laughing, and sometimes crying. And while we didn’t always agree on every coupling or dumping, one thing was clear: we were watching a lesson in what it means to be unapologetically human—with winner Amaya Espinal delivering a masterclass on the subject each episode.
Amid unsuccessful connections and wacky challenges, Amaya Papaya remained true to herself, proving that self-love is the best love. She spoke from her heart, wasn’t above apologizing, and always made space for her fellow Islanders to lean on her. Espinal didn’t let others’ opinions shake her, wearing confidence like armor. It showed up in the way she carried herself and in her fashion choices—whether in a studded bikini with strappy sandals or that cozy muumuu with wedges that won America over.
And that same sense of self spilled over into her beauty routine. Because, like many women of color, her relationship to confidence has always been closely tied to her hair—something we saw play out inside the villa. Some days she wore a sleek bun, other days a messy braid-out. Some days she rocked voluminous curls, others a bone-straight middle part. Each look felt like a reflection of where she was in the moment, and who doesn’t love that kind of “I’m just a girl” realness?
Now that she’s out of the villa, settling into real life again, and “slowly” exploring a new connection, it only makes sense that Espinal’s first major beauty campaign is with Herbal Essences in support of their new hair fragrances. Ahead, we talk about her mane, touching on her routine, her hair highs and lows, and the one product she can’t live without.
About Her Hair
“I feel we all go through a phase or phases where we try to figure out what works, what our hair needs, and I’ve gone through that. Right now, I’m in my playing-around era. I just love trying different types of hairstyles, but the priority is always hair that looks good and is healthy.”
How She Cared for Her Hair in the Villa
“Girl! First of all, when I first went into the villa, I had a sew-in, and after jumping into that pool as many times as I did, it started feeling heavy. So Chelley and Olandria were the ones who took it down for me. Shoutout to them. We had to do it off camera, and they got it done in three hours. Beyond that, I just tried not to overdo it with the wash days because it was so hot and sometimes dry out there. I think I washed my hair about two to three times a week.”
Her Core Herbal Essences Memory
“Whenever I went shopping with my mom, she always got Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner. It was such a big part of my growing up. I will never forget the smells, so this is such a full-circle moment. My mom started crying when she found out about the campaign. I had to pinch myself. I still can’t believe any of this is real. I’m just a New York girl, but I do hope people take this campaign as inspiration to prioritize self-care and self-prioritization. Walk around and be the baddest ever.”
Herbal Essences
Her Current Hair Routine
“Whenever it’s a wash day for me, I use the Herbal Essences Smooth Rose Hips Hair Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner, and it pairs nicely with the Rose Perfume Hair Spray. It smells too good; it makes me feel like I have a bouquet on my head. But when I’m in the mood to really treat my hair, I’ll make my own deep-conditioning mask at home. I mix coconut oil, avocado, and a little mayonnaise. I’ll coat my hair from root to end and let it sit for at least two hours. It makes my hair feel so soft. Overall, I try to stay away from heavy products that can weigh my hair down or make it feel coated. I like my hair to feel light but defined.”
Her Go-To Hairstyle
“Definitely a big blowout. I love volume!”
Herbal Esences
How Her Approach to Beauty Has Evolved Since Leaving the Villa
“I’m always going to do me, so that means doing whatever makes me feel good—especially when it comes to beauty. Sometimes I need a full beat, sometimes I don’t. It just depends on my mood and how I want to show up, but it’s always about what I want to do. I never want to change who I am. If anything, I feel even more like myself since leaving the villa. That’s how I look at everything—beauty, fashion, dating, whatever. I’m going to be me. Right now, I am seeing someone, and it’s going great. I’m really just paying attention to how I feel.”
Her Hair Pet Peeve
“When a guy doesn’t stay on top of his haircuts. There’s nothing worse than not having a fresh cut. It’s the least they can do—they don’t have to worry about all the hair things we deal with, so they can at least keep their cut together.”
The Best Hair Advice She’s Ever Received
“Bring edge control everywhere! My edges love to play with me, so I keep a little jar on me no matter where I go.”
Her Hair Regrets
“I went red once, and then after that I tried to go back blonde, after being blonde before. Listen, the hairstylist should have told me no because I ended up being this crazy strawberry color. It wasn’t cute.”
