If you were to go to the Explore feed on my Instagram, you would, of course, see a lot of beauty content—given my job/role, as that’s what I consume the most—sprinkled with a little bit of Bridgerton, House of Dragon, or basically any show that I am bingeing on at the moment. One thing, however, that has stayed consistent in my algorithm since 2020 has been the London-based content creator and founder of Celui, Anisa Sojka.
With her gorgeous, glossy hair, often pinned up in the finest Chanel clips and bows, Sojka’s picture-perfect feed features haircare routines, easy hairstyle hacks, and ways to dress up your hair for different occasions—and they are all such a treat to watch. Nothing is too excessive or overwhelming; everything is so warm, welcoming & just soothing. She makes me want to look after my hair, give it all the love it needs, and invest in the right products.
There is a high chance you already know and follow her, but here she is on Lavenderoom to tell us all about her journey from a creator to a brand founder, her go-to haircare tips, and what goes on behind the scenes.
On her real-to-reel life
“I was born and raised in Gambia and lived there until I was fourteen. Then, I moved to Sweden to attend a boarding school, and Sweden became my home until graduation. I moved to London to earn my master’s in strategic fashion marketing at the London College of Fashion. When I moved to London in 2013, Instagram started becoming popular, so I began to post outfit photos. My content was more fashion-focused back then. My followers began to grow, and so I kept it up. After completing my Masters, I worked at a British luxury fashion brand called Matthew Williamson on the digital team. A lot of work began to come in for content creation, so I decided to take the leap of faith and pursue it full-time.”
On her first milestone
“My first milestone was the first time I collaborated with a brand on a paid basis to create content and post it on my Instagram. The content was also used for their marketing. Not only was I a customer in the past, but I genuinely loved and admired the brand, too. I believe this was Pandora back in 2014. This is when my content was more fashion-focused.”
On her journey into haircare
“My content was very fashion-focused up until 2020. My hair was very short then, so hair was never the focus of my content. In lockdown, I decided to grow my hair, and that’s when I began to get a lot of questions and comments on it. My content organically shifted to becoming more hair-focused as this is what people were engaging with and wanted to see more of or get more advice on.”
On the ‘Anisa aesthetic’
“I like my posts and videos to be very clean and clutter-free. I’m a sucker for monochrome – the black, white, and beige aesthetic. You’ll rarely see a bold and bright colour.”
On the importance of building a community
“My core is 100% the community that I have built. After all, I am creating content for my community to enjoy, learn from, and inspire. I create based on the feedback and engagement I get. I make what my audience wants to see. I also try to reply to every comment and message because I love interacting with those who take the time to interact with my posts.”
On how CELUI happened
“As a beauty content creator, I have tried every hair product imaginable and felt there was a big gap for a clean, multi-use, and ethically made brand. I am all about the most natural approach to maintaining hair, and I struggled to find exactly what I wanted on the current market. Health is wealth, and CELUI is proud to have a no-nonsense, all-natural approach to healthier hair.”
On why hair oil was the first product to launch
“If you’ve followed me on social media, you’ll understand that hair oil is my ultimate hero product. Oiling your lengths is vital in keeping your hair hydrated and nourished. I’ve put extensive time, research, and care into perfecting our Nourishing Hair Oil for smoother, softer, shinier hair.”
On bringing CELUI to India
“I am so keen to be stocked in India. I have a large following there, and I feel like they would absolutely love and benefit from my hair oil.”
On her beauty routine
“It’s pretty minimal. My skin is quite sensitive, so I use as little product as possible. In the mornings, I cleanse with micellar water, apply Vitamin C serum, moisturise, and eye cream. In the evening, I cleanse with micellar water and then apply an AHA tonic. I very rarely wear foundation; if I go out during the day, I use a tinted moisturizer instead.”
On a compliment she received, that stayed with her
“Someone once said that I have helped transform her hair back to health. That was a very touching and fulfilling compliment.”
On her go-to glow hack
“For my skin, including an AHA tonic in my PM routine, has given me a glow and mirror-like skin.”
On how she unwinds
“I love long walks with my dog and cuddling up on the couch with a good book and a warm drink.”
On her me-time ritual that is sacred to her
“My morning coffee is my favorite time of day. I enjoy a peaceful moment to myself while I slowly wake up.”
On her advice to the young creators out there
“Comparison is the thief of joy! Focus on you—what you want to create, the message you want to rely on, and the difference you want to make. You will never be completely satisfied with yourself if you always think someone else is doing it better. You are unique, special, and one of a kind. That will shine through if you believe it!”
5 TIPS FOR A HEALTHY HAIRCARE ROUTINE
Anisa Sojka jots down her go-to tips for happy, healthy hair.
- Sleep with a silk hair cap to reduce friction against the pillowcase. It helps lock in moisture and prevents tangles, resulting in smoother hair. I have been using one by CELUI, which will be launching soon.
- Shampoo twice. First wash clarifies your scalp by removing dirt, oil, pollution, product build-up and creates a better surface for the the second wash. Your hair can then benefit better from the shampoo’s nourishing properties during the second wash. If you wash your hair daily no need to shampoo twice.
- Oil your lengths daily. I use my CELUI hair oil as its non-greasy, and a few drops go a long way. Once a week, I saturate my lengths for an overnight treatment. This results in softer, more hydrated, shiny hair and prevents split ends and breakage while taming frizz. If your hair type doesn’t allow daily application, apply as often as you can.
- What you eat is probably the most important factor in encouraging healthier hair. You need a balance of protein, biotin, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, A+B+C+D+E vitamins, zinc, and water.
- Apply a strengthening serum daily and massage with a bamboo brush to enhance growth and thickening. I massage by hand the night before washday and in the shower. Always be gentle, and never use your nails when massaging.
Also Read:
A Curly Girls Guide To Monsoon Hair Care
5 pro hacks to manage monsoon hair
4 Beauty Trends That Have The Gen Z’s Approval
