Daily Inspiration: Meet Aarian Jiminez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aarian Jiminez.

Aarian, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My social media journey started completely out of boredom. I had just gotten sent home from my dorm at Michigan State University because of COVID-19 and I was looking for new ways to express myself. I had randomly decided one day to record my wash day routine because I’ve always received questions about how I took care of my natural hair. I posted that video on TikTok and it hit 20k views; that was my first video. Now 5 years later I am a beauty influencer still sharing my favorite beauty products, tips, and tricks and I’m so happy that I finally had the courage to post that first video

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
When I started posting my videos I was a full-time college student working a part-time job and in 4 student organizations. At that time, posting consistently meant posting 1-2 times a week and possibly more if I had that time. That meant sacrificing my precious sleep to make sure I had enough content to post when I was busy with school.

Once I graduated I started working a 9-5 as an in-house content creator for Healthy Roots Dolls. Since I was already spending every day conceptualizing, creating, and posting content for that company I was so burned out when it came to doing the same for myself. I had to learn that sometimes it’s okay to step away from your brand to allow the creative juices to come back and new and refreshing content ideas.

Now with the different algorithm changes, my main challenge is not seeing the consist views I was used to when I first started posting content. However, I don’t let it get to me and continue to show up consistently for my community because I know that people are always watching and supporting me.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a full time beauty creator (@aarianjayy) that wants girls and women that look like me to believe that that their beautiful just the way that they are. My entire reason that I continued to continue creating content through all the ups and downs of my journey is because I knew how I felt when I was younger and didn’t ever see myself being represented in the media. Growing up, the women who thrived in these spaces often had loose curls and lighter skin, reflecting Eurocentric beauty standards that made me feel unseen. Content creation became my way of reclaiming that narrative, proving that we, too, belong, and that we have the power to redefine beauty and success on our own terms.

I am most known for my natural hair content showcasing my Type 4 hair and the endless products and styles we can do with it, but I have also started sharing various makeup, skincare, and nail inspo videos as well as vlogs over on my Youtube channel.

I am most proud of the community that I’ve built and knowing the impact that I have created on social media. Receiving dms and comments saying “I’ve never seen hair like mine before” or “you’ve helped me with ____” always warms my heart and pushes me to keep going and continue to post more content.

I have also recently started a new travel page (@blackgirltraveldiaries) where I can share my favorite destinations, events, and restaurants!

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I give all my credit to God! There were times when I just questioned whether I was on the right path and every time I would receive confirmation I was on the path I was destined to be on.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackgirltraveldiaries
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aarianjayy
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarianjiminez
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@aarianjayy
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@aarianjayy