Dani Austin Is Changing the Conversation Around Hair Loss
If you struggle with hair loss, you aren’t alone. Divi founder Dani Austin turned her own experience into a brand focused on confidence, and a different approach to healthier hair care. Image: Divi
For years, Dani Austin struggled with thin, brittle hair and the insecurities that came with it. When stress and hormonal changes led to significant hair thinning, she looked for answers, eventually turning her experience into Divi, a scalp and hair health brand. Now, the successful content creator, entrepreneur, and mom of four is settling into a new chapter in Nashville, complete with a slower pace, more family time, and, unexpectedly, chickens!
Can you tell us about yourself and the journey that led you to launch Divi?
I’m a content creator, entrepreneur, and mom of four, but before any of that, I was just a girl who never felt confident in her hair. I wasn’t born with thick, healthy hair — I had naturally thin, brittle hair, and it was something I struggled with for years.
On top of that, in 2019, I went through extreme hair thinning due to stress and hormonal changes, and like so many people, I tried everything I could find. Most products felt like temporary fixes instead of addressing the bigger picture of what my hair actually needed.
That experience pushed me to learn more about the science behind scalp and hair health. I spent years working alongside scientists and experts to better understand what actually supports healthier hair over time, and those learnings became the foundation for Divi.
Divi was never just about creating another hair product. It was about creating the brand I wish I’d had growing up, the one that told women they didn’t have to be born with “good hair” to feel confident. Too often, the hair industry talks to women only after something has gone wrong, whether it’s postpartum shedding, stress-related hair loss, or damage from years of styling. We wanted to shift that conversation.
Was there a turning point when you realized your personal experience had the potential to help other people?
Absolutely. The turning point came when I started sharing my hair loss journey publicly. I expected a few people to relate, but instead I heard from thousands of women who had been dealing with the same struggles. It made me realize this wasn’t just my story; it was something so many people were experiencing.
That’s when I realized this wasn’t just about hair, it was about helping people feel seen. So many of us have been taught to quietly accept our insecurities or cover them up, and I wanted to change that.
Those conversations inspired a different approach to hair care, one rooted in care instead of correction. That’s the philosophy behind GrowthCare at Divi: encouraging people to proactively care for their scalp and hair so they can feel confident through every stage of life.
How has your perspective on confidence and beauty evolved?
When I started this brand, I thought confidence meant fixing the thing I was most insecure about. I just wanted my hair to look healthier so I could feel more like myself.
Building Divi and hearing from thousands of women with similar experiences completely changed my perspective. I realized confidence isn’t about having “perfect” hair, but more so about not letting your insecurities determine how you feel about yourself.
I also learned that beauty isn’t something you achieve; it’s something you care for. That’s what GrowthCare means to me. It’s about giving your hair the same consistent care and attention we give our skin — not because you’re chasing perfection, but because it’s part of caring for yourself.
I hope Divi helps people build confidence through that mindset. Whether someone has always struggled with their hair or is just starting to think differently about how they care for it, I want them to know they don’t have to wait until something feels wrong to start investing in their hair health.
If you could go back and talk to yourself at the beginning of your hair loss journey, what would you say?
I’d tell her that not everyone is born with great hair, and that’s okay. I’d tell her not to let her hair define how she sees herself. What she was experiencing didn’t make her any less beautiful or any less worthy of feeling confident.
I’d also tell her to stop carrying it alone. The moment I started talking openly about my hair journey, I realized how many people had been quietly navigating similar experiences. That changed everything for me.
Most of all, I’d tell her that one day this challenge would become her purpose. It would inspire a brand that’s helping people think differently about hair, not as something to fix when it goes wrong, but as something to care for every day.
You’ve built a very engaged online community. How do you decide what parts of your life belong to you and what you’re comfortable with sharing publicly?
I’ve been sharing my life online since I was 19, so my community has really grown up alongside me. From the beginning, I’ve always believed that if I’m going to share something, it has to be honest and have a purpose.
I share the moments that feel meaningful to me, especially if I think they’ll help someone else or make them feel a little less alone. That’s exactly what happened with my hair journey. I never expected it to resonate the way it did, but once I started talking about it, I realized how many people were experiencing the same problems.
That reminded me that being vulnerable can create real connection. It’s shaped the way I show up online and the kind of brand I wanted Divi to be — one rooted in honesty, education, and helping people feel more confident in their own journey.
You recently moved to Nashville. What drew you here, and what has surprised you most about the city so far?
We needed more space and a slower pace for our family. Jordan and I went back and forth on the move for almost a year before we felt confident that Nashville was the right choice for us. With four kids, we wanted more room for them to run around, spend more time outside, and experience a different kind of everyday life than we had in Dallas.
What has surprised me most is how much I’ve embraced this slower pace. I never thought I’d be someone with opinions about chickens, but here we are. It’s been really fun discovering a different side of life and enjoying the little moments with our family.
Leaving Dallas was bittersweet because it was home for so many important chapters of our lives, but Nashville already feels like home in a way I didn’t expect.
What’s your favorite way to unwind?
Honestly, it’s usually the simple things. Once the kids are down, I love getting into bed, watching a show, and giving myself permission to do absolutely nothing productive.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to find out about you?
I’m actually a pretty quiet homebody. I think people see me online and assume I’m always “on,” but my favorite moments are usually the simple ones, being at home with my family, getting cozy, and having a slow night in.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
One piece of advice that has always stuck with me is to not be afraid to share the parts of your story that feel uncomfortable. Those are often the moments that connect you with people the most.
For a long time, I thought I needed to have everything figured out before I could share it. But I’ve learned that being honest about the messy parts of life can create the most meaningful connections.
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Jenna von Oy Bratcher
Jenna von Oy Bratcher is StyleBlueprint's Editorial Operations Manager and Lead Content Editor. The East Coast native moved to Nashville almost two decades ago, by way of Los Angeles. She is a lover of dogs, strong coffee, traveling, and exploring the local restaurant scene bite by bite.