Skin care is so much more important than makeup. Makeup is for when you're having fun and going out. But your skin is forever.
Halima Aden
How boring would this world be if everyone was the same?
Be who you are. It's easy to feel like you have to blend in, but it takes courage to live your life with conviction and embrace the person that you are.
My favorite part of modeling is backstage. Every day you work with different people, and as much as people learn about my story, I get to learn about theirs.
I want to go see Somalia because I've never been there, and I feel like I'm missing out. I want to learn that heritage; I want to learn about my culture.
I am proud of being a Somali-American Muslim, and my wardrobe has been an important part of my religious and cultural upbringing.
I know I got to do something that's one in a million, to escape a refugee camp, to come to this country and have so many doors open for me. So I want to go back and make a difference and give motivation or hope to all the kids that never got to leave or have the privilege that I did.
A lot of people will look at you and will fail to see your beauty because you're covered up and they're not used to it. So growing up, I just had to work on my people skills and give people a chance to really know me besides the clothing.
I want everyone to live to their full potential without having to fear someone will try to knock them down or discriminate against them.
A lot of people had a misconception that I would be the perfect poster child for Islam. So I got a lot of Instagram comments like, 'Oh, you don't have your neck covered, you're not a Muslim!' My thing is, stop judging women, especially if you're a man, because you don't know the responsibility that comes with wearing a hijab.
If there's one message I want people to take away is never compromise being your authentic self. Even if that means making others uncomfortable.
Every little girl looks up to her mom so much - that's your first hero.
There's always room to volunteer. I think that's a huge space to be involved with.
When I was younger, I got bullied for wearing my hijab.
I sleep with aloe vera on - it's super moisturizing and good for the skin - and I'll switch that up with honey, which I leave on for 10 minutes then wash off.
I mix things from my Somali culture and my American side.
I will stand up for a girl who is being harassed or bullied for choosing to wear revealing clothes. I will stand up for that!
I feel like with anything you choose to do in this world, there are always gonna be people who disagree. But I've had a lot more supporters than critics.
I feel best when I am modestly dressed. It's a choice I make and am proud of; for me, I don't think I have to show skin to be beautiful.
I learned that when you stand up for what you believe in, you'll get a lot of support. But there are always going to be negative things said about you.
I remember, when I lived in a refugee camp, it was the people who weren't Somali, the people who came from Western countries, who helped the most. I remember being six and thinking, 'I want to be one of those women,' because I knew how much they helped us.
The hijab is a symbol that we wear on our heads, but I want people to know that it is my choice. I'm doing it because I want to do it. I wanted people to see that you could still be really cute and modest at the same time.
What I have learned is that designers are willing to tell the world that they are here to empower women from all different backgrounds and different walks of life.
I want to show people there's not just one way of being Muslim.
There is a misconception that young Muslim women are oppressed. That simply isn't the case. I choose to dress modestly and choose to cover my hair with a hijab; not all Muslim women make that choice, and that's okay. We are all different!
I feel like I'm here to bust those misconceptions and stereotypes of Muslim women.
When you're a kid, to be honest, you could be in the worst situation ever, but you're still going to have ways to enjoy it.
America has always been a land of diversity, basically made up of immigrants, and that is something I want to see continued. It's something I'm proud of when people think of America.
A lot of people have the misconception that, as a Muslim woman, I am somehow against women wearing bikinis. No, I want women to feel comfortable and confident in whatever they wear.
There is not one description of beauty - that in fact it has different faces, different stories, and different background, and it's important to embrace all of those.
To be honest, before I joined the industry, I knew very little about the fashion world, and I hardly knew any name brands. Probably because the price tags were a little too high, and home girl needed to work.
I'm covered up, but I'm still getting these comments that say I shouldn't be. But the girls who wear the bikinis, they're being told they're too revealing! Enough. It's their body, their choice.
The fashion industry really welcomed me with open arms and open hearts. They've been very accepting of my faith. I have strict wardrobe requirements, and that's something they've upheld.
It's always been hard trying to find the right pieces that go together, but it's always been something that interests me - finding new ways to be fashionable and cute but still being modest.
People I looked up to a lot were, you know, Oprah because she had a rough childhood but overcame so many obstacles and broke barriers to become who she is. It was really eye opening to me: just because I had a rough childhood doesn't mean that I can't make something of myself.
Always stay true to who you are - barriers can and will be broken!
Shopping for hijabs has always been fun for me. I was so excited to begin wearing a headscarf. I had always looked up to my mother as she wore hers, and I was eager to emulate her beauty and the wonderful things she represented.
It's important to remember all the millions of people that are starving.
Diversity and inclusion are always something industries should strive for.
I don't just want to support only Muslim women. I want to inspire women across the board, and I'm hoping they won't allow things to get in the way.
My goal is to send a message to Muslim women and young women everywhere that it's okay to break stereotypes and be yourself.
I know that for me, a lot of people will look at me and they'll think 'Somali' or 'outsider' instead of 'Minnesota.'
Wearing modest clothing is a belief, and I'm not going to say that every Muslim woman is in my shoes, but the majority of us do have a choice.
I like shopping at retail places like JC Penney or Macy's, and maybe buying a top or a shirt, and then buying a skirt from Rue 21 or Forever 21 because they have the maxi skirts, which I appreciate so much, and then topping it off with something that I buy from a Somali shop.
I never grew up seeing women that looked like me in magazines or on TV and didn't feel like I had a place in the world of fashion. I am honoured to be part of that change.
What I do is I always try to educate myself about my neighbors, about the people I meet.
My mom and grandma, growing up, one thing they emphasized was that you need to make sure that anything you put on your skin is also digestible by the body. For example, if something isn't safe for me to eat or consume, it's probably not good for your face. So I do a lot of natural remedies.
I used to be so self-conscious about my braces that people thought I was shy - I just never talked. It took me a long time to realize, whatever, it's not like I'll have them forever, so I might as well enjoy it while I do!
Sometimes I'll go with a long hijab, or sometimes I'll wear my scarf and go somewhat business-y with a blazer. Every day is something new.
I have much more to offer than my physical appearance, and a hijab protects me against 'You're too skinny,' 'You're too thick,' 'Look at her hips,' 'Look at her thigh gap.' I don't have to worry about that.
