Hidden Gems: Meet Nina Nine Martinez-McCaslin of N9na’s Apothecary LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nina Nine Martinez-McCaslin.

Hi Nina Nine, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I began to lose my hair at age 16. After going to the dermatologist and receiving cranial steroid shots and not seeing any growth, the doctor discharged me after a year and told me, “if your hair grows back, it could come back white, and it will more than likely fall out again.” By the time I was 18, any hair I had left was gone, but thanks to my grandmother, who introduced and got me intrigued with natural medicine & herbs. I kept telling myself, “I know there’s a natural way.” After many sleepless nights staying up, reading, and researching, I began to experiment with different herbs and cultivated something magical. After about 3 months of consistently applying the hair food, I was impressed with how much growth I started to see in myself. Even more so impressed to see faster results than I did going to the dermatologist. It’s been 5 years since I lost all of my hair completely, 5 years later, the longest my hair reached was 26” inches.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been a process, but that’s where the beauty is! However, I’ve had concerns asking if my product was bbq sauce in a container or if my product was suitable for all hair types. I can assure you my product is not bbq sauce. However, it is all-natural, so that you can taste it! But it is a little spicy. Yes, my product is suitable for all hair types as well. I recommend using my product on the days you wash your hair. Everyone has different hair washing schedules, so I recommend applying it and leaving it on for 30minutes-1hr before washing it out. However, testimonials were very helpful, especially when I showed my hair growth progress.

As you know, we’re big fans of N9na’s Apothecary LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
I am Nina, nine or also known as the hair lady. I am known for losing all of my hair and regrowing it back with my products. I cultivate teas with locally sourced herbs. I also supply handmade soaps, oils, reusable napkins, and earrings. However, I also love fashion! I will occasionally help with styling jobs on the side. I was recently part of a music video that’s been posted to YouTube and has gotten over 59k views so far! I was the fashion stylist/ costume creator. I also offer handmade hats made with upcycled fabrics. ( 40% of the proceeds made go directly to Wichitas littlest heroes ).

We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking.
Take that risk! Because when tomorrow comes. You’re going to think to yourself, ‘ah, I should’ve done that ‘or ‘I should’ve gone there. ‘Take the opportunity when you can. I took the biggest risk when I first started my apothecary shop. Again it wasn’t easy! I started by making 10oz jars of product at a time and giving out sample sizes in 1oz containers. Not very much! But I kept the faith because I knew my product’s potential. Thanks to TikTok, I made a small video but posted it on Facebook and got over 5.7 k views! That’s when the business started looking up. I no longer make 10oz jars of product at a time. Long story short.

Pricing:

• Hair food 8 oz – $18.00
• Hair growth oil 1 oz – $20.00
• Hair growth package – $35.00

Contact Info:

• Website: N9nasapothecary.com
• Instagram: @n9nasapothecaryllc_
• Facebook: N9na’s Apothecary LLC
• Other: Tiktok @n9nasapothecaryllc

Image Credits
Elizabeth Thi Photography LLC