Chyna Mills on Family, Fame, and Finding Her Voice

Chyna Mills shares her journey from Love Island fame to inspiring motherhood, beauty, and black female empowerment through authenticity and digital influence

Chyna Mills is redefining what it means to be an influencer. After rising to fame on Love Island, Chyna has built a powerful presence online while drawing from her background in social care. Now, she’s inspiringa community of followers to embrace motherhood, beaut and self-love. We caught up with Chyna to learn more about her journey.

Where do you call home?

I recently moved to Hertfordshire with my partner Neil and baby girl Havana, but my heart remains in Leeds with my family. Home is truly wherever they are!

What does your typical day look like?

My daily life is centred around Havana. From the moment she wakes up, I’m in full ‘mum mode’. Our days usually involve trips to the farm, playgroup sessions and visits to the library for storytime. Once Havana is asleep for the night, my work day begins with content creation and responding to emails and messages.

How did you become the successful entrepreneur you are today?

My journey has been marked by both sacrifices and growth. I’ve learned from my mistakes and taken on valuable advice from those I trust. I believe authenticity is key in my profession and I never try to be someone I’m not. I have a loyal and engaged following I think because they find me relatable and ‘normal’.

What does your typical creative process look like?

It may sound unusual, but I often find that my creativity sparks during meditation before bed. I keep a notepad by my bedside to capture any thoughts or ideas that arise. Also, bouncing ideas around with my partner who is very creative.

What inspired you the most when starting out your career?

My family, especially my mother, have been my greatest inspiration. From a young age, she encouraged me to embrace my individuality and strive to reach my full potential. In my career now, Havana drives everything that I do.

How has your career evolved?

My journey has been quite diverse, from working in social care with children in care to appearing on Love Island and then building my own family. Now, I’m passionate about supporting other families on their parenthood journeys, working with brands that I love and believe in, and sharing my discoveries with my followers.

Describe the moment you realised you could turn your passion into a career?

I’ve always dreamed of supporting others, but only recently did I realise the positive impact of my current work. The community we’re building is incredible–I never imagined I’d be in this position. I’m aligning with charities and causes I’m passionate about. To be able to shine a spotlight on worthwhile causes is important to me.

What has been the biggest challenge in your career?

The most significant challenge I’ve faced was being trolled online and my baby girl being trolled. It really affected me, as I never anticipated experiencing such negativity. Dealing with postpartum and online trolling simultaneously took a massive toll on my well-being and made me question being in this space at all. Speaking out about it really helped– the support I received assured me that I’m doing exactly what I should be.

What assumptions do people make about your career which are the total opposite?

I’ve found that when people see me working outside of a traditional job, they often assume my work is easy or that I have lots of free time. The reality is quite different – I often have less time to myself than I’d imagined and find myself dedicating more time to work than I ever expected.

Being a mum is a full-time job in itself, and the hardest but most rewarding job I’ve ever had. Shout out to us mums juggling it all!

What makes your current project unique?

I’m excited to see that we’re entering a new era where social media as a profession is finally normalised and respected – I love seeing all the black content creators doing their thing and being successful!

How does your career blend into your personal life?

The two go hand-in-hand as the majority of my work centres on me as a mum and on black haircare and beauty. So I’m very lucky in that respect. The only downside I would say is that sometimes there’s no end and finish to what is ‘work’ or not!

How has being a black woman influenced your career?

Having a Caribbean background, I’ve always been instilled with the value of working hard to achieve the best for myself and my family. I guess it’s also made me tougher with the knockbacks and stronger. Plus more powerful to know my worth and what I will and won’t accept.

What has been your experience being a black woman in your industry?

While it’s certainly been a challenging journey, I’m encouraged to see that more and more brands and companies are embracing inclusivity. I love seeing all us black content creators at events and online and that our work is valued.

What’s your favourite part of being a black woman?

Being able to share our rich culture and community with my daughter. We are fortunate to have so many influential black women who inspire us and have made a significant impact on countless lives.

Which one black icon would you like to spend the day with?

If I could spend the day with one black icon, it would be my grandmother. She was a tremendous inspiration to me, and I would love nothing more than to sit and talk with her about her life and accomplishments.

How does your hair play a part in how you express yourself?

I’ve always believed that hair is a powerful form of self-expression. My family is full of hairdressers, so I’ve been fortunate to experiment with many different styles over the years, depending on my mood and you will see that I regularly switch up my style from one week to the next!

How has your relationship with your hair been throughout the years?

I’ve always had a very positive relationship with my hair! Taking care of it has always been important to me, as I believe in nourishing and loving it. This is even more important to me now that I have Havana. She’s been blessed with luscious curls, and I want her to grow up loving her hair as much as I do. I believe I need to lead by example and show her how much I love and care for my own hair.

What message and advice can you give to black women?

I would advise black women to love themselves and share that love with others. Smash through any glass ceilings, never dull your sparkle for anyone. We got this!

Where can we find you?

Instagram | @chymills_