Meet Annie – hair crises, family and finding joy in the everyday

Meet Annie Rapp. Marketing Director, mum of two and a firm believer in enjoying both life's big adventures and its small everyday moments. Meet Annie and read about her family, curls, resilience and why kindness is important to her.

Tell us about yourself and your family

I live with my family on Kungsholmen in Stockholm – me, my husband Bryan, and our two children, Audrey and George, who are 11 and 7. We live in a small, converted four-room apartment with an almost townhouse-like feel, which we absolutely love. Our home is warm, lively and often full of people, laughter and the occasional meltdown over all the things left lying around on the floor.

Audrey has the most incredible head of curly hair. It takes both time and patience, but it’s absolutely beautiful. She uses a lot of Rufs products at home, especially the Shampoo and Conditioner. George, on the other hand, didn’t get any curls at all. Bryan used to have hair once upon a time, but shaved it all off when it started thinning and it actually suited him really well.

What do you appreciate most in life?

Being healthy and having incredible people around me. I’m actually quite good at enjoying life and appreciating both the big things and the small everyday moments. I love my early mornings before the kids wake up, when I go for a short run and do some strength training down on the jetty below our home – even though it can feel pretty brutal when the alarm goes off.

I love our social life and spending time with close friends, but I appreciate a Friday night at home in comfy clothes with my family and an excessive amount of cheese puffs just as much. I love creating memories with my family, travelling and experiencing things together. It’s really the combination of the big adventures and the small everyday moments that makes me happy. I get just as excited when the peonies arrive at the market square where we live.

I’ve always been quite good at enjoying life, but I became even better at it after I became seriously ill in August 2024. I was lucky to get to the hospital in time, and although it was an incredibly difficult period, it shaped me into a better person.

I became more straightforward, calmer and better at slowing down, breathing and listening to myself. And even better at recognising what truly matters.

What do you do for work?

I work as a Marketing Director, which suits me perfectly because I love people, PR, building brands and creating relationships.

What does your hair mean to you? Tell us about your hair journey!

My hair is actually going through a bit of a crisis right now. It feels dry and a little sad, so I’m trying to bring it back to life with hair masks and pretty much anything else I can get my hands on. Rufs Conditioner has helped me a lot, adding daily moisture to my curls.

I have naturally wavy and curly hair, but I used to straighten it all the time and I mean all the time. Back in the ’90s, I even used an actual clothes iron.

About 12 years ago, I started letting my curls simply be curls, and today they feel so much more like me. But right now, there are definitely still plenty of bad hair days, haha.

When does your hair feel its best?

When it’s not freshly washed and has had some time to settle into its natural shape.

Two final questions!

1. What makes you angry, and what would you like to change?

I get angry about what Sweden and the world have become today. I grew up believing that everyone is equal and that we should help one another, but sometimes it feels as though many people have lost sight of that along the way. That is the most important thing we can teach our children: that everyone is equal and deserves to be treated with kindness and respect.

The state of the world also makes me sad. A lot happened when I was growing up in the ’80s and ’90s too, but in my 41 years on this earth, it still feels as though the world has never been on fire quite like it is today. The world needs more kindness. We need to be kinder to one another. Our children are growing up here.

Other things that can make me angry, unrelated to the state of the world, are people who don’t respond to important work-related questions, lazy people and people who do nothing but complain.

Everyone carries their own baggage, as I often say. Everyone goes through difficult things. But if we take the time to look, we all have something to be grateful for. That’s important to remember.

2. What are you curious about?

Life and people. I love people, that’s probably why I work in PR and marketing. I’m also curious about the future. What I’ll be doing five years from now, what the children will be like then and where life will take us next.

About Annie

• Likes: My family, the people I love, working out, athletics, dinners that never end, wine, cooking and travel.

• A hairstyle or hair treatment I’d dare to try: I’ve already been through quite a few hair crises and hairstyles over the years, but I’d love to try a long-lasting treatment that deeply moisturises my hair and helps reduce frizz.

• Best hair tip: Never go to sleep with wet hair. You never know what might happen during the night – and you could wake up with a full-blown hair crisis.

• Favourite Rufs product: The Conditioner. Without a doubt!

• Till annies instagramkonto👉@annierapp

Annie´s best tips for Kungsholmen

• Visit Rådhusbaren, an incredibly cosy wine bar and restaurant on Bergsgatan. Get there early if you want a seat outside.

• Go for a run along the waterfront, pass Stockholm City Hall and take in the beautiful architecture. Don’t forget to look out for all the couples getting married!

• Stop for an after-work drink at the green 1950s caravan on the pier along the waterfront. Order a drink, get a few small plates to share and enjoy the atmosphere.

• Don’t miss the market at Kungsholms torg, where you’ll find a little bit of everything.

• For some of the best cheese and other treats in Stockholm, visit Wijnjas on Bergsgatan. The staff are incredible too.

• Visit the fruit shop on Hantverkargatan. It first opened in 1907 and has an incredible selection of food, fruit and fun ice creams. 

• For the atmosphere, food and wonderful staff, visit Mäster Anders.

• And last but not least: take a walk along Norr Mälarstrand, go for a swim from one of the piers with a bathing ladder and enjoy the view.