The streets are talking and natural haircare brand DevaCurl has some explaining to do.
After experiencing hair loss and severe chemical damage, thousands of customers and influencers alike have taken to the internet to give their reviews on the haircare collection, which could potentially be facing a major lawsuit in the near future.
While the company has built its brand on being a healthy, mainstream solution for naturalistas, critics claim that the DevaCurl collection is the culprit of irreversible damage to their curl pattern and must be stopped.
Since news of the company's potential legal debacle has gone viral, Facebook groups, YouTube videos, and bad reviews are showing up all over the internet, including but not limited to the thoughts of former DevaCurl ambassador Ayesha Malika and creative influencer Akwaeke Emezi who say they saw a notable difference in their curl pattern after implementing DevaCurl in their haircare routine.
Although DevaCurl's former customers seem to be showing the company absolutely no mercy, the brand has been adamant about the fact that their products have been tested and proven safe for human use. In a statement released yesterday, the company said:
"Because some of our community have recently asked more questions about some of our products we have conducted additional testing at the manufacturer and warehouse level. In addition, we worked with an independent third-party toxicologist to verify the safety of these formulas. All these tests verified there are no safety issues with our products."
So far, no charges have been filed and it's unclear if victims will seek compensation for their loss in the future, but it's safe to say that the company has been cursed with a permanent side-eye by the WOC community, but luckily for those of us who don't want our edges snatched (by harmful haircare products, at least), there are hella other options available, and xoNecole has all the deets.
As Black women become more and more hip to the holistic wellness game, we are becoming more prone to stray away from harmful, chemically-infused products that threaten our health and if you're looking for a new, all-natural product line to add to your collection, here are 5 haircare products that won't lead your curl pattern (or your edges) astray:
Featured image by DevaCurl.
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Now, when you go to the hair store you are inundated with all kinds of hair textures, colors, and more. That’s why it was so upsetting to read the latest report about synthetic braiding hair.
Delmaine Donson/ Getty Images
A Feb 27 Consumer Reports article revealed that most popular synthetic hair brands that are used for braiding have dangerous chemicals such as carcinogens, lead and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The report stated that 10 of the brands were tested and all 10 had these chemicals. These brands included Shake-N-Go, Sassy Collection, and Sensationnel.
These chemicals include benzene, which is a carcinogen that has been linked to acute myeloid leukemia and unsafe levels of lead, which can cause kidney damage, brain damage, and cardiovascular problems in adults.
In children, it can cause brain and nervous system damage, learning disabilities, behavioral problems and even developmental delays.
James E. Rogers, PhD, director and head of product safety testing led the testing for synthetic braiding hair. “Our exposure and risk analysis found all nine products could expose a regular user of any of these products to a level of lead that could be concerning over time,” he said.
As shocking as this is, it also brought some clarity around why I’ve had issues with wearing braiding hair as of late.
Not only have I dealt with scalp irritation, I’ve even had breakouts on my back from the hair touching. Since then, I’ve started rinsing the hair with apple cider vinegar, and haven’t had that many issues. However, the report stated that ACV isn’t a “cure-all” and can potentially release harmful chemicals when rinsing the hair.
@javonford16 Replying to @Julianna Rebundle vid: @Javon Ford Beauty #blackhairstyles #braidinghair #blackgirlhairstyles @Consumer Reports
While the report sparked some outrage, chemist Javon Ford has a different view. In a TikTok video, he shared that the report was tested for oral exposure and not dermal exposure.
He showed a screenshot of an email he allegedly sent Consumer Reports questioning their decision to test this way. The email said, “the best model to use, in our view, is the ingestion model for the reasons given in the article.”
“While I understand they went with that model, I don’t agree with it because you’re not intentionally ingesting braids,” Javon said. The chemist also said that the amount of chemicals found in the brands is “conservative” compared to other types of products.
So what does this mean for us braid-wearers? If you still want to wear braids, but have some concerns, you can limit how often you wear them. Another option is wearing non-toxic braiding hair or plant-based hair. The only downside is that it's pricier than synthetic hair.
The Consumer Report also suggested checking for recalls, reading labels carefully, and reporting adverse effects. Hair isn’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so it’s best to do your research when making purchases.
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Feature image by AzmanL/ Getty Images