If you are a curly-haired gal and have gone through the struggle of trying to find the perfect hair products for your curls, then you have most likely encountered DevaCurl.
DevaCurl, for the ladies that do not know, is a hair brand that dedicated itself to becoming the holy-grail for curly girls of all spectrums. Whether you had 4C tight-coiled hair, 3A ringlets, or a 2B beachy wave, DevaCurl assured that they had the perfect product for you. How did they achieve this? They had a spectrum of products from conditioners that were high in moisture for thicker curly hair to gels that were lighter on the hold to not weigh down finer curly hair. Additionally, they were known as the pioneers for taking the “poo” out of shampoo and created their “low-poo/no-poo” product that was essentially a cleansing conditioner. They were incredibly successful in creating a sphere for curly girls to begin their hair transformations and even opened “Devachan” salons where ladies can get the dreamy “Deva Cut.” It seemed like the perfect hair brand, so what went wrong?
In the past few weeks, many previous DevaCurl users have come forth with distraught concerns about what the products have done to their curls and self-esteem. The assertions ranged from hair/curl loss, scalp damage, hormonal level changes, short-term memory, and changes in the skin. What was most appalling and helped propel the class action against DevaCurl forward was the statement brought forth by Ayesha Malik – a once-partner of DevaCurl. In two lengthy YouTube videos, Malik talks about her experience with DevaCurl and the effect it has had on her. If you have not watched the videos yet, I strongly urge you to.
Ayesha Malik used DevaCurl since 2017 and as a curly-hair influencer, she would post a lot about her hair and how she styled it on social media. Unlike other curly-hair influencers, she states in her video that she predominately used DevaCurl – she owned and used mostly every product meant for her hair type. Any conditioner, cream, gel, micro-fiber towel and even hairdryer she owned was from DevaCurl. In January 2019, she found that her hair was not bouncy and full of life as it once was. Assuming it was an error on her part, she added more DevaCurl products to her hair, until August 2019 when she discontinued the products. She released her video in hopes to reach other curly-hair individuals and warn them about the effects DevaCurl has had on her.
Many Facebook groups now exist (and existed prior to this video) that have been created for the purpose of getting the message out about DevaCurl including “Hair Damage & Hair Loss from DevaCurl-You’re Not Crazy or Alone” with fifty-four thousand members created by Stephanie Mero A.K.A the Curl Ninja. Members in the group share their stories, how the products have affected them, and how one can be involved in the class action or a mass tort (if one has received a refund).
On February 11th, DevaCurl released a statement in which they state that all their products are “rigorously tested” and “are safe and adhere to both quality assurance and regulatory standards.” DevaCurl representatives refused to discuss questions of performance testing and harmful ingredients found in their products.
For my curly girls out there, stay safe with the products you use in your hair! If you own any DevaCurl products and have noticed any of the symptoms stated above, please consider discontinuing use until new statements from DevaCurl come forth. Additionally, consider downloading the “Think Dirty” app to determine whether the hair products you use are good for your hair! I wish you the best of luck from one curly girl to another!
Source 1 | Source 2 | Ayesha Malik’s Channel | Facebook Group