Deciding to go natural with curly hair is a big decision. It sometimes requires cutting off all of the seriously damaged hair and committing to a routine that uses only beneficial products. In previous years, the natural hair movement has become the center of YouTube videos and Instagram posts. It has penetrated stores like Target and Walmart. I, myself, was swept up in the excitement of embracing my natural texture. Like thousands of women (and men) with curly hair, I was thrilled that the mainstream market and media were taking an interest in hair types like mine. One of the major brands that has contributed to the success of the natural hair movement is DevaCurl. While I never used DevaCurl products because they seemed too expensive for a broke college student like myself, I always considered them to be the holy grail of curly hair care. In the past several months, though, DevaCurl has come under harsh scrutiny as users of their products claim that they have experienced hair damage and loss at the hands of the brand.
This isn’t the first time that hair product companies have faced serious claims about the damaging effects of their products. In 2016, Wen hair care came under similar scrutiny when 200 women filed a law suit claiming that their cleaning conditioner caused severe hair loss. With the allegations being made against DevaCurl, it’s important to know how this controversy began and where it’s heading.
What is DevaCurl?
DevaCurl opened their first salon in 1994 in New York City. The salon was dedicated to curly hair. Since then, the company has grown to create DevaCurl styling techniques, stylist trainings and products. With a focus on curly hair, the brand expanded beyond the walls of their salon. Today, stylists can pay to be trained in the DevaCurl method in hopes of attracting customers who want to embrace their natural texture. The company also sells products directly to consumers. On DevaCurl’s website, you can take a quiz to find out more about your curly hair type and what DevaCurl products might work best for you. DevaCurl was able to capitalize on a corner of the market early on that only came into fruition in recent years: embracing natural curly hair textures.
What are the complaints?
The controversy around DevaCurl and their products was started when several social media influencers and long-time DevaCurl advocates spoke out about issues they were experiencing with their hair. Customers were complaining that they were experiencing damage to their curl texture and scalp. They also reported the triggering of psoriasis and hair loss. Users of DevaCurl took to their social media platforms to share before and after pictures of their hair. On one side, there would be a Pinterest-worthy picture of curly hair, and the other would contain the same head of hair with more frizz and less curl definition. Customers also stated that increased hair loss had left them with new-found bald spots and less hair density. As a woman with curly hair, I could not imagine experiencing this kind of damage whether it was caused by DevaCurl or not. It takes years to build up strength in curly hair and see visible growth in length. Setbacks like the ones documented could make someone’s entire curly hair journey seem pointless and their efforts inconsequential.
Who has spoken out?
In August 2019, Stephanie Mero posted a YouTube video on her channel explaining why she had stopped using DevaCurl products and why she had removed previous references to those products from her channel. As a curly hair stylist herself, Mero had been a long-time advocate for DevaCurl, and she had suggested the products to her customers. Mero said that she had stopped using the products because of hair loss, loss in density and loss in definition. However, the issue truly went viral when Ayesha Malik posted a video in January about the problems she had experienced after dedicating herself to the DevaCurl brand. It was Malik’s video that first drew my attention to the budding controversy. Since influencers and stylists have come forward to share their stories, a Facebook group has been created for those who believe they are suffering at the hands of DevaCurl. The group named “Hair Damage and Loss from DevaCurl – You’re not CRAZY or ALONE!” currently has 54,049 members.
Not all of the social media buzz has been negative. Several YouTuber’s have taken to their channel to share their positive experiences with DevaCurl. Joslyn Davis published a video explaining how DevaCurl has influenced her curly hair routine and highlighted that she did not have any personal negative experiences. Yet, she did not say that she saw the claims as untruthful, only that she could not speak to them herself. Manes by Mell also came out with a video explaining how other problems in hair care could create the negative results being seen by DevaCurl users. She stressed that correlation does not equal causation. According to her, the reported damage could be from a buildup of products on the scalp or an improper balancing of hair needs.
What does DevaCurl have to say?
The first official statement from DevaCurl was posted on the blog that is located on their website. In their post, DevaCurl assured buyers that their products were tested thoroughly and were assessed for quality before they were put on the market. The post also stated that independent toxicology reports had been done to verify that the products were safe.
With a continued buzz around the growing claims, DevaCurl released another statement on Feb. 11, addressing the growing concerns of their consumers. The company stated that “You can feel confident using DevaCurl because all of our products have gone through rigorous testing that has confirmed they are safe and adhere to both quality assurance and regulatory standards.” The brand also said that it would partner with medical professionals, dermatologists and other experts to fully address the needs of those using their products.
What happens next?
The conflict between DevaCurl and their unhappy customers is still in its beginning stages. A class-action law suit has been filed against the brand by several consumers. DevaCurl has acknowledged that they are aware of the filed lawsuit but will not comment on litigation.
Those who were on the fence about DevaCurl’s role in the controversy called for the brand to release the third-party toxicology reports.
In an NPR interview, Mero suggested that for those who were adversely affected by DevaCurl, the next step is to begin to repair the damage. In her interview, Mero explained that “severely damaged hair has to be treated completely different.” She said that stylists will have to re-educate themselves on working with damaged curly hair in light of the scandal.
For many women who have embraced their curly hair texture (me included), hair is more than cosmetic. These women place a portion of their identity on their hair and its health. As the issues between DevaCurl and the accusations against them play out, it will impact those who ascribe to the curly-haired lifestyle and products that are popularized within the natural hair movement.