“African Pride, made my hair run and hide!”
by JaeVera
Hey Curl Crew,
Welcome back to the Curl Chronicles! On this issue, we’re going to talk about the horrors of cheating on your hair products! Unfortunately, there came a time I had the unusual idea to experiment with other products, specifically African Pride; boy do I ever regret that!
African Pride
African Pride is a cosmetic company that claims to develop natural hair products for all curly hair types. Some of the highlights that are attached to their goods are “naturally retains moisture and adds shine”, “restores, prevents damage and helps promote hair growth” as well as “deeply conditions, hydrates, and helps repair”.
(picture provided by Target at https://www.target.com/p/african-pride-honey-chocolate-38-coconut-oil-conditioner-16-fl-oz/-/A-86919250#lnk=sametab)
Furthermore, the ingredients in the products include (but are not limited to) phenoxyethanol and propylene glycol which are two types of preservatives. Did you know that “Phenoxyethanol” is used as a preservative in cosmetic products and also as a stabilizer in perfumes and soaps. Exposure to phenoxyethanol has been linked to reactions ranging from eczema to severe, life-threatening allergic reactions. Infant oral exposure to phenoxyethanol can acutely affect nervous system function, according to “Campaign for Safe Cosmetics”. “Propylene Glycol” has been associated with irritant and allergic contact dermatitis as well as contact urticaria in humans; these sensitization effects can be manifested at propylene glycol concentrations as low as 2%.
Usage over time
I began using African Pride at the end of September of 2022. Initially, I would use their curling gel, chocolate and honey shampoo and conditioner as well as their hair growth oil. At first, my hair seemed to adjust well, and the products proved to be beneficial. Of the aforementioned “benefits”, I must say that my favorite was the scents, especially the chocolate and honey line pictured above.
However, after three months, my hair was beginning to strip and thin. When I would attempt “wash-and-go” styles, I found that my hair would look dry and brittle. Moreover, washing was mortifying as I would watch my hair rip in chunks when I would detangle it. One day, I decided to get my hair washed and blow dried only to notice that my hair strands were not silky and smooth, but frizzy and staticky.
Before African Pride
In these before photos, I was using UAllNaturals full hair care system. The system includes a moisturizing shampoo, avocado conditioner, chocolate hair mask, souffle and hair growth oil. The key ingredients in these products are fully organic and botanically based. Some of the ingredients that UAllNatural uses may include the following: tea tree oil, fermented fruits and vegetables as well as avocados, butters etc.. To boot, UAllNatural was able to accommodate my dermatitis and developed a formulation that was antifungal in order to combat the excessive sebum my scalp tends to develop using flowers from the owners gardens.
After three months of usage
Contrary to African Pride’s claim to “restore and prevent damage” after just three months, it did the opposite of what it claimed, my hair was a wreck!
Due to the extreme deterioration that my hair has undergone, I now have to cut the majority of it off. I’ve gotten inventive by getting bangs for now, yet the limp and lifelessness is still seen in some areas; don’t worry, the fairytale ending is coming!
Thankfully, I came to my senses and went back to UAllNatural in January. After just two uses of their hair care system, my strands were revived! Now, a month later, I have seen my hair retain its moisture while gradually returning to its previous curl pattern. Let this be a lesson to all, never cheat on UAllNatural, it’s just not worth the risk.