Black Women & L'OReal Hair Relaxer

I’m sure by now you’ve heard about the lawsuit that was filed against L’Oreal. And if not, I can quickly fill you in.

L’Oreal is being sued over the use of certain chemical ingredients found in their hair straightening products and their link to the increased risk of cancer - specifically uterine cancer. 

The biggest issue is the consistent and long-term exposure to phthalates and other endocrine disrupting chemicals that come by way of using these products.

Remember what endocrine disruptors are? EDs are chemical ingredients that mimic hormones and alter the way hormones are created and responding in our bodies. EDs increase the risk of several hormone related cancers and long-term diseases. 

Many Black women can remember getting their hair straightened (using such products that L’Oreal made) for the first time at young ages, often in elementary school. Why does that matter? Because it outlines the early and prolonged exposure to these ingredients throughout the course of the lives of many Black women.

The Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that among those who use hair straightening products at least four times a year nearly doubled the likelihood of developing either uterine cancer and/or fibroids. 

The products included in the study found to have this connection were Just for Me, Dark & Lovely, Olive Oil Relaxer and Organic Root Stimulator. 

The importance of this study is that it is the first epidemiological evidence of association between the use of straightening products and uterine cancer. 

L’Oreal has more than likely known about the harmful effects of some of the chemical ingredients they were using dating back to 2015. 

Without FDA authority and oversight, however, the company has no legal reason to either obtain approval before putting products on shelves, nor did they have to disclose what they knew about the ingredients they were using or stop using them all together. (Update, legislation has just passed that improves this situation for the industry as a whole. Small progress is still progress!) 

This is also where the ingredient “fragrance/parfum” becomes a huge issue. Due to  the ability of not having to list what chemicals are being used under the housing of fragrance, once a company knows of a long-term health effect they can place that ingredient under fragrance and never blatantly list it on the ingredients list. 

The lawsuit addresses this specifically, as they claim L'Oreal knew about the dangerous chemicals and suppressed the information while actively marketing the product - to Black women.

L’Oreal has previously made a statement that their “highest priority is the health, wellness and safety of our consumers… {L’Oreal} upholds the highest standard of safety for all its products… {and is} subject to rigorous scientific evaluation of their safety by experts.”

But does that truly fit reality? 

It’s hard to digest when you add the fact that the European Union bans the use of parabens. That essentially means the Dark & Lovely product, for example, is formulated differently for other markets that prioritize the health of consumers? Yes. 

Formaldehyde, metals and parabens should all be avoided.

Especially when harm is placed on the health of Black women standing on the backs of white-prioritized beauty standards.