Last month, we launched braid better in three pretty pink shades that looked as sweet as bubblegum, as dainty as a pearl, and as vibrant as dragon fruit. What makes this addition to our collection special is that to us, pink has a deeper meaning. This year's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we got to know Katie Pinkson, who shares her story of survivorship.
Black women face disproportionate exposure to breast carcinogens, commonly found in personal care and beauty products. We’re also at the highest risk of severe health impacts from the disease.
According to Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP), the mortality rate for Black women diagnosed with breast cancer is 42% higher than the comparable rate for white women.
“There are a lot of carcinogens in beauty products, particularly in beauty products marketed towards women of color, “ Katie, a Breast Cancer survivor, shares. “Having products out there that are safe and also sustainable is really important to the Black community.”
BCPP compiled a list of products often marketed towards Black women, like hair relaxers, skin lightening creams, and acrylic nails, containing some of the most dangerous ingredients in cosmetics. Unfortunately, this list is incomplete and doesn't include products like hair extensions, where Black women are the primary consumers.
Plastic synthetic hair, manufactured with minimal regulations, is made from a combination of ultra-fine strands of plastic, petrochemical-derived materials, such as polyester, acrylic, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). These materials mimic human hair by being heated and formed into strands.
PVC is a known human carcinogen linked to breast cancer, liver cancer, brain cancer, and blood cancers. These materials don't belong anywhere near our bodies, let alone touching our scalps, face, and upper back area. Scalp irritation, itchiness, or redness from plastic synthetic hair is our body's innate response to contact dermatitis, a rash caused by contact with certain substances.
Rebundle was created with all of us in mind. Although more research is needed to understand the correlation between plastic synthetic hair and breast carcinogens, we couldn’t wait that long and knew that an alternative would need to be ever-present and represented by the color pink in our collection last October.
