With so many hair care products on the market today, how can a consumer know which one is right for them? What makes AfroVeda® Hair Care Products special or different? What does 100% natural actually mean? Are AfroVeda® products only for natural hair?
If you’re like many consumers you’ve had all of the above questions and many others. In the next few pages, you’ll find the answers to these questions and some you may have not thought to ask. You’ll want to find out what’s the rave about AfroVeda® Hair Care Products and join women around the world who have come to enjoy healthier hair!
The Marriage of Health & Hair Care In early 2008, Mala came across Ayurveda, an intricate system of healing that has been practiced continuously for over 5,000 years. Not only is the system of Ayurveda designed around using all natural and organic ingredients, but the system promotes principles of health and healing, something near and dear to Mala. It was after her research, and consulting with a chemist who could help her to put everything in order, that AfroVeda® Hair Care Products was officially born! Today, AfroVeda® offers more than 30 products, significantly different from most other hair care products currently on the market. For one, AfroVeda® products are made by hand of the highest standards, free of parabens, sulfates or other harmful ingredients and are not just for consumers with natural hair styles. Additionally, because AfroVeda® products are formulated following the Ayurveda intricate system of healing, consumers purchase products based on their “dosha” (or body) type and not just “what sounds good on the label”. All AfroVeda® products contain Ayurvedic herbs, oils and botanicals proven to have positive health benefits. They are formulated according to specific body types (or "dosha" as explained in Ayurveda), taking into consideration all things necessary to maintain equilibrium in the body, without regard to race, hair texture, natural or relaxed hair. Mala Rhodes, CEO & Founder AfroVeda® Hair Care Products
MEDIA Go “Back to Your Roots” with AfroVeda Hair Care April 24, 2012 By Jamie Fleming-Dixon Founder and CEO of AfroVeda Hair Care, Mala Rhodes was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma with her parents and seven brothers and sisters. After high school, she studied biology at a local college, then moved to Dallas, Texas to continue her studies. Mala later received her license as a massage therapist where she specialized in medical massage and massage for cancer patients. While working in this field, Mala received numerous certifications under the umbrella of “massage therapy,” which gave her the know-how to create specialty massage oils and body products for her clients. Around the eighth year of her working as an oncology massage therapist, Mala discovered the science of Ayurveda. Check out FCG’s interview with Mala below:
For Colored Gurls: How did you become interested in entrepreneurship? Mala Rhodes: For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in owning my own business. At the age of eight, my parents let me set up a lemonade stand in our front yard. My sister and I “owned” the business, and I became convinced that this was the life for me. As an adult working in Corporate America, I was even more determined to have something to call my own. I had a few businesses prior to starting AfroVeda, which gave me great insight on what it takes to have a successful business. FCG: How did you become interested in hair care? Mala: I grew up with four sisters and three brothers, so quite naturally, my mother did not have the time (or the energy) to give us all “styles” for our hair. We all wore our hair the same way…which was whatever my mother was feeling at the time (lol). Once I was given the green light to do my own hair, I took that liberty and ran! It’s so funny now to remember all the things I tried with my hair. And since it was very healthy at the time, it stood up to all my antics. After years of abuse, my hair had finally had enough. In 2001, I stopped chemically relaxing it and decided it was time to truly “care” for my hair. I read a lot about Ayurvedic hair care on hair blogs, and realizing this was the most natural route I could go, began using it on my hair. The results were amazing! Although my hair has been natural for more than 10 years, I have only practiced healthy hair care for the past 5.5 years. As I began to educate myself about the benefits of natural hair products and utilize the principles of Ayurveda for my own hair health, I realized that having beautiful, healthy hair was not just about what is applied externally. Being conscious of what I consume makes a huge difference in how healthy my hair really is.
For Colored Gurls: Why did you start AfroVeda? Mala: I was inspired by two specific young women, both of whom I met on a blog. These women were amazing in the way they were so committed to the care of their natural hair. I was still searching for “good” products to use and began corresponding with them, asking them questions about what they used to achieve the results they had accomplished (they both had really long, healthy-looking hair). The term “Ayurveda” came up in one of the emails, and I was advised which herbs to use for my hair. I was hooked! When I posted a picture of a moisturizer I made (which is now the Curl Define), they both encouraged me to sell the product. I created a quick website and AfroVeda was born. AfroVeda strives to represent true, Ayurvedic hair care remedies for curly, kinky and coily hair types. Through extensive research, course work and discussions with masters of Ayurveda, I have learned specific methods of creating hair care products that are based on body type (or doshas, as explained in Ayurvedic principles). Basing the products according to body types, as opposed to hair type, helps customers select products that will work in harmony with their own body chemistry. Specific herbs, oils and botanicals are combined to provide the best remedy for obtaining and maintaining a healthy scalp. AfroVeda believes in healing from within, as healthy hair grows from a healthy scalp. Our products are designed to nourish and heal the hair follicle to achieve this goal. FCG: How did you become interested in Ayurveda? Mala: I learned about Ayurvedic herbs through a hair blog about five years ago and was so intrigued that I decided to research this ancient healing method further. Ayurveda is made up of two Sanskrit words: “Ayu,” which means life, and “Veda,” which means the knowledge of. It is a system, based in India, that helps maintain health by using the inherent principles of nature to bring an individual back into equilibrium with their true self. The system itself is very specific. It tells you what your best hours of the day are, which foods will make you irritable and when you should exercise. You can learn what “season” you are in, according to your age as well as how to determine if you are out of balance — and what to do to get back into balance. It is a daily plan for maintaining your health and vitality, not just for your hair but your body as a whole.
FCG: Why do you think people should use your products? Mala: The Ayurvedic ingredients used in AfroVeda’s hair products come directly from the earth in the form of herbs, so there are no chemicals involved and no side effects. Specific combinations of these ingredients have been proven over thousands of years to combat hair loss, dry scalp, thinning hair and other hair issues and are also effective in helping to grow healthy hair. AfroVeda’s hair care products are based on a person’s body type, not hair type, and are designed for hair textures that are curly, coily and kinky. By basing the products on body type (as dictated by Ayurvedic principles) consumers can finally find products that
will correspond with their individual body chemistry, thereby allowing for much greater success with obtaining and maintaining healthy hair. Almost all curly textures suffer with dry hair due to the very nature of our strands. However, the person may have oily skin, combination skin or dry skin. Because the scalp is skin, it is important to ensure the health of the scalp so that healthier hair can grow. AfroVeda’s hair products provide the right combination of herbs, botanicals and oils according to body type (or dosha type) that will penetrate through the follicles and provide nourishment to the hair at the root. FCG: Where can people purchase the products? Mala: Our products are sold via our website at www.afroveda.com, in 14 different states and internationally in Canada, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, U.S. Virgin Islands and France. FCG: What are some of your future plans and goals with AfroVeda? Mala: AfroVeda continues to research the best herbal ingredients that are beneficial for hair health and growth, as well as more efficient and cost-effective ways to deliver those to consumers. Some of our products will be reformulated to include these new ingredients, and new products will be introduced that will address more specific hair issues. Many have asked if I would consider making Ayurvedic skin care products. Although it would be a very natural and easy transition, we are focused on providing products for the hair and scalp only and making those products the absolute best Ayurvedic products on the market. FCG: Would you like to add anything else? Mala: AfroVeda is more than just a way to share my passion for natural hair care with the world. It has a much deeper, spiritual meaning in that it was given to me. Prior to AfroVeda, I had a practice as a massage therapist, working with cancer patients. It was a way for me to honor my own father who had lost his battle with colon cancer a few years earlier. But after eight years of this work, which I absolutely loved, the thought came to me that I was honoring the wrong father. I was led to research Ayurveda, and through my studies learned that its 5,000-year-old principles celebrated life (Ayurveda means “knowledge of life”) and that we are all connected to each other and the universe. This wasn’t a new concept to me, but it allowed me to see that we (Ayurveda and I) belonged together. Once I began to incorporate the use of the ancient herbs and oils into my own hair care regimen, I knew this was my calling. It is a system of care unlike any other I have encountered for naturally curly textures, and I attribute all of AfroVeda’s successes to the Creator. And that is what I want most to share and celebrate…life. The life that comes from within — a healthy diet, a sound mind, a strong spirit — leads to livelier, healthier strands of hair. It is truly the foundation of any successful hair care regimen. Beautiful, healthy hair on the outside shows that you take care of your body from the inside.
Nationwide & Celebrity Appeal
Los Angeles, CA As we all know, it never hurts to have a “celebrity endorsement” and that’s just what AfroVeda® Hair Products receives, unpaid and unsolicited, from Actress Kim Coles, star of the hit show “Living Single”! Ms. Coles has tweeted about her “love” for these great products from her official Twitter, @KimColes quite a few times! Ms. Coles extended an invitation to Mala, requesting her attendance at the “Kim Coles Grow out Challenge” event in Los Angeles, CA in August, 2011 and Mala graciously accepted!
Nzuri Natural Hair Expo 2011, Highly respected Hair Stylist and Natural Hair Expert Felicia Leatherwood, seen here with AfroVeda® CEO Mala Rhodes at the Nzuri Natural Hair Health & Beauty Showcase in Houston, TX, has used and has expressed how much she likes the AfroVeda® products. Look for even more celebrity “mentions” of AfroVeda® Hair Care Products!
Trade Shows & Expos
Atlanta, GA In April, 2011, AfroVeda® was a featured exhibitor at the World Natural Hair Health & Beauty Show in Atlanta, GA. And as always, Mala was available to answer customers’ questions regarding her product line.
Houston, TX Visitors to The Nzuri Natural Hair Health & Beauty Showcase in Houston, TX were also introduced to AfroVeda® in December, 2011. As that AfroVeda® products incorporate the principles of the Ayurveda system of healing, this was the perfect setting to introduce AfroVeda® to new customers as well as interact with current customers.
Client Testimonials: Lisa writes: “This is a review of Shea Amla Whipped Butter Cream, Curl Define and Pur Whipped Gelly. 5 Stars for these products. Love love love them.” PUR Whipped Hair Gelly - The “power gel” for defining natural curls and holding twists in place and contains organic Aloe Vera. This thick and ultra whipped gel has a light vanilla cream fragrance that is incredible! It provides SUPERB curl definition and frizz protection, while providing moisture and sheen. Enriched with natural oils, exotic butters, and nourishing extracts and botanicals, this gel will elongate your curls naturally. Also works great to smooth edges, slick hair and to hold twists and locs in place.
Our Shea Amla Whipped Butter Cream was formulated to provide much needed moisture to dry, frizzy hair. This cream is velvety soft and has the consistency of whipped parfait! Thanks to its high content of unrefined Shea Butter, this cream thoroughly regenerates dry hair lengths, reinforcing their resistance and elasticity. It restores radiance, energy and health to dry and very dry hair. And the scent is Frankincense and Myrrh….heavenly!
Helecia says: “I personally have only tried the Hemp Seed Lock, Twist and Roll Butter and the Shea Alma Whipped Butter Cream on my hair. I can say that I really enjoy the scents of the products; that is personally the most pleasing aspect about them. The sizes of the products are a great deal for the buck also. The price pretty much falls in the same range as any of the other major natural hair care lines. Both of these products are thick and provide great moisture for my hair…”
Hemp Seed Lock, Twist & Roll Butter penetrates the hair shaft and adds moisture to the hair without leaving a gummy feeling, leaving the hair soft and shiny. Enriched with hemp seed oil and Vitamin E, this butter combines the extraordinary moisturizing, strengthening and regenerative properties of Shea Butter to promote strong, healthy hair growth. This thick butter can also be used on chemically treated hair to smooth and protect ends or as a styling balm. It is lightly scented with pure essential oils of Frankincense and Myrrh.
Carrot Seed Shampoo Bar - VVootteedd ““TThhee BBeesstt HHaaiirr CCaarree PPrroodduucctt ((CClleeaannsseerr)) ffoorr BBllaacckk W Woom meenn w wiitthh N Naattuurraall HHaaiirr”” by www.livestrong.com! Carrot seed oil is great for delivering vital herbs and essential oils to the hair shaft, and is known to promote the growth of new hair as well as strengthen and moisturize damaged hair. There is also plenty Beta Carotene to drench thirsty hair with Vitamin A. A blend of Ayurvedic herbs and pure essential oils in a base of carrot, palm, unrefined shea butter and olive oil for the finest Ayurvedic shampoo bar available.
Where to buy: AfroVeda® products may be purchased in over 11 states, Canada, England, France and the Netherlands. To find out more about AfroVeda® Hair Care Products, please visit www.AfroVeda.com. MEDIA INQUIRIES: Toni L. Rousell, Publicist & PR Professional www.tlrpubnpr.com Toni@tlrpubnpr.com