“For me, hair is a symbol of strength and intuition and I don’t think it’s any coincidence that the natural hair movement is coinciding with women globally finding their voices and speaking their truth.” – Cath Price
Cath Price has always loved her naturally curly hair. However, when it started greying around 6 years ago, she wasn’t so pleased. She looked for chemical-free hair dyes but she could not find any. In desperation, she settled for a ‘natural’ chemical hair dye from a health shop. The hair dye turned her hair an undesirable shade of pink and caused an allergic reaction. This inspired her to find out more about the chemicals in hair dyes and the health risks associated with them. The more research she did, the more horrified she became. Chemical hair dyes may contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which have been linked to some cancers, reproductive abnormalities and many other disorders and conditions.
Cath was determined to find a healthy, chemical-free hair dye. After an extensive search, she accepted that these products simply did not exist in South Africa. She was about to abandon all hope when she discovered that she could make her own natural hair dye by mixing certain plant powders. Already having an interest in plants, Cath decided to experiment with natural plant dyes. When she dyed her hair brown, using a 100% herbal dye for the first time, she looked in the mirror and exclaimed, “Oh gosh, I love my hair!”. Not only were the dull greys covered, but after a few weeks, Cath could clearly see and feel that her hair was healthier, thicker and growing faster.
The success of her chemical-free hair dye inspired Cath to share her products with other South Africans. She named her business after the words she spoke when she saw her freshly dyed hair in the mirror: “Love My Hair”. The 100% Herbal dyes have been certified organic by Euroglobal UK Certifications. All the products have been certified and approved by Beauty Without Cruelty and endorsed by Vegan SA.
“My products have given me a head of full, healthy and beautifully dyed hair, without harming me, the environment or any animals.” – Cath Price
Starting a small business in this country is not easy, but Cath is a naturally optimistic person. As a self-confessed natural hair nerd, she enjoys researching natural hair, especially Ayurvedic herbal hair care. She gets many calls from people who are allergic to chemical dyes and cancer survivors who can’t use chemicals in their hair. They don’t want to go grey yet and are feeling depressed about it. Cath finds it emotionally rewarding to be able to help them by offering healthy hair dye alternatives and solutions.
During her free time, Cath likes reading escapist novels, and hanging out with her dog. She is happiest when she is barefoot in nature, with the wind blowing through her hair. Cath recommends that everyone goes camping on their own in the mountains, at least once in their lives.
"I am passionate about my products and about natural hair care. This passion, combined with the help of some wonderful people and my lovely customers, keeps me going." - Cath Price
When we asked Cath what advice she has for anyone wanting to start their own business, she had this to say:
“You have to start a business in a field you’re passionate about. You need that passion to pull yourself out of the inevitable ‘I’m-giving-up-now’ hole. Once you’ve identified your passion, do some market research. Do a costing analysis. Is it going to be worth your while? Find a support network of service providers who you like and trust; from accountants, to printers, to suppliers to website tech. You need them. Accept that there are some things that you will only learn along the way; often the hard way. Be prepared to grow and learn as a person. Know that your business will never be ‘done’. It is a constant work in progress. As you evolve and grow and as your market does the same, your business will respond. Hang in there.”
“Relish all the times that someone goes out of their way to help you, offers you great service, gives you a great review, and do the same for other small businesses.” – Cath Price
You can purchase Love My Hair products on King Online. View the products here. King Online is passionate about supporting local businesses and we have had a fruitful partnership with Love My Hair since August 2020.
Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning “humanity”. Another translation is, 'I am what I am because of who we all are'. The philosophy of uBuntu emphasises social unity and generosity. King Online is what it is because of our suppliers and because of you. Without our suppliers, like Love My Hair, and without your support, we wouldn’t be where we are today.
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