Our Story

The Story of Fadidi 

By La Franz  

Ever since junior high, I've had a meticulous hygiene routine, but I found some common practices illogical. Dentists stress using plaque disclosing tablets but don't emphasize brushing the roof of the mouth, gums, or tongue. Similarly, deodorant is recommended for underarms but often fails during intense activities, leaving armpits and toes smelling bad. This led me to start  using Shower to Shower talcum powder on my genital area and toes, which helped, but  discussions about hygiene, especially among men, remain sensitive and taboo. 

In high school, I switched to a more fragrant powder but struggled with the messiness of  application. Later, I discovered spray body powder, which became my go-to for over two  decades, despite the limited fragrance options. However, while flying to Portland for a business trip, a TSA agent confiscated my spray, which prompted me to rush to Target upon arrival to  replace it. My colleague Danny found this amusing but understood the significance of my  routine. 

Introducing new grooming routines to men past puberty can be challenging, but I believe that  confident men should take pride in their grooming practices. This led me to survey women in my  life, who overwhelmingly agreed that men should take their grooming seriously, with some  sharing horror stories about past experiences. 

Reflecting on my grooming practices, I realized that most personal care brands rarely market to  men of color beyond hair care products, deodorants, and cologne. This realization drove me to  develop a safe, effective full-body deodorant that smelled like the fragrances I loved. Over a  year, I researched non-toxic ingredients like natural arrowroot powder and activated charcoal,  which are safer alternatives to harmful substances like talcum and aluminum. I also explored  ingredients with proven skin benefits, such as Aloe Vera, Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil, and Sage. 

One issue with spray powder was the product loss when applying it around the genital area due  to the can design. I enlisted my partner, Eleanya, to help design an aerosol can that could spray  right-side up while releasing upside-down, but this proved challenging. We eventually moved on  to a solid deodorant solution, but it too had issues. Finally, we wondered why our deodorant  couldn't be applied like lotion with the effect of an antiperspirant. Eleanya shouted, "Cream  Deodorant!" We discovered there were few products like this on the market, and none marketed  to our demographic. 

We tested existing products, found one effective but disliked the scents, and decided cream  deodorant was the way to go. After months of meeting with chemists, we found one who  formulated a product that exceeded our expectations. We tested hundreds of fragrances popular  among the African American community and were thrilled with the results. 

Now, we needed a name that accurately represented our product. After days of brainstorming, I  received a call from my uncle, who greeted me with a nickname he'd given me due to my  meticulous hygiene: "Mr. Fadidiman." The term "Fadidi" was a playful take on the urban slang  "Sadiddy," meaning snobby or superior-acting. It hit me that this was the perfect name for our  superior product. We are thrilled to introduce Fadidi, our meticulously crafted beauty & hygiene products with luxurious fragrances, designed for kings who deserve to be recognized and treated with the finest care.