Behind the aversion to beauty: Mielle Organics founder says viral controversy stemmed from paid misinformation

2024 was an interesting 12 months for Mielle Organics. After rosemary regrowth oil went viral in 2023 and the brand announced a partnership with Procter & Gamble Beauty, the narrative around the once-beloved Black-owned hair care company modified dramatically. Earlier this 12 months, Mielle Organics was embroiled in controversy on social media when customers began claiming that its products caused hair loss and damage. As the backlash grows, Mielle Organics founder Monique Rodriguez recently released a brand new statement addressing the online confusion.

“This weighed heavily on my heart, so I wanted to share it. I have always been very transparent with all of you and this situation is no exception. As many of you have noticed, there has been a lot of media coverage about Mielle lately,” Rodriguez said video posted on Instagram Reels. “Here’s the thing: We recently discovered that the original TikTok creator who began all the rumors about Mielle products causing hair loss and falsely claiming that the rosemary-mint oil formula had modified was paid by one among our competitors. Yes, this creator earned a commission to promote a competitor’s product while spreading misinformation about our products for his own profit.”

While she didn’t name the specific creator who began the controversial discourse or an alleged competitor, Rodriguez clarified that their video has since been taken down, emphasizing that viewers “deserve to know the truth” and whether there are “ultimate motives” behind the disinformation. ”

In September, complaints about Mielle Organics began to flood social media, from X to TikTok to Instagram. Customers shared their personal experiences with products, sparking heated debate. Although many users reported negative results, others argued that these results could also be related to user error. The polarized discussion opened the door to broader conversations about black women’s hair care, the responsibility of beauty brands, and the overall integrity of the natural hair care industry.

Some users, loyal to Mielle for years, speculated that the changes they were experiencing were related to the brand’s takeover by P&G Beauty, suspecting possible changes in the formula. When the controversy first broke, Rodriguez described her partnership with P&G as a chance to “further (expand) access to healthy hair products and services for Black women around the world.” She also vehemently denied any product changes, reiterating that Mielle Organics uses “healthy ingredients” to ensure “safe and effective results.”

Rodriguez confirmed this stance in her latest Instagram video.

“I just want to assure you that our products are safe. They are based on consistent formulas, resources and processes,” she said. “They are easily used and loved by millions of satisfied customers every day.”

Despite the founder’s steadfast defense of her company’s integrity, many social media users remain dissatisfied with Rodriguez’s response to the growing wave of consumer complaints. On At the heart of their frustration is the feeling that the brand has shirked its responsibility and failed to actually take into consideration the collective experiences expressed by its clients.

“Girl, if we tell you it’s thinning our hair – BELIEVE US!” one user commented on Rodriguez’s Instagram post.

Similar sentiments emerged on TikTok, where many ladies shared their experiences in the comments of the founder’s video.

“I’m not a creator, but I’m a victim, and I actually have been using Mielle since 2016. My hair has modified dramatically in the last 12 months, so something in the products has definitely modified. I switched to Camille (Naturals) and Design Essentials,” wrote one user.

Another added: “Not everyone can lie (though). Mielle used to at all times make my hair feel like butter, (but) now it dries it terribly and it isn’t the same.

In response, Mielle Organics relied on automatic replies, assuring commenters that “We hear you! Since our acquisition from P&G, the formulation of our products has not changed in any way. The formulas of your favorite Mielle products remain the same. We hope this helps!”

For many this shouldn’t be the case. Some sympathize with the brand’s dogged fight against public criticism, others are fed up with what appears to be a scarcity of real commitment and tone-deaf disregard. For Black consumers – especially Black women – their concerns are too often ignored in mainstream retail spaces and conversations about personal care products. Seeing this same disregard from a brand that was supposedly created for us has left many individuals feeling not only frustrated, but deeply disheartened.