What was once touted as a trendy hair growth oil is now being accused of causing severe hair loss.
What is Mielle Organics?
Mielle Organics is a Black-owned haircare company that specializes in products for naturally curly, kinky, and textured hair. Founded 10 years ago by Monique Rodriguez, the brand is known for its high-quality organic ingredients.
In 2022, the brand exploded on social media as people raved about the effectiveness of its Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil. Customers, who were primarily black women at the time, said the oil helped their hair grow faster and thicker.
Then A-list influencer Alix Earle began promoting the product, sparking double controversy.
For one, Earl is a white woman advertising black hair care products, which has sparked discussions about cultural appropriation and led to concerns that the brand, like the once beloved black hair care brand Shea Moisture, would pander to a white demographic and abandon the needs of the black women who made the brand successful.
Second, once non-Black women found out about the oil, it began to sell out, meaning the original consumers no longer had access to the product.
What are the accusations?
Now Miel is making headlines for a different reason, and it’s not a good one.
The same products that were touted as the holy grail oil are now being accused by customers of causing scalp irritation, dryness and hair loss.
Several people across the internet, from TikTok to Reddit, have made this claim.
A video in which curly-haired Anna Alicia (@annaaliciaaa) spoke about her ordeal was viewed nearly 3 million times in a week.
“Miel, count the days because you’re the reason my hair falls out in clumps when I take a shower,” Ana Alicia said.
She added that she had been using the topical hair oil to grow her hair out but worried it had “kept having the opposite effect”.
“Has Miel been cancelled?” she asked.
She added that, at least in her household, this is the case as she throws the products in the trash.
Can hair products cause hair loss?
The short answer is that it’s unlikely that one hair product will cause that much hair loss.
For comparison, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, humans naturally shed between 50 and 100 hairs per day.
Board-certified dermatologist Robert Finney, MD, FAAD, told Marie Claire that no ingredient will cause hair loss.
“It’s unlikely that these products would cause significant hair loss; it’s usually a combination of factors,” hair expert and chemist Alexandra Arriaga explained to Marie Claire . “Heredity, stress, medical conditions, etc. can play a role, so it’s essential to evaluate all possibilities before attributing it solely to the product.”
Some of the ingredients in Mielle products, especially essential oils and seed oils, can cause allergies that can lead to scalp sensitivity, irritation, or contact dermatitis. If your scalp becomes severely itchy and inflamed, it can lead to hair loss.
Some have accused the brand of changing its formula after it was acquired by cosmetics giant Procter & Gamble, but there’s no evidence of this, as the ingredients list remains the same.
CEO’s response
The company’s founders said in a statement on Instagram:
“When I decided to partner with P&G, it was driven by my vision to take Mielle to new heights and become a global beauty brand. Our products are made with wholesome ingredients and formulated to deliver safe, healthy results.”
“That commitment has never wavered. If there’s any doubt, just take a look at our labels. Nothing has changed… Nothing has changed since the acquisition by P&G.”
Viewers’ reactions
“People forget that everyone’s hair is different so maybe Miel is just the wrong brand for you but it works great for me,” a top comment read.
“Miel, especially the rosemary oil, makes my scalp super itchy,” one person said.
“Yes I am losing so much hair and it’s getting really thin,” another user wrote.
The Daily Dot reached out to Anna Alicia via email for comment and also reached out to Miel via email.
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