Monique Rodriguez, the founder of Mielle Organics, has responded to allegations that her products cause hair loss. Rodriguez took to social media to counter the growing backlash against her haircare line, which has been trending online.
In a recent video, Rodriguez clarified that the formulas for Mielle products have not changed, even after the company’s acquisition by Procter & Gamble in 2023. The Shade Room shared the footage of her response.
“From the very beginning, authenticity and transparency have been our core values,” Rodriguez stated. “We have proudly served millions of customers who have seen great results with our products. My decision to partner with P&G was to expand Mielle’s reach and elevate it to a global beauty brand. This vision remains strong today.”
Rodriguez assured customers that she remains actively involved in running Mielle. She emphasized her personal commitment to the brand and her role as CEO.
“I want to be very clear: my continued role as CEO is a personal choice,” Rodriguez said. “I am deeply involved in every aspect of the brand. I am passionate about our products, which are made with healthy ingredients and are designed to be safe and effective. If you have any concerns, I encourage you to check our labels. You will see that there have been no changes to our formulas from 2019 to 2024.”
Her comments follow claims by beauty expert and influencer Danesha Mo’nek, who alleged that Mielle’s rosemary and mint hair strengthening oil was causing hair loss. Another influencer suggested that the formula changed following the acquisition.
Laura, a beauty coach, expressed in a video that many people had reached out to her reporting issues like scalp irritation and hair loss. She attributed these problems to the supposed changes in the product formula after the sale to Procter & Gamble.
“The volume of people contacting me about experiencing scalp issues and hair breakage is overwhelming,” Laura said. “The only explanation seems to be that the formula changed when Mielle was sold.”
The allegations prompted a wave of calls for a boycott of Mielle’s products on social media. However, Rodriguez has firmly denied any changes to the products and defended her brand. Supporters have also criticized the quickness to condemn Black-owned businesses when they are acquired by larger corporations.
“Why is it that only Black-owned businesses face such accusations when they sell their companies?” one commenter questioned. “When similar things happen with white-owned companies, there’s no backlash. Brands like Shea Moisture and Carol’s Daughter faced similar scrutiny, while their new owners also have multiple products that people use without issue.”