My kinky-curly, dark-brown tresses have always been special to me. I didn’t have the best relationship with it until I was around 12, as I discovered the natural hair and beauty gurus on YouTube, like Naptural85, Jade Godbolt (formerly known as Liptickncurls), and Bri Hall. As I continued to watch their videos, I gained the confidence to rock my hair in protective hairstyles. 

The first product that I grew to love was “As I Am’s Curling Jelly”. I loved the hold it gave my tight curls and the flexibility to try different protective styles, as the experimental 12-year-old I was. 

As I grew older, I expanded my hair-care regimens and products to give my hair the love it deserves. I was introduced to products like Aunt Jackie’s, TGIN, and Mielle. With my mother’s help, I learned what products worked well with my hair and what made my hair feel too heavy, oily, or dry. Soon after, I fell in love with how my well-suited natural hair styles made me feel: how each style, from a high puff to box braids, cornrows, twists, and a braid out, was a form of expression for me. 

So, when I scrolled on Instagram and TikTok earlier and saw that the customers of these very brands were distraught after using Mielle’s Rosemary and Mint Scalp and Hair Strengthening oil, that little girl within me was disappointed. Our products are supposed to make us feel confident, not diminish our pride in our beautiful tresses. Then, I noticed that Mielle is no longer fully Black-owned. It was acquired by P&G, a larger (and whiter) corporation, in March 2023, and I theorized that this could be the reason behind the controversy. 

While corporate buyouts of Black-owned businesses have been common in the past few years, the Mielle controversy sheds light on what happens when Black-owned hair care businesses sell out to large corporations. 

Co-Opting Black Hair Care Products For A “Wider Audience”

Mielle was a customer favorite among Black consumers because it felt bespoke, not only because it did wonders for our hair, but also because it was affordable compared to most of the other comparably effective Black-owned hair care brands. It was the product for kinky-curly hair, and we loved that because it was exclusive to us. 

That is, until the white and incredibly famous TikTok influencer, Alix Earle, made a viral TikTok video about Mielle’s rosemary oil being included in her list of “Top Amazon Purchases” in 2022. Predictably, all her girlies went into a frenzy, and the product sold out. While many white women loved this “new” product, Black women were upset that there was yet another product that was no longer just for us to enjoy. 

Cyniah Wynn, 22, explained her disappointment about white influencers co-opting Black hair care products. “They don’t think about the implications it has on us and our ability to even get that product,” she said. Wynn also questioned why they chose to go with Black hair care products over their own, considering the many products made for our white counterparts. This causes a lack of access for Black customers, she stated.  

When Mielle’s CEO, Monique Rodriguez, announced that it would be acquired by P&G in January 2023, Black customers worried that the company would change the formula of their products to appeal to a wider audience. 

However, Rodiguez and her team made a promising statement on Instagram saying, “We’ve been together on this ride for a while, so you know that my journey with Mielle started from a place of creating the product I wasn’t finding in the marketplace. We remain forever committed to developing quality, efficacious products that address the need states for our customers’ hair types!” 

She also told Essence in a January 2023 interview, “I can assure you that at Mielle, we have no plans to change any of our formulas, and joining P&G means all of our loyal customers can truly expect the same high-quality products tomorrow that are on shelves today.” 

Changes In Formula—and Priorities

A year later, Mielle’s customers weren’t too happy with the brand or its popular products. When one customer claimed that Mielle’s highly sought-after rosemary oil caused hair damage and significant hair loss, many took to TikTok to express their frustrations. 

One TikTok user showed how Mielle has caused them to lose their hair. Another commenter agreed, saying, “I’ve been suffering flaky and itchy scalp and my hair was thinning out, and I was using the hair mask and also the oil.” Yet another commenter expressed, “Same happened to me. My stylist told me it’s too much protein in the rosemary line n she doesn’t recommend it for natural hair. Only chemically treated hair.” 

A dermatologist on TikTok, Dr. Abel, chimed in on the saga and said that she believes the formula hasn’t changed, but oils like tea tree and menthol (which are ingredients of the Rosemary Mint Scalp and Hair Strengthening Oil) can cause contact dermatitis on the scalp. A commenter also theorized that Mielle is using ingredients with lesser qualities, which many have speculated happen to most businesses that scale up.

Following the Mielle hair care controversy, the brand experienced a substantial decline in revenue between August and October 2024.

Aliyah Wright, 23, a former Mielle customer, didn’t buy Mielle’s explanation and stopped using it in 2023. “I don’t like the fact that Black hair businesses have been bought out by major corporations,” she expressed. “I think the major part that bothers me is the fact that once they’re bought out, they change their formulas, and they no longer cater to [solely] Black hair.” 

Wright stopped using Shea Moisture, a go-to product of hers, in 2014 after experiencing dry hair with the product. She would begin to feel the same about Mielle’s rosemary oil, shampoo, and co-wash, in addition to experiencing minor hair loss. Shea Moisture was acquired by Unilever three years later.

Black Girl Curls reported that Uncle Funky’s Curly Magic, a humectant-based gel that’s considered a salon favorite, added glycerin to their formula, leaving consumers in shock and disappointment. 

Customers of Carol’s Daughter have also claimed that its original formula had been altered by L’Oréal. While the popular brand has been acquired once again, this time by Carol’s Daughter founder, Lisa Price, and an unknown independent entrepreneur, customers hope that the brand restores its old formulas and stays true to its roots, honoring the legacy that made it a household name in Black hair care.

Despite the guesses that customers have about the ingredients used to produce Mielle’s rosemary oil, Rodriguez and Mielle made a statement on Instagram in September 2024 denying that Mielle has changed its ingredients since joining P&G. 

Nevertheless, customers still aren’t satisfied and believe that Mielle has something to do with their hair damage and loss. 

The Global Black Hair Care Market

The global Black hair care industry commands an impressive market value worth $3.2 billion (2023) with its key producers being P&G (Mielle), Unilever (Shea Moisture, Madam C.J. Walker, Nubian Heritage, Nyakio), Revlon, and Ouidad, which aren’t Black owned. The market’s Black-owned brands include Afrocentrix, Alodia Hair Care, and Uhura Naturals. With a compound annual growth rate of 4.3%, the market is expected to be worth $4.9 billion by 2033.

As consumers of products made for us, when will we be able to retain this kind of wealth within our community? Why is it that the majority of non-Black businesses are benefiting from Black dollars? 

While Enyasha Harris, 25, felt that Black owned hair care brands “are ultimately doing what all businesses hope to do, which is build [up] and eventually walk away with enough money to do other things,” in that same light, she believes that “everyone should stick within their required space.” 

When asked how she felt about white influencers co-opting Black hair care products, she explained, “If products are marketed towards a specific hair type, it should remain that way. It doesn’t have to necessarily do with race, but hair texture.” Harris doesn’t feel disappointed or unrepresented because she reminds herself that “businesses will do what they believe will promote sales, and if it falls on deaf ears, it’s for the businesses to adjust and come correct.”

As many see the investment in acquiring big corporations as “scaling-up,” we also must ask ourselves: at what cost will this affect Black consumers when there are limited 100% Black-owned hair care products to turn to? Harris’s perspective offers a nuanced reminder: while business decisions may follow market logic, it’s ultimately up to these brands to stay rooted in the communities that built them and to “come correct” when they fall short.

A Betrayal of Black Consumers

Many of us natural-hair enthusiasts have learned that the majority of what we use in our hair isn’t Black-owned or has been acquired by a large corporation at some point. While the Black community celebrates seeing their peers succeed, it feels like a betrayal to watch them hand over parts of their businesses to companies that often prioritize white interests. It’s a tone-deaf gesture when larger corporations want to make brands that were intended for the Black community inclusive to everybody. 

SheaMoisture faced online backlash in April 2017, three months after their acquisition from Unilever, for their controversial “Hair Hate Is Real” ad. The ad opens with a Black woman sharing her experiences with the criticism she faced for wearing her natural curly hair, a struggle many Black women can relate to. But then, the focus shifts to white women with blonde and red hair, leaving many to question: how can they truly understand the challenges Black women face with their natural textures? Where was the representation of Black women with diverse kinky and curly hair types? 

Black consumers who value their community’s hair care products are left to minimize their options when acquired brands seem to lessen the focus on hair care for Black consumers and more on hair care for any and everybody. For decades, Black hair has been a symbol of self-identity within our community.

Brianni Castillo, 23, was a Shea Moisture and The Mane Choice supporter since their debut on the hair market, until she noticed a change in how the products were making her hair feel after they were acquired by Unilever and MAV Beauty Brands. Before their acquisition, Castillo expressed that her hair felt moisturized and full of shine, but after, her hair felt dry and brittle. She has since diverted to TGIN, a fully Black-owned hair care brand. 

“Their honey miracle hair mask helps me easily detangle my hair,” Castillo said, “and it leaves it very moisturized.” 

Many instances, including SheaMoisture’s misleading commercial, Mielle’s rosemary oil controversy, and Uncle Funky’s Curly Magic reformulation, have left Black consumers feeling misrepresented and neglected. Beyond these frustrations, such missteps also have a harmful financial impact on the Black community within the hair care market.

The dissatisfaction with acquired Black hair-care products runs deeper than how they make us look, but it reflects how they make us feel. Black women’s beauty was depicted as negative during the times of slavery in the 1600s. Professor of Communication and African-American Diaspora Studies at the University of Wyoming expanded on this factual statement, as she told CBC, “…we went from loving our hair and carefully caring for our hair, to covering up our hair and trying to emulate European styles…” 

This was until Madam C.J. Walker entered the hair industry, addressing a significant gap in the market by creating products specifically designed for Black hair care. Walker experienced hair loss, which resulted in her success in creating hair care products for Black women. The first female self-made millionaire in U.S history went on to pave the way for the Black hair care products that you see on beauty supply shelves today.

Resistance Against The Neglect

As many Black consumers seek new in-store brands after multiple failed experiences with those that they once trusted, some are supporting small businesses, which has always been highly encouraged within our community. A few popular businesses include Melanin Hair Care by Naptural85, Alikay Naturals, and Oyin Handmade. 

Others prefer to make their product for personal use. My go-to hair care remedies in the past have included rice water, a coconut oil and honey hair mask, and an avocado, mayo, and olive oil hair mask. These DIY products have been proven to promote thicker, moisturized, and stronger hair. 

Despite assurances from companies like Mielle that their products remain unchanged, Black consumers are left feeling overlooked, betrayed, and disappointed when formulas are perceived to shift or the brand’s ethos feels compromised. While major corporations dominate the market, highly demanded Black-owned hair care businesses have struggled to retain autonomy and the support of their core audience.

It saddens me to know that the majority of the hair care industry made for Black consumers is not Black owned. On one hand, I understand that Black business owners should benefit from the fruits of their labor, enabling them to agree to the acquisition of their brands. On the other hand, it feels like a repetitive cycle and an ultimate let down as we (the Black community) assume that the products will no longer be the same after it is handed to the White man. 

As we witness more Black-owned brands selling to larger entities, it becomes crucial for us, as consumers, to continue to support Black hair care businesses that remain true to the integrity of their brand. These brands not only prioritize our unique hair care needs but also represent the preservation of wealth and cultural integrity within our community. 

By buying Black, whether from established small businesses or even creating our own hair care remedies, we can maintain a deeper connection to our hair and a sense of empowerment in a market that sometimes feels like it’s slipping away from us.

As Wright said, “it becomes frustrating to know that there’s nothing for us, by us anymore.”

What’s needed now is a lasting shift in how Black hair care is valued, marketed, and preserved, one that breaks the cycle of cultural disregard and commercial exploitation, and truly honors the communities that built these brands.