Mielle is the latest Black-owned haircare brand to go viral on TikTok. Their best selling product, the Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil, is causing quite a stir.
This natural oil contains ingredients like peppermint that acts as a vasodilator to help improve blood flow and encourage healthy hair growth. It also includes biotin, which is known to strengthen hair and promote follicle health.
1. Reduces dandruff
Mielle Organics was started in 2014 by a Black woman who struggled to find products for her curly-coily hair. Each product is formulated with natural ingredients and is free from sulfates, phthalates and parabens to promote healthier tresses. Their popular Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil nourishes hair follicles and addresses dry scalp issues.
Peppermint oil in this oil is thought to stimulate hair growth, thanks to its vasodilator properties that improve blood flow. It’s also packed with nourishing ingredients like jojoba and argan oil to keep your hair strong, soft and moisturized.
Some TikTok influencers, like Alix Earle, use this as a hot oil treatment and leave it in for 30 minutes before rinsing out. Others use it as a leave-in conditioner or detangling agent to keep their hair in check.
2. Promotes hair growth
Mielle’s Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil nourishes follicles, smooths split ends and addresses dry scalp issues, according to the brand. It also has nutrients that help speed up growth, including biotin and keratin.
The oil costs $10 at beauty stores, online and at Walmart and Sally Beauty. It can be applied directly to the scalp and can be used as a pre-shampoo treatment or added to your conditioner for an extra boost.
Mielle’s popularity exploded after 22-year-old TikTok star Alix Earle shared a video using it with her 3.7 million followers. However, linguistics professor and author Uju Anya says Black women have “legitimate reasons to side-eye white folks” when brands they “single-handedly kept afloat start chasing white money, raising prices and changing formulas.” But Mielle founder Monique Rodriguez maintains the company won’t change its product for a new audience.
3. Strengthens hair
Finding hair products that work for your textured strands is a constant struggle. And when you find a product that does, it’s natural to be protective of it. So when a wave of white influencers began raving about Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil, many Black TikTok users expressed concern that the product could be reformulated or even discontinued to appeal to a larger audience.
The oil nourishes hair follicles, smoothes split ends and addresses dry scalp issues, according to the brand’s website. It also contains biotin, a popular vitamin that promotes healthy hair growth. And it includes peppermint, which has cooling and invigorating properties. Using it regularly will encourage longer, stronger and thicker hair. It’s available online and in stores for $10.
4. Reduces frizz
You’d be hard-pressed to find a natural-haired person unfamiliar with Mielle Organics. Founded in 2014 by Monique Rodriguez, the brand quickly became a favorite among Black women for their dedication to creating products catered to textured hair.
In a recent TikTok video, influencer Alix Earle recommended the Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil and claimed to have seen tremendous hair growth after only one month of use. This propelled the product to viral status and caused it to sell out in stores and online.
However, the increased demand also sparked conversations about white online creators appropriating beauty trends from people of color. Many longtime users of the oil expressed concerns that the popularity could lead to changes in the formula, especially since it’s made with menthol which is a vasodilator that improves blood flow to the scalp and hair follicles.
5. Softens hair
This mielle hair product is made of organic and natural ingredients that help to soften your strands. It also helps to promote healthy scalp growth. It contains no silicones, which can build up and prevent your hair from absorbing moisture.
This product is available at most beauty supply stores and online. It features a blend of rosemary and mint oils, along with biotin. It is designed to strengthen and moisturize the hair, leaving it tangle-free and frizz-free.
Despite the controversy, many Black women still use the oil and say it works for them. Nonetheless, it highlights the issue of white people appropriating Black hair products. It is one of the reasons that Black consumers are often protective of the few brands they feel cater to their needs.