The Roy Howard Community Journalism Center’s “What Is True?” team investigated consumer complaints about injuries and damage allegedly caused by Mielle hair products.
RESULTS: The claims are unsubstantiated.
Claims about the popular hair care brand range from hair loss and scalp irritation to cancer. However, there has been no official investigation or conclusive evidence proving Mielle products caused the injuries or damage.
Nurse practitioner Monique Rodriguez launched the Mielle brand in 2014. She said she started the brand as someone with textured hair on her own personal journey to having healthy hair.
According to an article by Allure, Mielle reached a new level of popularity in 2022 because of TikTok and mentions by influencers, which significantly grew the brand’s audience.
In 2023, Rodriguez sold the brand to P&G Beauty, a large company that owns brands such as Head & Shoulders. According to CNBC, Monique Rodriguez and her husband stayed on as CEO and COO. However, Rodriguez experienced greater backlash for selling the business. The claims of hair damage and loss appear to have started the year after the P&G sale.
The Allure article reported users claimed the brand’s hair products were causing dryness, breakage and hair loss. These claims focused primarily on the Rosemary Mint line.
Rodriguez claimed the first person to say the products caused hair loss was paid by a competitor to make the claim. However, Rodriguez has not proven the person was paid to make the complaint, and others have made similar complaints.
Some people speculated in social media posts the product formulas may have changed since P&G purchased the company. Rodriguez, however, said the formulas are still the same.
A blog post by A Relaxed Gal mentioned that if the Mielle products did cause the damage, it may not be because the ingredients changed. It could be because of protein overload from the biotin in the products. Biotin is used to strengthen hair and promote growth. However, biotin also promotes the production of the protein keratin. This could cause protein overload in the hair, which, according to Living Proof, could cause damage.
Without an official investigation and additional evidence, it is impossible to know for certain whether the Mielle products are responsible for the consumers’ injuries and damage. It is always important to research hair product ingredients and what using them consistently can do, regardless of what brands say.
About “What Is True?”
The RHCJC “What Is True?” team of graduate investigators examines everything from viral online posts to local community rumors. To submit a question, use the “What Is True?” inquiry form on the RHCJC website or call 855-IS-IT-TRU (855-474-8878).
