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Just days after a controversy erupted over the brand on TikTok, Mielle Organics announced a partnership with beauty behemoth Proctor & Gamble. Founder Monique Rodriguez and her husband Melvin, the company’s COO, maintain that despite the change, they will still run the brand, and their products will stick to the same formulas.
“P&G Beauty is a best-in-class organization, and we are excited that this partnership will bring additional resources so that Mielle can continue to serve our incredible customers with rapid innovation and greater reach,” Monique said in a video posted to the Mielle Organics Instagram page. “Melvin and I will continue to lead Mielle with the focus on excellence, customer commitment, and integrity that have been the core of our brand since day one nearly nine years ago.”
No financial terms were disclosed.
The TikTok controversy emerged when white influencers on the platform started promoting Mielle as desirable for their own hair needs. It drew the ire of Black users who say the product’s popularity has made it increasingly hard for their original audience to find.
Rodriguez, who started the company in 2014 due to the limited amount of products available for her own hair, says that’s precisely the reason for the partnership.
“I can completely understand why people are frustrated because of the lack of access to our products. I can also appreciate that new consumers are now discovering Mielle, and discovering this amazing oil,” Rodriguez told Essence. “And honestly that is why this partnership with P&G is so important.”
Per a statement released about the partnership, P&G is expected to help with research and innovation. They acknowledge that natural ingredients are part of what makes the Mielle brand appealing to Black women. Mielle joins other naturally based brands P&G has added to their company in recent years including Ouai and Tula skincare.
In addition to their partnership with the brand, Mielle and P&G have committed $10 million each to Mielle Cares, the non-profit arm of the company that works to empower Black and Brown communities.
“What makes this partnership with P&G and Mielle Organics special is our shared commitment to serving consumers and making an impact in our community,” Monica Turner, president of P&G North America said. “Mielle Cares program, which is focused on education, mentoring, and entrepreneurship in Black and Brown communities, is something we look forward to supporting.”
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