Why everyone on TikTok is talking about Mielle's rosemary hair oil

Why everyone on TikTok is talking about Mielle's rosemary hair oil

Sometimes TikTok is a beauty lover's best friend. It's a place to discover products, learn different techniques, and share hot takes on beauty hacks new and old. However, due to its ability to catapult voices and products to viral popularity, it is also home to the occasional controversy. The latest drama unfolding on the app revolves around a single product: Mielle’s Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil.

TikTok user Alix Earle, who is white and has straight hair, shared a video in December 2022 listing her favorite Amazon purchases of the year. Among her favorites is Mielle's Hair Oil, a product created by a Black woman and designed primarily for natural hair types and textures. The video now has five million views and counting, along with many comments from Black women asking Earle and others with fine hair textures to "leave Mielle alone," as one commenter put it, for fear that the oil will become more expensive or inaccessible in the future.

Ahead, find out why this hair oil seems to be what everyone on TikTok is talking about.

What is Mielle’s Rosemary Hair Oil?

The hair and beauty brand Mielle was founded in 2014 by CEO Monique Rodriguez. The popular Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil nourishes hair follicles, smooths split ends and addresses dry scalp issues, according to the product description on Mielle's website.

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The $10 oil contains more than 30 essential oils and extracts, including rosemary, an ingredient known for its anti-inflammatory properties and can promote hair growth. It also contains biotin (also known as vitamin B7 and vitamin H), an essential nutrient for healthy skin, hair and nails.

While the website claims the product is "formulated for all hair types and textures," it is designed for people to use it for protective styles, including braids and weaves, by applying a small amount to the scalp and combing through to the ends. Users can also apply it to the ends of their hair to treat split ends, according to the product description.

ICYDK, hair oils promote hair health and strength, although it's important to choose a product that works best for your specific hair type and texture and use it correctly, stylist Steven Picciano, a Goldwell National Artist, previously told Shape. “Hair oils can be used to condition, maintain moisture, and [prevent] breakage,” Jennifer Haley, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Scottsdale, AZ, also told Shape.

Why are TikTokers upset?

The reason some TikTokers are upset about the inclusion of Mielle's rosemary hair oil in Earle's video is not simply because more and more people are discovering the product. Instead, they are angered by the systemic impact this can have on the communities for which the oil is most useful.

There may be aisles with hair care products suitable for hair types common to white people, but stores still typically don't carry more than a handful of options for black hair types and textures, as many TikTokers have recently pointed out. Therefore, it is problematic for people with the ability to use a variety of products to use a product designed specifically for a community that has traditionally had less effective products available. The increased demand, likely driven by an influencer like Earle, who has a massive following of more than three million people, is causing products to sell out or rise in price and become unavailable to those who really need them, according to TikTok users.

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Additionally, people fear that if the formula becomes popular among people with fine, straight hair, it could lead the brand to change the formula to better suit different hair types. And yes, this is rumored to have already happened to products from brands like Shea Moisture.

Despite these concerns, Mielle maintains that it won't change anything about its products Twitter and Instagram posts from the brand. "There have been some recent comments posted on this topic, but I can personally guarantee you that we are not making any changes to the ingredients," reads a statement from Rodriguez posted to the Mielle Instagram account in January 2023. “I also wanted to come here first to assure you straight away that we have no plans to change the formula for Rosemary Mint Oil or any of our products.”