Who owns Mielle Organics? Brand's net worth and all about Monique Rodriguez as she issues statement over Prop 65 controversy

Last week, social media users took to several platforms and began raising complaints about the haircare brand Mielle Organics. Many claimed that their products underwent a sudden ingredient change, leading to unexpected and severe hair loss.

The claims were fuelled when licensed cosmetologist and hair influencer @laura_beautycoach slammed the brand and its founder, Monique Rodriguez, on TikTok for “selling out” to Procter & Gamble (P&G). Rodriguez sold her company to P&G in January 2023, which is its current owner. However, she remains its CEO and previously described the handover of ownership as "selling up."

As soon as Monique caught the wind of the current controversy, she issued a video statement on Instagram on September 7. She claimed that “there has been no formula change,” unlike the viral speculation. The millionaire also assured her customers that there had been no changes to her involvement in the business or the products’ ingredients following the acquisition by P&G.

"When I made the decision to partner with P&G, it was driven by my vision to take Mielle to new heights and become a global beauty brand. That vision remains as strong as ever today," Monique mentioned.

Mielle Organics founder added that she was “grateful” for the opportunities that came from her partnership with P&G, including “expanding the reach” and making a “positive impact” in the community.

Notably, there’s a rumor circulating online that Mielle Organics is facing a lawsuit for violating Proposition 65. For those unaware, it refers to a California law that requires businesses to provide warnings about significant exposure to certain harmful chemicals in their products that may cause cancer, birth defects, and similar other disorders.

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Everything you need to know about Monique Rodriquez, the owner of Mielle Organics

Monique Rodriguez is a Chicago-based entrepreneur best known as the founder and CEO of the haircare and beauty brand Mielle Organics. The 39-year-old became passionate about haircare at a young age after her mother encouraged her to try homemade hair treatments.

Later, in 2014, she began Mielle Organics in her garage with one product, a hair oil. However, soon, her product started to sell out online. By 2019, it hit the shelves and was sold in more than 100,000 major retailers across the USA, eventually becoming a multi-million-dollar and one of the fastest-growing natural haircare brands in the country.

By 2022, her brand’s Rosemary & Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil became an overnight sensation. During a February 2019 interview with Forbes, the businesswoman explained that “Mielle” was a combination of her children’s middle names, which end in “Elle.” She added that she fondly calls them both “My-Elle’s.”

Monique Rodriguez, a registered nurse for over eight years before starting her own business, is also a philanthropist. She has a foundation called Mielle Cares that aims to help, empower, and unite African-American women with "education, economic opportunities, and business relief."

She is also part of the MiGlow Mentorship Program, which helps young inner-city high school girls from underprivileged backgrounds get opportunities and exposure to turn their business ideas into reality.

While the 2024 CNBC Changemakers awardee sold Mielle Organics to P&G in January 2023, she remains its CEO, while her husband Melvin Rodriguez is its Chief Operating Officer (COO). Currently, Mielle Organics products are available across 87+ countries. As per the November 2023 report by AFROTECH, its estimated net worth is over $100 million.

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In brief, exploring the recent controversy surrounding Mielle Organics

Earlier this month, reports emerged on social media platforms that Mielle products were causing severe hair loss among customers. To add fuel to the fire, a cosmetologist named Laura claimed on TikTok that many people contacted her and shared their bad experiences and concerns after using this brand’s products.

“The number of people who have reached out to me personally, either in DMs or in comment sections, that said they use Mielle products, and… they experienced scalp irritations, or massive hair loss, or hair breakage, it’s insane. There is no other reason for this, except that when she sold out to Procter & Gamble, they changed the formula,” Laura said.

Meanwhile, other online consumers accused Mielle of joining the “Black hair tax,” an expression that refers to products designed specifically for Black hair being pricier than those for other types of hair. These people claimed that after white hair influencer Alix Earle posted a video of her using the brand’s products, it reportedly led to a rise in Caucasian women purchasing the Mielle lineup.

Amid these accusations, Monique Rodriguez shared a video response on Instagram and insisted that she was still actively involved in Mielle Organics’ business and ingredients despite P&G’s ownership. She also claimed there had been “no formula change” and urged her regular customers to compare them to the previous formula before she sold her company.

The mother of two also thanked people for their continued support. She reminded them that she was still the company’s CEO and was "100%" invested and passionate about providing the best hair care for everyone.

Monique Rodriguez explained how partnering with P&G helped her expand her reach and make a positive impact in the community. This included providing support to HBCU athletic teams at Howard University and Florida A&M and becoming “the first official textured hair care brand to partner with the WNBA.”