Earlier this year, you might've come across the controversy surrounding Mielle Organics's Rosemary Mint Scalp and Hair Strengthening Oil after influencer Alix Earle recommended the product to her millions of followers. The Black-founded hair-care company creates products specifically catering to Black hair, and the oil has been applauded for promoting hair growth and retention. So when Earle's followers — primarily white women — started raiding the minimal Black hair-care sections at stores, Black women voiced their fear. The company, which was recently acquired by P&G, led to a larger online discussion about Black-owned hair-care companies.
It's a conversation that has been raging for years. In the early 1900s, Madam C.J. Walker earned her title as America's first Black woman millionaire after creating a line of hair-care products, including a scalp-conditioning and -healing formula, that were created specifically for Black women — and they led to Walker's great success. Decades after her death, Madam by Madam C.J. Walker was relaunched in 2022 by Sundial Lever, a subsidiary of Unilever. Although some longtime supporters are hesitant to support these brands post-acquisition, Walker's great-great-granddaughter serves as the brand historian for Madam to ensure that the revived brand keeps Walker's mission intact.
Image Source: Getty / Michael Ochs Archives Stringer Interim Archives Olga Rolenko