Two years after getting acquired by Procter & Gamble for an undisclosed sum, Mielle is releasing a new collection that’s all about moisture — a major concern for textured hair-care clients, the Mielle team found.
“We’re very good at social listening and understanding the needs of our consumers,” founder and CEO Monique Rodriguez told Glossy. And, early on, the Mielle team found that its consumers wanted long-lasting moisure and convenience. “[Our consumer] wants to be able to have her life back. She does not want to do her wash day and have to wake up again and do it the next day because her hair feels dry,” she said.
With P&G, Mielle spent years in research and development for the new line. “P&G has an extensive consumer market knowledge program,” said Omar Goff, Mielle’s president. “We invest heavily to speak to consumers in different ways, whether it be in direct focus groups or digital engagements, so the voice of the consumer was loud in the development process. We had a lot more access to testing capabilities and quality controls through [P&G’s] laboratories.”
Announced on Tuesday, Mielle’s Kalahari Melon & Aloe Vera collection promises up to five days of hydration after wash day. The products are packed with Kalahari melon, described by the brand as the collection’s “superpower” ingredient.
The five-product collection includes a shampoo, a deep conditioner, a leave-in conditioner, a finishing oil and a curl pattern cream. They come in Mielle’s slightly updated packaging, which includes a new spray applicator. Each will be available for purchase on Mielle’s website, as well as via its retail partners including Target, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS and Ulta, among others. All products are $15.99, though pricing may vary by retailer.
To promote the new collection, Mielle is taking a fresh approach. Unlike in past campaigns, Rodriguez will not be featured. Instead, all campaign assets, including video and still imagery, will feature women with Type 4 hair. Assets will include educational and how-to videos, as well as content from influencers such as creator and beauty founder Jackie Aina, who identifies as having Type 4 hair.
“It was important to show the representation of Type 4 girlies, so they can see people who look like them and to show how the product actually works and performs,” Rodriguez said.
Mielle will also run a 30-second commercial featuring TikTok-viral hip-hop duo Flyana Boss (@flyanaboss; 1.3 million followers) on linear TV, social and OTT channels. A Times Square billboard, college tour, five-day hair challenge with key influencers and placements through its WNBA partnership are also part of the marketing strategy.
As Mielle ushers in its next 10 years, Rodriguez said the priorities will be continuing to strengthen its community, introduce product innovation and reassure consumers that Mielle’s formulations aren’t changing. The latter has been a huge focus for the brand after it faced backlash on TikTok, which reached a peak in September 2024, after claims that its products caused hair loss. That same month, Rodriguez released a statement on Instagram addressing the allegations.
“Our products go through rigorous testing, and they pass and complete the test of effectiveness and safety. … [I’ve spent time] reassuring consumers that the brand they knew before the acquisition is still the same brand. We’re still committed to serving our customers, and with P&G [as a partner], we can do more for our consumers and more for our community, and not disrupt what was already good,” said Rodriguez.
She added that she plans to keep Mielle at the forefront of the textured hair-care category by expanding the brand and making it more accessible. “We want to create more innovative [products] people may not have heard of but are very beneficial for the hair and the skin,” she said. “We’ll also be doing more research and bringing on more chemists to help us elevate our consumer experience all across the board.”
According to industry experts, P&G’s 2023 acquisition of Mielle brought the brand’s full-year revenue forecast for that year to an estimated $150 million-$200 million. Rodriguez declined to confirm, only stating that Mielle’s objective is “to consistently surpass the previous year’s achievements and to continue to drive continuous business growth.”
