Strengthening Oil

Alix Earle skyrocketed to TikTok fame in Dec. 2022 when she gained nearly two million followers over a one-month period of time. Girls from middle school to college graduates have openly expressed their love and adoration for TikTok’s latest “it girl” and some have even confessed that they want to purchase any items endorsed or shown by Earle.

Earle gained popularity through her chaotic and enjoyable getready-with-me videos. The TikTok star strives to maintain a relatable and down-to-earth personality in her videos, which has led many high school and college aged girls to become obsessed with her. These girls find comfort and relatability in Earle’s day in the life, get ready with me, and house tour videos. Oftentimes, the products she displayed, including the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream, Contour Wand, and the Drunk Elephant Bronzing Drops, sold out almost immediately after their debut in her videos.

On December 27, 2022, Earle made a TikTok that showed her top 2022 Amazon purchases, one of which was the Mielle Organics Rosemary Oil. In the video she said, “I’ve only been using this for a little over a month, and I’ve already seen tremendous hair growth.”

Rosemary Oil is a product aimed to help stimulate hair growth and thickness while repairing damage on curly, textured hair. The Mielle oil is a blend of various thick oils that are only adequately absorbed by coarse, thick hair types.

Because Alix Earle and her predominately white, female fanbase have been selling out the oil made for textured hair, she has been subject to backlash from black women. Mielle’s loyal customers are not upset that the oil is selling out, rather they are upset at the demographic that is selling it out.

“I have two issues with the Alix Earle scandal. First, purchasing a hair product that openly caters to the Black community and then advertising it to a primarily white audience seems ignorant to me. Secondly, I think that her fans purchasing the product, selling it out, and then leaving bad reviews was extremely inconsiderate. I believe Alix Ear- le should’ve put more thought into advertising the product knowing her demographic,” Asha Jones (11) said.

Products in the beauty industry have historically favored the needs of white people, so because white women are taking over a product that caters to the needs of black hair, black women are upset.

“It’s great that more people are being exposed to a product that I love, but what I don’t love is how it is flying off the shelf. It’s hard enough to find products that work for black hair, and it’s upsetting that people who the product wasn’t meant for are buying and then complaining that it doesn’t work,” said Mariama Nije (12).

This isn’t the first time black companies have changed focus from black to white women. In 2017, Shea Moisture, another haircare brand that focused on the needs of black hair types, adjusted the formula of one of their most popular products to better suit white hair types. Situations like this further fuel the fear that Mielle will become yet another product for black women that white women have appropriated.