There’s been a lot of talk recently surrounding Mielle Organics and their partnership with Procter & Gamble, also known as P&G. Many consumers of the brand took to social media to express their disdain for the partnership, in fear that the beloved OG natural hair company would stray away from the things that made us fall in love. While this is a valid feeling because we’ve seen this before, it may not be the case for Mielle Organics.
Co-founder, Monique Rodriguez, expressed the goal is to not only “level up” but to continue serving Black and brown communities with innovative products. As a long-time lover of the brand, I’m here to tell you that they’re doing precisely that, and the new Avocado & Tamanu collection is proof.
The Avocado & Tamanu line is an anti-frizz system that uses cold application technology which requires you to refrigerate some of the product before you use it. This helps to close hair cuticles and reduce frizz. The five-product collection uses active ingredients like avocado to add moisture, while the tamanu encourages stronger and healthier hair. I tried the collection, and here’s my honest review…
The Avocado & Tamanu Anti-Frizz Shampoo
Courtesy of Krissy Lewis
The shampoo is very clarifying and moisturizing, which is great for removing build-up without stripping your hair of its natural oils. The shampoo has enough slip to help you detangle from the very start of your wash day. As you can see, my hair looked very dry and brittle, but with water and shampoo, my hair had already started to get its moisture back.
I always recommend for naturals who have thick, colored, or dry hair use shampoos that cleanse and add moisture. Incorporating one like this will make a huge difference in your overall hair health and wash day routine.
The Avocado & Tamanu Anti-Frizz Conditioner
Courtesy of Krissy Lewis
The conditioner has a ton of moisture, especially if you leave it in for at least 10 minutes. I need, more than anything, a deep conditioning treatment since I have colored hair and went several days without refreshing it. The thick and creamy conditioner has so much moisture and slip, it makes detangling really easy, and it acts as both a regular and deep conditioner.
It’s recommended to leave it in for 10 minutes, then rinse it out with cool water. I left mine in for 20 minutes without heat, I usually don’t rinse with cool water, but it did help lock the moisture into my strands. The only downside to the conditioner is the smell. For some reason, this product had the most potent scent out of the collection, and I didn’t enjoy it. Luckily, the smell dissipated after I rinsed it out.
The Avocado & Tamanu Anti-Frizz Slip & Seal Leave-In Conditioner
Courtesy of Krissy Lewis
I’m not going to lie, I pre-judged the leave-in, but I’m glad I was wrong. I don’t like liquid leave-in. I prefer a light creamy texture because my hair soaks it up better. The leave-in comes in a spray bottle, so I assumed it would be water-based. However, to my surprise, it has a serum-like texture that melts right into your hair to moisturize and seal the hair cuticle.
This is one of the products that require you to refrigerate before you use it to activate the product. Refrigerating the product helps seal in the moisture and prevent frizz as you apply and style your hair.
The Avocado & Tamanu Anti-Frizz Curl Perfector
Courtesy of Krissy Lewis
In my opinion, this is the all-star of the entire collection. I was very surprised and impressed by the curl perfector. It had everything I look for in a styling cream: moisture, slip, creamy texture that melts into your hair, lightweight, and hold. Initially, I was disappointed that there wasn’t any gel or mousse included, but honestly, the line doesn’t need it. The cream has enough hold to make your style last for days! Most curling creams require a gel or holding product to give your style longevity, but this one is a stand-alone product.
This is another product that requires you to refrigerate to activate its potential. When I say moisture and slip are undeniable… if nothing else, you need to give this a try. My hands even felt softer and smoother after using it. This is perfect for my chemically treated hair. If you don’t know, any processing done to natural hair requires you to keep it moisturized to keep its health. The product isn’t marketed for colored hair, but it’s perfect for lasting moisture.
My Overall Thoughts
I give this line a 9 out of 10. It delivered everything it claims: moisture and frizz-free hair. The price of the collection is $45, which, to me, isn’t bad. Individually, each product is about $14. Mielle Organics has always done a good job with affordability and decent-sized bottles, and that hasn’t seemed to change.
I really enjoyed the forward-thinking and innovation in the collection. I had never even heard of a cooling technology, but it does work wonders. I know it's better to rinse my hair with cold water, but let's be honest, most of us wash our hair in the shower, and who’s trying to have cold water touching their skin…definitely not me. I like my shower scorching hot! The fact that you can cool the products without having to sacrifice your preferred water temperature is convenient. Also, I love that I don’t have to keep the products cold, just pop them in before wash day, and your good to go.
Lastly, fighting frizz isn’t just in the products you use but also in technique. The instructions on each product help when achieving frizz-free curls. A few things you’d also want to avoid when fighting frizz is over manipulating your hair and picking your hair unless you desire volume and fullness like me. Both of these can cause frizz and would undo all the effort you put in, so keep that in mind.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image courtesy of Krissy Lewis
RELATED
While an evolution is a natural progression that happens as businesses grow, a rebrand is a total change. Lola tells xoNecole, "A total rebrand is necessary when a business’s current reputation/what it’s known for is at odds with the business’s vision or direction.
"For example, if you’ve fundamentally changed what your product is and does, it’s likely that your brand is out of alignment with the business. Or, if you find your company is developing a reputation that doesn’t serve it, it might be time to pump the brakes and figure out what needs to change.
She continues, "Sometimes you’ll see companies (especially startups) announce a name change that comes with updated messaging, visuals, etc. That usually means their vision has changed or expanded, and their previous branding was too narrow/couldn’t encompass everything they planned to do."
Feature image courtesy
The Brand Doula was born in 2019, and its focus is on putting "the experiences, goals, and needs of women of color founders first," as well as brands with "culture-shifting missions."
According to Lola, culture-shifting is "the act of influencing dominant behavior, beliefs, or experiences in a community or group (ideally, for the better)."
"At The Brand Doula, we work with companies and leaders that set out to challenge the status quo in their industries and communities. They’re here to make an impact that sends ripples across the market," she says.
"We help the problem solvers of the world — the ones who aren't satisfied with 'this is how it's always been' and instead ask 'how could this be better?' Our clients build for impact, reimagining tools, systems, and ways of living to move cultures forward."
The Brand Doula has worked with many brands, including Too Collective, to assist with their collaboration with Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty and Balanced Black Girl for a "refresh," aka rebrand. For businesses looking to rebrand, Lola shares four essential steps.
1. Do an audit of your current brand experience — what’s still relevant and what needs to change? Reflect on why you’re doing the rebrand in the first place and what success would look like after relaunching.
2. Tackle the overall strategy first — before you start redesigning logos and websites, align on a new vision for your brand. How do you want your company to be positioned moving forward? Has your audience changed at all? Will your company have a fresh personality and voice?
3. Bring your audience along the journey — there’s no need to move in secret. Inviting your current audience into the journey can actually help them feel more connected to and invested in your story, enough to stick around as changes are being made.
4. Keep business moving — one of my biggest pet peeves is when companies take down their websites as soon as they have the idea to rebrand, then have a Coming Soon page up for months! You lose a lot of momentum and interest by doing that. If you’re still in business and generating income, continue to operate while you work on your rebrand behind the scenes. You don’t want to cut existing customers off out of the blue, and you also don’t want so much downtime that folks forget your business exists or start looking for other solutions.
While determining whether the rebrand was successful may take a few months, Lola says a clear sign that it is unsuccessful is negative feedback from your target audience. "Customers are typically more vocal about what they don’t like more than what they do like," she says.
But some good signs to look out for are improvements in engagement with your marketing, positive reviews, press and increase in retention, and overall feeling aligned with the new branding.
For more information about Lola and The Brand Doula, visit her website, thebranddoula.com.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy
