The influencer has been accused of racism for using “black hair oil,” which is trending online

An influencer has been accused of racism for using hair oil “for black women”.

Beauty guru Danielle Athena’s hair wash tutorial using the hyped Mielle Rosemary Mint Scalp and Hair Strengthening Oil sparked a heated debate on Twitter after a woman, who went by @aprettyPR on Twitter, berated the influencer for stealing from black women.

Athena’s video opened the floodgates for criticism as some women expressed dislike despite the black brand’s touting the oil as “for all hair types”.

“A drop of the Mielle Rosemary Hair Growth Oil all over my scalp,” Athena said in the video.

The influencer, who has around 49,000 followers on TikTok, has since deleted the video.

Danielle Athena’s hair washing tutorial with Hair Growth Oil has sparked controversy on the internet

Athena’s video was captioned by @aprettyPR, “White women steal black women and just do shit. and of course she turned those comments off.’

Some users feared that the oil extraction trend would increase the price of the product and lead to changes in the formula.

“If a product FOR POC [people of color] then used and popularized by non-POC, companies tend to change ingredients and formulas to suit the majority of buyers of the product,” one user wrote. “THIS MEANS it won’t work the same for the targeted consumers anymore.”

The oil’s increasing popularity has also resulted in a shortage of supplies in some stores, with some local stores almost selling out.

“The thing is there are hardly any hair products for black hair on the market that actually work and moisturize, nourish and hold our curls so we finally have a product that works in the US and it’s sold out everywhere because people do.” have “discovered”.’

Others have argued that rosemary oil can strengthen hair and promote healthy growth.

“Are you upset that she oils her scalp? Or because she supports a black business? I want to know where to direct outrage,” one person wrote.

Another person added: “I’m honestly so confused about this. I’ve been doing this to my hair for years and not because I’ve seen black women do it.

“I loved researching that rosemary oil was great for hair loss and hair growth, I didn’t know it was proprietary.”

“I recognize how some black women feel and we should respect it,” wrote another. “However, I’m sure this black-owned company is thrilled to receive free marketing and support from non-black customers. Your support helps the company grow, which creates opportunities for its black stakeholders.

Some have argued rosemary oils can strengthen hair and promote healthy growth

Another person argued that they could see the pros and cons of the oil advertised

Addressing the dispute, Mielle owner Monique Rodriguez confirmed the company would keep the formula

Meanwhile, Mielle owner Monique Rodriguez addressed the dispute, confirming the company would keep the formula.

“We have no plans to change the formula of rosemary mint oil or any other product,” Rodriguez wrote on Twitter. “There have been some comments on this recently, but I can personally guarantee you that we are not making any changes to the ingredients.”

Mielle advertises his company online as a beauty brand that believes in natural and healthier ingredients for hair through the use of a variety of herbs and minerals.

While several products on Mielle’s website are “made for all hair types,” most of the models on the site are black.

Hair growth oil has been trending on social media since the summer of 2022, but hasn’t gained negative traction until recently.