Even as the 2024 Paris Olympics winds down, the greatest Black athletes in the world are still winning gold. However, in between the history they’ve made––we saw the first all-Black podium in women’s gymnastics and U.S.A.’s all-Black mixed 4 x 100m team broke a world record––the business of Black beauty has also broken a barrier of their own.
A first for the Olympics, Mielle Organics was named the official textured hair care partner of this year’s Games. “This is the first time ever that there’s been a textured hair care brand offering products and high quality ingredients at the Olympics and the Paralympic Games,” founder Monique Rodriguez tells ESSENCE. The Olympic Village beauty and grooming salon, operated by French stylist Raphaël Perrier, has a number of stylists that specialize in textured hair for more inclusive hair access for athletes.
“It’s important for Black athletes to have access to textured hair products because there is not enough representation there,” Rodriguez says. “Historically, Black women athletes have always faced a lot of scrutiny and criticism over how they wear their hair on the court, on the field, whatever it is that they’re doing for the Olympics.” The most decorated gymnast of all time, Simone Biles, dealt with unsolicited opinions regarding her flyaways, meanwhile Venus Williams was historically penalized over her famous beaded braids.
With hair discrimination forcing Black athletes to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards, like the former ban on swim caps for natural hair, Mielle helps to break racist, unfair expectations during the Games. “Having access to high quality products can directly impact their level of confidence, which impacts their overall performance,” she says.
To do this, Olympic athletes can flip through a salon lookbook to choose their service, which ranges from curly, textured hair to facial grooming and nails. For example, “there is a styling option called a ‘Smooth Start’, which is a sleek style for anyone that has relaxed hair,” she explains. “It’s a one-hour service which includes a wash with shampoo and conditioner and [then] our Mielle heat protectant and serum for any styling.”
Another service called the “Champion Curl” is for athletes with textured afros, washed then styled with the Mielle Avocado and Tamanu Curl Protector, Curl Defining Mousse, and Super Hold Edge Gel. “I was able to experience that myself and had frizz free curls,” she says. Curl-sporting athletes like track star Vashti Cunningham, the heptathlon’s Taliyah Brooks, and Mielle’s WNBA ambassador A’ja Wilson all stopped by the salon throughout the competition.
With their performance and appearance projected across the world, “one of the biggest hair concerns is obviously hair maintenance making sure that they look presentable,” Rodriguez says. “Being on some of the world’s largest athletic stages is a main concern for athletes and not having the accessibility to the right products and the right stylists has been a huge concern,” she continues. “We wanted to be the brand that understood the need and fill that gap.”
Now, with the 2024 Olympic Games ending next week, athletes can leave the Olympic Village feeling more included. “To be the first textured hair care brand to be there is truly a huge significant milestone,” she says. “It’s a very exciting moment because I know my brand will be touching so many people and making them feel confident and excited to perform at their absolute best.”
