JVN Hair Reformulates Scalp Oil In Response To Mold Concerns It’s Determined Are Unfounded 

JVN Hair is reformulating its bestselling Complete Pre-Wash Scalp Oil after complaints arose online that the product contains mold.

Amyris Inc., parent company of the clean haircare brand connected to hairstylist Jonathan Van Ness, grooming expert on the Netflix series “Queer Eye,” has determined the complaints are unfounded, and customers are confusing sediment in the scalp oil for mold. It explains the sediment is related to turmeric in the formula interacting with hemisqualane, a lab-engineered version of silicone produced by Amyris that’s the impetus behind Complete Pre-Wash Scalp Oil’s silicone-free claim.

“A handful of customers reached out to us with concerns about potential mold in our scalp oil,” said Amyris in a statement. “We take any mention of mold very seriously and thoroughly investigated. Because we never want anyone to be alarmed and hold ourselves to the highest standards, we have already begun reformulating the scalp oil to ensure people don’t see the sediment in the future.”

The reformulated Complete Pre-Wash Scalp Oil is scheduled to arrive on shelves later this year and generate results equivalent to the original. It’s also expected to appear almost identical to the original product. The existing Complete Pre-Wash Scalp Oil isn’t being pulled from shelves. At Sephora, it’s priced at $29 for a 1.7-oz. bottle. Amyris said, “If it’s not on shelves at a specific retail location, it’s because the product is popular and is sold out for the time being at that location.”

Mold allegations were made on Reddit, where a user posting with the handle @Champaign__Supernova on the subreddit r/Sephora commented on Feb. 25, “I love this oil and have it in my cart at all times, but noticed it was out of stock all of a sudden (weird for this product, it’s not something that’s hard to get). Was looking at the recent reviews and noticed a bunch mention it growing black mold. I never look at my stuff that closely but since many of them mentioned it I checked my bottle and sure enough it’s doing the same.”

Reviews of Complete Pre-Wash Scalp Oil on Sephora’s website feature several remarks about mold. A Sephora customer with the handle @bee333eee wrote a review entitled “Moldy by goody.” In the review, the customer reported, “I noticed mold when I was only halfway through the bottle, and I’d only had it for a month or two…I would buy it again if they fix the mold problem.” Across all reviews, the product has garnered 4.3 out of 5 stars.

Mold allegations levied against Complete Pre-Wash Scalp Oil come on the heels of accusations that clean makeup brand Kosas’s Revealer Concealer has mold and smells “like crusty feet.” In response to journalists and customers inquiring about mold in the concealer, Kosas directed them to a product FAQ section on its website. On social media, the brand reacted to people raising the mold issue by emphasizing that Revealer Concealer’s formula is safe. In a social media comment, Kosas wrote, “We use safe, effective preservatives and antimicrobial stabilizers which prevent against mold, yeast and pathogens.”

There’s no public indication Kosas has investigated the possibility of mold in Revealer Concealer or has pursued product action due to mold allegations. Amyris’s acknowledgement of mold concerns, and subsequent investigation and reformulation stand in contrast to Kosas’s noninterventionist approach that’s mostly drawn criticism from beauty industry insiders for lacking transparency and being tone-deaf.

“We take any mention of mold very seriously and thoroughly investigated.

The product-specific mold concerns have sparked discussions about whether clean beauty as a whole is facing a mold problem. For a February article in Beauty Independent on the Kosas Revealer Concealer matter, AJ Addae, a cosmetic chemist and founder of Sula Labs, told Beauty Independent, “The real question remains: How will the ever-growing clean beauty category continue to overcome skepticism regarding efficacy and safety as federal regulations are beginning to hold us further accountable regarding consumer safety measures?

She added, “I think it’s OK to give brands grace when they have a slip up because, behind these products, there are humans producing them. With that said, I believe brands also owe it to their consumers to deliver a safe and effective experience.”

JVN launched in 2021, when industry sources provided the publication Women’s Wear Daily a projection that the brand could hit $15 million to $20 million in first-year retail sales. Along with JVN, the brands Biossance, Rose Inc., 4U by Tia, Terasana, EcoFabulous, Costa Brazil and Pipette are in Amyris’s portfolio.

In the company’s third quarter earnings conference call last year, CEO John Melo shared sales for Costa Brazil, JVN and Rose Inc. had jumped more than 300% year-to-date. He said JVN’s retail door count in the United States was slated to triple. Outside of the U.S., JVN is carried by Space NK and Sephora in the United Kingdom.

Fragrance and flavor company Givaudan announced last month it would acquire certain cosmetic ingredients from Amyris, including hemisqualane. Near and long term, the deal is valued at $500 million. Amyris will continue to manufacture the ingredients. The company estimates ingredients it manufactures are in over 20,000 products from leading beauty brands that have reached 300 million-plus consumers.