a non-flaking, alcohol-free formula that provides long lasting, frizz-free fly-away control and shine
No fast-drying alcohol appears in the list.
—
Supported
Nothing that flashes off dry.
African Pride
Foam Setting Mousse
Styler / Mousse, polymer-set
- Styler
- mousse
- foam
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Moisture-rich
Size8.5 oz
Price$6.49 Good valueseen at one store · 8.5 oz
Price / oz$0.76/ozat 8.5 oz
Where to buy3 stores · $6.49–9.99
Add it to your products. We’ll tell you if it’s ever recalled.
Scent:
The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.
Manufacturer page: strengthofnature.com
Personal fit
Is this right for you?
Complete the consultation to see how well this product fits your hair and your goals. With 6,000+ products in our library, we can match you to the right ones.
- About 20 minutes, and your answers save as you go.
- Every product matched against your hair across the 22 factors we check.
- A personalized routine built around your schedule, styling habits, and local weather.
- Find products that do the same job at a lower cost.
- Your goals, scalp, damage history, water, budget, and scent preferences all shape your plan.
$49 with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates
$99 with 12 months. Pay once; the year renews only if you choose.
Factor
Your profile
Fit
Best for hair types
Wavy–Coily
Not in your profile
Moisture level
High
Not in your profile
Hold system
High
Not in your profile
Slip / detangling
Moderate
Not in your profile
Weight on hair
Medium
Not in your profile
Fragrance
Present
Not in your profile
Protein
Prominent
Not in your profile
Silicone / wax buildup
None
Not in your profile
Clarifying wash needed
Low
Not in your profile
Parabens / preservatives
None of these listed
Not in your profile
Show all 22 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
Essential oils
Present
Not in your profile
Fast-drying alcohol
None
Not in your profile
Vegan / cruelty-free
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Animal-derived ingredients
Not yet verified
Not in your profile
Aerosol can
Pump or tube
Not in your profile
Needs heat to set
Not determined
Not in your profile
Heavy humectants
Heavy
Not in your profile
Hard-water defence
None
Not in your profile
UV filter
None listed
Not in your profile
Ingredient list
19 ingredientsAbout average
Not in your profile
Price tier
Drugstore
Not in your profile
Where to buy it
Brand website · Grocery / mass
Not in your profile
The consultation builds your hair profile, checks every factor in this table against it, and tells you where this product fits or what to use instead.
Start your consultation$49 once, with 60 days of follow-up questions and plan updates. Nothing renews, and you never have to buy a product.
Your avoid-list
Lower cost than most mousses
$0.76/oz at 8.5 oz, less than 96% of the 201 mousses , which mostly run $1.54–4.14/oz.
Great for
Protein-hungry hairthat stretches and stays stretched when wet
Dry, thirsty hairhumectants and emollients both sit up front
Curly-method routinesno sulfates and no water-insoluble silicones
Curl definitionfilm formers hold a clump together
Silicone-free routinesno silicones appear in the list
Stretching wash daysnothing here needs a detergent to remove
Maybe skip if
this product has a scent
Protein-sensitive hairthat goes stiff or straw-like on protein
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you
What the formula actually does
Read from the label, not the marketing
Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.
Hold system
Synthetic polymer
Synthetic hold polymers, the firmest kind of hold.
Cast risk
Unlikely
Softening ingredients sit alongside the film formers, so a hard shell is unlikely.
Weight on the hair
Medium
Middle of the range: noticeable on fine hair, light on coarse hair.
Oil absorption
None
No absorbent powders or starches.
Oils and butters
Present, high in the list
Oils sit high in the list: a softening, coating formula.
Fast-drying alcohol
None
No fast-drying alcohol in the list.
Needs detergent to remove
No
Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.
Fragrance
Present
Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.
from the formula
stated by the brand
reported by reviewers
Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.
Ingredients that matter
The ingredients that change a decision
The workhorse ingredients, plus anything lower down that changes a decision. The chips name what an ingredient does. They are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.
| Ingredient | What it does | Why it matters | Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| WaterWater (Aqua) | solvent | The base everything else is dissolved in | Neutral |
| Olea Europea (Olive) Fruit Oil | oil | Softens the film so it does not set hard | Softens |
| Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil | botanical extract | A plant extract, there as much for marketing as for function | Fragrance |
| Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceAloe Barbedensis Leaf Juice | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Glycerin | humectant | Pulls water into the hair | Moisturizes |
| Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Liquid Endosperm | botanical extract | A plant extract, there as much for marketing as for function | Neutral |
| Hydrolyzed Oats | protein | Firms up soft, over-stretchy hair | Protein |
| Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil | oil | Softens the film so it does not set hard | Softens |
| FragranceFragrance (Parfum) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Linalool | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
| Limonene | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesThe list carries no sulfates, silicones, or drying alcohols. Protein sits high: this is a strengthening step rather than a moisture one. Fragrance is on the label.
Full ingredient list (19)
In the US, ingredients above 1% are listed from most to least. Below 1% they can appear in any order. Each note keeps three things apart: what the ingredient generally does, its role in this type of product, and what its position can tell you.
-
1
Water
· Water (Aqua)
General function
The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- solvent
-
2
Olea Europea (Olive) Fruit Oil
General function
The oil pressed from Olive (Olea Europea). It is one of the heavier plant oils — rich on coarse or dry hair, and enough to flatten fine hair.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
- oil
- emollient
-
3
Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil
General function
Tea tree essential oil, used in scalp products for its sharp scent and traditional clarifying reputation.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesEssential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.
- botanical extract
- essential oil
- fragrance
-
4
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
· Aloe Barbedensis Leaf Juice
General function
Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little natural hold.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdGums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairHydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairAloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.
- humectant
- botanical extract
- gum
-
5
Glycerin
General function
Glycerin, also called glycerol, attracts moisture and mixes completely with water.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
Scientific ReportsMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairHigh-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairBinds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.
DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hairWater moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.
- humectant
-
6
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Liquid Endosperm
General function
Coconut water under its botanical description, standing in for some of the plain water.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
- botanical extract
-
7
Hydrolyzed Oats
- protein
- hydrolysed protein
-
8
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
General function
One of the few oils small enough to move into the strand, which is why it is used for pre-wash treatments. It can feel heavy or stiff on protein-sensitive hair.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairBecause it penetrates rather than sits on top, it works on hair that loses water through a worn cuticle instead of only slowing evaporation from the surface the way a non-penetrating oil does.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
May suitVery dry or highly damaged hairThe exception to the class read: lauric acid is small and linear enough to enter the shaft rather than only coat it, and in comparison testing coconut oil was the one that reduced protein loss from washing on both undamaged and damaged hair.
- oil
- emollient
-
9
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
General function
A light, widely used oil that softens without much weight.
Secondary ingredientLower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.
International Journal of TrichologyMay suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hairCoats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.
DependsVery dry or highly damaged hairIt works on the surface. In the comparison that established coconut oil's penetration, sunflower oil did not reduce protein loss from washing — its fatty acids are bulkier and less linear. It softens and smooths; it does not reinforce the fibre.
- oil
- emollient
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
10
Tocopherol
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
11
Ethylhexylglycerin
General function
A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairEmollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.
- preservative
- emollient
-
12
Polyquaternium-11
General function
A styling and conditioning polymer that adds light hold and shine, common in mousses and setting sprays.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdCationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- film former
- polymer
- conditioning agent
-
13
Polysorbate 20
· Polysorbate-20
- solubilizer
- emulsifier
-
14
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
15
Cetrimonium Chloride
General function
A quick-acting conditioning agent that reduces static and combing force. It also helps keep the formula stable.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
International Journal of Cosmetic ScienceMay suitFine or easily flattened hairThe C16 quat binds mostly by charge rather than by chain, so it deposits measurably less than the C22 ones. Less deposit is less conditioning and also less weight, which is usually the trade fine hair wants.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic conditioning agent: it binds to the damaged, negatively charged parts of the cuticle and lowers combing friction there.
DependsBuild-up-sensitive routinesSubstantive by design. A routine with no detergent wash gives it nothing to leave with.
- conditioning agent
- cleanser
-
16
Acrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride/Acrylamide Copolymer
General function
A conditioning polymer that stays on the hair after rinsing to reduce static and frizz.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May suitCurls or waves needing flexible holdCationic polymers hold a curl loosely and stay soft, which is why they turn up in definition products rather than firm-hold ones.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairA cationic polymer stays on the hair through rinsing, which is what keeps static and combing friction down after the wash.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingFilm formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.
- film former
- polymer
- conditioning agent
-
17
Fragrance
· Fragrance (Parfum)
General function
An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
May not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesDeclared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.
- fragrance
- declared fragrance
-
18
Linalool
General function
A floral fragrance component listed separately as a recognised contact allergen.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
-
19
Limonene
General function
A citrus-smelling fragrance component that EU rules require to be named separately because some people react to it.
Estimated lower-concentration zoneIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
PubChemMay not suitFragrance-sensitive routinesOne of the 26 scent components the EU requires to be named individually above a threshold. It is named because it is a known contact allergen, not because it is unusual.
- fragrance
- named fragrance allergen
What the whole list adds up to
- 4 emollients
- 4 fragrances
- 3 oils
- 3 botanical extracts
- 3 conditioning agents
- 2 humectants
- 2 preservatives
- 2 film formers
- 2 polymers
- 2 named fragrance allergens
- 1 solvent
- 1 essential oil
- 1 gum
- 1 protein
Ingredient list captured 2026-10-12. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 8.5 oz
Seen at
$6.49
Good value under
$14
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $14 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $34 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores
-
Sally Beauty
$6.498.5 oz · $0.76/ozOct 13Lowest per oz
-
African Pride (brand site)
$9.998.5 oz · $1.18/ozOct 7
-
African Pride (strengthofnature.com)
$9.998.5 oz · $1.18/ozOct 11
Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.
How we work this out
- 8.5 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
- Seen at $6.49 is the price we have observed for the 8.5 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $14 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $1.59/oz; at 8.5 oz that is $14. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $34 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 8.5 oz.
Formula
9
Formula score
9 of 10
It carries the working systems a mouss needs and still sits in the lower part of the price range for mousses per ounce.
How the score is counted
- Costs less per ounce than 96% of the 201 mousses we’ve priced
- Covers 5 of the 6 things a mouss should do
- Drugstore tier, sold at Brand website and Grocery / mass
- Drugstore tier
- A hold systemThe polymer, gum, or wax that holds the shape.3 pts
- Softeners alongside the holdWhat keeps a film flexible instead of brittle.2 pts
- No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.2 pts
- A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
- A humidity claim with a mechanismThe claim has a film former or silicone behind it.1 pt
- Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt
The formula score measures completeness for the job: a weighted share of the systems this product type is usually built around that we find in this list. It does not rate how well the product works or its quality, and it never compares across product types.
Does the same job
Formulas that do the same things (cleanse, condition, coat or hold) for less per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy them can still differ.
SheaMoistureClosest function
Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Mousse
$1.47/oz $0.71/oz more
- Protein
- Curly method
- Rich
- Function
- Also
OuidadLighter feel
Advanced Climate Control Featherlight Volumizing Foam
$3.71/oz $2.95/oz more
- Protein
- Curly method
- Lightweight
- Function
- Also
Design EssentialsLowest cost per oz
Coconut & Monoi Curl Defining Gelée
$0.85/oz $0.09/oz more
- Protein-free
- Curly method
- Silicone-free
- Function
- Also
See more alternatives in the product library
These products do a similar job. We haven’t matched them to you. Find the one that fits your hair, routine and budget
Final decision
Should you buy it?
A solid pick for the hair it suitsBest user
Soft, over-stretchy hair who want protein high in the formula and moisture that stays in
Biggest tradeoff
Worth skipping for anyone sensitive to fragrance, hair that stiffens on protein, or very dry or very humid climates
Best alternative if not
Nothing in our library matches it closely at a lower price.
We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.
Claims check
What the brand says, and what the formula shows
Claims are quoted from the brand. We mark a claim supported, partly supported or conflicting only when the ingredient list speaks to it. Everything else stays "stated by the brand". That isn’t a criticism: most claims can’t be checked from a label.
1
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
1
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
for curls, waves, weaves, wigs, wraps, braids, and protective styles
This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.
—
Stated by brand
Can’t be confirmed from label.
How to read this
We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula, not at the marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.
Reviewers
What people report
Themes that come up again and again in sourced reviews, written by our researchers in their own words. We don’t store or scrape star ratings.
Many reviewers praise the scent as pleasant, though a few find it strong or dislike it.
Reviewers across hair typesSome reviewers say it sits on top of hair or leaves a film or residue, while others say it isn't sticky.
Reviewers across hair typesSeveral reviewers say it left hair soft and shiny, but a few say it dried hair out or felt dry.
Reviewers with natural and relaxed hairSeveral reviewers say it stays flake-free, while a few saw white flakes appear later in the day.
Reviewers across hair typesMany reviewers say it sets styles and keeps them defined without making hair crunchy, though some found the hold too weak or stiff.
Reviewers with curly, coily and braided hairMore from African Pride
- Moisture Miracle Aloe & Coconut Oil Deep Conditioner
- Moisture Miracle Aloe & Coconut Water Hydrate & Restore Conditioner
- Moisture Miracle Honey, Chocolate & Coconut Oil Nourish & Restore Conditioner
- Moisture Miracle Repair & Replenish Conditioner
- Feel It Formula Peppermint, Rosemary & Sage Strengthening Oil
- Growth Oil
How this page was made
- Everything above comes from our researched product record: identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated prices and review themes our researchers wrote in their own words. No part of this page is written by hand for one product.
- The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
- Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
- The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
- 9 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 4 retailer, 4 editorial), last checked 2026-10-31.
- Ingredient references are linked for 7 of 12 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are general formulation guidance. They aren’t a verdict on the finished product or on you.
- We haven’t tested this product in a lab, and we don’t physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list. Claims about how it behaves are labelled as the brand's.
- Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are what we saw on the dates shown and can change.
- Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
- This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
- Formula readings: derivation v23. Record last updated 2026-10-12.
