Moisture Lock Mongongo Oil
Finisher / Hair oil, light-reflecting
- Finisher
- oil
- Sulfate-free
- Silicone-free
- Protein-free
- Cruelty-free · PETA-listed
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.
Strength: Strong
Manufacturer page: ouidad.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 23 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.
Show all 23 factors we check
The rest of what your plan weighs on this product.
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 hair oils
$2.01/oz at 17 oz, less than 84% of the 270 hair oils , which mostly run $3.15–14.77/oz.
Great for
Maybe skip if
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.
Light esters or a volatile carrier: shine with little residue.
Heavy butters and waxes in the first eight ingredients.
Oils sit high in the list: a softening, coating formula.
Water-insoluble silicones or waxes: a detergent wash is what removes them.
No fast-drying alcohol in the list.
Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Shine |
| Coconut Alkanes | emollient | Softens and smooths the strand | Shine |
| Coco-Caprylate/Caprate | light ester | Light slip without much weight | Shine |
| Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Seed Oil | oil | The shine and softening system | Shine |
| Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer | wax | Holds shape and adds weight | Buildup |
| Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil | oil | The shine and softening system | Shine |
| Tocopheryl Acetate | antioxidant | Protects the formula | Stabilizes |
| Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil | oil | A little oil for shine | Shine |
| FragranceFragrance (Parfum) | fragrance | The scent | Fragrance |
Full ingredient list (15)
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
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
General function
A shine-giving emollient used in serums and finishing oils.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
2
Coconut Alkanes
General function
A coconut-derived light emollient used as a plant alternative to silicone.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May 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.
- emollient
- solvent
-
3
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
General function
A plant-derived light ester used where a silicone-free but silky feel is wanted.
Leading ingredientListed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.
May suitFine or easily flattened hairA light emollient: it softens the surface with noticeably less weight than an oil or a butter.
May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hairSpreads thin and lowers friction between strands without the heaviness of a fixed oil.
- light ester
- emollient
-
4
Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Seed Oil
General function
The oil pressed from Brassica Oleracea. How much weight a plant oil leaves depends on the hair it lands on; coarse hair tends to take more of it than fine hair.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May 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.
May not suitFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
-
5
Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
General function
A castor-derived wax polymer that thickens balms and helps a style hold.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May 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.
May suitMaximum-hold stylingA wax holds by staying solid on the strand, which gives grip and separation rather than a set film that cracks.
May not suitBuild-up-sensitive routinesWaxes do not dissolve in water. They need a detergent wash to come off, and they are the classic cause of a coated feel.
- wax
- film former
- emollient
-
6
Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil
General function
The oil pressed from Schinziophyton Rautanenii. How much weight a plant oil leaves depends on the hair it lands on; coarse hair tends to take more of it than fine hair.
Supporting ingredientListed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.
May 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.
May not suitFine or easily flattened hairNear the top of a list an oil is weight before it is anything else, and fine hair shows that first at the roots.
- oil
- emollient
- ▾Below about here, the order stops meaning much. These are usually used at 1% or less.
-
7
Tocopheryl Acetate
General function
A stable form of vitamin E used to keep the oils in a formula from oxidising. It is used at fractions of a percent.
Estimated lower-concentration zonePubChemIt appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
8
Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil
General function
The oil pressed from Palm (Elaeis Guineensis). It is one of the heavier plant oils — rich on coarse or dry hair, and enough to flatten fine hair.
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 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.
- oil
- emollient
-
9
Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil
General function
A light oil that softens without much residue.
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 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.
- oil
- emollient
-
10
Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil
General function
A light plant oil used to soften and carry other oil-based ingredients.
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 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.
- oil
- emollient
-
11
Bixa Orellana Seed Oil
- oil
- emollient
-
12
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
General function
A light, widely used oil that softens without much weight.
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 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.
- oil
- emollient
-
13
Tocopherol
- antioxidant
- vitamin
-
14
Phenoxyethanol
- preservative
-
15
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
What the whole list adds up to
- 11 emollients
- 7 oils
- 2 light esters
- 2 antioxidants
- 2 vitamins
- 1 solvent
- 1 wax
- 1 film former
- 1 preservative
- 1 fragrance
- 1 declared fragrance
Ingredient list captured 2026-08-27. Formulas change, so check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.
Price · 17 oz
Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $166 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $317 at this size.
Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it2 listings · 2 stores
17 ozusual store sizeBest per ounce
-
JCPenney
$34.2017 oz · $2.01/ozSep 5Lowest per ozSale · was $38.00
1.7 oz
-
Brand website
$38.001.7 oz · $22.35/ozAug 27Lowest per oz
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
- 17 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 $34.20 is the price we have observed for the 17 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
- Good value under $166 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $9.74/oz; at 17 oz that is $166. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
- About $317 is what those same products typically cost at this size: the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 17 oz.
Formula
This formula covers the systems a hair oil is built around, and it costs less per ounce than most of the hair oils we have researched.
How the score is counted
- Costs less per ounce than 84% of the 270 hair oils we’ve priced
- Covers 5 of the 6 things a hair oil should do
- Salon tier, sold at Brand website and Ulta
- Salon tier
- A shine systemThe silicone, oil, or ester that produces gloss.3 pts
- A weightless carrierDelivers the shine without leaving grease.2 pts
- Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
- An antioxidantKeeps the oils in the bottle from going off.1 pt
- No drying alcohol in the first threeFast drying without leading on alcohol.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.
- Protein-free
- Rich
- Silicone-free
- Differs
- Protein-free
- Rich
- Silicone-free
- Differs
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 suitsHair that stiffens on protein, for a protein-free formula and a formula with real substance
Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance, oily scalps and fine hair, or anyone stretching time between washes
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.
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.
Lightweight oil provides shine and moisture for curls without leaving hair greasy or weighed down.
Reduces frizz and defines curl patterns while adding a light, shiny finish to textured hair.
The very strong fragrance can trigger migraines or sensory sensitivity issues in some customers.
Makes hair noticeably softer and smoother, making detangling easier and helping curls stay refreshed between washes.
More from Ouidad
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.
- 3 sources consulted for this product (1 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 1 editorial), last checked 2026-09-05.
- Ingredient references are linked for 1 of 11 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 2026-09-05.






