African Pride has been a prominent name in Black hair care for over 30 years. Originally associated with relaxed hair, the brand has since expanded its offerings to cater to various hair types, from natural to relaxed, straight to coily.
This article provides a comprehensive review of several products from African Pride's Moisture Miracle and Olive Miracle collections, offering insights into their performance, ingredients, and overall value.
The brand was revamped when it was acquired by Godrej Consumer Goods in 2016. The company is currently operated and controlled by Black women and Brown people of color. They also have boosted their community presence by donating $500K to disaster relief in the last year and weighing in on important topics, such as the representation of Black women in the boardroom and voting rights. They currently offer over 25 products addressing the needs of various hair types from natural to relaxed, straight to coily.
Moisture Miracle Collection
The Moisture Miracle collection is designed to provide intense hydration and nourishment to natural hair. Here's a closer look at some of the key products:
Aloe & Coconut Water Detangle & Condition Pre-Shampoo
The Moisture Miracle Aloe & Coconut Water Detangle & Condition Pre-Shampoo is designed to detangle the hair in preparation for styling, which also aids in preventing breakage. This pre-shampoo has a jelly-like consistency and a pleasant scent that seems equal parts fruity and perfumy.
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The detangling properties were immediately evident upon application. After rinsing, not only was my hair tangle-free, my curls were separated and defined. My shampoo process was definitely easier after using this product.
This pre-shampoo is a GAME CHANGER! It made detangling and prepping for wash day a breeze as the product just melted into my hair. The consistency feels almost like a gel, which I think is because of the aloe vera. While it’s a very runny product, it interestingly feels heavy.
Coconut Milk & Honey Hydrate & Shine Leave-In Conditioner
Since water is the first ingredient I’ve found myself reaching for this leave-in conditioner instead. It’s consistency and the spray nozzle makes moisturizing my hair simple.
This leave-in conditioner contains dimethicone. Which means you need a shampoo to remove it from your hair strands.
African Pride’s leave-in conditioner, “combines ultra-hydrating coconut milk with replenishing honey so hair is instantly softened, hydrated and shinier.” This spray smells SO good! It’s very lightweight and moisturizing. I feel like this will be my go-to leave-in when I need to refresh my curls.
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Moisture Miracle Honey & Coconut Oil Shampoo
This shampoo says it, “gently cleans hair of dirt and build-up without stripping the follicles of their natural oils. The humectant and reparative benefits of honey and coconut oil combine to deeply penetrate and hydrate coils and curls.”
This shampoo is the ONE! It does an amazing job at cleansing my scalp, without leaving my hair dry afterwards. In fact, my hair felt incredibly soft throughout, and after, the process. It was easy to detangle my hair with this shampoo.
Moisture Miracle Honey & Coconut Oil Conditioner
The conditioner says it, “restores moisture by combining the nutritive properties of honey and coconut oil with the restorative benefits of chocolate (cacao) to strengthen, transform, and repair dry coils and curls.”
In all honesty, this conditioner didn’t WOW me like the pre-shampoo and shampoo. I actually feel like the shampoo was more moisturizing and had better slip than this conditioner. Interestingly, this conditioner is fairly watery in consistency. Which I wasn’t too crazy about because I like my conditioners to be on the thicker side.
Moroccan Red Clay Detoxifying & Conditioning Hair Masque
“This detoxifying and restorative clay masque uses the clarifying benefits of Moroccan red clay to remove impurities and product build-up on hair. Shea butter replenishes moisture and tames frizz.” This masque is LIFE, I’m not kidding.
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This implies that you should use heat with this product. I sat with the bonnet attached to my blow dryer for 15 minutes and afterward, my hair felt EXTREMELY moisturized. Y’all know how much I LOVE a thick deep conditioner. This masque came through in consistency! I felt like I didn’t have to use a lot because of the thickness. You can turn the jar upside down and nothing will come out.
Shea Butter Miracle Leave-In Conditioner
Gain greater flexibility and bounce for your strands with Shea Butter Miracle Leave-In Conditioner by African Pride. Its popularity lies in its ability to efficiently moisturize and saturate the hair, enhancing curls.
This leave-in intensely moisturizes and instantly detangles hair. (As soon as you apply it, you notice a difference.) It turns frizz to smooth curls and refreshes and nourishes for greater shine and softness. To top everything off it comes at an affordable price, usually around $4.
Pros:- Light product that does not make hair heavy
- Easy detangling (lots of slip)
- It’s a more affordable alternative to Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream.
- Some users have said it left their hair feeling dry.
What Bloggers Say:
"This product just may be a great replacement for my Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie. It is probably just as creamy as Shea Moisture though it feels lighter. I turned the jar upside down, slowly and the product stayed inside. And it too contains Coconut oil and has a really great scent, though it may be strong, I like it." - Sewing Stardom
"This product comes in a rather large tub, looks like orange creme, has more slip than you’ll know what to do with and has a pleasantly light yet unidentifiable scent. …Not only did it make my hair instantly soft, but it elongated my curl pattern right before my very eyes. It even tamed my roots and made them lay down flat!" - Nap Fro Curlz Girl
What Vloggers Say:
"I used this product for about 3 years, when I was relaxed and transitioning and I loved the instant effect it had on my hair, however it dries out far too quickly!" - Lizziee
"This has to be the BEST leave in conditioner for curly hair. I use it everyday along with extra virgin olive oil even though this stuff does have olive oil already in it. I have naturally curly hair which is very frizzy if no product is applied. Is smells wonderful. In the end, you should definitely buy this. I actually bought this in Walmart so it was much cheaper than online." - Karen Bear
Moisture Miracle 5 Essential Oils
This oil “uses a nourishing mix of five premium oils (Castor, Grapeseed, Argan, Coconut, Olive). Plus vitamin E to replenish natural nutrients, protect against breakage, promote growth and strengthen strands. All while infusing coils and curls with moisture and body.”
This is the ULTIMATE scalp and hair oil.
- Sealant when doing my LOC/LCO styling method.
- Hot oil treatment.
Hydrate & Strengthen Leave-In Cream
Hydrate and strengthen hair with a nourishing blend of coconut and baobab oils. This leave-in is very thick, which I like for the colder months.
Since this leave-in cream is on the thicker side, I’d suggest applying water before applying this cream. This way it’ll be easier to work the product through your hair. I also will probably only use this product when styling on wash day.
Flaxseed Oil Curling Cream
The “versatile styling cream blends shea butter and flaxseed oil to provide deep moisture, lasting definition, and radiant shine, ensuring coils and curly styles are smooth and bouncy with a soft hold.” This curling cream is great!
Like the leave-in cream, this product is somewhat on the thicker side. I say somewhat because it’s a bit runny, however, a little goes a long way. I feel like if you apply too much of this product then it might leave your hair flaky.
I was surprised that the leave-in cream and curling cream didn’t clash since they’re both fairly thick products. But, they complement each other very well.
Olive Miracle Collection
The Olive Miracle collection harnesses the power of olive oil to nourish and revitalize hair. Here are some of the products in this line:
7-in-1 Leave-In Moisture Restore Curl Refresher
The Olive Miracle 7-in-1 Leave-In Moisture Restore Curl Refresher is touted as a jack of all trades, detangling, conditioning and refreshing curls, controlling frizz and adding shine, offering heat protection, and preventing split ends.
I was also hesitant to use this particular product because of how many silicones are present. Granted, most appear to be water-soluble, but I still did not want to deal with potential buildup from daily use.
It did initially assist with detangling. It also seemed to aid in overall smoothness. However, it did not do much for me in the way of refreshment for my curls. I initially ended up with hair that was a bit oily, but I eventually ended up with dryness a few days post-wash, presumably due to build-up.
Non-Flaking Foam Setting Mousse
The Olive Miracle Non-Flaking Foam Setting Mousse is your standard solution for controlling set styles. The foam did a great job of laying down my twists and sealing in any flyaways and loose hair. In terms of the wash and go, it did set my curls and did not leave them hard or crunchy.
As with the other styles, the product delivered on the promise of not flaking. However, I did not experience lasting hold - my style was lost after a day or so.
Weightless Heat Protectant & Shine Mist
The Olive Miracle Weightless Heat Protectant & Shine Mist is the heat protectant in the bunch. All of my hair reverted back without any damage from heat styling. As a matter of fact, my hair started shrinking as soon as I took it down.
My hair was shiny but not necessarily frizz-free. I also experience my hair being a bit oily to the touch. However, I will also be fair here, as I may have used more product than necessary, especially in concert with the Curl Refresher.
Interestingly, this heat protectant has two silicones vs. the four in the Curl Refresher. There are actually 10 different oils in this heat protectant, which may have lent itself to the oiliness of my hair as well.
Product Testing and Results
One reviewer shared their experience using the Coconut Milk & Honey Hydrate & Shine Leave-In Conditioner and a curling cream for twist-outs. While they liked the consistency and scent of the curling cream, the twist-outs didn't hold up as long as desired. The reviewer also noted that the leave-in conditioner contains dimethicone, requiring a clarifying shampoo for removal.
Another reviewer tested several products from the Olive Miracle line, including the Pre-Shampoo, Curl Refresher, Setting Mousse, and Heat Protectant. They found the Pre-Shampoo to be "magic" for detangling, but the other products left much to be desired. The Curl Refresher caused build-up and dryness, while the Setting Mousse didn't provide lasting hold.
Overall Impressions
Overall, African Pride offers a range of products that cater to different hair needs and preferences. While some products receive rave reviews, others may not live up to expectations. It's essential to consider your hair type and desired results when choosing products from this brand.
My absolute favorites from this line are the pre-shampoo, shampoo, heat-activated masque, and 5 essential oils! I’d give this entire collection a 10/10. Although I wasn’t thoroughly impressed with the conditioner, every other product in this collection was GOLD! Especially for the price point of each product, I think this collection is amazing.
