Source: amazon.com
It should come as no surprise that beauty ingredients that come from the Motherland would do us a world of good. We’re already enjoying the myriad of benefits from Shea Butter. And Argan oil is showing up in all kinds of conditioning treatments and even relaxers. Well, Africa is far from done with blessing us with her wondrous bounty.
Enter Mongongo oil. Also known as Manketti, it’s just starting to pick up some buzz stateside. Maybe you’ve heard of it on any of the hair sites that have reviewed Ouidad’s Mongongo Oil Multi-Use Hair Treatment. Well, there are a few other brands that have caught on, and with good reason. Mongongo oil has the following amazing qualities:
- is beneficial for topical use because of its content of linoleic acid (between 30% and 54%)
- is a natural sunscreen due to its to the presence of eleostearic acid
- these two acids are known for their hydrating, nutritive and regenerative properties
- contains calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, and high concentrations of vitamin E (almost entirely as g-tocopherol, which renders it a heat-protectant)
If you’d like to try Mongongo Oil for yourself, here are three products that feature Mongongo Oil as a star ingredient:
Mongongo Oil Multi-use Hair Treatment by Ouidad
www.ouidad.com
Ouidad has been taking care of curlies for decades, so we have to believe that this product will be the business. “…the formula restructures hair as it deeply repairs damage to restore a healthy appearance to even the dullest locks.” Sounds like music to our ears.
Mongongo & Banana Deep Conditioning + Pre-shampoo Hair Food Masque by Shea Terra Organics
www.sheaterraorganics.com
So is this really “the best darned smelling pre-poo the market will ever experience”? Shea Terra Organics creator Tammie Umbell seems to think so. Blended with Mongongo oil, bananas and soothing Shea Butter, she might just be on to something. Only one way to find out, right? Go ahead, dip right into that jar of luscious pureed banana and Mongongo oil and let us know what you think. And if you LOVE it, there’s also the shampoo, the conditioner and the hair food counterparts to round out the line of Mongongo oil products.
Mongongo & Shea Nutritive Hair Conditioner by Bella Luccé
www.sickathanaverage.com
Blended with Yangu Seed oil from South Africa, Shea Butter from Uganda and Acacia Flower extract from Senegal, this conditioner is botanical bliss that will completely pamper and caress your tresses. Oh yeah, and the lovely Oshun herself dipped her pinky toe in it — honey seals the hair shaft making this hair treat almost sweet enough to eat!
An added bonus is that both Shea Terra Organics and Bella Luccé use fair trade ingredients, so a portion of your purchase is improving the lives of African workers (many of whom are women). So you can rest your soon-to-be-radiant head of hair on that satin pillowcase with ease when you go to sleep at night.
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