3 Best Old-School Hair Brands With New Products for Growing Long Natural Hair
by Team CurlyNikki
We grew up with Hawaiian Silky. Pink Lotion. African Pride. Some of us have been walking past these brands at the beauty supply for twenty years. But while we were busy spending $38 on conditioner, apparently they went and reformulated half the aisle.
EXCUSE ME?!
The brands that once filled our mothers’ bathroom cabinets have been making products specifically for natural curls. And some of these ingredient lists look pretty good. So before you spend another $40 on something with a French name, let’s see what our old-school favorites have been up to.
The Best Old-School Hair Products Compared
| Product | Best For | Standout Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| African Pride Aloe & Coconut Water Pre-Shampoo | Detangling before wash day | Aloe vera, coconut water, glycerin |
| Luster’s Pink Shea Butter & Coconut Oil Conditioner | Dry, brittle natural hair | Shea butter, coconut oil, argan oil |
| Hawaiian Silky Triple Butter Curl Milk | Keeping natural hair soft after washing | Mango, murumuru, shea butters |
1. African Pride Moisture Miracle Aloe & Coconut Water Pre-Shampoo – Best for Detangling Without Losing Your Length
African Pride!
Now, if you’ve been natural for a while, this probably isn’t news to you.
But the girlfriends who remember African Pride from the relaxer days might be surprised by what’s happening in their Moisture Miracle collection.
This pre-shampoo treatment has earned nearly 1,000 reviews at Target, averaging 4.6 stars.
And the formula is pretty straightforward.
Water, glycerin, a conditioning polymer, aloe vera, and coconut water.
No extravagant ingredient story. Just a slippery treatment designed to help get tangles out before shampooing.
And THAT is where it earns its place in a long-hair routine.
Because how much hair are we sacrificing before we even get to the conditioner?
Apply generously to damp hair, working through sections.
Let the product soften the tangles, then gently finger-detangle or use a wide-tooth comb, beginning at the ends.
Rinse and shampoo afterward.
If your hair breaks every time you detangle, start there. We can’t keep growing hair at the roots and losing it in the shower.
2. Luster’s Pink Shea Butter & Coconut Oil Moisturizing Conditioner – Best for Dry Natural Hair
PINK LOTION.
If you know, you know.
But we’re not talking about that familiar pink bottle today.
Luster’s has a Shea Butter & Coconut Oil collection, including this moisturizing conditioner.
And the ingredient list surprised me.
Glycerin. Soybean oil. Conditioning agents. Olive oil. Shea butter. Coconut oil. Argan oil.
Plus vitamin E.
There’s actual conditioning chemistry here, not just a handful of botanical ingredients added for decoration.
The formula also contains a silicone conditioning ingredient, which can help smooth the hair and reduce friction.
Apply to freshly washed hair, concentrating on the lengths and ends.
The retailer recommends leaving it on for five to ten minutes, or using gentle heat for a deeper treatment.
Rinse thoroughly.
I don’t need my conditioner to be expensive. I need my hair to feel like I conditioned it. And for dry, coarse natural hair, a good rinse-out conditioner is worth more than another oil sitting on top of tangled strands.
3. Hawaiian Silky Triple Butter Curl Milk – Best for Keeping Long Natural Hair Soft
HAWAIIAN SILKY?!
Yes, that Hawaiian Silky.
But this is not the old-school curl activator.
Their Triple Butter Curl Milk is a water-based leave-in developed for curly and coily hair.
We’re talking mango butter, murumuru butter, shea butter, sweet almond oil, glycerin, and panthenol.
And it’s currently listed for $7.99 on the brand owner’s website.
SEVEN DOLLARS AND NINETY-NINE CENTS.
I love a luxury product as much as the next girlfriend, but I also love keeping my money.
Apply this to damp hair after washing and conditioning.
Work through sections, concentrating on your ends.
If you’re setting twists, distribute the milk before styling. If your hair is fine, begin with less than you think you need.
And please don’t add four more creams just because they’re sitting on your bathroom counter.
Can These Old-School Brands Help You Grow Longer Natural Hair?
Not by making your follicles grow faster.
The opportunity is length retention.
African Pride helps make detangling easier. Luster’s provides conditioning and softness. Hawaiian Silky gives you a leave-in for maintaining that softness after washing.
Three products. Three different jobs.
And none requires an elaborate hair-growth ritual.
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