3 Cheap Old School Products That Can Help Create Healthy Natural Hair

Blue Magic. Scurl. Queen Helene. Cholesterol. Do these names ring a bell? I know for me these were common products (along with Pink Lotion) that were used on my hair as a child, and you know what? My hair thrived!

For most of us, once we were exposed to the healthy hair care world, most of the products that we used on our hair way back when are huge no no’s now.

For most ladies, “natural” products or products without mineral oil* are the way to go for healthy hair care, and grease and anything looking remotely like Jherri Curl Juice is considered harmful.

Well guys, I’m here to tell you that this is not always the truth. While we agree that we can probably do without parabens and toxic ingredients, with some products the problem is how they are used rather than what is in them. In this post, we attempt to crush the myths by sharing with you three  inexpensive “old school” hair products that can aid in creating healthier hair.

1. Petroleum Based Grease (Blue Magic, Dax, Dixie Peach, etc.)

I had to start off with what seems to be the biggest no-no’s in the healthy hair world: grease! Now, I’m not talking about Shea butter* creams or beeswax* pomades – I am talking about good ole’ petroleum laden hair grease.

Although many people may think that grease is a bad product for out hair – period – you can find ways to incorporate it in your hair care regimen, taking advantage of some of the good things it has to offer.

How is grease beneficial in creating healthy hair?

Grease is the ultimate sealant when it comes to holding in moisture. The reason why most of us think grease is or was not beneficial was because when most of us used grease, it was applied to dry hair or to the scalp in an effort to hydrate and not to seal. This left many of us with dry, breaking hair and bad memories of grease spots.

Let me tell y’all it can be the total opposite when you apply it to your strands correctly. Here’s how: To have a positive experience with grease, it is a good idea to apply  a hydrating leave-in or a good  hair spritz and THEN apply the grease over all that goodness. Girl let me tell you….you will have moisturized hair for days. Just try it once if you are leery. Since most greases cost between $1.99- 3.00 , you will not be losing much in terms of investment.

On the flip side of the coin, if your hair is fine or tends to be low in density, then you may only want to apply a dab of grease to each section. It’s very easy to over apply grease. Additionally, you will have to use a clarifying shampoo* more often to get rid of buildup when you use alot of grease on your strands. We would suggest using small amounts and focus on your ends.

2. Curl Activators ( SCurl, Care Free Curls, Long Aid, etc.)

Justtt let your souuulllll gloooo!! I’m sorry y’all, but I could not help myself. For a long time, when most of us heard of curl activators, an image of Ice Cubes’ early NWA hairstyle comes to mind.

There are a few reasons women would not ever try “jheri juice” including the fact that it has such a huge negative stigma that many of us can’t seem to shake.

How are curl activators beneficial to having healthy hair?

Curl activators are a great way to give your strands some ultra moisture because they have high amounts of glycerin in them. Some curlies swear by glycerin and the more glycerine* a product has the better. Curl activators are great for us non-mixologists who become a bit freaked out about glycerin to water ratios.

The thing to remember about using products that are heavy on the glycerin is that when it is dry outside, the product will pull moisture from your hair but when there is alot of water or humidity in the air, the product will pull moisture to your hair, keeping it moisturized. Knowing when to use your glycerin product is what will give you the most benefit.

3. Cholesterol Conditioners (Queen Helene, Hollywood Beauty, etc.)

Oh my goodness, how many of y’all remember cholesterol conditioners? I knew of many ladies that had a jar in their house, and even today still use cholesterol on the low. The truth is Cholesterol conditioners are great for just about anybody because it strengthens the strand due to its protein content.

How are cholesterol conditioners beneficial to having healthy hair?

Whether you are a coarse-haired 3a lady, or a fined-haired 4c lady, cholesterol conditioners can moisturize and strengthen, depending on the type that you choose.

There’s no wrong way to use cholesterol conditioners. They can benefit your strands, whether it is through deep conditioning*, co washing, or even through using them as a moisturizer.

Apart from the benefits, most cholesterol conditioners have similar ingredients to high- priced conditioners and they are very inexpensive between $2.49- 4.00. You can typically find them in beauty supply stores, and even a few in drugstores such as CVS or Walgreens.

Sidenote: With the exception of Queen Helene Cholesterol Conditioning Cream, most cholesterol conditioners contain hardcore protein. So, if you are protein sensitive, beware which cholesterol conditioners you buy.

What inexpensive ole’ school product(s) do you use? Let us know in the comments below!