Retro Beauty: The Body Shop Banana Conditioner

A long, long time ago, I read in a magazine (probably Sugar or Bliss, haven for the 1990s teenage girl) that bananas made an excellent nourishing hair mask.  I'm sure I wasn't the only person silly enough to mash a banana and squish it into my hair, then find that rinsing said banana out took bloody ages, cancelling out any nourishing effect.

The Body Shop's Banana haircare products were a good compromise, then, combining the bananas with more effective haircare ingredients.  Originally launched in 1988, the range was one of those which I just swooned over as a teenager - that gorgeous scent which was midway between fresh banana and foam banana sweets, the sticky richness of the products, and the bright yellow colour.

And now it's back - I was so delighted to see it in a branch of the Body Shop a few weeks ago, that I had to buy a bottle of the conditioner (which is also gloriously silicone free) to recapture my youthful banana hair aspirations.  And it doesn't disappoint; in the bottle, you'll find the same natural-synthetic scent, and the same thick, slightly pulpy texture.

The conditioner is just as rich and moisturising as I remember it, with a small dollop (this is a very dollop-y product) providing enough slip to effectively detangle and condition the hair.  I've been very careful not to allow it anywhere near my roots; it's far too rich for anything but dry mid lengths and ends.  My hair, after use, is soft and smooth, well moisturised, and carries just the slightest hint of banana scent.

At just £3.99 for 250ml, I'll definitely be buying this again - not only does it make my hair feel nice, but it also reminds me of being fourteen all over again.  In a good way, of course.

If you'd like some banana haircare nostalgia, you'll find it at the Body Shop in stores and online, where it costs £3.99 for 250ml.  Do you remember this product?  Think you might like to try it again?  Let us know in the comments!