Images courtesy of Luster’s Products, Inc.
Hair care products, barbershops, and salons have long been staples in the Black community. Who hasn’t seen the iconic pink bottle filled with pink lotion, used to style and moisturize hair? Or the blue-and-white S-Curl box or bottle for men, featuring a handsome gentleman on the cover, both are rooted in one goal: hydration and nourishment.
From that culture emerged a man from Mississippi who was given the opportunity to create a new path for himself. He built a family, a business, and a corporation.
This is the story of Fred Luster Sr., the mogul behind Luster Products, Inc., his wife, Blondell Luster, and the family that continues to uphold his vision on the South Side of Chicago.
Excerpt of The Letter
Years ago, a boy left the cotton fields of Mississippi and came to Chicago by train.
He had no skills, very little education, and very little hope of succeeding in this big city. According to today’s statistics, that young boy was headed for jail, welfare, the unemployment line, or maybe even a very early grave.
Later in life, this boy became acquainted with a businessman by the name of Frank. Frank’s day-to-day business activities inspired this young boy so much that he began thinking positively about his goals for the future and his direction in life.
Later, this young man became involved in the manufacturing of hair care and beauty aids products. With a strong determination, he became a successful person in this business.
That young man from Mississippi was me.
During a recent gathering at the company headquarters, the sons, daughter, and granddaughters of the late Fred Luster Sr., Jory Luster Sr., Fred Luster II Sr., Sonja Luster-Munis, Resa B. Luster-Mac, and Simone (“Monie”) Luster.
Jory stepped out briefly and returned to the conference room with the last speech his father had written.
As Jory began to read, emotion filled the room, and his voice grew heavy. Unable to continue, his daughter, Resa, gently stepped forward and finished reading the letter.
The message spoke of mentorship, gratitude, and the opportunity given when many doors were closed. That gratitude ultimately fueled Mr. Luster’s lifelong commitment to reinvesting in his community.
The reading naturally transitioned into a heartfelt roundtable discussion, as the family reflected not only on their late father and grandfather, but also on the steadfast influence of their mother and grandmother, whose presence continues to anchor the legacy they proudly carry forward.
A Father of Vision
Founded in 1957 by Fred Luster Sr., the Black family-owned company grew alongside Black culture while remaining rooted in its original mission of delivering science-backed hydration, authentic representation, and community-first values. Today, Luster’s Pink, S-Curl, and Pink Kids remain among its most recognized brands.
When Freddie, Jory, and Sonja reflect on their early years, they describe a father who was steady, disciplined, and quietly commanding.
“He was simple and straightforward. He said what he meant and meant what he said,” Jory recalls. “If he committed to something, he was going to make it happen. That was just who he was, determined.”
Freddie points to the spiritual foundation behind that determination.
“He was God-fearing. He didn’t always talk about it, but you saw it in how he lived: honesty, integrity, humility, generosity. Both my parents carried that same moral compass. It wasn’t something they just preached. We witnessed it every day.”
For Sonja, her father’s impact extended far beyond business.
“It wasn’t just about getting a haircut,” she says of the early barbershop days. “There was always a pot in the back, beans or something cooking. It was a community. You got groomed, but you also got fed.”
Mr. Luster first worked at The Strand before opening The Whirlwind at 47th and Greenwood in Chicago. The shop became more than a workplace; it became a gathering space. It was there that he began creating products tailored to his customers. Demand grew steadily first locally, then regionally, and eventually nationally and internationally.
“My father has been my favorite person my whole life. Period,” Sonja shares. “Even working 14-hour days, six days a week, he made time for us. Sometimes he would get home at 3 a.m. and still take us fishing. I still don’t know how he did it.”
She believes what defined him most was his inner drive. “He felt a push and energy telling him to go further. Even when he was barbering, there was something inside saying, ‘Go further.”
A Mother of Structure, Elegance, and Strength
Described by her granddaughter Simone as “a superwoman mixed with a fashionista,” Mrs. Luster was elegant, refined, and strong.
While her husband worked long hours building the company, she maintained order, culture, and discipline inside the household. She also joined the business as a licensed cosmetologist and worked in the barbershop, but her influence extended far beyond commerce.
“She could sew, knit, crochet, tailor, she did everything,” Sonja says. “She refinished furniture, had a resale shop, and created payment plans so people could afford nice things. She was elegant. Always put together. Humble, but firm. She didn’t play.”
Under Mrs. Luster’s leadership, family gatherings became lessons in discipline, devotion, and hospitality. She prepared seven-course Thanksgiving dinners in a modest kitchen with four burners, most of them working, and a single oven, without the convenience of a microwave or modern appliances.
Every dish was served hot, from the greens to the mac and cheese, a reflection not simply of skill, but of deep love, dedication, and devotion to her family.
She also gave quietly, teaching sewing classes at Dearborn Homes, scrubbing the marble floors at St. Dorothy’s Church without recognition, and opening her home to teach others practical skills.
Service Without Announcement
Years later, Jory was approached in a grocery store by a woman who shared that decades earlier, her parents were crying in Alderman Eugene Sawyer’s office. Mr. Luster overheard them, stepped out briefly, returned with an envelope, and said, “Take care of your problems.” That envelope helped them keep their home and changed their life.
“We never knew anything about it,” Jory recalls. “That was just who he was.”
Resa later discovered that her grandfather once helped an employee escape a dangerous domestic situation, quietly providing support without publicity.
“If he heard something,” she says, “he acted.”
By providing jobs in the community, Mr. Luster helped families become homeowners, educate their children, and build generational stability.
Grief and the Blueprint They Left Behind
Mr. Luster passed away in 1991 after battling cancer. In his final days, his family remained by his side. Sonja remembers him as accepting and strong. Though he had lost weight and could barely eat, he never complained about his illness, not once.
For Freddie, the loss carried another layer of emotion, as he had been diagnosed with cancer just one year before his father passed.
“When he died, it hit differently,” he says. “I kept asking myself, ‘Why did I survive?’”
In 2005, the family endured another profound loss with the passing of Mrs. Luster. Yet the values they instilled, faith, discipline, resilience, and service, did not leave them within the hallways of the business, but also as a family.
The Pink Essentials Line and Continuing the Tradition
Today, the second generation remains firmly in the forefront, with Herb Luster Sr. (The late Fred Luster Sr.’s brother), who is also still active in the Chicago company’s operations. At the same time, the third and fourth generations, as well as multicultural families, are leading the company into a new era.
“Social media changed the world,” Sonja explains. “The third generation stepped in and reminded people, ‘We’re still here. We’re Black-owned.’ People were shocked.”
Resa now connects directly with customers, answering questions and introducing herself, her babies, and the latest products they have and how to use them.
“It hasn’t been easy,” Jory says. “But the fight Dad had? We have that in us.”
When asked what it’s like working together as a family, Sonja responds simply: “We’re centered in love. We don’t agree on everything, but we’re rooted in love, and that’s how we get through.”
That spirit continues through children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and into every generation, carrying the Luster name forward.
When asked what their parents and grandparents might say today, the family does not hesitate.
“They would be proud, proud of the perseverance, proud that they stood firm, and proud that we did not walk away when the journey became difficult. They would say, Thank you for the love, and thank you for keeping it going.”
