Jheri curl facts for kids
The Jheri curl was a popular hairstyle in the African American community in the mid 1980s. Jheri curls are very shiny, and much looser than the natural curls of a black person's hair.
A jheri curl was a two-part application that consisted of a texturizer and an activator. The texturizer used strong chemicals, causing the naturally tight curls to loosen and hang. The activator kept the loosened curls from breaking, while providing an oily sheen.
Besides the fact that it was considered by some to be unattractive, the jheri curl's decline in popularity probably occurred because of its problematic and labor-intensive upkeep. To maintain the jheri curl, users were required to apply activator (usually in a spray bottle) at least once per day.
In addition to its odor, this activator had the side effect of being very greasy; those with jheri curls had to remain cautious when sitting on upholstered furniture as their activator-laden hair causes discolorations and dark spots to appear on fabric. Also, application of water to the jheri curl caused the activator to rinse out.
The style is named for its originator, Jheri Redding, a Chicago-based hair stylist and entrepreneur who is also credited as the inventor of hair conditioner.
Famous people who wore a Jheri curl:
- Michael Jackson, international pop star
- Ice Cube, gangsta rapper, actor
- Eazy-E, gangsta rapper
- DJ Quik, gangsta rapper
- MC Eiht, gangsta rapper
- Little Richard, rock and roll musician
- Lionel Ritchie, pop musician
- Kangol Kid, of the rap group UTFO
- Pedro Martínez, baseball player
- Samuel L. Jackson (as a wig, in the films Pulp Fiction and Menace II Society)
- Charlie Murphy, actor/comedian
- Dr. Dre, gangsta rapper
- Jermaine Jackson,The Jackson 5
- Jamie Foxx, Actor
- Babyface, R&B singer
See also
In Spanish: Jheri curl para niños
