Since the eighties when it was created by the hairstylist, Jheri Redding, the Jheri curl has been around for a while. Several celebrities have since rocked this hairstyle, including Michael Jackson, Eddie Murphy, Eazy E, Ice Cube, and Edmund Sylvers. Lovers of this hairstyle often switch between the names Jheri curl and Jerry curl.

When it was first created, it was touted as a wash and wear hairstyle that was easier to care for than relaxed hair. Even better, it blessed its wearer with loose curly, shiny hair.

So, considering how popular this hairstyle was and has now become, what exactly is it and why did it latch on so quickly to the black community? More importantly, how can you make this classic hairstyle modern enough?

What is a Jheri Curl?
The Jheri curl was popularized by Michael Jackson in his “Thriller” video in 1982 and has since been worn by entertainment greats, becoming one of the staples of nineties fashion.

While Irish-American Jheri Redding created this iconic hairstyle, it was actually the entrepreneur Comer Cottrell who helped it find mainstream acceptance.

Achieving this look used to be quite expensive as a small bottle of activator used to retail for $6. Nowadays, this has changed and cheaper options are now available thanks to Cottrell’s Curly Kits that retailed for cheaper and let the general public in on the hairstyle.

The process of Jheri curling your hair is split into just two processes: softening the hair and setting the curls. A softener is first applied to natural hair to loosen the curls after which another solution is used to permanently set the curls.

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