The Wet Secret: 5 Shocking Facts About Michael Jackson's Iconic Jheri Curl That Changed Pop Culture Forever

Michael Jackson’s Jheri curl is arguably the most recognizable hairstyle in music history, a shimmering, wet-look cascade of curls that became synonymous with the King of Pop’s global domination during the *Thriller* and *Bad* eras. As of late 2025, the cultural conversation around this style is experiencing a resurgence, with fans and fashion historians revisiting the 1980s aesthetic and the complex story behind the look—a story that includes a groundbreaking beauty entrepreneur, a highly flammable chemical, and a catastrophic accident that changed Jackson’s life forever. This deep dive into the iconic "wet look" goes far beyond a simple fashion statement, exploring its technical origins, the intense maintenance required, its profound cultural significance for the Black community, and the shocking events that ultimately led to its disappearance from the world stage.

The King of Pop's Jheri Curl Era: A Biographical Snapshot

The Jheri curl became Michael Jackson's signature look at the height of his career, a visual marker of his transition from the youthful afro of The Jackson 5 to the sophisticated, global superstar of the 1980s.

• Full Name: Michael Joseph Jackson
• Born: August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana
• Died: June 25, 2009, in Los Angeles, California
• Jheri Curl Era Peak: 1982–1987 (The *Thriller* and *Bad* Album Cycles)
• Preceding Style: Medium-length afro and natural curls (late 1970s, *Off the Wall* era)
• Defining Moments with the Curl: The *Thriller* album cover (1982), the "Billie Jean" and "Beat It" music videos, the Motown 25 performance (1983) where he debuted the moonwalk, and the 1984 Pepsi commercial filming.
• Successor Style: Straighter, slicked-back, and often longer hair (post-1987, *Dangerous* era onward)

1. The Jheri Curl Was a Permanent Wave, Not Just a Styling Product

Many assume the Jheri curl was simply a product Michael Jackson applied, but the reality is that the look was achieved through a chemical process, known as a permanent wave, or "perm." This was a significant step in his hair evolution.

The Technical Difference: Perm vs. Product

The Jheri curl—often misspelled as "Jerry curl" or "Jeri Curl"—is a two-part process. The first step involves applying a chemical relaxer to loosen the hair’s natural curl pattern. This is followed by a chemical perm to set the hair into loose, glossy curls. The finished look required daily application of a "Jheri curl activator" or "moisturizer," which gave the hair its characteristic wet, shiny appearance. Jackson's version of the Jheri curl was longer, looser, and more voluminous than the typical style, perfectly complementing his sequined jackets and military-style attire. It was a high-maintenance look that cemented his image as the King of Pop.

2. Two Entrepreneurs Are Responsible for the Look’s Cultural Rise

The Jheri curl is a powerful symbol of 1980s Black American style, but its creation and popularization are a story of two distinct entrepreneurs, a key piece of topical authority often missed. The initial chemical process was invented by an Irish-American hairdresser and chemist named Jheri Redding in the 1970s. However, Redding’s initial product was not widely adopted by the Black community. The true cultural explosion was driven by Black entrepreneur Comer Cottrell, who founded the Kankakee, Illinois-based company Pro-Line Corp. Cottrell adapted the chemical formula specifically for African-American hair textures and launched the "Curly Kit" in 1980, a do-it-yourself home kit. It was Cottrell’s kit that made the Jheri curl accessible and affordable, turning it into a mass-market phenomenon and a cultural staple. Michael Jackson, along with other Black icons like Ice Cube and Eazy-E, propelled the style into the stratosphere, but Cottrell gave them the means to wear it.

3. The Flammable Secret: The Pepsi Commercial Fire of 1984

The most infamous and life-altering event associated with Michael Jackson’s Jheri curl was the 1984 Pepsi commercial accident, an incident that has been revisited in recent documentaries and news reports. During the filming of a Pepsi advertisement in Los Angeles, pyrotechnics went off prematurely. A spark landed on Michael Jackson’s head, and his hair immediately burst into flames. The reason the fire was so severe and caused second- and third-degree burns to his scalp was due to the nature of the Jheri curl product.

The Chemical Connection to the Injury

The Jheri curl activator and moisturizer products contain highly flammable chemicals. The oil-based nature of the product, necessary to achieve the signature wet look and prevent the hair from drying out, essentially acted as an accelerant. The severity of the burns led to extensive scalp damage and is widely cited as the point when Jackson began using wigs and hairpieces, permanently moving away from the high-maintenance, chemically-treated Jheri curl. This single, shocking event not only caused physical trauma but is also considered a major turning point in the decline of the Jheri curl’s mass popularity, as the public became acutely aware of its flammability.

4. The Jheri Curl Was a Bold Statement of Black Identity and Pop Crossover

In the early 1980s, Michael Jackson was breaking racial barriers on MTV and dominating the global music landscape. His Jheri curl was more than just a trend; it was a powerful statement. The style was "uniquely Black in a particular way," a look that celebrated African-American texture and style while simultaneously being embraced by a global, multi-racial audience. Jackson’s look was a sophisticated, glamorous departure from the fading Afro-centric styles of the 1970s. His famous "Jheri curl head whips" during choreographed routines were a key part of his electrifying stage presence, adding a dynamic visual element to his iconic dance moves. The movement of the curl became as iconic as the glove and the moonwalk.

5. Why the Style Faded: Cost, Maintenance, and The Stigma

While the Pepsi accident was a dramatic turning point, the Jheri curl was already facing challenges that contributed to its eventual decline in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The primary issues were:

• High Maintenance: The daily application of the activator was time-consuming. Wearers had to sleep with a plastic cap or towel to prevent the oily product from staining bedding and clothing.
• The Mess and Cost: The product was notoriously greasy and expensive to maintain consistently. The "moisturizer" would often drip down the neck and onto clothes, earning the style a less-glamorous nickname: "The Greasy Curl."
• The Accident Stigma: The 1984 fire created a permanent public association between the style and its inherent dangers, causing many to steer clear of the chemical process.

By the time the *Bad* album cycle concluded, Michael Jackson had begun to transition to a straighter, more relaxed look, effectively signaling the end of the Jheri curl’s reign in pop culture. The style remains a nostalgic, complex, and defining look of the 1980s, inextricably linked to the King of Pop's most electrifying era.