Jheri Redding
| Jheri Redding | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
Robert William Redding March 2, 1907 Rantoul, Illinois |
| Died | March 15, 1998 (aged 91) Santa Barbara, California |
| Other names | Godfather of Hair |
| Occupation | Hairdresser, chemist and businessman |
| Known for | Jheri curl |
Jheri Redding (born Robert William Redding March 2, 1907 – March 15, 1998) was an American hairdresser, chemist, hair care products entrepreneur and businessman. Redding is best known for having created the Jheri curl.
Redding is credited with being the inventor of modern-day hair conditioner. He was the first to make "pH balanced" shampoos, to put vitamins in hair care products, and to market added minerals. He developed the perm product Jheri curl, as well as numerous other beauty products. He founded the international beauty products business that bore his name, along with three others.
As a young man in Chicago, Redding was teaching chemistry and working as a hair stylist using beauty products that did not perform to his expectations. He began experimenting with chemicals and other ingredients he found in his kitchen, such as mayonnaise and vinegar, to make his own shampoos, rinses and hairdressing solutions to improve the hair of his clients. From that grew the treatments, styling creams and gels that became known as Jheri Redding Products.
Redding moved to Los Angeles, California, shortly after World War II was over. Having adopted his unusual nickname along the way, he founded Jheri Redding Products Company in 1956, selling a cream rinse he developed. He later co-founded three other major national hair care companies, Redken in 1960, Jhirmack in 1968, and, in 1979, Nexxus, which he said stood for "Nature and Earth United With Science." From the beginning of Nexxus a major disruption in the market place occurred with the introduction of advertising to direct consumers to salons. These companies continue to operate under different ownership. Nexxus became the leader in this marketing technique as developed by Stephen Redding President of the company. Also the introduction of co-op advertising assisted many salons with increasing business of both services and for the first time retail sales of both Nexxus and other products. With the leadership of Jheri Redding, his son Stephen Reading his wife Angie Redding and her sisters Rose Marie Demourkas and Christina Demourkas and their brother John Demourkas the beauty salon industry underwent a resurgence still being felt today. With advertising to consumers Nexxus created the first large scale successful retail sales in salons. Also at very large trade shows for professional hairdressers like the one in Chicago, IL or Las Vegas, NV hundreds or thousands of professionals attended classes to listen to an learn directly from Jheri Redding.
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