Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series about "Ultra Sheen" and "Afro-Sheen" Black hair care products.These discussion threads are from the YouTube videos that are showcased in Part I of this pancocojams series.
That post also includes information and commentary about the cultural impact among Black people of these products.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Johnson Product Company for creating, manufacturing, and marketing Ultra Sheen and Afro-Sheen products. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Additional videos of Ultra Sheen and Afro-Sheen product ads can be found on YouTube.
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM VARIOUS YOUTUBE VIDEOS ABOUT ULTRA SHEEN & AFRO-SHEEN HAIR CARE PRODUCTS
Discussion thread #1
"That's is one good looking sister. Very attractive."
**
2.@queenofthemarshmallows2875, 2017
"Why can't we have this anymore?
I had an afro just like this girl and I went to school with
it. When I sat down next to a group of black men. they called my a dark african
and made fun of me for looking "too african". The afro used to be a
symbol of black pride and power, nowadays we have all these black men only
praising mix race natural hair and making fun of girls with afro textured hair.
Why does everyone want their hair curly?"
**
Reply
3. @KittyGrinder,2019
"Because of European conditioning"
**
Reply
4. @karlar8648, 2019
"You can. Wear it with confidence. Pride. Respect. I was a teen when this commercial aired. I went from natural to relxed now back to
natural forever. And do not care what
others think."
**
Reply
5. @moriahs2338,2020
"Self hatred has deeply been rooted into black consciousness
because of colonization and slavery. Don't care what they say be proud of being
black. Women here in DC wear afros all the time and men wear dreads, some
people are more conscious than others ."
**
Reply
6. @starless1444, 2020
"Your hair is beautiful and I hope you wear it proudly."
**
7. @kikikareema5912, 2017
"The only people who wore afros were Beja people in Northeast Africa. West African stretched their hair with thread and used braids and puffs."
Reply
8.
"Kiki Kareema My mom had an afro and she grew up in Ivory Coast (western Africa)"
**
Reply
9. @kikikareema5912, 2020
" BAPYonguk GukGuk I mean historically."
**
Reply
10. @Purplesunday333, 2020
"our ancestors didn't wear.afros. they wore LOCS, braids, even in Ancient Egypt. make-up was even wore back.then. Ain't nothing new under the sun"
**
11. @TheLeah2344, 2021
"I wish we had a commercial like this now. Black women need
to see that our natural hair is beautiful."
**
12. @princessfly11, 2021
" "Beautiful products for a beautiful people." Awww ♥️"
****
Discussion thread #2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwSrMh31yiI&t=1s " Ultra Sheen Products (1971)", published by RetroBlackMedia, April 16, 2013
"it Aired in October 9 1971 The 2nd Episode On Soul Train"
**
Reply
2. @gsnman, 2020
"How cool!"
**
3.@SODAQUEENBADDIEDIETSODA14AAC, 2020
"We need these products at the stores again"
**
4. @rachelthomas858, 2020
"Ayyyeee!! That's my Aunt Dollbaby on the left! :))))"
**
5.@taniaferjones706, 2023
"IM PROUD TO BE A ULTRA SHEEN BABY...ITS 2023 STILL USE THEIR
PRODUCTS😊😊😊😊"
**
6. @deborawalton5787, 2023
"Can't find this product anyway. Was told by the beauty
supplies store that the blue one has been discontinued WHY they are still selling the green one! Help me
understand why!"
****
Discussion thread #3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHo4UDCABUQ "Afro sheen commercial", published by Damien Sheets, July 16, 2006
1. @rudedog4, 2007
"I remember seeing this every saturday when Soul Train was
on."
**
2. @HotRadioDJ, 2007
"That brotha has some tight a** corn-rows! Right On!!! (fist
up!)"
-snip-
This is the way that comment was written.
**
3. @NappyDiva,2007
"RIGHTEOUSSSSS!!!!!"
**
4.@briggie28, 2008
"I like dude's braids at 0:23"
**
5.@Cookiec1973,2008
"Wow! Back then a afro was considered cool. Why can't it be like that now???? Such a shame!!"
**
Reply
6. @ketket1, 2008
"who said afros aren't cool now?"
**
7. @bebreezy93, 2009
"We can bring that back...we really can.
I think black folk gon start rallin' up because of all these rasicts who are coming out bkuz of Obamas presidency.
That pride is gonna come back..under sad circumstances.
But i wish it will. Ima rock my afro. I think I'd look cute."
**
8. @PHlophe, 2009
"lmao! complete with african drums. this commercial is
something lol!"
9.
"I remember seeing these Afro sheen commercials during
"Soul Train"..."
**
Reply
10. @luisosoriothelionelmessian9845, 2022
"Me Too I'Also Remember Seeing These Afro Sheen
Commercial During Soul Train in Puerto Rico Spanish Version for The Commercial
Translators Located At Department Of Education in San Juan,Puerto Rico I'See it
in 1980 On WKBM TV Channel 11 in Caguas,San Juan,Puerto Rico Now The Rebranded
2nd Generation TeleOnce Vívelo ⚽🇵🇷"
**
11. @poke97, 2009
"ha this a cool commercial. I have an afro glad i have one!"
**
12. @Cathalain, 2009
"lmao, that guy has it goin' on with the braids"
**
13. @880166, 2009
"@Cathain78 What they
mean by in the "natural World"
is reffering to those who where their hair in it's natural state meaning their
natural hair texture not chemically treated/altered hair...relaxers ,perms etc."
**
12. @Calinks, 2009
"Damn, I didn't know they were doing cornrows up like that
back in the 70's!"
**
Reply
13. @Acire30, 2010
"@Calinks Try Hair
braiding is at least 5000 years old, if not older. Hair braiding in Africa can
be traced back as far as 3500 BCE. It has been a large part of many cultures
all around the world including Africa,"
**
Reply
14.@srecar6, 2010
"@Calinks yea some grew it naturally but most braided it and
than unbraided it like after two weeks you know just to keep up with the times
it was like the more hair you had the more black and hip you was blood"
-snip-
I believe that the word "blood" in that last sentence is supposed to be an informal referent for another Black person like the word "bruh".
**
Reply
15. @shmuli9, 2010
"@Calinks Of course!
Though I suppose it didn't become popularly known amongst white people
until Bo Derek had her hair done like this in "10", a movie form
1980. The phrase "24/7", jazz,
cake walks, and so many other things weren't known generally until YEARS after
they were already popular in black culture."
**
16. @Cookiec1973,2009
"O, ok. Those ppl claiming hateful things about our hair our just plain ignorant! Sad, sad ppl, really."
-snip-
This comment refers to lots of negative comments about Black people's hair that are found in that discussion thread.
**
17. @Phillie103, 2011
"omg. The box is ridiculous. Who has afros like that anymore>"
**
Reply
18. @MsThriller2009,2017
"Phillie103 i do 💂"
**
19.@ubiquitousfacts, 2011
"Let's bring the fro back again, okay? I'm wearing one today."
**
20. @chimptor50, 2011
"I'm ruff and tuff with my Afro puffs!"
**
Reply
21. @mochafiend1, 2020
"Rock on, with ya bad self! LOL."
22.@tsukune54321, 2013
"Its started to make a comeback"
**
23. @dc4ever967,2013
"it weird seeing that guy with braids i didnt know they wear braids back then"
**
24. @talesia, 2013
"Yes I remember my big brothers girlfriend braiding his hair like that while sitting on the front porch and watching the action in the hood back in the day. :>)"
**
25. @legacyrobertson6483, 2015
"ahhhhhhhh Memories I remember my afro was always Poppin Can Ya Dig That"
-snip-
"Poppin" is a now retired (seldom if ever used) African American Vernacular English term that meant "looking very good". "Can you dig it" is a mostly retired African American Vernacular English term that means "Do you understand me?", "Do you agree with me?", "Do you hear what I'm saying?".
**
26. @simplyjuannie5128, 2021
"Cornrows on men were in style back then?"
****
Discussion thread #4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFN8kspRUf0 , Ultra Sheen Hair care Products ad (1977), published by RetroBlackMedia, October 1, 2016
1. @SoSoPrettyMS21, 2016
"This commercial gave me all kinds of life!"
**
2. @petertownsend2255, 2020
"I LOOKED FOR THIS COMMERCIAL FOR AGES OH MY GOSH...I
remember watching this as a child on TV in Jamaica"
**
3. @ccth22, 2020
"The interesting thing is these commercials
influenced young brothers as well. Because as a kid it made me want to wear a
tie and treat A girl like I would see guys in the commercial. These ads were
influential. So now they promote pants hanging down below their knees and bad
grammar"
**
4.@BoyTheBlack, 2021
"I would only see this commercial on Saturday nights at
10:30 while watching Soul Train..."
**
5. @missj1154, 2022
"Ultra Sheen hair Grease and Satin creme press please come
back"
**
Reply
6. @amyb7420, 2022
"Ikr and for a reasonable price"
**
Reply
7. @missj1154, 2022
" AMY B Well i found the Blue and Green Hair grease
at a Beauty supply store where i live for 4.00 the satin cream press i had to
buy off amazon for $23.00"
**
8. @DJones-xw7go,2022
"Where is it sold nowadays I still use this and I can’t find
the pressing cream no where 🧐"
**
9. @chaunceyevans5896, 2022
"Very Handsome Man and very beautiful lady"
Discussion thread #5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxL8R1Atup4&t=1s "Afro Sheen ad" (1978), published by RetroBlackMedia, October 1, 2016
1. @DavidRichardson95, 2017
"They need to bring these types of commercials back."
Reply
2. @ElizabethzW, 2018
"The self hating and racists would have an fit."
**
3. @moyahilton, 2017
"slayyy"
**
4. @neptunemoon6644, 2018
"SHE GOT BARRRRRRRRRZ!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂"
**
Reply
5. @carmikuntis8607, 2018
"Right before Rappers Delight 😂😂"
**
Reply
6. @blusky8344, 2021
"My sista!!! Use the Sheen, keeping our hair Clean when we step out on the Scene if you know what I Mean...Right On Right On..."
-snip-
This is part of the rapping words of this ad.
7.
"The third and fourth hairstyle looks soo pretty it was really kinky and thick 🙌🏾🙌🏾"
**
8. @user-eh1ku3id7s, 2018
"That was awesome"
**
9. @Indiegirl007, 2018
"This was out of sight."
**
10. @schmootheonly, 2018
"That second style needs to come back"
**
11. @keishajohson2852, 2019
"I miss this looking at black commercials growing up and watching them with my oldest baby this made me proud to be a black woman"
**
12. @victornewman06, 2019
"Outta sight! Can you dig it?"
**
13. @Chocolatetv2011, 2019
"That corn row side ponytail was super cute 😍"
**
14. @carlosbrown9302, 2019
"Back when black women had there own hair no weaves"
**
Reply
15. @Dumbbitchjoy, 2021
"Actually it was black women that was wearing wigs back then,my grandma was one of them after trying to get a perm.Not saying I disagree cause most black women back there was wearing their natural hair more then today.I wear my natural hair but I straighten my hair with heat but it was black women that was wearing wigs back then"
16.
"Darn shame i remember the words to this."
**
17. @MsTexas73, 2019
"They need to bring Afro Sheen back."
**
18. @vintage1950, 2020
"We never had adverts like this on U.K. TV. Not even now do
we have Afro products advertising"
**
19. @MrIrrepressible, 2020
"My goodness, black women with long afros are so beauitful.....can't beat God's design"
**
20. @jammadamma, 2021
"JUST LET YOUR SOOOOOOOUL GLO! GET IT OH SO SILKY SMOOTH!
JUST LET YOUR SOOOOOOOOOOUL GLO BABY"
-snip-
The reference to "Let your "Soul Glow" is the jingle that was used for the hair care product in Eddie Murphy's "Coming To America" movie. However, the fictional "Soul Glow" product in that movie was probably a parody of Jheri curl products. Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jheri_curl for information about Jheri curls.
**
21. @vintage1950, 2021
"We never had adverts like this on U.K.
TV. Not even now do we have Afro products advertising"
22.
"The amount of seasoning this commercial
has"
-snip-
Food with a lot of seasoning" is the opposite of food tasting "bland." Therefore, a commercial that is well seasoned is one that isn't bland. This use of the word "seasoning" to refer to a commercial about Black culture positively reinforces the idea that Black people are good cooks because we know how to add seasoning to our food in contrast with some non-Black people.
**
23. @cazprescott9, 2021
"Those were the days. It took me decades
before I knew what a blowout kit was. A low strength relaxer. We used Ultra
Sheen more than Afro Sheen, but they were both part of our family hair care
supplies. Best Black owned biz ads, too."
24.
"Gorgeous hair, and I love the styles"
**
25. @latriceprice6426,2023
"😂😂I memorized this WHOLE
commercial and did it with foiled covered products for a class project!! The
applause was very satisfying 😌"
****
This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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