Relaxer

But his first relaxer was actually for men.

A barber who was doing these homemade conks came to George Johnson, who was a chemist, and said, "Hey, can you make something that I can do quickly and easily?" And that's how he came up with his Ultra Wave product, which was a relaxer for men.

He then followed that up with one for women called the Ultra Sheen Relaxer, and I guarantee probably every Black woman of a certain age, kind of Gen X and above, have heard of or had an Ultra Sheen Relaxer on their head at some point, or their mother had, or their sister has.

George Johnson's products owned the market.

Unlike the straightening combs with temporary results or the dangerous lye concoctions people were mixing up at home, Ultra Sheen was long-lasting and safer, and you could buy it at any drugstore.