TOP 5 HAIR CARE

Redken (or Redken 5th Avenue NYC) is an American hair care brand owned by L’Oréal Group as part of its professional products division.

Redken Laboratories, founded in 1960, was the brainchild of an American actress named Paula Kent. Kent and her hairdresser Jheri Redding (thus the name “Redken”) started off with three products and an intensive training program for hairdressers teaching the chemistry of hair and skin. Product formulas were based on three principles: protein technology (since hair consists mostly of protein); an acidic pH of 4.5 to 5.5, complementing the natural pH of the hair and skin; and product recommendation exclusively by licensed cosmetologists in professional salons.

By 1965 Ms Kent had full ownership of Redken Laboratories, based in California. During the 1970s and 1980s the company was a leader in product technology both in the USA and abroad. In 1993 L’Oreal purchased Redken, and now its headquarters are on 5th Avenue, New York City. Today Redken is a global leader in professional hair care products and services.

John Paul Mitchell Systems is known for Paul Mitchell hair care products and styling tools. Based in Beverly Hills, California, the company was founded in 1980 by Paul Mitchell and John Paul DeJoria. Paul Mitchell (born Cyril Thomson Mitchell on 27 January 1936 in Carnwath, Scotland; died 21 April 1989) was a renowned hairdresser.

TIGI (from Toni & Guy) is an international hair care business founded in London in 1963 by the brothers Giuseppe (Guy) and Gaetano (Toni) Mascolo. They were subsequently joined by their younger brothers Bruno and Anthony. 

TIGI manufactures many products in the United Kingdom, including hair care items such as shampoos and styling products (LABEL M), and hair irons. The company also has a sister salon group, Essensuals, which is headed by Toni’s children Sacha Mascolo-Tarbuck and Christian Mascolo.

Bruno Mascolo heads the US company called Toni & Guy USA – distinct from, but historically connected with, Toni & Guy International – that has its headquarters in Dallas, Texas. It comprises salons and TIGI Linea, the hair care products division best known for its Bed Head, S-factor, and Catwalk haircare lines, Bed Head cosmetics, and other products. TIGI was acquired by Unilever in 2009. The company employs approximately 550 people around the world.

PureOlogy is a hair care and styling products based at 565 5th Avenue, New York City. The company was founded by Jim Markham in Irvine, California, in 2001. On 8 May 2007 PureOlogy was acquired by L’Oréal under its professional products division, and relocated to headquarters in New York City.

PureOlogy specializes in formulas specifically designed for individuals with color-treated hair. Jim Markham identified a gap in the marketplace for luxury, high-priced hair care products that would fulfill the needs of color-treated hair, which has a greater tendency to fade and dry out. At the time, industry estimates calculated that more than 50 % of women colored their hair; this has since risen to 65 %, further widening PureOlogy’s potential customer base.

Farouk Systems, Inc is a manufacturer of high-quality professional hair care and styling products. The company is based in Houston, Texas, and was founded by Farouk Shami in 1986. Shami is the chairman of the company, which is owned and operated by professional hairdressers.