Why we sell Paul Mitchell products

What is so great about the products we sell and why we love Paul Mitchell…. 

Born in 1936 in Carnwath, Scotland, Paul Mitchell’s (born Cyril Thomson Mitchell) passion for hair began early in life. His mother, Jenny, was the first hairdresser in Carnwath, and at the age of sixteen, Paul followed suit by enrolling in London’s Morris School of Hairdressing. With his world-class talent and sharp, innovative eye, Paul soon created a revolution within the hairdressing industry. 

As the 1960s came around Paul began work with the legendary Vidal Sassoon and after 5 years Vidal asked Paul to train the staff in his first U.S. salon. 

In 1971 Paul Mitchell took a break from hairdressing before opening his salon ‘Superhair’ in New York in 1972. In 1974 he sold ‘Superhair’ and moved to Hawaii. By the end of the 1970s he demonstrated hairdressing techniques at up to 150 beauty shows per year. 

In 1980, two friends were inspired to start a company that would support the success of hairdressers and provide luxury hair care at an affordable price. With just $700, John Paul DeJoria and Paul Mitchell launched a revolutionary hair care system featuring only three products. Shampoo One®, Shampoo Two® and The Conditioner™. 

Initially, John Paul Mitchell Systems® faced many challenges. According to John Paul: “We should have gone bankrupt perhaps 50 times during the first year.” Resources were so limited that the Paul Mitchell® brand’s now-famous black and white packaging was a result of not being able to afford colour ink. 

At one point, the company consisted of a post office box and an answering machine with a female friend (with an English accent) producing the message recording to convey that there was, indeed, an ‘office.’  

They guaranteed salon owners would sell all products purchased; if they didn’t, they could return any unsold products for a full refund. Such practices represented a first for the hair care industry, and eventually led to John Paul Mitchell Systems® becoming one of the fastest growing privately-held companies in the United States. 

In 1980 Paul Mitchell became the first professional beauty company to publicly stand up against animal testing. Now 40years later, that pledge to our furry friends remains a driving force in all that we do.

While hair was always his primary focus, Paul was also interested in sustainability and pushing the limits of innovation. In 1985 Alongside John Paul DeJoria, Paul founded the solar-powered John Paul Mitchell Systems® Awapuhi Farm in order to sustainably source Hawaiian awapuhi ginger for their products. All of the awapuhi used in our products is still harvested there today. 

However, they also ventured outside of the industry to pioneer one of the world’s first solar and wind-powered racecars. Designed in collaboration with Jonathan Tennyson in 1987, the 19-foot-long car was covered with 150 solar panels and named the Mana La, which means “Power of the Sun” in Hawaiian. Today, the Mana La resides in the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, where it represents the sustainability ideals of both Paul Mitchell and John Paul DeJoria. 

To this day, John Paul Mitchell Systems® strives to carry on Paul’s legacy through initiatives dedicated to giving back to the planet and creating a more sustainable workplace. 

Paul Mitchell is one of Scotland's most successful sons but remains largely uncelebrated in his home country.