CHI

What CHI does

CHI is a Houston, Texas-based professional haircare and styling tool brand founded in 1986 by Dr. Farouk Shami and operated as a division of Farouk Systems, Inc. The company sells a broad portfolio of haircare products (shampoos, conditioners, leave-in treatments, thermal protection sprays, finishing sprays, masks, oils) and professional-grade styling tools (flat irons, curling irons and wands, hair dryers) organized into multiple branded lines including CHI LAVA, CHI Infra, CHI Keratin, CHI Vibes, Royal Treatment, CHI Care, CHI Pour Homme, and the BioSilk sub-brand, plus a pet grooming extension. Its core technological differentiators are proprietary CHI Ceramic heating technology, CHI LAVA (a patented fusion of ceramic and volcanic lava), the CHI 44 Ceramic and Cationic Hydration Interlink formula platform, and infrared heat penetration, which together underpin the brand's positioning in even-heat distribution, frizz reduction, color protection, and thermal styling performance.

CHI generates revenue primarily through one-time product sales across its DTC e-commerce storefront chi.com (with free shipping on orders over $50, unit prices ranging from roughly $8 for styling sprays to $159+ for premium tools) and through the Pro CHI exclusive program targeting professional stylists and salon operators. A secondary revenue and loyalty lever is professional education delivered through CHI Lone Star College and education.chi.com, supplemented by the CHI Cancun Conference 2026 event. Distribution combines global DTC e-commerce, the stylist-only Pro CHI channel, a salon locator that drives consumers to professional service providers, and domestic order pickup at Farouk Systems-operated physical stores. The customer base spans two horizontal segments — professional stylists and salon owners (primary, enterprise-tier via Pro CHI) and individual consumers seeking salon-grade results at home — with no named enterprise anchor accounts and no disclosed institutional or public-market ownership.

Name

CHI

Legal name

Farouk Systems, Inc.

Website

https://chi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CHI, founded in 1986 by Farouk Shami, is a Houston-based professional haircare and styling tool brand operating under Farouk Systems, Inc., selling proprietary ceramic and volcanic lava ceramic products and tools to stylists and consumers via DTC e-commerce and the Pro CHI program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Haircare and Styling Tools

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Hair Care (Shampoo, Conditioner, Styling, Treatments) (CRADANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hair Styling Tools (Dryers, Straighteners, Curlers) (CRABAKAF), Professional Hair Care (Shampoo, Conditioner, Treatments) (CRABALAB), Professional Hair Styling & Finishing (CRABALAC)

Keywords

• Professional haircare products
• Hair styling tools
• Ceramic flat irons
• Thermal protection sprays
• Professional salon supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: One-time product sales across haircare consumables (shampoos, conditioners, treatments, styling products) and professional-grade styling tools (flat irons, curling irons, hair dryers, brushes).
2. Professional Education: CHI offers education programs through CHI Lone Star College and education.chi.com for professional stylists, potentially generating revenue through training and certification.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CHI designs, manufactures, and sells professional-grade haircare products and thermal styling tools under its own brand portfolio. The portfolio includes flat irons, curling irons, hair dryers, shampoos, conditioners, leave-in treatments, thermal protection sprays, finishing sprays, men's grooming items, and pet grooming products across sub-brands such as CHI LAVA, CHI Infra, BioSilk, CHI Keratin, CHI Vibes, and Royal Treatment. Sales occur primarily through chi.com direct-to-consumer e-commerce and through the Pro CHI program serving licensed stylists and salons.

Product overview

CHI is a professional-grade hair care and styling tool company founded by Farouk Shami, offering a comprehensive portfolio of products organized into multiple branded lines. The core product ecosystem includes CHI LAVA tools featuring volcanic lava ceramic technology, the CHI Infra line with CHI 44 Ceramic and Cational Hydration Interlink, the BioSilk sub-brand with silk protein formulations, CHI Keratin protein-based products, CHI Vibes vegan styling solutions, and the premium Royal Treatment line with white truffle and pearl complex. The company also offers CHI Care for everyday essentials, CHI Pour Homme for men, and pet grooming products under CHI for Dogs and BioSilk for Dogs. Product categories span professional styling tools (flat irons, curling irons, hair dryers), hair care (shampoo, conditioner, treatments), styling products (hairsprays, gels, creams), and body care. All products are cruelty-free with many being paraben and sulfate-free.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BioSilk: Haircare line inspired by silk, transforming hair with brilliant shine, frizz control, and lasting strength.
• CHI Infra
• CHI Lava
• CHI Vibes
• Royal Treatment
• CHI Keratin

Products and services

• CHI LAVA Styling Tools and Haircare Line Hair styling tools and haircare products infused with volcanic lava ceramic technology that ensures even heat distribution for frizz reduction, enhanced shine, and professional styling results. Targeted at stylists and consumers seeking premium thermal styling performance.
• CHI Infra Haircare Line Haircare products utilizing CHI 44 Ceramic and Cationic Hydration Interlink technology that interlocks vital moisture in the inner structure of hair, providing moisture, strength, and shine with thermal protection. Targeted at consumers and stylists focused on hydration and damage repair.
• BioSilk Haircare Line
• CHI Keratin Haircare Line
• CHI Vibes Haircare and Styling Line
• Royal Treatment Premium Haircare Line
• CHI Care Everyday Essentials Line
• CHI Pour Homme Men's Grooming Line
• CHI Flat Irons Professional-grade ceramic and volcanic lava ceramic hairstyling irons for smooth, consistent heat styling, available across standard and anniversary special editions.
• CHI Curling Irons and Wands
• CHI Hair Dryers
• CHI Shampoo and Conditioner
• CHI Leave-In Treatments
• CHI Thermal Protection Sprays
• CHI Hairsprays and Styling Sprays
• CHI for Dogs and BioSilk for Dogs Pet Grooming Line
• CHI LAVA Ultra Curl Volcanic Lava Curling Iron Curling iron featuring advanced volcanic lava ceramic technology with even heat distribution for healthier styling, part of the CHI LAVA line.
• LAVA Ruby Anniversary Edition 1 Inch Hairstyling Iron Special edition flat iron celebrating CHI's 40 years of innovation, featuring LAVA mineral-infused plates, 30-second quick heat-up, preset 392F temperature, and 5x color lock protection.

Quantifiable outcome

• CHI LAVA tools provide 5x Color lock protection against color fading
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Olaplex: Bond-building professional haircare brand that pioneered a science-led chemistry story sold across prestige and professional channels, directly competing with CHI's treatment and bond-protection SKUs in the same salons and DTC channels.
• Paul Mitchell: Long-standing professional haircare company with parallel salon, school, and DTC distribution, overlapping directly with CHI's Pro CHI stylist program and educational platform.
• Moroccanoil: Premium haircare brand anchored by a signature argan oil treatment sold through salons and direct e-commerce, directly comparable to CHI's treatment-led positioning and stylists-led channel mix.
• Davines: Independent sustainability-led professional haircare brand with adjacent product breadth to CHI, also serving stylists and DTC consumers with comparable premium positioning.
• Bio Ionic: Professional styling tool brand leveraging proprietary mineral/ceramic heating technologies, directly comparable to CHI's LAVA and ceramic flat iron/curling iron line up.

Emerging players

• K18 Biomimetic Hairscience: Venture-backed professional leave-in treatment brand commercialized through stylists and DTC, intersecting CHI's bond/care narrative with newer positioning and influencer-led demand generation.
• Amika: Independent, digitally-native professional haircare brand competing for the same shelf space and stylist mindshare as CHI's Infra/Keratin lines, with strong social-driven DTC growth.

Broad incumbents

• Redken: L'Oréal-owned professional haircare brand distributed through a comparable salon + e-commerce model, overlapping with CHI's portfolio in shampoo, conditioner, styling, and color services.
• Kérastase: L'Oréal's luxury hair care division providing premium and professional offerings that compete with CHI's Royal Treatment and treatment-tied positioning across prestige retail and salons.
• Matrix: L'Oréal's broad professional haircare label covering shampoos, color, and styling on a salon + DTC model with overlapping product categories to CHI's portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOgLM_B4jKt5sxSnZRI1iIA
• Facebookfacebook.com/CHIHaircare
• Instagraminstagram.com/chihaircare
• TikToktiktok.com/@chihaircare
• Pinterestpinterest.com/farouksystems
• Xx.com/CHIHaircare
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chi-saudi-arabia

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CHI