Farouk Systems

What Farouk Systems does

Farouk Systems, Inc. is a Houston-based manufacturer of professional hair care products, styling tools, and color systems, founded in 1986 by Dr. Farouk Shami. The company operates a multi-brand portfolio anchored by CHI, BioSilk, and SunGlitz, with sub-lines including Royal Treatment (bond and repair), CHI Lava (volcanic-mineral styling tools), and CHI Vibes (vegan and gluten-free). Its product portfolio spans ammonia-free permanent hair color, ceramic and lava-mineral flat irons, professional hair dryers, and education-driven service offerings through 500+ CHI Partner Schools and the company-operated CHI Lone Star College-North Harris School of Cosmetology.

Underlying technology centers on proprietary formulations and hardware developed over 61 global patents (22 pending), including world-first innovations such as ammonia-free hair color and the original ceramic hairstyling iron. The company's flagship AI-adjacent offering is the LG CHI Color Master Factory — a digitally controlled color customization system co-developed with LG Household and Health Care that delivers 30,000+ recommended formulations, mixes and dispenses formulas in under two minutes, and reduces color waste by 30 percent. Manufacturing is anchored in Houston, Texas, with a planned South Korean facility under the LG joint venture to serve Asian distribution.

The business model is primarily B2B hardware sales to professional salons via distributor networks (notably Armstrong McCall), direct professional e-commerce (pro.chi.com), and the CHI Partner Schools channel, with a secondary consumer retail and e-commerce arm (chi.com, biosilk.com). A long-running sponsorship of Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA pageants since 2007 anchors brand marketing. The company employs over 2,000 people and distributes to 144 countries. Farouk Systems remains a privately held, family-controlled company led by founder Dr. Farouk Shami (Chairman), his son Rami Shami (CEO since 2016), and a bench of hairdresser-promoted executives.

Name

Farouk Systems

Legal name

Farouk Systems, Inc.

Website

https://farouk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Farouk Systems is a Houston-based, family-owned manufacturer of professional hair care products, color systems, and styling tools under the CHI, BioSilk, and SunGlitz brands, selling B2B through distributors and 500+ partner schools across 144 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Hair Care Products

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Cosmetology and Barber Schools (611511)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional Hair Care (Shampoo, Conditioner, Treatments) (CRABALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Salon Hair Tools & Electricals (Dryers, Irons, Clippers) (CRABALAD), Hair Care (Shampoo, Conditioner, Styling, Treatments) (CRADANAE), Cosmetology (General) (EDAOALAA)

Keywords

• Professional hair care products
• Hair styling tools
• Ammonia-free hair color
• Digital hair color systems
• Salon professional products

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Haircare Products: Manufacturing and sale of high-quality professional hair care products including shampoos, conditioners, styling products, and color under CHI, BioSilk, and SunGlitz brands.
2. Styling Tools: Sale of professional styling tools including hair dryers, flat irons, curling irons, and specialty tools featuring proprietary Lava technology.
3. Hair Color Products: Professional hair color products including ammonia-free permanent shine hair color, bleaches, toners, and the LG CHI Color Master Factory color system.
4. Education Services: Revenue from CHI Partner Schools network and the CHI Lone Star College-North Harris School of Cosmetology, providing professional hairdressing education.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Farouk Systems manufactures and sells professional hair care products (shampoos, conditioners, treatments, ammonia-free color) and styling tools (flat irons, hair dryers, multi-stylers) under the CHI, BioSilk, and SunGlitz brands, distributed through professional channels in 144+ countries. The company also delivers cosmetology education through 500+ CHI Partner Schools and the company-operated CHI Lone Star College-North Harris School of Cosmetology in Houston, Texas.

Product overview

Farouk Systems, Inc. is a Houston-based professional haircare company offering a comprehensive portfolio of hair care products and styling tools under multiple brands. The core product ecosystem includes the CHI brand (haircare products, color, and tools), BioSilk brand (silk protein-infused products), and SunGlitz brand. The flagship technology platform is the LG CHI Color Master Factory - a digitally controlled AI-powered color customization system developed in partnership with LG Household and Health Care that provides over 30,000 custom formulations. The CHI LAVA line represents the company's premium styling tool collection featuring volcanic lava ceramic technology. Supporting product lines include the Royal Treatment Collection (bond and repair systems), CHI Ionic Permanent Hair Color (ammonia-free color in 100 shades), CHI Bleach & Shine, and CHI Tone & Gloss. The company also operates extensive education programs through CHI Partner Schools and the CHI Lone Star College School of Cosmetology, distributing products throughout the US and to over 144 countries worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CHI: Professional haircare brand founded in 1986, known for using advanced American technology and naturally-based ingredients. Flagship brand of Farouk Systems.
• BioSilk
• SunGlitz
• Royal Treatment
• CHI Lava
• CHI Vibes

Products and services

• LG CHI Color Master Factory World's first digitally controlled AI-powered hair color customization system co-developed with LG H&H, providing 30,000+ hair color formulations mixed and dispensed in under two minutes with a 30% reduction in color waste; targets professional salons.
• CHI Lava 4D Hairstyling Iron Professional flat iron featuring 4D plate technology with two lava-coated floating inner plates and two lava-mineral-coated outer plates that produce ions when heated; preset temperatures from 370°F to 450°F with dual voltage; targets stylists and salons.
• CHI LAVA AirGlam Multi Styler Lightweight professional multi-styler with five interchangeable attachments for drying, curling, and volumizing, featuring patented CHI Volcanic LAVA technology, a 1300W BLDC motor, and over 100 million negative ions to combat static and frizz.
• CHI LAVA PRO Turbo Hair Dryer Professional-grade hair dryer utilizing CHI LAVA technology with volcanic lava and ceramic for superior styling performance, ionic output, and far-infrared heat generation for salon use.
• CHI Ionic Permanent Shine Hair Color Ammonia-free professional permanent hair color system available in 100 intermixable cream shades, featuring Hue Definition Technology with Aloe Vera, Silk Keratin Protein, and Hyaluronic Acid for hydration and vibrant color.
• CHI Lava 2.0 Hairstyling Iron Styling iron combining CHI Lava Minerals with German engineering, featuring Lava Mineral floating plates that produce ions when heated for healthier, stronger hair with reduced frizz and enhanced shine.
• CHI Lava Hair Dryer Hair dryer utilizing CHI Lava volcanic lava and ceramic technology for superior styling performance with ionic and far-infrared heat generation.
• CHI Ceramic Hairstyling Iron The original CHI Ceramic Hairstyling Iron, the world's first ceramic flat iron invented by Dr. Farouk Shami using NASA technology, pioneering ceramic heat technology in professional hair styling.
• CHI Partner Schools Program Educational program with over 500 CHI Partner Schools providing professional hairdressing training, curriculum, and certification worldwide.
• CHI Lone Star College-North Harris School of Cosmetology State-of-the-art cosmetology school operated by Farouk Systems in partnership with Lone Star College in Houston, Texas, providing professional hairdressing education and training future hairstylists.
• CHI Royal Treatment Collection Professional bond and repair system including Royal Treatment Bond & Seal and Bond Rebuilder for maintaining healthy hair during lightening and coloring processes, featuring clean beauty formulations.
• CHI Color Express 10-minute ammonia-free hair color solution delivering vibrant, long-lasting color ideal for busy salon schedules.
• CHI Harmony Collection A new color collection from CHI launched in February 2025 featuring salon-friendly styles such as Fierce Fusion, Amethyst Haze, Rosé Rebel, Sun Ray Cascade, and Rhythmic Mocha for stylists and salons.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% reduction in color waste due to overmixing formulations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• LG Household and Health Care (LG H&H)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 September 2021Joint venture between Farouk Systems and LG H&H to develop and manufacture the LG CHI Color Master Factory - a digitally controlled AI-powered color customization system. Partnership combines Farouk's color expertise with LG's engineering capabilities. Establishes manufacturing facility in South Korea to serve Asian distribution channels. LG H&H's skin care brands will be distributed through Farouk's worldwide professional salon channels.
• Miss Universe OrganizationflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2007Official hair care sponsor since 2007 for Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA pageants. Company provides elite hairstyling team to create custom looks for contestants at global competitions. Partnership aligns with brand values of empowering women and inspiring confidence.
• Lone Star CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Lone Star College to establish the CHI Lone Star College-North Harris School of Cosmetology in Houston, Texas. Company-operated cosmetology school that provides professional hairdressing education and expands career opportunities for graduates.
• Professional Beauty Association (PBA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for #Hairdressers4Hairdressers campaign to help fellow hairdressers and salons affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Cut-A-Thon events raised money for PBA's Disaster Relief Fund.
• Armstrong McCallminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne of the largest professional beauty distributors in the United States. Long-standing distribution partner for Farouk Systems products, delivering products to stylists and salons.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wella Company: Global professional haircare major (Wella Professionals, Sebastian, Nioxin, OPI) owned by KKR; the closest scale and channel analog to Farouk's CHI and BioSilk portfolios serving stylists and salons worldwide.
• L'Oréal Professionnel: L'Oréal's professional division sells shampoo, color, and treatments exclusively through salons globally; directly comparable to Farouk in professional color (ammonia-free/low-ammonia), styling, and education programs.
• Henkel Beauty Care (Schwarzkopf Professional): Henkel's professional hair business competes head-on with CHI across salon color (Igora), care, and styling; comparable B2B distributor-led model and salon education footprint.
• Moroccanoil: Premium professional haircare brand built on a single hero ingredient (argan oil); closely comparable to BioSilk in distribution model (salon-first), premium positioning, and argan/silk-protein narrative.
• GHD (Good Hair Day): Professional hairstyling tools brand (irons, dryers) with strong salon channel; the closest direct competitor to CHI Lava tools in flat irons and dryers.
• Paul Mitchell (cosmetology schools): Operates one of the largest networks of cosmetology schools in the U.S.; directly comparable to Farouk's CHI Partner Schools and Lone Star College program as a school-led channel-to-stylist funnel.

Emerging players

• Olaplex: Bond-building professional haircare brand that pioneered the bond/care subcategory CHI Royal Treatment now competes in; key emerging competitive threat in the professional channel.
• K18: Biotech-driven leave-in bond treatment brand rapidly adopted by stylists; emerging disruptor in the same professional care category where CHI Royal Treatment plays.

Broad incumbents

• Kérastase: L'Oréal's luxury professional haircare line; competes with CHI and BioSilk at the premium salon tier and shares the B2B-plus-education GTM model.
• Dyson (Hair Care): Dysen's hair dryer and multi-styler lines compete with CHI Lava and AirGlam in premium tools, but via a consumer-DTC-plus-salon-overlap channel rather than professional-only.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpboSvHMycSUa3-zU7NLh3A
• Facebookfacebook.com/FaroukSystems
• Instagraminstagram.com/farouksystems
• Xx.com/FaroukSystems
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/farouk-systems

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 Farouk Systems