Ouidad: The Curl Experts

1960Growing up in Lebanon, Ouidad is teased mercilessly about her crazy curls

1973Ouidad moves to Rhode Island and works for a salon

1974Begins cutting and styling hair in Paris, London & Italy

1978Moves to NYC and works with the cast of Evita

1979Win Best Stylist at North American Hairstyling Awards

1979Begins experimenting with her own product formulations

1980…repeats the win

1981…repeats the win

1981Styles hair for major ad campaigns including Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, The Gap, American Express and Benetton

1982Meets future partner in business and life, Peter Wise (they marry despite his straight hair)

1984Ouidad develops first product, Deep Treatment, used only in the salon

1984Ouidad and Peter flip a coin (she wants a salon, he wants a restaurant.) Heads wins. They open a salon.

1984Ouidad opens the country’s first curly hair salon on 9th Avenue in NYC

1986Deep Treatment’s first editorial feature in Town & Country

1987Clear & Gentle Shampoo, Balancing Rinse Conditioner, Tress F/X and Styling Mist products are launched. Peter begins a mail order business from the salon

1990The mail order business gets its own home in Connecticut

1994Ouidad salon has firmly established reputation as the curly hair experts

1995New styling and finishing products are launched

1996Ouidad.com goes live

1998Ouidad trademarks her “Carving & Slicing”® technique. Ouidad crowned “Queen of Curl” by national beauty editors

1999Climate Control launches, named “Best Defrizzer” by Allure magazine

2000Start of the Certified Salon Network – 5 salons across the country train in Carve & Slice technique

2001Ouidad beats breast cancer

2001Curl Talk book by Ouidad released for national distribution

2004KRLY Kids and PlayCurl Lines launch

2004Salon moves into new 57th Street home in NYC

2004Ouidad partners with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and launches “Curls for a Cure” fundraising campaign

2006Sun Shield launches under its original name, Summer Shield

2008Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner launches

2008Ouidad makes her first appearance on HSN, curly viewers rejoice. Ouidad’s 2nd Flagship salon opens in Santa Monica, CA

2009Ouidad launches new packaging and a new logo

2009Certified salon network expands to 50 salons across the country. Products launch in Sephora nationwide

2010 and beyond› New certified salons› New exceptional products› Same curl mission