Tangle Teezer is a British company that manufactures
hair care
Hair care or haircare is an overall term for hygiene and cosmetology involving the hair which grows from the human scalp, and to a lesser extent Facial hair, facial, Pubic hair, pubic and other body hair. Hair care routines differ according to a ...
products, most notably
hairbrushes. It was founded by Shaun Pulfrey, a
hairdresser
A hairdresser is a person whose occupation is to cut or style hair in order to change or maintain a person's image. This is achieved using a combination of hair coloring, haircutting, and hair texturing techniques. A hairdresser may also be re ...
, and its first product was launched in 2007. The first and signature product, a detangling hairbrush dubbed ''"The Original"'' eventually achieved
cult popularity and received
the Queen's Award for Innovation in 2012, and International Trade in 2014, as well as reaching the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 in 2013 and 2016.
History
Tangle Teezer was founded by its inventor Shaun Pulfrey, who started his career as a hair colorist in 1978. He has worked at Pierre Alexandre,
Toni&Guy,
Nicky Clarke
Nicky Clarke (born 17 June 1958) is an English hair stylist and media personality.
Early life
Clarke grew up in a working-class family and lived in a council flat in London. His mother was a Greek immigrant who met his father when he was stat ...
, and Richard Ward salons throughout his career.
In 2003, Pulfrey began to research and develop his idea for a detangling hairbrush to create the world’s first professional detangling tool.
In 2005 Pulfrey remortgaged his flat in Brixton, London for six months' worth of capital (£25,000) to finance the product launch.
In May 2005 Pulfrey published ''I Wanna Be Blonde,'' a book sharing his insider hair coloring tips.
Pulfrey appeared on
Dragons’ Den in 2007. He pitched ''"The Original"'' detangling hairbrush to
Peter Jones,
Duncan Bannatyne
Duncan Walker Bannatyne, (born 2 February 1949) is a Scottish entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author. His business interests include hotels, health clubs, spas, media, TV, and property. He is most famous for his appearance as a business ang ...
,
James Caan
James Edmund Caan ( ; March 26, 1940 – July 6, 2022) was an American actor. He came to prominence playing Sonny Corleone in ''The Godfather'' (1972), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Academy Award an ...
and
Deborah Meaden
Deborah Sonia Meaden FRSA (born 11 February 1959) is a British businessperson and TV personality who ran a multimillion-pound family holiday business, before completing a management buyout. She is best known for her appearances as a 'Dragon' on ...
. Pulfrey offered 15% of Tangle Teezer for £80,000 but was rejected. Jones labeled the brushes ‘hair-brained’, Caan said they were a ‘waste of time,’ and Bannatyne said he wanted to ‘pull
ishair out.’ However, when the episode was aired, the Tangle Teezer website crashed due to public demand,
with 1,500 orders placed.
In 2008,
Boots
A boot is a type of footwear. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle, while some also cover some part of the lower calf. Some boots extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearl ...
began stocking the brushes, and by 2009 sales had reached £500,000.
In 2011, sales hit £2.2 million, further growing to £28.6 million in March 2016, having expanded into 70 international markets.
In July 2021, Pulfrey sold a majority stake in Tangle Teezer to Mayfair Equity Partners for approximately £70 million.
References
{{Reflist
External links
2007 establishments in the United Kingdom
Hair care products
Hairdressing