The History of Yuko Hair Straightening System

I left Molton Brown Hairdressing for a new challenge in 1998, before Yuko System — the pioneers of chemical straightening — first opened their Academy outside Japan in Mayfair, London. It was a big decision, but Yuko seemed to be offering something new and very exciting that interested me greatly.

Yuko Yamashita, founder of the Yuko system permanent hair straightening, originates from Japan. She opened her own salon and had many clients with frizzy hair — yes, you'd be surprised how many Japanese people have curly or frizzy hair. "If you want to know why I have focused all my energy on permanent hair straightening, it is because, since becoming a beauty specialist, I have met many women who suffer from unruly hair."

In the early 1990s, Yuko started developing her first straightening solution, a process that took two years of study and research. "I first noticed that I needed to understand the bio-rhythm of hair in order to maintain its beauty. I can tell what kind of habits my customer's hair has just by touching her hair and head, even with my eyes closed." In 1994 Yuko partnered with Japanese company Phi-ten to reformulate all Yuko system products, and after permanent hair straightening became a success in Japan, brought it to London and Los Angeles.

I was one of the lucky technicians able to learn and practice before the Yuko academy and Yuko salon in Mayfair opened. Technicians and staff were sent from Japan, and Yuko Yamashita herself came here to train us. Yuko had a very different view of hair — nothing I had seen or learned before — and learning from her was a pleasure. Without that knowledge I would not see or understand hair as I do today.

When we opened the Yuko salon, a Daily Mail article made us fully booked overnight. Permanent hair straightening was the big thing everyone talked about. The process at that time was very lengthy — always two people working on one client, taking up to six hours from start to finish. I remember being asked by Yuko to test the system on Afro-Caribbean hair; one model took 10+ hours to complete — with great success, and Yuko was extremely happy with the results.

After becoming manager, I left Yuko in the early 2000s to open my own salon, becoming the first person to perform the Yuko technique outside the Yuko academy and the first authorised salon in London. I was also the first person to successfully perform Yuko hair straightening on Afro-Caribbean hair — my greatest professional achievement to that point.

Yuko Yamashita, her views and her teaching on the importance of hair condition, will always be with me throughout my career. Thank you, Yuko, for developing this wonderful hair straightening system.