Paula Kent Meehan, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and founder of Redken Laboratories, passed away in her Beverly Hills home, aged 82. The California-based haircare company, which she founded in 1960, is one of the first companies to create hypoallergenic hair sprays. On the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Redken, Modern Salon magazine honored Redken as "the company that changed an industry forever.” Based on her dedication to developing products compatible with the natural elements of hair and skin, Meehan discovered that her own sensitive skin and hair reacted adversely to many products on the market, which led her to develop Redken. The company began with three products and an education program for hairdressers about the chemistry of hair and skin. In 1971, Paula Kent married John Meehan, an advertising executive for trade magazines, including publications that covered the fashion and haircare fields. In 1993, L’Oreal USA purchased Redken, and following the Northridge earthquake, relocated the headquarters to Fifth Avenue New York City. Meehan’s philanthropic work most recently included donations to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and the Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden. She also served as president of a pet rescue and adoption foundation called Pets 90210—The Pet Care Foundation in Beverly Hills. In May 2014, Meehan purchased and became the chairman of The Beverly Hill Courier and The Beverly Hills Fine Arts Theater.
For more information, visit www.redken.com.