What Is Awapuhi?

A plant with a long history

Awapuhi, pronounced ah-vah-poo-hee in Hawaiian, with the accent mark indicating a slight pause, is a species of ginger plant native to Southeast Asia that became established in the Hawaiian Islands. Known locally as shampoo ginger, it has been used by Native Hawaiians for centuries: the flower buds, which fill with a fragrant, conditioning gel as they mature, were squeezed directly onto hair and skin as a natural cleanser and softener.

The gel produced by the awapuhi plant is naturally lathering and rich in polysaccharides, compounds known to help attract and retain moisture, which is why the plant functions so effectively as a conditioning agent. It does not strip or dry; it conditions as it cleanses, which makes it particularly well-suited to hair care.

How Paul Mitchell discovered awapuhi

The connection between Paul Mitchell and awapuhi began in the early 1980s, when co-founder Paul Mitchell spent time in Hawaii and encountered the plant's traditional use first-hand. Struck by the way its natural gel lathered and nourished, he brought the discovery back to his business partner John Paul DeJoria and their product development team.

Rather than sourcing the ingredient externally, the two co-founders established a dedicated awapuhi farm in Paʻauilo, Hawaii in 1983, a decision that reflected the brand's commitment to quality and traceability from the outset. The farm operates entirely off-grid, powered by solar energy and supplied by captured rainwater. It remains in operation today, with the same family caring for the land for over 40 years.

How the ingredient is made

The production process is entirely manual. Each awapuhi plant is hand-harvested, with the roots gently washed and then placed in a passive-solar dehydration shed where the sun's heat slowly dries them over time. Once dry, the roots are ground into a fine, concentrated powder, it is this powder that is blended into Paul Mitchell's formulas at their product development facility in California.

To support a sustainable growing cycle, a portion of every root is replanted at harvest. The plants then rest beneath the soil until early summer, when they emerge as the next generation, a regenerative process that has been repeated every year for more than four decades.

What awapuhi does for hair

In hair care formulas, awapuhi extract works primarily as a moisture-balancing agent. Its natural humectant properties help hair attract and hold onto water, which translates to softer, more manageable strands with improved elasticity. It can also help smooth the hair cuticle, which reduces frizz and adds the kind of reflective shine that makes hair look healthy rather than simply coated.

Unlike heavier conditioning oils, awapuhi is lightweight, it hydrates without building up or weighing the hair shaft down, which makes it well-suited to a wide range of hair types including fine hair that might otherwise be overwhelmed by richer ingredients.

The Paul Mitchell Awapuhi range

The original Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Shampoo has been a bestseller since it launched in the 1980s and remains one of the brand's most recognised products. It is formulated for all hair types and is particularly well-suited to fine or static-prone hair that benefits from a lightweight moisture boost.

The broader Awapuhi Wild Ginger collection builds on the original by pairing awapuhi extract with advanced conditioning technologies, including the Repair range, which targets dry and damaged hair, and the Hydrate range, which focuses on softness and glass-like shine. The collection also includes a styling range for those who want the conditioning benefits of awapuhi built into their hold products.