Posted by Teemu Peltoniemi
on April 01, 2024
Finally, we get to look back at how it all began in 2014!
Because ten years ago, Dick Johnson was born – just like many other success stories – inside a student apartment's wardrobe.
Dick Johnson didn’t launch slick and ready for the spotlight. No, it began in the suburb of Härmälä, Tampere, with a scrappy little webshop where the young entrepreneur Leevi sold imported pomades from the US and simply hoped for the best.
The original website was called dick.fi – and we quickly realized we needed to throw "Johnson" on the end to make it look at least somewhat professional.
2014: Pomade Inepuisable – The First Original Product
Dick’s story began with selling classic hair pomades. Naturally, the next step was to create one of our own.
We launched Pomade Inepuisable in 2014 – a water-based pomade that solved one of life’s great mysteries: how to get a slick pomade look without turning your head into a greasy mess?
Pomade Inepuisable offers a classic shine with a strong, restylable hold. Thanks to its water-based formula, it also washes out easily from both the hair and your hands.
The packaging channeled a strong Great Gatsby vibe – a visual identity still seen in many of our products today. Because who wouldn’t want to feel like DiCaprio in the middle of a hangover?
2015: Snake Oil – The Hit Product That Smells Damn Good
After Inepuisable, we created Snake Oil – a beard oil named after the snake oil salesmen of the Wild West. But this time Dick wasn’t conning anyone – we just made a better beard oil than anyone else.
Snake Oil became an instant bestseller in our humble store. It allowed us to move from Leevi's wardrobe into a real office space in central Tampere. Oh, and the scent? Whiskey & Vanilla. Dick's best-selling Signature Scent up to this date.
The first bottle was just 10ml with no pump. Eventually, we got the signature brown 50ml bottle and a proper pump cap. Just to make life a bit more easier.
2016: Ball Wax – Because Of Course
This is the product we’re still best known for. During a jog, Leevi got a little… uncomfortable. A few brainstorms later: Ball Wax was born.
The humorous product went viral instantly. To add even a bit more playfulness, we put the picture of a greasy old dude on the label.
All jokes aside, the Ball Wax also solved an important problem for men: itchy balls. It also gave men an excuse to take care of themselves without any shame.
That same year, we opened our first Barbershop in Tampere. Inspired by Amsterdam’s master barbers, we brought European grooming culture to gloomy Finland. Needless to say that it was a massive success, and later we opened Barbershops in Turku and Helsinki too.
2017: Sweden – Almost a Conquest
Every growing Finnish brand eventually turns their gaze towards the west. In 2017, while high on the success of Snake Oil and Ball Wax, we thought Sweden was ready for us.
It wasn’t.
Our rough and edgy humour did not land well among our royal neighbours. Eventually we had to return back home with our tail tucked between our legs.
Later on we managed to find a local distributor who spoke fluent Dick – and now even the fancy hipsters of Stockholm want a piece of us!
2018: Snake Balm – Because Even Tough Guys Can Be Vegan
After the success of Snake Oil, customers started asking us for a beard balm. So we created Snake Balm – a vegan-friendly beard balm made with candelilla wax instead of beeswax.
We infused it with the already-legendary Whiskey & Vanilla scent. as a cherry on top of the cake, we added a stylish custom tin that also doubles as a handy storage box.
Even up to this date, Snake Balm is still aong our most popular products!
That year, we tried international expansion again: this time in Germany. Our rude humor worked wonders, and by 2022, we had opened a warehouse and office in the hip area of East Berlin.
2019: Eau De Parfum Serpent – Old School Luxury For Modern Dudes
Why spray it when you can rub it?
That was our logic when launching Eau De Parfum Serpent – a bold Whiskey & Vanilla perfume that was originally intended for applying with your finger.
We wanted to offer some old school luxury for all the modern dudes. Although we wanted to create a classic perfume that would have been applied with your finger, we eventually added a modern spray cap. Just for convenience, you know?
Also in 2019 we opened our Turku barbershop and flew in a UK master barber to run the show.
2020: Shaving Gel & Almost Our Own Arena
In 2020, Tampere was planning to build the infamous the Uros Live arena. We couldn’t afford to bid on the name sponsor contract, but we hired architects to mock up what a Dick Johnson Arena would’ve looked like.
Sadly Nokia. whipped our their checkbook and our fate was sealed. Still, no arena? No problem. We decided to go to Italy and developed the Shaving Gel Inexorable there – a perfect product for sharp beard lines with a smoky whiskey and tobacco aroma.
2021: Ghost Clay – Hardcore Hair Wax
Our barbers had been demanding for a proper clay. And oh boy, did we deliver: Ghost Clay – matte finish, killer hold.
We were inspired by the classiness of old-school styling clays. Yet still, we decided to add a modern touch to Ghost Clay in the form of a brand new scent: Sweet Nectar. Sweet, citrusy and damn addictive.
Dry hair, maybe? But certainly no dry humor.
2022: God Spray – For The Men Who Hate Creams
After years of product development, we finally realized it: men hate the stickiness of face creams.
So we created God Spray – a hydrating face mist that truly smells like confidence and creates no mess. It won the Nordic Natural Cosmetics Award the same year.
The roaring success of God Spray boosted by the e-commerce growth durign the Covid years led to us moving our HQ into a much bigger space in Pirkkala, Finland. That very year we also donated a part of our sales profits to Ukraine and hauled barber containers to festivals across Finland.
2023: Magic Mushrooms – A Deeper Moisturization
2023 brought some real magic for us: Magic Mushrooms Face Serum – deep hydration powered by the powerful Lion’s Mane mushroom extract.
But that year’s real hit was Venomous Vials – a collection of nine different perfumes that was crafted by our entire team.
Venomous Vials became an instant bestseller, and the first batch sold our instantly before Christmas 2023. I mean, because of a reason: this luxurious scent collection had a perfume to match every event and every mood for all men.
And most importantly, Venomous Vials gave Finnish men a proper excuse to smell really good.
2024: 10th Anniversary Boosted By The Perfume Collection!
At this point we're ten years in, yet we’re still sharper than ever. Dick Johnson has grown from a one-man hustle into a multimillion-euro beast with HQ's in Pirkkala and in Berlin, as well as a loyal customer base all over Europe.
Venomous Vials kicked off our anniversary year – an unmatched collection of masculine scents packed in a stylish gift box. Whiskey, bourbon, spices and oceanic elements. it truly offered something for every man. And not just in one bottle, but in an entire arsenal of nine scents.
Customer Reviews:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “My wife won’t let me wear it if I’m going out alone.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Even a country boy like me got excited about fragrances!”
Conclusion: What Did We Learn?
We started in a closet. We’ve been wild. But we’ve also grown up – a little. Not too much though.
We’ve learned, laughed, and waxed some serious balls. From hair pomades to high-end perfumes, we’ve always done it the Dick way.
And now? We’re not just raising eyebrows – we’re raising the bar.
Thanks to you, our badass customers, we’ve made it into our 10-year anniversary. Here’s to at least 10 years more!
Join the cult.