Do you love people who want to make the world a better place?  Do you love dogs, cats, horses, animals, people, nature, the ocean?  The leaders of Cosmoton, The Lompoc Barber Academy have always embraced a culture of giving back to the community they live in, the planet they live on and to the people in the industry they serve.

Since 2004 the staff of Cosmoton Academy have been lending support in a very personal way to a variety of causes. “Sometimes all it takes is a set of clippers, an open heart and an opportunity.” Is the battle cry of one of the learning leaders (teachers) at the Barber Academy.

In September 2018 Michael and Laura Funkhouser arrived in Lompoc and established a Barber Academy because they saw a need for well trained talent in the hair industry.  Once they had a physical location dialed in they immediately turned their attention to community outreach and in April 2019 volunteered at Lompoc Spring Fest doing braids to raise money for the Lompoc Flower Festival.  They have, with the help of their growing number of students, volunteered and raised money for the Lompoc Theater Project, Santa Barbara Old Spanish Days, Santa Barbara Alzheimer Research Foundation and Blue Sky Community Center.

“We love bringing our talents to festivals and events where the community is already congregated.  The guests enjoy the novelty of having a haircut in the park and our students get to have their lives touched by the joy they have just brought to someone else’s live.”

The Funkhousers have done events over the years to support The Childrens Miracle Network, The Gary Sinise Foundation, Food 4 Africa, Thirst Project, No Limits, Morris Animal Foundation, Best Friends and Haircuts From the Heart.

Since the start of Cosmoton Barber Academy in Lompoc, they have raised over $1000 toward charitable causes through Cut-a-Thons, Haircut Booths and Bake Sales.  Dollar by dollar, Cosmoton Barber Academy is making a difference in the lives of their community.

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School Leaders

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Michael Funkhouser – Educator, Cutting Specialist, and Style Pro

Our cutting, styling and theory specialist, Michael Funkhouser made a name for himself early in his career working high-profile events. He got his start in hair in 2004, and since then, his career has followed an astronomical upward path: from LA Fashion Week to the Miss America Beauty Pageant to the Miss Chinese International Pageant to American Idol, Teen Idol, and Chinese Idol. Specializing in Japanese and Curly hair cutting techniques, he is certified in the DEVACHAN cutting style. He also holds his barbering license.

Previously, Michael worked as a Paul Mitchel School Educator throughout San Diego, Pasadena, and Santa Barbara. He traveled throughout the country, passing on his skills to others and even running a series of events that culminated in a teaching role at Cosmoton Academy. He himself is a graduate of The Cao Institute of Aesthetics a Paul Mitchell Partner School.

A natural leader, Michael also does speaking and mentoring work. He is the author of Mentorship Portfolio, and he currently works at both Cosmoton Academy and Napoleon Blonde. He cares deeply about his students and takes an active interest in their education, an attitude that shines through in his work as an educator. Believing wholeheartedly about the value of style and beauty, he applies himself enthusiastically to sharing his skills and experience with others.

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Laura Funkhouser – Color & Color Correction Specialist / Educator

A color and color correction specialist, Laura Funkhouser got her start in style in Studio City. Trained by Master Colorist Joseph Ledda, a major figure in the field, she honed her skills for several years before taking a position as a colorist and instructor at Vidal Sassoon Academy in Santa Monica and Vidal Sassoon Salon in Beverly Hills. Equally passionate about styling and teaching, she has made it her mission in life to give others the benefit of all the experience and knowledge that she has accrued over the course of her 18-year career.

In addition to teaching at Vidal Sassoon, Laura has also taught at Wella and Paul Mitchell, and she has competed on multiple occasions in the Wella Trend Vision, NAHA, and California Stylist Magazine competitions. She champions low-maintenance colors in her work, helping her clients to achieve their ideal looks with a minimum of effort and budget.

Laura was a finalist in the high-profile Trend Visions Competition for Southern California, and she has collaborated with such luminaries as Tim Hartley and Annie Humphries. She believes in following her dreams, and she has done so time and again, pursuing her career all the way from San Diego to San Francisco.

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Personal appearance has always been at the core of an individuals representation of themselves to the world.  Since ancient times The Barber has been the person that civilizations have looked to as a means of maintaining that personal appearance.  In Ezekiel 5:1 the Bible references Barbers, haircuts and beard grooming all in one verse.  Even farther back than that we have pictoral representations and tools of “cavemen” (and women) who used sharpened rocks to shave their faces and presumably their heads and bodies as well.

Fortunately for us we no longer need to use rocks to shave or cut our hair.  Especially since Cosmoton (pronounced Cosmo Ton) the new Barbering College located in the “City of Arts and Flowers” Lompoc, California is providing education to students and services to the people of Lompoc and the surrounding areas.  The Mission of Cosmoton Barbering Academy is one of providing a strong base of education in all aspects of hair and barbering for future barbers. Cosmoton Barbering Academy is a barbering college teaching the new, talented, future barbers while providing excellent, low cost services to the public.  All services are performed by students who are preparing to take their California licensing exam for Barbering.

The Cosmoton education team is led by Michael and Laura Funkhouser, former Paul Mitchell School Educators and Directors.  “We have left the day to day management decisions to this duo.  We have seen their commitment to their craft and the excellence they instill in the people they train.  This decision was a no brainer.” says Peyton Shaw, investor and venture capitalist.

At Cosmoton the commitments and dedication to helping people ranges from Students, learning and growing, to Guests, receiving the best service a learning student can provide, and Staff. “We know people have lives outside of school” Michael says, “we want our team to be able to have a life outside of work.”  The Cosmoton regular work week for students and staff is a 3 day 10 hour shift.  This allows for plenty of time for spending time with family, going grocery shopping or doing chores.  “People who come into this industry are hustling all the time.  We don’t always have free time to see you mom or hang out with your family and that’s important.”

The name Cosmoton comes from “Kosmos” which means ordered or orderly and refers to the structure of ornamenting or designing anything from the universe to hair.  The second half of the name is a nod to an ancient way to refer to a person who cut the hair, beards and tonsors of the monks.   Those people were called Tonsoral Artists.  Thus we have KosmoTons or Cosmoton.  The slogan “21st-Century Barbering” refers to the fact that Cosmoton uses new technology to teach classes in a way that the modern student understands and relates to.  “We teach everything a modern day appearance worker would need to be successful and make a good living in whatever capacity they decide to use their licenses.”  says Laura.

The Barbering program consists of all aspects of hair including:

• Hair coloring and Hi-lights
• Blow-dry and Styling
• Perm and Relaxer
• Women’s and Men’s Haircutting
• Men’s face and beard grooming including hot towel shaves

The Barbering Crossover program consists only of the things that barbers do that Cosmetologists do not do:

• How to cut a fade haircut
• How to perform a hot towel shave and facial
• How to build your business as a Tonsorial Artist
• State Board Crossover Examination preparation

The Crossover program costs just $ 5,005 and the Barber program costs

$ 15,000 including application fee, books and classroom supplies and student tuition fee.