We know the horrors of a bad curly cut, and so many of our readers ask for haircut advice daily. So when NaturallyCurly contributor Claire Aviles was in need of a trim, she documented her experience for us to see her transformation.
What is a Deva Cut?
The Deva Cutting technique is a technique used by the Devachan Salon for cutting curly hair. Curly hair is cut in its natural form: dry, not wet. Each curl is individually shaped and the style is based on the individual. You even get a personal curl care lesson before you go!
Update* Following the original publishing of this article I received a lot of questions about where people can get a DevaCut. You don’t have to live in NYC to get a Deva Cut. “Deva Inspired Stylists” work all over the country. You can find one near you by checking out this link and entering your zip code. You can also enter your zip code in NaturallyCurly’s Salon Finder to read reviews by NaturallyCurly community members of curl stylists as well. I would definitely encourage you to try a Deva Cut! I had an amazing experience.
You can see more images of Deva Cut hair transformations here.
Deva Cut at Devachan Salon
The Devachan Salon Experience
I walked into Devachan Salon with high expectations, especially knowing that I would be working with Denis DaSilva, Devachan’s Brazilian-born co-owner. He began cutting hair in his mother’s salon at age thirteen and studied with stylists and colorists in Spain, France, and England before coming to Devachan in 1995.
The posh SoHo salon was packed with clients of all curl types. I had never seen so many happy, naturally curly women in the same place! The atmosphere was amazing and I immediately knew that my experience would be too.
Before my Deva Cut
The Deva Cutting Technique
The Deva Cutting technique is revolutionary because it involves cutting curly hair the way it is worn—dry! This allows stylists to focus on each individual curl, which is especially important if your hair is made up of multiple curl types.
I decided to go into my first dry cut with a completely open mind. When Denis asked me what kind of cut I wanted, I simply responded, “I don’t know!” I figured that I would leave my hair in the hands of the professionals.
After looking at my hair for a few minutes, Denis knew exactly what he wanted to do with it. He decided that he would keep my overall length, but noticed that my fine hair needed more layers to give it lift. Then he went to work, cutting my hair (quite literally”> curl by curl.
A Tip from Denis DaSilva
As he was cutting my hair, I asked Denis for a few tips on how to take better care of my hair. He talked to me about the composition of hair; it’s made up of 89% protein and the only way to absorb that protein is through your diet! Because of this, diet is very important when it comes to the health of your hair.
I knew it was a good cut as soon as he put down the scissors. My hair hadn’t been washed and styled yet, but I could already see a difference. In forty-five minutes Denis had already completely transformed my hair…it was far more bouncy and voluminous than it had been when I walked into the salon.
The Curl-Care Lesson
When my Deva Cut was finished, Julia, another Devachan stylist, escorted me to the sinks. She washed my hair with DevaCurl No-Poo Cleanser and then conditioned with DevaCurl One Condition.
After squeezing the excess moisture out of my hair, Julia had me flip my hair over. She separated my curls, applied a dime-sized amount of One Condition to the ends of my hair, and then finished styling with DevaCurl Frizz-Free Volumizing Foam and DevaCurl Ultra Defining Gel.
Then I flipped my hair back and Julia used the new DevaCurl DevaClips (wider and longer than normal clips”> to give my roots a little extra lift. I went under the dryer for about ten minutes and finally, Denis used the DevaCurl Dryer and DevaFuser (love this dryer!”> to finish my look.
What’s Next?
Denis gave us a sneak peak into the future of Devachan Salon. Heard of the blow dry bar trend? Soon, Devachan Salon will offer a membership service where stylists will wash, style, and dry clients’ hair. This blow dry bar, or “curl bar,” will be unique in that it specifically caters to women with naturally curly hair—no straight blowouts allowed!
A Week Later
I am absolutely obsessed with my new cut…my curls have never looked better! And luckily, my hair is really easy to style, even without the help of Denis and Julia.
On a typical day, I wash my hair with Elucence Volume Clarifying Shampoo and condition with Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner. Once I’m out of the shower, I flip my hair over, separate my curls and squeeze out excess water as I squeeze in Jessicurl Confident Coils Styling Solution. Then I flip my hair back and apply DevaCurl Frizz-Free Volumizing Foam, and place clips near my roots. Then I simply let my hair air dry.
If you have the opportunity to visit Devachan Salon, DO IT! I absolutely loved my experience and the other clients appeared to be just as happy and satisfied with their experience. And best of all, everyone left with amazing hair!Shout out to Tracey Wallace, who helped with the pictures for this article.
