Thursday, May 8, 2008

Let Your Curls Out! East 42nd Street Salon is Now a Deva Certified Salon!

If you have curly hair you’ve probably looked high and low for that salon or stylist who really understands your hair. As the owner of East 42nd Street Salon, I’ve seen more and more people with curly hair coming into our salon who want to let their natural curls come out or want to spend less time styling their hair each day…but they’ve never before been able to find someone who knew how to cut their curls or to teach them how to care for it.

We started out with one stylist who was Devachan-trained to cut curly hair. This method of cutting hair was created by Lorraine Massey, author of the Curly Girl Handbook: A Celebration of Curls and founder and co-owner of the Devachan in the SoHo neighborhood in New York City.

With a growing clientele of curly haired women—99% of the population in the United States has curly hair—it was an easy decision to head to Los Angeles to take the Devachan training myself. I was there in late April and upon my return, I trained all of our stylists in cutting curly hair. Now East 42nd Street Salon is a Deva certified salon—one of the only in the Twin Cities.

The Devachan method of cutting hair is done dry, allowing the stylist to sculpt the hair visually. Because curly hair will “spring back” into place, it is essential for the stylist to understand how each hair will spring back. All hair does not curly the same, even on the same head.

Not everyone with curly hair will want to have their hair cut dry. Cutting curly hair dry lets the stylist see where the curls fall. For those who want flexibility in their hair style—being able to wear it curly or blow-dried smooth—cutting the hair wet may be better. This allows the stylist to cut for both styles. A good stylist will touch up the cut once it is dry as well.

Finding the right stylist for curly hair is essential. Some who knows how to cut and care for curly hair can provide you with the tips and tricks to maintain beautiful hair. Here are some things to look for in a stylist:

· The stylist uses a visual approach recognizing that each head and curl are separate
· A consultation is offered up front
· The salon carries products for curly hair
· The stylist has been trained to cut curly hair and is comfortable cutting it dry
· The stylist will be interested in:
· What you like and dislike about your hair
· Your daily routine, amount of time you want to spend on your hair
· Weaknesses with your hair, what is difficult for you when caring for your hair
· How short or different you want to go

At East 42nd Street Salon, we believe you can love your curly hair! Find the right stylist and the right products and it is possible.