The DevaCut Experience: What to Expect

On December 5th, 2013, my life changed.
Okay, so maybe I'm being a little melodramatic. But on December 5th, I ended my 21 month transition from heat damaged hair and went 100% natural. Like many transitioners, from the outset of my process, I had the end in mind. I was going to go at least 24 months. I was going to make a big YouTube production out of it by chopping off my ends in the mirror, and letting them fall to the sink in slow motion. I was going to e-mail Barack Obama about it, and ask him to hold a dinner in my honor.
Maybe I'm kidding about that last one. Maybe. But as fate would have it, I didn't make it to the 24 month mark. During the first week of December, I grew increasingly irritated with my heat damaged ends. My newly grown hair had taken over, leaving my ends looking down right janky and just not cute. I had entered my "lazy" phase, where all I wanted to do was wash and go, and I could no longer stomach the thought of waiting forever for braids or bantu knots, or perm rods to dry. I had the itch: the itch to cut.
As my hair began to grow out, I realized a DIY cut just wasn't going to work for me. My right side was full of bouncy curls. My left side was wavy-curly. The front was shrinkage city, and my crown looked like it belonged to someone else. As the time drew near, I knew that I had no option but to get a DevaCut. I did my research, and whittled it down to two options: visiting the famed "Curl Dr." Shai Amiel in Studio City at Capella Salon, or going to the Devachan Salon in Culver City. Ultimately, it boiled down to price and distance. I could drive 15 minutes from my house (I live in LA) and visit the Devachan Salon for $80, or take an hour and $180 and make my way to Studio City. At some point I may pay Shai Amiel a visit, but for now his price point is way out of my budget.
Curious about how things would go for me, I called the Devachan Customer Service line. I explained that I was looking to get a cut, and that I needed someone who worked with highly textured natural hair. I also explained that I was transitioning from severely heat damaged hair, and that while I wanted my damage gone, I also wanted to retain length. The representative Vitoria seemed genuinely interested in my story, and assured me that I'd be in the best hands with Sergio, the Culver City Devachan's multicultural stylist. Still nervous about the cut, I booked a consultation with Sergio, just so I could feel him out.
After mulling it over for 24 hours, I called back, and changed my consultation to an appointment with Sergio. I decided to stop dragging my feet and just go for it. Here's my hair before the cut:


The Devachan Salon Experience
When I entered the Devachan salon, I was welcomed by name (made me feel all kinds of special) . My jacket was immediately taken to coat room, in exchange for a champagne-colored satin robe. Fancy! I was offered water or tea, and then moved on to my consultation with Sergio. He went through my hair, inquired about how much I wanted to cut, in what way, would I want bangs, how to handle my multiple textures, and more. He made me feel completely comfortable and confident that he would be able to handle my hair. He also promised to not cut my hair super short, which was a huge concern of mine.
After that, we went right into the cut. Yes, on my hair just how it was. With the Devachan method, hair is cut curl-by-curl (literally) while the hair is dry. Not dry and straight - but dry and textured. The rationale for the dry textured cut is that while wet or straight, hair is elongated. There is the chance that too much hair will be cut, and when it is washed, it will be a lot shorter than you might have bargained for. For someone not concerned about length, that probably isn't a big deal. But I have a big head. Length is definitely a concern -- and one of the reasons I transitioned instead of big chopping. Here's a little chop action (and yes, that's Sergio behind me):


And immediately following the cut, before washing and styling:


After the initial cut, I was escorted to perhaps the most luxurious wash area I had ever seen -- seriously. I laid back on something like a chase lounge with super comfy curvature. There were super posh curtains that were able to be pulled for privacy, but totally not necessary. Laying comfortably on my back, a styling assistant began the process of educating me on the Devacurl products, practices, and methods while cleansing, detangling, and conditioning my hair.


 I didn't feel like product was being pushed on me at all! Each product that was used, she explained what it was, what it did, and why she was using it. For my wash, to get up buildup and help with my scalp psoriasis, my scalp was cleansed with a mixture of baking soda and DevaCurl No Poo. On the length of my hair, since it tends to be dry (she told me my hair was dehydrated, which was interesting), she used One Condition to cowash. For my deep conditioning, she used Heaven In Hair. Overall, I really liked how the DevaCurl products made my hair feel. I didn't feel like the styling assistant was doing any damage or yanking to my hair, even while detangling.

While soaking wet, she applied B'Leave-In and Ultra Defining Gel to my hair to set the style, and scrunched the excess water and product out with a microfiber towel. I was then taken under quite possibly the most futuristic-looking hooded diffuser ever on earth. Once my hair was dry, Sergio went in again with the shears to clean up anything that had been missed or overlooked.

The final look with their products (this was my next day hair):

And the final results! Well, this morning at least. Last night, my hair was styled with DevaCurl B'Leave-In and Ultra Defining Gel. I just freshened it up this morning with a little @soultanicals Mango Dip Detangling Slip and stretched the front (like I normally have to do) with two clips. Ya'll were right! I love the softness, body, and everything! If you're in or near LA, I totally recommend @surgeoh at @devachanculvercity!!! #DevaCut #naturalhair #heatdamagebegone  #bigchop (kinda) #trialsntresses #naturalhairdaily #naturalhairuniverse #emergingnaturalistas #curlygirlcollective #curlkitchen

And this is my hair after being washed, conditioned, and styled with my own products:

Day 2 with this #washngo! @soultanicals Mango Dip Detangling Slip as my leave in, @tginatural Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer to lock moisture and help define, and @kurleebelle Jelle Coconut Styling Gel for light, touchable hold. Sealed my ends with @creamandcoco Green Tea and Hibsicus Black Castor Oil. #DevaCut #bigchop #minichop #naturalhair #naturalhairuniverse #naturalhairdaily #curlygirlcollective #curlkitchen #trialsntresses #teamnatural_ #kurleebelle

Now I'm 2 months in the game, and looking something like this:

Day 3 #washandgo moisturized with @lrchealthyhaircare Mega Bounce & Body Leave-In Conditioner, sealed with @sheamoisture4u Curl Enhancing Smoothie, and set with TIGI Catwalk Curlesque Curls Rock Amplifier. As I shared last nighr, I OD'd on the Curls Rock Amplifier, and had super hard hair. @rapunzelthefutureofhair Hair Lotion and Hair Silk saved the day, and have my curls looking shiny and feeling soft! I didn't refresh or anything this morning after using the Rapunzel products last night. I did however, apply some of the awesome @frizzfreecurls Blueberry Curl Control Paste to my edges. #naturalhair #day3hair #supportsmallbusiness #LawrenceRayConcepts #SheaMoisture #tigi #RapunzelTheFutureofHair #naturalhairuniverse #nhdaily #trialsandtresses #tressesntreats #teamnatural_ #curlkitchen #curlsandfro #FrizzFreeCurls #curls #emergingnaturalistas #urbanhairpost

All in all, I don't regret a single thing about getting my DevaCut. Styling has been amazing, and I am something like a wash and go pro - at least for my hair. I thought my world would dramatically shift in some ways after my cut, click here to see what that's all about. Sergio encouraged me to come back in 4 - 6 months, so we could get some more shaping action going. And I'm certain that I will, well, after this Manetabolism Challenge I'm doing ends.

Here are my takeaways from the Devachan Salon Experience:

Pros:
  • Consultations with stylists are free-99.
  • The staff and stylists were incredibly friendly.
  • They will do everything in their power to make you feel completely comfortable.
  • They take the time to understand your hair before jumping right in to the cut.
  • They consult with you along the way, asking for feedback and direction in terms of shape, style, and how much is cut.
  • The scalp cleansing felt like the most heavenly massage...ever.
  • The ambiance was nice, clean, and had an upscale feeling.
  • There is no set price - stylists range from $80 to $150 or more depending on popularity, experience, etc.
  • They did my friend Megan's hair for free (washed and set, no cut) while she waited.
  • I absolutely loved No Poo, One Condition, and Heaven In Hair!
  • I am WILD about the cut (it took me a day or two to get there)!
Cons:
  • Although the ingredients in the products were good, I still felt like my hair was missing some softness. I needed a cream or butter after my leave-in.
  • I wasn't wild about the diffusing. I hadn't used a diffuser at all before, and after this experience I probably won't ever. My hair seemed a little more dried out than normal, and shrunken.
For those that are curious, here's what my DevaCut looks like when I straightened (I flat ironed my hair in December for Christmas), and used these products and ingredients to prevent heat damage:

Results. 
Thanks to everyone for your support, encouragement, and advice in my transitioning process! I'm so glad I was able to hang in there for 21 months. Every step along the way was well worth it -- even the missteps. My hair is healthier than it has ever been, and I absolutely love the versatility of being able to rock it however I choose. If this is how much my hair can grow in 21 months.... watch out years 3 and 4! #naturalhair #transitioners #healthyhairjourney #DevaCut #trialsntresses #curlkitchen #naturalhairdaily #naturalhairuniverse #ilnh #teamnatural_ #emergingnaturalistas #curlbox

Decided to

Here's my final recommendation: By all means, have them use the DevaCurl products on your hair. You can even purchase the ones you like in-salon. But I highly recommend that within the next day or so following your cut, to start over with washing and styling your hair with your own products to get a true feel for the cut. I liked my cut the day of, but I didn't LOVE it until I washed and styled with my own products.

4 Comments

  1. I felt the same way about my devacut, I got it on a Sunday before heading to a conference and had to wait maybe 3 days before using my own products and routine. It's been almost a year and I haven't went back though. One conditioner is now a product that is part of my daily routine. I alternate with the no pool or low poo depending on buildup

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  2. Your hair looks amazing! Beautiful curls and if fell nicely when straightened, too.

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  3. Too bad, the last pictures that shows the results are not displayed anymore:(

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