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This is going to be a devacut review hair post, I swear, but before I get to the details of the devacut I have to be dramatic for a minute and share how it really impacted me so deeply. Unexpected but much needed.
So, I haven’t dyed or cut my hair since September. My roots are horrendously long. When I thought about that, I realized I hadn’t been doing other upkeep either. I have been doing my own brows. (translation: disaster) I haven’t gotten a pedicure in months. I was really stunting on my self care.
I know recently it was due to a depression surrounding my brother’s sudden passing, but when I’m honestly looking back, the neglect started well before then. I slipped again into the background. Muted. I faded again into an extra in my own life where my kids are the starring actors. I hadn’t bought myself any goodies, or done anything special for myself, or pampered myself in any way. Literally my self care had been reduced to running away to the library to work, and locking myself in my room to enjoy a cuppa tea or coffee in peace. (yes, it counts….but it’s also pathetic. I’m worth so much more.)
I made my appointment for the Devacut at the end of February. I had been interested in getting one since 2010 or so… somehow I never made it to Devachan for the 33 years I lived in NYC and it took me moving to Florida and finding a random salon in Boca Raton of all places to get the cut done. A mini shift happened after booking the appointment, though. I was proud I actually did it instead of just thinking about it. I almost…almost had a pang of guilt because: it’s a saturday appointment, one of the 2 days we can all be together as a family, the kids need that family bonding time, that’s cleaning day, bla bla bla. But I looked at my roots and my thirsty ass curls and shut that guilt up type quick. The shift started slowly. It was after scheduling that I realized I hadn’t done other things for myself in ages. I remembered the still-unused massage envy gift certificate, the nails, the brows, the lapsed invisalign appointment, the laser hair removal groupon I let expire… What the F!?
I started to remedy it though. I went to my fave place and got my caterpillars threaded. I started wearing my fave red lipstick again. I cleaned out my closet, which looked more like a junkyard/kids play fort than anything else. I ordered some things just for me online (…ok and john and the kids too…cuz I had to get to the minimum for free shipping ::avoids eye contact::) and I’m heading to get my hands and feet done this weekend. No more janky at home manipedis.
The point is. I’m remembering this type of self care. I’ve got the eating well and moving my body part down, and I’m working hard at my business. It’s the taking care of myself, pampering, indulging, beautifying that I need to continually remember.
Enter Devacut (took a minute but we here now!)
My hair has been severely neglected these past couple of months. I’ve been in a funk. I know you get it. It’s super dry, was falling out due to stress, and just looking raggedy.
I washed and let my hair air dry naked. No product, no playing in it (well just a lil bit, it’s a bad habit) and no pulling it back in a ponytail holder. I wanted the stylist, Kiki (@curls_by_kiki on instagram), to see my hair’s shape (or lack thereof honestly) and curl/frizz situation in all it’s nekkid glory.
I entered Curls Rock Hair Studio and saw Kiki waiting for me with a huge smile. She escorted me to her chair and started inspecting my fuzzy curls and asking me tons of questions: Goals for my hair, how do I usually style it, how much time do I want to spend on it, products I use, length preferences, etc. A+ for communication
(sidebar: Depending on how long you’ve been reading my blog, you may already know that I have never let anyone besides my beloved Mike from Studio Mohair in NYC near my head with scissors, other than a trim in September down here in Wellington. I was kinda nervous I would be leaving the salon with a well shaped TWA!)
She jumped right in, dry cutting my hair and immediately I could see a nice round shape coming. I was anxiously watching how much she was taking off the bottom layers and happily she didn’t take too much off. Couple inches max. She was great at going bit by bit and noticing how the curls of different textures and curl types on my head sprung back and she snipped accordingly. She did a wonderful job at cutting away the damaged bits up front without going too short. A+ for not being scissor-happy
After the dry cut I went to the sink to get hydrated. My curls are THIRSTY yall. She used Devacurl No Poo and then One Condition Decadent and went piece by piece massaging it into my hair in the tiniest sections as she finger detangled and kept rewetting my hair throughout the process. Seriously it felt like she was going 3 strands at a time, lovingly globbing on the conditioner and sliding it down the hair shaft. (There is no way in hell I will be doing that for myself, I’m far too lazy and time crunched) While this luxurious conditioning and hydrating was going on, she was telling me about products (and happily: not just Devacurl products, ALL products that fit in the healthy curl category – Free of Sulfates, Parabens, Silicones and Isopropyl Alcohol) and giving me styling techniques. A+ for pampering while educating
(Sidebar: Can I just say….I know a lot about natural hair care. But the lesson I got on styling my hair and creating the look I want from my hydrated curls was a god send. We need reminders!)
I went under a steamer for the first time with the conditioner and deep conditioning treatment on. I’d never used a steamer before this…but I legit went on Amazon.com looking for one as soon as I got home. They’re under $100 and I will be owning one soon… but I digress.
She rinsed out most of the conditioner and then added styling gel to my soaking wet hair and started to scrunch and blowdry with a diffuser. I was upside down forward getting dried, then hanging backwards getting dried. All the way through Kiki was giving tips for how I can do it easier and quicker at home. Then finally (it took a while to dry this mass of hair) she was done. I flipped up and saw my curls looking more springy than they have looked in years, just shining and hanging and bouncing like springs.
She then went in with the scissors again and did a clean up making things even and ensuring the shape was perfect. And voila!
I am a customer for LIFE. Do you hear me?
Listen. After I saw myself in the mirror you couldn’t tell me I wasn’t Whitney Houston (pre-crack), you couldn’t tell me shit! I was strutting, feelin’ myself, flipping my hair insufferably, and may or may not have busted out some “I wanna dance with somebody!”
After I was finished acting a fool Kiki gave me a card with everything that was used, reiterating the process I should use to recreate this at home, and a note to come back in 6 months.
Um…no. I’ll be back in 2 weeks to get my color done by Nadria (@colormecurls on Instagram) who is an insanely talented colorist.
So, here I sit. The day after. Last night I slept with my hair covered for the first time in…. I wanna say 3 months.
Yes, I was a real-life, black Marge Simpson…but my hair came out looking fantastic today!
The DevaCut changed my life. From the introspection and small changes I made after booking the appointment, to the seemingly small but ultimately important act of wearing a scarf to bed again, this haircut was a game changer for me. I have been journaling over the past few weeks about treating myself better, pampering and caring for myself more intentionally. And this morning after the DevaCut, my auto-affirmations app popped up with “I enjoy taking good care of myself.”
Right on time, app. Right on time.
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