Botticelli Curls

I cut my hair off.  And after 24 hours, can't say I've missed it yet!  I've been gearing up for this for several months now.  Thinking about it, being ready for it, thinking about it some more.  But for me, being in a new community and without a hair stylist that knows me and my hair it wasn't the change in length that kept me from cutting it sooner.  It's that most people don't seem knowledgable on curly hair.

I had my hair trimmed and colored in November at a new place and the stylist did fine.  So I was debating whether or not to go back, but I couldn't quite do it.  I wasn't comfortable enough with my curly hair in her hands for a bigger cut.  She didn't seem to know what to do with it at the end of the cut and color...and just put a dab of product and dried it which equalled a big frizzy mess.  But at this point I don't have great expectations when someone new is working with my hair and I just go home and fix it with my own products.

So in the last week I decided it was going to get cut and if I wasn't going to go to the last stylist, it was up to me to figure out an alternative.  So I started doing my research on area salons and stumbled upon Ellenoire.  Here is their website (http://www.ellenoire.com/scripts/salon.asp) that I found explaining their technique and how they were different from other salons.  They were curly hair specialists!   AND they were located right here, in the very small town in which we are living!

I was immediately interested and called for an appointment.  I had to wait several days to get in which allowed me time to doubt the price tag I was about to encounter, and I was near the point of calling and canceling but with the encouragement and support of Nate, I kept it.

So Tuesday I headed in for my first ever, curly hair cut.  The biggest difference between this hair cut and the others: they cut your hair first and while it's DRY.  This way they can see your natural hair curls and how they fall, and can shape it accordingly.   Then they will wash and set it with natural curly hair products (which they explained what to look for in hair products and what to avoid as well as as how their products worked but didn't push their products on  me at all).

And then I was placed under the dryer to set the curls.  After, there was another once over and fine tuning snip here and there and I was out the door.  While under the dryer my stylist showed me the copy of the Curly Girl Handbook (http://www.mydevacurl.com/products/curly_girl_books) that started this new style of cutting and care, which I found that helpful as well.  I was also surprised to see the author encourage and show individuals how to trim your curls at home between cuts to save money and keep the curls healthy!

So the day of the cut this is what we have:

It feels, looks, and smells good!

And after a full nights sleep with no wash or set:

It's fuller due to the curls being knocked around and separated, but still happy with the cut and shape.

Final thoughts and conclusions:

*I would go back again.

*I am in no rush to go out and replace any of my current products, but as I run out of my current gel I will consider going to the Devacurl gel.

*I would recommend a visit to any curly haired friends if they were interested in checking it out and learning about products and tricks to help them with their hair.