Devachan just opened in Culver City, CA

Marci Pie

Finally a Devachan Salon in California! The salon just opened on 3/27/12.

I have an appt scheduled for April 19th.

I am nervous because I had a hair cut at the Quidad Salon and really didn't think it was worth the price and I still do not like the after effects of the carve and slice.

I have had a Devachan trained stylist cut my hair a year ago and I liked the cut, but the actual Devachan is more than twice the amount and I hate to spend that amount of money and not be happy.

Marci Pie

bmp

Auntie Bubbs

marci, I didn't know a Devachan had opened in Studio City. I'm really interested in reviews and such. Please let us know how they do for your hair cut. Can you tell me what the pricing is?

I pay $150 for a Deva cut at Capella and they are supposedly the best place to get a deva cut in LA/Hollywood/the valley area. I'd been getting good cuts & styles until my last visit in September when Keyonna royally f-d up my styling. The cut was "ok" (not great, just average) but the job she did styling made me feel like orphan Annie and I wanted to cry. It was my birthday, too, and instead of making me feel special she made me feel like crap.

So I am wondering if Devachan charges twice what Capella does? I'm afraid to pay $300 for a cut and then hate it. Is Devachan $300 for a cut and style?

Is the name of the salon actually "Devachan"? I want to look them up on Yelp and see what kind of reviews they have so far. Yelp is a powerful tool too!

rbb

you can call and ask what they charge for a cut. i no longer go to devachan here in ny (i do still see carlos flores, who used to work there, just at another salon) but i want to say they charge about $130, $140......

luvscurlz

Oh wow that's good news, definitely going to try them. I also got a curly cut at the Quidad salon and although the cut itself was amazingly good she took off half my lenght when I strongly specified I only wanted a tiny trim....so I'm scared to get another trim too :-(

Marci Pie

The price is $140. I payed the same amount for the Quidad cut. The Deva trained stylist is $65.

I have decided to keep the appt. Curiosity is killing the cat. I will make certain that they don't cut any length. Outside of that it will be an improvement. My hair is forming the pyramid shape!

I will come back and report.

Thanks ladies for your responses.

Auntie Bubbs

What do you mean by "the Deva trained stylist is $65"?

I'm confused by that. Do you mean there is a stylist at Devachan who is Deva trained but is not Deva certified, so they charge $65 for that stylist?

Anyway, $140 is not that surprising. Cappella in Studio City charges $120, and their stylists are "Deva trained." Supposedly Cappella is the best in this area. I've been going there since 2007 and they do fine, but Keyonna, their top-rated stylist, made me cry on my birthday with how awful she did the last time I was there. And for some reason, my review of her and Cappella won't post on in the review section here on NC.com. I've tried like 4 times, and it just never posts. So I guess someone doesn't want the word to go out to the curly girls on NC.com about how this salon really treats people, but I did get the review up on Yelp.

Sorry, that was a tangent
So the Devachan salon in Culver City, it's just called Devachan? I want to look them up and find customer reviews. Are they in the salon section here on the board yet?
I really want to read some reviews before I commit. $140 (plus tip, ya know, and that's another $25-30) is alot to pay, and for me it'd be plus about $25 in gas because Culver City is about an hour away from me. So when all is said and done, that $140 haircut is $200, and I'm unemployed at the moment. :tongue4:
I am overdue for a haircut (my experience with Keyonna from Cappella was on my birthday at the end of September, 6 months ago) but I could push it to end of April if I need to save up some $$ to go to Devachan. Otherwise it's back to the local hairstylist who does Devacuts but who called the part in my hair a buttcrack. :oops: My options are a bit limited!!

EDIT: I can't find the Culver City Devachan by google or looking it up online or through the Devachan website. Can you post their info? Thanks!

Marci Pie

Auntie Bubbs wrote: »

What do you mean by "the Deva trained stylist is $65"?

I'm confused by that. Do you mean there is a stylist at Devachan who is Deva trained but is not Deva certified, so they charge $65 for that stylist?

Anyway, $140 is not that surprising. Cappella in Studio City charges $120, and their stylists are "Deva trained." Supposedly Cappella is the best in this area. I've been going there since 2007 and they do fine, but Keyonna, their top-rated stylist, made me cry on my birthday with how awful she did the last time I was there. And for some reason, my review of her and Cappella won't post on in the review section here on NC.com. I've tried like 4 times, and it just never posts. So I guess someone doesn't want the word to go out to the curly girls on NC.com about how this salon really treats people, but I did get the review up on Yelp.

Sorry, that was a tangent
So the Devachan salon in Culver City, it's just called Devachan? I want to look them up and find customer reviews. Are they in the salon section here on the board yet?
I really want to read some reviews before I commit. $140 (plus tip, ya know, and that's another $25-30) is alot to pay, and for me it'd be plus about $25 in gas because Culver City is about an hour away from me. So when all is said and done, that $140 haircut is $200, and I'm unemployed at the moment. :tongue4:
I am overdue for a haircut (my experience with Keyonna from Cappella was on my birthday at the end of September, 6 months ago) but I could push it to end of April if I need to save up some $$ to go to Devachan. Otherwise it's back to the local hairstylist who does Devacuts but who called the part in my hair a buttcrack. :oops: My options are a bit limited!!

EDIT: I can't find the Culver City Devachan by google or looking it up online or through the Devachan website. Can you post their info? Thanks!

Sorry for the delay, computer was in the shop.

Here is the link of how I found out about it: Curl-ifornia Here We Come | devachansalon

The $140 is the cost of going to that Devachan salon. The $65 was the cost of Richie of R Rated Salon in Long Beach. He was trained on the Devacut method. (I just found out that he moved to Georgia in July.

I do understand your plight. I definetly would not go back to someone who called my part a butt crack! How rude! I would cut my hair myself. Which is not a bad idea for a trim. There are many you tube videos on the subject and many discussions on the NC boards too.

My appt is next week so I will come back and report with before and after pictures. I will keep my fingers crossed that I like the after better than the before!

LeanneM

I'm down in San Diego and really like my Deva-trained stylist, but I'm sorely tempted by the idea of having my hair cut at Devachan!

I'll be curious to see how you like your cut, MarciPie! Please do keep us posted!

Auntie Bubbs

Thanks, Marci. I'm going to look that up, but I want to hear how your visit goes. It's later this week, right?

I'm in a Yelp disagreement with the owner of Cappella salon, he's upset I wrote an unfavorable review about him and his salon. I must have some nerve, right? LOL I just started a thread on it. The email he sent me is a piece of work. I think he's worse than the woman who called my hair part a buttcrack, to be honest He's being horrible. She was just oblivious.

I see what you mean about the "Deva-trained stylists" though. The prices still vary. The Deva-trained stylists at Cappella still charge $120; the Deva-trained stylist who's semi-local (the buttcrack lady) charges $50. Huge difference!

BTW, I think Richie in Long Beach is back. I was emailing him about a month ago about getting an appointment. I just wasnt' able to make it work. His prices are very good, and I hear he's very good too, but Long Beach is too far for me to go - it's about 2 hours away. Gas is too high for me to be driving 2 hours each way (and that's 2 hours if there's no traffic, and in LA there is always traffic). By the time I figure in the price of gas, my haircut will end up costing me about as much as going to Devachan.

I guess it's back to buttcrack lady!! LMAO I think that's her new name! But I still want to know how Devachan is. I am putting off getting my hair cut til after your appt. just in case I can scrape up enough cash, because if your experience is wonderful, I want to be able to go

Auntie Bubbs

Marci, I'm dying to know how your appointment went!:angel1::angel1:

stacytr

I want to hear too!
I went to Drea/Andrea at Capella last summer and I think she did a good job -- but $110 is a LOT for a haircut! I 'd be interested to hear about the new place (or if anyone else has experience with a place closer to Pasadena).

Auntie Bubbs

Stacy, I love Drea at Cappella, but I have had such an awful experience with Cappella - the salon itself - that I won't go back
If Drea ever goes to work anwehre else, I'd go back to her in a heartbeat. BTW, I pay more than $110, probably because I of the amount of hair I have/amount of time it takes? IDK

Marci Pie

Ok, let me try this again. My first post was closed out.

I went to my appt. yesterday and enjoyed the pampering. The staff is definetly very knowledgeable about curly hair. They were defintely preaching to the choir after being on this board for 2 years.

Overall rating is I would go again. However, if Ritchie is back I will be returning to him just because of the cost. Do I have any regrets? No. In fact I made an appt for my curly teenage daughter in May.

I do like the cut, what I did not like is the styling. My hair looked liked I had a bunch of thick noodles or snakes. While the curls were bouncy and had movement I just didn't like it. My husband said he didn't like it and he thought the total experience was a waste of money if I didn't like the styling. I told him essentially I was paying for the hair cut and the styling was free. Now having said that my teenager loved it!

The products smelled heavenly and I did purchase the ArcAngel. Will I purchase again, probably not. The drugstore LASG,Queen Helene Curling Creme, and FSG do the same job for me.

While I was writing the first post, two people came by my office and liked the hair. I showed one the after picture and he said he liked my styling better. The other one said my hair looked sexy.

From all of my research from this website and YouTube a lot of people love the cut and not so fond of the styling. For me that isn't a deal breaker. Even in my staight hair days I would just have them cut and I would go home to style.

Again 2 thumbs up!

Here are my before and after salon pictures. Please excuse the frown face. I was trying to get my daughter to take a picture after we had some words about her prom. (You see it is 6 weeks from now so it is imperative that we talk about it right now on the freeway lots of LA traffic when I am nervous about me hair. So she had a little tude because I didn't want to talk about date and curfew....I am such a bad mother even though I just booked her a Devacut appt!)

I will post MY after pictures later when I am able to get a decent picture.

Before:
photo.jpg

After:
photo2.jpg

Auntie Bubbs

First off, before I get distracted, let me say I love the 2nd picture Actually, I love both. But your second picture looks really good.

I get what you mean about the styling though - I have similar experiences when I go to the salon (any salon), though usually its because the stylist can't do my hair as good as I can, because they don't understand how my hair absorbs product and they don't use the right product or don't use enough. But as long as the cut is right, I can deal with it. Your hair's styling though looks really clean, professional, and very feminine.

BTW, I use the same combo of products right now that you do! I just bought some LASG because my Aussie has been flaking on me (building up, I guess?) so I switched for a while, plus its so cheap and I get almost as good hold (the Aussie hold is better but marginally), I just bought the Queen Helene creme and am experimenting with that over FSG. The first time I used those two together was an accident, I ran out of FSG and supplimented with QH and got beautiful hair. I tried to replicate that and didn't get the same results, so I'm working out the exact proportions I need to get that same hair. I think a haircut will help though

Which do you apply first, the FSG or the QH?

Thanks for posting about your experience, and I'm looking forward to seeing more pictures.

Marci Pie

Thank you for your compliments. By the way my before picture was 4 day hair.I was experimenting with second day hair and since day 2 was good I tried day 3 and so on. Then it was the day before the appt and they did not want me to go in with lots of product.

Anyway, I usually use the FSG under the gel. So it is my leave-in, FSG, then LASG or Queen Helene.

I have also been experimenting with the Smaster's Technique were you dry your hair to 50% then you scrunch in KCCC. Well I do my styling at night so I modified the Smaster's technique by applying my leave-in, Crisco to seal (yes cooking Crisco) then LASG at night and plopping overnight. In the morning I scrunch in the QH. My hair is about 50% dry in the morning. This has given me great results and I think the key to my 2nd day hair experiment

Only time will tell if I can continue this. My curls have a mind of their own and will all of a sudden stop liking a product or technique.

P.S. some people seal the moisture by using an oil/ butter. Since Crisco is natural it is cheaper than Shea Butter and other sealers. It actually works.
My hair sucks up moisture and products like a vacuum so the more moisture the better.

Mimi2010

I like the b4 pic. I guess because I like big hair.


Sent from my iPhone using CurlTalk

Auntie Bubbs

I have been talking to KathyMack about sealers, and I'm still trying to get the hang of them. I tried coconut oil and my hair found it to be too heavy, but I think I applied it at the wrong stage. I am going to try the sealer before the FSG.

I don't like the SMasters technique for me - but I'm not great at having the patience to master new techniques. I don't like KCCC either, it dried me out horribly and gave me top ramen curls. But I do like the super soaker method, I get great curls with that and my FSG/hard hold gel combo, so I'm going to stick with that but add the sealer in along with the QH. I am hopefully going to get a cut next week (I have a job interview in the next couple of weeks so I definitely need to get my hair cut before then, the curls are getting straggly).

Is the Crisco too heavy? Heavier than coconut oil? I am excited to try this tomorrow. I'm on third day hair today, and it's frizzy but not too crazy. Nothing special going on today so I figured, let it go another day. LOL

I still like your "after" picture better I think you look so pretty!

Marci Pie

Auntie Bubbs wrote: »

I have been talking to KathyMack about sealers, and I'm still trying to get the hang of them. I tried coconut oil and my hair found it to be too heavy, but I think I applied it at the wrong stage. I am going to try the sealer before the FSG.

I don't like the SMasters technique for me - but I'm not great at having the patience to master new techniques. I don't like KCCC either, it dried me out horribly and gave me top ramen curls. But I do like the super soaker method, I get great curls with that and my FSG/hard hold gel combo, so I'm going to stick with that but add the sealer in along with the QH. I am hopefully going to get a cut next week (I have a job interview in the next couple of weeks so I definitely need to get my hair cut before then, the curls are getting straggly).

Is the Crisco too heavy? Heavier than coconut oil? I am excited to try this tomorrow. I'm on third day hair today, and it's frizzy but not too crazy. Nothing special going on today so I figured, let it go another day. LOL

I still like your "after" picture better I think you look so pretty!

It is heavier than coconut oil. I only use about a quarter size for each of my 2 sides and as the way described.

I use coconut oil for SCTC. I did try the coconut oil to seal but it didn't really help.

LeanneM

Marci Pie, thanks for sharing your pics! I think your hair looks great in both!

Is there a website for the actual LA salon, or does booking all have to still go through the NY phone number? I've tried Googling the LA salon, but nothing is coming up. It would be nice to get a peek at the stylists and price ranges before booking . . . .

rbonnet

Let me tell you, it takes me about 3 Xanax to drive across this hellhole of a town. I am a New Yorker through and through and one of the awful things about living in LA is finding a stylist.

Where I lived, everyone was ethnic (Jewish, Italian, Latina, Black, Irish, Arabic - some combination of everything) and we all used to stop and compare hair notes. I went back to NYC six months ago partially to see Ana at Devachan Soho because I'd had 4 years of messed up haircuts. Even those who were supposedly "trained by Devachan," which means a 3-day course. That's basically useless. Don't trust them!

So I braved the vapidity and idiocy of the drivers to shlep to Culver City and THANK GOD found Meg, who did a wonderful job (as good as Ana!). Yes, Devachan is a small fortune - BUT I only need a cut twice a year. So there. It's worth it to me.

And since I stopped dying it because it was just getting to be a full-time occupation, it's gone super-curly. It was tough adjusting to the lack of humidity in LA - I didn't want frizz, but the dryness is touch on the hair, but trust me: get a great cut, learn how to style your hair, and yes - use their products! You only need two, maybe three things: a conditioner, a gel and a no-poo.

I am completely thrilled and will maybe have a friend take me next time. I'll blindfold myself in the back seat with a bottle of Scotch.....

LeanneM

Thanks for the fun review, rbonnet! Did you have a recommendation for Meg, or did they recommend her when you called to book your appointment? Would you mind letting us know how much she was? I'm tempted to head up there for my next appointment (I'm down in San Diego) -- especially if I'd only have to go twice a year!

Glad you survived LA driving! :toothy4:

Auntie Bubbs

I love everything rbonnet had to say - except "use their product."
IMO, you don't have to use their product. There are alot of other products out there that are just as good, and some that are better.
I only use 2 products to style: flax seed gel as a curl enhancer, and regular gel over it. That's it. And one of those I make myself. My hair looks better than it would with the Deva products. I know because I had used Deva products for ages before I got tired of how Deva made my hair look.