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The last time I visited a salon was to do the “big chop” in 2010, so needless to say I was quite anxious about visiting the Jonathan Torch Curly Hair Institute. I know that many can relate to my experience of spending all day in a hair salon only to leave disappointed. Avoiding salons was a factor in my decision to go natural, and I turned to the internet, specifically YouTube, to learn how to take care of my kinky curls and for styling tips. I found a plethora of information regarding do-it-yourself hair care, but felt it was necessary to have a trained professional cut my hair.

I definitely needed to mentally prepare myself for my first hair cut in four years. My main fear was that the stylist would tell me that I have unhealthy hair and would have to cut all the hair that I spent so much time growing. Reflecting on my past experience at the salon, I’m rather embarrassed but it has made me realize how much I’m attached to the length of my hair.

I booked my appointment with a junior stylist named, Romina and also took advantage of the Curly Hair Institute’s “happy hour” deal, which provides a discount on your service. Upon arrival, I filled out a hair questionnaire and had my hair assessed by Romina. I immediately started to relax once she told me that my natural hairwas healthy and only needed a trim and some shaping up.

While I was having my hair shampooed and cut, Romina explained everything step by step that she was doing and how each Curly Hair Solutions product worked. She taught me how to use these products to moisturize and style my hair instead of using oil-based products, which most people with my kinky hair texture use. Romina showed me how to use Curl Keeper and Extenzz to define my curls as she styled my hair. I learned that my hair needed more water, Curl Keeper and Extenzz in order to get my curls to “pop.” When I used these products previously, I neglected to add more water, which affected the result of my wash-and-go.

In the days after my salon visit, I maintained the style by spritzing my hair with water and adding Curl Keeper to my curls. I’ve also started using Extenzz and Curl Keeper for my twist outs because it defines, holds and locks in the moisture.

While most hair stylists are trained in all hair types, there’s certainly an advantage in going to a salon that specializes in curly hair. There were others with curly hair getting their hair done and the cutting technique changed to suit their curl pattern.

Overall, I had a great experience at The Curly Hair Institute; it was a pleasure to meet Jonathan Torch, the man behind the brand as well. Romina’s ability to explain each curly hair care step thoroughly put me at ease and allowed me to trust her with my hair after years of avoiding salons.

If you’re looking for a salon in Toronto that will take care of your curls, visit the Curly Hair Institute. Your curls will thank you. If you’ve been to the salon before, share your experience.

Written By: Samantha Musah
Samantha was born and raised in Toronto. After years of relaxing her hair, she transitioned and became natural in 2010. When she isn’t tweeting, Samantha enjoys kickboxing and spending time with friends.