DevaCurl: Leading the Curl Movement Since Day One

Our Original Curl Brand

With so many products catering to the curl community today, it’s hard to imagine a time when going natural was virtually unheard of. But the curl revolution only kicked off in the early aughts, thanks to trailblazers like DevaCurl. Looking back, it’s fitting that our game-changing—no, mane-changing—No Poo® zero-lather cleanser first entered the chat at the dawn of a new millennium, because it was basically the start of a whole new era for curls, coils, and waves.

But No-Poo® didn’t just happen overnight. Our story begins 30 years ago at the DevaChan salon in NYC. DevaChan was one of the first salons dedicated solely to curly hair when it opened in the 90s. Imagine a nurturing safe place where everyone gets that the curl struggle is real and is there to help your curls live their best life.

At the salon’s core was the DevaCut™. More than a cut, it was a curl awakening: the unique curl-by-curl cutting technique shaped each curl into its best, bounciest self.

“DevaChan was a haven of transformation,” says Shari Harbinger, a stylist and educator who joined the DevaChan team in 1996. “We really approached everything from a place of love and understanding for the plight of the curly client.”

Harbinger, who continues to serve as an education consultant at DevaCurl, says the DevaChan team wanted everyone who came to the salon to have a memorable, transformative experience from the moment they walked through the door to their personalized consultation with a ‘Deva angel” to their DevaCut™.

“Back then, the big question to clients was ‘if we could show you a way to wear your hair naturally and like it, would you?’” says Harbinger, “And the answer was always a resounding yes!”

Before DevaChan, going natural was no easy feat -- there just wasn’t enough salon expertise or curl-friendly products on the market. Because straight hair was considered the gold standard, the norm was wrangling waves, curls and coils into submission. Not-so-fun fact: beauty schools didn’t even teach curly hair care and techniques until recently, and that is largely thanks to the efforts of the Texture Education Collective™, an alliance formed by DevaCurl and other industry leaders to advocate for inclusivity in professional haircare.

According to Harbinger,

“There was nothing really out there catering to curly hair. We were using what was available and the results just weren’t cutting it.”

One thing the team did notice: sulfates in cleansers were making curls dryer . So, they teamed up with a chemist and created a SLS/SLES sulfate-free*, non-lathering cleanser. No lather? While this originally seemed to be an alien concept, it turned out to be genius. Enter: DevaCurl No Poo®.

“This ‘non-shampoo’ was pure magic right from the start,” Harbinger says. “We took the ‘sham ’ out of shampoo, and that’s literally how we got the name ‘No Poo.’”

From Salon Staple to Iconic Brand

No Poo® evolved into the Deva 3-Step system for cleansing, hydrating, and styling curls at home like a pro. Giving the curl community the tools and know-how to love and care for their curls is really what took DevaCurl from cult favorite to curl care icon.

While the DevaChan salons ultimately closed, DevaCurl Pro Education is still going strong today, offering stylists all over the country courses in textured hair and DevaCut™ certification. And, of course, the DevaCurl product portfolio continues to grow.

Innovation Driven by Science + Stylists

Dermatologist co-developed? Check. Rigorous lab testing? Double check. But the real test? Hands-on approval from pro stylists who won’t settle for anything less than products that actually deliver curl love!

While No Poo® Original cleanser remains a Deva best seller, the lineup today includes cleansers, conditioners, treatments, and styling products specific to every curl type. All products are cruelty free and formulated without nasty stuff only the good stuff.

So much has changed in the 30 years since we started: more love, more products, more brands inspired to celebrate natural hair. But we're not here to coast on our status as The Original Curl Brand. We keep listening, learning, and leveling up to deliver our best curl care out there.

*SLS/SLES Sulfates = Sodium Lauryl Sulfate/Sodium Laureth Sulfate