If you or your child have ever struggled to navigate natural curls, you know it's about so much more than just a haircut--it's about confidence. We first saw Deanna for my daughter's very first curl appointment, and I was floored by the experience. Deanna spent about four hours with her. She didn't just cut her hair; she walked her through every single step of the process, from product application to styling techniques. She even put together a folder of instructions and a video to follow, along with a list of the specific products, brushes, and hair wraps my daughter could use to maintain her routine. We recently went back for a second cut, and Deanna was just as intentional, taking the time to answer every question and offering new tips to refine the look. To put this in perspective: I took my older daughter to a different stylist at a different business who charged the exact same price, but the appointment wasn't even an hour long. It was a quick in and out with zero guidance and left us feeling incredibly disappointed. The difference in care is night and day. My daughter has gone from being unsure of her hair to absolutely loving her curls and her daily routine. It's clear that Deanna isn't just looking to fill a chair; she genuinely wants her clients to be happy and feel empowered to manage their hair at home. After seeing these results, my older daughter is already looking forward to her first appointment with Deanna. If you want someone who is patient, thorough, and a true master of their craft, Deanna is the one! She's a gem! read more

If you're looking for a shop that knows curls, look no further! I have had never had such a positive experience in my 50 years as a curly girl. And I'm writing this review nearly 2 months after my cut. Cindy took time and talked about how to get my curl back. Stripped my hair of all the things I thought would help but in reality making it worse. To this very day, my curls are intact, no weird edge from a miscut layer. Just pure magic. The studio is friendly and super comfy. You will spend sometime getting your hair done, but leave with a new friend indeed. read more

A Curl's Best Friend - Curls...just magical curls. - Hair Salons Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Yesterday, my daughter had an appointment with Deanna and I can't say enough of how informative and amazing she is as a "curly- hair" stylist. She spent so much time explaining my daughter's hair and routine and in the end, she left with the most beautiful head of curls. It was truly an incredible experience from beginning to end. Not to mention, she is so kind as is everyone at the salon. Highly recommend for anyone not sure how to manage or work with their curls and through this appointment learns to love and appreciate them! read more

A Curl's Best Friend - Hair Salons Near Me - Lake Forest, California

It's been a year since my first cut at A Curl's Best Friend and I couldn't be happier. Deanna and Cindy are absolute experts in their field, and well worth the cost. Their guidance + their products + their cuts = happy, healthy curls. After taking the time to grow out my short layers, I'm finally - amazingly - on my way to long curls. With bangs! ~ Melody B read more

A Curl's Best Friend - Bangs! - Hair Salons Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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I have been seeing Cindy now for about five years now, over these years, she has supported me in taking care and growing out my curly hair. She is phenomenal with product recommendations, education, and of course creating the right cut for your hair type! Recently, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to undergo chemotherapy; I was devastated about losing the curls I loved so dearly. I immediately reached out to Cindy to talk about what I could do, and she helped me make the right choices for me and my hair during my cancer journey. After six months of chemo and beating my cancer, I have finally been able to grow my hair back out, and needed her support to get me feeling like myself again. While my curls are yet to come back, I know that she will be there with me every step of the way. She created a cut that fit the awkwardness of my new hair growth and I am so happy. I will go to Cindy and Deanna for as long as they will have me. I cannot recommend them enough, they are warm, welcoming, and incredible at what they do. Without them, I wouldn't feel the way I do now about my hair, and my journey would've been much more difficult. A Curl's Best Friend is worth every penny, not only for their expertise, but for their compassion, understanding, and support. I am so grateful for them, and am excited to see what Cindy will do with my new hair growth! read more

Deanna was/is absolutely incredible. Best curly cut I've received to date! Overall, I had such a lovely experience. Customer service was top notch! read more

Hallelujah! A local spot for my daughter help her feel look her best and I can feel at ease . Cindy was so helpful helped guide me asked questions to figure best route for my special needs non ambulatory daughter . She was patient kind helped me to prepare on my end what I needed and came with my group of supportive women who helped my daughter to feel and understand the process creating a memorable experience for her milestone graduating elementary school .so she may carry this experience through her life . Lovely other woman who Styled and cut hair as well . Warm unique welcoming experience supportive of women and help empowering young girls to be strong kind loving women of all abilities ! Thank you Cindy for creating such a blessing of a place . So grateful read more

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I've struggled with my curly hair since childhood. My curls come from my father, so my very straight-haired mother had no clue what to do with me! There were many torturous years of brushing, straightening, and perming as a result. If only YouTube tutorials had existed when I was a kid. Over the years I have tried so many products, tools, procedures to get my curls to cooperate - but nothing seemed to consistently work. My curls were temperamental and I could never conquer how to care and style them. So when a friend sent me the info for A Curl's Best Friend, it was an answer to my prayers. I needed someone to educate me about my curls and lay out clear directions to follow. My appointment with Deanna exceeded all expectations. She was friendly, knowledgeable and took time to get to know me and my curls. She challenged me to try new ways of styling my hair (I had PTSD from my mother brushing my air as a child, but she convinced me to try the curly hair brush!). And I loved that she made me an active participant in the appointment; she had me touching my hair to feel it at different points and she had me trying the styling tools so I would feel comfortable when doing it at home. It's been a little over two months since my appointment and I still love my curls! I did purchase all of the recommended products (Innersense) and it's been working wonderfully. I consistently get flawless curls after each wash/styling. The appointment was supposed to include a recoding of the styling process for me to rewatch later if needed. Unfortunate, there was a technical issue with the recording, but Deanna was very apologetic and offered ways to make it right which was much appreciated. I would highly recommend A Curl's Beat Friend to anyone wanting a great curly hair experience! read more

A Curl's Best Friend - Before - Hair Salons Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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Let me start by saying that Cindy is a REVELATION. This is my first time with a curl specialist, and I am astounded by the difference. I've had great experiences with some stylists, but I'm not exaggerating when I say that my first cut with Cindy was life-changing for my hair and for the way I feel about it now. I'm very cautious about choosing a stylist because I've had a few health issues that made large amounts of my hair fall out to the point that I had to shave my head and start over. Thankfully, this salon uses the most gentle and hypoallergenic ingredients, and has a big focus on scalp- and hair-health first! Since my appointment in July, I've had random people tell me I have "model hair," but it's all thanks to the extremely thorough hair-education that Cindy gave me. My hair and scalp have never been happier, my curls have never been bouncier, and my upkeep has never been easier. How many of us Curlies can say that?? Wishing you all curls as healthy as mine are now, thanks to A Curl's Best Friend. ‍ read more

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Cindy has helped me take back my hair! She has guided me on my hair care regimen with amazing Innersense products that have returned health to my hair. And she has listened to what I want for my style and helped me find joy in my hair again by remembering my requests eat each visit. Thank you, Cindy. I highly recommend A Curl's Best Friend! read more

Deanna is my curl whisperer! I am relatively new to being a "wavy" after beating my hair into submission (with blowdryers, curling irons etc) most of my life. Imagine my surprise when I stopped dyeing and blowdrying my hair during the pandemic. Could it be that I actually had some wave in my hair? Surprisingly, YES! but until I met Deanna, I was not maximizing my hair and treating the waves right! First of all, the salon is absolutely beautiful, so much light, and I felt at home as soon as I entered the salon. What a cool place and such talented women! Madi and Cindy are so wonderfully supportive and kind. Deanna is a wonderful listener, with so much expertise, and such a kind way of putting this relative wavy-newbie at ease. Just being with her and learning how to do my hair was a huge treat! Her suggestions, especially about how much of my hair to trim and the fabulous curly hair care home folder (and the incredible Innersense products) have allowed me to transform my hair into all of its wavy glory. At the end of the curly hair cut and style experience, including that fabulous blow-dry while lying down on the most comfy chair, I saw how beautiful my hair was and how Deanna had masterfully created "my best hair yet" (and likely my best life yet!), I had tears in my eyes. What a magical salon - and I'll be back soon. Thank you so much, Deanna, You have truly changed my life! read more

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My curls have found their best friend! I'd been searching for a curly specialist in my area for a couple of months, and knew I'd found a gem when I came across Cindy's yelp. Deanna was absolutely amazing! After 2 decades of traumatizing haircuts, I booked the "New Client Custom Curly Cut Experience" with Deanna. I walked in defeated, with frizzy hair and heavy, lifeless curls...but I walked out a totally NEW WOMAN! Not only was Deanna super friendly, sweet and encouraging; her patience and attention to detail was incredible! I shared with her that I'd been trying the "curly hair routine" with products I'd seen all over social...and it just wasn't working for me. Together we discussed my routine/goals and she picked the best routine possible for ME. LET ME TELL YOU...This woman is a LIFE SAVER. I'm currently pregnant, in my last trimester, and the idea of "doing my hair" every day, is just not for me right now...and won't be for a while. But with Deanna's advice, I can go 3-4 days in between washes, and my hair looks STUNNING everyday with minimal effort. And not to mention...my hair has gotten curlier than the day of my service. Like WHAT?! I whole heartedly recommend Deanna, her expertise and all of her product recommendations!! I decided to purchase all but one product that she used on me (totally forgot it) and it's been the best investment I could have made! (Deanna, I'll be back for it asap! Haha) The salon itself is such a great, welcoming environment and provides such an intimate, relaxing experience. My session with Deanna was so thorough, in depth and educational AND I came home with a personalized folder with a step by step of my styling routine, and the products she used. She also provided a video of our session. It does NOT get better than this! I'm so grateful for Deanna, Cindy and Madi. They're such an incredible team, and have truly curated a wonderful experience for us curly folks. This is your sign to BOOK NOW :) Can't wait for my next session! read more

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Best hair care consultation I've ever had! My appointment with Deanna was a wonderful experience from beginning to end. She walked me through everything having to do with my curl pattern and how I should style it, being very patient with my many questions. I have had two other experiences at curly hair salons and this was not even comparable. The appointment is so informative but then to have a personalized styling video and checklist I can reference at home is even better. If you want to really get to know your curls inside and out, book an appointment now! read more

I had my first session with Deanna on Friday 11/1. It was my first haircut in over a year. My hair was damaged to the point of looking dead after the first day of washing. Deanna took her TIME with me. Made sure I understood everything she was doing, everything she was putting on me. She accommodated me, reassured me, and educated me on all the things I should know in order to properly care for my hair. Thanks to her I have more confidence in my overall hair health and I'm very excited to continue my journey with her. Thank you, Deanna! read more

A Curl's Best Friend - Curly haircut and treatment and style - Hair Salons Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Went in for a curly cut with Cindy for the first time and WOW! She completely transformed my dry, flat curls. Easily the best hair cut I have ever had, worth every penny and then some! The new client cut was very personalized to my hair type and so informative - so thankful for all of the instruction on how to manage my curls! Thank you Cindy for bringing out my curls and giving my hair life again! read more

The minute I went onto their website and their Instagram, I knew that I needed to go here! I was so thrilled when I walked through the door and saw two curly haired gorgeous women with the most welcoming smiles. Deanna was my stylist and she sat down next to me and listened to me. We talked extensively throughout the whole appointment and she got a feel of my hair styling and time capabilities and together-yes, together-we made a plan. Usually, it has been dictated to me of what my hair needs to look like and how I am to "control" it. Deanna showed me how my hair, the proper treatment and cut, could whisper to me what it wants done. Then, I had a video made on how to keep up the management of my style. It has been a few hours since my appointment, and I have still rejoicing and beaming. The picture I am posting is from a bathroom at a food place. Normally, my phone is NOT in a bathroom but I glanced myself in the mirror and saw my smile and had to take a photo (or two!) read more

A Curl's Best Friend - Me showing off my smile of happiness on having pretty hair that wasn't posed/cajoled/damaged into being controllable. - Hair Salons Near Me - Lake Forest, California

The search is finally over! It has taken me 14 years, but was worth the painful journey to find Deanna. If you are looking for someone who understands curly hair, know how to cut and style curly hair and how to bring out the best in you curly hair, you can stop looking. Let me introduce you to Deanna. Actually, you can just stop reading right now and just do yourself a huge favor and go ahead and book yourself an appointment. Deanna listens, looks at what you want to accomplish and lets you know what is possible and what is not. Deanna understood what I was going for and didn't try to talk me into her vision. She worked with me and my hair to get me back on track. I've suffered with stringy, and scraggly looking hair for way too many years, and within one appointment, Deanna was able to get my hair to luscious, healthy looking curls that get me tons of compliments, which are nice, but more importantly, also make me feel good about my hair again. read more

A Curl's Best Friend - Before - Hair Salons Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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Hello Yelp-Land! I am posting to you exactly what I put on FB to my friends. Hope this helps you too. This year and (at least) once per month, I would like to recognize those women (mostly) that influence my life and have a local business or are local workers. I hope this helps you and helps them! I love seeing women supporting other women. Always. Uplifting, supportive, without hesitation. January: My share is Cindy Skinner-Latter that helped me transform my curls and frizz into a new lifestyle. I knew how to wear my curls and treat them years ago, but I lost my way. After years of coloring, "Shellacking" aka Brazilian blowout, and many chemicals later - I am grateful Cindy uses Organic products! I truly am so thrilled. Au-natural baby!!!! She is worth the price and the wait! And you are worth natural products and self care ‍ with a new regime! #womenowned #supportlocal #sharingiscaring A_Curls Best Friend #womenowned #supportlocal #sharingiscaring read more

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You don't need to go anywhere else. EVER! I needed help with my changing, over bleached, dry, aging, uneven curls. It was easy to book with Cindy. Her salon is gorgeous, welcoming and fresh and all her own. It's easy to park, spacious, quiet, and she offers coffees, water, snacks, etc. Then, she took me on a journey of how to get my hair healthy again! She is so easy going, super-knowledgeable, and explained every step on how to take care of my curls. The detox shampoos/conditioners were scrumptious. All the product is amazing and organic! Then, she videos the styling lesson to make it easy to do yourself. She made my hair look so healthy with great curls like I've never seen before on my head before. And, then she delivers a full packet of information on all the products used and how to do everything along with suggestions of things to buy at home that will help to get and keep healthy hair! Nothing broke the bank but I invested in myself and bought all new product specifically for my hair. When I got home, I cleaned out all the product that wasn't working (Diva Curl - not my friend). I'm so happy I am on this journey with CIndy! And, we had a lot of fun, too!! Not looking back! Thank you CIndy. You are the BEST! read more

A Curl's Best Friend - New Curly style! - Hair Salons Near Me - Lake Forest, California

The name says it all! I didn't think I'd ever love my curls, but now I do! I am so happy to learn how to take care of my hair and style my curls so I don't feel like I have to blowout my hair straight all the time. I've received so many compliments ... life-changing and worth every penny! I never thought I would wake up and love my curls--they would be frizzy in the AM. Well I woke up the next day after seeing Cindy and my curls were still intact and looking amazing!!! Thank you Cindy!!! (Side note, I saw Deanna's clients leave their appointments looking fabulous as well.) If you have curly hair, and you struggle with it, or you don't absolutely love it, you owe it yourself to go see Cindy or Deanna--you will LOVE your hair! read more

Absolutely CANNOT say enough about Cindy and Deanna! Cindy was SO helpful when I went to visit the salon to get a get a gift card for my wife. I left there thinking there actually IS a business still around that knows what customer service is all about! I wasn't wrong... And Deanna? Just wow! The time she spent with my wife, her knowledge, friendliness, patience, willingness to teach, amongst too many other characteristics to mention, far ABOVE par! My wife and I both are absolutely elated with our experience beginning to end! Sorry other salons, we won't be back. Looking forward to her next appointment already! Thank you SO much! read more

My daughter had her first curly cut with Madi and we had an absolutely amazing experience. Being the only person in our family with curly hair, she struggles with her confidence and I struggle with properly taking care of her curls. Madi spent a couple hours with us explaining how to do everything from washing, styling, and even how to wear her hair while she sleeps. We left with very clear instructions (including a video) of everything we reviewed and the daily styling routine is very simple. Best of all, my 8 year old left with a huge smile and has gained so much more confidence- Madi has really helped her learn to love her beautiful curls. We feel so blessed and will be customers for life. read more

absolutely amazing experience! Deanna did such an amazing job with my cut! I did not realize how dehydrated my hair was!! She did such a great job explaining every step of the hair cut. With your haircut you get a personalized video you can re watch and a packet with all of the steps written on paper! love this so much highly recommend Deanna for all curly girls :) read more

A Curl's Best Friend - Before, dehydrated and lots of product buildup - Hair Salons Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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I wish I found Cindy decades ago, as she changed my relationship with my hair forever! Growing up in a world that promotes straight hair is beautiful and an industry geared towards straight hair care, everyday was panic hair mode. It was either take hours blow drying and straightening my hair to feel like I fit in or trying to find the confidence to rock a frizzy curly mane(never found it). BUT not anymore, now people stop me in the streets to compliment my healthy beautiful curls! What changed? I scheduled an appointment with Cindy! She is literally the definition of a curl's best friend! Someone who inspires you, motivates you, and supports you to embrace your natural curls! She takes the time to learn about you, your hair journey and your curly dreams then educates you to make that dream come true! From cut, to styling, to hair care, to how to manage your hair while sleeping and working out.... you name it, Cindy has you covered! Say bye bye to frizz, say bye bye to oily yet dry hair... and say hello to healthy beautiful bouncy curls you can rock for days without having to Re wash! Not only is she a curly expert we all need in our life, she is an outstanding beautiful human that I enjoyed getting to know during my appointment! Now I get the honor of taking what I have learned from Cindy and get to be a curly cheerleader to all my fellow curly girl friends. Most importantly if I ever have a baby girl, she will get to love her hair from the start instead of having to hate her hair for the first 35 years of her life like her mama! But hey, year 36- until the end now, I get to love my natural beautiful curly hair! Thank you Cindy, can't wait for my next cut appt! read more

A Curl's Best Friend - Hair Salons Near Me - Lake Forest, California

WOW! I am amazed by the entire service. If a curl had a best friend, it would definitely be called Deanna. She took care of me since the moment I got into the Salon, best products, best girl, they make sure what curl type you have and explain perfectly how to take care of your curls. I 100% recommend them, and I am sure 200% I am coming back!! Love everything about this salon! Hey curly girls! Look no further! read more

A Curl's Best Friend - Look at my curls! - Hair Salons Near Me - Lake Forest, California

I took my toddler for her first hair cut. She was very well taken care of. We saw Deanna she did a good job and was very patient with my toddler. The salon was nice we both were comfortable during our visit. read more

I got my haircut (new customer) from Deanna, it was amazing. She took so much time going over my hair, how to style it, what my hair needs, and how to care for my hair. It's nice to have a stylist that works with my hair instead of against it. I definitely will only be coming back to her to get my hair cuts in the future. My hair is happier, healthier and curlier then ever! read more

A Curl's Best Friend - Hair Salons Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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What a wonderful place for curly haired people to learn how to manage their curls! My daughter has beautiful, curly hair and her stylist Deanna was very sweet and spent at least 4 hours with her styling and teaching her how to recreate her style and what products to use. My daughter's hair was BEAUTIFUL when she left. Her hair was shiny and her curls were defined. Since her appointment my daughter knows how to recreate that look and has gotten compliments on her hair everywhere she goes. I have referred to many ppl and I hope they stick around to help more curly haired ppl! read more

Salon Review: It's a really cute, clean, and organized salon! I absolutely love that they use clean, healthy products like Innersense and have them available for sale in person and online. It was really convenient and easy being able to purchase all of the products, including the brush, that she used on me instead of going somewhere else. Hairstylist Review: I loved my visit! This was my first curly hair cut so I was pretty nervous. Deanna was so kind from the very beginning and allowed me to share my experience with my hair and what I hoped to get from my visit. She didn't just tell me what she wanted to do with my hair, but she asked questions before doing anything to make sure it was what I wanted. She thoroughly explained every single step along the way and would answer any questions I had. She also gave me some great tips on how to restore my hair back to health. I've never experienced a stylist who is so knowledgeable about hair in general, not just curly hair! Overall I had such a great experience and can't wait to go back in a few months! read more

Got my hair cut by Cindy in December and I'm finally writing my review now. Cindy did an amazing job teaching me how to care for my curls, giving me tips for my toddler's curls, and meeting me where I'm at - I need to be super low maintenance with two kiddos, Cindy gave me all the tips and tricks to be low maintenance but still have nice, frizz-free curls. I finally love my curls! read more

Cindy has her team are wonderful! I recently moved to the area and wanted to find a really good curly hair specialist to cut my hair short. I had long hair and wanted something fun. Cindy and her team took their time to listen and to cut my hair. Cindy has extensive experience in curly hair and immediately felt like I could trust her. The education and video were a huge plus! Great experience overall! Highly recommend! read more

So I had to rewrite this review after wash day because as you all know that tells you everything! I embraced my curls back in November 2020, inspired by my little girls beautiful curls. I realized that once upon a time I had hair similar to hers. It hit me that if I want my little girl to be proud of her hair then I had to learn how to maintain it an teach her to love it. But I couldn't do that if I didn't feel the same way about my own hair! So the journey began... I followed many influencers and watched tons of videos. I fell for every product out there and even got an awful dry cut experience. I only had one hope left, after being on her waitlist for 6 months, and so I met Cindy! Cindy was soo amazing! She took all the time to explain the curly hair journey to me. She walked me thru the cut, styling my hair, and answered all the questions I had. She wanted to know my feelings about my journey and my goals for the end result. She was very friendly and definitely knowledgeable about curly hair. She talked me out of any second thoughts I had and taught me how to embrace my curls even more. She was an inspiration and motivated me to keep going and stick to my curly hair journey. She's the curly friend you need in your corner to go against the nay sayers and stick to what you aspire. Don't give up, go see Cindy! She's worth the wait and you'll never look back! Can't wait for my next cut/chat with her! read more

A Curl's Best Friend - Styled curly hair! - Hair Salons Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Had a fantastic experience with Deanna. She took her time walking through my curls and how to care for them. I appreciated the step by step instructions on how to wash my hair, what products to use, and how to style at home. Definitely something I can recreate at home. Didn't know my curls could look like this! read more

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You know how in every adventure story, when the hero sets out on their quest, their first stop is to meet a wise sorcerer who gives them tools and teaches them what they need to know in order to make their way? Well, if you're the hero of your own curly hair journey, Cindy is the sorcerer who will give you the tools and wisdom to truly understand your curls, to care for them, to style them, and to help them achieve their best forms. Plus you'll get a great cut! I've been wearing my hair curly for 30+ years and have experimented with Curly Girl Method for the past couple of years, but I hadn't gotten a cut in 9 years. So I walked into the new client experience knowing that I understood some of the fundamentals but my hair needed some serious work. And Cindy gave me exactly what I needed! I didn't want to lose length ... and when Cindy gave me my trim, she ended up actually making my hair look longer, by cutting and styling it so the curls didn't get caught up in each other. I've never left a haircut with longer hair! She's just so incredibly good about answering any questions, helping you understand what your hair should feel and look like at every stage of washing and styling, teaching you how to protect the hair, explaining the science behind the techniques -- I could go on and on. We spent 4.5 hours together and I learned more in that time than I did in two years of reading and experimenting with CGM on my own. I'm mad at myself for waiting so long! I was hesitant to invest in a proper curly haircut, but instead, I spent hundreds of dollars on styling products that didn't work for me, trying to figure it out on my own! I wish I'd seen her years ago! I would have saved so much time and money, and saved myself hundreds of messy topknots. And it worked! I have had to wash days since I saw her, and they're two of the best wash days I've ever had. The cut and techniques make a huge difference. If you have curly or wavy hair and are overwhelmed by all the information out there, or if believe that your curls will never get tighter or longer or better defined -- see Cindy! She'll send you on your journey well equipped to discover your best curly life! read more

A Curl's Best Friend - Before and after of my cut. Somehow, Cindy actually made my hair look LONGER by cutting it! A sorceress, I tell you. - Hair Salons Near Me - Lake Forest, California

I brought my teen daughter for a new client appointment. It started great. Deanna asked what my daughter liked about her hair and what she was hoping to get out of the appointment. My daughter stated she loves the volume of her very curly hair, but wanted a balanced haircut. At 2.5 hours in, we learned that her appointment was going to take longer than the 3 hours we were told to expect. It took 4.5 hours, and Deanna put so much product in my daughter's hair the curls were actually white with product before drying. The curls were so heavy once dry, my daughter could hear them thudding against one another when she turned her head from side to side. Most of the volume she loves was gone. She nearly cried. After 4.5 hours(!!!) (and $360) I had a teen who hated the way her hair looked. Deanna had ignored what my daughter loved about her hair and styled it with so much product the color of my daughter's hair was completely dulled and the weight was audible. My daughter repeatedly told Deanna she did not like "crunchy" texture or a lot of product for the previous 4 hours and that message was not received. Honestly, if Deanna had cut my daughter's hair, cleansed and conditioned it and sent her home with a little bit of product in her wet hair to air dry, it would have been a great experience. The cut is great! My daughter absolutely refuses to put any product in it after this experience, which is a shame. I was hoping she would learn how to use products to get the look she wants. Instead she came out with a fear of product. Sad. PS: if you say the appointment is 3 hours, people plan for that. I have another child, a husband who was traveling for work, and did not expect a 4.5 hour appointment. We left the salon at 7:30pm hungry and defeated, still needing to drive home and make dinner. The policy is that under 16 years old needs a parent to stay at the salon, which is fine and I planned for 3 hours. Telling me 2.5 hours in that "it was going to be more like 4 hours", then having it take 4.5 hours is a big imposition on the life of a busy family with growing teenagers. read more

I was searching for someone to help with my daughter's curly hair. She happened to get an impossible knot in her hair that required a tremendous amount of time and care to untangle. Cindy and her team were so patient and kind during the entire process. My daughter was so happy and is excited to know she's in good hands at Curl's Best Friend. I highly recommend Cindy and her team for the best experience! read more

I recently had the pleasure of experiencing A Curl's Best Friend and had an appointment with Cindy. Let's get into it: Salon | The salon is located in Lake Forest and is very easy to find with ample parking directly in front of the building. The style is so warm and inviting it feels like you are visiting someone's home. The shampoo chairs and the chair you get your cut in are very spacious and comfortable. There was a lot of thought that went into a lot of small details in the space that didn't go unnoticed. Education | your first cut is truly an educational experience- she even video tapes your whole styling session so you can reference it when needed. I have had a Deva Curl cut before, and I learned some things, but Cindy is so passionate about curls she has done so much research in regards to products and methods that you leave with several printed pages of information and recommendations. A simple example is that Cindy enjoys playing pickle ball, and needed a visor she could wear that didn't mess up her curls. As with everything else she did her research and found something that works great. I never felt like I was being sold anything, it felt more like you finally found someone who gets all your curly girl troubles and she shares her best tips and tricks in a very realistic and approachable way. Cut | I didn't come in with any specific expectations, so I let Cindy do her thing. My hair is shorter than I was expecting, but I'm getting a lot of great compliments and feedback and my curls are looking great. Cost | your first time is an investment and one I would save up for, but I would highly recommend it. When I started this review I said it was an experience and that is truly what it is. My appointment lasted 5 hours! After your initial appointment you can expect to pay a more traditional hair cut cost. In closing, if you are on the fence go for it I think it is with the time and expense. Good luck curly friends! read more

Let me state the obvious right up front. I had serious reservations that a white girl could do my natural hair. WHAT A PLEASANT SURPRISE!! I learned more for how to care for and style my natural 4B hair from Cindy in one day than I had in my entire life. After moving to Orange County a few years ago, and deciding to go all natural (no straightening or color), I did what most black women do and bought every product on the market for about two years. Some with not so great ingredients so I felt conflicted because why go natural and still put harmful chemicals in your hair? So I decided to search for and research curly hair specialists to see if I could get some help. I checked out Cindy's website and Yelp reviews and texted her with a photo of my hair just to confirm she could handle it. She said she could absolutely do African-American natural hair so I decided to go ahead and book an appointment. Best.Decision.Ever! Cindy and A Curl's Best is a true godsend. Just 15 minutes from my house! I had no idea this was the answer I was looking for, without having to drive over an hour to LA. Cindy only uses clean, organic Innersense products and I am now a full convert. They smell good, are full of good stuff, and THEY WORK. My curls were poppin' and shiny and they still are over two days later and all I do is pineapple at night and fluff in the morning. The appointment was amazing as well. It was a spa day for my hair and Cindy explained every part of the process so that I left feeling EDUCATED and EMPOWERED. She even gives you a video of your appointment and a packet with instructions and checklists. Absolutely the best hair experience ever and I am thrilled to have found her and Innersense. She carries a full line of the products as well as other accessories that are curly-hair approved. I HIGHLY recommend Cindy and will be booking an appointment for my daughter that has 4A long, waist-length curls. I am just so thrilled and so grateful. Thank you Cindy!!! read more

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My tween daughter enjoyed her experience there. They made her so happy with her curls. We will definitely come back again. Madi took time getting to know my daughter and explained in detail on how to care her curly hair. Salon has a nice chic room and can be private. My daughter felt comfortable talking and asking questions to Madi. We appreciated the tutorial video and clean haircare products. She felt confident about her curls and talked about amazing care she received on the way back home! read more

I have truly hated my hair all of my life. It was not very curly, but not straight by any means and prone to frizz. Growing up in the 1970's - 1980's hair products were just starting to hit the marketplace. Luckily, when I was a teenager during the 1980's "Big Hair" was in. Even the rock bands of the day sported "Big Hair". Aqua Net hair spray is what we all used. Through my life I have had many different hairstyles from very short to medium in length. Not one hairdresser I have met has known what to do with my hair. Resulting in me spending thousands of dollars over my life paying to ruin my own hair. All of the highlighting, keratin treatments, glosses, toners, etc. Not to mention styling products, and styling tools. I was trying to find some solution, so I bought everything but still not happy with my hair. I recently discovered that I have 2A hair which is classified as fine wavy hair. I researched all about my hair, but truly it left me even more confused as some of the products I used did not work for me. Then I found the "Curly Girl Method". I ended up purchasing the book, "The Curly Girl Handbook" to do more research. The one thing that I found important was to find someone that knows how to cut curly hair, EUREKA. I Googled curly hairdressers in Orange County, CA. What I found was "A Curl's Best Friend". I clicked on the link to Cindy's website. What impressed me the most was her reviews. I attempted to look for an appointment, but she was booked. I sent her a quick email requesting an appointment in May, but if she had a cancellation to call or email me. Lucky for me she had an opening the next week. I can't tell you how excited I was to go see her. I have never been that excited to go to any of my hairdressers before. If you are even worried about the cost, it is well worth it. Cindy's spends time with you asking what you want to achieve with your hair and how to get there. She patiently explains every step while creating a video for you along with a packet of written instructions. I had already decided that I was going to purchase her products as I felt confident with her recommendations for me. She stands by her product and if you do not like it you may return. So far everything I purchased I have been happy with as the products are amazing. For the first time in my life, I am happy with my hair. It took me 55 years to get here, but as they say better late than never. Thank you, Cindy, as I love my hair again. You are a blessing to all of us curly girls who are tired of straightening our beautiful bouncy hair. Jacqueline P. read more