After: Shameka Brown Barbosa

What Denis did:

•Trimmed the back and sides with regular haircutting scissors—thinning shears are not recommended on curls as they can induce fuzz—to reduce the width of her grown-out cut.

• Taught Shameka to hydrate her hair properly: She now uses a sulfate-free shampoo (it’s less drying to curls), and a deep conditioner in place of her regular conditioner once or twice a week. She also rinses her hair leaning forward in the shower so that the water hits the nape of her neck rather than her roots, where it could strip naturally hydrating scalp oils. Last, she works a moisturizing, curl-defining serum into her wet hair and allows it to air-dry—no twisting necessary.

Her reaction: “My hands-on time is now 20 minutes, compared to two hours! I think I’m officially done with relaxers.”

Products used at the salon: DevaCurl No-Poo Cleanser ($19), which cleans and conditions hair with no lather; DevaCurl Heaven in Hair ($25), a deep moisturizing treatment; and DevaCurl MirrorCurls ($25), a shine serum; all available at devachansalon.com. Others to try: Aveeno Active Naturals Pure Renewal Shampoo, $7.50, walgreens.com; Pantene Pro-V Curly Hair Series 2-Minute Deep Conditioner, $17.50 for a pack of three, amazon.com; Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Smooth & Shine Serum, $3.50, soap.com.