Curly girls and ESPECIALLY black women, listen up: Lora Johnson is not just a talented hairstylist, but she is a gifted artist! Her schedule is tight, so just take my word for it and book your appointment now! When I first contacted Lora she asked me to text her pictures of myself along with some hairstyles I might want to try. She did this to get an idea about my bone structure, hair type, etc. After doing so, we spoke by phone and she told me things about my hair and my face that I didn't even know like my eyes being a little uneven with each other (who knew?!) , my hair being fine, its current length weighing me down, where I should part my hair to even out my eyes, how my hair should frame my face to help "shorten" my nose, etc. She also sent me a couple of pictures of styles she thought would suit me well. I'm giving you the short version, but Lora really went into a deep consult on that first call. Convinced that she knew what she was talking about, I booked an appt. Fast forward about a month and I've just had my first cut from Lora. I'm not exaggerating when I say I couldn't be happier with the results, either! Here, let me run you through the appointment: When I first walked in, she'd just finished a 20-something white woman's curly hair and it was positively gorgeous! Next, she worked her magic on another white woman's curls and cut her hair (she works fast as lightening so the wait wasn't long at all. The 3 of us actually enjoyed pleasant conversation while I marveled at her expertly doing her thing.) I'll admit that I felt a tiny bit of apprehension as she'd worked wonders on two white women and, being white herself, I was wondering if she'd struggle with my hair's texture. I knew from the reviews here and from my gut after our phone convo that she was capable, but still, you know how the mind can make you nervous about these things, lol. Prior to the appointment, I'd found another hairstyle that included bangs on my own-- somewhat different from the styles either of us had selected before. After showing her the picture, Lora immediately measured my face with her hands to give me her opinion of how it would look on my face. To my relief, she agreed that it would work and then she went to work. She started cutting and sculpting my hair dry asking me every step of the way for input to be certain that I was getting the length, shape and style I wanted. She explained the importance of starting the process from "where I was" i.e. without combing my curls or washing my hair first as there'd be too much shrinkage doing it any other way and that could be a disaster. I knew this, but was relieved that she did too... this meant we were on the right track for natural black hair! After shaping it, Lora washed my hair, diffused it (I'd never diffused before, but now I'm hooked) and snipped a little more just to finalize the look. When she was done, I was ecstatic. My hair was butt length and had no real style when I walked in, but I walked out with waist length hair, bangs and feeling like a new woman. It had taken me a long time to grow my hair to its original length, but between our phone consultation and the early part of my visit, Lora convinced me that that length wasn't doing anything for my look and that people weren't even seeing all of it (no room here to explain, but she was right... they were only seeing a certain focal point). Lora is honest and REALLY knows her stuff when it comes to kinky/curly hair. Beyond the shampoo/conditioner, Lora only used one product on my hair... I usually use between two or four after washing! She also did not try to sell me on any products, but did hip me to the one that she used today and recommends for my hair in the future. I could go on and on about her gifted approach to black hair, but I really enjoyed her uplifting and inspiring conversation, as well. I was honestly a little sad when she told me I don't need another visit for at least a year, possibly two! Before I sign off let me tell you that the best part of the entire day was hearing her testimony about how she started doing kinky/curly hair in the first place... I'll let her tell it to you in person, but I'll just say to my sistas out there that this woman was sent to us by assignment. She didn't learn about our hair through classroom theory or any special training, but was gifted with the ability all the same! Yes, she does wonders with curly heads from other ethnicities, but our hair (i.e. black hair) is special and requires a certain touch which Lora definitely has. And she has a passion or a "calling", if you will, for our hair! You cannot go wrong in booking an appointment with Lora Johnson, so do it now! read more