Carmen has been doing my hair for the past 17 years. She is amazing at her craft and takes great care of my hair. She loves every strand on my hair and goes above and beyond with customer service and customizing my visits with products that work with my scalp and hair type. She has done research to figure out ingredients that work best on my scalp and hair and blends it up right in front of me during my visit. I have noticed less shedding with my hair due to her efforts and holistic approach with my hair. I am grateful to have found her. I would highly recommend her!! You will love her the way I do! read more

Are you a fellow curly girl? If so, this is most definitely the place for you! Carmen is a breathe of fresh air and knows exactly what she is doing as far as Deva Curl goes! I have been having been getting Deva Curl shapings since 2007 and I think I have found my new go to - as soon as I walked into Velvet Waves, I felt like I was walking into an aunt's house - the location is conveniently located on Main St in Ellicott City and there is ample street parking and the free lots are just a few blocks away. Once I got into the shop, Carmen greeted me as if she and I had been friends for years - what a warm welcome! And not only that but once I sat down, she asked me to tell her about my hair and what I wanted to do - as a Deva Curl consultant I really rely on their expertise and experience with curly hair but it is always great when they really listen to your concerns and wishes so thank you Carmen!!! As always, the entire process takes about 2 hours since my hair is pretty long but let me tell you you will get THE BEST head massage when she washes your hair - I did not want to get up from the chair that is for sure - and she provides you with feet pillows so you can stretch out a little more - loved that! Before I left the salon, I really felt as though I was part of a new family - the other patrons were hospitable and courteous and FUN and I think that is just a sign of a really great shop!!! I will most definitely be returning! read more

This review is long but I want to make sure I highlight the things I felt some of the other reviews were missing. Finally taking the mental jump to taking better care of my curls. Found Carmen and based on reviews decided to book an appointment with her *making an appt on the MINDBODY app was easy Within thirty minutes Carmen called and had a quick chat about what my expectations were and asked me to send her some photos of myself *she was very courteous and pleasant over the phone. At the appt I was very pleased that she wasn't double booked and she wasn't juggling clients. Honestly, I'm feeling a little more relaxed as we interact. SHE IS AN ABSOLUTE SWEETHEART!! (Granted this doesn't speak to her talent, but does speak to the fact she seems genuine in her conversations and her amazing people acumen). Carmen sits next to me and we talk... I show her pictures of maybe what I wanted ...and we talk some more. At this point based on the conversation I am fully confident that she listened and cared about my immediate and long terms hair needs. She was also very honest about what to expect. With an open mind I let her get to work .... she was very through and confident moving around my hair and walked me thru the whole process .... she answered questions before I asked and made sure I understood what she was doing. After the initial cut , I was amazed. I could see the volume I wanted and the shape was amazing! She then washed my hair and walked me thru the products and how to manage it. After blow drying it and showing me some techniques ... I found my curls !!! She went back thru and cleaned up some of them and I was done. I was thoroughly impressed by the whole experience and her ability to give me exactly what I wanted. I recommend everyone to go see her. *pricing : I think I paid $110-$130 (I don't specifically remember ... I was too busy taking selfies and honestly it didn't matter because it was worth the cost start to finish). The picture is my hair air dried, then after the initial cut and then the final results !! THANK YOU CARMEN !! read more

Velvet Waves - The before , after the initial cut and the final result ! - Hair Stylists Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

I love love love love love Carmen! Did I already say I love Carmen??? Lol i walked in and immediately felt at home. She not only got to know my hair but she got to know me too. She took her time, asked what I was looking for then gave me her best advice. I went in wanting to chop all my hair off but came out loving the decision she made of cutting a lot off but keeping length. Instead of just chopping it all off she showed me ways of managing the straight ends that were still left (thanks to my dumb idea of a Keratin treatment). I left out of there looking amazing and beyond loving my curls!!! I honestly didn't know that they could look that awesome. Needless to say, I WILL BE BACK TO VELVET WAVES ;-) read more

Velvet Waves - After my Deva Cut by Carmen - Hair Stylists Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

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Say good bye to the tyranny of sleek hair and say hello to embracing the hair you were born to have. Carmen, the owner, is trained in the DevaSalon method of cutting and maintaining curly hair. I tell you, my swavy, wavy, botticelli, corkscrew friends - spending time with Carmen could potentially change your life. Unlike the NYC salon which originated the Curly Girl (CG) trend and it is the CG method or else, Carmen listens both with her ears and her heart to make recommendations uniquely suited to you. There is no pressure of any sort and the atmosphere is very relaxed. Carmen literally spent hours with me to explore the potential my hair has and incredibly, I walked out without a hair cut and a lot to think about in how and if I might want to reclaim the hair I was born to have. In order to do so, I need to grow my hair out. As most of you know, growing out your hair can lead to some potentially bad hair days - and that is the decision I had to make - was I willing to have four months of bad hair days to get my short hair to grow to a point where the natural curls could be released in all their glory? And here's the thing - if I decide to keep my hair in its current short cut, Carmen is more than happy to cut it for me in my heretofore preferred style so I might keep styling it the way I always have with no regard for the CG method. Truly a place with no judgement. If you are a woman who has struggled with your hair your entire life or you desire to see what your hair could do left in its natural state or if you are a woman who wants the healthiest hair imaginable, run - do not walk - to see Carmen. read more

I visited Velvet Waves last night for a cut and some TLC for my natural hair. I have to agree with all the previous reviews and add that I LOVE my hair!! Carmen is amazing at what she does. She really does take the time to love up on your strands. Lol What I loved most was her knowledge! She answered all my questions and I left feeling so informed about the health of my hair, what to do in between visits, and how certain lifestyle habits affect my hair. She is absolutely amazing. I've already recommended her to a coworker and I'll be back! read more

Velvet Waves - Deva cut into a tapered fro by Carmen done July 2015. I'm in love! - Hair Stylists Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

Carmen is awesome! It's almost like she read my mind as far as what I wanted. I have 3b/c hair and I was really looking for a cut that removed my straight pieces as well as gave my hair some shape...and I got exactly what I wanted! Carmen is very knowledgeable in the deva cut technique and how to care for curly hair. She really takes her time and I really liked that about coming. My hair looks amazing and I'm so glad I found her! read more

Velvet Waves - Me after receiving my deva cut with Carmen - Hair Stylists Near Me - Ellicott City, Maryland

My daughter found this business because she was looking for guidance from a natural hair specialist. She had good reviews so we took a chance. I decided to go first. I got a haircut and treatment and was pleased with the results. Three other people asked me where I got my hair done and I shared the information. I will admit the process was slow and seemed pricey for just a hair cut, conditioning treatment and application of product, but I liked the result, so ok. My 20 year old daughter went to her next. I was out of town, but not concerned because Carmen seemed nice. And during our conversation we both seemed to have an understanding about how protective we both were about our children! I thought she was in good hands. My daughter went in for a TRIM...TRIM. She wears her hair in its natural state so there was no blow drying or major styling needed. She sat in there for 4 hours and was charged $200!!!!! Why did it take so long and why did it cost so much for a trim??? We have gotten a full cut, restyle and twist out for cheaper elsewhere and it looked fabulous!!! She looked really not much different then when she went in. Her hair only needed a trim! I was LIVID!!!! I feel like she was taken advantage of because she was young. What was done to her hair could have been done any where else for less than half. We will not be returning! It is a shame too. My mother was planning to go to her and two friends were too. After they saw my daughter's hair and heard the price charged they all decided that was a hard pass. I am still mad and have resisted the urge to speak to her in person (nothing good would come of that. Trust). So instead I put this review on yelp. If you decide to go to her ask for pricing up front and get it in writing; it seemed to be a charge for the length of time and the time seemed to be stretched out needlessly! There should be a price per service and the service should be done at a pace that takes into consideration a reasonable amount of time. My hair didn't take that long when I had a perm and I would get a trim, touch up, a wrap and style!!!!So Very disappointing. I wanted to support a black owned business, but I cannot this time. read more

Could not be happier with Carmen at Velvet Waves. I'm transitioning from VA to MD and was looking for a curly hair spot - with some hesitation. After all, it's not a buzzcut. Hair trauma can last many moons, years even. Anyhow, there were great reviews across multiple platforms, including Yelp, for Carmen so I scheduled an appointment. It was a wonderful visit. Another reviewer mentioned leaving 'feeling like family' and I totally do. Carmen is just a wonderful, kind-hearted lady and a great stylist. She does do the Deva thang and that's great too. She wanted to get to know me and talk over my hair - considering my exceptionally long pause since the last haircut I felt seen, heard, and significantly less guilty than I did before coming in. She washed, dried, and cut my hair and it was wonderful. Weeks later I am still happy with the bounce, flounce, health, and flattering cut. Check Carmen OUT! FYI - this location is on the 2nd floor of the building, and the building covers a larger area so the numbering of the stores can mix you up. Look for the double doors to enter the main building and head up the stairs. Velvet Waves is on the right. Sidenote: I continue to be flummoxed by Yelp's algorithm which hides reviews. What's the deal Yelp?!? read more

No more tangles, no more drama! Carmen, the owner, has styled my hair twice. After each visit, my hair became significantly easier to manage! She is a hair magician!!! My initial visit to Velvet Waves was back in Fall 2013, when I got my first Deva Cut. Prior to my appointment, my 3c/4a hair was suffering from dryness and extreme tangling due to a harsh highlighting service I received earlier in the year by another stylist. Washing my hair was a nightmare and detangling would take me hours. My intention was to cut the majority, if not all, of the lightened portions from my hair. After consulting with Carmen, she assured me that I did not have to cut nearly as much off. My hair was cut and styled in a "wash and go", which came out beautifully. The first time I washed my hair after my Deva Cut, it took me literally five minutes to detangle. That's right, from HOURS to MINUTES simply by getting an awesome hair cut! My next visit was March 2014. I wanted to get my straightened for the first time since making the switch to natural hair. I was terrified of heat damage but wanted to experience straight hair again. Carmen styled my curls into a sleek, straight look without any heat damage! My hair became even easier to wash and detangle after my straightening service. My hair would have lasted over two weeks, but I was caught in a downpour that reverted my hair. If you have the opportunity to visit Velvet Waves, GO FOR IT! You will not be disappointed! Carmen saved my hair! I was ready to make the second big chop prior to her services but now it is easy to manage and my curl definition is like never before. Carmen is a wizard! read more

When I went to Carmen, she took my relaxer-damaged, ill-colored, haphazardly cut hair, and revived it's natural curl and beauty. Paying immense detail to my hair and the fragile state it was in, Carmen gave each minute curl love and attention, and with her expert hands, completely transformed my hair and overall look, giving me a huge self-esteem boost, and confidence that I really need at my new job. I am so grateful for Carmen and her expertise with dealing with my 4c hair, and I recommend her to everyone I meet, as her vast hair knowledge encompasses all types of hair. read more

Velvet Waves is in the middle of downtown Ellicott City. Carmen is the best! She takes time to educate you about your hair and how to properly care for your natural curls. I have been a natural curly girl all my life. And my hair has never looked and felt this healthy. Whether you are a seasoned natural hair girl or new, she meets you where you are to help you achieve your goals. I am so glad I read the other reviews and visited Velvet Waves! read more

Went to get a hair cut by Carmen today and I feel like I've known her my whole life by just the first meet-up. Very interpersonal, encouraging, and a blessing. She took the time to literally sit down and asked me about my hair and what I wanted to do with it. I told her I wanted the sides and the back to be gone and to leave more at the top. I showed her a photo of what I originally wanted and she considered it, but she gave me her honest opinion and told me she liked the cut I had. She still took the time to do what I basically wanted, but didn't want to over-manipulate the entire look of the original cut. She took the time to ask me about myself and once she did that, I couldn't stop running my mouth, lol. She was that open and friendly. She was so diligent, precise, and patient with my hair from the cut, to the wash, to the drying, and to the styling. She complimented me on my facial features often with so much genuine in her voice and honestly made me feel like I had an official "glow-up". I can rant and rave about her for hours, she was that good and a godsend. Before I left, she gave me a big hug and I told her I'll be seeing her again soon. She's my stylist for life now. I'm going back eventually to get another cut and I'm going to add color in the future as well. read more

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