Denis DaSilva - The Unconventional Hair Guru
If they gave out awards for wearing many hats, Denis DaSilva would categorically bring home the gold. Master stylist, renowned colorist, genius inventor, and inspirational business owner, DaSilva has the intrinsic ability and the heightened versatility to know what works, but more importantly, what doesn’t. Whether it’s his undying passion to create unique, personal transformations, his cutting-edge creativity or his quest to transcend the traditional, Denis DaSilva is truly a visionary.
A natural born creator and innovator, DaSilva began cutting hair in his mother’s salon in Brazil at the ripe old age of thirteen. Knowing that hair “is what he was put on the planet to do,” at 24, DaSilva began studying with the master stylists and colorists of Spain, France and England. Driven by a passion for excellence, his stellar reputation is for being equally skilled at cutting and coloring—a rarity in the industry.
In 1995, DaSilva joined Lorraine Massey as the co-owner of Devachan Salon and Departure Lounge and DevaConcepts. DaSilva and Massey created a unique philosophy: A certain level of excellence—partnered with a commitment to service in an unpretentious atmosphere—became the backbone of the Devachan team.
DaSilva’s driving motivation to give the best to his clients and the industry translates into ongoing research, with new products and procedures being introduced to meet particular client needs. His original hair painting technique, Pintura, is an advanced highlighting procedure that replaced conventional foiling. It is now being used in salons around the world. Pintura (Portuguese for “work of art”) makes it possible to achieve a unique look for each individual client.
The DevaSun Dryer, yet another brainchild of inventor, DaSilva, was launched in 2006—the first new diffuser technology in 60 years. The blow dryer features a hand-shaped diffuser, which revolutionized the drying of wavy and curly hair, promoting the shape of the curl, virtually eliminating frizz, and keeping hair, protected during the drying process. Its 360-degree airflow allows curls to dry quickly, thoroughly, and most importantly, gently. In November 2008, DaSilva took the concept one step further by creating the DevaFuser, an affordable and attachable diffuser with a universal adapter that can be used on any blow dryer to achieve the same results at a fraction of the price.
As the individual companies grow, DaSilva takes little credit for the changes he has pioneered, “It is now, and always will be, simply about serving our clients and contributing to the industry. I don’t spend time thinking about what I have done; I spend time thinking about what I want to do next. In my free time, it’s all about spending time with my family and playing a good game of golf.”