Denis DaSilva, The Unconventional Hair Guru
The story of Denis DaSilva includes many innovative beginnings, multiple role changes (for him) and many happy endings (for his clients!). 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 I 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, he has built a stellar reputation for being equally skilled at cutting and coloring—a rarity in hairdressing.
In 1995, DaSilva joined Lorraine Massey as the co-owner of Devachan Salon and DevaConcepts. DaSilva and Massey created a unique philosophy: A 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 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 with the innovative hand-shaped DevaFuser, yet another brainchild of inventor, DaSilva, was launched in 2006—the first new diffuser technology in 60 years. The DevaFuser 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. The 360-degree airflow allows curls to dry quickly, thoroughly, and most importantly, gently. In November 2008, DaSilva took the concept one step further by making the DevaFuser affordable and accessible to all curly homes with a universal adapter that can be used on most dryers to achieve healthy, manageable, frizz-free curls.
As the success of his innovations continues to 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’m too busy thinking about what I’m going to do next.”