by Leslie George In the perfect-curl world of hairstylist Lorraine Massey, a blow-dryer is referred to as a blow-fryer. And a curly-haired woman who uses one to take the curl out of her hair is called a straight jacket. “A straight-jacket is somebody who is afraid of her own natural look,” says Massey, owner of Devachan Salon. “She’s afraid of her curls. She’s the one at the beach who is miserable because the humidity is curling her straightened hair. She’s not spontaneous; she’s in denial. She’s not free.” And, Massey says, the woman’s hair is fried. Think of Nicole Kidman, Massey says. “She has tiny broken hairs around her face from straightening her hair. Her hair is so decayed now, even her naturally curly hair would need time to look better.” Making damaged naturally curly hair look better is Massey’s claim to fame. People seeking healthy shiny bouncy curls — and even those with straight hair — travel from all over to her Manhattan salon. “All straight-jackets eventually see the damage. What I do is teach women to surrender to their naturally curly hair. Get naked with yourself.” Massey has created a line of Devachan products that contain natural ingredients, but transitioning from blow-fried to natural hair is possible without them. “The same way you take care of an expensive wool sweater,” she says, “take care of your hair. Take care of it gently.” Here’s how:

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