Boise asks a lot of curly hair. The air here runs dry most of the year, the high desert sun is relentless by midsummer, and winter heat indoors pulls whatever moisture is left right out of the cuticle. So when a curly client sits down in our chair at the downtown studio, the first thing we talk about is not styling. It is water. Specifically, how to get it into the hair and keep it there. That conversation almost always lands on one bottle we keep within arm's reach behind the chair: Davines Love Curl Shampoo.
What this shampoo actually does
Love Curl Shampoo is built for waves, spirals, and everything in between. It works across curly, coily, and wavy textures, which matters in a salon where no two heads of curls behave the same way. The formula leans on almond and olive extracts to help define the curl shape while it cleanses. That is the part our stylists care about most. A lot of curl shampoos either strip the hair so hard the curl falls flat, or coat it so heavily it never bounces back. This one hydrates without weighing curls down and without leaving the kind of buildup that flattens a pattern by day three.
Why the dry Idaho climate makes it matter
Curly hair is naturally thirstier than straight or wavy hair because the bends in each strand make it harder for the scalp's own oils to travel down the shaft. Add Boise's low humidity and you get frizz, that crunchy feeling, and curls that look defined in the morning and frizz out by lunch. A shampoo that hydrates instead of strips is not a luxury here. It is the foundation. We have watched clients who fought frizz for years calm down once the wash step stopped working against them.
How we use it behind the chair
We keep it simple. Shampoo, then follow with the Love Curl conditioner. For styling, the Love Curl cream goes on damp hair and you scrunch to define. The full line is built to work together from wash to finish, and honestly that is where it shines. A great curl shampoo with a random drugstore conditioner over it tends to undo half the work. If you want our stylists to show you the scrunch technique in person, we walk every curly client through it. You can see the full menu on our services page or book an appointment and we will dial it in for your texture.
The honest part: who this is not for
We are not going to tell you it is perfect for everyone. If your hair is fine and only loosely wavy, Love Curl can feel like too much moisture and leave waves limp rather than springy. Those clients usually do better with a lighter wash. The price is also worth being upfront about. The standard 8.45 oz bottle runs $32, the travel size is $16, and the liter is $91. That is professional pricing, not grocery store pricing. If you are someone who burns through shampoo fast or you are not sure curl care is where you want to invest, start with the travel size before you commit to a liter. We would rather you test it than waste $91.
Who reaches for it most
The clients who fall in love with it are the ones with real curl or coil who are tired of the frizz fight. People with spiral curls, defined waves that need help holding, and coily textures that drink up moisture all tend to do well with it. It is one of our best sellers for a reason, and it is part of why we carry the Davines line at all. Every product on our shelves is one our stylists actually use in the studio, not something a distributor talked us into stocking.
The bottom line
In a city this dry, the wash step decides how the rest of your styling goes. Love Curl Shampoo earns its spot behind our chair because it hydrates without the buildup, plays well with the rest of the line, and gives our Boise curls a fighting chance against the climate. It is not the cheapest option and it is not for every texture, but for the right curl it is the one we keep reaching for. Come see us at 104 S Capitol Blvd and we will help you figure out if it belongs in your routine. You can book online any time.