Portland Curl Room

Portland Curl Room is a private salon suite in North East Portland that works only with curly, coily, kinky and wavy hair. Owner and stylist Chan Elizabeth Adam-Danforth founded the business in the summer of 2020 and works there directly.

Cutting is done dry. The salon uses a dry technique without combs for about 99% of cuts, working curl by curl or wave by wave, or with dry sculpting methods, so each pattern is visible and the cut accounts for shrinkage as the hair dries. The dry curly cut includes a wash and style using a wash-and-go method, and hair is dried under a hooded dryer or with two diffusers. Clients are encouraged to arrive with freshly styled curls, though they are still served if they arrive without them.

Pricing is all-inclusive. The salon does not accept tips, and gratuity is built into the service price; prices rose 25% when the salon moved to this structure. Free parking is available for the first two hours of each appointment in two underground garages on 9th Avenue between Multnomah and Holladay Streets, and parking is validated when clients bring their garage ticket inside before leaving.

Cuts are done dry, curl by curl or wave by wave, so each pattern is shown and shrinkage is accounted for as hair dries.