Molecular Moments 01: Paola Torres

To kick off this series, we chatted with Co-owner of Curl Haven Salon Suite, Paola Torres. Inspired by her own curl journey, her passion for experimenting with curly-coily clients is rooted in maintaining their hair health and integrity.

Q: What’s your hair journey been like?

I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and growing up I didn’t appreciate my curls or care for them at all. I came to the United States at a very young age, and didn’t expect to end up in the hair world—but I’m glad I did. Now being a curl specialist, I’ve gained so much knowledge and confidence in my curls that I use to educate others. I have been in the hair industry for over 3 years and I absolutely love it!

Q: What’s your favorite part of doing hair?

The best part of my job is showing my clients the potential of their hair, especially seeing the reaction to their curls in their full glory. The one-on-one time I get with them is also important to me, I love getting to know my clients on that level.

Q: Tell us about the inspiration behind this look

My client was ready for a change, and wanted to be as blonde as possible. With the help of K18 in my arsenal, I was able to make her blonde in one session and still keep her curls intact.

Q: Walk us through how you created this transformation

First thing I did was prep the hair with the K18 PRO mist to reverse the damage my client came in with, and strengthen her curly canvas so we could go further in one service. Then, I went in with bleach 20 volume in a highlight balayage formation to make the curls really pop. When it was time to wash, I used the K18 PEPTIDE PREP™ detox shampoo to gently clarify and get all of the bleach out. I went in with the K18 PRO mist again to repair chemical damage, then toned her hair. After that, I rinsed it out with the DAMAGE SHIELD pH protective shampoo and went in with the K18 PRO mask. I waited 4 minutes for the peptide to penetrate, then used a hair gel to style.

Q: Why did you use K18 to create this look?

We aimed to make her blonde in one session, so my priority is maintaining curl health throughout the service. Since I used K18 molecular repair, I could keep the integrity of her hair without worrying about the damage. With K18’s pH-optimized shampoos, her hair didn’t feel stripped or brittle from buildup at all.

Q: Got any advice for other stylists using K18 molecular repair?

My biggest advice would be that K18 is liquid gold, so less is more. Add it to every service you do, there’s not a cut or color I do without it.

Q: How has K18 been a game changer for you, your business, or your creativity?

K18 has allowed me to feel more free to experiment on my curly clients, without being so scared of the bleaching or coloring process. Being creative without damage hasn’t been available until now, so I am forever grateful. I definitely love all of K18’s products and I can’t recommend them enough.

We hope Paola’s fearlessness in creating with K18REPAIR™ inspires your next transformation! This peptide-powered sidekick restored hair health throughout her service—keeping her client’s curls strong and bouncy even after all that chemical damage. There’re no boundaries to creative freedom, especially on a strong, healthy canvas.

See ya next time for more molecular moments.