If you need your haircut in Bradford, there is no shortage of establishments to serve you. But if you have curly or wavy hair, there is a new specialist in town.
Girlz with Curlz is a home-based salon owned by longtime Bradford West Gwillimbury resident, Helena Gameiro.
A curly-haired, fun-loving biker, she is a curly hair specialist who not only cuts and colours curly tresses, but teaches her clients how to work with their natural wave and curl.
Doing hair was always a side gig for Gameiro before she finally decided to open up an official business last April.
“I started it very very slow,” she said.
She said she is passionate about what she does and loves helping people who have struggled with their curly hair and helping them manage and love their curls.
“My favourite part of the job is making people happy,” she said. “There have been women who have cried in my chair.”
When you walk into Gameiro’s home salon, you immediately notice her Harley Davidson motorcycle set up in front of her business sign.
When Gameiro isn’t doing hair, she is usually spending time with her grandkids or out riding her motorcycle.
“I’ve always loved motorcycles. I can’t get out of this house fast enough when I get the time to ride. I just love it,” she said.
Gameiro has been riding for seven years and said it’s an amazing feeling to ride, with her curls blowing in the wind.
Before opening up her business, Gameiro flew to Virginia and New York to receive specialized training on DevaCurl hair-care products, which she also sells in her salon. The products are made specifically for people with curly hair.
Gameiro said she has clients not only from Bradford, but surrounding communities such as Orillia, Barrie and Newmarket. She even has one come from as far as Brampton.
“Because I coach them how to handle their hair and at the end I give them something in writing, a pamphlet with a sheet with a how to maintain it,” she said.
Cutting hair dry helps her see where the curls fall and their shape, she said, adding most salons will cut curls when they are wet.
“I cut all the hair dry, curl by curl, and that’s the difference. I’m seeing the hair where it’s sitting. And I have a happy clientele, “she said.
She said curly-haired clients are different because they don’t need to be coming in for as many appointments as people with straight hair. It is not uncommon for her to see her clients only once or twice a year.
“Because curly hair grows slower, because it’s round… it tends to grow a lot slower than straight hair. And when you have curly hair you can get away with not cutting it as much — you don’t need to. Especially when you’re not blow-drying,” she said.
In the future, Gameiro said she would like to do more for her social-media pages and revamp her studio space lighting for better before-and-after photos.
“I like this. I feel like I’m semi-retired and I’m doing my own thing,” she said.
Gameiro moved to Canada when she was just seven years old from Portugal and has lived in Bradford for the past 48 years. She said she has seen a lot of growth and change in the town, which is great for businesses.
“This is really big…compared to what it was. I got lost on one of the roads one day… I had to put my GPS on…this is embarrassing” she laughed.
Girlz with Curlz is open by appointment only. For more information, visit the website, Facebook page, or Instagram account.
Midweek Mugging is a regular series profiling local businesses or interesting people in Bradford West Gwillimbury. Want to be featured? Email [email protected].
