What is the correct way to use :not(:first-child) li:before?

Question

Layout

Hello! I can not deal with pseudo-elements, I ask for your help. so:
eat section:

<section id="project">
    <div class="resize clear">
      <h2>Реализованные ПРОЕКТЫ</h2>
      <menu>
        <li><a href="#">Кухни</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Раздвижные двери</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Шкафы-купе</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Офисная мебель</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Стеновые панели</a></li>
      </menu>
      <div class="kitchen clear">
        <ul>
          <li><a href="#"><img src="images/kitchen1.jpg" alt="kitchen1"></a></li>
          <li><a href="#"><img src="images/kitchen2.jpg" alt="kitchen2"></a></li>
          <li><a href="#"><img src="images/kitchen3.jpg" alt="kitchen3"></a></li>
          <li><a href="#"><img src="images/kitchen4.jpg" alt="kitchen4"></a></li>
          <li><a href="#"><img src="images/kitchen5.jpg" alt="kitchen5"></a></li>
          <li><a href="#"><img src="images/kitchen6.jpg" alt="kitchen6"></a></li>
          <li><a href="#"><img src="images/kitchen7.jpg" alt="kitchen7"></a></li>
          <li><a href="#"><img src="images/kitchen8.jpg" alt="kitchen8"></a></li>
          <li><a href="#"><img src="images/kitchen9.jpg" alt="kitchen9"></a></li>
          <li><a href="#"><img src="images/kitchen10.jpg" alt="kitchen10"></a></li>
          <li><a href="#"><img src="images/kitchen11.jpg" alt="kitchen11"></a></li>
          <li><a href="#"><img src="images/kitchen12.jpg" alt="kitchen12"></a></li>
        </ul>
      </div>
    </div>
  </section>

and there are styles:

#project {
  width: 100%;
  background: top center url(../images/back_ground3.jpg) no-repeat;
  background-size: cover;
  height: auto;
  h2 {
    font-size: 45px;
    font-weight: normal;
    line-height: 1.3em;
    color: black;
    text-align: center;
    padding-top: 120px;
    text-transform: uppercase;
  }
  .kitchen {
    border-bottom: 2px solid #888888;
    padding-bottom: 100px;
    ul {
      text-align: justify;
      line-height: 0;
      padding: 0;
      &:after {
        width: 100%;
        height: 0;
        visibility: hidden;
        overflow: hidden;
        content: "";
        display: inline-block;
      }
      li {
        display: inline-block;
        text-align: left;
        padding: 5px 0;
        img {
          width: 100%;
        }
      }
    }
  }
  menu {
    text-align: justify;
    line-height: 0;
    padding: 0;
    margin-left: 30px;
    margin-right: 30px;
    &:after {
      width: 100%;
      height: 0;
      visibility: hidden;
      overflow: hidden;
      content: "";
      display: inline-block;
    }

    li {
      display: inline-block;
      text-align: left;
      padding: 5px 0;
      position: relative;
      a {
        display: block;
        font-size: 20px;
        line-height: 1.3em;
        color: #0d0d0d;
        text-transform: uppercase;
        &:hover {
          color: #c31e2f;
        }
      }
    }
    &:not(:first-child) li:before {
      top: 18px;
      left: -35px;
      content: "\\\\";
      position: absolute;
      font-size: 20px;
      width: 5px;
      height: 5px;
      color: #a6a6a6;
    }
  }
}

as a result, we get this kind of menu:

and now the question is how to correctly apply &: not (: first-child) li: before so that there would be no // pseudo-element in the menu before the "kitchen" item.
Thank you for your attention!
PS And in general, can there be any comments on styles?

Answer 1

li:not(:first-child):before