Please read & share with me (& the readers your take).
Mine:
I have only been to one African American stylist and I'll tell you right now she fried my hair. The same friend who shared this with me bore witness. She relaxed my whole head and put me under the dryer with no rollers (hair out) to dry, then flat ironed and I left there with a helmet.
I've been to 2 Jamaican stylists. Both were waaaaaay too expensive, the wait times were ridiculous, and though my hair looked great after, I can tell you the first was cooking my hair to within an inch of its life. The 2nd is a great stylist but I can't afford her and I do not have 8 hours to spare to get my hair washed.
I have been to maybe 4 different Dominican salons. They are cheaper, yes. Faster, yes. But the hair care has varied. For the most part, they use less heat, but they can make a mockery of hair care too. I've had one relax my entire head of hair, and I've had them detangle my hair so badly I had more hair in the comb than on my head.
I stuck with my Yerena (love her!) not because she took better care of my hair but for 3 main reasons: 1. she doesn't get an attitude when I tell her what I want done to my hair 2. she actually takes note of what works on my hair and makes an effort to help me with my healthy hair journey (I can hear her right now "Oooooo mami, your hair is soooo beautiful...it's good to wait longer before you perm!"), and 3. she is affordable (& I am broke).
It is sad though that I don't know any black owned beauty supply stores - do you know how much money I spend on hair products??? And I know I don't buy the really expensive stuff like hair. But to stay in business you have to have a good business mind and offer services that consumers will demand.
I'd love to hear from you lovely readers on your take.
Very well put. I think I've been to an African American salon before but to be honest, don't remember the experience. For over 10 years, I went to the same Jamaican lady who had her own little shop. Although she was a sweetheart, I had to deal with waiting for mannnnyyyy hours and sometimes being dissatisfied with the outcome. When I was introduced to Dominican salons and specficially the blowout, I thought it was like magic and haven't been back to my lady which I feel bad about. Blowouts allow me to be able to stretch longer between perms and although the heat may not be the healthiest, I do feel like my hair has grown more in recent years which could possibly be the fact that I'm washing it more often lol. Overall, I'm a fan and always leave the salon satisfied. If African Americans salons feel threatened, they should learn the blowout technique to stay competitive.
ReplyDeleteShould also add that the fact that they are cheaper is a bonus as well.
ReplyDeleteIts funny. I've had similar experiences. The dominican salon I went to they love using the rat-tail comb to detangle and sometimes they detangle WITHOUT product! And I've watched them apply the relaxer to the entire length of the hair on other patrons. But they do a mean rollerset! And if I get the roots blowdried, I definitely use less heat than if I were to go to a black salon. And it really is all in the technique cuz I've had them do a rollerset on my naked wet hair - NO PRODUCT - and it came out looking glorious!
ReplyDeleteMy Jamaican stylist has a line around the door but she is great at cutting hair. And my hair always looks perfect when I leave but I really dont have that kind of time. Plus she likes cutting more than she needs to, lol.
I had a decent black stylist. I loved going to her til I went to a dominican salon and LOVED my results. And now my black stylist moved down south so there that goes.
I think everyone (stylists) should be able to fit what the client wants or go back to school if they can't.
ReplyDeleteI have not been back to a salon since 03 when my daughter was in my tummy and she turns 7 Monday.
I do however see females with &&&&& hair including family, It's like the stylists have them under a delusion that there hair is healthy, when it clearly is not.
Thanks for the comments ladies...it is pretty sad that we don't take great care of our hair. Though I loved my Jamaican hairdresser (the one that took a day to get my hair washed), once my hair hit 6 weeks, she was ready to relax me. Who'd have thought I could wait till 10 weeks or even 12??!!! I think all the hairstylists need to spend some time researching about healthy hair care. Maybe Sunshyne, Traycee, Nadege, and some of my other followers (like you ladies) can teach them a thing or 2 lol
ReplyDeleteWell, I would hate to get into which stylist is better. So I'm just gonna say that whichever stylist can provide me affordable(not necessarily cheap b/c stylist gotta eat too, lol!!!), quick and quality service is the one who will get my business. I have been here before with black stylists, unfortunatley I haven't had the pleasure of a Dominican salon but I hate waiting 6+ hours just for someone to cop an attitude when I ask them to do something a certain way. I've waited several hours before I was even put in a chair. I've had my hair burned to my scalp, stuck and scabbing for a wk so I am prejudice to ALL stylists. I trust no one. I recently found a great stylist, I had her do my sis n law's hair. I've only been to her once so time will tell.My eye-opener to the black salon was when I ventured into a white salon an got a full consultation prior to my actual appt. I got my hair done for my wedding, she had me in and out of there in like an hour and a half,no exaggeration, I was shocked. I was even given refreshments.
ReplyDeleteI don't blame u for being prejudice against all stylists (esp when that was your experience! I'd have been livid!). As I said, I haven't met a type of stylist that hasn't done something wrong in my hair but the one I'm with now definitely gets the best attitude award and that is very important when I show up there pre-pooing or DCing, plus she's very affordable, and if those other salons (be it Jamaican or Black American or whatever) wanna compete, they better learn to blow out...seriously. It allows me to stretch longer (& still look good for special occasions).
ReplyDelete