African American Salon Vs. Dominican Salon

[tmhuggiebear]

Hey ladies,

Don't know if this has been posted already but the AA vs. DR Salon debate reached the Wall Street Journal. check it out

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100...75226553332638676.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_10

 

[Keen]

Personally all that blowing is too much stress for my hair. I also think some AA stylist uses way to much curling irons. That's just me. Everyone's hair is different and you must find a stylist that works well with your hair.

 

[chelleypie810]

I don't understand why hardly any af. am stylists can blow out hair. They only know how to use a flat iron. I love my domis..I do. They do an amazing job on my hair and my hair was most healthy when I was going to them. I can't wait when I move b/c all my potential cities I've mapped out the dominican salons in the area. Yes it is that serious!

 

[glamazon386]

I see that they mentioned JenniferMD. She used to be a member here.

 

[LadyRaider]

Black women overwhelmingly outnumber other consumers of "ethnic" hair products, which recorded a 3.2% sales increase in 2009, to $1.5 billion, despite a decline in sales of hair-care products overall, according to consumer research group Packaged Facts.

This increase is due to me joining the hair boards. I know I've bought enough in the last year.

 

[glamazon386]

I don't understand why hardly any af. am stylists can blow out hair. They only know how to use a flat iron. I love my domis..I do. They do an amazing job on my hair and my hair was most healthy when I was going to them. I can't wait when I move b/c all my potential cities I've mapped out the dominican salons in the area. Yes it is that serious!

Probably because the roundbrush technique the Dominicans use isn't taught in beauty schools. Most AA stylists wash and set. And for relaxed hair I think that's a better option than high amounts of direct heat touching chemically treated hair.

Also having your clients sitting under the dryer for a while also gives you time to work on other people's head. They have a system. I certainly don't miss spending hours in the salon under the dryer and waiting. So glad I'm not a slave to the salon anymore.

I personally have had more negative experiences with the Dominican salons than positive but there are good AA salons and stylists just like there are bad Dominican salons and stylists. To each his own...

 

[BostonMaria]

I'm about to go read it now. Should be very interesting.
I've been to both salons and find that both the AA's and Dominican's use too much heat. I prefer to do my own hair. Both salons can get your hair super straight, but I prefer the Dominicans because of rollersetting.

.. there are good AA salons and stylists just like there are bad Dominican salons and stylists. To each his own...

Amen to that! I always warn people that not all salons are created equal. As a Dominican woman myself I can tell you right now my hair has been fried, dyed and laid to the side at the Dominican salons LOL They're not all great. You have to be so careful when you pick one.

 

[BostonMaria]

This has to be the smartest move I've ever seen.

Owner Monica Clark, who is African-American, opened the shop in 2008 as a traditional black salon. But business was slow and when faced with closing a few months later, she replaced her stylists with Dominicans, brushed up on her Spanish, redecorated, reduced her prices by $10 and renamed her shop The Hair Company USA Dominican Hair Salon. She's playing merengue music now on the stereo. She says client volume has increased by 60% and sales have tripled.

The merengue music part made me LOL
BTW When I used to go to the salon years ago I didn't see many AA women in there. Now I see many, but I think it has more to do with websites like LHCF and women talking about Dominican salons. I also see alot more white women with curly hair go to the salon. I've asked a few of them why they were there (half the stylists don't even speak English LOL) and they said that most white salons don't know how to do their hair, don't want to do their hair.

 

[Lynnerie]

I'm not surprised that the traditional black salons aren't doing as well anymore. People are tired of being in the salon all day for a style that doesn't last; not to mention dealing with SOME stylists who are unprofessional in so many ways. If all you want is a straight style it makes sense to go to the Dominicans if you can't achieve it at home.

Before I went natural it would cost me $40 to get a blowdry and flat iron from my black stylist and $70 for a relaxer. It was hard to book an appointment because of her hours and when I got there I would have to wait so long because she was always overbooked. I found a Dominican salon that charged $20 for a rollerset and blowout or $40 for a relaxer and rollerset. And they were open 7 days a week! My hair thrived when I was getting rollersets and my roots blown out- and I had a good stylist who actually knew how to apply a relaxer because some stylists at Dominican salons do not know how and they will run that relaxer from root to tip every time.

Now that I'm natural I won't step foot into anyone's salon. My hair can't handle the heat from a blow out.

One thing I found funny in this article was this

Owner Monica Clark, who is African-American, opened the shop in 2008 as a traditional black salon. But business was slow and when faced with closing a few months later, she replaced her stylists with Dominicanserplexed, brushed up on her Spanish, redecorated, reduced her prices by $10 and renamed her shop The Hair Company USA Dominican Hair Salon. She's playing merengue music now on the stereo. She says client volume has increased by 60% and sales have tripled.

And for the lady that mentioned how Asians have taken over the beauty supply industry and Dominicans have taken over the salons...If we just embraced our own and stopped trying to be like everyone else and learn how to care for our own hair it wouldn't matter what they did.

 

[30something]

Black women overwhelmingly outnumber other consumers of "ethnic" hair products, which recorded a 3.2% sales increase in 2009, to $1.5 billion, despite a decline in sales of hair-care products overall, according to consumer research group Packaged Facts.

This increase is due to me joining the hair boards. I know I've bought enough in the last year.

AHahaha My thoughts EXACTLY!

Dominican salon were they root of my salon girl days. Cheap, and fast service. I wonder what is going to happen to them once large amounts of women became Do-it-yourselfer (if that even happens ). At least African American's still got the weaving business, unless we start doing it our selves too .

 

[Keen]

I don't understand why hardly any af. am stylists can blow out hair. They only know how to use a flat iron. I love my domis..I do. They do an amazing job on my hair and my hair was most healthy when I was going to them. I can't wait when I move b/c all my potential cities I've mapped out the dominican salons in the area. Yes it is that serious!

It comes down to practice. You are good at what you do all the time. If AA stylist start doing blow out, many of them will eventually get as good as the Dominicans.

 

[NIN4eva]

If I got blow outs my hair would be gone. I don't know how people can retain length while getting them. Not to mention BKT...

 

[lexiwiththecurls]

This was a great article and very eye opening for AA salons Im sure. When I first started getting my hair straightened as a natural in an AA salon $40....7 years later..its $60+ $20 for a trim + $20 for hydration. $100 PLUS tip...It hurts my pockets so its easier to go to a Dominican Salon. Also, I like the fact that they only take walk ins. Alot of times I will find out I have a big event to go to and I want my hair straightened asap..I would never be able to get into an AA salon in ATL ( a good one at least) without at least 7 days notice. Dominican salons are more convenient. AA salons need to jump on the bandwagon- not just by their methods--but being open every day..AA salons want to take off twice a week and take their last people at 5pm...ummm don't any of their clients have jobs??!! Lowering their prices also. AA Salons take advantage specifically of natural women by charging so much money for simple processes just because so many women are natural now...It has probably hurt them though. Now there are much more DIYers and people who resort to Dominican salons.

 

[SummerSolstice]

my cousin is black and she does the blowout technique better than they do.

 

[beans4reezy]

I prefer the Domincans. The AA hair dressers seem to be stuck on the flat irons...none of the ones I used to go to even have the hard rollers. With the domincans, I am guarenteed a rollerset after my wash and DC, which is all I ask

 

[Eiano]

It never fails, I am always *under-quoted* when walking into an AA salon. The board will say Relaxers: $55, then once they get into the thick of it at the end they're like "Your hair is different, we had to.........." please.

I can go into my Dominican Salon and pay $60 for a relaxer, deep conditioner, rinse and blow-out or if I want a curly set and they never complain, at least not to my face in English

 

[mzsophisticated26]

Alot of people I know have made the switch to Domincans for their real hair but still visit black salons for weaves. Some of the main reasons were prices, they can get in and out, their hair was bouncy and not greased down with oil sheen. One of my friends hair actually is much healthier and thicker since she has been getting DB for the last 9mths. My AA stylist will look at me crazy if I ask can I have my hair blow dried.

 

[exoticmommie]

Black women overwhelmingly outnumber other consumers of "ethnic" hair products, which recorded a 3.2% sales increase in 2009, to $1.5 billion, despite a decline in sales of hair-care products overall, according to consumer research group Packaged Facts.

This increase is due to me joining the hair boards. I know I've bought enough in the last year.

Who you telling? OK.

I am right there with you.

The girl on the right in the photo for the article, looks like a little Beyonce.

 

[Misshairdiva]

Its sad because me and my gfs say that we will NEVER go back to a Black salon. For my whole adult life I have got my hair done by Black sylist, relaxing it, blowing drying it while wet and then curling it. My hair STAYED shoulder length. My mother just told me as Black women, we can't grow out our hair so just except it. That is.. until I come here to LHCF and found out about Dominican salons! I found one in my area (there are now more Domincan salons then Black salons) and the Dominican stylist started rollersetting my hair and then only blowing out the roots. She told me that I did not need a relaxer. I have been going WEEKLY and my hair is now bsl!! Unless a Black salon can do the same thing (charge only 25 for a visit and rollerset and blow out) then I wont be going. Black salons are too high to begin with. That is why the Domincan salons are always busy because they are not charging as much and women are seeing better results!!

 

[Raqkie]

I just realized how much of a gem my old stylist was. She was AA who taught me how blow dry my hair with a brush, stressed the importance of good hair care, wasn't an shs and was reasonably priced. I really hate I had to move.

 

[Alta Angel]

I sometimes go to a "Groovy" salon in ATL to straighten, cut, and hydrate my transitioning hair. My stylist told me that I would need to come once every one or two weeks during the transition in order to minimize breakage. Not for $100 bucks a pop! I bought my own standing steamer (which has paid for itself 6x's over) and Design Essential products, so I only go to the stylist every three months for trims. I love his work, but those prices are entirely too high for a blowdry and flat iron.

This was a great article and very eye opening for AA salons Im sure. When I first started getting my hair straightened as a natural in an AA salon $40....7 years later..its $60+ $20 for a trim + $20 for hydration. $100 PLUS tip...It hurts my pockets so its easier to go to a Dominican Salon. Also, I like the fact that they only take walk ins. Alot of times I will find out I have a big event to go to and I want my hair straightened asap..I would never be able to get into an AA salon in ATL ( a good one at least) without at least 7 days notice. Dominican salons are more convenient. AA salons need to jump on the bandwagon- not just by their methods--but being open every day..AA salons want to take off twice a week and take their last people at 5pm...ummm don't any of their clients have jobs??!! Lowering their prices also. AA Salons take advantage specifically of natural women by charging so much money for simple processes just because so many women are natural now...It has probably hurt them though. Now there are much more DIYers and people who resort to Dominican salons.

 

[wavezncurlz]

Hey ladies,

Don't know if this has been posted already but the AA vs. DR Salon debate reached the Wall Street Journal. check it out

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100...75226553332638676.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_10

Thanks. I go to Dominican salons because most AA salons wanted to relax my hair and gave me a hard time about doing it natural. I have been natural for over 15 years. Things have changed though and it is easier to find AA's that will do my hair.

Gotta say though - My FAVORITE stylist was AA and when I went to her, my hair was FIERCE. She didn't try to push the relaxer. She was slow, overbooked, and sometimes had attitude though. I stopped going after I had my kids. I cannot afford to be away for 6 hours on a precious weekend.

 

[BklynHeart]

Depends on the stylist/salon. My stylist (AA), did the 'Dominican' technique years before they became popular. She was trained at Hair Styling by Joseph's, and they all did the rollersetting/blowout. My hair was long and thick, and she didn't use the blow dryer directly on my hair.

Some Dom. salons used too much heat on my hair, and cheap products. But now a lot of them are buying better ones. I'm now natural, and if they start doing natural 4B hair with no problems I wouldn't mind trying them again.

 

[mezzogirl]

Strangely, the first thing I thought when I read the article was that the wall street journal was trying to stir up division between minorities. I'm taking a class right now and the Latino population has now passed blacks as the largest minority group in the US. We are living in a political climate where many of the majority race is getting scared of the possibility of a minority take over. Texas has just gone crazy now trying to get rid of ethnic classes in the school system such as Mexican studies or Affrican American studies. I know gone all off track from hair but I couldn't help wonder if they would put Polish immigrants and white Americans against each other. There are many valid points regarding the Dominican salons but there are good stylist everywhere from both ethnic groups, you just have to find them.

 

[belldandy]

AA salons are unprofessional but DOM salons severely lack professionalism in my opinion. You got people talking about clients in spanish, brushes being dropped without being sterilized...suffice it to say there are a lot of things wrong.

But which is better for my hair? Dominican salon, hands down. you have to find the right one because they will burn your hair out too; they dont take direction very well either. Also, dominican salons arfe very cheap so i would rather spend $20 than $50 to get my hair done.

All I can say is, hopefully AA stylists will pick up some of the techniques.

 

[LadyRaider]

Dear Lord Jesus, bite your tongue. That's ARIZONA, not Texas. Don't even speak about "crazy" coming to Texas.

Texas has just gone crazy now trying to get rid of ethnic classes in the school system such as Mexican studies or Affrican American studies.

 

[washize]

I've never got my hair done at an AA salon because of all of the horror stories I've heard from my sister and family friends. I know two girls whos stylist cut off their type 2 waist length hair because of jealousy, she then permed, and colored it so that it would break off! I've walked past AA salons and most of them looked a hot mess, peeling paint, poor lighting, food lying around, and to top it off no ones hair looked nice at all.

 

[Britt]

I personally prefer the way Dominicans do hair b/c I like my hair to be rollersetted and wrapped. However, I would love to find a Black hairdresser that does this w/ minimal product w/o charging an arm and leg. I also like the fact the higher end salons have a better ambience and speak fluent English. Some Dominican shops are like an assembly line, there is no personalization... which doesn't bother at times if I'm in a rush. Also, since joining the hair boards, I know exactly what works and doesn't work for my hair, so it's not like I really need to be schooled by a stylist. That makes it easier for me to bring all my products to the Dominican salon w/ no questions asked. When I was in Atlanta, my gf went to a salon in Buckhead and all the stylists there used flat irons. They were highly skilled in their craft b/c each head that left that place was swingin and light !!!!! I loved the straightness of the hair w/ the swing. Also the place had a better apperance than a lot of the hole in the wall Dom salons i'm use to here in NYC, and they used products like Elucence and knew about the protein/moisture balance.

All in all, it's a toss up ... both salons have their pros and cons. For the most part, I like the way Dominicans do hair. They are big on conditioning, treating, and minimal styling. I must say, I've seen plenty of thick healthy relaxed haired women that frequent the Dominican salons w/ success. Also, people who complain of the breakage from the Dominicans are getting their entire hair blown out... that's a and seems to be basic common sense. Not all hair types can withstand the type of tension and heat. You can opt to not get your hair blown out.

 

[danysedai]

I agree with the posters that have said that not all dom and black salons are equal and you have to do your research and above all, speak up and get exactly what you want.
If I were an AA stylist and that would be happening to me you BET I would be learning how to blow dry,it's called competition people. I had never ever in my life heard of a curling iron or a flat iron in Cuba, it was only rollersetting and deep conditioning, most of the times with natural oils and food like avocados, eggs, herbs,etc. In 1998/99 I started hearing about blowers (blowouts) and my gay white cuban stylist could do a very good blower. But he was also big on rollersetting and never used a flat iron. He would blow out my hair after rollersetting and i never had breakage with him.

Blow drying, flat ironing, rollersetting, curling, cutting, those are techniques that any stylist worth her or his salt would be striving to master. It's not us vs them, it's about money and your business in this recession.

An AA stylist wouldn't even need to play merengue or anything like that. Just learn the technique and offer good service in a professional manner.

 

[BostonMaria]

Strangely, the first thing I thought when I read the article was that the wall street journal was trying to stir up division between minorities. I'm taking a class right now and the Latino population has now passed blacks as the largest minority group in the US. We are living in a political climate where many of the majority race is getting scared of the possibility of a minority take over. Texas has just gone crazy now trying to get rid of ethnic classes in the school system such as Mexican studies or Affrican American studies. I know gone all off track from hair but I couldn't help wonder if they would put Polish immigrants and white Americans against each other. There are many valid points regarding the Dominican salons but there are good stylist everywhere from both ethnic groups, you just have to find them.

Great point!

I was thinking to myself... now how is this newsworthy?

I swear the news is obsessed with black women and hair lately.