Bull dog at the salon

[zailless]

I went to get my hair braided yesterday. i have worn braids sometimes for 2 years back to back getting braids every month. if i find a salon that will protect my edges i stick with them, but since moving to new york, it has been all about harlem braiders. now i have tried everything, from talkiing to braiders telling them, no heavy dreads, go light on my hair line and ive still had to come back from the salon with blood in my root. I have tried kissing @ss to get my hair done right. i have tried, a wooden face to intimidate. i have tried asking older mature adults to come in the salon with me and pretend to be my mom and tell them what i want, never worked. well yesterday i went to this salon in nj. they are twice as expensive but i have gone there before and they were warm and attentive but that was more than 2 years ago. yesterday i met the lady who opened the salon. she asked me what i wanted. when i explained that i wanted senegalese twist but the front of my hair is damaged so i need her to not braid the hair tight etc. she started arguing with me that thats not how they do hair and that it will cost more money. i told her i dont care what you charge as long as i get my hair done the way i want. she cut me off and started cursing then told me to sit in the chair. i got pissed and told her, you better call some other ladies to work in the salon cause you are not touching my head, you are rude, aggressive and still expect me to work with you. i got big and bad. i became a bulldog. she never expected it. i told her that ive used their salon before and it was the best experience till now and that she must be a new hire. it worked, she was embarrassed and called the owner who told me to come to her other shop and they will do my hair. 180 dollars later, i finally have my hair exactly as i want it done. at first they charged me 150 but then they said they need 180 because it takes time to separate the hair. never heard that before but anyway, i am happy. today i will go take pics and post them. i have a bald patch and the braider covered it so skillfully, i am considering poaching her from this shop.

now when i think about it, the braider had no reason to get aggressive with me, so i think salon workers use this as a practise to intimidate people. you go in and they get mad first so that they get to braid and collect. if i tell her i want my hair light not heavy the way they do those kinky twists that was nothing to cuss about so i think its their strategy.

 

[Incredible1ne]

I don't know how you stayed once she started cussing and saying sit in the chair. They could have been the last and best braiders in the world but they wouldn't have touched my head. That's crazy. At least you got what you wanted though.

 

[Carla From VA]

I agree. There is no way I would want anyone from that salon to do my hair after such an experience. My grandpa always used to say to rude shopkeepers, I shouldn't have to argue with you and pay you to! When it gets to that point, I always go elsewhere, even if its something I really wanted. I would have been scared they would have done something nasty to my hair. I'm glad you got a good result in the end.

 

[zailless]

I agree. There is no way I would want anyone from that salon to do my hair after such an experience. My grandpa always used to say to rude shopkeepers, I shouldn't have to argue with you and pay you to! When it gets to that point, I always go elsewhere, even if its something I really wanted. I would have been scared they would have done something nasty to my hair. I'm glad you got a good result in the end.

The thing is, they told me to sign a book and put down the amount i would pay. i noticed everyone in there was either paying 50 or 60. paying 180 allowed me to dictate to the braiders and monitor how they were doing my hair. the braider who did my hair asked me how much i paid. when i told her she asked 'does that include the hair?' i said no, so i know they got more than what they would have charged. she made sure to make every single braid consistent. you know how sometimes they will do the back big and the front small or so. no, everything was done consistently. also, i was able to tell them i need another braider to work on my hair to finish faster.

 

[Covergirl5906]

you are good.. because I would have never stayed after she got nasty with me. You are paying them for a service and you are getting attitude too? I pretty much came to the conclusion that I am done with African shops after my last experience. When I took my scarf off and they saw that my hair was natural they said someting in their language...i could tell they were annoyed that my hair was natural. I feel that most of these people are just money hungry...they could care less about the health of your hair, hence the reason why they refuse to stop braiding so tight even after they are asked. Then they lie like the devil too. They told me one price on the phone several times, they claimed they were having a special. When they were finished they had the nerve to quote me a different price. One of them had the nerve to say there are two kinds of kinky twists. ummm what two kinds are there? LOL... I put my foot down and told them I only intended to pay what I was quoted. They are so full of it, it isn't funny.

We really need to stop going to these people. We need to show them that we are important to their business, and if we don't come to them they will have to close up shop. First of all they charge these ridiculous prices and then want to give you attitude on top of it. They clearly don't respect us. Then they are so unprofessional and rude. They stay talking loudly over your head, and sometimes about you in their language, that you can't even get a peace of mind. I am done. I am not dependent on them and I don't have to tolerate their nonsense.

 

[BrooklynSouth]

Amazing, in Africa $5.00 is high for braiding!!

 

[sweetascocoa]

Amazing, in Africa $5.00 is high for braiding!!

uh what country is that so i can go there? $5 is pretty cheap even in Africa!! The most expensive is more like $33-$50 bucks though depending on the exchange rate in Nigeria

 

[ravenmerlita]

OMG!!! That was so rude. You handled yourself pretty well. I'm glad that you eventually got what you wanted. I think you are right that the angry attitude is part of the strategy to get you to sit there and take whatever they feel like doing.

 

[hopeful]

Good for you for standing up to that rude lady. I'm glad your hair turned out how you wanted it. I bet it's really pretty.

 

[Nicole-27]

wow ... ppl can be soo rude! what salon did you go to in jersey and would you go back?

 

[zailless]

wow ... ppl can be soo rude! what salon did you go to in jersey and would you go back?

The name of the salon is amina braids 1255 springfield ave. they are really good. the owner is amina. she is very nice and respectful. she owns two shops. I would go back but i would ask for the girl who did my hair. i took her phone number. I might meet her outside the shop in a separate arrangement. i felt like i was done with african shops too, this is why this time i was very picky about my hair. braiding is only shorterm. once i regrow my bald patches these shops will never see my face again. i felt dirty after i left. they cough all over you. i swore spit is in my hair. i was afraid to lick my lips after i left the salon cause of this. the place is brand new but the bathroom was dirty. the first lady i met - had a dirty looking mouth. something was peeling off her lips and her mouth corners were filthy. i didnt bother to eat some nuts i brought. i ended up with gas.

 

[BrooklynSouth]

SweetasCocoa, Takoradi Road in Ghana. Guess I was lucky, huh?

 

[KeraKrazy]

I got my hair done in Ghana also, What I paid was equivalent to about £5 ($8), and I had three people doing my hair at once. Its such a shame how we get ripped off at home.

 

[Lusa]

Amazing, in Africa $5.00 is high for braiding!!

Girl, don't be letting those secrets out (j/k). When I was home last spring, I got tiny micros for the equivalent of $35 including hair, and I wore those bad boys for four months. I should bring someone over here to do my hair

 

[Lusa]

I got my hair done in Ghana also, What I paid was equivalent to about £5 ($8), and I had three people doing my hair at once. Its such a shame how we get ripped off at home.

Girl, it's not about getting ripped off. The cost of living is a lot lower than most parts of the western world, and the the supply of braiders is abundant. Now, I know some could use a price hike to make a sustainable life but the competition would kill them unless the person had a pretty good client base that would pay a higher than normal price.

You've seen the salons in the middle of town that jack up their prices, they cater to more affluent women who could care less about the price as long as they are sitting in a nice looking salon. I admit, i am the person that will trek into the market to get my hair done or bring one of those girls to my mum's house.

sorry to highjack the thread.

 

[EMJazzy]

The name of the salon is amina braids 1255 springfield ave. they are really good. the owner is amina. she is very nice and respectful. she owns two shops. I would go back but i would ask for the girl who did my hair. i took her phone number. I might meet her outside the shop in a separate arrangement. i felt like i was done with african shops too, this is why this time i was very picky about my hair. braiding is only shorterm. once i regrow my bald patches these shops will never see my face again. i felt dirty after i left. they cough all over you. i swore spit is in my hair. i was afraid to lick my lips after i left the salon cause of this. the place is brand new but the bathroom was dirty. the first lady i met - had a dirty looking mouth. something was peeling off her lips and her mouth corners were filthy. i didnt bother to eat some nuts i brought. i ended up with gas.

Goodness gracious

 

[seymone]

Zailless, I go to Aminas also. But the last time I went I got conrows and they did it too tight. What I realize is that they do not care about haircare at all. That is why alot of them have no edges whatsoever. Needless to say, I will not be going back. I will have to trek to brooklyn for now on to get my hair done.