I just walked out of the salon with half done hair!

[Dove56]

Not a lot of stylists can handle 4b hair. This is why I'll continue to avoid salons

A whole ton of them can't handle 3c hair either. erplexed They start looking scared and perplexed it's like WTH? Nevermind. Bye.

 

[werenumber2]

I actually decided to go to DryBar after my Dominican salon experiences. I liked one particular Dominican spot, and they would only charge $15-$20 to wash and blowout my fairly long hair. The only drawback was that they were first come, first serve like most Dominican salons and won't schedule appointments. I ended up late for a wedding even after waking up at the crack of dawn to get to the salon before they opened - I was still third in line.

Then I made the fatal error of going to a different Dominican salon for a style. I should have known by the looks on their faces that I was probably the first customer who had ever come in with a picture and asked "please do my hair like this." Dominican salon are straightening factories - they know nothing about updos, buns, curls, braids, or any other styling capabilities past a doobie. I came out of there looking like Little Bo Peep.

I've also seen stylists outright refuse to service women with natural type 4 hair if they weren't coming in for a relaxer. They will literally say, "No mami, I can't do it. You need a relaxer first." Even though some folks with kinkier hair have had positive experiences, I would never in good faith recommend Dominican salons for any of my 4a/b/c friends.

DryBar may have been $40 versus $20 but I got to show up when I wanted to, was in and out in an hour and some change, and got to sip on a mimosa while my hair was getting done. Can't beat that!

 

[naturalmanenyc]

werenumber2

I'm glad that you had a good experience at Drybar.
What stylist do you use at the Flatiron location?

That was my first choice location since I lived on 14th for a while and am familiar with the area. I walked into the Flatiron location a few months ago with DH and spoke to a Black guy who worked in reception that said they did work with my hair type; however, it was in a 3-4 day old twist out so I showed him photos on my phone of my wash & go hair. He still said they could manage my hair type and give me the Manhattan style but they were booked when I made this appointment.

I sent in my shed hair to Komaza for analysis today. I'm wondering if they will tell me I have heat damage? If not, I may try out Drybar again ...... one day.

After all these crappy blow out experiences at salons, I can top $20- $40: doing it myself at home for free in 50 - 60 minutes

I actually decided to go to DryBar after my Dominican salon experiences. I liked one particular Dominican spot, and they would only charge $15-$20 to wash and blowout my fairly long hair. The only drawback was that they were first come, first serve like most Dominican salons and won't schedule appointments. I ended up late for a wedding even after waking up at the crack of dawn to get to the salon before they opened - I was still third in line.

Then I made the fatal error of going to a different Dominican salon for a style. I should have known by the looks on their faces that I was probably the first customer who had ever come in with a picture and asked "please do my hair like this." Dominican salon are straightening factories - they know nothing about updos, buns, curls, braids, or any other styling capabilities past a doobie. I came out of there looking like Little Bo Peep.

I've also seen stylists outright refuse to service women with natural type 4 hair if they weren't coming in for a relaxer. They will literally say, "No mami, I can't do it. You need a relaxer first." Even though some folks with kinkier hair have had positive experiences, I would never in good faith recommend Dominican salons for any of my 4a/b/c friends.

DryBar may have been $40 versus $20 but I got to show up when I wanted to, was in and out in an hour and some change, and got to sip on a mimosa while my hair was getting done. Can't beat that!

 

[werenumber2]

werenumber2

I'm glad that you had a good experience at Drybar.
What stylist do you use at the Flatiron location?

That was my first choice location since I lived on 14th for a while and am familiar with the area. I walked into the Flatiron location a few months ago with DH and spoke to a Black guy who worked in reception that said they did work with my hair type; however, it was in a 3-4 day old twist out so I showed him photos on my phone of my wash & go hair. He still said they could manage my hair type and give me the Manhattan style but they were booked when I made this appointment.

I sent in my shed hair to Komaza for analysis today. I'm wondering if they will tell me I have heat damage? If not, I may try out Drybar again ...... one day.

After all these crappy blow out experiences at salons, I can top $20- $40: doing it myself at home for free in 50 - 60 minutes

My stylist was Nancy and I let them know I would definitely be requesting her next time around. I'm doing the Komaza analysis too! Fingers crossed all goes well for us and our hair.

 

[havilland]

@werenumber2

I'm glad that you had a good experience at Drybar.
What stylist do you use at the Flatiron location?

That was my first choice location since I lived on 14th for a while and am familiar with the area. I walked into the Flatiron location a few months ago with DH and spoke to a Black guy who worked in reception that said they did work with my hair type; however, it was in a 3-4 day old twist out so I showed him photos on my phone of my wash & go hair. He still said they could manage my hair type and give me the Manhattan style but they were booked when I made this appointment.

I sent in my shed hair to Komaza for analysis today. I'm wondering if they will tell me I have heat damage? If not, I may try out Drybar again ...... one day.

After all these crappy blow out experiences at salons, I can top $20- $40: doing it myself at home for free in 50 - 60 minutes

I would never go to another salon if i was you.....but that's just me. i tend to lose faith PRETTY quickly.

I am glad they contacted you BUT i don't understand why you were not given a stylist FAMILIAR WITH YOUR HAIR TYPE from the get go.....that would tick me off!

at any rate, i hope you suffered no damage and am so SO SO SO Glad you walked out of there

 

[alive]

Good for you! You should have yelled LHCF FO LIFE as you exited

OP, so sorry this happened to you. hopefully there was no damage. it was smart to get some GPB in there ASAP

 

[naturalmanenyc]

havilland

That is the part that pissed me off the most, wasting my time! I will be old and gray in my 90's+ and wishing for those 2 hours back some day.

I'm guessing she figured if she can do Mixed Chicks type hair that she can do mine too. Totally wrong assumption.

I would never go to another salon if i was you.....but that's just me. i tend to lose faith PRETTY quickly.

I am glad they contacted you BUT i don't understand why you were not given a stylist FAMILIAR WITH YOUR HAIR TYPE from the get go.....that would tick me off!

at any rate, i hope you suffered no damage and am so SO SO SO Glad you walked out of there

 

[Lilmama1011]

lux10023

No Hair Rules is not for me. Been there, done that. Got the blow dryer burns and flat iron burns to prove it. The stylist tried to comb out my hair to section it from root to tip. I had to take the comb from her to show her how to comb my hair without hurting me. Not to mention the infomercial for their products while getting my hair done was a turn off. I was also not about to pay $85 for a trim on top of the $55 Express Blow Out price.

Wow that expensive

 

[abioni]

Same thing happened to me last Saturday. I took off my hat and they freaked out. They kept pointing to relaxer and I kept saying no. A woman finally decided to do it. I had six chunky braids and she went straight to washing without combing it first. I also did henna the week before so I'm sure the lather was brown, she then proceeded to shampoo it three times and each time rubbing my strands together like when you are washing clothes by hand. I told her my hair isn’t dirty that I had henna done but I doubt she understood what I meant. When the combing section started, I could hear the ripping sound from her yanking the tangles out. She was so rough.

I got to her chair and she continued with a tiny tooth comb and just kept ripping my hair off. Why did I take all this? Because I already had lots of breakage and damage and I just really didn't care anymore. I told myself from the start that this is a new beginning for my hair. I was there to have a trim and I was planning to cut a lot of the damage ends off so I took all the yanking and hair-loss in her chair as part of the hair I was going to lose from the cut anyway.

I will definitely never accept that crappy hair treatment again now that I'm restarting my hair journey.

@Froreal3

OMG! I had the WORST experience at a Dominican salon. Those heifers had me so angry.

I walked in with straight hair to get a blow out and trim. I had used the salon many times in the past when relaxed and at the start of my transition to natural. Once my hair was washed and my curls shrunk up it was like I was Lucifer reincarnated. Not only did they talk crap about my hair being "bad" in Spanish (I understand and speak a little Spanish) but all the stylists acted like I my bad hair was contagious so nobody wanted to touch it to do my roller set. They acted like they didn't understand how I wanted my hair styled. One woman even told me "I don't speak English" and made the statement in perfect English.

It took all of 15 minutes for the shampoo girl to roller set my hair since nobody else in the shop would do it. They were all in awe when my hair was done and blown out. I haven't been back to that salon and I won't ever go to a Dominican salon for a blow out. That was the first time I really should have walked out of a salon with wet hair but it was late at night in Brooklyn and I had taken the bus.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

abioni

I'm glad that you're starting fresh but I probably would have slapped her for all of that yanking and ripping. It seems like it was done on purpose since you didn't agree to a relaxer.

 

[NappyNelle]

^^Has Khamit Kinks gotten any better? I went for a consultation back in 2007 and I didn't like them at all. The stylist tolf me that my products weren't 'made' for my hair type*, complained that I was too tender headed when I said I detangled in sections, and she insisted that she would have to blow out my hair (using a round brush) and add extensions to do the half-cornrowed style I wanted.

Another stylist walked by, grabbed my puff, and said I would look better with sandy brown locs after she saw the pictures of my twists.

The original stylist said I couldn't come in with freshly washed, detangled hair and just let them braid it because my "scalp wouldn't be clean enough". Plus, one of the male loctitians kept staring at me like a vulture would his prey. *shudders*

Obviously, I canceled my appointment and had my friend braid my hair. This was before I found the confidence to complain in person, or write to the management.

*Um, I was using Qhemet Biologics & Oyin Handmade... products specifically created for type four kinkycurlycoily women.

That is the part that pissed me off the most, wasting my time! I will be old and gray in my 90's+ and wishing for those 2 hours back some day.

 

[darlingdiva]

^^Has Khamit Kinks gotten any better? I went for a consultation back in 2007 and I didn't like them at all. The stylist tolf me that my products weren't 'made' for my hair type*, complained that I was too tender headed when I said I detangled in sections, and she insisted that she would have to blow out my hair (using a round brush) and add extensions to do the half-cornrowed style I wanted.

Another stylist walked by, grabbed my puff, and said I would look better with sandy brown locs after she saw the pictures of my twists.

The original stylist said I couldn't come in with freshly washed, detangled hair and just let them braid it because my "scalp wouldn't be clean enough". Plus, one of the male loctitians kept staring at me like a vulture would his prey. *shudders*

Obviously, I canceled my appointment and had my friend braid my hair. This was before I found the confidence to complain in person, or write to the management.

*Um, I was using Qhemet Biologics & Oyin Handmade... products specifically created for type four kinkycurlycoily women.

Yeah, I found the stylists at Khamit Kinks had nasty attitudes when I went there in 2007. The stylist started talking about my hair when I asked if I could wash my hair while they were in twists (I was getting twists done on my own hair.) She said my hair wasn't full enough for that. Then she kept talking about my hair with another stylist, who stopped by to touch my hair.

I felt all of that was unnecessary. If it would be better for me to not wash my hair in twists, that's fine. All of the extra dialogue was just rude.

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

OP I'm sorry about your experience and am glad that you walked out.

Ladies in that area... sounds like if you can do natural hair very well, you're sitting on a gold mine. GO and open up your own swanky salon!!


EDTA: Your before bun.... girl.... I need to call you For Real cuz that bun was da truth! So pretty it didn't make no sense lol.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

prettydarkthing

DH has considered Khamit Kinks for his locs. He went for a consultation but never used them so I'm guessing it didn't go well or the price was outrageous. He pays $125 or so to get his locs done. I've never considered them since they don't seem to do straight styles other than possibly straight weave.

I haven't tried any salons in the city since I stopped texlaxing years ago, but there's Khamit Kinks in Brooklyn and down the street from it is a place called Parlor. I think they might be worth looking into, they seem to have happy clientele when I pass their storefronts.

I used to use Dominican salons to get my hair blown out in the past, they always got the job done!

 

[naturalmanenyc]

NappyNelle
darlingdiva

I don't know enough about Khamit Kinks to comment. They moved to Atlantic Ave and DH did check them out, but I wasn't with him. I would hope they don't have nasty attitudes with all the potential natural hair business I see daily in Brooklyn.

 

[Lynnerie]

You have pretty hair and it sucks that when you want to be pampered and get your hair done it ends up being a waste. But its better to just buckle down and do your own hair rather than being subjected to hair abuse.

Thanks for sharing your experience so others can avoid this salon.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

Lynnerie

Yes, it's been a frustrating journey trying to find a salon that can do a good blow out on natural hair without a fight or ripping out my strands.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

I have been thinking about getting a blow out at Carol's Daughter Mirror salon in Harlem and just found this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEFWoeQ-LdM

The blow out was not as smooth as I would expect for using a Denman brush and it's a little odd to blow out hair that is already blown out and flat ironed; however, the results look great and the stylist was not rough at all.

They have a price list on the website and a blow out & flat iron is $65.

There is a required $25 consultation:
Scalp Analysis
Density Evaluation
Porosity Test
Elasticity Test
Healthy Haircare Plan
Signature Style, Cut & Color Blueprint

*Required for all first-time clients.*
Price goes toward your first service if booked on the same day.

The consultation is not something I need since I had my hair analysis done by Komaza Care using high powered microscopes, but since the $25 goes toward any service booked, it's not a huge deal to me.

http://www.carolsdaughter.com/mirror-salon.html

 

[mjsliberiangrl]

I just wanted to come into this thread and share what an awesome experience I had at Drybar.
I went to Midtown East in NYC, one of the newest locations. My stylist's name was Jacky and she was able to wash, dry, blowout and flat iron for the perfect "MaiTai" beachy waves style. Took just about an hour. I came in having deep conditioned my hair the night before. I let it airdry in 6 braids and went into the salon fully dressed for my date, with a ponytail puff.

I have 4a APL hair.... my blowout lasted 4 days (I went to the gym on the 4th day) but, it's still generally straight, shiny, and sleek. I am thinking of making this a monthly treat for myself.