Who takes their OWN products to the Salon?

[brownsugarflyygirl]

What has your experience been? How does your stylist react? What products do you bring?

I am thinking about starting to see a stylist regularly but I want to keep my staples. The one I talked to today uses Design Essentials...but I think that I want to stick with Aveda and Elucence.

Share your thoughts. Please and thanks

 

[healthyhair2]

I've definitely done this before. If they don't use the things that you have had success with , why not. Alot of times I've found that the salons don't all ways use the best stuff on clients, or they really make you pay extra for what they KNOW alot of us like to use. It's the ONLY way in my opinion to have the right products used on your hair. There is a Dominican salon here in Brooklyn where you can bring your own everything--I LOVE that place!!!

----------------------------
Natural -4a/b
Deep Conditioner Challenge

 

[nycutiepie]

I do it when I go to the Dominicans which isn't very often since I found this forum. When I do go, I always see people with their own products and they don't have a problem with it. I've been to a couple of Dominican salons that actually had the sign up saying "same price if you bring your own products." As long as they get their $$$, it's all good. I've never really seen it done in a black salon though.

 

[Divine Inspiration]

I haven't had very good experiences with it. I think it's for the same reason that many of us have stopped going to stylists...too many of them think they know everything. They swear by the products they use, and some of them consider it an insult if you bring your own...like saying they don't know what they're doing. But it's really nothing personal...some folks just prefer a certain line. They *should* appreciate the fact that you're even trying to still go to them b/c some folks just go to a different stylist if they don't like what a certain stylist uses.

I've had stylists go on about how they only use products they're familiar with, etc which is completely justified but clearly if I'm bringing in the product, I can't be mad at the stylist for the performance (or lack there of) of the product. I mean, if you've been living with your hair all of your life, you should have a decent idea of how it behaves. Many stylists swear that they know every head like the back of their hand and they can prescribe exactly what your hair needs. This is NOT always true as witnessed by many ladies here.

On top of all of that, the minute something is wrong with your hair, they want to blame your products and suggest that you let them use theirs. There's nothing wrong with that; it just gets old and annoying to me.

I had a stylist tell me that if I was going to bring in my products, I would have to sign a release written by her attorney to protect her. I understand her protecting herself but it's SO not that deep to me. I just stopped going to her.

I've also had a stylist say that her products are the best. She said, "We use what's right for your hair. Why are you always bringing stuff in here? Just because they sell it a the beauty supply store doesn't mean you need it. If you want to use all of this stuff, why don't you just do your own hair at home?" And that's exactly what I've been doing ever since.

 

[B_Phlyy]

I haven't been to the salon in a while, but when I did go, I took my own products (once I even took my own brush). I mostly used Silk Elements products, but my stylists was big on Mizani and Motions, which my hair hated. So she was cool when I brought the items. I also think she liked it because she knew I was taking the time to take care of my hair instead of just depending on her.

 

[healthyhair2]

I have done it in Black Salons before. I just tell them that I have certain things I like to use and can I bring them. I've only ever had one person who did NOT want to use what I brought, which was better that what he used!! It was a foofoo sheshe salon in Harlem. Needless to say that salon will never see me or my $$$ ever again. It was also his behaviour that did him in. When you are paying for a service, I think that you are entitled to bring certain things that work for you. Let's face it,even some of the most expensive salons just don't do the research we do here to find out what is REALLY good for our hair .
I'm not anti -salon ,but have found that I know just as much,if not more about hair and what will help my hair thrive than they do. The knowledge that we share here is so helpful. I do have two people I would trust and they LOVE it when I bring new products, because they learn too. For the most part since I've been natural , I've been in a salon a handful of times. But I bring my stuff when I go

 

[taraglam2]

I only go to the salon like once a month---"maybe" twice a month but that is rare. The salon I go to is a Dominican Salon and they have no problem if I bring in my own products. Sometimes I take my own products in, most of the time I just let them use their wonderful Dominican products on my hair. They have no problem with me taking in my own products. It depends on the state of my hair. If I feel I need extra this or that for my hair===then I take my own shampoo and conditioner. I just bought a Biolage leave in conditioner that I first used when I found hairboards in 2004 and I will definitely always take that in when I go to the salon from now on.

 

[BrooklynSouth]

No problem at my Dominican salon. The price is decreased if the product I bring is not available in the salon such as my Silk Elements lye, ORS pak or my Jason's products. My Lady has no problem with my choices, she just wishes I'd let her trim and blow out sometimes but "No thank you."

 

[Barbara]

My stylist doesn't mind when I bring my own products in, as long as they work well for my hair and it's less work for him.

I've been bringing in Verifen Complex hair care products since the mid 90s.

 

[sexyaqr]

At Dominicans, I always bring my own products. At the black salons, they don't like it.
I remember once this lady told me no, that she couldn't use my products(some insurance reason) and was going on about how great her products were, started to get her chair ready for me to get my hair done. Poor soul didn't realize that when she said no that my $$ was also walking out the door.

 

[deltagyrl]

Jeepers. I didn't even KNOW you could do that. I only go to the salon for my relaxer so I probably won't bother. Besides, I can just IMAGINE the drama that would cause w/ my hairdresser since she knows everythang!

 

[SilkyandSmooth]

My stylist doesn't have a problem with me bringing my own products. I bring my own relaxer and neutralizing shampoo (ORS Olive Oil). The relaxers her salon offers are too strong for my hair and I am not taking any chances. It's a Dominican salon, BTW.

 

[ebonyess]

I just came back from a black salon getting my first relaxer after about 2 yrs natural (ORS no lye). It wasn't a problem and I brought in two boxes luckily because she did run out. She charged me $10 less than the virgin relaxer price, so it was all good.

I'll probably do my own touchups from now on but I didn't want to underprocess the first relaxer.

Now begins my saga!

 

[MonaLisa]

Always have....always will...AA or Dominican salon.
(relaxers, shampoo, conditioner, treatments)

Never have had an issue.

 

[mochamadness]

I don't go to the salon anymore, but if I ever decided to go I would definitely bring my own products. My mother has actually started buying and taking her own products to the salon based on my recommendation. Her hairstylist was using anything that was on sale. My mother now brings her own shampoo, conditioner and leave in. Her hairstylist has responded very well to this and has even commented on how well the products work. The hairstylist has even started buying and using the same leave in, shampoo and conditioner that my mother uses in her salon.

 

[RZILYNT]

Because of the relationship that I have with my stylist I used to bring my shampoo conditioner and wrapping foam. Now I only go for my touch up and leave with a wet head since I air dry. Saves me so much time from sitting in her chair all evening.

 

[OneInAMillion]

I always bring my own products, be it a Dominican Salon or an African American one. I know what my hair needs from week to week, so I tend to go with that. I do like when salons make recommendations. If they sound sensible, I will go with them. For example, at my Domincan Salon, my hairdresser always recommends products that will strengthen my hair, or detangle my texturized strands.

 

[neonbright]

Because my husband is in the military, I explain to my new stylist why I would like to bring my own products. ie... health, meds I take and they work for my hair. My current stylist understands greatly, because she is ex-military and most of the hair she does are military personal or spouses. She loves the products I use and how I pay attetion to what works for me and what doesn't, between LHCF and her I am breaking down to a list of regular products. I have been using the same relaxer since I left Louisiana, my stylist in training there discovered it for me, since I can buy it from Sallys and it works.

 

[hondahoney007]

I go to a dominican salon, in Brooklyn, once a week for a wash & set. I bring my Elucence shampoo, deep conditioner, and the leave in serum. My stylist doesn't have a problem with it.

 

[buttaflye03]

I also go to a Dominican salon in Bklyn and I have just recently started bringing in my own products ( I wanted my Silicon Mix especially). Many of their clients do.They never had a problem with it.They sell a lot of the products that people bring with them anyway.

 

[brownsugarflyygirl]

Okay...I am glad to know that people have done this with success. I am really weighing my options and so far I think that is the way that I will go since I want all natural products used on my hair. Thanks ladies.

 

[wheezy807]

Once I did bring some Aphogee, but usually i don't bring my own products. I know i probably need to start to.

 

[Healthb4Length]

I think I'll do this on my next visit to my stylist. Last time he used some cheap generic products on my hair, needless to say it was dry and tangled beyond recognition...

 

[janiebaby]

I really don't have a problem with the products that they use the only thing that I bring myself is my protein treatment if I think I need it but that's it. The problems that I have with the salon is the way they manipulate my hair like washing with fingernails, combing my hair too much while it's wet, blowdrying like crazy, stuff like that.

 

[amwcah]

I rarely go to the salon, but the last time I went I asked my stylist if I brought my own would she use them. She hestitated and replied yes.