Aveda Salon or Dominican Salon for my first natural blowout?

[PaperClip]

Double posted in my "Heat Protectants: Same or Different for Natural Hair?" thread

I have a dillemma.... Next week I am scheduled to get my hair straightened for the first time being fully natural. I have two places in mind (new to me).

This morning I observed another LCHF'r getting her first Dominican blow-out. From what I saw--deep condition, rollerset, blow out, no flat iron), I can deal with that. I believe my hair will get straight (I talked to the stylist who did the LCHFr's hair and because my hair is natural, it is expected that they will want to use a flat iron.

But, I have an appointment scheduled at an Aveda salon, where I am TOLD I can get it straight WITHOUT hot tools of any kind. After seeing today's Dominican blowout, I went back to the Aveda salon to talk to the stylist who is doing my hair to see if this is really feasible on my hair. I have to go back there in about an hour because she has appointments.

Also, at the Aveda salon, they will do a trim and deep condition. I am not sure if I should/would get this done at the Dominican salon.

I'd appreciate any guidance....

 

[PaperClip]

Only TWO votes? Come on people!

So I went to speak with the Aveda stylist again. She said she would bring a flat iron ***just in case***. She saw my natural hair and again, she was very confident about being able to get it nice and straight....

I suppose I have to get in my mind a realistic version of how my hair is going to look straight since I was relaxed for so many years....

Thanks in advance for responding on any points of this thread.

 

[PinkSkates]

I did not vote because I haven't gone to a salon since I've been natural. So, I have no clue about salons anymore. I'm curious, as to how the stylist is going to straighten your natural hair without the help of any heat? Did she explaion how she is going to do this and what tools she would use?

 

[PaperClip]

I did not vote because I haven't gone to a salon since I've been natural. So, I have no clue about salons anymore. I'm curious, as to how the stylist is going to straighten your natural hair without the help of any heat? Did she explaion how she is going to do this and what tools she would use?

HOT Blow dryer and round brush.... And she showed me the brush.... I was thinking about taking a boar bristle brush....

 

[glam-]

I couldn't vote because I haven't been to either one to straighten my natural hair (been doing it myself from time to time, like last night, but I still see waves especially near the crown so I know I'm not that skilled) ....

But, I'm very curious how she will straighten without tools, please update thanks.
Is she planning to do a rollerset and then brush it out with a paddle brush?

Edited to add:Okay, sorry I guess we posted at the same time. I now see your answer. Have fun and post pics

 

[Lovelylocs]

I think it depends on your hair. If your hair tends to get really tangly after u wash it or if it is hard to comb through if u don't comb it just right when it is wet, then I would definately go to the Aveda Salon instead. It depends on the Dominican Salon, but a lot of them prefer to do relaxed hair and it shows by the way that they rip through natural hair and by the faces they sometimes make. Plus, the Dominicans are going to use a lot of heat from that blowdryer on ur hair. Don't think that just b/c it is a blowdryer that it will def be less heat. There will be a lot of pulling and depending on who does it it may even burn ur scalp.

 

[silverlotus]

I think it depends on your hair. If your hair tends to get really tangly after u wash it or if it is hard to comb through if u don't comb it just right when it is wet, then I would definately go to the Aveda Salon instead. It depends on the Dominican Salon, but a lot of them prefer to do relaxed hair and it shows by the way that they rip through natural hair and by the faces they sometimes make. Plus, the Dominicans are going to use a lot of heat from that blowdryer on ur hair. Don't think that just b/c it is a blowdryer that it will def be less heat. There will be a lot of pulling and depending on who does it it may even burn ur scalp.

Dittooooo. Depending on what Dom. salon you go to, they are not likely to be natural-, stretcher-, or even tangled relaxed- friendly. If the Aveda stylist is gonna use the blow-dryer & round brush, it sounds like she is using the same technique as the Doms anyway. Is she going to rollerset your hair first or blow-dry your hair wet?

Also, at the Dominicans, some will charge you extra for a d/c and trim.

 

[PaperClip]

Dittooooo. Depending on what Dom. salon you go to, they are not likely to be natural-, stretcher-, or even tangled relaxed- friendly. If the Aveda stylist is gonna use the blow-dryer & round brush, it sounds like she is using the same technique as the Doms anyway. Is she going to rollerset your hair first or blow-dry your hair wet?

Also, at the Dominicans, some will charge you extra for a d/c and trim.

We didn't talk about roller-setting but I can inquire. She saying she will blow dry it (after shampoo/DC) enough to trim it and then round brush re. style/bump down....

 

[PinkSkates]

Originally posted by RelaxerRehab
HOT Blow dryer and round brush.... And she showed me the brush.... I was thinking about taking a boar bristle brush....

Gotcha! Well whomever you decide on, just be careful and don't let anyone imtimidate you. That's Your Hair, and nobody loves your hair the way you do. Good luck. And I answered your question in your other thread on heat protectants.

 

[silverlotus]

We didn't talk about roller-setting but I can inquire. She saying she will blow dry it (after shampoo/DC) enough to trim it and then round brush re. style/bump down....

Oh, ok. I checked CurleeDST's thread & when she went to the Dominicans, they blow-dried her wet hair, too. On relaxed hair they rollerset first. I guess it is different for naturals.

With that said, I would go w/ Aveda since you have already established a positive relationship w/ the stylist. Good luck & make sure you keep a close eye on how much hair she is trimming! I'm sure your hair will come out beautiful.

 

[TheNewFine]

I am probably not the norm but my one experience with a Dom. salon was not good. I did my research and contacted them ahead of time and discussed what I wanted. The salon was in CA and I'm in AZ. I had to travel there so I was really excited because we don't have any Dom. salons here. Well the shop was a brand new gorgeous loft. The Receptionist/manager was AA, the rest Dom. My stylist was the owner, in business over 20 years. She shampoos great, detangles with a wide tooth comb. so far, so good, right?

I had told her over the phone I was natural and I wanted a rollerset and blowout. So after the comb-out she turns me over to a more junior stylist to do the rollerset. Well, she rolled it as if I had a relaxer, much larger sections of hair than you would for natural hair. After I sat under the dryer and the owner started to take the rollers out, she realized the other stylist mistake. So she starts to use the roundbrush and the flat angled blow dryer attachment, very close to the scalp. The heat is more intense than anything I've ever willingly endured on my head. I winced with each blast! But I so wanted the Dom experienced that I subjected my hair and scalp to it. She combed it out and it was soooooo poofy, I looked like Farrah Fawcett! I told her I didn't like it like that so she started to do the fingercurls and clipped them in place. That's how I left the salon, and she charged me $60 ($10) extra for being natural) and sold me some cream to put on my scalp that said "for relaxed hair" on it. She said she could put a "conditioner" on my hair that would make it less curly. She would not say that it was a relaxer, she called it a neutralizer. I came home and asked everyone what she was talking about and I realized after finding this site that she was talking about texlaxing.

I cried all the way back to the hotel because I felt so cheated - everyone raved about their experience, how beautiful their hair was, how cheap, etc and I had quite the opposite experience. So I called back the next day and told the manager, who was a sweetheart and she understood how pumped I was about coming in because I had talked to her several times before actually coming in. They sent me a refund and offered to give me a free texlax when I came back to CA but that will never happen.

After that experience, I am convinced as long as I live, I will never pay anyone to do my hair again. I will learn my hair and what it needs to thrive and flourish just like others have. I have too much respect and love for myself and my hair to subject us to the hurt and disrespect anymore.

 

[nappity]

Went home for Thanksgiving- went to the Dominican Salon up the street. - Got a Wash, Dc and rollerset- then with a round bristle boar brush this lady started to simultaneously yank my hair and apply so mush heat that they had to open the door to let the fumes out. My scalp was burning from the heat and she kept saying- hold on mami- hold on I want to get it nice and straight for you . She then grabbed large hunks of hair with a and started to flat iron. Remember the way hair smells when its burning? You get the picture.Paid the requisite 25.00 plus extra 5 for deep conditioner. Walked down the hill 2 blocks to my parents house and my hair had already started reverting back,I showed my new do to my mother who promptly said- your end are fried you need to cut that off. My scalp hurt for 2 days.
Came home to Texas- co- washed, DC'd, and promptly trimmed of 2 inches of very damaged hair.
I know that every shop isnt like this - If I had gone to Harlem- there would have been no issue at Betty's on 135th st. But if I ever get crazy enough again to let someone in my hair other than my stylist in Brooklyn- Its gonna be Aveda so i can dispute the credit card charges.

 

[Cichelle]

I've never gone to either, but I might in the summer. I should say, I might go to an Aveda salon. The only reason I would choose Aveda over a Dominican salon is that the experiences that I've heard from people who have gone to Aveda are far better than those who have gone to Dominican salons. I might go to a Dominican salon, though, if I knew the stylist personally and had seen her work.

Please let us know what you decide and how it turns out.

 

[Glitter]

I didn't vote but I would go with Aveda. The attitudes I got at Dominincan salons just aren't worth it. Sure, the hair is straight but in my opinion, the stylist I've been to at Dominican salons can't style natural, shorter hair or deal with hair issues.

My hair is shorter in the front (growing out bangs) and there are some breakage points at the temples. The last time I went to a Dominican salon, the "stylist" didn't even try to take this into consideration. I walked out with the Trudy hair style - WTH?? I've also requested just a rollerset. Well, the domincan salon gave me two options: get a blowout or don't tell people that I got my hair done at that salon because they only want their name associated with straight, flowing hair. Again, WTH??

At Aveda, I think they really care about health from the inside out and will work with you to make sure you're happy NOT just making sure your hair is pin straight.

 

[BillsBackerz67]

i say go with aveda...simply because they can get your hair just as str8 as the domicinans with out all of that heat and a brush being yanked continuously through your hair IMO. I went to both Aveda and a Dominican salon and I got better results with a CHI flat iron at Aveda. Plus you run the risk of burning your hair with the blowdryer.