Did Dominican Salons Not work for you??

[BlackMasterPiece]

I went to several different Dominican Salons wayyy back in my relaxed days and one thing I noticed across the board is that they're very anti-coarse type 4 hair. I could be two weeks post relaxer and they will talk about you right in your face and say it all in spanish to the other stylists with no shame because they think you don't understand they'll be like ugh tengo pelo malo and stop several times in the process to tell you "mamie ju needa ruhlaxa!"

- I always had to bring my own products because they had the absolute cheapest industrial type of products

- They would roughly and quickly set my hair in rollers and put me under the dryer in extremely high heat for about an hour

- Once your hair is dry...after ALLLL that heat they blow your hair out from root to tip using a very rough brush on the highest heat setting....there was always smoke.

- Also, in order to get your roots straight they take their ultra high powered blow-dryer with a concentrator nozzle and focus the heat on your scalp and they brush the rough comb over your scalp to get your roots straight....it hurts....but eventually you grow accustomed to it.

In the end you are left with hair that is weightless, flowy, soft and lightly dances in the wind its definitely beautiful.....but thats only because its been blown into oblivion....there are ways to get that result with much less stress to your hair.

I could never get that blow-out on the regular because it would cause dryness and breakage.

Another phenomenon is... often, when you go to the Dominican Salons, many of the girls that get the blowout on the regular are coarse type 3s or 4a silkys so they have very resilient hair and its very long....so many women will look around them at all this long flowy hair....and get the mistaken impression that it is this blowout technique that got all these girls hair long...when its really just hair-type that allowed their strands to withstand that much harsh manipulation and still retain.

 

[Nazarite27]

the only problem i've had with some dominican salons is some can be rough combing my hair to rollerset, i've found a few good spots in nyc though, and they have worked for me for rollersetting and blowouts, i've never had any damage with them doing those 2 things.

BUT i would never let a dominican salon put any chemicals to my hair, to me they just are not skilled in that manner. rollersets yes anything else no, maybe some can do trims, no offense to them though.

I learned that one the hard way. Back in 2004, I allowed a dominican salon to put a relaxer in my hair.....lets just say I am au naturale now!! Never again!

 

[BostonMaria]

See, aint no way I'm putting up with this disrespect but I can believe that many Black women would, after all, that is one of the main reason Korean owned B&Bs are able to thrive in our areas. The salon I go to is owned by a Black American but my hairstylist is Jamaican....I couldn't be happier....

I can't understand it either. I felt the bad vibes when I went back in November. She kept saying my hair was thick, too long, was eating up all her conditioner and if I didn't understand, her burning my scalp to the point of giving me a scab (I kid you not) gave me the Aha moment I needed LOL And I knew her from back in my relax days! Its not like she didn't know me. Heck she even encouraged me to transition back in 2007! Blah, she will never see me or my pelo malo ever again coñazo

 

[Miss_C]

My experiences with DB-
Stylist:"Mami, you need relaxer!" Me: "No thanks, next time" Stylist then blow dries the f@%& out of my hair on super high heat ignoring my winces of pain while cursing in Spanish.

Being charged $65 for a wash and set w/blowdry because my hair was "virgin" (I was trying to transition but got a relaxer soon after that since I thought it would save me $$$)

I told the stylist that I needed a trim, just a trim, not a cut please. 10 minutes later, I had hair cut up to ear length from shoulder length. That was my last visit to the Dominicans.

 

[sylver2]

born and raised in NYC and went to my first Dominican salon in 1987.
ive been going since the 1980's and my hair is nowhere near limp, lifeless, doobie wrapped hair...BUT...although i frequented Dom salons and recommend them, i never went weekly and would not recommend someone get a blow out every week. when i did get a blow out it would last about 3 weeks.
on relaxer days i do not get a blow out. just a rollerset.
yes there are great ones and really bad ones! just like other salons.
yes they always on u to trim, or 'u need touch up mami', etc. i just say nex time nex time every time. u can bring your own products if u don't want to use theirs. and most deal with transitioning and natural hair. they are not all anti coarse.
ive learned my lessons as far as all salons go. i don't judge all because of 1 and i stick with the best after learnin my lesson..lol

 

[Zawaj]

We don't have Dominican salons in my area but I always wanted to go to one just to see what the hype was about. I am not big on heat and have been underwhelmed with the Dominican products (except for the Lacio Lacio leave in) so I doubt if I'll end up trying them out.

 

[Imani]

I wasn't particularly impressed with Dominican salons. I think it definitely does to some extent depend on the stylist and the salon tho.

I went to Lily's in Atlanta for a little while when i was relaxed. Sometimes I'd just get a roller wrap, no heat and sometimes I'd get the roots blown. My results were mixed. Sometimes it was the bomb, all full and shiny and felt good, sometimes it was dry and rough, thin looking and breaking. Also, the styles rarely lasted more than about a day, two if you're lucky

I totally agree with BMP's earlier post about how women with certain hair types would be up in there with this super gorgeous lush long hair weekly; making u think yours would be the same Some folks hair can just take all that heat and rough manipulation and some can't.

I'm 4B and actually the lady I went to the most was telling me that she thought I had a nice hair texture which totally shocked me bc I always thought they were anti-4B. She commented on how it was good that I rarely requested the heat, bc with my texture being as dry as it is, I need to avoid all that heat.

 

[sylver2]

I wasn't particularly impressed with Dominican salons. I think it definitely does to some extent depend on the stylist and the salon tho.

I went to Lily's in Atlanta for a little while when i was relaxed. Sometimes I'd just get a roller wrap, no heat and sometimes I'd get the roots blown. My results were mixed. Sometimes it was the bomb, all full and shiny and felt good, sometimes it was dry and rough, thin looking and breaking. Also, the styles rarely lasted more than about a day, two if you're lucky

I totally agree with BMP's earlier post about how women with certain hair types would be up in there with this super gorgeous lush long hair weekly; making u think yours would be the same Some folks hair can just take all that heat and rough manipulation and some can't.

I'm 4B and actually the lady I went to the most was telling me that she thought I had a nice hair texture which totally shocked me bc I always thought they were anti-4B. She commented on how it was good that I rarely requested the heat, bc with my texture being as dry as it is, I need to avoid all that heat.

i always got complimeneted on my 4 texture too. Even though they would complain how thick my hair was..in the next sentence they would say but it is soo beautiful..lol beautiful thick texture.
im use to them complaining or saying stuff. i tune them out..lol. they r like that to every1.

 

[chebaby]

for rollersets they were great. but when i got a full blowout my hair hated me. my hair has so many fly aways and it was so whispy and dry looking and my hair seemed so dang thin. never again.

i wouldnt even go for a rollerset anymore because when they sat me under the dryer my scalp was burning they had the heat up so high.

 

[Barbara]

There was a Dominican salon here in Sun Valley, now they're in the city of Los Angeles. I called them about five years ago, inquiring about their products. I finally decided to order a small canister of Silicon Mix conditioner. I'm eager to see the results of this conditioner, since I've heard so many good reviews on it. I'm content with my stylist, who is a native New Yorker, so there's no need for me to change to a Dominican stylist/salon.

I normally read positive threads about Dominican salons, and how type 4a/b is more challenging to get straight; that's why I never went in the first place. Now after reading this thread, I'm glad I didn't go five years ago.

 

[kmn1980]

Based on what I've seen. I'm afraid to go to one. I'm really afraid of heat damage and the video I saw, they were blow drying already dry hair. That freaked me out.

 

[cutiebe2]

if you were living in the Dominican Republic when you had your hair done then maybe the humidity caused the reversion. I used to live down there and I know the daily 90 degree weather is no joke. I can't keep my hair straight in the summer, let alone down there. Could also be that they had hard water, didn't use enough heat or a combination of things.

I personally don't go to the salon anymore, but if you do try going on a recommendation. Don't pick a random salon just because they're Dominican. Bring your wide tooth comb, a leave-in and a heat serum just in case. They'll think you're annoying LOL but your hair will thank you. HTH.

Thats what I would think. But before I even left the salon into the humidity it wasn't what I wanted, which lead me to believe that maybe blowdrying isn't for my hair. I actually had a pretty good experience in the sense that they never said "pelo malo" or any of this business and I got charged $150 pesos just like everyone else. But although they use some nice products like Redken and Boilage (sp?) they use thay cheap Dady shampoo and conditioner that I see at La Sirena

The heat is one thing, since you know what you are signing up for when u go to a Dominican Salon, but I did notice a difference in my hair since the products were not the same. They detanlged my hair while it was in Conditioner but that is not long enough to get a deep treatment and have you hair feel great at the end

 

[GreenD]

I had a bad experience one time and that was all it took. I was a few months post (not even transitioning) and I came out with a bouffant!! I cried in the car and have never gone back. Good luck to those who it works for!!

 

[Solitude]

Dominican salons helped me greatly during the first year of my hair journey, until I moved away from the DMV. I never found the heat to be too high, and everyone I know (personally) who frequents these salons has APL to MBL hair. I have heard some of them complain about the heat, but they usually just skip the blow dry or ask for their roots to be blown out only after the rollerset. I think the Dominican technique works best on healthy, relaxed hair, but I went up to 6 months post and they never complained and they never handled my hair too roughly.

I learned how to rollerset my own hair, and moved so I am now a DIYer.

 

[Queliq7]

the only problem i've had with some dominican salons is some can be rough combing my hair to rollerset, i've found a few good spots in nyc though, and they have worked for me for rollersetting and blowouts, i've never had any damage with them doing those 2 things.

BUT i would never let a dominican salon put any chemicals to my hair, to me they just are not skilled in that manner. rollersets yes anything else no, maybe some can do trims, no offense to them though.

I'm in new York too abd would LOVE to know which domincan salon's to go to. Which ones do you use?

thanx!!

 

[southerncitygirl]

yep...i ended up going natural as a result(who knew?). in 3 months time, i had thinning (crown area)and had to cut about 6inches. too much heat and pulling with the round brush..... i brought along own products ( redken was what i used at the time) but it wasn't enough, thank goodness i never allowed them to give me a relaxer. my this expierience was quite traumatic but led me to my current stylist. cheaper is not always better, my current stylist works in a upscale salon, charges more and doesn't keep me anymore than 1.5-2hrs. and is cordial and professional. she is carribean and has gorgeous natural hair that she regularly flatirons and has color too. i truly don't understand roller setting only to burn your hair to a crisp with a blow dryer then a curling iron to get your hair to have "swang" my stylist does the same thing by blow drying me with a paddle brush and flatironing me on lower heat and i'm just as silky and shiny.

 

[Vashti]

"Mamie you need perm." Uh-uh. I would've been highly insulted if someone ever told me that. I don't want to deal with people cursing me out in front of my face in another language or talking about me bad to other stylists while I'm paying them for a service. Type 4 hair is the Rodney Dangerfield of hair! No respect! Seems like we just get kicked to the curb. With all of these horror stories I'm glad I never had the opportunity to go to one (No Dominican salons in my city).

 

[yamilee21]

^^^ (and other posts earlier) - it's not just type 4 hair; it's any natural hair with more than a little wave. Type 3 hair gets insulted just as much.

 

[Pink Pearls]

When I go to Dominicans my hair is bone straight (without damage) and they dont use a ceramic iron at the end. They do it all with the blow dryer. Could've been that particular salon.

I had the same experience, except she used the flat iron more than the blow dryer, and the hood dryer was set to cool/medium.

 

[glamazon386]

I used to go when I was relaxed. I went once when I was natural and my experience wasn't bad. My hair turned out pretty good actually. But when I washed it my curls were slightly looser. It took a few washes to bounce back and I didn't like that. So I never went back. They were also using cheap products. They didn't roll my hair though they blow dried it and flat ironed. I can do the same thing at home with less heat.

 

[Dominican09]

if you were living in the Dominican Republic when you had your hair done then maybe the humidity caused the reversion. I used to live down there and I know the daily 90 degree weather is no joke. I can't keep my hair straight in the summer, let alone down there. Could also be that they had hard water, didn't use enough heat or a combination of things.

I personally don't go to the salon anymore, but if you do try going on a recommendation. Don't pick a random salon just because they're Dominican. Bring your wide tooth comb, a leave-in and a heat serum just in case. They'll think you're annoying LOL but your hair will thank you. HTH.

Hi mujerrrrrrr!!!
I second Maria's opinion....when I was relaxed I would get a blowout in the USA and my new growth would never revert but when I'm in DR...the minute that I step outside...my new growth would go PUFF!! I asked them why is that and they said is the humidity...so cutie you good.

 

[drkc01]

I went to them religiously for about 6 months. I thought it was great my hair was bouncy and shiny. However, I started noticing a whole heap of little hairs on my bathroom floor and shower when I washed my hair. One day my husband went to get into the shower 2 mins after and came running out to see if I was bald...LOL. I didn't think anything of it because I am a heavy shedder. During this time I was transitioning too. I did not have any major breakage a little in the back. I think the thing that saved me is that I brought my own poo and con. However, I notice that the front of my hair wants to stay straight. Needless to say I will not be returning

 

[Britt]

Another phenomenon is... often, when you go to the Dominican Salons, many of the girls that get the blowout on the regular are coarse type 3s or 4a silkys so they have very resilient hair and its very long....so many women will look around them at all this long flowy hair....and get the mistaken impression that it is this blowout technique that got all these girls hair long...when its really just hair-type that allowed their strands to withstand that much harsh manipulation and still retain.

YESSSSSSSSSSS to this paragraph... I know several of type 3c/4a with coarse/thick strands that get a blowout every-single-week and their hair is still thick and flowy. I'm talking about women who have been doing this for years religiously once a week w/o missing a beat. Last week I went to a new salon and saw a customer whose hair I use to oogle over a few years ago b/c she use to go the same salon I went to every Sat w/o fail. She really doesn't need her roots blown at all, her hair type looks like it would just wave at the root if humidity hit it. I have another friend that is 45 w/ mid back/waist length thick hair and she's been going since forever, she gets her roots blown out and her hair is still thick! Even 7 days post wash and dirty hair, her hair still feels weighty. The thing is, most womens' hair cannot withstand this type of treatment regularly. I think those that do have the hair type for it and they almost always bring their own products. I've also seen thick type 3b hair that had their nape dryed the hell out from the blower.... It can be a real hit or miss. The common denominator that seems to be the culprit is the heavy usage of heat and also lord forbid you rely on their cheap arse products

I think your hair can thrive from going to them if you know your hair. You have to know what products work for you. If the rat tail comb is too much then you need to bring your own, if all you want is a wash n set w/ a deep condition and some pin curls your hair can def thrive. There are a lot of women who have healthy hair and stick to a very basic regimen and get a wash and set 1x/week and have healthy hair, but they usually only blow their roots, use the same products, and get rollerset and trim as needed.

For the average person that is totally uneducated about hair and goes to them religiously b/c they love the look of flowy hair... I feel sorry for them, b/c over time their hair will def suffer some form of damage from the heat and not using the right products.

 

[e.lauren]

OFF TOPIC :

I was in DR for 4 months too ... When did you get back lol and where did you stay.

ON TOPIC:

My Dominican blow out didn't work either but I think it was that specific person because blowdrying my hair myself gives me straighter hair than what she "accomplished".