Dominican Hair Salons

kim1006

Well-Known Member
I was wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience to mine when patronizing Dominican salons.

Whenever I patronize a Dominican salon, I choose one stylist and one technician and try to stick with them. I will only go to someone else if either is not in the shop but have left when my stylist was not working or no longer employed at the shop. I have also looked for and found "my stylist" working at another shop and switched to her new location.

When I need a trim or there is an issue with my hair, it is the shampoo technician or the person who washes my hair that brings this to my attention, not the hair stylist. I had a stylist tell me how great my hair looked after a touch up applied by "my shampoo technician".

Fast forward two weeks, a different shampoo technician washed my hair and informed me it was overprossed. Offended by her observation and comment, I told her my stylist said on my previous visit how healthy my hair looked after my relaxer.

Needless to say, she never washed my hair again - because she too was offended. I did, however, later conclude that I was losing hair at the shampoo bowl and left the shop.

When I switched salons, things went from bad to worst - really, really bad.

Again, I chose a hair stylist and a shampoo technician. I patronized the salon for a while and decided to get a touch up and cellophane. After about four weeks, I got a semipermanent black color. Approximately eight weeks later, I got a second touch up - oh boy.

I noticed my hair looked different and was difficult to style. I trusted the "professionals", so it never once crossed my mind that my hair I was so anal about getting deep conditioned, monitored the amount of heat used on it, religiously got drops and leave in conditioners etc. could be damaged. There was something going on, but perhaps, it was the change in weather or some internal body change.

The house of cards fell when another shampoo technician told me my hair had been severely damaged after she washed it. She did not stop there. She told me she witnessed the other shampoo technician rushing to apply my relaxer throwing it all over my head. She went on to tell me that she would restore the health of my hair over a six month period with no chemicals and hard protein treatments. We made an agreement.

However, when I returned to the salon, she was no longer employed there. I suspect she was terminated because of her honesty. Something tells me I was not the only person she had this conversation with.

I did confront the stylist and shampoo technician who caused my damage. The shampoo technician denied the misapplication of the relaxer. However, she admitted it was the semi-permanent color she applied that caused the damage, I was shocked. To add insult to injury, the shampoo technician tried to overcharge me for the conditioner I needed due to the damage she caused.

When I went back to my former stylist for a blunt cut to fix the damage - she does not know the full story - she told me she would need to cut layers in the front of my hair, which is a no, no. She then said she would need to cut layers in my back. I agree, even though my back had very little damage. Well, this cut made it impossible for me to wrap my hair at night correctly and resulted in me going to one of two different Dominican salons twice a week.

After about a month and a half, I went to a Hair Cuttery as a referral, had my hair recut and started getting flexi rod sets.

There is a happy ending - if you can believe it. This experience forced me to take time to learn my hair as well as what works for my hair and what does not work for my hair. It also gave me the confidence to explore many no heat styles and wash and condition my hair myself.

In the past, if my hair felt a little "weak" I ran to the people who caused the issue to fix it realizing now they only made it worst.

This experience led me to begin my transition. There have been hair stylists and shampoo technicians who suggested I transition, but I did not want to give up my relaxer - after I learned my hair and how to style it, I embraced the idea of transitioning now I am excited and enjoying the change.

There should be a character limit.
 
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Daina

Well-Known Member
I've gone to Dominican salons but have never allowed them to do all that to my hair. Most of the places where I live, only one at most 2 in the salon is licensed. I would never allow a shampoo technician to relax my hair. I'm glad your hair is recovering and you've learned styles and techniques to care for it. I stopped going to these salons a year ago because of heat damage.
 

kim1006

Well-Known Member
I've gone to Dominican salons but have never allowed them to do all that to my hair. Most of the places where I live, only one at most 2 in the salon is licensed. I would never allow a shampoo technician to relax my hair. I'm glad your hair is recovering and you've learned styles and techniques to care for it. I stopped going to these salons a year ago because of heat damage.

I should have known better. I patronized Dominican salons for about 14 years and became too comfortable. At one point, I grew my relaxed hair to waist length. However, my stylist semiretired and salons opened closer to my home. Before my stylist semiretired, she was the only person I would allow to relax my hair.
 

Daina

Well-Known Member
Yeah definitely easy to get comfortable as that was my problem. I would wash and put DC in my hair and then run to the Dominican salon and have them rinse, blow-dry and flat iron. It was so easy and I was going once per week doing this foolishness...my hair thinned out considerably especially in my crown area and in the front at the root. My heat damage is in weird places and not all over just the front and crown which is why I've chosen to transition and not big chop because I would need a TWA. Just a year later even with some heat damage my hair is so much healthier, has grown and has started to thicken again. I will never go back...
 

kim1006

Well-Known Member
Yeah definitely easy to get comfortable as that was my problem. I would wash and put DC in my hair and then run to the Dominican salon and have them rinse, blow-dry and flat iron. It was so easy and I was going once per week doing this foolishness...my hair thinned out considerably especially in my crown area and in the front at the root. My heat damage is in weird places and not all over just the front and crown which is why I've chosen to transition and not big chop because I would need a TWA. Just a year later even with some heat damage my hair is so much healthier, has grown and has started to thicken again. I will never go back...

The interesting part for me is I did not have one split end nor did I notice hair shedding during my daily styling.

When I begin washing my own hair, it came out in clumps during the washing process. I have since concluded I lost a LOT of hair during the washing process and possibly during the blow drying process all while purchasing conditioners from the salon based on their recommendations. These conditioner sets cost me as much as $300.00. I purchased these conditioners despite having jar upon jar of conditions I brought back with me on trips to the Dominican.
 
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Prettymetty

Natural/4b/medium-coarse
I have had mostly positive experiences at Dominican salons. I visited my first Dominican salon in 2013 with my twa. It was rough, brittle and pretty much a hot mess. I was exclusively wearing wigs as a protective style and I had never wore my natural hair out. The shampoo girl was overwhelmed with my thickness and the tightness of my hair (4b). She conditioned first, then shampood a few times, then conditioned again with a dc, plastic cap and put me under the dryer. After rinsing and conditioning a third time, she detangled my hair with conditioner and rinsed a final time.

Another lady did my rollers and put me under the dryer. Then my hair was blown with the hottest blow dryer in the world. Once it was blown out, she trimmed my ends and proceeded to straighten it with a flat iron. I loved the results and I started coming in every 2-3 weeks. I found another salon that was faster and the prices were better, so I switched salons. Once I moved from that area I tried another salon that opened in my new neighborhood. She was pretty good too. The only bad experience I had was at the second salon. My normal stylist wasn't there to do my rollerset, so another (less experienced) stylist did it for me. I'm pretty sure she combed out 25% of my hair that day. The final result was lovely, but it cost me several strands. It took months to gain that thickness back...

Now I just do my own blowouts, minus the rollers.
 

Napp

Ms. Nobody
When I worked in a Dominican salon all of the girls who washed hair did not have a license nor have went to beauty school except me. I did not like the experience of it either. I saw them do a lot of "wrong" things but what do I know? I'm just a newbie.
 

kim1006

Well-Known Member
When I worked in a Dominican salon all of the girls who washed hair did not have a license nor have went to beauty school except me. I did not like the experience of it either. I saw them do a lot of "wrong" things but what do I know? I'm just a newbie.
Thanks for sharing. I can only imagine the things you witnessed. I wish I had known what I know now.
 

kim1006

Well-Known Member
I have had mostly positive experiences at Dominican salons. I visited my first Dominican salon in 2013 with my twa. It was rough, brittle and pretty much a hot mess. I was exclusively wearing wigs as a protective style and I had never wore my natural hair out. The shampoo girl was overwhelmed with my thickness and the tightness of my hair (4b). She conditioned first, then shampood a few times, then conditioned again with a dc, plastic cap and put me under the dryer. After rinsing and conditioning a third time, she detangled my hair with conditioner and rinsed a final time.

Another lady did my rollers and put me under the dryer. Then my hair was blown with the hottest blow dryer in the world. Once it was blown out, she trimmed my ends and proceeded to straighten it with a flat iron. I loved the results and I started coming in every 2-3 weeks. I found another salon that was faster and the prices were better, so I switched salons. Once I moved from that area I tried another salon that opened in my new neighborhood. She was pretty good too. The only bad experience I had was at the second salon. My normal stylist wasn't there to do my rollerset, so another (less experienced) stylist did it for me. I'm pretty sure she combed out 25% of my hair that day. The final result was lovely, but it cost me several strands. It took months to gain that thickness back...

Now I just do my own blowouts, minus the rollers.

I would not allow my stylist to use a flat iron on my hair - too much heat. Also, I only had my roots blow dried. Yet, the amount of damage I suffered to the front of my hair is still hard to believe. Although the hair stylist at the Hair Cuttery told me my hair was not as damaged as I thought, it was pretty bad from my perspective.
 
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MsSanz92

Well-Known Member
My experience has been hit or miss. The customer service/their attitudes towards Blackness/Afro-textured hair is a HUGE turn off, however the results are usually unlike any other place. I've been going to a Dominican salon recently and it's been great because my stylist specializes in natural hair. The key is to do your research, bring your own products, and speak up if your stylist is being too rough on your hair.
 

bluediamond0829

Well-Known Member
Its been a hit or miss with them. When I first went to them it was the best experience. My hair was beautiful but it was a lot of heat for my thin and fine hair. I think I went another one or two times and then on the third time my hair was very limp. I tried other locations and never was again satisfied. The one location has since closed and no longer there.

I just went to one yesterday. I enjoyed the experience because it was a Black lady and a hispanic lady there and the rest were I believe dominican but the Black lady did my roller set. The only thing I noticed is that the heat under the dryer is not like it was when I first experienced the Dominican salon. I remember it used to be unbearable. Then also the same when she blowed my hair out the heat wasn't a lot and unbearable like it used to be which I didnt mind at all(only because the price was $45 and it wasn't ALOT of heat) I think the thing I noticed and the difference was that they used to roller brush it and not just flat iron.

My hair came out moveable and nice but my hair is thin and fine. I so miss the first experience I had. But I definitely would go back and visit them versus how much the natural hair salons charge.
 

kim1006

Well-Known Member
My experience has been hit or miss. The customer service/their attitudes towards Blackness/Afro-textured hair is a HUGE turn off, however the results are usually unlike any other place. I've been going to a Dominican salon recently and it's been great because my stylist specializes in natural hair. The key is to do your research, bring your own products, and speak up if your stylist is being too rough on your hair.

I took my own products and purchased products from the salon(s) as well. I now realize I employed them to do services they were not skilled in - relaxers and color.

Do you mind me asking the name of your salon? I am transitioning and may go straight occasionally but do not want to risk any harm to my hair.
 

MsSanz92

Well-Known Member
I took my own products and purchased products from the salon(s) as well. I now realize I employed them to do services they were not skilled in - relaxers and color.

Do you mind me asking the name of your salon? I am transitioning and may go straight occasionally but do not want to risk any harm to my hair.

I'm not sure where you're located, but I'm in NYC; the Bronx to be specific. The salon I go to is linked below:

https://www.yelp.com/biz/liz-branch-hair-salon-bronx?utm_source=ishare

The stylist I go to is Gloria; here's her Styleseat page:

https://www.styleseat.com/m/book/s/lizbranchhairsalon-bronx3-ny
 

kim1006

Well-Known Member
Its been a hit or miss with them. When I first went to them it was the best experience. My hair was beautiful but it was a lot of heat for my thin and fine hair. I think I went another one or two times and then on the third time my hair was very limp. I tried other locations and never was again satisfied. The one location has since closed and no longer there.

I just went to one yesterday. I enjoyed the experience because it was a Black lady and a hispanic lady there and the rest were I believe dominican but the Black lady did my roller set. The only thing I noticed is that the heat under the dryer is not like it was when I first experienced the Dominican salon. I remember it used to be unbearable. Then also the same when she blowed my hair out the heat wasn't a lot and unbearable like it used to be which I didnt mind at all(only because the price was $45 and it wasn't ALOT of heat) I think the thing I noticed and the difference was that they used to roller brush it and not just flat iron.

My hair came out moveable and nice but my hair is thin and fine. I so miss the first experience I had. But I definitely would go back and visit them versus how much the natural hair salons charge.

You are right about Dominican salons being hit or miss. I am not sure how some of these salons get away with having unlicensed workers perform chemical and other services that require licenses.
 

anna1

Member
I never had that problem. I'm natural so when I go they're really supportive of HOW I want my hair done. I tell them to:
wash and deep condition
roller set (yes even on natural curly hair)
do a slight blow out after my hair is dry
flat iron straight

I have this done about every 3 months and haven't had heat damage from them. I have heat damage in the front from me trying to keep the front straight. lol:nono:
 
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