Why do you go to a Dominican salon?

tarheelgurl

tarheelgurl

Well-Known Member
In August I moved to Raleigh, leaving behind my beloved stylist. I have been to 2 places here at the suggestion of coworkers, and my head came out flat and greasy both times. :nono: I have super fine hair and the least bit of oil will take any body/bounce away.

So, another person gave me the number for a Dominican salon and tired of my frizzy hair, I called and made an appointment for this Friday. What I want to know is why do people go to Dominican salons? What's so special about them? And do you have any advice for me for Friday?

Hopefully, I will have nice hair this weekend. If not, I might be calling on some of you to help me put bounce in my own head myself!!

TIA!!

ETA: Updated 12/18/10 of my Dominican salon visit...with pictures on page 2.
 
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I go to the Dominican Salons because they are use to my hair texture, 3a/4b. I never get pressured to get a perm and my hair always end up looking incredible. I normally do my Jan Brady walk out the door with my hair swinging in the wind. If you use any particular hair supplies (shampoo, conditioner, a certain comb) bring them with you and they will gladly use them in your hair. Goodluck and don't forget to post pictures!!!
 
Thanks for the reply! Someone told me that the dominicans weren't licensed....is this true? I have relaxed hair and someone else told me that they would burn my hair out with all the heat. Do they really use so much heat?
I'll definately post pics!

omachine said:
I go to the Dominican Salons because they are use to my hair texture, 3a/4b. I never get pressured to get a perm and my hair always end up looking incredible. I normally do my Jan Brady walk out the door with my hair swinging in the wind. If you use any particular hair supplies (shampoo, conditioner, a certain comb) bring them with you and they will gladly use them in your hair. Goodluck and don't forget to post pictures!!!
Click to expand...
 
I like Dominican salons. I used to go when my hair was somewhat longish (APL).. but then somehow I convinced myself cutting off all of my hair would be a good idea and here I am now--trying to grow it out. Anyway, my hair is also very fine and 3b/c. Not everyone can do my hair properly. I know what its like walking out of the salon unhappy due to too much product, the wrong product or the wrong technique. The Dominican salon I went to knew just what to do and my hair always looked nice. They do use lots of heat but they rolled my hair first to straighten and dry and they never had to use a flat iron. My hair seemed healthy. Also, they were cheap and I didn't have to make an appointment.

Good luck and post pics!
 
Thanks for your reply. I am scared of the heat...my hair is really fine and the wrong thing will mess it up.
I will post pics.

janda said:
I like Dominican salons. I used to go when my hair was somewhat longish (APL).. but then somehow I convinced myself cutting off all of my hair would be a good idea and here I am now--trying to grow it out. Anyway, my hair is also very fine and 3b/c. Not everyone can do my hair properly. I know what its like walking out of the salon unhappy due to too much product, the wrong product or the wrong technique. The Dominican salon I went to knew just what to do and my hair always looked nice. They do use lots of heat but they rolled my hair first to straighten and dry and they never had to use a flat iron. My hair seemed healthy. Also, they were cheap and I didn't have to make an appointment.

Good luck and post pics!
Click to expand...
 
I go to a salon in Orlando and they are wonderful. I leave with beautiful hair. The salon I go to doesn't keep me waiting and they do what you ask them to do.
 
I used to go because they made my hair feel silky and bouncy, I won't be going back because they use too much heat and now i have to cut off like 3 inches (my hair is a little longer then BSL). oh well you live and learn. Good luck
 
I am EXTREMELY skeptical when it comes to Dominican salons. If you have fine hair you might want to think it over long and hard. My hair is fine and I lost a good 5" after a Dominican blowout. If you know your hair can handle A LOT of heat you should be fine...Otherwise I'd be careful.
 
I just started going to a dominican salon and I'm so glad one finally opened in my area. The black salons I've gone to care more about the look of my hair than the health. My ends have needed trimming and I need good deep conditioning. The salon I was going to didn't care about any of that because in my stylists opinion it was past shoulder length, soooo long, and just fine. Plus they acted as if they were the ones doing you a grand favor.

The dominican salon I went to was great. The stylist took her time, and even encouraged me to drop relaxers and go natural, which I've been wanting to do. They do use a lot of heat in the blowout process, but I plan on just getting rollersets for the most part. The stylist is focused on getting my hair as healthy as possible, so I'm loving the positivity. Plus I paid $35 for what would've cost me double that at my other salon.
 
blackbarbie986 said:
@diadall is it the one by the mall or the one further down near alafaya? do they have hair steamers?
Click to expand...

I am not sure. I get off on exit 83 (Amelia Street) and take it to Colonial and turn right. It is at 4404 East Colonial. There is one I noticed in a small strip mall before you get to it but the one I go to is in a building by itself with a dentist office behind it.
 
I love dominican salons but just remember, do your research! just because it is a dominican salon does not mean that it is going to be good, same as just because it is an AA salon it is going to be bad. Go first for rollerset and bloout and ask them to blow out roots only, see if they listen to you, if they follow your instructions, if they are professional,ask if you can bring your products,etc. You are taking care of your hair and don't want to throw what you have accomplished out the window.
see these articles (I think she is a member here)
Relaxed Hair Health: Is your stylist using her powers for good or for evil?

and

Relaxed Hair Health: Minimizing damage from a Dominican Salon blow out
 
I moved to Durham back in June and I was overjoyed when I saw how many Dominican salons there are in the area. I'm from Virginia, and in my part of the state the Dominican salons are VERY new. I discovered them in 2007, when I was transitioning, and used them maybe the first 10 months of my transition. Then, I went about once a month, and now I go about once every three months. I have fine 3c/4a natural hair, and I absolutely LOVE them. Products weight my hair down, and a lot of times a salon will use too much, so I love being able to take my Lacio Lacio and some spray heat protectant, and this is all I need. (Another tip: I usually show up with my hair drenched in oil or deep conditioner.) Since June, I have been to the Dominican salon once (last week), but I went to the one I am familiar with back home since I was there visiting anyway. I am testing the waters with the salons in the Triangle though -- gonna get some recommendations before I just roll up in one.
 
danysedai said:
I love dominican salons but just remember, do your research! just because it is a dominican salon does not mean that it is going to be good, same as just because it is an AA salon it is going to be bad. Go first for rollerset and bloout and ask them to blow out roots only, see if they listen to you, if they follow your instructions, if they are professional,ask if you can bring your products,etc. You are taking care of your hair and don't want to throw what you have accomplished out the window.
see these articles (I think she is a member here)
Relaxed Hair Health: Is your stylist using her powers for good or for evil?

and

Relaxed Hair Health: Minimizing damage from a Dominican Salon blow out
Click to expand...

ITA! I rarely go to any kinda salon nowadays, but when I did, there were only two choices: a specific black salon (for weaves and cuts), and a specific Dominican salon (for washes/ sets only, no blow-outs). If I was stretching, I'd let them blow out the roots ONLY. I have very fine hair too, and I can't play like that.

One thing I like about Dominican salons is that they're comfortable working with textured hair. Black stylists I've been to, if you show up with two weeks of new growth, they're saying you 'need' a touch-up. Domincans can roll anything. I went in there once with 3 months of new growth and she asked me if I even had a perm at all, cuz she didn't think I needed one. And there was no attitude about having to work with it, either. I walked out of there silky and flowing, like she had done a relaxer. Then again, in the interest of full disclosure, she was a 'black' Dominican, so she might have been more familiar with my (4b) texture.
 
I love the bounce and shine I get from the Dominican blow out. Also, I have better retention than with black salons because most of the Dominican stylists I have met are not scissor happy - although I have run across 1 or 2 who were. Lastly, I like not having to wait all day to receive service after I have made an appointment. The convenience of being able to get "in and out" without an appointment is a huge plus for me.

One final point, I have not had spit ends since going to Dominican salons and my hair used to shed really bad - almost in clumps. I have an extremely full head of hair and my former stylists would say things like "with all of this hair who will miss any". I switched to Dominican stylists approximately 8 years ago and have NEVER looked back! I have even vacationed in the DR on multiple occassions and have had my hair styled on the island - lots of fun, no wait and GREAT hair!!!!
 
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Thanks for all the replies. I told them I just wanted a rollerset and wrap. I'll comb it down when I get home. I have been to 2 other places so far for a rollerset and wrap/doobie and I came out looking like HAM both times. I know there are better stylists in this city that can do a decent doobie without me looking like a greasy wrap. I don't want to have to drive 2 hours back to my old place to get my hair done when I want it to look smooth.

I just wish I could get that look on my own at home.
 
You absolutely can have the same look at home. I invested in a good hair dryer (Pibbs) and rollerset once a week, sometimes twice (I'm good at rollersetting). After that I flat iron the roots only as I have not yet bought a hand held dryer to blow out the roots (that's my next step) and then pincurl to get the look that's on my siggy. You can wrap after the rollerset or do a saran wrap. I like the bigger curly/wavy hair so I don't flat iron the whole length of hair.

check out this link for this dominican blogger:
How to do a Dominican Blow Out | Dominican Blowout
 
I live in NYC. Home of the Dominican shops.. LOL.. Deff do your research. Not al Dominican salons are alike. They do use a lot of heat when blowing your hair out. I have realxed 4a/4b hair .. and boy did it get straight..But my hair texture changed from getting the entire length of my hair blown out every week and a half (the stupid things we do in H.S. and college. LOL) Usually they are very inexpensive. Depending on where you go (NYC) you can get a wash n set, blow out, and wrap for $15-25. But cheap prices come along with the territory. alot of the girls in the shop are not certified. out of 8 women in the salon only two of them might be certified, its usually the shampoo girls and the ones that actually set your hair. Also depending on where you go they might use cheap shampoo and rinse out conditioners. I always look at the bottle and try to remember the original smell of the shampoo, just incase they try to fill an expensive empty bottle with something cheap.
But since this is your first time. PLEASE just get a wash and set with a wrap.. WATCH LIKE A HAWK how they blow out hair while you are under the dryer. That way you know who to come back to next time.
 
Ok y'all I'm back from hiatus!:grin: So I'm picking up where I left off.....I went to the Domincan place and they set my hair and then she was supposed to blow the roots out but wound up blowing all of my hair which I didn't like. The results were ok...my hair was straight and shiny but dang that was a lot of heat.
This is a photo before going to the Dominicans: (Sunny's in Raleigh) Since I moved to Raleigh my hair has really been shedding and having some issues.
Beforedominican-1.jpg



This is after the Dominican Salon. Its straight....but that blow dryer was hot and because my hair is so thin its flat and shapeless. I liked it but I didn't like it.
afterdominican-1.jpg


So I went back to the Dominicans and asked that they only rollerset my hair and no heat. Needless to say it was a disaster. She didn't know how to handle my hair without heat. I didn't let her use the blow dryer and walked out looking a mess.....no pictures but take my word for it.

Flustered, I washed my own hair but I just can never get that salon finished look at home. One girl at work finally suggested to me her black stylist(Annointed Hands in Garner). After inspection of her hair, I asked her if the stylist did in fact do the style that she was wearing at the time. She laughed and said yes...so I called and made an appointment.

haircutatsalon-1.jpg


I loved it!! This was a roller wrap with no heat besides the sit under hair dryer. She cut a good bit off but it looked fuller and had shape and body. I admit my hair is difficult to handle...don't know why but it is. It tangles badly and a little more than a littl oil will make it look greasy and blech. Many stylists have tried and failed and not many have succeeded but this lady did a good job with my hair.

For now, I think I will stick with her. She did a really good job...I won't be going back to the Dominicans....:nono:
 
danysedai said:
You absolutely can have the same look at home. I invested in a good hair dryer (Pibbs) and rollerset once a week, sometimes twice (I'm good at rollersetting). After that I flat iron the roots only as I have not yet bought a hand held dryer to blow out the roots (that's my next step) and then pincurl to get the look that's on my siggy. You can wrap after the rollerset or do a saran wrap. I like the bigger curly/wavy hair so I don't flat iron the whole length of hair.

check out this link for this dominican blogger:
How to do a Dominican Blow Out | Dominican Blowout
Click to expand...

Now that I have found a new stylist that can fix my messes I am going to try harder at getting the polished look at home.
 
I went to a dominican salon. I wasn't to impressed, because of the conflict between me and the shampoo girl, my hair came out very bouncy and pretty. However like many mention, Im trying to accomplish the same at home, without paying someone to tear through my hair. Just need a PIBBS and I will be set.
 
I used to go when I lived in the DC area because they were affordable, quick, and there were plenty of them to choose from. My hair always came out fantastic and I personally never felt like the heat was excessive. It was hot under the Pibbs, but the blowdryer was fine. I would sometimes get a rollerset only. They helped me grow my hair to shoulder-length. I only stopped going because I learned how to do them myself, and then I left the DC area :-(

I went to one here in Houston - same fabulous results, but the humidity killed my blowout. I have fine hair, but lots of it and never got heat damage. I do think the Dom salon here in Houston pulled my hair much too hard while detangling, but I was 6 months post-relaxer.
 
Here outside of the Windy City, we have Egyptian salons. I like it because the same stylist does my hair. I am very tender headed and 14 months post relaxer (which does not seem to faze him). He does not tear through my hair when combing it out, very gentle while blowing my hair out, and will gives an excellent trim (meaning he will face me towards the mirror and only takes of what is necessary to clean up my ends). He has very good technique when it come to blowing my hair out therefore he does not have to use a lot of heat to get it straight. I *heart* him.
 
oh - the ones in DC never pulled my hair too hard and my hair never reverted. I've given up on salons since I moved back to Houston due to the humidity. Unless I go back to relaxing bone straight, it's a waste of money.
 
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