Would you go to a white stylist?

[shellyb]

My sister had talked about getting color for awhile. So, for her birthday I planned for her to go to a top salon in Atlanta. This salon had a mixed clientel and also there were black and white stylists. Neither me nor my sister had ever been to this salon, but I had read great reviews about it.
I booked our appointments and my sister's cut and color was going to cost over $200.00. With spending that much money, I wanted to make sure everything was going to be perfect. The stylist that was going to do my sister's hair was considered one of the best color experts in Atlanta (according to the salon and the reviews.) I wanted the best for her birthday, no matter what the cost was. BUT, soon after I booked the appointment my sister started asking questions about the salon....like "Is it a white salon", and "Is the person doing my hair black or white?" Long story short, we got into a big discussion about white people doing black people's hair. I was so shocked to learn that my sister was not cool with a white person doing her hair. She said, "They don't know our hair like we know our hair!" She asked me to ask for a black stylist, which I didn't mind doing. I was just shocked tho, this is 2010! I understand where she is coming from, but at a high end salon I think the stylist are very skilled no matter what race they are. I personally don't discriminate...I just think it depends on the person's experience and their skill.

So, would you refuse to let an expert stylist with great reviews, do your hair just because they are white?

 

[Whimsy]

I'd go to any color stylist. what's important is how well they do my hair.

 

[ceebee3]

When it comes to stylists it's the talent that matters. I wouldn't care if she was green if she knew the difference between a cut and a trim.

Your sister is trippin. I'm sure she knows some Black stylists that suck, she wouldn't continue going to them.

 

[aribell]

I was just shocked tho, this is 2010! I understand where she is coming from, but at a high end salon I think the stylist are very skilled no matter what race they are. I personally don't discriminate...I just think it depends on the person's experience and their skill.

So, would you refuse to let an expert stylist with great reviews, do your hair just because they are white?

The bolded reminds me of a story Oprah told where she went to a white salon and she asked the man if they did "black hair." And his response was, "Oh sure, we do black hair, blonde hair, red hair, all colors." He put a perm on her hair and destroyed it to the point where she had to cut it short and start over.

Anyway, I don't think it's a given that if it's a high-end salon that the stylists have necessarily paid any attention learning about afro-textured hair and its unique needs. I would go to a white stylist, but I would have to specifically ask if they have experience working with black people's hair. (But come to think of it, I don't go to black stylists either. Few people of any color know how to do it well)

 

[Day Dreamer]

When it comes to doing my hair, the color of the stylist is not important. Whai is important is that person's skill and their listening abilities (when I request that something not be done, i expect that my request will be granted.)

 

[Eritreladiee]

No, I wouldn't refuse someone on the basis that they're white. In fact, in my experience the best people who've done my hair were white men. Anyone of any race could do a good job, or could jack up your hair.

 

[Salsarisma]

^^I agree. I would ask if they have experience working with AA hair. However, some of the best color specialist I know are white!

 

[ycj1]

It actually depends! I remember when I was stationed in VA, and I heard about this white hair stylist off base. I was skeptical of course, but I must tell the truth.....this woman was better than any other stylist I've ever encounterd in my life! She was that good! I was only disappointed because I had orders to transfer soon after I started going to her on a regular bases.

But she was definitely top notch!

 

[Spiffy]

I had one for quite awhile. She was the first stylist that taught me about not having to trim as often if I wasn't using direct heat and this was after years of getting my hair "done"; no other stylist had ever told me that.

She texlaxed me, flat ironed me, trimmed me, but she wouldn't color me, she was afraid it would do too much damage. She was all about healthy hair.

 

[shellyb]

I'd go to any color stylist. what's important is how well they do my hair.

Most of my friends think the same thing. They are ok with a black or white stylist when it comes to color. But for a relaxer, it's a whole different story...

 

[tmhuggiebear]

I have to be quit honest... me going to a caucasion stylist would depend on what state my hair is in. Since I am now transitioning to natural I am very peculair about who I go to to get my hair. I think even as a natural I would be skeptical about going to a caucasian stylists. But if i was still all relaxed I would care about race as long as the reviews were good. In fact, the best stylist I've ever been to as a fully relaxed head was a caucasian woman.

 

[mscocoface]

Only if they were recommended and I had seen for myself how they had done hair that was similar to mine. And I would do that with ANY stylist no matter what color they are.

 

[a_shoe_6307]

Yes and I have. The only thing that matters to me is that you are all about healthy hair pratices and are skilled, competent, and talented. Outside of that, I don't worry about the rest.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

I'm my own stylist but if I did go to salons I would only go to someone that was recommended. I have a cousin who's hair was ruined by going to get color at a white salon....whoever they are they need to know what they're doing.

But to keep it fully real, if you have type 4 hair it is the most unique hair type and you have to know what you're doing or risk a significant setback. So I don't fault your cousin for being wary, most likely it's not a hair type they're accustomed to working with.

 

[TCatt86]

Sure I would...I would go to any stylist that's skilled in dealing with highly textured hair.

 

[shellyb]

^^I agree. I would ask if they have experience working with AA hair. However, some of the best color specialist I know are white!

I agree with you...

 

[Enyo]

Yep. I knew a White girl at Aveda that specialized in natural black hair. She loved it.

 

[kyla]

My sister had talked about getting color for awhile. So, for her birthday I planned for her to go to a top salon in Atlanta. This salon had a mixed clientel and also there were black and white stylists. Neither me nor my sister had ever been to this salon, but I had read great reviews about it.
I booked our appointments and my sister's cut and color was going to cost over $200.00. With spending that much money, I wanted to make sure everything was going to be perfect. The stylist that was going to do my sister's hair was considered one of the best color experts in Atlanta (according to the salon and the reviews.) I wanted the best for her birthday, no matter what the cost was. BUT, soon after I booked the appointment my sister started asking questions about the salon....like "Is it a white salon", and "Is the person doing my hair black or white?" Long story short, we got into a big discussion about white people doing black people's hair. I was so shocked to learn that my sister was not cool with a white person doing her hair. She said, "They don't know our hair like we know our hair!" She asked me to ask for a black stylist, which I didn't mind doing. I was just shocked tho, this is 2010! I understand where she is coming from, but at a high end salon I think the stylist are very skilled no matter what race they are. I personally don't discriminate...I just think it depends on the person's experience and their skill.

So, would you refuse to let an expert stylist with great reviews, do your hair just because they are white?

Yes, i would..

 

[BillionaireHopes]

wat? of course if they good at what they do.. color does not matter.

 

[milaydy31]

My best stylist was a white woman. In this salon, there was also a white man who cuted my hair and I was ok with that. My hair start to be damage when I started to go to another salon with a blak woman (so the color doesn't mean nothing).
In my opinion, the only thing that count is her experience. I she is competent why not?

Milaydy

 

[mw138]

My current stylist is white and I love her! She does exactly what I ask and I trust her. The salon is predominantly white (in terms of stylists), but I've seen them not only cut, style and color black people's hair, but I've even seen them apply relaxers.

While getting my hair trimmed, I watched them to see how it turned out. The lady in the chair had gorgeous WL hair and two people actually worked on her. One stylist applied the relaxer and then there was an assistant who helped out and kept an eye on the timer. I was really impressed. They took great care in the application. When it was all finished, the lady's hair looked wonderful!

 

[Hairsofab]

delete.......

 

[***BlessedMom***]

Well discrimination works both ways. We need to stop it if we expect them to.

 

[Diva_Esq]

My stylist is white (married to a black woman) and does black hair (and other races). In my experience, he cuts and colors better than any black stylist I've ever been to. He's not scissor happy...a trim is truly a trim, and his colors are to die for!

 

[danysedai]

Here in my city in Canada, no I wouldn't. But only because they are not used AT ALL to work with our type of hair. There are not many black people here, and about 95 % that I've seen have weaves,braids,wigs or damaged relaxed hair, the rest are naturals with healthy hair and maybe 3 that I've seen with nice healthy relaxed hair. When I've gone to a white salon to have my hair cut they don't even know what a relaxer is. I go to a Kerastase salon(recommended by an LHCF member ) because they have a black stylist and she cut my hair and she is good.However she cannot blow dry at all, at least not to my liking. Maybe it is because at a white salon they are just not used to spending the amount of time that's required for our hair, which takes more than blow drying type 1 or 2 hair.
Back in Cuba though my stylist was a white man, and he was extremely good at rollersetting, relaxing, cutting, coloring and blow drying my hair, he was all about the health of the hair and didn't want to give me highlights even though I wanted to.

So I think it is about the skills of the stylist but also the exposure they've had to our hair.

 

[shellyb]

I have to be quit honest... me going to a caucasion stylist would depend on what state my hair is in. Since I am now transitioning to natural I am very peculair about who I go to to get my hair. I think even as a natural I would be skeptical about going to a caucasian stylists. But if i was still all relaxed I would care about race as long as the reviews were good. In fact, the best stylist I've ever been to as a fully relaxed head was a caucasian woman.

I understand why you may feel that way as a natural, but what if the stylist is experienced in highly textured, natural, afro-type hair....would you still be skeptical then?

I think sometimes all people make judgments based on assumptions and that's what my sister did. If she's gonna judge a person's skills or abilities at least base it on facts!

 

[mariofmagdal]

Yes, if she/he specialized in AA hair.

I used to for several years, I have had female and male, they both were great!

 

[tmhuggiebear]

I understand why you may feel that way as a natural, but what if the stylist is experienced in highly textured, natural, afro-type hair....would you still be skeptical then?

I think sometimes all people make judgments based on assumptions and that's what my sister did. If she's gonna judge a person's skills or abilities at least base it on facts!

If the caucasian stylist in particular had experience doing natural, highly textured hair and I've heard good things about that stylist around the way then i would have no problem going to that stylist.

I agree with you completely though, that people need to judge on facts. It's just ashame that people still strongly believe that afro-american hair is so different from the rest of the world, when its really just all protein.

 

[Aviah]

I think somehow, that I would trust a white stylist a little more. I think because they don't have 1st hand experience with afro hair on their own head, more time and attention MAY go into it. Black stylists may be more likely to think they know it and take more for granted? Obviously I may be wrong.

 

[Uber]

I have been to a white stylist she used to braid my hair real nice....like no other. I don't think colour matters. I didn't know she was white. I picked her number out of the hair magazine and realised she was white when I got there.