Dominican and Black Hair Salons in the Wall Street Journal

Now you know this is a big deal when the WSJ writes an aritcle, makes and video and does a slideshow about us. I've never gone to a Dominican hair salon but my hair is fragile so I'm not going near anyone that puts me under the dryer, blow dries with a round brush and then flat irons my hair.
WSJ Article
WSJ slideshow

I couldn't agree with you more Muz. I think the whole hair industry would be better off if they started to look take natural hair seriously.

"Many traditional black stylists accuse Dominicans of misrepresenting their services as "natural" because nearly all Dominican salons perform relaxer touch-ups. Traditionalists say the "Dominican blowout" technique can cause severe hair breakage. Both sorts of stylists wash, set hair in rollers and seat customers under big dryers."

Using that much heat can't be good. Much less all the different chemicals. Have you ever gone into a hair salon that didn't wreak of chemical fumes? Personally, all of it stinks.

For a time, when I was still relaxed, I went to a Dominican salon as it was cheaper than the black ones I had been going to. I had a number of Dominican blowouts in my day and the damage they caused is indescribable. It resulted in heat damage and on a couple of occasions, my hair would come out in clumps when my hands got near it. How I didn't become totally bald is a miracle.

If black stylists want to challenge the Dominicans, the answer isn't to copy them or to keep doing the same old, same old. They should offer to do natural hair care at reasonable prices. Perhaps, they'd be leading the way toward more acceptable of the hair that naturally grows out of our scalps.

I saw this article earlier. Very interesting debate!

I've never been to a Dominican salon, so I can't comment but I'll be very interested to see what other curlies say about this...

The 2nd pic in the slideshow shows the stylist with some serious breakage at her nape.. so yah..none for me thanks.

I went to a Dominican salon a few times (about six), and the heat was UNREAL. My scalp hurt and eventually my hair became fried on the ends. I didn't have a relaxer, but they got it so straight you couldn't tell. Never again!

I've gone to a Dominican salon for a blowout multiple times and I love the way my hair looks afterwards. My hair never had a problem reverting back to curls, the heat is not THAT bad imo (people can be dramatic when describing it), plus, it's SUPER cheap. It's usually like 35$ for the entire thing.

I've been several times, and have not experianced any breakage... ( Havent been since ive been transitioning though). I chose to go for economical reasons (20.00 on Mondays and Wed as oposed to my hairdresser $50.00 a visit) but I stoped going after several months because just thinking about all that heat on my scalp I realized couldnt be that healthy for my already brittle from the relaxer hair.... So I dont think its that harmful as a once in a while visit, but I def think once a week or even two can be harmful... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Wow, that salon in the article is not far from me. I've seen it a few times. And the woman, Delshawn Rollins, interviewed is a friend from college.

Anyway, it is very interesting to me that black stylists are complaining about the Dominicans taking away their business. Business is about competition. Some of them just don't get it. It's not about just doing hair. You MUST understand how to run a business and appartently the Dominican salons saw an opportunity and seized upon it. You have to change with the industry. If people can acquire goods/services with similar or even sometimes better quality they will go with the lowest cost each time - hands down. These salon owners need to wake up and figure out how to do things differently and get their clients back.

...Living in NY, Black and Dominican hair salons are everywhere. When my hair was permed from February 2005 to August 2009, I only went to the Dominican hair salons for several reason...a couple reasons were (1) professionalism - when I'm paying my hard-earned money, I'm not trying to spend 15 hrs in your establishment to get a wash-and-set and (2) preventative care - the Dominican salon I went to was fabulous...people would always stop and ask me where did I get my hair done. I'm all for supporting a Black establishment, whether it be natural salon or not, but these are just some standards that must be upheld...when money is involved, I am your CLIENT first and then your SISTA!!!...

@shoco324, that is so true. all day in a salon, who wants to PAY for that.

Ok, didn't like the "black women require a relaxer" part.... no we don't.

I've gotten several Dominican blowouts before, and yeah, the heat is a bit crucial, but bearable. I've never had my hair fall out, but the heat damage was substantial, especially with it being so fine. A front patch of my hair isn't reverting because of my last blowout before my wedding in November...

I have been to the dominican salons a couple of times and I think the most painful experience is the heat from the intense blowdryer. I dont consider myself tender headed but when that heat hit my scalp, I started sweating and tensing up like the first time I got my hair pressed. lol (Like when I was 9 or 10). Regardless if it is extra cheap or not, I couldn't do it anymore because it was down right unbearable.

I've been to the dominicans several times and swore by them becayse of the reasons mentioned...1) they have you in and out in about an hour 2) they blow your hair straight to where you dont need a relaxer....wait for it...wait for it...

I QUIT!!!

When I started to see my daughter hair breaking off (who by the way doesnt and has never had her hair permed) by the hand fulls...i mean actually looking like someone to scissors to her hair and started at the roots...i knew it was time to leave them alone.
And when mine started to do the same...it was a wrap!

I've been natural for 11 months and i've had to cut so much of my hair off because of the damage...so I don't know what kind of hair growth I've actually had.

And as far as price goes...Im not sure where everyone else is from...but there isnt much difference in price between black salons and the dominicans...$3-5 normally.

I just got another inch cut last Friday...so I'll be twisted/braided up for the summer to keep it healthy and let it continue to grow.

i have gone to both dominican and black salons and the reality of it is most dominicans dont really style hair they straighten hair but i mean if you want a mean updo with some designs etc you need to take your happy hips to a black salon point blank...i seriously don't think they are going to drive black salons out of business because some people just are not comfortable in the atmosphere of the dominican salon..ex.the language barrier/salsa y bachata playing in the background..but i just think to each its own but those dominican salon prices are on point though lol

True! Im not a fan of Dominican Hair Salons, never been and DEF not interested in going. Too much heat for me! So ladies, choose your hair care specialist very carefully, and don't take a cheap route unless YOU and your CREATIVITY is the cheap route. But dont sham because the price says, 20.00.. So choose wisely!

Its not just Dominican Hair Salons, and reg stylists that declare they are NHC styling Divas, when they dont know the first thing about hair scalp or hair care!

All they know are, I gotta pay booth rent! But do it yourself sometimes and play around with it, and find your wallet a little heavier these days!

Peace and Honey Mimosa Hair Grease!!!!!

I'm so glad I could share this information with all of you. Like you all said at the end of the day it's about business. It's cool to chat all day in the hair salon but spending the whole day there and being double booked is rude and unprofessional. I'm not knocking Dominican or Black hairstylists. They each do hair differently, but at the end of the day money talks and that's what I wish the article emphasized.

Of course, the article doesn't dwelve into the reason why women of color spend so much money on hair straightening- history of colonization, self-esteem, money, pride, denial, and the list goes on. We could all write books on the things women do to achieve beauty, regardless of skin color or ethnicity. Some might even say that "natural" women take hair care to the extreme. It's just a matter of perspective. I truly believe that if women knew what was in their hair products and understand the long-term effcts, LOTS of companies would go out of business or change their products. Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox and go write about this in my blog. I'll let everyone know when it's done. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]