Bad experience at Washington DC Salon (Salon Revive): any thoughts?

Hi ladies,

I wanted to tell you about a bad experience I had yesterday at Salon Revive in DC. Now, I'm not the one who would usually put people on blast, but sometimes outrageous events require comment. I struggled with whether I should post this, but after speaking to a couple people who agreed that I was not overreacting, I decided to let my fellow naturalistas know what to expect if they ever go to Salon Revive in DC.

I went to that salon once during my transition before my graduation from law school in May, then again for my big chop in August. The stylist who did my big chop did not do a great job. She left alot of relaxed ends. Yesterday, I decided to go back there to my original stylist from May (who had been away in August when I went for my chop) for a trim. I knew I didn't want to straighten my hair for the trim, and I didn't want to leave the salon with my hair straight. Yodit (my stylist) readily agreed to trim it wet and style it curly. She did both, and when she was done, I had a cute natural afro (I'm 4a-4b about 4-5 inches all around).

This is where the outrageousness ensued. As I was putting on my coat, another stylist, Vonetta, was taking pics of a client whose hair she had just done. The client had natural hair like mine, but Vonetta ended up flat ironing it so that it was straight when she was done. Vonetta, out of the blue, and in front of the whole salon, says to me, "excuse me miss, look at her hair (pointing at the client). Doesn't it look nice?" (knowing look at me). I say, "yah, haha". She says, "she has texture just like yours, but we flat-ironed it, doesn't it look nice? I bet if you flat-ironed yours, it would be longer than hers, why don't you flat iron it?"

Now, at this point, all sorts of feelings are running through me; confusion, shock, anger, and slight embarrassment. Why? well 1) I was not even her client, so it was highly unprofessional for her to comment about her co-worker's client's hair, and 2) I'm not 11, so if I wanted a straight look, I would have asked for a straight look. I'm curious to read what you all think about this, but the message I got loud and clear from her comments was that the only acceptable way to wear natural 4a-4b hair is flat-ironed. Like I said, I don't put people on blast often, and I also don't like confrontation, so I politely said, "thanks, I will flat-iron if and when I want to", gave her a confused look, and walked out.

I was flabbergasted by that incident. I have never gotten such clearly negative comments about my hair from ANYONE, and the fact that the first negative comments I got was from a stylist at a salon that is supposed to cater to natural hair really bothers me. She did not comment when other curly (and white) girls styled their hair curly while I was there, so I'm at a loss as to why she felt it appropriate to comment to me. I was not even her client!

My question to you ladies is, have you had a stylist try to talk you out of wearing your natural hair?

hey, MizzTrini!

I your avator is fierce!!

As for that incident, to me, that was uncalled for. You are good to have dealt with it like that because a crazy chic like me woulda had plenty to say....

I haven't ever had a stylist talk me out of wearing natural hair. Then again, my stylist is a proponent for natural hair. I have even had a random Latin stylist tell me to never perm my hair ever again; she absolutely was in love with my hair.

i really think you need to take this matter up with management of the salon.

dajewel, I love your hair in your avatar as well. I have yet to be able to perfect the updo. I do plan to at least call my stylist, explain the incident, and let her know that it makes me uncomfortable returning to her salon and dropping money for her services if I'm going to get treatment like that from Vonetta.

WOW!!! MizzTriniRi.....I've has SEVERAL stylist ask me, "don't you want to straighten your hair to see how long it is?" I said NO THANK YOU!!! And if I want to straighten my hair, I will when I want too!! When I go home (Beaufort, SC) my family ask me if I have a perm combed through my hair....and how is it so "pretty"....I tell them that I have NO CHEMICALS in my hair!!! It's just ignorance and a form of brainwash...I had a lady ask me if I strighten my hair I would look more professional.....I could go on for days and so sorry to get off topic [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

MizzTriniRi wrote:dajewel, I love your hair in your avatar as well. I have yet to be able to perfect the updo. I do plan to at least call my stylist, explain the incident, and let her know that it makes me uncomfortable returning to her salon and dropping money for her services if I'm going to get treatment like that from Vonetta.

thank you!!! the style is two strand twist bobbypinned to the sides, top and back.

are you searching for natural salons in your area?

MizzTrini, you handled that very well and I think you should let your stylist know about it because that was very rude!

Hey ladies if you are looking for a natural hair salon in your area here is a site: http://salons.treasuredlocks.com/natural-black-hair-care-salons.php

Dag. Like koilsbynature, I've had stylists and others encourage me to straighten my hair or get a tex. Not happening until/unless I'm good and ready. Yeah, let your stylist know. I personally went to Salon Revive, and the experience was okay. I had Yodit's sister that day b/c the only day I could go was Yodit's day off. I wish I had Y. b/c although her sister did not get scissor-happy (thank God), I felt like she was slightly uncomfortable working with my hair. She tried to get me to have it blown out for my trim (no go!), and I decided instead to get a steam treatment. After the treatment, she decided my hair was stretched enough to trim w/o blowing out (um, yeah of course!). I've heard good things about Y. so maybe I'll try her out...whenever I decide to go to the salon again! Pockets be hurtin' after! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

awww misstriniri...I'm so sorry that happened to you. I woulda had to say something to that lady b/c she is dead wrong for putting you on the spot like that (personal pet peeve of mine) and if the tables were reversed she would not like it if someone did that to her. She's just being ignorant. I would understand if you didn't go back. Say something to your stylist and management b/c even though you're not her client b/c of what she said to you it puts the salon in a bad light.

number 1 that dmn stylist was GHETTO!! its such a shame cuz we want to support black folks and keep our money with them to share the wealth and then she turn around n do some ig'nant stuff like that. if i wasnt classy i'd wouldve fired her up but u definitely handled it the correct and classy way so bravo for that. just like chris rock says: i love black folks but i cant stand a ngga! SMH!!

NubieNattyTwn-kisha wrote:number 1 that dmn stylist was GHETTO!! its such a shame cuz we want to support black folks and keep our money with them to share the wealth and then she turn around n do some ig'nant stuff like that. if i wasnt classy i'd wouldve fired her up but u definitely handled it the correct and classy way so bravo for that. just like chris rock says: i love black folks but i cant stand a ngga! SMH!!

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] thank goodness you didnt roll up in there with mizztrini...

Hi Ladies -

Newbie here.

I also go to this salon and Yodit is my stylist. I like the salon and Yodit both a lot. I know Vonetta and I get this wierd vibe from her that seems like she expects that I should be her client so she may have been trying to get you in her chair. Vonetta seems to have a healthy client base but I believe Yodit and her sister may own this salon and well, I'll see if Vonetta still works there when I go back. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

is it possible this was a misunderstanding due to cultural differences?

She disrespected you and your stylist. It seemed like she was saying that your hair did not look nice and your stylist did not do a good job. It's great that you have a stylist that understands you and listens to you. So many stylists want to do their own thing and ignore the fact that you're the one paying them to perform a service that you want...

Hi! I am so sorry you had to deal with that stylist's ignorance. If she is in a salon catering to natural hair, then why would she try to push off straight hair on anyone? Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with wanting to straighten your hair, but it should be a personal choice! Personally, i am loving your hair in your avatar!! I have had a bad experience too, but it was not the same thing. I went to a barbershop ( first mistake) for a trim. I was trying to get a girl there that was natural herself, but she was not in that day. I instead let the guy who had kept my hair trimmed up when i had my relaxer do it and he cut off a good 3 inches of my hair!!! I was so hurt, i cried when i got home. So i feel you on bad hair experiences. Just please know you are beautiful and your hair is gorgeous too . I would def say something to her manager though!

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Someone actually gave me Vonetta's name as a good stylist to go to for handling natural hair. However, I see that she really isn't encouraging of it and I don't like that. How I choose to wear my hair is my choice. If I didn't come in for suggestions, please don't give them.

Epiphany wrote:Hi Ladies -

Newbie here.

I also go to this salon and Yodit is my stylist. I like the salon and Yodit both a lot. I know Vonetta and I get this wierd vibe from her that seems like she expects that I should be her client so she may have been trying to get you in her chair. Vonetta seems to have a healthy client base but I believe Yodit and her sister may own this salon and well, I'll see if Vonetta still works there when I go back. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

That is so weird because I actually got that weird vibe from Vonetta as well the first couple times I went there. She never seemed particularly friendly, and it always seemed like she was surprised I wasn't her client. I like Yodit. She is competent and actually listens to the client. I have never had Vonetta do my hair so I can't comment on her as if she were my stylist, but that experience was definitely enough to ensure that I won't ever try to get in her chair. I probably will try to find another salon, if I do decide to get my hair professionally done in the near future. I like the Aveda Dry Remedy steam treatments, but Aveda product ingredients aren't the best.

I went to this salon once last summer, but I feel like I got a much better (and lot less expensive) service at Giovanni's in Adams Morgan

Let me add (though) that I was going to get my hair straightened, so...take a grain a salt with my opinion

Im glad you posted this incident because honestly I have been in a similar situation....My stylist who convinced me to go natural wanted me to get a relaxer because she wanted me "to be natural for the summer"...I think alot of stylists think straight hair is synonymous with "good hair"....Its sad when your own people are uneducated about their ownselves and hair.....

Let that incident be a catalyst for you to wear your curls in pride, and exude that high quality professionalism as a lawyer and educated black woman!!

I also had a poor experience when I impulsively went to Revive for my BC! I don't remember the stylist's name but from reading other experiences, I think it was also Vonetta.

At first, she tried to persuade me to get a bob hair cut instead (por que????). then refused to completely BC me and left in some relaxed ends. all the while, telling me how easily she could straighten my hair even with no relaxer.

Later, I went to my regular stylist at a different salon for a trim and more shaping and she was appalled at how sloppily cut my hair was. I should never have "cheated" on her. She was super supportive and excited about my transition
and I'm sorry I wasted money and the moment on someone else.

WOW. I literally stumbled across this thread because I was trying to find a salon I had seen on this forum located in laurel, md and so I did a search for salon laurel and this thread came up.

@mizz trini, YOU HAVE NO IDEA how you have validated my feelings. I had been going to Salon Revive for my relaxers for about a year (I went to Tizeta who was amazing). I liked that they used a really mild relaxer like Phyto and was always hair envious of all the naturals around me getting their hair done b/c their hair looked so healthy and thick once flat ironed.

Tizeta tried to talk me into going natural a couple times and I told her "my natural hair wasn't something I could manage" (little did I know I'd be here now).

Anyhoo, I always got a weird vibe from Vonetta as well, but I saw some beautiful styles leaving her chair over that year... so when Tizeta was out of town one day for my relaxer, I decided to give Vonetta a try.

It was the WORST experience and the BEST moment of my hair life. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Vonetta was completely unprofessional. She made comments about how I needed to stop getting relaxers because my hair was thinning and falling out... which although may have been true, she did it in a very harsh way. She kept pushing it and made me feel super uncomfortable and I could just tell she thought my hair looked like crap. Now, my hair probably DID look like crap because it was so unhealthy. I also wanted to cut my hair super short but she wouldn't do it because she said "my face couldn't support that hair cut" (ie. your face is too fat for that cut). And on top of all of this, she then tried to sell me some miracle girdle she sells on the side to hold in all my flabby parts. She pressed every button on me that day and man, I left that salon feeling ugly and fat.

Here's my take on Vonetta. She's got serious talent and she's a hustler. She is always scheming and thinking about how to make that next dollar and to get that next client. Vonetta didn't want me to go natural for the health of my hair per se, she wanted me to go natural because she assumed that I would be addicted to straight hair still so I would have to come in each week for a flat iron and that's more money in her pocket.

I loved Salon Revive. I love Tizeta and I love Hiwot (Yodit's sister and yep, they are the owners). Those are the only two stylists I know and they are extremely professional. But I haven't been back since November and I probably won't be going back. Although Salon Revive has A LOT of natural hair clients, they cater to flat ironing those clients' hair. It's rare to see a lady leave the salon with curly hair. So good for you MizzTrini for doing that!!!

Sorry for the novel, but this thread really hit home!!! Vonetta was rude, classless and unprofessional BUT her stinging words are what jolted me out of my creamy crack days and prompted me to do some research on what going natural would really mean. And thanks to CurlyNikki, other hair blogs and sites, and all the natural hair you tubers... I made the jump and I couldn't be happier.

I thought I was the only one that got the weird vibe from Vonetta. She never did my hair but she never looked really happy to me and Im very keen on the vibes I get from people. I do LOVVE Yodit and Hiwot for my hair trims. Yodit can really cut hair in its natural state and that takes talent. I only go there for great steam treatments and shaping. If I want my hair straightened and trimmed I just go to Salon Essence down the block next to Oooh's and Aah's lol

Hi All,

My name is Rejane and I am proud to say that I have FINALLY signed up for CurlyNikki's forum (don't know why it took me so long). I, too, live in DC and have been a natural all of my life. I, like many of you, were really surprised at how difficult it is to find a salon in DC that can cut natural hair in its curly state! A friend of mine, who has GORGEOUS curly hair, referred me to Salon Revive for she said that Yodit was the only stylist she knew that could shape hair without flat ironing it first. The one complaint that she did have was the fact that Salon Revive's prices had increased significantly and that the salon charges the same rate for a "trim" as they do for a haircut: $65 for Yodit (thought it may vary amoungst the other stylist). I don’t know about you, but having never frequented salons in my youth, I ALWAYS hurt at the amount of money I always end up paying when I leave a salon, and Salon Revive is no exception! I find that I try to space out my appointments as much as possible and even attempt to trim my ends myself! But, alas, the difficulty of getting every strand knot and split end proves too great and I find myself making an appointment….

NOW, I will say that I really appreciate Yodit’s depth of knowledge when it comes the health of one’s hair and her willingness to work with you and what you hope to achieve. I must say that I am NOT a fan of Aveda and think that they are way overpriced, especially for some of the very unnatural ingredients within most of their products.

At the end of the day, I leave Salon Revive feeling that my hair is for the better, but it hasn’t stopped me from searching out another salon that has the same level of expertise with natural curlies, but with hopefully a more reasonable price range??? Please let me know if I am being too unrealistic when it comes to the price of getting one’s hair done. As I said before, I almost never went to the salons and thus my view of what pricing should be is probably wayyy off (after calculating “cut”, shampoo, deep conditioning, and tip I am easily out of $130)…?

Now, on to the topic of Vonetta: I had heard so many great reviews of her on yelp and various other blogs that I decided to go with Vonetta for styling for a ball that I was attending that night. I will completely agree with the other comments and say that most times that I have come across Vonetta, her disposition was a little less inviting, but every time that I have seen her she was always with a client, so I just assumed that she was tired all the time?

SO, my experience with Vonetta was overall very good! She quickly identified that my hair was very porous and proceeded to talk with me about ways that I could improve my hair’s structure (I wet it almost everyday which is probably drying my hair out despite all the moisture, but thats another story). I wanted my hair flat ironed for the event, so Vonetta took time to curl it up in a fashionable style that unfortunately completely unraveled by the time I arrived at the event….wasn’t the result of a bad style merely my hair not taking well to curling and flat ironing..LOL…I must say that I see why Vonetta gets great reviews but I largely suspect that it is from the ladies that either have relaxed hair or prefer their natural hair straight most of the times? Needless to say, not too long after my experience with Vonetta, I had what I call a “bad reaction” to the heat and my hair’s ends felt so incredibly dry that I came back to Yodit with my tail between my legs, had a good portion of it snipped off, and vowed never to flat iron my hair again!

Overall, I do agree that Salon Revive is still one of the few salons that actually offer a naturally curly the option of having her hair done in its natural curly state without having to flat iron it first. With that said, I apologize for the novel and I implore anyone who knows of another salon or stylist who can trim natural hair and for a reasonable price to PLEASE PLEASE share the wealth of information and help all the rest of us out there encourage more salons like Revive to open their doors in DC!

Can’t wait to hear from you all!

Rejane

I've been to Salon Revive a few times and highly reccommend Tizita...I've never gotten my hair straightened or trimmed there. I like the Aveda Dry Remedy Treatment and once about two years ago, one of their student stylists did my hair in this awesome curly style with some Paul Mitchell products.

I'm really sorry to hear about your experience MizzTrini--I've seen Vonetta around and tend to pay attention to her because (I think) she's the only AA stylist they have. I always wondered if she would do my hair better (not that Tizita ever did a poor job!) bc she's "black". Now I'm glad I never acted on my curiosity *whew*!.

Rejane, there's a salon in Laurel called Essentials Beauty Spa. One of the ladies there cut my hair beautifully...unfortunately I didn't ASK for a haircut--just a trim I got over the lost inches because, well, hair grows back and I loved the shape she left me with. They're certainly not cheap (not to my student's budget anyway) but I guess its worth checking out for yourself Good luck and report back if you find some place better!