The Pros and Cons of Going to a Dominican Hair Salon

Many African-American women are quite familiar with the harrowing process of finding (and keeping) a good hairdresser. As a result, many black women are turning to Dominican hair salons. Known primarily for their "doobie" hair styling process and relatively quick service, Dominican salons have been accused of "stealing" customers from traditional black hair salons. I recently visited a local Dominican hair salon and observed some pretty interesting things. As with any service of this nature, your experience will greatly depend upon the establishment you choose. But here are some things you might want to consider.

Pro: Cheaper prices than typical "mainstream" salons.

Another reason why black women have grown particularly fond of Dominican salons is the prices, which are often considerably cheaper than those in many African American salons. Chemical relaxing treatments, conditioners, haircuts, and simple styles quite often have lower prices. This observation continues to baffle customers, especially considering that many of the products are comparable to one another. The lower prices make it easier for black women to visit the salon more frequently, thus improving the health of the hair.

(Potential) Con: The atmosphere can feel "too casual" for some.

You may find that the climate and staff at Dominican hair salons are a bit more "casual" than in some businesses. For some customers, this translates into a lack of professionalism. For others, the homey feel and friendly technicians are perfect for the hair styling experience. Of course the atmosphere definitely depends upon the salon you choose. Though many of the practices are the same, no two Dominican salons are exactly alike. In short, if you're looking for identically stylists dressed in chic black, futuristic furnishings, and complimentary lattes, you might want to seek hair styling services elsewhere.

Pro: Wait/service times are faster in general.

Sure, there are certainly African-American salons that are mindful of clients' time. But I found that my 2pm appointment meant just that. I was immediately taken to a chair to be seen by a stylist (as opposed to waiting for the hairdresser to finish up with two or three other clients.) Additionally, the ladies at the salon worked expeditiously, leaving no "gaps" between treatments that would have otherwise sucked up my entire afternoon.

(Potential) Con: The language barrier.

Obviously, for the most part, employees in Dominican salons speak a great deal of Spanish, even though most are bilingual. So, if you don't speak it or understand it, you may feel a bit uncomfortable. On the other hand, you will also encounter similar results when patronizing businesses where the staff is primarily Asian (such as in some nail salons)-or African braiding establishments (where many of the women speak a combination of Patois, Creole, and French-amongst other dialects.

Pro: The Infamous "Doobie"

The "doobie" (a derivative of its original name "tubi") is a process for straightening hair that yields results quite comparable to a chemical relaxer. The name "tubi" comes from the tube-like wrapping process involved in creating luscious bouncy hair. Many African-American women are opting to straighten their hair with the Dominican "doobie" in lieu of adding chemical straighteners to their hair. The doobie process involves a wash and deep condition, then a roller set (on huge rollers.) The client is then placed under a hood dryer for about 45 minutes. After the rollers are removed, the hair is then blow-dried under high heat with a round brush that pulls hair straight from the roots. The results are similar on both natural and chemically relaxed hair-one reason why black women are flocking to Dominican salons to have the treatment done.

Con: The "Doobie" process can be uncomfortable.

Let the record show that extreme heat is a major component of the "doobie" hair styling process. If you've got a tender scalp, or are extremely sensitive to higher heat levels, then you will definitely have to determine whether the results are worth the scorching blasts from high-powered blow dryers. Additionally, some women claim that the intense heat had the opposite effect, in that it damaged their tresses. It should be noted that heat and hair have been long-time "enemies." But Dominican salons are also noted for the assortment of products designed specifically to seal the hair shaft and protect hair from heat. But if you're still antsy about the amount of heat used, be aware that the "doobie" is designed to last for weeks (with proper upkeep.) So ultimately, there should be no need for you to continue applying heat once you've left the salon.

SOURCES:

www.thegrio.com
www.yelp.com
www.dominicanhaircare.com