Why Are Dominican Hair Salons Becoming So Popular with Black Women?

Here in metro Atlanta, there seems to be a surge in the number of Dominican Beauty salons popping onto the scene. While a steady increase in the Hispanic population dictates a rise in different ethnic businesses in the area, African American women in the city are gravitating to Dominican hair salons for services. Many people from the Dominican Republic often have African ancestry; thus, their stylists tends to have experience with the plethora of hair textures in the black community. But there are apparently quite a few reasons why black women are switching to Dominican salons. Here are a few of them...

Shorter Wait-Time

One pet peeve that many African American women have with visiting hair salons in their community is the wait time. Many patrons will often tell you that in some local black salons, if you're appointment time is 3:00 p.m., you will probably get into the chair at 4 p.m. Then, depending upon your service, you may find yourself lingering under a hood dryer for an extra 45 minutes (after your conditioning treatment). The pockets of lost time in these salons ultimately pad your appointment, with your services not being completely until 7:00 p.m. On the other hand, many patrons of Dominican salons claim that customers are seen right away; in fact, the fast walk-in service appears to have become one of theif biggest trademarks.

Cheaper Services

While most African American salons have become quite expensive in terms of their products and services, Dominican hair salons charge their customers less for some of the same services. For example, women spending $50-$60 for a shampoo, condition, and style often pay half the price when visiting Dominican hair salons. This means that black women have more opportunities to have their tresses professionally cared for. And for many, this also means healthier hair. In these salons, a basic wash and set may cost $20 or less. Hair trims and deep conditioners also cost much less-sometimes about $5 per service.

Hair Treatment

One of the biggest problems plaguing African American women is hair damage. Relaxers, chemical coloring processes, and harsh styling methods have a tendency to ruin the hair shaft. Dominican hair salons have earned a reputation for concentrating on promoting hair health. This is due in part to the extensive collection of styling products that are apparently made with ingredients indigenous to the Caribbean.

Additionally, there is a styling technique called the "doobie", that allows black women to achieve body and bounce in their hair, without harsh chemical relaxers. After washing and conditioning, the process involves setting the hair on big rollers and then sitting under a hood dryer. Once the hair is completely dry, the hair is blow-dried straight with a round brush, and then wrapped around the head. The result is hair that feels light and bouncy with plenty of volume. In fact, some black women have begun relying on these treatments in between relaxer touch-ups. Some have even found that with consistent wrapping of the hair, fewer chemicals (and less heat) are needed.

A lot of black stylists have felt the pinch of Dominican hair salons' newfound popularity-and argue that the heat styling process involved in the "doobie" is just as damaging as some of the procedures in traditional black salons. However, a good number of African American patrons are now repeat customers because of the Dominican stylists' ability to maintain the health of the hair shaft. Couple that with good customer service, and it's not difficult to see why many black customers have made the switch.

SOURCES:

www.yelp.com
www.blackhairmedia.com
www.dominicanhairblog.com
www.thegrio.com