New York: Dominican Hair Salon Review
Note: The pictures below were provided by Dominican Blowout.com and Beautylogicblog.com
I would like to dedicate this post to Miriam, the Blow Dryer Gangsta! lolll
Ok, so first let me start off by saying that I am a true California chick. I like long, flowing hair… exactly like my Kitty Bradshaw logo! I like my roots to be bone straight, with a very conservative “part on the side” style.
Now, being that I have the hair of Satan … I need someone who is comfortable with a pressing comb to come and perform a miracle. My grade of hair goes allll the wayyyy back to Mother Africa, lolll!
I am giving yall this background story to let yall know I was VERY SKEPTICAL about going to a Dominican Hair Salon.
So, first I cased the joint…. I walked by the store front 2-3 times… taking mental notes of everyone in the shop. Making sure there were other black women in there…. (yes, I am slightly crazy… I don’t like going into places where I am the only black person loll). Once I saw that there were indeed other black women… I came back 2 weeks later, lolll. Shoot, I had to make sure that this was the right place for me. I am very sensitive about my hair… yall just don’t understand. I am sure my female readers can relate!
So, then I started to pester my friends, my roommate, my co-workers about their experiences at the Dominican Hair Salon… they all said, “GO KITTY”!
*sighs* So I went…. yall know I was ready to curse and make a scene if it didn’t go right?! I am sure the Dominicans would of cursed back and put me out on my ass… but none-the-less I was ready for a fight, lmaooooo.
The above pictures were provided courtesy of Dominican Blowout.com and Beautylogicblog.com
I was sooooo nervous! She washed my hair 3 times at my request (I demand clean hair!), then she began to roller set my hair?! Wsup with the roller set?! (I began to frown) *thinkin to self* this is not going to end well *sighs* I have the hair of Satan…. Satan don’t recognize Roller Set… Satan recognizes heat and fire of the “Pressing Comb”!!!!
I was trying to stay open minded! So she rolled me, then she put this “neck protector” on me which I think was the coolest thing. I hate sitting under the dryers, and I hate when the heat burns my neck… but the neck protector made my Hair Dyer experience less unpleasant! 
So the rollers came off…. and I had these big, lush, Shirley Temple Curls!
Kitty Says: Devil, is that you? Since when you start acting right?
I am still doubtful…. the real test will be my edges and roots. Miriam whips out her blow dryer, cracks her knuckles while stretching her neck…. her assistant comes up and squirts water in Miriam’s mouth…. she approached my hair like a prize fighter!
Kitty says: My money, is on my hair…. yall don’t know my hair! Mirium ain’t ready for this mane!!!!!
So Miriam starts her engines… she breaks out her short bristled brush…. and starts going blow drying away.
Kitty says: Damn the blow dryer heat is HOT!
Kitty says: Miriam killed the Devil!!!!
Once Miriam was done… I had angelic hair! It was long, straight, and flowing in the wind like the white girls… I had Jessica Simpson hair! Who knew a blow dryer could do all that?!
Guess what yall? Miriam had me in and out the shop in an hour and a half!
Normally when I go to the black shops, I am doing 4 hours minimum.
I don’t think I would go to Miriam for color, or cut…. but the in between time I would gladly go to her! She charged me $25 (I have a lot of thick, course, hair)…. that was a freaking deal if you ask me! Black shops now of days are charging $60 and up for a wash and curl…. and they no longer care about your hair… they just process you in like cattle. The prices are steadily going up, and the level of service is going down!
Yesterday, I went back for a second time and watched her put a relaxer on a chick with a similar grade of hair to mine. She did a good job. If you are interested in checking her out, here goes:
2360 Fredrick Douglas Blvd.
New York, NY 10027
Tel.: 212.932.3297
Miriam is the manager….
If you are not in the New York area you can find a Dominican Hair Salon in your area here.
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Do not front! Those Dominicans do “black” hair better than any sistuh girl! And you’re right, the urban salons herd yo azz like cattle! That’s why I tend to my own tresses! Hmpf!
I see ya hair fitna blow in the wind. Go head, I see you, I see you! LOL!
After reading this I went to the website and made an appointment for Christmas Eve to get some new hair. I’m currently ‘transitioning’ so hopefully I can be blowing in the wind after Wednesday lol
Kitty… Girl.. i am ALWAYS raving about the Dominican Shops.. they work miracles.. and they are cheap! I love cheap, and you are so right about the time thing… I haven’t went to a black hair salon in years since I discovered the wonder of the doobie shop!!
I don’t know what I did before I found my Dominican salon! They even keep my hair straight in the worst humidity! Love it! And love your blog!
I’ve done Dominicans…too much heat for my hair.
Kitty, your hair is gorgeous! If i weren’t a devout weave wearer i’d go straight to the dominicans.
Hi, I loved your “Dominican Experience” blog, your hair looks great. I just wanted to ask if you felt they used good products at Glamour salon and if you felt the straightness lasted for a bit? Did you ever go back for a relaxer? Thanks so much.
There are many Black Latinos. They aren’t mutually exclusive.
How is the world did I miss this post? You hair looks FABulous! And $25… that is a steal! My stylist charges $45 for a shampoo and style (which is still good by the way). We don’t have Domincan hair salons where I am. But I know where to go when in NY. I am glad that you had a FABexperience there! lol
I have been going to Dominican salons since the 90s when they weren’t so popular. The only thing I don’t like is the fact they rarely speak English and tend to talk about their Black customers in Spanish and can be unfriendly.
I found a nice Dominican salon in Queens called Dazzling Image, I cant do the city trips anymore and you are right the Dominicans do magic with a Blow Dryer and a Brush !!
I’ve lived in NY all my life and I’ve been going to Dominican salons for all of my hair needs. I’ve tried to support my sistahs, but like you said – the $$ are going up and the quality of service is going down. AND my sistahs act like my time is not valuable – this is not a problem I have ever had at a Dominican shop. And my hair has never been in better shape – especially since they DON’T process at the drop of a comb.
I want to support my sistahs, but they have to do better with service, time and price.
I left black salons alone 15 years ago. Sorry they just can’t compete with the price and service of Dominican salons
I truly understand you wanting to spend less time in a salon……..let me ask this question ///////do these dominican stylist do sew-in and fusions fast too?
anyone knows a salon where they do the brasilian strand by strand extensions?
anywhere in queens?
thanks
I don’t like beyonce because she always does bad things , altough i like her voice
That female is just beauitful…
sorry for the typos
Hello Kitty, I am an URBAN/ BLACK hair stylist in the greater Boston area. And I pride myself on quality service. I feel it is unfair and unprofessional for you to stigmatize all black hairstylist in a negative light. I pride myself on being able to get my clients in and out of the salon under 2 hrs tops. Since I've been in this business (14 years under my belt) I've experience other cultures/races of hair stylist who are good & bad stylist. Black, white, Dominican, or whatever. Black stylist are not the only stylist who make you wait in the salons. You also must consider clients who show up for their appointments late or want to add other services to their visits. There are a number of reasons why wait time occurs in the salons. On that note I'm happy to hear that your experience at the Dominican salon was a good one. Glad they are performing as professional cosmetologist and keeping are name as professionals in good standing. Your hair came out fabulous! But please note that they are not the only on time hair stylist out there. I pride myself as being one at all times. Who has reasonable prices. My wash & sets start at $20 and goes up according to hair length. Good, black, and on time stylist do exist and are not into treating you like cattle. I care about my clients and their hair
Thank you
The Stylist Johnson a.k.a. Unisex hair stylist locatedin the greater Boston Mass. area.
Look me up @:
Kings & Kueens Unisex Hair Salon
12 Wyman Street (Stoughton Center)
Stoughton Ma. 02702
781-318-3366
As with any other service there will always be some more outstanding than others. The primary reason we have had to switch to Dominican sisters (who by the way are black and mixed but hey one drop right) …brought to the as slaves by Spaniards) is because they excel in hair maintenance. The standard practice is deep shampoos, extra conditioners, scalp massage, timely service, regular trimming and even depending where you refreshments. As I said this is their STANDARD. It's not for those who want to spend extended wait times, listening to gossip, personal phone calls or even those who need extra pampering with wine etc.
Seems to me that Black Salons have strayed soooo far from hair care that the majority of there services mostly promote extensions. I actually dont see many blacks NOT wearing extensions. So for the rest of us, we go DOMINICAN!
Congratulations on having a reputable salon. Having just returned from another fabulous experience with a new Dominican Salon in my area, it is impossible to deny their NO NONSENSE, PRECISION, TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS/HAIR approach. My new lady took pride in being able to roll me in less than 15 min by exclaiming she could roll in 2 minutes for shorter hair. They are almost like Germans with efficiency.
On the other hand you have African American Salons who have made themselves OBSOLETE simply because they no longer DO hair care. They do however do WEAVE CARE, so for the majority of Blacks in need of WEAVE care they are there. Can't remember the last time I saw a Black without a weave. Your Salon may be one of a dying breed Ms. Johnson, the rest of us have made the switch and its o.k. because really they are sisters too…not their fault they were taken as slaves to the DR!
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I went to a Dominican salon in Harlem about 7 years ago to get a wash and set. My grade of hair is naturally wavy (a tighter wave than what you are probably thinking), so I get relaxers every 6-8 weeks. In my opinion, I don't think the Dominicans are capable of anything different than a traditional Af-Am salon.
First, I haven't used a blow dryer on my hair in almost 8 years. I've been wearing relaxers since age 12 (I'm 38). My hair has never been healthier. It started with my getting wet sets and leaving the blow dryers and irons alone. That, in my opinion, is key. And, you can go curly or straight with a wet set. It is possible. And I've never had to pay $60 for a basic style, no chemicals. I have paid $35-40, and I live on the East Coast.
Anyway, when I went to the Dominican salon, I insisted that they NOT use the blowout, because heat (the dryer) and then more heat and pulling at the root with the brushes they use WILL damage your hair over time. It starts at the ends.
Part 2
I'd rather pay a little more, knowing that my hair is not being subjected to double heat/stressors. If I ever go back to a Dominican salon, I will not let them do the blow out. It's just too damaging. I've seen a number of friends hair break off after several years of the blow out.
Finally, if your stylist isn't respecting your time, you need to find a new stylist. JC Penney has salons in major metro areas with stylists who know how to do relaxed hair. And while I was very skeptical of them, I've gone to them in a pinch (in places where I used to live), and I was pleasantly surprised. They did what I asked them to do in a timely way (of course, don't go on Saturday morning!), it was economical, and I got out in 2 hours.
Kitty, I am looking for a salon for a terrfic cut and color. I have gray hair hat needs to be colored . I am growing the perm out of my hair so I am going natural. any suggestions.
I see you are a great writer so I hope you post a new day by day and i repeat regularly…
Good communication is key in building a solid Client/Barber-Stylist relationship. At all costs man's service and experience to be memorably worry-free. Baltimore Hair Extensions.
BLACK WOMEN ARE SO GULLIBLE!!! Anything new and they are the first fools to follow…sad!!! The dominicans are going to blow your hair right off your head…dummy!! The heat on our fragile hair is way too hot…we are black!!!…not dominican!!! Why are black WOMEN always trying to be something we are not? Stop trying to be white, dominican, or everybody else!!! BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE & STOP THE MADNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love how you said "I had Jessica Simpson hair". So cute! lol
Ditto, Kitty!
I love Dominican Salons as well. I've gone exclusively since I moved to NY in 2001. The best $20 investment EVER!
I moved from Brooklyn to Harlem, and have gone to Sisters Unisex the last 10 years (they have locations in both boroughs).
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This is so cool. I like how you checked out the salon first. You write really well, made me want to go there right away.