Guille's Dominican Hair Salon
*One of the many discoveries African American women who move to New York have made is Dominican hair salons.
Many African American women swear by Dominican women and their salons so much so, that they have forced Dominicans to move across the country, open their own business and create their own communities outside of the East Coast where they mainly reside.
Many black women point to the affordability of Dominican salons.
In this column from our partner site, MadameNoire, the writer speaks about having to leave these salons as she moves out west.
Check out an excerpt below:
As I plan to make the move from New York City to my hometown in California, there’s one thing I can’t stop agonizing about: no, it’s not the great friends or the subways (that have spared me from anxieties related to car insurance or gas prices) that I’ll miss most. It’s really all about the Dominicans.
You see, they are important to my life. Ever since I moved to New York, the money and time I spend on my hair has been cut in half. By my own definition, that has greatly improved my quality of life. Less stress, less mess.
Read more at MadameNoire.
I don’t see the big hype over these salons. They really have no regards for Black women in the US. All they see is money flowing in their salons, they are very rude and nasty, talk about the customers in Spanish, they use very cheap products and have no real education about black hair so you pay for what you get. I’ll stick with my stylist who gives excellent customer service, best products, promotes healthy hair
I agree that you should continue to go to black salons. Dominicans only talk about their clients if they expect them to work miracles on the wrong hair texture because the hair texture isn’t the same. Ask me how I know?
I agree and ‘never’ patronize their establishments after doing so a few times. Blacks will have to learn the hard way that you ‘do not’ spend your money where you’re disrespected. Notice all their advertisements and photos around their shops are of white looking women. EF ‘em!
I hit the button too soon…and I’m out in a decent time.
$25.00 for a wash and set . . .love black salons but, don’t like the loitering inside and out. . .don’t eat your lunch or watch other folks kids . . . .and lastly, if my appointment is at 10:00 or (“teng”), my ass should be easing in the chair @ 10:00.05. No you CAN’T SQUEEZE La’ Shonteleeka in. With Domies, 90min I’m set, “hello – gooooo’bye
I don’t know where you chicks go but, all of the Dominican hair salons that I have gone to here in NYC over the years have all been great. Very nice personnel, quick work, they take care with your hair, inexpensive and they the quality of products they use is great. Plus, they will use exactly what you ask them to use and do your hair exactly as you ask. Also, the workers are Black people. The only difference is they speak spanish and have that Dominican Republic island way about them if they weren’t born and raised here. I’ve only ever met one Dominican working in a salon that was what we would call indian (as in a native island inhabitant prior to the arrival of blacks and whites). If you run across a snot, it is always the damn owner who thinks she’s better than world now that she has her own business. Only ran across one chick like that thankfully, but I have heard others complain about owners, whereas they love the stylists.
I’m with Nightshift also on the fact that you can’t beat the price and you get in and out in a reasonable amount of time in most of their salons. Black American salons always try to cut off my hair but, will spend three hours trying to put curls in the head of some chick with practically no hair on her damn head. They act like it’ll kill them to wash, condition and set mine so, to hell with them and their $45-75.00 prices. Plus, you can count on being there three hours or more. NOPE!
I do my own hair now but, should I ever wish to go to a salon again, I’ll be going to a Domenican one.
Oh, and I don’t know what chick is talking about where haircuts is concerned because those chicks can cut the hell out of hair. If they don’t cut, they’ll tell you just like any other salon and direct you to who in the salon does actually cut.
It was those of us with long hair that started frequenting the Domenican salons in the first place because most Black Americans salons were too lazy to cater to us. Can’t tell you how many times I had gone into “our” establishments and been made to wait when I had an appointment because someone came in with short hair and they didn’t feel like rolling mine. Oh, and Black Americans talk mad shit about their clients too! Much worse, thank you.
Lastly, many of the salons that have been popping up here in NYC now aren’t actually Domenican but, are Haitian masquerading as Domenican establishments. If you can’t tell the difference, that’s on you. Those chicks above look Haitian and the name of the establishment is suspect too. It’d be a pass for me.
I have natural hair and I like using using the Karmin G3 Salon Pro Styling Iron, I can straighten, curl and create waves with it on my natural hair because the pure ceramic tourmaline plates have rounded edges and heat up to 460F. My hair looks gorgeous!