What’s more liberating than the sweet nostalgia of a woman leaving the salon with her hair “did”? I don’t know about you but for me it’s such a confidence boost. I feel rejuvenated and free. I’ve always been skeptical of beauty schools because let’s face it, it is uncommon for beauty schools and salons to staff anyone that specializes in natural (ethnic) hair.

Well… I gave it a try and I wouldn’t say I regret the experience. However, I will probably never return. Here’s how it went and why I decided to go:

Stressing over finding 15 hours+ out of the week to wash and blow-dry my hair along with re-braiding, I just felt overwhelmed with the lack of time and plans I committed to.

My cousin, who has the same hair texture as I, recommended that I try VC Beauty. Her hair is always silky/straight and they do a fine job on her hair. My beautician moved out of town so why not? (I failed to consider the fact that my cousin often get perms)

I was a little self-conscious with the current state of my hair walking into the salon. After protective styles you have to be very gentle with your curls and kinks. It didn’t help that I had so much product build up that it was slightly matted in sections (this always happens but at least I know how to deal with it). I was out of my element when I walked in. No one looked like me, from the color of my skin to the texture of my hair. The stellar customer service kept me at ease and hopeful.

I was a desperate walk in (too damn lazy to do my own hair, etc.) so I was flexible with whatever service was available. All I went in for was a wash and dry. I was assigned to a male; I believe he was Puerto Rican, maybe? So yes! A brown man doing my hair? Alright, he’ll know how to hook a sista up, right? Just about all male hairdressers are cold with their tools so at this point I am optimistic with what’s to come.

GOOD VIBES 

I sit down, he’s speaking my language and we have great conversation. Before washing I warn him of whats in store for him. He’s confident and telling me “Oh don’t worry! I’ll get-up-in-there.” We agreed that if I wanted to add more heat and have him flat iron my hair, I’ll make a request. He washes my hair and did an AMAZING job. Fast forward to the blow drying, the conversation comes to a halt. Perhaps maybe he’s so focused that he’s in the zone? Hours go by… he’s still blow drying small sections in the back of my hair. I’ve seen five women in and out of the chair. There’s a little girl starring at me the whole time – not sure if she was amazed by the stretching of my hair or if she thought I was a freak show for my sponge-like shrinkage. The hair dresser pushes his next appointment back by an hour. I’m grateful and let him know how much I appreciate his service. I let him know how amazed I was by how gentle he was with my hair and for that very reason, I will definitely return – at least I thought. When he swung me around to the mirror, chile....... I was like “Oh… um… nice, how about we flat iron it… if you have time. I know you pushed your next appointment back so if you can’t don’t worry about it.”

WTF 

I looked like fucking Don King, bitch! I know not everyone can blow dry hair bone straight, especially if they’re rushing. I damn sure wasn’t about to come home to my man with my hair like this nor was I about to walk pass women with their beautifully dyed strawberry blonde hair or with a bomb ass balayage with my hair looking like this! I looked like a damn fool! Can’t get worse than this, right?

He has an assistant flat iron the right side as he flat iron the left. Poor baby had no idea what she was doing. Confusion and fake confidence written all over her face. The hair stylist was making  Zoolander - like facial expressions. Towards the end I must have had this “wtf is these mf's doing” look on my face.

The stylist told the assistant he got it from there because at that point, "they were both just getting in my way." Once my hair was complete, it looked exactly how my hair looks WHEN I blow dry it. I was trying my hardest to fray away from flat irons and I wasted the opportunity on this! The stylist was stretching my hair downward and said.. “Hmp, who would’ve thought your hair was this long.” In my head I hear my conscious saying… “Bitch… get out. Get the fuck out of this establishment before 15th and Meineke puke all over this salon with a vernacular they ain't quite familiar with.” My hair was misquoted to $38 so… that’s what the salon let me pay. Just think, this shit was actually supposed to be more than that, wild. Everyone was like “Oh my God, you look amazing! Your stylist did a great job!”

I CAN'T... I JUST... CAN'T 

At that moment I was over it. By the time I walked to the register, my hair was already getting frizzy! I stared at my receipt – the section where it says… TIP in bold. I didn’t have to but I didn’t want to be that black girl who doesn’t tip… and he did do a great job at de-tangling… The customer service was very welcoming, … The stylist was a sweetheart… So at that point…here… Just take it. "40 DOLLARRSZZZ" is what I spent. I walked back to my car refraining myself from punching the air like Q in Boyz N Da Hood.

A part of me didn’t think it was a big deal, my hair turned out how I expected it to although I was hopeful that it wouldn’t. Then another part of me felt like its 2018. Why aren’t they trying to learn more about black women hair? Bitch, do you not know all the things this $40 could have went to? Up here letting people play in your hair. I suppose this gives me more reasons to support black and brown businesses. Thanks to my following I’ve received a ton of recommendations, Black and Dominican women who specializes in kinky textures. So yeah… can’t say I’ll ever go back.

Results Pictured Below: 

Here's a local beauty who experience runs parallel to mine. The color job was great but the "curling"...? Yeah... the stylist had no idea what she was doing. She mentioned her mother had to go in and speak her mind. After doing so... this is what it looked like. 

I’m currently being creative with my natural hair and experimenting. This experience inspired me to think outside the box. In the photo I'm wearing a curly faux pony I created and two braids on the side. I chose to go with a faux pony so I wouldn't have to put more heat on my hair. Super simple for the humidity in Wisconsin.