For Some Women, Dominican Is The New Black In Terms Of Hair Salons

11 Nov 2009 | 16:13

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Jennifer Drew's life took a turn for the wondrous after a visit to the Dominican Republic, where she was first introduced to Dominican hair salons. These salons specialize in dealing with heavily textured hair, often leaving tightly-wound ringlets straight and smooth after blow drying with the aid of a round brush and without the use of harsh chemical relaxers commonly used in the U.S. The experience inspired her to start RoundBrushHair.com, a site devoted to helping black women locate U.S. salons specializing in Dominican hair treatment techniques.

In fact, Drew's website is the very first Google result for "Dominican hair salon." However, while many customers are pleased with Drew's efforts and with finding a new salon treatment that works for them, some U.S. black hair salon owners are less than tickled by the fact that black women (presumably not of Dominican origin) make up 95% of Dominican salons' clientele - in other words, they're not happy to see their client base drifting away. Says Maryland salon owner Deborah Wiggs:

What's cheaper is not always better. Their hair is a different texture than ours. You've got a brush with bristles close together and you're ripping through the hair. It's damaging, especially for women with chemically-treated hair.

Brake.

What? Are black women from the Dominican Republic somehow built differently than black women in the U.S? Maybe our ignorance is on display here, but we figured black women's hair came in a variety of textures and thicknesses, regardless of their country of origin.

What is troubling to us about about Wiggs' reaction was the "us" versus "them" tone it seemed to take, as if this is a war where each faction is armed with a blow dryer. A less sophisticated blogger might even be tempted to call the issue hair raising. But that would blow. As well as detract from the root of the issue. (Enough. Stopping now.)

A quick look through various sites and message boards devoted to discussions on Dominican salons show that, despite Wiggs' claim that repeated visits to Dominican salons cause hair to break or fall out, most clients are happy with the results and with the low price tag that come with such treatments. And there are, of course, some extra perks depending on where you go. Says "Josie:"

I've been going to a Dominican woman who works out of her home for 8 years. Not only do I get a head full of bouncy hair with lots of body and shine, I get a plate of chicken, rice & beans and salad!!

Jealous.

The discussion around these salons also features a topic we've touched upon before on this site - the concept of "pelo malo." According to one site devoted to discussions about beauty treatments:

In the Dominican Republic, people often refer to pelo malo (“bad hair”) and pelo bueno (“good hair”). Sometimes Americans are upset when they hear these terms, because it seems like people who are more Black or African have “bad hair” and those who are more White or Indian (indigenous) have “good hair”, and therefore it is bad to be African. But a person's race is not so important in the Dominican Republic as it is in the United States; it's just a feature, just part of your look. Almost every Dominican is a mixture, and almost every Dominican has textured hair. To us, “good hair” is hair that is manageable, because we like to change our look, and our hair style is a big part of our look. With “bad hair”, there are simply less styling options and freedom of choice. And that is why Dominican women spend so much time in the salon. Think of it like this: When a Dominicana saystengo el pelo malo it's like when an American woman says “I'm having a Bad Hair day!”

Will we someday see "black salons" in the U.S. incorporate Dominican hair care techniques? Will the choice in hair care treatments eventually work to bring black women - Latina and otherwise - together, or create tension? We'll see, we guess.

Women say 'adios' to black hair salons in favor of Dominicans [Grio]

What do you think?

LOL
CHISPAS
AY DIOS MIO
QUE CUTE
NERDO
NACO
CURSI
QUE COOL

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beauty, black, culture, dominican republic, hair, salons

Comments

bananajuana1 November 11, 2009

oh wow
Reply

BornAgainChicano November 11, 2009

This is the most interesting thing you've had on your site for a while. Ironically, I could give two shits about hairstyles, but it's a very interesting look at cultural adaptation and counter-reactions.
Reply

Guest November 11, 2009

How long have you been living in New York? Dominican hair salons have been a "thing" now for many years. They are heavily patronized by African-American women, to the chagrin of Black salon owners. The discussion of "pelo bueno" and "pelo malo" quoted above really simplifies the really complicated world of Dominican racial politics. I'm Dominican, and I would never say that the term "pelo malo" is as inane as that you're having a "bad hair day". Having "pelo malo" is a permanent condition, something that needs to be constantly addressed in order to appear presentable in society. Americans almost never get the discussion of Dominican racial politics right, and this interpretation paints an uncharacteristically rosy picture that doesn't acknowledge any racial bias. It wasn't until I moved to the US right before High School that I really understood a lot of the racial aspects undercutting Dominican beauty ideals. Although a large segment of the population has what Americans would refer to as "nappy", "kinky" or heavily Afro-textured hair, Dominicans almost never sport "African" or ethnic hair styles you see in the US, like braids or cornrows (at least not as adults). And you never, ever see women with natural, un-styled hair or with dreadlocks. The more European beauty ideal of "long, flowing hair" always prevails, and that keeps a lot salons in business. Anyway, to my decidedly biased eyes, the main difference between Dominican salons and their African American counterparts lies in the Dominicans' reliance on heat styling in lieu of chemical relaxers and other harsh techniques. The women at the Black hair salons are constantly using harsh chemical relaxers in conjuction with all sorts of straightening/curling irons, a combination that is extremely damaging. Even the salons here in the city have those hot shelf "stoves" heating marcel irons. That can't be good on anyone's hair.
Reply

Guest November 11, 2009

Bah, another long comment... "What is troubling to us about about WiggsO reaction was the OusO versus OthemO tone it seemed to take, as if this is a war where each faction is armed with a blow dryer." There has always been a high degree of animosity between the Dominican and African-American communities, at least in New York, and that is definitely reflected in the hair salon rivalry. American Blacks take umbrage at the Dominican's diverse racial self-characterization and their unwillingness to call themselves "Black". Is there really a big difference in the racial phenotypes of Black Americans and Black Dominican immigrants? Probably not. But what you do have is a very big cultural difference that is not often acknowledged by Americans and their harsh racial binaries.
Reply

Alex Alvarez November 11, 2009

What is common or popular in New York, I've found, is not necessarily common or popular in the rest of the country. Or even in all of New York, for that matter. I've never visited a Dominican salon (Or any in the city for that matter. I can't afford salons and cut my own hair.) and probably won't ever, since my hair texture is catered to in most mainstream beauty parlors anyway. The article on U.S. black women and Dominican salons was brought to my attention today, and that's why today is the day I wrote a post about it.
Reply

Guest November 11, 2009

Oh, I'm not trying to be rude or anything. I'm not sure I came accross correctly. Just making an observation!
Reply

Alex Alvarez November 11, 2009

No worries! I didn't think you came across as rude. I'm neither black or Dominican and just wanted to state that, you know, I'm presenting this from the perspective of someone that's outside of the discussion looking in. That said: I've seen enough women with straight and wavy hair also ruin it completely with excessive blow drying at Cuban-run salons in Miami, too. Step away from the heat, ladypeople.
Reply

cubexican November 13, 2009

Ha! And here I thought my Cuban hair salon in Miami was the only one that served everyone pastelitos and cafecito with their blowouts.
Reply