I'm not a messy person so I will not say what hair salon I went to, I will tell my experience in this salon and why I rather do my own damn hair.
I've only been to five hair salons; if you have been reading my blog then you know some of my hair story. I've seen some shit and heard some shit. I've seen a woman packing her salon equipment while I'm in the car because the Owner called her while she was at home braiding my hair and told her she got 4 hours to get her equipment at her booth. I've had my Mother go rich bitch off, on a stylist who made my hair appointment at Three Thirty and didn't start on my hair until six and finished at three am; oh you don't wanna even imagine my Mother's face when she walked in to bring me food and she just did the forth braid. In high school I went to one shop faithfully I wanna say they were called Praise the Lord Hair Salon, it’s not in business anymore but it was a good salon. I particularly recall when my no good ass boyfriend at the time was cursing and embarrassing me and the owner kicked his ass out I smiled inside. I went to another salon that's no longer in business I believe it was called Diva Styles or Diva Creations something with Diva that's why I went. Everyone there was cool, never any drama always a good time. My hair stayed layed in the creamy crack phase. I've seen good and bad. The salon I won't name this salon in any way shape or form but I will tell you what made me say, I’m not going back to the salon.
I finally made a hair appointment to get my hair cornrowed. I had a little trouble getting there but I got there on time at ten am.
Strike One-When I got there I was told I had to wait an hour because another woman was getting shampooed.
I made an appointment, why the fuck should I wait? With my hair all crazy underneath my scarf and nowhere else to go I said ok. So I sat there for another hour while the owner and three braiders discussed who's gonna do my hair. I understand you have walk-ins but why the hell do you have appointments and you’re not gonna honor them?
One hour later one of the women started to do my hair, she didn't have to wash it she just had to start braiding it.
Strike Two-You have to pay first
SINCE WHEN? I don't even pay for my nails until it’s been filled. Why would I pay first for something I may not like? I did. I'm already here I'm in the chair let's see how far this go. I gave her my money. She then takes off my scarf, and puts her hands in my hair. I know the sound of a pressing comb when I hear one hit the oven. I said, "Are you pressing my hair?"
She said “Yes”
I said “Well I have something in my hair and I don’t know if you can press it with a comb like that”
I told her about my Aveda Realness Journey. Everyone was like it’s a chemical. I’m like, oooook.
She said, "No I'm giving you a light press since your hair is dry and brittle"
I just washed my hair and blow dried it how is it suppose to look? She presses my hair it turns out fine, then the lady whom she just pressed before said "You press good and my hair wasn't even dry good"
"Your hair wasn't dry?" my braider said
"No it wasn't it was still damped I usually sit under the dryer before that" I was happy I washed my own hair because I would've been in jail if she burned my dry brittle damp thickass healthy hair!
The braider pulls out my bag of hair which is Black and Gold, after the irritation with the other hair I went back to black. SO the girl pulls out the hair and says "Ehhhhh, didn't nobody tell you what kind of hair to get?" I’m at the point where I’m like what else could possibly be a motherfuckin problem?
I said "No. Why" I was told to bring my own hair but not what kind.
"This hair don't curl! When I do your ends it won't look right"
I'm gonna pause the story because there is more. I have been braiding my hair since I was sixteen. I have been using black and gold since I was born damn near. SO how the fuck the hair don't curl! Not only did I curl my braids when I did it but got hella compliments when I did so how the hell it don't look right when it curl. Then the other braider who I wished I had because she seemed more professional that the braider I got, she tells her you can make it work. Then the braider says, "I don't wanna braid with this ugly hair" And that was the moment I knew I would never come back to get my hair done by her cause her attitude stank as hell.
STRIKE THREE-The Owner
The thing I didn’t like about the owner is the way she treated the women that were working for her. There were three when I walked in and two when I left. One girl was in the bathroom throwing up she just finished some braids; you could hear her in the bathroom walking in and out. Of course when a woman throws up she gotta be pregnant. The owner goes in about she ain’t got time for her to be sick, she letting three four hundred walk out the door; she needs her to stay and finish two other braids and whomever walks in. Then talks to the one braiding my hair like a child because she suggested she go to the doctor. The owner talking about she don’t want her to be pregnant like she the daddy. I believe the owner should retire. She was mean one minute and a sweetie pie the next. I will admit she braids fast and does nice work on the other girl but I discovered the owner acts like a Mom rather than the Owner of a business and talks to the other women like there her kids rather than employees. I hope the employees one day leave that shop and work in a more organized and stable environment. What really ticked me off and made me not ever wanna come to her shop is the way she reacted to the woman that got sick and was throwing up. She still managed to press the girl hair but went home after. The owner went Ike Turner on the girl and made her finish the press and that girl needed her hair washed again, you could see the dirt coming off her hair as she pressed it. She never once talked to employee in the back or outside and asked her how she was feeling.
The only reason I stayed is because I paid first so I was trapped….lol I should’ve left then and attempted to try my own box braids since my hair is longer. That’s my bad. And the lady getting her hair done in front of me was hilarious she was my Sista Odell. I decided that anything a stylist can do I can do myself. I have to teach myself. I paid money that I could’ve kept and wasted my time in a negative environment. My hair is nice and I do love it but one its not the picture I showed her and the excuses and bs my braider gave made me happy as hell to leave when she was finally done. I didn’t love the experience in the salon I rather do my own hair. I’m using braids to rest my hair right now. Next I want to try a weave or hell just getting my hair done. I have some loyal hair friends in my life and damnit I need to stop playing and get a hook up. I rather go to someone’s house than deal with the salon life drama, egos, and bullshit. And if all fails I will stay at home and do my own damn hair.
