"Black" Hair @ "White" Hair Salons
 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050529/...d_s_salon_bias



Questions:

1. Have you ever had your hair styled at a salon not "black owned" (Dillard's, JC Penney's, Fantastic Sams, etc)?
2. Did you notice a difference in price among Af Am and non-Af Am patrons?

I've had my hair done by a non-black at a non-black salon before. Now granted, it wasn't at a "chain non-black salon" (ie JC Penney, Super Cuts, etc.) but it was the salon of a nationally known stylist who had done black hair before.

From conversations with other non-blacks that went there, I know that he didn't overcharge me - he's just expensive all around.

Now I have heard of JC Penney salon charging blacks more. This happened to my sister when she went there for a wash/style (her hair was relaxed) and they charged her $65 but the sign said that the same service was on sale for $40.

Re: "Black" Hair @ "White" Hair Salons
 

Many years ago, I got my hair cut at a "white" hair salon. It came out ok; however, my hair was done by an AA so I'm not sure if that made the difference. I'm a little leery about letting someone put a relaxer on my hair if that person has not ever known what's it's like to have that experience on his/her own head (assuming that my hairdressers have relaxers and not presses).

Re: "Black" Hair @ "White" Hair Salons
 

When I was in college I went to JC Penney. Yes, it was more expensive, but well worth it. Towards the end of my time there, JC Penney went up in price and they eliminated the free cut with the relaxer. Now I don't mind going because I can tell you horror stories about the hair styling problems. They have great products and will do my hair the way I like it.

Re: Re: "Black" Hair @ "White" Hair Salons
 

What she said! When I was back in VA I used to have a white dude who did my hair and honey, the man used to hook me up! (He came highly regarded, because otherwise he would NOT have touched my hair). I have had some hair horror stories. I am NOT going to be someone's guinea pig...been there and done that! Glad I am not getting my hair relaxed anymore.

Funny thing. When Mr. 1228 and I were starting to date, I went to visit him in Vancouver. He was like, "I hope you can find someone to do your hair." (He has had a crash course in sistah hair 101). Sistermadly also gave me some names of hair folx!

When I moved, I tried a few other braiders. North of Seattle they charge a fortune...because they can. Mr. 1228 finally broke down and said, "Go back to your girl in Seattle."

Worth the 2 hour drive each way :)

In high school I went to a white salon called "Bubbles" that my mothers friend referred me to. It was a black lady who did my hair however the relaxer she put in my hair did not even take to my hair. She kept wondering why the relaxer couldn't take to my hair....I'm like " these products aint meant for black hair"...:rolleyes: yet I was charged 80 bucks.

I have been to a couple of white salons and I have noticed some disparity. However, I attributed this to the way these salons bundle their services. A hair cut at a white salon is just that a hair cut.

Here's an example:
A white person could walk into a salon with a head of dirty hair and get a 10 minute cut and go on about their business. Or, they could get their hair washed and cut and go on their way. However, I would HAVE to get a wash, cut, and style which is typically charged as 3 seperate services. Therefore, while it is true that a cut cost $8.99, I would pay $8.99 for the cut, $15.99 for the wash, and anywhere from $20-40 for the style depending on the experience level of the stylist doing my hair. Many afam stylists have abandoned the wet cut for black hair, in favor of the dry cut after hair has been wrapped and dried. This is espeically true when dealing with a precision cut short style. While many white stylists only offer wet cuts, because caucasian hair cuts better when wet.

Because of this system of pricing, I refuse to go to the Chain Salons even if the stylist is Afam. The indiviual charges and the various policies for how services are to be offered makes it more difficult to get out without paying a grip for so-so work.

I guess since white folks don't go to the salon faithfully, they try to fleece them when they do :-)

I had my hair cut @ Super Cuts once. It was only $13 which was a lot cheaper than the $45-$50 at Black owned salons.

I've gone to Aveda Institute to get my hair cut. The student stylist did a great job on my hair, and even put me in her "book". But other than that one experience, I've never gone to a non-black stylist or salon. I've become pretty savvy with my own hair( relaxers, dyeing, etc.), and if I mess it up, I can just blame myself instead of a stylist who messed up. And its cheaper.:D

I have had my hair done at the Walmart's salon. They charge for everything, like a wash and wrap is $15 and a roller set is $10, so if you what a roller wrap they charge $25, which is still a little less then the local "Black" salons. Walmart only charges $25 for a relaxer, but they also charge for the wrap after or for it to be curled.

Hayle, my sister works at a "white" salon (actually owned by a Latino, but most of the clientele, including her hair color folks, are Caucasian). Since I get my stuff free, I can't talk about price differences.

When not in San Diego, I have decided to go back to the beauty school in Long Beach. For $20, I get a wash, conditioner, pressing comb and flatiron. I was paying between $35 and $45 for this at a couple of salons in SoCal before I started wearing Quick Weaves/ponytails.

Walmart??!!

Ok, see, Walmart is trying to sell EVERYTHING ... including haircare now!!! But really, are these super Walmarts that have the salons? I don't think that I have ever seen this before. I'm not going to lie. Although I would be as embarrased as all get out if someone saw me going in Walmart to get my hair done, I might have to try it for a $25 wrap and a $25 + wrap cost relaxer. That relaxer is *still* going to be less than the 65 plus I pay!

SC

Sorors, that is my answer!
Walmart and beauty schools. LOL... but I'm serious. :)

SC

Beauty schools are useful but you have to be an informed consumer. ;) I will ALWAYS watch what a student does with me, and I'm pretty specific. Fortunately, the school I go to knows me and they won't put me with a student who isn't skilled with the hot comb and flatiron -- they still use the heater ones rather than the Chi and the like.

I will never EVER go to a beauty school to get my hair done again. When I lost my job 2 years ago, I started because it was much cheaper than my current hairstylist. Well cheaper doesn't mean quality.....a lesson I have learned. My hair started to shed real bad after a while and got really dry. The thing is, they are not going to tell you if you need a deep conditioner, etc. etc. You have to be keen on stuff like that.

I have since returned to my stylist and she was pissed at me. Its much more healthier now but not as healthy as it was before I started going there.

I've been to numerous salons... Supercuts, washed my hair and cut it.

I went to a salon where only Asians work and go, they did a really nice job on my cut...

I've been to the "falluntin'" AA shops were a relaxer is $80+ without style...

I think in the manufacturing business, more and more folks of different ethnicities want to get into doing various textures of hair--especially AA women's...

The best guy I had was this cute blonde haired, blue eyed dude (had a different preferences :rolleyes: )... He did a wonderful job during his internship and loveded doing AA women's hair... But his boyfriend tole him ain't no way a sistah is gonna let you do her hair... I'da tole him differently...

Then I had both the Clairol and Joice reps want to try to do my hair. 1 was for color, the other watched and said she could do the chem treatments...

Right now, I go to JC Penney's. But I will see my aunt in Vegas to do my hair in a heartbeat...

I've gone to Walmart and they young lady who did my hair did a GREAT JOB!!! I went back and she was gone.

Soror, I am all about saving money so I will *definitely* look into Walmart! I can believe that someone may do a good job. I don't see why a Walmart hairdresser would be any less competent than a hairdresser at a salon-only business loc.

I started to go to JCpenney's in Greensboro in the Spring of my sophomore year, just because the quality and the style of my hair had gone down dramatically from the AA stylists I used in town. When I called to make my first appointment, I asked for an experienced stylist for AA hair. They said-" which one" we have a lot of them!" The whole salon there is full of great AA stylists. The trick with JCpenney's is the stylist levels like master stylist or just hair designer, i think. The masters usually know what they are doing. So right now I pay $25 for a wash/set/trim and $45 for a relaxer. I love my hairstylist there because she has made my hair really healthy and now I have that cute cut that you all saw in my post-MIP pics. She actually just opened up her own shop so I hop the prices don't go up to much! So no, I haven't experienced any racial bias there.

On the other hand...
I'm in Portland, OR doing an internship this summer and i really needed to get my hair done. I was referred to this AA salon by a soror here who has long hair that I think is probably easy to do just because she gets its flatironed and blowdried. I don't think the woman was too skilled in short cuts because she almost didn't even give me a line and when she did them on the sides, she didn't brush down my hair. She also curled my short hair with way too big curlers and it looked like a mushroom! Anyway, i didn't want to cause any commotion and make the soror who sent her to me upset, so I told her thanks and took her card. That wash cost me $35!!! I was so mad that I went to the beauty supply store to get some stuff to do it over with when I got home.
If that happens with washes, i'm afraid to get a relaxer!:(

ROFLAMO!!!

I have not seen or heard of the mushroom in YEARS!!!!!

Re: "Black" Hair @ "White" Hair Salons
 

Here is an update on the bias at Dillard's. I heard it on the news this morning. I have had my hair done at JC Penney's or was it Sears but it was by a Black stylist except one time. :eek: :o I left looking like I had a retarded jheri curl, LMAO

http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2006/4/emw370227.htm

Excerpt

Former Dillard's Hair Stylists Allege Discriminatory Practices at Beauty Salons; Lawsuit Claiming "Wash & Set" Prices Higher for Black Customers Verified

Dillard's Department Store faces another class action law suit-- this time for racial discrimination in their beauty salons. Discriminatory practices alleged by former hair stylists from Dillard's in sworn affidavits.

Birmingham, AL (PRWEB) April 11, 2006 -- The Dillard’s department store chain is the defendant in a federal class action lawsuit that was filed in April 2005, alleging racial discrimination and deceptive sales practices relating to the marketing and sale of beauty salon services. Dillard’s continues to deny these charges, but several former hairstylists from Dillard’s salons in Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee and Georgia confirm the racist practices alleged by plaintiffs. Unbelievably, Dillard’s has responded with sworn declarations which contain racist and inflammatory statements from its own current stylists.

One of the most offensive positions taken by Dillard’s is Dillard’s contention that the hair of African-Americans is dirtier than the hair of Caucasians. In a recent court filing, a current stylist from Dillard’s Jackson, MS salon where Plaintiff Artis Smith received services stated: “ I cannot shampoo an African-American customer in the same time as I can a Caucasian customer. It may take two or three shampoo applications to get the typical African-American customer’s hair clean but it may take less for Caucasian hair.”

Other current Dillard’s stylists have submitted written declarations to the court which contain statements such as “ethnic hair is harder to handle, coarser and breaks more easily.” This statement comes from a stylist at Dillard’s Madison Square Mall location in Huntsville, Alabama, where Plaintiff Sandra Moody experienced discrimination. Another current stylist from that same salon says “ In my experience, the hair of African-American customers takes longer to do. Also, more heat is needed to get it straight. I have found that the hair is more fragile and breakage is more likely to occur.” A Dillard’s stylist from Florence, AL states “I understand [ethnic hair to mean African-American hair, usually difficult to work with and tending to be dry, coarse and frizzy.” Such sweeping stereotypes assume that all African-Americans have the same type and texture of hair.

Debbie Deavers Sturdivant experienced racial discrimination at the Dillard’s Salon in Tuscaloosa (AL) when she visited the salon for a wash & set; Vaughan Thomas experienced the same treatment in the Montgomery Dillard’s Salon and recorded her conversation with the stylists. Patrick Cooper, an attorney for the plaintiffs, urges any former or current Dillard's hair stylists who have knowledge of Dillard's discriminatory practices to contact him at 205-254-1089.

The original class action lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court in the Northern District of Alabama by Debbie Deavers Sturdivant, a Springville, AL resident. The civil action [CV-05-TMP-0305-W states, “Following a policy imposed by Dillard’s management, Dillard’s salons have charged significantly more for the same salon services for African American customers than for Caucasian customers. . . Dillard’s has profited from this discriminatory and illegal pricing scheme, while intentionally concealing it from the public.”

Wow, that Dillard's case is pretty awful, to insinuate that Black hair is more dirtier than white hair! Shameful! but then there have been numerous cases against Dillards for discrimination!

Years ago I got my hair cut at a white chain salon, I was
desperate for a cut and the other Black salons were pretty busy but the cost of the cut was much cheaper. I couldn't live that one down- going to a white salon -as my boyfriend at the time- family members were barbers and beauticians

When I was addicted to the "creamy crack" I used to go to a caucasian salon. The woman who owned it was white but she was trained at Dudley's. Of course homegirl had to pass a quiz before she could touch my head but she said she was used to that from first time black clients. This woman could hook as sista up!!! I stopped going to her later on but for reasons unrelated to her skills on hooking up my hair.

LMAO at creamy crack. I'm still addicted, gettin the buttas whipped Thursday at 1pm :D

Anyhoo, I went to this random, random, random place in college one time to get my eyebrows done. I was desperate!! Well the guy that did them was white and I'm not sure how we got on the subject of black hair care but he was telling me how he could do black hair and of course I was like :rolleyes: Why did this fool whip out a book w/pics, all of them black women who got their hair done by him :confused: I mean what did he want me too say, 'nice job?' LOL He seemed to thirsty, I would have never let him touch my hair!

I actually go to a Dominican-owned salon here in Richmond and they do a decent job. They just burn the h*ll out of your scalp when blowing it dry (after you sit under the dryer). They are quick and inexpensive.

I have been to many salons -both "Caucasian" and "Black". I get my hair done by a Lebanese chick in a "caucasian" salon. She can blowdry the hell out of my hair.

I once had a racist experience at a white salon down the street. The receptionist had the nerve to tell me "they dont do my kind of hair". After I made her explain, she said she assumed that I use relaxers in my hair (as if my hair could not be like that naturally) and it would get in the way of getting colour in my hair. Never went back to that salon (it was one of those cheap chain salons).

Yeah, I would have kicked them to the curb too. Because even if your hair was relaxed, it can still be colored without damage IF the colorist/stylist knows what they're doing.

Right!