What… you don't get your hair done every 2 weeks?

[levette]

I am just repeating what I have been hearing for the past few weeks here and there by other black coworkers who have relaxed hair or the black males who are shelling out money to get their so hair done. I don't know if this a strong southern thing or what. When I wear my hair flat-ironed and its bouncing in the wind they assume I must of got my hair done. When I reveal to them that I did it myself the questions start flying? You mean you wash your hair ? I'm like yes… then I hear things such as: "I pamper myself and get my hair done to keep it up… or my man pays for me to keep my hair looking good…. or why don't you go and get your hair done…. When I then tell them that I used to go just every 3 months for a relaxer… the blank stares would follow…and crickets would chirp . do you experience the same thing?. it's almost like they feel sorry for me or I must be too broke because I am not giving my money to some stylist so it can remain short, cut into some style, (usually the mom bob) or weaved up or, itchy until I get it washed for the next 2 weeks. If you are a 2 week salon customer I hope I didn't offend you.

 

[SuchaLady]

I know the general consensus on LHCF is to run far, far away from from hairstylists but the reality is that a lot of people still have stylists and visit them regularly.

 

[curlicarib]

I've been natural my whole life. I've always done my own hair. In the beginning of our relationship, SO was always offering to pay for me to get my hair done. Finally I asked him if my hair was looking bad? He laughed and said no, in fact, it always looks great. He's a big brother to four little sisters and he told me that his sisters were always asking his father for money to get their hair done and he thought that that was what all women did. Lol! I smiled and told him that he's welcomed to pay for my products.

He rues the day I found LHCF.

 

[BostonMaria]

I live in the burbs and there are no Dominican or AA salons anywhere in sight so no salon visits for me. The 3 times I went this year caused some heat damage. So to ME it's important to do my own hair. I enjoy doing my hair.

What I don't understand is how someone can rely 100% on a stylist to the point where they don't know how to wash & style their own hair. That's just ridiculous.

 

[levette]

One of my black male coworkers told me that he give his girlfriend about $70 every 2weeks like clockwork to keep her hair and nails looking good.. he don't want her to be tore up he said. She never washes her own hair and he keeps her fake nails up. He also doesn't believe that I do my own hair.. he thinks I am wearing a good weave or wig … I even showed him my scalp and in his mind.. black women cannot possibly have hair that looks laid unless it's fake… or they went to the hair salon to get it done. it's almost mind-boggling..

 

[Prettymetty]

I go to the salon every other month. I wash, dc and maintain my own hair for the most part. I would like to start getting it done more, but I never really have the time.

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

I don't like salons. Or, I haven't found the right one. However, if we calc'd the price of my PJ'ism and my labor, I would spend about $30 a week.

Are just talking about hair? because I do pay for facials and massages on a regular..

 

[Lilmama1011]

Yeah that's how my cousins were when they asked do I do my own hair. "You can go to the salon and just get pampered, get a wash and set or flat iron" . I took it as my hair looked bad. But I actually enjoy my hair and would be very paranoid at a salon. Everyone just rips through their hair and have no respect for hair. No one will be doing that to my thick hair

 

[Anaisin]

Yeah most still go to the salon every week or so. Most don't know how to even wash their hair, when they do, they don't even use conditioner lol. Then the just blow dry it and the sound is so cringeworthy. But anyway yeah folks look at me like I'm crazy when I say I don't go to salons.

 

[levette]

Yeah most still go to the salon every week or so. Most don't know how to even wash their hair, when they do, they don't even use conditioner lol. Then the just blow dry it and the sound is so cringeworthy. But anyway yeah folks look at me like I'm crazy when I say I don't go to salons.

It's sad in a way...our hair texture isn't that complicated....but I know too that stylist have to make money so they may encourage this codependency without shedding knowledge about how to take care of our hair types..... I know I'm generalizing.

 

[BEAUTYU2U]

That's how it was growing up ... most of the black women were like this, I considered it an old fashioned thing. The women in my family were never like that so neither am I. Even before going natural. It's hair not rocket science. And the salon does not relax me.

 

[FoxxyLocs]

I consider going to the salon a chore, not a pampering session. If I want to be pampered, I go to the spa.

 

[Sheedahgirl1]

I have an uncle who owns a salon and been doing hair for over 50 years... I have a love hate relationship with salons, will not step forth into one... We are so brainwashed by all stylist that we can not do our hair on our own... Personally I would never do my own relaxer, but the maintenance, basic shampooing and conditioning.. We can do ourselves, but people look at u like u have 4 heads if u do

 

[Sheedahgirl1]

I recently straightened my hair and my sister was like see salons work magic, I was like ummm no I don't do salons, I did it myself....

 

[crlsweetie912]

I have never been like that. I know people that are so dependent on a salon that they don't even own shampoo or conditioner. They NEVER even wash their hair themselves. That's sad to me.
Growing up, all my classmates (high school and beyond) went to the salon on a regular basis. We didn't have money like that so I had to teach myself.

 

[Anaisin]

It's sad in a way...our hair texture isn't that complicated....but I know too that stylist have to make money so they may encourage this codependency without shedding knowledge about how to take care of our hair types..... I know I'm generalizing.

I know a few stylist that get mad when you ask what they used in YOUR hair. They really don't want you to learn anything smh. If I get great results and service I'm gonna keep going, you wouldn't have to worry about "scamming" clients to coming back

 

[napbella]

I'm definitely not a person who wants to spend a lot time on my hair, and I certainly can't spend hours upon hours at the salon, and that's how it is for me. I can't get out of the shop under 5hrs, even with just a simple style. And then to possibly submit myself to someone unwilling to gently detangle my tresses like I would, naw I can't. In my world all black stylists would learn to treat Afro hair like silk and stop tearing thru it just because it feels coarse, it still needs a gentle touch.

 

[BostonMaria]

It's sad in a way...our hair texture isn't that complicated....but I know too that stylist have to make money so they may encourage this codependency without shedding knowledge about how to take care of our hair types..... I know I'm generalizing.

I can't blame stylists for not passing on the knowledge. Its up to us as women to pass on that knowledge to our daughters. My oldest daughter is a PJ and takes good care of her hair. My youngest DD struggles with her long hair, but I'm trying to teach her.

But I hear what you're saying. I once was codependent on my stylist and she was probably getting $2500 a year out of me.

 

[AmethystLily]

The last time I visited a salon, it was before my junior prom (I was 17 [I'm 22 now]) and it was for a press/curl. It looked cute right afterwards, but prom was held on a humid, stormy night which ruined it. I had to have it pinned in a makeshift updo.
I realize now that I could have just kept it natural and put it in a crown twist and added flowers or small clips. Could have done something like that for just about any other formal occasion. Just reminds me of how poorly I cared for my hair when I was little and constantly relied on someone else (usually my mom or a stylist). No one taught me better. Though my mom was smart and cared about hair health, she was born in the '50s and still held on to a few old damaging wives' tales. I had to figure a lot out on my own. The Internet's a huge goldmine for me. Special mention for LHCF and YT.

 

[Britt]

I know the general consensus on LHCF is to run far, far away from from hairstylists but the reality is that a lot of people still have stylists and visit them regularly.

Yep! A good friend of mine is 50 years old and HATES doing her own hair, like she literally hates it. She has wsl relaxed hair and she lives for going to get her biwkly wash n sets at the Dominicans. Another friend of mine wants to go natural but never ever deals with her hair and wants to let a stylist do everything . Makes no sense to me to go natural and rely on stylists for twists outs and rod sets. You might as well become a straight haired natural and get biwkly wash n press.

 

[Lylddlebit]

I would and have gladly shelled out money biweekly to get my hair done at a salon. However the hardest step is the first one. Finding a professional stylist who can take care of your hair as well or better than you care for it yourself. Don't get me wrong I have made that best out of doing my hair and even make it enjoyable when I do it. However I haven't mastered professional hair cuts the way I want to if I could spend two hours and 100 bucks on hair perfection once or twice a month I would.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

I had a standing appointment every two weeks years ago when I was relaxed and wearing sew in and fusion weaves. It was Saturday at 7 am and then later I went to Mondays since I was the only customer (shop closed).

I've been going to the salon about every 2-3 months since last fall to have Havana twists installed. My next style will be crochet braids, which I can do myself after I pay to get my hair cornrowed. Depending on how much it costs to cornrow ($30 - $50) v. crochet ($80 - $160), I may have someone do the crochet to save myself some time. It took me 5 1/2 hours to do my crochet plus a few hours to drive over to get the cornrows done ($10 by a young woman in Harlem) and then separate and gel the hair at home. Most braiders say the entire process is 3 - 4 hours instead of 7+ that it took me.

This crochet style took 4 hours at the salon.

A trainee was helping and the stylist had a weave client. I think it would have been 3 1/2 hours without those issues.

My DIY crochet style here: http://goingnaturaltransitioningtonaturalhair.com/diy-crochet-braids-for-28-75/ took 7.5 hours plus about an hour to have the cornrows installed (and driving time).

These days I only go to the salon to save myself time or to get a trim.

 

[faithVA]

Maybe it is a southern thing. Many ladies here go to a salon on a regular basis. We do have a lot of naturals here though. But my many of my coworkers who are natural still go to the salon.

I've been doing my own hair since I was 13. And have been on and off with the salon. I was going every 2 weeks until I went natural and then I went once a month to get color.

I don't see anything wrong with going to a salon. Even though I'm capable of doing my own hair, sometimes I just don't want to be bothered. If I could find a good stylist that I could get in and out I would gladly go at least once a month. I will continue to keep my eyes open.

I do think it is odd though when people don't know how to do their own hair though.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

I was one of those people. I got my hair done every 2 weeks since I was old enough to remember. There was a time that the only hair products I owned were pink lotion and gel. lol It wasn't because I didn't know how to do my hair, I just didn't want to. Everybody does not want to be DIY...and there's nothing wrong with that. I had and still have stylists I trust (who have became friends) that have never done me wrong. Nowadays I just can't be bothered with going that often....I have a small baby, not much time to spend away & I'm trying to save money. I will go every 3-4 months just to give myself a break though.

 

[toaster]

Every two weeks was standard for me and all my friends from 6-12 grade. Every third appointment was a touch up.

When we went away to college we all got weaves. They still wear them, but mine only lasted until fall break. I got one final touch up, found lhcf, and the rest is history.

 

[Evolving78]

I went to the salon once a week. When I was a kid every two weeks until I got to high school and started doing my own hair.

 

[greenandchic]

I was natural my entire life until last December. Back in my teens and early 20s I got my hair done every week. My hair was pressed/curled/flat ironed except during the summer when I swam and I just wore my hair natural.

When I stopped straightening my hair back in 2002, I only went to the salon once to get my hair cut. I do my own trims. I still do everything myself including my first virgin relaxer. The more I hang out on hair forums, the more afraid I am to get anyone do my hair!

With that said, I never learned out how to flat iron my hair, my blow outs revert the same day and the only DIY color I've done was single process and henna.

 

[SEMO]

I've never been a regular salon go-er. Even when I was relaxed I would only get a touch up maybe twice a year. I didn't realize that was considered stretching (this was before I found LHCF). I just didn't like going to the salon (the waiting, the relaxer burns, etc.).

And now I never go to the salon (the last time I went, as a natural, I got some heat damage). But if I knew a reliable person, maybe I would go every few months. But considering that it can take only moments to ruin years worth of growth, I don't feel like chancing my hair while searching for that reliable stylist.

 

[GettingKinky]

I go to the salon every 8 weeks for color to cover my gray and flat ironing. And before I started transitioning I would get a touch-up every 16 week.

Before I found LHCF I went every 6 weeks for a touch-up, but I've always washed my own hair. I never grew up going to the salon every few weeks.

 

[Beamodel]

I'm not sure if it's a southern thing. I live in New Orleans & I have relaxed hair. I've been doing my own hair as long as I can remember.

No one looks at me crazy or anything when I say I do my own hair. Most of my friends & family do their own hair as well.