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I've done that. The haircut wasn't the worst ever but it definitely wasn't great. I got a kick out of the guy trying to brush out the edges of my hair which was completely unnecessary for my hair type - he clearly was unfamiliar.
I think the bottom line (as has been said) is that wherever you go they need to be familiar with working on your hair type. Unless they know someone who works there, how many black women would you catch in your run of the mill Best Cuts? I'm going to vote somewhere around 0. That's because they would butcher their hair.
Excuse me for being a noob, but what
exactly is a "black beauty shop".
A beauty shop that is owned by and caters to a primarily African American clientele.
Quote:
At least for men, I notice that hair textures are not race specific.
I think that is not exactly right........those of East Asian (and Native American) origins tend to have dark, fine-diameter hair; those of European origin tend to have hair of varying colors and moves from straight to wavy; those of African or mixed-African origin vary from very nappy to curly to wavy. South Asians tend to have very dark hair that ranges from very straight to wavy.
Adi, have you found that a select few Indian or other South Asian people have hair texture that is a lot like that of Africans or African descendants? I have.
They are too. But there are fewer haircuts for men. And there are also black barbershops. Men with coarser/kinky hair also have different facial hair. Ingrown hairs are really common and not all shaving methods work. I assume you haven't lived in an area with a good sized black population or don't not have any close black friends.
He does; in fact in that area there are some fascinating permutations of hair stylists for men.
I go to three barbers - all are Latino and identify as Blatino. The shop two of them work at is African American owned and employs four African American barbers, three Latinos and one Asian Indian from the UK who gets lots of South Asians and Arabic-speaking people. The clientele of the shop is about 65 percent African American, 20 percent Latino, 10 percent White and the rest "other."
I know they wouldn't be told to leave but can they go and get a haircut and highlights at a black beauty shop? There are several of them around where I live and I really need to get my hair done. But every time I look inside the window I never see a white girl so i don't walk in.
I know, might be a stupid question.
Thanks
There are other haircut places but I wouldn't mind trying something other than what Im used to.
Absolutely. Most licensed hair stylists are trained to do all different types of hair. Really good hair stylists often prefer to enhance their skills by working in salons which cater to a diverse array of hair types.
If you are curious about a particular salon, simply go in and inquire or visit their website to find out more about the services offered.
Good answer. I'm a white man, and my boys are bi-racial black/white, and with their hair, a black barber shop is their best option. I have fun there talking to everyone, but don't get my hair cut there. They'd probably do a good job on me if I wanted my hair cut very short with a fade. One of my white neighbors goes there for that reason, but just asks that they don't "line him up" lol!
There is obviously a big difference in black/white (for lack of a better term) hair, so I don't find it racist that we (black and white people) tend to have segregated hair salons/barbers. I took my boys to Supercuts once and they did a horrible job!
Plus, there seems to be a very cultural thing about the black barber shops/beauty salons. They even made movies about it! And to be honest, the black barber shop where I take my boys is a lot more fun, but yeah, they take forever!
Actually, there are many "mixed" salons throughout the U.S. (especially in major cities) which cater to all different types of hair. The notion that "black" and "white" people have very different hair is laughable. The truth is, African American hair is simply extremely curly/kinky (from root to tip), while Caucasian Americans tend to have a much straighter hair texture.
Salons that cater to all different textures, provide various hair services to all women (and men). For example, if an African American woman is interested in making her hair straighter, the salon may offer her the option of a chemical hair relaxer, blow out or flat-iron option. If a Caucasian American with curly hair is interested in making her hair straighter, they may offer her the blow-out or flat iron option. Conversely, if a Caucasian American is interested in making her hair curly, they may offer her the option of a curly perm. Hair dyes, highlights, braids/twists, hair-cuts etc, are pretty much universal for all hair types (as long as the stylist has worked with different hair textures and is skilled in performing these services). Also, most good licensed stylists know how to add hair extensions/weaves and are able to use a variety of different techniques to apply the hair, based on the individual's specific hair texture.
In my opinion, African American (and Hispanic) stylists are generally more skilled w/ respect to doing all different types of hair than Caucasian stylists, since most of the hair manikins that are used in beauty training schools have very straight hair. The curriculum is however pretty standard and all stylists must be able to show competency in a wide variety of areas before becoming licensed.
The larger issue that the OP may want to address is whether she will feel comfortable in a salon that is mostly frequented by African American women. Typically, the environment of the salon is really contingent upon the overall neighborhood that it is situated in. I no longer get my hair chemically straightened (my hair texture is 100% natural/kinky curly), however, when I did get my hair straightened, I always elected to go to salons which cater to a wide variety of different hair types. I found that these salons tend to be more upscale and actually grant appointments as opposed to simply taking walk-ins (which means much shorter wait times for everyone).
Regardless of where you go to get your hair styled, I strongly advise that you ask about the price before you agree to have the services performed. Many stylists charge a lot per service, so it's always best to know in advance, to ensure that you stay within your budget.
Last edited by Vanessa_456; 04-30-2014 at 10:04 AM..
Actually, there are many "mixed" salons throughout the U.S. (especially in major cities) which cater to all different types of hair. The notion that "black" and "white" people have very different hair is laughable. The truth is, African American hair is simply extremely curly/kinky (from root to tip), while Caucasian Americans tend to have a much straighter hair texture.
Salons that cater to all different textures, provide various hair services to all women (and men). For example, if an African American woman is interested in making her hair straighter, the salon may offer her the option of a chemical hair relaxer, blow out or flat-iron option. If a Caucasian American with curly hair is interested in making her hair straighter, they may offer her the blow-out or flat iron option. Conversely, if a Caucasian American is interested in making her hair curly, they may offer her the option of a curly perm. Hair dyes, highlights, braids/twists, hair-cuts etc, are pretty much universal for all hair types (as long as the stylist has worked with different hair textures and is skilled in performing these services). Also, most good licensed stylists know how to add hair extensions/weaves and are able to use a variety of different techniques to apply the hair, based on the individual's specific hair texture.
In my opinion, African American (and Hispanic) stylists are generally more skilled w/ respect to doing all different types of hair than Caucasian stylists, since most of the hair manikins that are used in beauty training schools have very straight hair. The curriculum is however pretty standard and all stylists must be able to show competency in a wide variety of areas before becoming licensed.
The larger issue that the OP may want to address is whether she will feel comfortable in a salon that is mostly frequented by African American women. Typically, the environment of the salon is really contingent upon the overall neighborhood that it is situated in. I no longer get my hair chemically straightened (my hair texture is 100% natural/kinky curly), however, when I did get my hair straightened, I always elected to go to salons which cater to a wide variety of different hair types. I found that these salons tend to be more upscale and actually grant appointments as opposed to simply taking walk-ins (which means much longer wait times for everyone).
Regardless of where you go to get your hair styled, I strongly advise that you ask about the price before you agree to have the services performed. Many stylists charge a lot per service, so it's always best to know in advance, to ensure that you stay within your budget.
Your link discusses African American, Caucasian and Asian hair. Note however, that African American is an ethnic group, not a racial group. Amongst Africans -hair texture varies, although many in the Western region of Africa tend to have very kinky/curly hair.
A true stylist doesn't care about race (which is a social construct) they care about the hair texture. There are a number of identifiably dark women with very straight hair. Stylist simply have to understand how to work with the various hair textures to achieve whatever service or desired look is requested by their clientele.
The notion that a licensed Caucasian American or African American stylist cannot successfully style different textures of hair is incorrect. The stylist simply has to have skill and experience. The experience however will not be gained if a stylist only works with one texture, which is why the better stylists often prefer working in salons which cater to diverse textures.
As an aside, an Asian American stylist who worked at the salon that I frequented in the past, was known as the best stylist to use for hair relaxers. Many African American women who elected to have her as their stylist, stated that she was a perfectionist (with respect to ensuring that the relaxer was done correctly with little/ to no discomfort or hair breakage). This particular stylist has extremely straight hair, but she was able to perfect her technique (based on her experience with working with kinky/curly hair textures).
Last edited by Vanessa_456; 04-30-2014 at 10:29 AM..
I would dare to say that stylists are like mechanics. Some can work on all while others will only work on one particular make.
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