Dominican Women & Hair Relaxers (shampoo, dying, cut, color)

[queensgrl]

Without statistics to back me up, I'd say that the hair care industry employs more Dominican women than any other and with no question -- hair care is something they learned at a very early age. With people of mixed African heritage, everyone's hair isn't going to be straight. You may have members of the same family whose hair ranges from straight to curly to kinky, and blondes, red heads and brunettes. There is big money to be made when the cornerstone of the culture is to have the most caucasian-looking hair possible.

I am African-American and grew up with men and women who were proud of their big afro hairdos and cornrows, so I embraced my natural curly/kinky hair early on, and wear it natural today.

But I have some Dominican female friends who always relax their hair as if it's a religion, and go through the painful experience of blow outs (which I call blowtorch outs) where a hair dryer on a very hot setting is used with a round brush to blow the hair silky straight.

I considered studying Spanish in DR because I thought it would be a good place to experience African culture. However, after hearing horror stories about the treatment of women, by other women, I said forget it .

I've heard that natural hair women ...

1) are considered unkempt
2) are told by mothers and grandmothers that they look disgraceful
3) are ridiculed in the street
4) have combs and brushes thrown at them
5) are told adamantly that they should get their hair relaxed
6) will not get a "professional" job (i.e., bank teller, hotel reception)

Now here's my question ...
Relaxers haven't been around forever. In the US, following the black power/afro movement, relaxers became massively available (probably due to Revlon's product) and people who wanted straight hair favored them over the old press 'n curl.

1) When did relaxers become available in DR?
2) Were they American or Dominican products?
3) Since getting a relaxer is fairly expensive, how was it possible in a poor country like DR?

ALSO:

1) Did women with kinky/curly hair wear their hair natural before the introduction of relaxers (I can't imagine that press 'n curl would work their given the high heat/humidity).

Any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated.

[Atlanta Georgia Peach]

This might help with some of your questions. Who better to ask, than the Dominicans?

Aleida.net: Frequently Asked Questions about Dominican Hair Products, Beauty Salons, and Hair Care -- Dominican products that make your hair grow; Dominican products for dry and damaged hair; Dominican hair products for African American Women.

[liliblu]

Originally Posted by queensgrl

Without statistics to back me up, I'd say that the hair care industry employs more Dominican women than any other and with no question -- hair care is something they learned at a very early age. With people of mixed African heritage, everyone's hair isn't going to be straight. You may have members of the same family whose hair ranges from straight to curly to kinky, and blondes, red heads and brunettes. There is big money to be made when the cornerstone of the culture is to have the most caucasian-looking hair possible.

I am African-American and grew up with men and women who were proud of their big afro hairdos and cornrows, so I embraced my natural curly/kinky hair early on, and wear it natural today.

But I have some Dominican female friends who always relax their hair as if it's a religion, and go through the painful experience of blow outs (which I call blowtorch outs) where a hair dryer on a very hot setting is used with a round brush to blow the hair silky straight.

I considered studying Spanish in DR because I thought it would be a good place to experience African culture. However, after hearing horror stories about the treatment of women, by other women, I said forget it .

I've heard that natural hair women ...

1) are considered unkempt
2) are told by mothers and grandmothers that they look disgraceful
3) are ridiculed in the street
4) have combs and brushes thrown at them
5) are told adamantly that they should get their hair relaxed
6) will not get a "professional" job (i.e., bank teller, hotel reception)

Now here's my question ...
Relaxers haven't been around forever. In the US, following the black power/afro movement, relaxers became massively available (probably due to Revlon's product) and people who wanted straight hair favored them over the old press 'n curl.

1) When did relaxers become available in DR?
2) Were they American or Dominican products?
3) Since getting a relaxer is fairly expensive, how was it possible in a poor country like DR?

ALSO:

1) Did women with kinky/curly hair wear their hair natural before the introduction of relaxers (I can't imagine that press 'n curl would work their given the high heat/humidity).

Any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated.

There is a lot more to this than just hair and grooming.

[Marissy]

Originally Posted by queensgrl

Without statistics to back me up, I'd say that the hair care industry employs more Dominican women than any other and with no question -- hair care is something they learned at a very early age. With people of mixed African heritage, everyone's hair isn't going to be straight. You may have members of the same family whose hair ranges from straight to curly to kinky, and blondes, red heads and brunettes. There is big money to be made when the cornerstone of the culture is to have the most caucasian-looking hair possible.

I am African-American and grew up with men and women who were proud of their big afro hairdos and cornrows, so I embraced my natural curly/kinky hair early on, and wear it natural today.

But I have some Dominican female friends who always relax their hair as if it's a religion, and go through the painful experience of blow outs (which I call blowtorch outs) where a hair dryer on a very hot setting is used with a round brush to blow the hair silky straight.

I considered studying Spanish in DR because I thought it would be a good place to experience African culture. However, after hearing horror stories about the treatment of women, by other women, I said forget it .

I've heard that natural hair women ...

1) are considered unkempt
2) are told by mothers and grandmothers that they look disgraceful
3) are ridiculed in the street
4) have combs and brushes thrown at them
5) are told adamantly that they should get their hair relaxed
6) will not get a "professional" job (i.e., bank teller, hotel reception)

Now here's my question ...
Relaxers haven't been around forever. In the US, following the black power/afro movement, relaxers became massively available (probably due to Revlon's product) and people who wanted straight hair favored them over the old press 'n curl.

1) When did relaxers become available in DR?
2) Were they American or Dominican products?
3) Since getting a relaxer is fairly expensive, how was it possible in a poor country like DR?

ALSO:

1) Did women with kinky/curly hair wear their hair natural before the introduction of relaxers (I can't imagine that press 'n curl would work their given the high heat/humidity).

Any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated.

Maybe they scrimped up their savings to buy one? I would imagine that relaxers would have appeared in DR around the same time or a few years after it did in the US.

[KositaQ]

Originally Posted by queensgrl

Without statistics to back me up, I'd say that the hair care industry employs more Dominican women than any other and with no question -- hair care is something they learned at a very early age. With people of mixed African heritage, everyone's hair isn't going to be straight. You may have members of the same family whose hair ranges from straight to curly to kinky, and blondes, red heads and brunettes. There is big money to be made when the cornerstone of the culture is to have the most caucasian-looking hair possible.

I am African-American and grew up with men and women who were proud of their big afro hairdos and cornrows, so I embraced my natural curly/kinky hair early on, and wear it natural today.

But I have some Dominican female friends who always relax their hair as if it's a religion, and go through the painful experience of blow outs (which I call blowtorch outs) where a hair dryer on a very hot setting is used with a round brush to blow the hair silky straight.

I considered studying Spanish in DR because I thought it would be a good place to experience African culture. However, after hearing horror stories about the treatment of women, by other women, I said forget it .

I've heard that natural hair women ...

1) are considered unkempt
2) are told by mothers and grandmothers that they look disgraceful
3) are ridiculed in the street
4) have combs and brushes thrown at them
5) are told adamantly that they should get their hair relaxed
6) will not get a "professional" job (i.e., bank teller, hotel reception)

Now here's my question ...
Relaxers haven't been around forever. In the US, following the black power/afro movement, relaxers became massively available (probably due to Revlon's product) and people who wanted straight hair favored them over the old press 'n curl.

1) When did relaxers become available in DR?
2) Were they American or Dominican products?
3) Since getting a relaxer is fairly expensive, how was it possible in a poor country like DR?

ALSO:

1) Did women with kinky/curly hair wear their hair natural before the introduction of relaxers (I can't imagine that press 'n curl would work their given the high heat/humidity).

Any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated.

I just came across this post 'cause it called my attention, and all I can say is: Dominicans are usually the nicest people when they are not transplanted here in the US. It is a matter of culture. I can tell you by experience that I was born in the USA and studied there since I was a toddler, and yes, I also learn how to do everything when it came to hair treatments and the like: I know how to cut my own hair, color it professionally, do relaxers/perms, rollers, etc. without having to go to a salon. My mom, my sister and I would do each other's hair, and I can tell you that all three of us had different types of hair. My sister's hair was fine and brittle, mine was naturally curly and quite a full head of hair if you know what I mean, almost afro-like (frizzy, kinky and a lot of it); and my mom would have really coarse hair. She is a licensed Salon expert who had her own beauty salon after catering to celebrities back in her day in Sto. Dgo, their capitol city in DR. It is part of their culture and the Dominican women LOVE taking care of their hair, it has been around forever.

Historically, In my opinion, I would say Dominicans became more aware of the US around 1961, after the Trujillo dictatorship ended, there was a civil war in 1965, the country's last in DR, which was ended by a U.S.-led intervention, and was followed by the authoritarian rule of Joaquín Balaguer, 1966–1978. Since then, the Dominican Republic has moved toward democracy. Around the early 1960s, (or so I was told, do not quote me on that) professional beauty schools started to open across the island, that is when my mother became a professional cosmetologist and hair care professional before going to New York to expand her knowledge on professional hair care, then she got married and well...the rest is family history.

Needless to say, the knowledge I have acquired can save me tons of $$$ if I skip the salon services + tips, which personally given my economic situation currently, it is considered a blessing these days...(not that I recommend you skip a salon for professional treatment) but in my case I can do that, and I am grateful for that.

In response to your questions:
1) When did relaxers become available in DR? Since before I can remember.

2) Were they American or Dominican products? Mostly Dominican made products were the relaxers and other chemically based products. Some shampoos and conditioners were imported from the USA and still are.

3) Since getting a relaxer is fairly expensive, how was it possible in a poor country like DR? In DR, it is more affordable than you can imagine, in special stores across big cities relaxers can be bought and taken home to be used amongst the women of a house. My whole childhood life was revolved around hair products, and it was very accessible amongst the women in our family, even after my mom sold her beauty salon to take care of us. Every weekend we would do each other's hair, it was a weekly ritual we all cherished. Relaxers, every now and then, as needed, were a lot of fun. I kid you not.

Nevertheless, when it comes to hair care, and based on my personal experience, being naturally curly and all, I can sincerely recommend the following tips:

- Get the proper nutrients on your hair, inside and out. The more naturally made products the better. If you live near a Dominican 'bodega', a Duane Reade store in Manhattan, even online, or better yet if you have a Dominican friend, that for starters is your best bet. Most of us can tell what a person needs on their hair just by looking at it, and can sincerely recommend the best products we know for each type of hair. I sincerely recommend anything with garlic oil, or if you are daring enough, take garlic oil in any form, or as my grandma used to do, one clove of garlic a day. You would not believe the wonders it does for your hair and nails. This is essential, before any treatment to your hair at all, it needs nutrients to be made strong and to take the chemicals better. I can recommend:
- Garlic shampoo, conditioners, treatments (especially if you can find garlic oil or just pressed garlic mixed with coconut or mira hair oil). Works for me like a charm. Follow instructions as noted or use the oil once a week overnight, then shampoo and condition as directed, for let's say the first two months or so.
- While you do that, also please get the vitamin called Biotin (1000 milligrams or more), it will not only make your hair strong, it will also make it grow longer faster like you would not believe!!
- Once you are satisfied with the way your hair starts to look before the treatment you would like done, I sincerely recommend the following products which are wonderful based on the texture of a naturally curly hair and what you want to do with it: a very strong garlic treatment, a great shampoo and conditioner (I personally use Infusium 23 which I've used all my life and I LOVE it!!), a leave-in treatment (i use Infusium 23), a great relaxer such as Avanti (there are the silicon type which I've been told are excellent), and a good hair oil (coconut, garlic mixed with coconut, mira hair oil, or a combination of the three, which you can mix yourself, and then use it while you are at home or overnight, with a wrap around your hair before you go to bed) a little goes a loooong way, please just use a little bit, enough to make your hair soft enough...No greasy hair here
- And when the time comes to either relaxing or coloring your hair, i STRONGLY recommend you have it done professionally, and for you to either buy the latest Dominican products, ask questions online or find a Dominican salon nearby (that is if you do NOT have a Dominican friend who can do it for you and who REALLY KNOWS what she is doing!), then I can recommend sites such as :::RoundBrushHair!::: and My catalog - Items - Dominican Beauty Shop, among the best sites I've seen so far..

Me personally, I buy my products from Sally Beauty, 'cause I know what I buy. But I use my hair oils first, then I shampoo, rinse, and as needed I use the leave-in treatment (Infusium 23), then air-dry my rollers or blow dry my hair (low heat or cold), for better results. And then I buy my relaxers as needed and have hubby do my relaxing at home. Piece of cake

Ask any Dominican friend, and compliment her hair before asking for advice, they are very proud of their hair and they can even do your hair for free, they will not harm a friend, and you do not have to worry about what the outcome will be, you will love it....All the best to you, and wish you much success on your hair care.

[KositaQ]

I felt compelled to share this video with everyone, it is very inspirational. Natural is the way to go, definitely. I have not been relaxing my hair for about 6 months now and it has made a big difference in the way it looks and feels.

Enjoy ->
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIJ15PzLPgk

Also, for people who want to know what's new and about about Dominican hair products and trends, check out this interview. so....if someone says that they cannot use the products 'cause they are NOT Dominican, I can tell you, there is NO such thing!! they work for you too no mater what your hair is like. Take it from me, I can say I've been there, done that, and this interview just confirms what I already know.

Enjoy ->
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYipsItdWVE