Dominican Hair Salons Unveiled

There’s no mistaking the look or feel of a Dominican hair salon. Past the often small, hidden doors, you´ll find las peluqueras standing over swivel chairs, wielding blowers like guns aimed directly at the curliest, frizziest hair you´ve ever seen. A bachata might be playing in the background as they unwind soft curls from bright plastic rolos; the chicas under the dryers shouting out the latest chisme while lunch is ordered family-style for everyone in the house. But, as laid-back as these joints may appear, Dominican stylists are known for giving the best damn blow-outs in the country. Or, as Grimilda Gonzalez, stylist of Destination Laguna Spa Salon, says,”Nosotras las dominicanas hablamos un buen blower.” That means they speak a mean blower. And, with a little help from conditioning products sometimes flown in from the island, they work hair through rolos, round brushes, flatirons—whatever it takes—until each strand lies straight and shiny. And the price? Let´s just say it´s common to get a blow-out for as cheap as $20. Popular on the East coast, Dominican salons are now popping up across America.

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What´d she say?

Here, a few key words you´ll need to know before stepping foot in a Dominican salon.

el doobie: After hair is blow-dried straight, a stylist may wrap and pin your hair around your head and cover it with this scarf to protect strands and keep them flat. Ask for it by name.

rolos: Wet hair is wrapped around rolos—rollers—and then you´re tucked under a hood dryer for about an hour, until hair is dry, before it´s blown straight. This option uses less direct heat on strands, which damages hair less than if you were to use only a blower to straighten.

el flip (pronounced fleep): When your stylist asks you if you want your blow-out con flip, she´s asking if you want a gentle wave toward the ends, which will give your hair more body and bounce.

halar: Remember what Frenchy said: Beauty is pain. So when your stylist takes a blow-drier into one hand and says,”¡Voy a halar!” get ready: She´s gonna pull your hair through that brush, and she´s gonna pull hard.

Article from Latina.com