Getting my hair done was a prominent childhood memory. As someone with thick coiled 4c hair, hair appointments and treatments were as routine as doctor visits.
It’s safe to say that for most Black women, getting their hair braided, pressed, washed, and straightened was not a luxury but a lifestyle. Whether at the hair salon or sitting in someone’s living room on a folded chair, getting one’s hair done by a professional or someone’s auntie is part of Black culture.
However, this aspect of Black culture has become controversial. Women have recently shared on social media about their bad experiences with hairdressers and style influencers. With many women expressing their unhappiness, we must ask the question: Are Black hair salons and stylists moving away from the sanctity of doing hair for the community? Has the focus of hair care been taken over by the opportunity for profit? Let’s talk about it.
The Cultural Importance of Black Hair Salons
During the segregation era, Black women weren’t allowed to go to white-owned hair salons; additionally, many white-owned hairdressers didn’t know how to style Black-textured hair. Thus, Black women started forming their own salons.
Yet before the time of hair salons and even today, Black women used less formal ways to get their hair done. The women who paved the way for professional stylists were known as kitchen hairdressers. These were the friends, aunties, cousins, hustlers, and artists who would do people’s hair from their homes or clients’ homes.
Faye Dant, the founder and executive director of Jim’s Journey: The Huck Finn Freedom Center, sent a message to BGN to share her memories of growing up with a mother who would style women’s hair in the neighborhood. “My mom was a kitchen hairdresser,” she shares. “I’ll never forget the smell of burning hair. The ladies would pour in and there was plenty of laughing, lots of gossip. Mom sent the ladies home, ready for Saturday night out or Sunday morning church.”
My childhood memories are similar to Dant’s. I remember my mom dropping me off at a random home to get my hair done. When she returned to pick me up in the afternoon, my hair would be braided, and we didn’t have to worry about managing my hair for at least four weeks.
As I got older, I started going to salons and valued the experience. I grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood and had friends whose hair didn’t look like mine. Going to salons meant I could be around people who had hair like mine and knew how to style it.
At the salons, people were friendly and talkative. Occasionally, someone would randomly start singing and dancing, and there was always gossip to share. One of the best parts was leaving the shop and getting compliments from everyone on how good my hair looked. It was a place where I didn’t feel like an outsider, a four-walled place where I felt connected to my Blackness.
But now, this fond experience is changing. It may be because of the cost of living or the impact of social media. However, going to the salon nowadays will not only cost you an arm and a leg, but your hairdresser may arrive two hours late.
How Things Are Changing
Hair salon clients have spoken about their struggles when visiting the hairdresser. Their biggest complaints are about unprofessionalism and overcharging.
Unprofessionalism: Many women, including myself, have had experiences going to the hair salon for a 10:00 a.m. appointment and waiting until 10:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., or later for a stylist to work on our hair. Even though stylists are notorious for starting late, people on social media have shared that stylists are not just starting late but also showing up at the salon late. It’s one thing for a stylist to start late because they were working on a previous client. It’s a different issue when a stylist arrives at the salon after the scheduled appointment.
Reddit user pedagogue_kayth shared her opinion, writing, “In the age of Instagram, it is easier to book an appointment… but I am repeatedly floored at the BS that comes afterward. I booked an appointment weeks ago for 10:00 a.m. and did not get in the seat until 10:50 a.m…no apology…no discount off my service for the hour wait. Yet, when the customer is late, we are expected to pay a late fee or cancel the appointment.”
Overcharging: Back in the day, no matter which hairstyle you had, it usually came with a wash and dry. If you were a frequent client, you might even get a hair trim added for no additional charge. However, some salons are slipping in extra charges such as late fees, booking fees, detangling charges, and even hair length or hair type charges.
Where’s the Middle Ground?
Several things seem to be going on simultaneously in the space of Black hair care and services. One is that influencers have infiltrated the space. It’s very easy to find a braider or stylist through social media. These stylists show off elaborate hairstyles, such as micro braids that go down to the floor and flawless weaves. All the social media hype has influenced the prices of specific styles. However, just because someone posts that they do hair doesn’t mean they are professional.
The other area is prices. Doing hair is an intensive process. However, for many women, having their hair a certain way isn’t merely for fashion or a night out. Many women must keep their hair straight or in a weave to fit expectations at work. Also, braids are a protective style and can be considered necessary for certain hair textures. According to a survey, Black women reported spending 25% or more of their monthly budget on their hair.
So where is the balance? In my opinion, the clients and the stylist need to give a little to support one another. Stylists who are serious about their work must continue to uphold a level of professionalism and charge rates that are fair to themselves and their group of clientele. Additionally, clients have to be careful who they choose regarding their hair. While someone may look skilled on Instagram, their professionalism may differ.
Ultimately stylists have the right to charge what they want for their services, and clients can choose to pay the fees or find someone new.
