August 4th, 2005 
Duane 
These are the words of a customer who gets her hair done at a salon that serves both white and black customers.
First, here is part of the article:
Sheri Newbele-Dunn searched almost nine years for a local salon where she could get a satisfying relaxer and set. She finally found one — through word of mouth — three months ago.
“I used to fly back to Illinois to do my hair twice a year,” she said. “And, sometimes, I would do it myself using box perms.”
Newbele-Dunn’s troubles are typical for black women trying to find a competent hair salon. And, even when they find one, as Newbele-Dunn discovered during her search, it may have so many clients that new customers will have to wait a long time.
Styling salons are among the most segregated of businesses, but hair stylists say it’s not a matter of discrimination but a lack of expertise. Few white stylists know how to do ethnic relaxers, extensions and weaves, and few black women trust them enough to risk a disaster.
Mikki Taylor, beauty director and cover editor of Essence magazine, said black women are huge consumers in the hair market.
“There’s a lack of awareness of the spending power of African-American females when it comes to their hair,” Taylor said. “There are also stylists who lack the expertise and skill to do black hair because they haven’t made it their business.”
“The problem starts with cosmetology schools,” said Asha McLeod, who owns a salon in Toronto that was ranked one of North America’s best by Essence magazine. “It’s not a color thing. It’s a training thing. (more…)
Stories, stories, stories. I think all of us (especially those that are of the darker shade) have plenty of stories of times we got our hair done by either brah-man or Shaquinta. Here is one of my stories when I had my hair done by a Billy Bob—-(sigh) just read!
It was the late 70′s and my family and I had just moved from Philly to New Jersey. At the time our new neighborhood was 99% white and we knew very little of our surroundings. My cousin already prepped me about the move warning me that there will be nightly cross burnings on our front lawn (so much for approaching the situation with an open mind).
Anyway, it was time for a haircut and the only barbershop we knew about in the area was operated by a white man. Long story short, the time came for me to sit in the chair. The barber pauses while staring at my hair. He tells my mom “Man, I haven’t seen hair like this since the war.”
Two words on the end result: Dear Jesus!!
Another story.
By now I was either in my late teens or early twenties. Like most brothas, I found myself in my favorite barbershop every other weekend. On this one particular weekend, I noticed that they had hired a sistah. On the DL, the other barbers were making fun of this girl. Prince Valiant (a.k.a. Me) decides to break up this ugly scene by getting this sistah to do my hair because she did not have a line and my usual barber was backed up with customers. As I approached the chair, I noticed that the other barbers would quickly shake their head in warning in a manner where I would see them, but not her. Before I knew it, sistah-girl was just buzzing away.
Should’ve picked Edward Scissorhands instead.
Don’t get my wife started on this subject.
The point here is that I think that the “word of mouth” form of advertising that is used in the hair care business is the most effective. When you here it from your peeps, you pretty much know what you are getting.
I agree that race does play a big part in who we pick to do our hair, but I really believe that it has a lot more to do with expertise, as the article suggests.
Sphere: Related Content
Posted in 
Best haircuts I’ve ever had were done by women.
When I was in England, I drove 1 hour to get to an American air force base to get my hair cut. You had to take a ticket. There were no favorites.
White, English women did my hair, and hooked me up each time!
One time I was serviced by a white man, and it was one of the worst cuts I’ve had.
I used to use the straightening comb back in the day but now I’m into the flat iron. Whites wouldn’t know where to start when it comes to the straightening comb. Now that I wear braids, I do my own because there’s some sistah’s out there that don’t quite know what their doing either. I’m not paying someone good money to mess my doo up!!
Diana Dudas
It seems like such an enigma. Of the hundred or so emails I receive daily, the same question pops up endlessly. “Why is my hair so, FRIZZY and dry, coarse or brittle?” I intend to try and solve this mystery. And my first clue has to do with moisture deficiency!
Oil and Water…
90% of us suffer with dry brittle or frizzy hair because our hair is deficient of (moisture) WATER! There is a certain preconceived notion that has been passed on from generation to generation. That is the idea that our hair is dry, because we are lacking in natural oils. We are told that if we nurture our hair by brushing vigorously 100 times a day, or if we nurture our hair with hot oil treatments and cholesterols. If we do all of these things, then we are sure to be blessed with beautiful, shiny and healthy locks. This might be the case, if you have young virgin (hair that is not chemically treated) hair. But this is certainly not the case, once you have impaled your tresses, with harsh chemicals such as bleaches and alkaline permanents. Or if you have naturally curly hair.
Naturally Curly Hair…
Those of you who have curly hair, have these curls, because of a curvature of the hair follicles .A normal hair follicle under a microscope would be seen as perfectly straight. However yours would have a definite bend in it. This causes the hair to curl. Where the hair curves it compels the cuticle (the outer layer of the hair) to lift.
The cuticle…
Under a microscope, A cuticle is similar in appearance to shingles on a roof. When the hair is in good condition, and is straight and has good porosity the tiles or cuticle layers are tight together and in perfect in shape, giving the hair a smooth appearance. This makes light reflect off the hair enhancing shine! When hair is in bad conditioner, is curly or has poor porosity, the cuticle layers are lifted and sometimes damaged and broken. This makes the hair feel coarse and brittle. It also causes the hair to absorb light, giving the appearance of dull lifeless hair. To sum up this scenario. Because curly haired cuticle layer is permanently lifted, it feels, coarse, and brittle and has no brilliance. Hence the dull, lifeless look. It also means that our hair has poor porosity.
Porosity…
Is the ability for hair to be able to absorb and retain moisture. The best way for me to explain this is to would be for you to imagine a sponge. First of all imagine a brand new sponge. It will have tiny holes in it, and when you immerse it in water, it will soak up a large quantity, and be able to hold that liquid for a long period of time. This is because it has good porosity. Now imagine an old sponge. Its holes have become damaged and distorted. It might even be torn in some areas. When you immerse this sponge in the same amount of liquid, it will absorb far less and will certainly not be able to retain the moisture so readily. It is the same with hair. Hair that has poor porosity will not be able to absorb or retain moisture as well as hair that has good porosity. making hair permanently dry.
Hot oil treatments…
Traditions have taught many of us that lavishly applying oil to our hair will give us the soft, shiny hair that we all desire. However more often than not, the opposite takes place. Most oils if they are not essential oils do not have the ability to penetrate into the hair shaft. Nor do heavy cholesterols. What they will do, is to lay on top of the cuticle, and coat the cuticle. This may give the hair some Brilliance. However, it will also coat the hair. And causes product build up.
Product build up…
Once the hair is coated, your problems will commence. First of all, the moisture that our hair so desperately needs will not be able to permeate through the wall of product build. The moisture is then not able to find it’s way underneath the cuticle layer. The hair cannot then be conditioned. Also the oils will not diffuse, but sit on top of the cuticle layer. If you use any kind of hot styling tools such as blow dryers or hot irons, what will happen to your hair, is exactly what happens when you put an egg into a hot pan. It will fry! If you live in a sunny climate, the oil will do the same thing. The sun will heat the oil and fry your hair. You must have heard the term, my hair feels fried.
Optimum condition…
For hair to be in tiptop conditioner is has to have a moisture (water) content of at least 8%, and the right balance of protein and natural oil. Most of us produce enough natural oil (sebum), to keep our hair healthy, but lack the moisture. After having a chemical service your moisture level will drop as low as 2%, causing, drying of the hair, followed by split ends. The same will happen with constant use of blow-dryers and hot styling tools, such as curling or flat irons. If the moisture level is not restored to it’s optimum 8%; by the use of good moisturizing products your hair will ultimately become brittle and possibly break.
What to do…
You need to give your hair lots of TLC, with shampoos that are designed to restore your hair’s moisture level to its optimum 8%. Along with intense conditioners that will help to repair damaged cuticles, improve porosity, elasticity and general health and appearance of your hair. Avoid product build by using products that contain natural ingredients. Also avoid hot oil treatments, heavy cholesterol type conditioners, petroleum-based and silicone-based products. Also hairsprays, mousses and gels that have a high alcohol or butane content.
Those of you with naturally curly, wavy or frizzy hair, those of you who use hot styling tools or who chemically treat your hair, will need to give your hair extra nurturing by supplying it with the necessary nutrition and moisture that it needs. Sun worshippers need to make sure that your hair care products have sunscreen properties to protect your hair from the damaging affects of the UV rays.
Summary…
Our hair needs MOISTURE, MOISTURE, and MOISTURE! Who needs to add moisture more than most? People with naturally curly hair, chemically treated, hot styling tool users or people who live in hot sunny and arid climates.
Please feel free to email me with any hair care questions that you may have at DUDASDIANA@AOL.COM
Copyright ã2002
Author is an expert with more than 28 years experience in the beauty industry. She has answered over 2000 questions for allexperts.com and has had her work published in many well-respected beauty magazines both online and off.
http://www.razzamatazz.net
In my opinion the only stylist I allow to do my hair are white people. I was taught cosmetology from a white woman that put most black stylits to same from lack of factual knowledge of hair. Black stylists tend to cut my hair wrong or do not what I asked but what they feel I need. Not to knock my sistah being a sistah myself but lack of knowledge deters me from there nubian salons.