When I first went natural over 10 years ago the only services I could get with natural hair were a press and curl, braids or twists. That’s it. Styling my hair in it’s natural state was a foreign concept, until recently when I went for my first wash and go cut and style.
What is A Natural Hair Salon
A Natural Hair Salon styles kinky, curly and coily hair without chemically altering your natural hair texture. Natural Hair Salons provide a wide variety of services that can include silk press, loc installation, braids, twists, rod sets, hair cuts and hair color
Choosing A Natural Style
Natural Hair styling has come a long way in the last ten years. There are so many options now! Below I give a quick overview of some of the different natural hairstyles that are available.
Silk Press
A Silk Press is the modern day press and curl. A Silk Press transforms the tightest kinks and curls, into straight hair that is often much longer than it appears to be in it’s natural state. A Silk Press normally has the following Steps:
- Shampoo
- Deep Conditioner
- Blow Out
- Flat Iron
- Style
Silk Press stylists use products with Silicones that help to protect the hair from heat damage, and allow the silk press to last for at least a week. Even in a professional setting, there is some risk of heat damage but it is a lot less likely.
Braids & Twists
There are so many options for Braids and Twists. There are cornrows, two strand twists, knotless braids and feed ins. Braids and twists can be done with or with out extensions.
Braids and twists at a natural hair salon are perfect for moms who have kids with a ton of hair ge
Starting & Maintaining Locs
While, locs are low daily maintenance pairing up with a good stylists to start and maintain your locs is important. There is truly an art to caring for locs. There are a number of ways to start locs, they literally come in all shape and sizes. The form locs take transforms as they mature and your hair grows out.
Someone experienced with locs will be able to provide guidance on the best technique for starting locs, how often to retwist, and what type of locs you will be able to achieve given the texture and density of your hair.
Loose Natural Hair Styling and Cutting
Wash & Gos, Twist Outs, Braid Outs, rod sets and curly cuts fall in to this category. If you want your textured hair styled in an “out” look. These are the stylist you want to be on the lookout for. This is the type of styling I had done recently. Read more in this post: My First Natural Hair Cut.
Some salons now even specialize in transitioning hair!
Natural Hair Color
Color behaves differently on curly vs straight hair.
How Much Does a Natural Hair Style Cost?
To get a broad idea of how much Natural Hair Styling cost, I went on style seat and got the price from 10 different salons. I took the average to come up with this price3. These are starting prices and the level of pricing varies by salon
These are average prices and by no means comprehensive. It is truly difficult to gauge what a natural hair service costs for example some stylists include a shampoo and conditiner as part of loc maintenance, for others and is an add on and an upcharge. Some stylists have different pricing for new vs existing customers. More experienced stylists with full books may charge more.
Some stylists offer cornrows as a standalone style, for others it is an add on for a a wig or weave service.
| Starter Locs | $101 |
| Loc Maintenance | $77 |
| Silk Press | $80 |
| Rod Set | $76 |
| Curly Cut | $90 |
| Cornrows | $70 |
| Knotless Braids | $228 |
| Natural Updo | $77 |
| Twist Out | $67 |
Finding Salons on Instagram (Proceed with Caution)
Instagram is a great visual resource to see what types of services salons provide. It is a starting point to see if the stylist can deliver the results you are looking for. However, the stylist may be hiding dirty little secrets.
Instagram is a form of marketing for stylists, and they are going to put their best foot forward. That means they are showcasing their best results from the best angles. If a client has a bad experience, they can leave a comment on the Instagram page, but the salon/stylist can delete it and block the disgruntled client.
Instagram is just a starting point, to get a more complete picture you should look for reviews on platforms where the business can respond to comments, but can not delete them.
Check Stylist Reviews before Sitting in their Seat
Instagram is a visual resource presented by the stylist. To get feedback from a customer, you should check business pages on platforms such as yelp, google and facebook. Everyone (stylists included) can have a bad day and someone with a bad experience is more likely to write a review than someone who had an average appointment. If you read the reviews and consistently see a complaint (shows up late, style not as expected, cleanliness of the salon etc) it is a red flag that something is off.
Review Salon Policies Before Booking
You’ve selected the stylist, Instagram looks great, reviews Amazing…be sure to read the fine print before booking. Modern day stylist utilize Some salons require consults prior to your first appointment. Other salons ask that you show up with your hair in a certain condition (i.e blown out for braids or twists). The other day I even saw a Salon requiring a paid training before booking a salon.
Some of these policies can seem excessive, even annoying, but I welcome them because at least the client and stylist are on the same page. This help everyone get the most out of the experience and sets expectations all around.
Always schedule an appointment with the intent to show up on time, but hey things happen. Also make note of any deposits, cancellation fees and no show fees.