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Adventures of a Burbie seeking braids The suburban salon for black women is a combination of social time and also a place where you're having some pampering. Hair and nails are a Saturday chore and stays on the calendar. I have 2 salons I frequent: 1) in my hood which is inexpensive but I can NEVER get an appointment with the head stylist. 2) in the city near my job. I can go at lunch and be back to work without using up my Saturday at the salon. Next month I have an event so I needed an in between hairstyle and opted for a crochet knit style which will last me just in time for my late Feb event. I've done crochet knit before and I like it - it's neat, quick and stylish. What I hate is the salons are always dirty and unconventional when it comes to the sterility of their washing hair. Nevertheless I like braids and I've begun my quest to find a salon that DOESNT gross me out. I've passed by this salon everyday for the past couple of months and observed the steady flow of traffic. Since i was not a fan of the braiding salon in my town I decide to give this one a try. Research: I did a google search and bingo! - 4.8/5 stars!!! 10 reviews. Good sign. I call the women and her English is good so we communicate well about what I want to do. She charges $80 for crochet knit and my stylist in the burbs charges $150. This is a big savings! I'm ready to give it a try - what could possibly go wrong........FAMOUS LAST WOOOOOORRRRRRDDDDDSSSSSS! 1st Red Flag - I sit in her chair, she looks at my head (I'm rocking a custom wig is one of my faves and has a dope cut). She taps my head, smiles and looks at me. I smile back and say "what?" She says "take this off please?" I said "it's sewn in? Don't you remember I told you this when I came in here and we talked yesterday." She had a confused look on her face then says "OH" and proceeds to look for the razor. Then all of a sudden there's some sort of switch and I got the apprentice taking my wig out my head. And she DOESN'T SPEAK ENGLISH! 2nd SIGN: I notice the apprentice is doing a lot of cutting in the center and not the perimeter..... I say to her "are you cutting around the perimeter? She says "eh?" Boss lady says "what??" With a nice smile... turns out the apprentice was cutting the tracks out of my $500custom wig and if I didn't say something - smh...... 3rd SIGN: the Apprentice walks over to the mug, grabs it, goes into the closet room ( which I can't see inside of) comes out with the pitcher full and proceeds to put the water into the electric kettle on the floor and turns it on. OHDAHORROR!!!! This is not going well for me so far! 4th SIGN: Ok so now it's time to remind her that I want to color my hair (btw I brought all my own products). Coolah? She asks I said yes. She asked AGAIN. I said yes AGAIN! They start talking to each other.... then Apprentice goes to the closet and starts making lots of noise. I see a bunch of shower towels of all colors get hung up on the entry door of the close - she then motions me to come inside. I'm scrrrrd! I tip toe over bend and peep in the room first. There's a professional sink and a chair just like at a normal salon!!!! But the room is dark and narrow and there's this huge mop inside that looks Like a monster leaning by the doorway........ if it's sounding like a horror story know that it was feeling that way..... I give her my color, the other lady comes over and they start talking again in their native tongue. NEXT!!! I hear the apprentice putting on gloves, but not those flat clear plastic gloves that stylists use- nah nah nah! She put on the big pink dishwashing gloves!!!!! What the helll. I first thought of getting up and running because I'm in full view of the mop in front of me and of course I'm thinking my head is getting colored with the mop gloves. Then she walk out of the room and throws away the box that the gloves came in. Whew!!!!! I think...... so the color was completed, she washed and Shampooed pretty well, then she blow dried with a technique I was impressed with. Very little hair breakage - ok now..... the braiding has begun, the knitting has now being done by the owner - and she didn't stop at all even when her 4 visitors and 5 phone calls were coming at her. The result was good. I can't complain about that but this was an adventure! I know you're all wondering why the hell I stayed. 1) it was Saturday afternoon at 2pm. If I left that salon with my head 1/2 done I wouldn't be able to get my hair done till Tuesday. How do I go to work with an undone coif???! 2) I'm the girl that sees a train coming my way and just takes two steps to the side VS. leaving so I can see the outcome? Please don't Judge. I've always believed that experiences make life more interesting. Yes I can say to myself never go to a cheap braiding salon again without washing and prepping beforehand... but rather my mind keeps asking why? Why can't I get a good price for braids without having to sacrifice quality? My quest continues. I will keep searching until every strand of my hair is gone!!!! (THAT was just a joke, but for real though I'm about getting a bargain- gotta pay tuition for College in another 10 years)!!

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