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Braids are a protective style that Black women have relied on for years. It’s an especially convenient style because it does not require damaging style tools that use heat. For this reason, many were left perplexed after footage of a stylist issuing a stern warning to her natural and relaxed clientele that their appointments will be canceled or if they show up to with hair that is not blown out and pressed.
In the video, the stylist, who was conducting a hair braiding class at the time the video was filmed, uses a child model to demonstrate to both students and her clients how people should and should not show up to her salon to get their hair braided.
“If your hair is natural, you need to make sure your ends is stretched out like this,” the braider says while focusing the camera on a portion of the child’s hair that is blown out and pressed. “After you blow out your hair, you need to go over your ends with a flat iron.”
She went on to explain that if clients do not show up with flat-ironed hair, they will either have their appointments canceled or they will be charged an additional thirty to forty dollars, with the price varying by ten dollars between relaxed and natural clients.
“If you come and your hair is natural like this and your ends is not like this, then guess what, we will have to reschedule or if you really need your hair done, we will do it, but there will be an inconvenience fee,” she goes on. “There will be a fifteen dollar inconvenience fee on top of the twenty-five dollar blow-out and press fee. It’s twenty-five dollars if you’re natural.”
Many hair braiders expect clients to arrive at appointments with already washed and conditioned hair. While it’s not a concept that all clients readily embrace, it’s not uncommon. However, the idea that some stylists, such as the one in the video, are now also requiring that clients blow out and press their hair, is utterly ridiculous. For one, blow-outs and presses are not actually necessary for braids. Additionally, having to do so almost defeats the purpose of getting a protective style in the first place.
What is the most outlandish thing a stylist has asked you to do? How did you respond?
