Dominican Blow-Out: Yay or Nay

So, after years of debating whether or not to go for it, I decided a few weeks ago to get my very first Dominican blow-out. Typically, I straighten my hair a few times a year, but it was a disaster the last time I tried. My hair has just gotten too thick and too long for me to successfully straighten my hair myself.

 

Ends were curled with a flat iron. Not my style, but...

It's been more than two decades since a professional had touched a single strand on my head. So, having my hair washed loose was a little unnerving. But, she scrubbed my scalp really well AND deep conditioned under the dryer, so her washing technique allowed me relax a little.

Very impressed with how smooth and shiny my hair is.

After my hair was washed and conditioned, detangling started and that's where I really have issue. Never, ever, ever in my life has a hair dresser detangled my hair beginning at the roots, but this one did. And, she was merciless and ruthless about it. By the time she got to the last section to be placed on the huge purple rollers, I think she was tired of detangling because I know that section wasn't completely detangled before she put it on the rollers. 

A back view of the loveliness.

Once rolled, I had to sit under the dryer for about two hours. And, I had to sit perfectly still as my head barely fit under the dryer. Thank God I'd brought a juicy book with me to read or I would've died from bordeom. 

 

First Week: I love my pony tail!

Blowing out the curls wasn't much more pleasant than the detangling process. And, since my hair retains heat for a LONG time, I thought my roots were going to be burned off my head in a few spots! But, she did get my roots perfectly smooth.

 

I had no idea my hair had grown this much in the past year.

I have mixed feelings about my overall experience with the Dominican blow-out. While I loved how my hair looked and felt, I didn't like the lack of technique used and it all boiled down to how my hair was detangled. I was a little miffed initially, but by Week Two of wearing my hair like this, I was pissed because I could visibly see how much hair she'd broken off. Three years of hard work and a lot of TLC down the drain. So, my hair will be in its protective twists for the next six months while I let my hair rest, relax and repair.

I might try this again one day, but I probably won't revisit the same salon. Regardless of your hair type, it HAS to be detangled from end to root, not root to end. One saving grace is she didn't need to flat iron my hair except to curl the ends...which I didn't need or ask for. And when I washed my hair this weekend, the waves were still there and my ends coiled nicely so there wasn't any heat damage-saving grace number two.