Blu Beauty Bar Salon

After placing multiple calls to salons in the area asking for them to cut my natural-​textured African American hair, I stumbled upon this salon on Unilocal claiming to specialize in natural hair, relaxers etc. The relaxers piece should have been my first clue, that the salon was not truly a «Natural Hair Salon».
Let me give you a little background, I went natural about six years ago by transitioning with sew-​ins. My hair is mid-​back length and thick in the best way possible. Since being natural, I have become my own hair stylist, washing my hair, dusting my ends, and doing regular deep conditions, but I was really desperate for a good and proper hair cut. I did a quick Unilocal search and found that there were very few Natural Hair Salon options in Baltimore, that were 1. accepting appointments and 2. Nearby. Prior to going to the salon, I had only ever straightened/​used heat on my natural hair once. I went in with the expectation that I would be able to have my hair cut without a flat iron needing to be involved. I had a 90’s party that I was attending later that night and had the intention of wearing my hair in its natural state.
I walked into the salon and noticed that a portion of the salon seemed to be undergoing some sort of construction or renovations as there were some unpainted walls, splotches of paint– whatever, no biggie, I can handle all of this as long as my hair’s taken care of. I waited about twenty minutes until the salon owner was ready for me. She pulled out a fine tooth comb– clue number two that I should have run, and began to run the comb through my natural hair. If you haven’t already guessed, I do not use combs, let alone, fine tooth combs on my hair. I think people get intimidated by thick hair and immediately think oh this hair is nappy, I will need to literally rake the naps out of it.
From beginning to end, the entire process took like three hours, but I understand this is the nature of Black Salons. I haven’t been natural for so long, that I don’t understand Black Twitter’s Black Salon jokes. I was placed in a sink where multiple deep conditioners with all sorts of sulfates were applied to my hair while a comb was raked through my precious strands, clumps of my hair falling to the ground. I was then placed under the dreaded dryer aka the place where black women go to die, for about an hour. I was patronized by the salon staff that questioned my natural regimen– what shampoo do you use? Shea Moisture. What’s that? How often are you washing your hair? Once a week. That’s too much, see that’s why it’s so dry. No, I co-​wash my hair every other week. What’s a co-​wash– Clue number three that I should have grabbed my belongings and booked it, but I was in too deep. I was told that the only way to cut my hair was to straighten it. I reserve straightening my hair for special occasions only. I expressed my dissatisfaction with this proposal, but ultimately gave in. I was chided with the typical– «You can straighten your hair every once in while», «You’re not gonna lose your curl pattern.» I took in the views of some of the client’s missing hairlines warily, as I refrained from explaining the science behind hair and the fact that it burns at a certain temperature and irreversible damage is completely and totally possible.
I left $ 80 dollars lighter, with straight hair that I never really wanted. I tipped the hair stylist because I’m not rude, but in any other situation (i.e. food) I would have questioned tipping just a little bit harder.
I’m sure that this salon does great hair for you relaxed folks, but if you’re natural– it might be worth hopping in that car of yours and heading up I-​95 to seek out some actual natural hair salons in other cities (i.e. Philly, New York etc.).
Thankfully, I was able to dance and drown my sorrows away at the party I went to later that night. Oh, and with a little help from a clarifying shampoo or two, my hair was able to revert to its natural texture the next day. Thank the high heavens for my hair’s crazy resiliency.