The Black hair salon experience has shifted dramatically over the past decade, and not necessarily for the better. Take me back to the days when you could count on having a standing appointment with your stylist who knew your hair better than you did. Traditional salons that once served as one-stop shops with experts in every hairstyle have become harder to find, and walking into a reliable salon without an appointment. Good luck.
Instead, we’ve entered the era of Instagram stylists, some incredibly talented, others less so, but all have a mile-long list of rules. Many operate from the comfort (and often discomfort of their homes) offering everything from box braids to lash extensions.
And with the onset of social media, we are privy to so many horror stories, making finding the right hairstylists require a personal recommendation or hours of research and crossed fingers.
In comes JolieDen’s Beauty Bar: an aesthetically pleasing braiding salon in Harlem, NY on FDB between 138th and 139th. This salon feels like what would happen if a traditional African braiding shop got a luxury makeover and a business degree.
Their tagline, “WHERE TRADITION MEETS LUXURY” is embodied in the incredibly quick hands of the hard-working women who understand that efficiency and comfort don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
The space itself is visually stunning: think lime-washed walls and blush accents, swivel chairs at the hair washing station, and Dyson blow dryers. Not to mention, they’ve nailed the details that matter: a seamless booking system that lets you schedule appointments ahead of time, a vibey playlist, and both synthetic and human hair available for purchase.
Here’s how my 10:00 AM appointment unfolded: I checked in at the front desk and handed my human hair over to the attendant who serves as your liaison throughout the appointment. While I settled into the waiting area, my stylist prepped the hair.
Throughout the appointment, unbooked stylists and support staff continued to prep braiding hair so my stylist could focus entirely on braiding. Around 11 AM, the front desk attendant made her rounds, checking hair progress and taking lunch orders for the day’s specials. I’m gluten-free, so I brought a packed lunch, but I did indulge in their chilled lemonade, which broke up my appointment nicely.
I can’t help but compare this appointment to my disastrous encounter with an Instagram braider whose beautiful feed photos gave no hint of the nightmare I was walking into. In late December, I arrived at my appointment, braiding hair in hand, only to find myself in a desolate, freezing cold room with three chairs, an unframed mirror, and a braider whose electricity and heat were out. Or the traditional hair braiding shops I’ve avoided out of fear of being overstimulated by the chaotic energy, scattered braiding hair, and no guarantee of temperature control.
But not JolieDen’s. The environment strikes a balance between being professional and warm. Traditional braiding shops typically charge around $250 plus tip regardless of length, while Instagram braiders can run anywhere from $300 to $800 for the same style. I’ll admit JolieDen’s sits at a premium, but $288 for waist boho braids in 5 hours is worth every penny.
While you still need to know what you want, because the aunties will bulldoze you into what they think is best, no matter where they work, JolieDen’s provides a quick and comfortable appointment that left me, a woman who hates to sit still for hours getting her hair tugged, thinking I may get my hair braided more often.