RoundBrushHair! > Dominican Hair Care Blog

Chaka on: 

• Product Name: La Bomba Conditioner Rinse
• Price: $7.99
• How to use: Apply after using the conditioner massaging for a few minutes and then rinse with plenty of water
• Personal Rating: 3 out of 5
  

Note: If you’re looking for volume – this product is a must have.

I was so excited to try this rinse because I’d heard so many wonderful things about the La Bomba line. I was told about how excellent it was and how some Dominican stylists swear by it. This is the first La Bomba product I’ve tried.  The first time I used it was after my weekly shampoo and deep condition. I applied the white cream, which has the consistency of a thin lotion, while my hair was still damp. I massaged a silver dollar sized amount into my hair and immediately realized I needed more. After the second dose, I expected to feel my hair begin to soften -  and it did, but not much. So I tried combing it through and adding just a tiny bit more. It was as if my hair was a sponge that would swell up each time I added more of the rinse. That was the last thing I needed with my hair already being big, thick and, very curly. Next I put on a shower cap and let the rinse penetrate for about 3 minutes. Normally I just comb through and rinse, but I wanted to see if the product would do anything else. Once it was time to rinse my hair, it was a little softer but not much slip. And no, it wasn’t my imagination, my hair did swell up. I had to see if this was just a reaction from the products I used prior to the rinse but, after further attempts with other shampoos and deep conditioners, it still happened. I used the rinse a few more times for co-washing with the same end result without as much pouf as before. It was a mystery. Then I had a brainstorm:  

A family member of mine has thinning hair. It’s quite noticeable almost to the point where you can see areas of her scalp when her hair is combed down. She’s currently transitioning (going from relaxed to natural). I shampooed and deep conditioned her hair as usual and applied the rinse. Bingo! Her hair swelled as well. For her this was a good thing. Once I finished styling her hair it was noticeably fuller. Her biggest concern was that her bald spot would still show but after using this rinse it was barely there because the rest of her hair was thick enough to cover it. Amazing! Talk about your surprise ending. No matter what hair type I use this on one thing has been consistent: the shine. That positive aspect almost makes up for the, “aromatic spice”, smell that it leaves in your hair. It really lingers. I call it an aromatic spice smell because that’s what is listed as an ingredient on the bottle. It smells something like cloves. You’ll either hate it or love it. To sum things up, I recommend the La Bomba rinse if you feel like your hair lacks body. No matter what type of hair you have. Try it out and let us know what you think.  

Note: Conditioning rinses are hair detanglers. They are optional to use after deep conditioners or chemical processes. They’re ideal for co-washing (washing hair with a conditioner in place of shampoo).  I suggest conditioner rinses to anyone whose hair tangles easily after washing.

Chaka on:

Product Name: Aceite de Canela (Cinnamon Oil)

Price: $3.99

How to use: Apply a small portion to hair before shampooing and rinsing.

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 (This product is a must have)

Cinnamon oil is a mixture of essential cinnamon oil and liquid Vaseline (petrolatum). Essential oils are oils that have been extracted from a plant that have a specific scent or essence hence the term, “essential oil”.

Cinnamon oil in specific shows its benefits over time with continued use. It helps to minimize breakage and reduce shedding. It has also been used to stimulate the scalp which in turn promotes hair growth especially in, what I refer to as, the stress areas of the head i.e.: the temples, crown, and nape.

When I first opened the bottle I was surprised at how strong the smell was. I am not the biggest fan of the smell of cinnamon but hey, to each his own. I was afraid that the smell might linger and that the bright red color would stain my clothes so I was very careful not to drip any of the watery liquid.

Normally I apply pre shampoo oils directly to my scalp but in the summer months the heat causes perspiration and Vaseline can clog pores. Instead I apply the oil close to my scalp with a tint brush that’s normally used for hair color application.  I start by parting my hair into four sections with the end of the brush which is like the end of a rat-tail comb. I pour a good amount of the oil into a bowl, dip the brush in, and lightly dab it on my hair near the partings. I follow by massaging the oil through my hair and adding a little extra to my ends. I let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes without heat or a shower cap. Then I go through my usual shampoo, condition, and rinse routine. I’m pleased to inform those of you who are not big cinnamon fans that the smell is gone with the shampoo.

I gave this product a good rating mainly because its hair-health benefits and versatility. I say it’s versatile because it works well on dry skin. Just rub it onto my knees and elbows and ash is a thing of the past. This product did lose a few points because it’s not so kid-friendly. Mine can’t stand the tingling. Nor does it give the shine that I’m used to from other pre-shampoo oils. I’ve used this product on natural as well as chemically treated heads with the same results. What I recommend is using the cinnamon oil in problem areas and using oil such as the Coconut & Watercress or Whale Sperm on the rest of your hair. Possibly mixing one of those with the Cinnamon oil would work too. I think everyone should keep at least one bottle of this on hand especially in the fall and winter when cold-dry air tends to turn hair intro straw.

Note: Be careful when applying this oil especially near edges. The excess oil may drip onto skin or eyes and OMG CINNAMON BURNS!

September’s featured Dominican salon:

On August 29, 2008 doors opened to the first Dominican salon and Dominican hair product retailer in Landover, Maryland - Sintia’s Dominican Salon. The grand opening spared no expense as customer service, style and comfort were the main focus.

Upon arrival customers were welcomed as celebrities with curbside pink carpet and matching ‘grand opening’ pink and brown balloons. And if the outside didn’t impress you, the lavish layout inside certainly could not go unnoticed. Pink cushioned benches accented with brown plush pillows lined the waiting area and a towering 7 foot tall wooden finished armoire stocked with a wide selection RoundBrushHair Dominican Products gave customers the opportunity of relaxing or browsing.

Pink being the salon’s signature color couldn’t go unnoticed even if you tried – from the enormous pink butterfly logo which captures your attention as you walk through the doors to the pink blow dryers the stylists use to perfect that sought after Dominican blowout – pink was everywhere.

The salon is the brain child of Claudina Mesa who named the salon after her late sister Sintia who dreamed of having a Dominican hair salon some day. Sintia’s picture graces the wall of the salon with a striking resemblance to her older sister Claudina as if looking down on the salon participating in every aspect of operations.

Claudina opened the salon with American business partners Keisha Gilchrist and India Rogers to ensure the salon would meet the needs of African American women who frequent Dominican Salons the most. Customers are given service tickets to fill out before seeing any stylist which is translated into Spanish for the stylist to read. “The customer cards help both the stylist and client. The language barrier is the biggest problem with Dominican salons and it’s just one of the many ways we’ve set ourselves apart from other Dominican salons in the area” states Claudina as she offers champagne to a customer under the hair dyer.

To a person unaware of the salon opening less than 24 hours ago, the salon looked as though it had been serving customers for years. Every hair dyer was occupied (thanks to the grand opening special of free Silicon Mix deep conditioning), the smoke from the stylist’s blowers forced the front doors to be propped open and towels couldn’t be washed fast enough. “The grand opening weekend was initially just for family and friends, but at some point that got tossed out the window” laughs co-owner India Rogers who hustles to find more dryers to accommodate waiting clients.

But those waiting didn’t seem bothered, “it’s a new salon, so you can’t expect everything to go perfectly; but I can tell they’re going to need a lot more stylists in here” says Jacqueline Maynard who lives 5 minutes away from the new salon. Other customers sipped on champagne with strawberries and helped themselves to the “sweet shop” table full of cupcakes, brownies, lollipops and other goodies until a shampoo bowl became open. 

And if they weren’t sipping on champagne or munching on sweets, they were browsing hair products for sale. When asked about the partnership with RoundBrushHair to sell Dominican hair products co-owner Keisha Gilchrist said “these are the products most Dominican salons use, but until now you could only buy them online. We love the fact that women can now purchase these products directly from our salon and not have to worry about the wait time that comes with shipping. Also, women should be able to smell, look and hold a potential purchase and finally they have a place to do it!” The partnership was ideal for RoundBrushHair as well, founder Jennifer Drew recalls how “more and more we were getting calls from people living in Maryland who wanted to pick up products from our warehouse. And unfortunately the warehouse isn’t set up for customers, so I’m happy we found a home for the products at Sintia’s Dominican salon. We’re working on similar arrangements for our customers in other states.”

Minutes off the beltway in Landover, Maryland, Sintia’s Dominican Salon offers healthy hair, Dominican products and style all under one pink roof.

Take advantage of this exclusive $5 coupon good until October 1^st 2008 with your visit to Sintia’s Dominican Salon!

Click Here For Printable Coupons

Landover Crossing Shopping Center

8581 Landover Rd

Landover, MD 20721

Salon Phone: 301-685-5787