RoundBrushHair! > Dominican Hair Care Blog

Yay! RoundBrushHair.com now sells Round Brushes! I guess it’s only right since we are all about Dominican hair care right and the Dominican technique is all about the Round Brush.  Well, we now offer over 20 different shapes, styles and sizes to choose from! This can seem somewhat intimidating to those who are new to using them (we know because we’ve gotten the phone calls). So,  I’ve compiled a few of the most frequently asked questions we’ve received:

What is the difference between boar bristle and boar bristle brush with nylon quills?

These bristles are made from natural boar’s hair, which helps to smooth the hair without causing unnecessary damage or splitting the ends. These brushes should be used on hair that is at least 80% dry to avoid tangling and breakage as hair is at its most vulnerable state when wet. With every rotation the bristles strengthen and polish by spreading the hair’s own natural oils. This leaves a very healthy shine.  These brushes are also used for stretching the hair which is great for thick, curly or wavy types. They are able to create a firm grip to achieve the tension needed for smoothing, straightening, or curling the ends leaving a sleek finish.

            Boar bristle brushes with nylon quills, also referred to as porcupine brushes, have slightly longer nylon quills in between the boar bristles which are used to help detangle the hair simultaneously while the boar bristles are smoothing.

 Note: (Blonde Boar Bristles are softer and used for fine to medium textured hair and black boar bristles are used for medium to coarse hair. Certain Brushes may have a combination of the two.)

 What size should I use?

As a general rule, your hair should be able to wrap around the barrel of the brush at least 1 ½ times for the best results. Just as with rollers or curling irons the smaller the diameter of the brush, the tighter your curl will be and vice versa.

 How do I clean them?

Brushes can be easily cleaned with warm water and a mild shampoo. You can use either a comb or another bristle brush to remove buildup and loose hairs. This should be done on a regular basis because the dirt and debris from previous uses can be redeposited onto clean hair. Also, brushes with wooden or cork handles should never be immersed in water only rinsed and air dried.

Why are some brushes ceramic or metal?

These are both types of thermal brushes. The purpose of using a thermal brush is to quicken the drying process and to style hair. The barrels of these brushes are vented and retain heat. They act very much like a curling iron when used with a hand held dryer. You may find that some of the bristles on these brushes are tipped with tiny plastic balls. These are for separating the air which aids in more even drying and less frizziness. Just as a ceramic curling iron or flat iron these; brushes can overheat and burn your hair or skin. Always use the lowest heat setting as possible to achieve the results you desire.

When should I use the ones with the holes in them?          

These are called vent brushes. They are heat resistant and have small openings along the barrel that allow air to flow through while drying. These openings help to dry hair faster and usually have bristles that are placed farther apart than those found on other types of round brushes. These are excellent for creating volume as well as curling.

Why use an ionic brush?

            Ionic styling tools are known for conditioning and rehydrating by using negative ions to help absorb water molecules into the core of the hair strands.

I hope this small tutorial has answered some of the questions that you may have had about which brush suits you best. Let me know if I missed a burning question you have about the brushes. Also, we’d love for you to share with us any experiences, comments, or tips that might be helpful to those who are new to the art of the round brush hair.

Check out our round brushes

OK, am I the only one excited about the NCAA tournament or what? I don’t even follow college basketball, not when I was a student at the University of Maryland (GO TERPS!) and definitely not now.

But I’m excited for 1 reason only: I get to play in a basketball pool!

Every year around this time men enter multiple NCAA pools and women are kinda left out because I don’t think we care that much. We would much rather do our hair, browse new hair products or go to the hair salon right? Well, not any more! This is our 2nd Annual NCAA tournament and we’ve got some great prizes you can win while watching the tournament games:

Free Dominican hair products and Free wash & sets from participating Dominican salons!!  Basketball & hair - what a wonderful combination!

So who are you banking on winning? Where did you go to school? How are you choosing the winning team (color of uniforms)? :–)

Good luck!! Submit your brackets now through March 19th

Fast Facts:

Salon Name: Image Beauty Salon & Dominican Image Hair Salon

Salon Location: 1824 Columbia Rd, NW Washington, DC 20009; 5801-A Eastern Ave., Hyattsville, MD 20782

Salon Phone: (202) 234-4194; (301) 559-1088

RBH: Hello Mariana! Congratulations on being our Featured Dominican Stylist for the month of March!

Mariana: Thank you for featuring me!

RBH: Tell us about how you first got started doing hair.

Mariana: Well, I started doing hair back at home (Dominican Republic); I graduated from cosmetology school in 1984 then moved to the United States in 1985.

RBH: Did you immediately open up your own salon when you moved to the United States?

Mariana: Oh no. I worked at a salon called Mireya’s Beauty Salon for 12 years (1985-1992). Then I had a partnership with another woman named Francis to co-own a salon on 18th Street in Washington, DC for six years (1998-2003). It was after that partnership that I opened my first salon - Image Beauty Salon.

RBH: How do you juggle having two salons? Do you work at both?

Mariana: Yes, I work at both. I have days when I’m at Image Beauty and then other days when I’m at Dominican Image.  I work with friends that I’ve known since I moved to this country.

RBH: This isn’t a fair question, but do you like being at one salon over the other?

Mariana: No, I love them both. We are all professionals with many years of experience, and love doing hair.

RBH: Do you specialize in any hair type?

Mariana: We specialize in every hair type! Visit us today!

If you’re active on facebook you’ve probably been tagged at least once with the “25 Random Things” note. Reading through different lists, some were entertaining and comical while others were serious and somber. So I decided to start the “15 Random Things….About Hair”. Read my list below and share yours!! 

1. I never thought my hair would grow past my shoulders.

2. I thought the back of my hair would always be shorter than the rest of my hair.

3. I was in denial about how unattractive split ends looked until I started taking pictures of my hair.

4. Now that I have long hair I secretly want to cut it; but I don’t think I ever will because the journey to long hair took a lot time and patience.

5. Before using Dominican hair products I bought every product off the shelf of my local Beauty Supply Store.

6. I admit to trying hair growth pills (embarrassing!)

7. My grandmother laughed at me everyday for a month straight as I popped the horse-size Hair Formula 37 hair growth pills.

8. No they didn’t work. ($120 down the drain)

9. I go to a different Dominican salon every other week and tell people it’s “work related” when actually I’m just addicted to trying new salons.

10. I can never tell when white women wear weaves.

11. Am I the only one who was surprised to find out Kim from “Real Housewives of Atlanta” had a weave?

12. Speaking of “Real Housewives of Atlanta” I thought Ne-Ne’s weave was awful.

13. I once cried (well, not cried…but a tear rolled down my eye) sitting in a Dominican Salon because the heat from the blower was sooo hottt!

14. I would really like to learn how to do fishtail braids (my friend does them really well, and I think they’re so cute).

15. I’m so glad long hair on guys is going out of style.

If you’ve read my list, you’ve been tagged and now you have to create your own. :–) Oh, and if you’re wondering how my hair looks now…here’s a picture I took December of 2008:

If you drove past the newest Dominican salon in PG county Maryland located at 11000 Baltimore Ave. in Beltsville the night of January 10th, you would have thought it was a serious party going on! Only instead of a top-shelf bar and VIP tables, people were dancing around hair dryers and styling chairs celebrating the grand opening of Arelis Dominican Style #2. 

Women in the state of Maryland are really getting spoiled when it comes to the number of Dominican salons they have to choose from. Once upon a time, you could only find Dominican salons in downtown Silver Spring. Now they have locations in Landover, District Heights, Hyattsville, Edgewood and the newest of all….Beltsville.

Arelis Natera may be new to Beltsville, but she’s no stranger at all to Dominican hair styling or RoundBrushHair.com. Arelis was one of our very first featured Dominican stylists last year, as one of the pioneers to Dominican styling in the state of Maryland. Now she’s expanding her reach with Arelis Dominican Salon II - placing her signature ‘big hair’ look in a busy part of town with no Dominican salons. Arelis opened the second salon to accommodate her clients who drive at least 30 minutes to her salon in Silver Spring. “I have a lot of customers who live in Columbia and Laurel Maryland who have asked me to open a salon closer to them.” Beltsville seemed to be perfect location to cater to women in the Northern parts of Maryland.

The salon opened to the public officially on January 2, 2009, but celebrated her opening 8 days later. Arelis invited RoundBrushHair.com Team Members to attend the grand opening fiesta and agreed to offer her clients the Silicon Mix line of products available at RoundBrushHair.com, in addition to the line she uses exclusively at her salon called Time Line. “We use Time Line exclusively in my salon. Shampoo, conditioner, cellophane – everything. But I know a lot of women are used to Silicon Mix products, so I’m happy to offer them here.” Arelis is the distributor for Time Line products, and offers these items for sale separately or in gift bag sets.

Although this is Salon # II, the name and styling ability is about the only thing similar to Salon # I. Salon # II is more modern in look with bright yellow and orange walls, flat screen TVs, cozy couches in the waiting area, and free parking (yay! no more meters!!). Arelis even recruited new Dominican stylists to bring over to her new salon so salon # 1 wouldn’t suffer from being short-staffed.

 So the next time you’re traveling up Rt. 1, make sure you check out Arelis Dominican Salon II, it’s in the shopping center directly across the street from Costco near Power Mill Rd.Enjoy $25 wash and sets every Tuesday & Wednesday! This does not include deep conditioning or apply to natural hair. And every Thursday pay only $75 for a relaxer and cellophane which is normally priced at $95.

Chaka On:

Product Name: Chocolacio Tratamiento Nutritivo (Choco-Straight Nutritious Treatment)
Price: $11.99
Personal Rating: 1.5 out of 5

How to use: Apply Chocolacio after shampooing your hair, leave in for 3 to 5 minutes, rinse with abundant water, style as usual.Note: Everyone’s hair is different. You may enjoy this product.

Okay let’s start with the good news. This product smells better than anything I’ve tried. It’s actually a wonderful concept. Mixing a sweet dessert-like scent with a hair care product seems like a win-win situation, and it would be if the product worked as good as it smelled. Chocolacio is a thick brown conditioner that looks exactly like chocolate pudding. The second I opened the jar I got excited about this new product. Most hair, bath, or body products that are food-scented smell similar to the real thing but this one is right on point. I really wish the smell remained after rinsing.

I applied the Chocolacio during my weekly routine after shampooing. I parted my hair in four sections and began applying the cream. Hmm….something was wrong. It felt like the conditioner was just sitting on top of my hair and not penetrating at all. So I decided to leave the conditioner on a little while longer and sit under the hood dryer. It smelled like someone was baking a chocolate cake. How lovely! Anyway, I sat for about 10 minutes hoping that some magic would take place, unfortunately my hair was just blah! Now I’m not usually one to fall short on words but blah was the best descriptive word to fit this scenario. I so wanted this product to work. My hair was dull and dry without the slightest bit of slip. I think I was in denial about the product leaving my hair in this sad state because I walked around for a couple of days after with a big ole’ swollen fro. I should have re-washed but I didn’t.

So being the trooper I am I still wouldn’t give up. I tried it on my daughter’s relaxed hair. The results were even worse. It was a sad day. I never knew it was possible for wet hair to feel dry. Lol.  And silly me, I did her hair right before her winter musical at school. Her hair was stiff and dull. She almost missed the opening number because I had to redo her hair at the last minute.

When I tried the conditioner on  my husband’s wavy Caucasian hair it was smooth but somewhat dry and dull. I was surprised because normally what doesn’t work well for the rest of my family works well for him.

Honesty is the best policy and fortunately I can give the majority of the products rave reviews. This one just missed the mark.

What I’m thinking of trying in the future is mixing a little coconut oil into the conditioner to see if it helps. It has worked for other conditioners I’ve used in the past. Hey what do I have to lose. If anything my hair will end up smelling like a Mounds Bar. LOL!

Tip: Please keep this product out of the reach of children. It looks and smells exactly like chocolate pudding but is in no way edible.

Fast Facts:

Salon Name: Yvelisse Hair Salon

Owners: Husband and Wife Andres and Maria (Yvelisse) Delgado

Salon Location: 1405 Archdale Dr., Charlotte, NC 28210

Salon Phone: (704) 552-0024

Salon Specials: Free $5 Deep Conditioner Monday - Thursday

Born in the city of Santiago in the Dominican Republic, Maria Delgado [at the time] only 13-years old knew she wanted to work in the beauty industry.  By the age of 15 she was doing hair.  

RBH:  So… you started doing hair at an early age, tell us a little more about your career in beauty?

Wow… it has been so long. First, I started in the Dominican Republic when I was about 15; and then I moved to the US. I spent 26 years living in New York doing hair. I worked with other people in different salons, but eventually opened my own.  The salon I own in New York is called “The Best Beauty Salon” in the Queens area. I’ve had that salon for 15 years now and it’s very popular.

RBH: Dominican salons are all over New York, 15 years is a long time! How long has your salon in Charlotte North Carolina been open?

Well we just opened it, on October 22^nd!!  Even though is not a very long time, we are picking up so fast!! I’m very thankful everything is on track and doing well.

RBH: That’s very good! And of course we’re happy for you! Your salon in New York is called Best Beauty, is there any significance to the name Yvelisse for this salon?

[Laughter] Ohhh nobody calls me Maria, only a few people …. I’m mostly known as Yvelisse which is my middle name, so that’s how we found the name for the salon: Yvelisse!!

RBH: Haha!!! That explains it! We were a little confused here at RBH! Oh, and I have to say, your salon is jaw dropping gorgeous. All of us at RBH were drooling at the layout and color scheme. Did you hire professional designers for your salon?

I’m really into decorating. When the time came to set-up the salon I wanted a fresh and modern look, so I started searching for the colors that were “hot” during 2008. I read orange was one of the colors so that’s how we decorated it. The color has been very useful, a lot of people are attracted to the salon because of the color and that’s good!!!

RBH:  Looking at the pictures of your salon, I can’t imagine you only do hair. What other services do you offer?

Yes, hair of course, but we also do manicures, pedicures, waxing, and offer barber services.

RBH: Wonderful! Now, personally, while I was looking over the pictures of the salon, I thought to myself ‘this salon must have spa prices.’ Judging by the pictures, I can’t imagine you would offer the typical affordable Dominican prices, or do you?

Haha!!  I get that all the time! Some people come inside and have to ask me about the prices before they get comfortable. When I tell them the price they are always surprised!! We have the best prices!! We are totally affordable, no doubt!!

RBH: Awesome!!  So what kind of products do you use in you salon?

Well we have tons of products, for example Dominican Products, Italian Products and much more, we like to carry all different kind of products in order to work with all types of hair.

RBH:  Do you have a favorite Dominican product?

I like all of them, but I like the silicon mix and oils.

RBH:  Would you recommend any products in particular for this time of the year (winter months)?

Well I think treatments with protein are good to use during the winter. Also, moisturizing conditioners and oils. It really boils down to the type of hair and what it needs specifically, but now that’s getting cold, hydration is the key for a healthy hair.

RBH: I would agree. So, when people come to your salon, do you have a specialty or prefer any one style or type of hair over another?

I do everything: styles, colors, highlights. And I work with any type of hair including African American. Anything that has to do with beauty is my passion; I live and die for it!

RBH: Well, you’ve certainly convinced me during this conversation that hair is your passion. What the best part of your job?

The thing that I love the most is when I’m done and the client sees the change!!! It’s gratifying to see their expressions and hear when they say “OMG”, “I Can’t Believe it” or “I haven’t seen my hair like this before” that’s my favorite part!! I feel so excited when I see my customers happy!

Well ladies and gents, there you have it: elegance + comfort + affordability + over 20 years of hair knowledge = Yvelisee’s Hair Salon. If you live in or near Charlotte, you should visit Yvelisse at her salon. Now until January 13, 2009, RoundBrushHair.com member can use the coupon below for a free trim with a regular price relaxer or color service. Yvelisse also offers a weekly special of a free $5 deep conditioner Monday – Thursday.

                                                                          Print Coupon

Product: La Plancha Combo

Price: $34.99

Personal Rating: 4.5 out of 5

*Note: I usually like to review products individually but, I was so impressed with this new product line that I just had to share the entire set. La Plancha products are great for any and every hair type. They smell like mango mixed with a little peach…I love it. 

The Shampoo: Deep Cleansing Extra Straight Shampoo

Price: $8.99

How to use: Shampoo, rinse well.

This product gives you a very clean feeling without having to repeat too many times.  With most brands, my hair is usually clean after 3 shampoos, but with this one my hair felt clean with only two. And it didn’t leave it feeling stripped. How great is that! The shampoo itself is clear which means it contains no unnecessary dyes. It’s also kind of thick so I used a little less than usual. So you know what that means. The bottle lasts longer. It’s a good thing too because this bottle is a 13oz instead of the 16oz like the majority of the shampoos.  

Tip: Always be sure to rinse very well when shampooing, especially when the shampoo is thick. 

The Conditioner: Tratamiento Profundo Capilar (Deep Heat Reconstructor Hair Treatment)

Price: $13.99

How to use: This product can be applied in three different ways depending on your particular needs:  

1st Option: Apply La Plancha after shampoo, leave in hair for 3 to 5 minutes, rinse with warm water. Style as usual 

2nd Option: For moderate conditioning, shampoo and towel dry hair. Apply La Plancha from scalp to ends, wrap hair in plastic cap and place under dryer or blower for 15 minutes, rinse with warm water. Style as usual. 

3rd Option: For deeper conditioning and intensive hair repair, after shampooing apply La Plancha, divide hair into sections, wrap each section in aluminum foil. Proceed to heat each section with a professional hair ceramic iron for 30 seconds. Rinse with warm water. Style as usual. 

This conditioner is amazing. It’s a white cream that appears thick while in the jar but, once you touch it feels pretty lightweight. I didn’t know what to expect. I applied an average-sized amount in sections and was not blown away by what I felt. I combed the product through, put a shower cap on and waited about 5 minutes (option #1) before rinsing. My hair was very soft with good slip and very few tangles. At this point I consider myself a conditioner aficionado. I can pretty much tell what’s going to happen as soon as one touches my hair. However there is an exception to every rule and La Plancha is it. The second time I used the conditioner I processed it following option #2. Right after I took off the shower cap, I touched my hair and couldn’t believe it. I don’t know if it’s ever been so soft. The result was 10 times better than the results from the first option which brought me to the conclusion that the more intense the heat you use with it the better the result. Yes, the label on the jar implies this but; you have to try it to believe it. I didn’t even need to use a rinse! Wow! I haven’t tried option #3 yet because my hair is in good condition and I feel it’s not necessary right now but, in the future I will definitely give it a try. 

The Leave-in: Deep Heat Protector

Price: $12.99

How to use: Apply to damp or dry hair. Use a professional hair ceramic iron or blower and style as usual. 

Simply put, this leave-in is magnificent. It delivers instant softness. Unlike most other leave-ins, you can see the shine even before your hair is dry. Depending on your method of drying, the shine remains almost the same. I put a quarter-sized amount in my hair while it was still wet. I didn’t mix it with any other products and much to my surprise, my curly hair was smooth and under control with a nice sheen. I absolutely loved it! My husband actually commented on how good it looked. That’s quite a compliment coming from a guy doesn’t even notice when I’m wearing his T-shirts. ;-) 

As the saying goes, “there’s more than one way to skin a cat,” but is there more than one way to go about Dominican hairstyling when it comes to natural hair?

Usually, having your hair done by a Dominican stylist means you’ll get a wash, roller-set, and blow-out. However, when it comes to natural hair, there are some Dominican stylists who forego the roller-set altogether and head straight for the blow dryer.

Speaking with a few Dominican stylists on the matter, they usually asses the hair and use their best judgment to decide how to achieve the famous bouncy, light, swinging hair.  While most of the stylist said they skip the rollers on natural hair, a few will roll the hair no matter how curly or tightly coiled the hair is while wet.

I personally think getting natural hair to stay on a roller is an art (that I haven’t mastered) It’s frustrating to say the least, believe me I’ve tried many times since I’ve been natural and my strands just won’t stick. I usually end up with half of my hair sticking up off of the roller and overly fuzzy roots.  I’d love to be able to use rollers once in a while but it just isn’t going to give me the same result as when my hair was relaxed. So to get the smooth mock-relaxed look I skip the rollers and go straight to the handheld dryer. This is what works for me, but there are some natural hair women who prefer to have their hair set with rollers.

I mean, you kind of lose the Dominican hair salon experience if you don’t get the rollers right? For some, sitting beneath a scorching hood dryer (with a towel tucked around the dryer or at least some ear guards of course) and a head full of brightly colored plastic rollers is a huge part of the “Dominican way”. For others, the use of Dominican hair products and the roundbrush make up the Dominican salon experience.

What are your thoughts? For those with thick, dense, or extremely curly hair that can’t get a smooth roller-set to save their lives, do you feel like you’re missing out on the Dominican Salon experience? Or is the finished product of gorgeous, healthy hair satisfying enough?

And to my relaxed ladies – pressed for time, have you ever skipped the rollers and just had your stylist “blow-out” your hair? Were the results the same as if you had sat under the dryer with rollers?

Product: Tropical Bano de Crema Negra (Black Cream Treatment)

Price: $9.99

How to use:  Apply Tropical Black Cream Treatment on wet hair massaging gently. Rinse with plenty of water and repeat application if necessary.  

Personal Rating: 3 out of 5 

Tip: Be careful when you applying this conditioner. I used it on for the first time in the shower and some of it splashed onto the grout. It was a really difficult to remove. On the bright side, it does wash out of clothing pretty easily and it doesn’t stain skin or nails 

            The Crema Negra conditioner is a black (no, I mean, really black) jelly-like consistency. It’s extremely thick with a strange smell that lingers after you rinse. It reminds me of the Dax black tar grease my grandmother used to straighten my hair with.  It’s not oily or greasy and, to look at it you’d probably think it would alter the color of your hair by making it darker but it doesn’t. 

            I applied the conditioner after shampooing. The conditioner is so thick that I had to use a good amount of product to fully saturate my hair. I let it sit for about 10 minutes with a shower cap on so it could do its thing (steam from the shower allowed me to forgo the dryer). After rinsing, my hair was soft, but still slightly tangled with little to no slip. It was also pretty dull looking - even while wet. I decided not to apply it a second time as the instructions suggested because with certain products I can tell instantly how my hair will react – and I wasn’t feeling this one. I did, however, repeat the procedure on my daughter’s relaxed hair and my niece’s naturally curly hair. I noticed no difference in results between the first and second applications.                       

            While not one of my favorites, I must say that this product does soften all hair types pretty well. If you decide to use this conditioner, I recommend following it up with a rinse conditioner just to restore some of the shine and slip. Normally I suggest using a rinse only as an optional method of detangling, but with this product I advise everyone to use it. For those of you that usually skip the rinse, the softness you get from using this product is well worth the extra step. 

Note: With many hair products the manufacturer’s instructions are merely suggestions of how to get the best result from the product. Just because a bottle says ‘shampoo, rinse and repeat’ it doesn’t mean you have to repeat. Use your judgment. Your hair tells you what it needs and what it does not. 

Certain chemicals like hair dyes, perms and relaxers are the exception. Always follow those instructions for your own health and safety. Still, when in doubt ask a professional or refer to the instructions on the label.