Elegance African Hair Braiding — Local services in New York

Three stars feels a little generous but the skill and talent is great but everything else is not. I loved my braids initially which is why I’m willing to give it three stars but the experience is severely lacking and after having a migraine for almost two days i think im going to have to take them down.

In the moment they didn’t feel tight and i kept checking and i kept asking to braid a little looser especially around the temple but that didn’t seem to translate into actually braiding looser. Although like i said in the moment they didn’t feel tight so i didn’t make a big deal. Some tension is expected with a braided style. I could move my head and the braids with minor discomfort nothing alarming after all they’re braids. Also my scalp wasn’t red so maybe my head is just sensitive but still i think this signals the issue of the language barrier in the shop. I am deducting a star for overall communication including I didn’t receive a confirmation of my deposit and it wasn’t verified when i got there so i don’t think the deposit matters and i would recommend not leaving one. My appointment time didn’t really seem to matter(this worked in my favor) and despite asking to braid looser i didn’t see/feel any difference.

I don’t think this is just my experience because i noticed that folks who got anything other than box braids were not happy. It honestly comes down to the language barrier. One woman was upset because she had been there 9 hours and the style still wasn’t how she wanted. They slay box braids all day. Anything else you risk not being happy.

Like the other review said the place is crowded hot and no ventilation. Hairstylists are talking over and around you. It’s loud. Hygiene is nonexistent and honestly i should have taken the L and walked out when i noticed but I was tired and desperate that i had not fully assessed what i could be risking. I’m not surprised at the review about infection. I pray i don’t end up with a similar experience given. I’m deducting a star for lack of hygiene and really should probably deduct two stars for that especially since i now have a cold which i feel like i caught sitting in there for hours with people talking over me, not washing their hands and touching their face/nose, and even sneaking a bite of food with their hands. They reuse hair. Hair that mysteriously would appear all disorganized. Would drop the hair or the comb and pick it right back up. As i write all of this i feel so foolish for staying but the end result was awesome and this ultimately felt like the trials and tribulations of getting your hair braided on 125th. Which i have never had a great experience but again i was desperate because where i live i don’t have many options.

So overall proceed with caution if you decide to go. Maybe check it out ahead of time if you have that ability. Perhaps bring your own hair, a comb (although honestly not sure that really reduces the risk of infection if they using the same styling jam), and a translation app. I would bring proof if you leave a deposit. Listen to your gut.

My braids look great and i got so many compliments. I even told some girls where i got them. Initially they didn’t feel tight but i think they are just tight enough (or maybe heavy) that they’re causing discomfort. I don’t see signs of traction alopecia and crossing my fingers my head is just sensitive.

The braids are really nice which is why i gave it 3 stars because with some improvements this salon could be killing it. Which is what makes this disappointing because i was hoping i could come back. But too many red flags and it seems like i might need to take them out so that my hair is...

Two stars for decent outcome BUT this has to be the WORST experience I’ve ever had with a salon‼️‼️I’ve never sat in a chair longer than 6 hours! I sat in my chair 9.5hrs‼️‼️ I arrived at 430am and was seated at 5 which was fine as that was anticipated. Upon entry there’s a stench, they need to clean up and mop or something . I was asked what my friend and I wanted which were knotless braids. The woman stated that I will be first and that my friend will have to wait for one of the stylists to finish up a customers hair. Long story short, they allowed another customer ahead of my friend which was totally annoying. I asked what was going on and I was met with “did you book online?” I didn’t, but that wasn’t asked of us while being told whose hair was being braided first and second. It worked out for my friend anyway because she ended up finishing wayyyyyy before me, and please don’t even bother booking anything because they don’t honor it. It seemed like the ones who booked, waited longer‼️ There were ppl who flew in from other states only to leave angrily with no refund of deposit. I wish I had the woman’s name who did my hair but she’s one of the taller ones and OMG she didn’t know what she was doing. I will say though, no one was rude or anything… to your face. If you value your health and safety, DONT come here! When I tell you the shop looked like the front of a standing only concert. IT WAS PACKED‼️‼️‼️‼️DANGEROUSLY PACKED‼️‼️‼️‼️🤦🏽‍♀️ it definitely is a 🔥 🔥 FIRE HAZARD ⚠️ . Imagine them walking through the crowd with boiling hot water as they’re making their way back to their client to dip braids‼️ Nothing is sanitary. If the hair falls on the floor they will put it in your hair if you don’t notice, if the ends are tangled, one individual will use her teeth to separate the hair‼️‼️‼️some are even eating while doing hair! Chilllle NO! They could have a $50 special and I won’t attend! There was also a woman that was there from 10pm and at this point it’s after 8am‼️‼️ Insaneeeee‼️‼️ Never again don’t believe the hype on TikTok‼️‼️ Save your time and money! Also half of the braiders aren’t that great‼️‼️‼️ Braids stiff like hell, hair to hair ratio was off! Again… save your energy and don’t bother.

Edit: parts are ridiculously...

If I could give 0 stars I would.

I went to get my hair done on May 29, 2020 for 9 am. When I reached the hair salon the woman that I thought was going to be doing my hair was not there so somebody else started doing it. She didn’t not put any heat protectant spray on my hair and start blow drying it from the root down. Anyone with a cosmetologist license knows that blow drying or coming certain textured hair from the root down is damaging to the hair.

I initially wanted my hair to look like the picture I sent the hair stylist. The style requires you to tuck my natural (colored hair) in in order to blend the weave extension. My hair was not properly blowed out, I was caused extreme pain from blowing drying from the root and even the hairdresser started in my hair I did not like the color and how it was being done.

I was then passed off to somebody else whole tried to do the hairstyle I requested. She did not start my hair till 12:30. I waited three hours for them to figure out how to do my hair and I informed her that my hair have to be straightened in order to achieve the hairstyle. She did not understand and just told me it is because my hair is thick and natural. I told her that my hair I’d blow dye dried will help with the neatness of the braids she proceeded to tell me to do it my self while she laughed and chatted with her coworkers. Inevitably I was left blow drying my hair for an hour and the stylist left to go work in somebody else’s hair.

The reason why my hair looked different from the picture is not because it’s natural, a different color or poofy. It looks different because they did not know how to pull that style off and instead have me sit in a chair for 7 hours trying to do a hairstyle that originally only takes 2 hours. My hair looks three different colors that are not evenly blended. The braids are not neat. The parts are too large. And overall my hair looks NOTHING like the photo I sent and told the stylist I wanted.

After I tried to explain to the stylist my dislike for my hair. And instead of trying to compromise she simply repeated $140 is the lowest I can’t do for that hairstyle. It is simply unfair that I have to pay for a hairstyle that does not look like what I asked for and the incompetency of...