One of the immediate challenges African immigrants face while still new in the U.S. is finding a good African hair salon. The African hair comes in various textures, colors, and sizes. And, their characteristics are often much different from those of Caucasians, who form the bulk of clienteles to most hair salons across America.

An African will have to do quite a bit of searching around to find the hair designers used to working on their hair types. The search for an African hair salon will be extraneous if the African immigrant happens to live in a neighborhood predominantly filled with Caucasian, Hispanic, or Asian populations. Those in African American neighborhoods will be in for much better luck.

Most Africans have curly hair, unlike Caucasians, Hispanics, or Asians who have straight hair in most cases. Often, both Africans and African Americans need hair designers specialized in working on their type of hair for their desired hairstyle to come out the right way.

Where to find an African Hair Salon in New York

This article will be featuring the best African hair salons in New York, for those looking to rock dreadlocks. Be sure to share it with your friends and family of African descent living in the ‘Big Apple.’’

A curly hair naturally grows out into dreadlocks, and these are the hair types found on most African and African Americans. Dreadlock is indeed one of the most natural hairstyles for Africans as can be seen from historical records.

Dreadlocks are synonymous with Rastafarianism, an Abrahamic religious movement that started in Jamaica. A country made from African descendants. On the continent of Africa, dreadlocks are the hairstyles of Himba women in Namibia, Maasai men in East Africa, Turkana women in Kenya, and Baye Fall Muslims in Senegal, among other ethnic groups and religious sects on the continent.

The dreadlocks hairstyle was made more popular worldwide by reggae legend Bob Marley. It has since traversed across ethnicity as reggae fans who are not of African descent try out to rock the dread hairstyle.

1. Brooklyn Dreadlocks by Dee

If you are looking for African hair salon that does dreadlocks in New York, then this hair salon is for you. They also do faux locs, crochet braids, dreadlocks starter locs, permanent dreadlock extensions, loc repair, locs cornrows, barrel row loc, mohawks, and sew in weaves. The salon also accepts credit cards, has free Wi-Fi for guests, pleasant environment for kids, has bike parking, and is wheelchair users friendly.

They are located at:

652 Rogers Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11226

between Parkside Ave. & Clarkson Ave.

Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Flatbush

Visit their website at BrooklynDreadlocks.com

2. Locks N Chops Natural Hair Salons

As you might have guessed from the name, the Locks N Chops Natural Hair Salons is built from the ground-up to work on natural hair. The hairstylists in this African hair braiding salon are specialized in loc maintenance, loc extensions, braiding and weaving natural weaves, hair extensions, hair cuts for men’s hairstyles, and braids.

Other than hair weaving and styling, this establishment also offers a three-month non-accredited course in natural hair culture and salon management. They are targetting students aged between 18-30 for this course. That said, you don’t expect there to be a shortage of hairstylists to work on your natural African hair.

Located at:

365 W 34th St, FI 2

New York, NY 10001

between 9th Ave. & 8th Ave.

Chelsea, Midtown West, Hell’s Kitchen

Visit their website at https://www.locksnchops.com/

3. Naturally Twisted

If you already can’t tell from their name, this hair salon is specialized in dreadlocks and natural hair care. However, you can just simply drop by on your way to other errands. It is a pop-up shop, and they are mostly operational during the last week of every month.

To get one of their professional and experienced hair hairdressers to work on your hair. You need to book an appointment online. This establishment accepts both credit cards and Apple Pay. They have a conducive environment for customers coming in with their kids, and you can leave your car at the street parking.

The Naturally Twisted salon is located at:

4350 White Plains Road

Bronx, NY 10466, Wakefield

Visit their website at Square.Site/Naturally-Twisted-Bronx-NY

4. Dreadlock Central

The Dreadlock Central is specialized in doing instant locs. They also use the Crochet method, which they tout to be the only method of hair weaving that works for all hair types. They are also specialized in doing extensions, kid’s hair, Asian hair, curly hair, and African American hair. The establishment accepts credit cards, and has a bike parking space. You don’t really need a schedule appointment to get served at this establishment since they got enough hair braiders to cater for walk-in customers. According to customer reviews at Yelp, hair braiders found at this establishment are warm, welcoming, and quite patient with their customers.

They are located at:

Williamsburg, NY 11231,

Crown Heights, Bedford Stuyvesant.

Visit their website at DreadLockCentral.com

5. Dreadlocks by Randi

Dreadlock by Randi is a hair salon establishment that touts itself as dealing with every aspect of dread braids. From maintenance, starter locs, root wrapping, repair, dreadlock extensions, hair extensions, lock cultivation, weaves, braids, and reattaching of dreadlocks among others.

They also offer free consultations from Tuesday through to Friday. The establishment was set up in 1997, and it started out as a natural hair stylist salon from the start. Looking at customer reviews, we can say they have maintained quality service to their customers for a long time running.

They are located at:

151 Ridge St.,

Manhattan, NY 10002

Between Stanton St. & Houston St on the Lower East Side

Visit their website at DreadLocksByRandi.com

6. Sophisticated Loc Salon

Sophisticated Loc Salon, is a hair salon dedicated to African hair weaving. if you are looking for those really exotic hair styles such as the Senegalese twists among other African braidings. This establishment has got you covered. The establishment accepts credit cards, has street parking for vehicles, and stands for bike parking. They also have facilities to keep your kids occupied and not interfere with the braid hair process. The establishment is also wheelchair accessible.

This establishment, like the rest mentioned above, was founded around an individual’s passion and skills on hair weaving. The Sophisticated Loc Salon was founded by Shaquora R’Bey, who began weaving cornrows at the age of 11. By the time she was 13, she was already doing hair extensions. Her weaving was so outstanding that by the mid-90s, she landed a job with the Essence magazine.

They are located at:

328 Lewis Avenue,

Brooklyn, NY 11221,

Between Hancock Street & Jefferson Avenue in Bedford Stuyvesant

Visit their website at Loc-Hairstyles.blogspot.com

If you are in New York and looking for an African hair salon, the above-mentioned salons will be your best bet for quality dreadlocks hairdressing works. After the long hours of hair braiding, you probably will be feeling famished. Luckily, Afrikagora has a list of top-notch African restaurants in New York serving some of the most mouthwatering dishes from West Africa.

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