Dominican blowouts are becoming more popular as a way for those with curly hair to get straight, shiny, and smooth hair with a burst of added volume.
Continue reading to learn all about a Dominican blowout, including the process, what to expect, and any risks.
What Is a Dominican Blowout?
The Dominican blowout gets its name from the Dominican Republic, the country it originated in, although it has migrated and become popular in many other countries.
A Dominican blowout is a method in which natural hair is straightened in a particular manner. Unlike other types of blowouts, a Dominican blowout is known for not using harsh chemicals or a traditional flat iron seal-in method that you can expect with other well-known blowouts like Brazilian blowouts.
The Dominican blowout leaves natural hair silky, straight, and bouncy. The blowout uses keratin to smooth out and straighten curly hair.
Although no harsh chemicals are used on your hair, the Dominican blowout does require a considerable amount of heat to get that silk-like look and feel.
Benefits and Drawbacks of a Dominican Blowout
There are various benefits and drawbacks to getting a Dominican blowout.
Benefits
Here are a few reasons why people love this blowout.
Shine and Volume
A Dominican blowout temporarily offers straight hair giving you a break from your curls. A great benefit of a Dominican blowout is that it will add shine and volume to your hair.
Budget Friendly
While Dominican blowouts are temporary and only last one to four weeks, they are very budget-friendly, considering how often you will need to re-do the process to keep your straight, shiny, and bouncy hair.
An Easy Process
Even though a Dominican blowout can take up to a few hours to complete, the process is pretty simple and doesn’t come with an entire list of things to do afterward to maintain the hairstyle.
Drawbacks
Although the stunning hairstyle has multiple benefits, here are some drawbacks.
Hair Altering
A Dominican blowout, even though labeled a temporary hair straightening process, can permanently alter your hair’s natural curl. If you enjoy your hair naturally curly, this option may not be the best choice for you.
Chemicals
Although Dominican blowouts are labeled as chemical-free, products are placed on the hair throughout the process. The products used are not regulated, which can potentially carry harmful chemicals that give off fumes once the heat is applied.
Some ingredients possibly found in the products used for a Dominican blowout are Formaldehyde, Methanol, and artificial fragrances.
Heat Damage
Dominican blowouts use a lot of heat to straighten your curly hair. From drying your hair under a dryer to excessive passes with the blow dryer, and possibly flat iron, your hair will have to withstand a lot of heat which could cause damage to your hair.
Things To Consider Before Getting a Dominican Blowout
Here are a few things to consider before getting a Dominican blowout to ensure you don’t damage your hair.
The Health of Your Hair
Due to the extreme heat, your hair may face when opting for a Dominican blowout, you will want to ensure your hair is healthy and can withstand any potential heat damage.
The Stylist
You want to make sure you know and trust the stylist who will be performing your blowout. Ensure the stylist is experienced with Dominican blowouts and knows how to perform them properly to achieve the necessary results.
Session Length
While a Dominican blowout is a temporary hairstyle that straightens your hair, the session can take a long time. It would be best to consider whether the amount of time spent in the salon for a temporary hairstyle is worth it.
Dominican Blowout Process
Let’s talk about what you can expect when you go to your Dominican blowout appointment. Keep in mind that every salon and stylist has their specific process, but this is a general idea of what you can expect.
1. Cleansing Your Hair
Before you add any keratin or heat to your hair, the stylist will first start by washing your hair. In this process, they will use a clarifying shampoo to thoroughly clean your hair and rid the hair of any buildup you may have to ensure you will get a smooth finish.
After shampooing the hair, a specific specialized Dominican deep conditioner will be applied, as this is one of the most critical steps for a Dominican blowout.
The Dominican conditioners are specially made, so they are formulated with Keratin smoothers. The smoothers help to change the texture of your hair so that it will stay soft throughout the process.
The conditioner will also protect your hair from the heat while trying to achieve the straight hairstyle you want. Using these specific conditioners can also help speed up the straightening process.
2. Roll Your Hair
After your hair has been washed and deep conditioned, the stylist will start applying rollers to sections of your hair. Setting the hair on rollers is part of the process in which the hair starts to get stretched and straightened.
In addition to stretching and straightening the hair, the rollers contribute to the volume and elasticity of the hair. The rollers are set in your hair, but no product will be added to your hair at this stage.
Once the hair is completely rolled, you will be placed under a dryer and wait for your hair to be completely dry. Drying your hair typically takes about one hour but depends on factors like how thick and long your hair is.
3. Blow Drying
Once your hair is 100% dry from sitting under the hair dryer, the rollers in your hair will get removed. At this point, a heat protectant product will be applied to your hair before the next step of blow drying your hair is started.
During the blow-drying process, the stylist will use a blow dryer and a round brush while working quickly to get the hair straightened.
The goal is to get your hair as straight as possible during blow-drying. If you have some resistant hair, the stylist may have to do a few passes through your hair with a flat iron, although not traditionally used.
After the hair is completely straight, hair products, like hair oil or serums, will be applied. This step will help lock in your hair’s moisture and add a beautiful shine to straight hair.
4. Doobie Wrapping
The last and final step in the Dominican blowout process is to wrap the hair. Wrapping the hair can also be referred to as a “doobie.”
The stylist will take your hair and wrap it around your head in a circular motion. Wrapping the hair will get the hair entirely straight and help the blowout show off a smooth finish.
The wrap can also help to add additional volume and bounce to the hair.
How much is a Dominican blowout?
The cost of a Dominican blowout varies by the salon, but you should expect to spend between $25 and $50 to have your Dominican blowout performed.
How long does a Dominican blowout last?
Dominican blowouts are a temporary hair straightening process that lasts anywhere between one to four weeks. The longevity of the blowout depends on your hair and how porous it is. You can do certain things to try to make your Dominican blowout last as long as possible, such as using a head wrap at night and avoiding water-based hair moisturizers.
How To Make a Dominican Blowout Last Long?
Although your Dominican blowout will only last about one to four weeks, there are certain things you can do to try to extend the life of your blowout. Here are a few tips:
- Wear a shower cap
- Don’t use hair butter
- Avoid water-based hair moisturizers
- During exercise, wrap or cover your hair
- Apply olive oil or castor oil to the ends of your hair daily
It’s also crucial to avoid water as much as possible. Try to cover your hair if you come into contact with water, such as on a rainy day or in a steamy shower.
You should also wear a head wrap at night to protect your hair’s bounce and shine.
Dominican Blowout Vs. Silk Press
These two styling options are very similar in their process, as their main goal is to straighten curly hair. Both will use heat on your hair. The main difference between a Dominican blowout and a silk press are:
- Dominican blowouts often use keratin to relax and straighten the hair, whereas a silk press is completely chemical-free.
- Dominican blowouts do not usually use flat irons, whereas silk presses do.
- Dominican blowouts last up to four weeks, whereas silk presses last only two weeks at most.
- Dominican blowouts do not result in as silky hair as a silk press treatment.
If you are looking for a temporary way to make your curly hair straight, you have all the information you need to know regarding a Dominican blowout. This affordable hairstyle is a beautiful way to change up your look. Always remember to go to a professional to get your hair done.
Hopefully, this information helps you to make the best choice for your hair, and you understand what you can expect from a professional Dominican blowout.
FAQs About Dominican Blowout
If you still have a few questions about this beautiful hairstyle, here are the answers to commonly asked questions about Dominican blowouts.
A Dominican blowout turns curly strands of hair into straight, smooth strands, whereas a Brazilian blowout maintains the hair curl while helping to increase hair shine and reduce frizz.
Dominican blowouts typically do not damage your hair as no harsh chemicals are applied; however, any time excessive heat is applied to the hair, there can be a risk of damage.
If you have already damaged hair, you should check with your stylist before starting the Dominican blowout process.
Dominican blowouts take, on average, about two hours to complete, but this all depends on your specific hair type. The longest part of the process is waiting for your rolled hair to dry under the dryer completely.
A Dominican blowout should be carefully considered for your natural hair. The Dominican blowout uses excessive heat that could potentially damage your hair, as well as the ability to change the natural curl pattern of your hair permanently.
Dominican blowouts should not hurt. During the process, your hair will be tugged and lightly pulled to roll, set, and dry your hair which should not cause any type of pain.