Essence​ & Kayla

On 2÷4÷16 I went to the shop in Montclair, NJ referred by a friend– so, I went wanting the kinky twist and online it showed the price as $ 80 hair incl. promo not valid aft. 3÷31÷16 –shoulder length (which has been taken off on 2÷5÷16) anyway when I got there the braider charged me $ 110.00 hair incl. while I was getting my hair braided (painfully) there where people came in inquiring about prices that changed depending on which one you spoke with for prices for shoulder/​bra length. The braiders are rude and act ignorant– like when you request to them about not braiding the hair to tight, especially around the edges they ignore you. When Black american women who make you business make a request and they keep on and continue doing your hair unnecessarily and unrequestedly tight is DISRESPECTFUL –if you dont mind having tight braids cool but blatantly ignoring customers request and I’m paying you-it’s not being done for free and BLACK WOMEN ARE KEEPING THEM IN BUSINESS!!! BALD EDGES AND SORES ON YOUR SCALP AIN’T CUTE. DO NOT RECOMMENND. SISTERS FIND SOME WHERE ELSE TO SPEND YOUR DOLLARS.

I’ve been to this place on several occasions and hate to write in this review that I am more than displeased with my last service. I was there on 12/​12/​2015 to get my hair braided and removed my braids on 12/​29/​2015 as the braids in the back and around the edges were just slipping off. As I was out of town when this happened. I could not go to the shop or keep the style in with several areas missing from my head. I sent an email to the salon and I received a response from Fatima to call the shop. In that email, I asked if the owner could call me and I sent back pictures of what he style looked like as well as the whole braids in a pile. No response from Fatima. I returned to Jersey on 1÷1÷2016 and contacted the shop early morning on ¼/​2016. I spoke to Ahmad, who is co– owner, who told me I could come back and choose another style and pay half price. I felt like that was odd especially since the braids are falling out. He suggested that I speak with his wife. I called her after I hung up with her, she never called back or responded to the email. I called back today and he put her on the phone. She was very accusatory and nasty in tone when I told her to hat happened and stated that I should have called before I removed the style. I informed her that I was losing braids but that I was also not in NJ. She said I could have googled the shop and called. I have the number but felt it was pointless to call as I couldn’t go to the shop but j felt an email was just as good especially because it was after the shop closed. Per Fatima, the owner, she doesn’t check emails!!! She stated that she is trying to help me out and doesn’t refund money. I never asked for a refund. What I did ask for was a prorated cost of the future service as half price would not be accurate considering I wear my braids six weeks; she didn’t know what this meant. At some point, she got off of the phone and Ahmad returned to the phone stating that he would not look at the pictures and that I should «let it go». I could come back and remind him of this issue. I’m choosing not to return to the shop. I knew that there would be no sympathy for the customer once my money was taken (my experience with most shops and nail salons). I was hoping to write a review that ended well as my previous experiences have been good but that’s not the case and I’ve referred several people. I still believe that the expectation of wearing a «protective style» should be more than a little over two weeks. Btw… don’t let Elaina touch your hair!

My experience here was literally a disaster. I walked in everyone continued doing what they were doing. Then finally a lady asked what I would like to get done, she directed me to a braider that would start my twist. The braider then begin to make a big fuss on how my shaved sides were to short to grab when the hair is at least 3 inches long. I’m not implying that it’s super long but I’ve had braids when the sides were shorter. I honestly was not mad that she could not grab it but just the way she went about it: being aggressive, rolling her eyes and making faces. She continued to do my hair. As she was doing my hair I would look/​feel to see how they were coming along, every time I did that she would suck her teeth. She’s finally done, she’s pretty fast and the twist were very pretty, I loved them. As I left I realized that she braided some of the tips which she did not ask me if that’s what I wanted nor did I realize she was doing that. I called them to explain my dislikes and I was told to come back in.
I explained my dissatisfaction with the lady at the front desk. Literally the whole staff wanted to have an argument with me on how that’s how it’s suppose to be done. Ok fine that’s their way. I’ve never had my twist braided at the tip and I did not like it at all so I wanted to be fixed, just the tips! They made a big fuss about it but they finally agreed to have the lady fix it to my liking.
As she was fixing them she continued to talk about the situation to her co workers and stare at me aggressively through the mirror while making comments in her language. As she continued twisting she was being super rough and throwing my hair.
This came out very beautiful but I’ll never come back or recommend them to anyone !

I’ve been to the east orange location but today decided to go to the Montclair location today. I get in the chair and explain to the braider ar least 3 times how I want my hair styled and she said that she can do it. She gwts aboit 10 braids in and I discover she’s doing exactly what I’ve asked her not to do. The shop manager calls up another braider whom I’m told is the only one capable pf styling my hair the way I requested. I was told she was on her way «right now» so aboit 45 minutes later she finally shows up and confesses that she was out to breakfast…(mind you parking at this location isn’t free I’m paying a meter to just sit in a seat and am not being serviced for nearly an hour). The new braider brings over the sample sizes of braids and I choose the size I want. As she braids I have to continually remind her that she is braiding too tightly and my scalp shouldn’t be bulging between each part and braid. She tells me «it has to be tight to last». Now I’ve had my hair braided several times and last time I checked snatching a persons scalp doesn’t help a braid stay in but it will most definitely make your hair fall out. So anyway, she keeps braiding and I notice the braids are bigger than what I asked for and she tells me that’s the size for the price I am paying… but lady that’s not the size *I* told you to do! I hate hate HATE a lot of weave in my head. I told her to add less hair but did she listen, no how could she when she’s playing music on her phone or talking on it again not paying attention to how tightly shes braiding my hair. I had to say «excuse me» 3 times to get her attention to tell her to loosen up. *ugh* So I failed to mention I’m 38 weeks pregnant which is only important because at this stage in pregnancy its hard to move but this chick much think I’m a gymnast professionally because she kept asking me to scoot down in the chair. Umm how the heck am I supposed to do that ma’ma? Instead of her finding a better position to stand in to braid the crown of my head she instead thought it best for her to be comfortable and sot while she yanked my head backwards. This woman is terrible! My goodness I should have opted to shave all my hair off in an effort to not worry about it with a baby on the way instead of getting braids for strong arm. I didn’t get her name, but her chair is the furthest from the door. The ponytail she left me with is thick as hell amd my head is throbbing. I see now why more states are moving towards having braiders be licensed because this heffa was awful and if my hair falls out I’d have a hard time recouping my loses not included my actual hair.

Went there for some box braids.
Cons
1. The price was $ 90 for basic black shoulder length braids. Any color besides black braiding hair is $ 10 extra; any length besides shoulder is extra ($ 20 extra for bra strap length; and $ 40 extra for waist length). Most of the braiders will NOT tell you this til after they start. I ended up paying $ 120 cause I wanted «extras».
2. They don’t care how you want your braids; if you have special requests oh well; you getting whatever they give you. So if you want designs or curled ends or anything out of the ordinary, DO NOT come here cause you will not get it!
3. They have horrible customer service. It is a no frills or thrills African braiding salon. My lady was watching movies on her phone while braiding. Other braiders were talking on their cell phones non stop. They are abrasive and rarely speak English. If you want a politically correct, polite and friendly service, DO NOT go there.
Pros
1. The good news is they braid neatly and quickly. I was out in 3.5 hours and my hair is the bomb!
2. $ 120 still is a good price for small box braids, even though they nickle and dime you for every penny. The cost is still pretty cheap even with the extras.
3. They are open 7 days a week which is rare for a salon. And if you get their early, you can be in and out before the afternoon hits. I got there at 10am and was out before 1:30.
4. They provide the hair for you. I bring my own cause I hate their brand (its like lady x or special x something like that). But its convenient if you don’t wanna bring your own or if you wanna save some money.
In spite of the flaws, I will be back. The bottom line is they do good work.

Harlem has landed in East Orange!!! They braid fast & neat. NOTE: Get there early because they stay busy. Doors open at 7a and they’ve had ppl wtg each time. The next wave of ppl come in about 11a/​12 noon. Got my hair braided 3x and each experience was great. AND they only charge $ 10 to take your braids out.
The only reason they don’t get 5 stars is because you call and they say «Come now… we are not busy» but when you get there there are 3 – 5 people waiting. So getting there at the crack of the morning works because you’ll have the rest of your day to do you.
They are also very gentle if you have a tender head.

I went to the Montclair location to get the $ 90 Senegalese twist and the way I was treated was completely unacceptable. To begin with, the pictures of the specials online are no where near the end product. As the woman was beginning to braid my hair I tried to explain to her how I wanted my hair done, but she was abrasive and rude telling me that she wasn’t taking any of the twists out to change it. When my hair was done I complained, showing the image online and comparing it to the chunky twists in my hair. All the workers that were there starting verbally attacking me at once. They left their customers in order to harass me in the front of the store. In the end I asked to speak to the owner– he was kind and understanding and we agreed upon a discounted price. Fine. What happened next was completely unacceptable. I’ve been getting my hair braided for over 15 years and never have I witnessed or been apart of such a ridiculous situation. I paid for my hair and was starting to walk out the store when the woman who braided my hair said she wanted to take a picture. I told her that I did not want my picture taken and walked out the store. As I walk out the store the three woman follow me out, taking my picture even though I’m telling them not to. The mother of the owner is insulting me telling me that I’m ugly and that I don’t have any money, etc. Meanwhile the first woman is tugging at my arm to try and take my picture. Even though I told her to stop she continued to hold her phone up to my face. As I walked down the street to my car, the mother got into her car and followed me as I was walking to my car to see what car I got into them made a U-​turn in the middle of Bloomfield Ave. The whole situation was absolutely ridiculous. In hindsight I should have called the police. There’s no reason that I should have been harassed and followed out of the store by these three women after paying (while there were three customers waiting inside to get their hair done). Moving forward I most certainly will be filling a complaint against the business. The price seemed like a good deal but 1) they falsely advertise on their website and 2) the «special» was definitely not worth the harassment and public humiliation. These women had no business sense at all and conducted themselves in such an unprofessional manner. Learn from my experience and save yourself the headache, go someplace else to get your hair done.

I got my hair weaved about 3 weeks ago and the service I received wasn’t too bad … But I will say that I showed up at 10 am and didn’t get my hair done until about 2 pm… I waited soooo long because they allow walk ins & service is on a first come first serve basis… The shop was crowded and every station had a client in the chair… but the hair braiders are pretty fast and did a great job!
I will go back for my next style but now know to either go super early or go in the afternoon when the shop is less busy …
I went to the one in East Orange btw I gave them 4 stars and not 5 because I waited 4 hours for a style that took them less than 2 hours to complete other than the mega long wait I have no complaints & have received many compliments on my hair

Got my hair braided here on Saturday 1÷17÷15 at the Kayla’s natural beauty location in Montclair. I usually get my hair braided in Harlem NY, but I have been looking for a good and affordable NJ location. My own hair is thick and falls past my shoulders, so my braids need to be fairly long and I like them on the small side. So braiding my hair can be quite a job! The shop is pretty small but neat, and the ladies were pleasant and respectful. Josiane braided my hair and she was awesome! The braids are beautiful and neat, and she braided with just the right tightness so the braids are good and strong but not hurting my scalp or straining my hair! She was focused and considerate, and did all of my braids by herself! I love my hair and have already received multiple compliments! I will definitely be returning to see Josiane when I need braids again!

This was my first time getting my hair braided and it was a very bad experience. My first and major complaint, my stylist did not care about the health of my hair. I went to the Montclair location, and my braider was Eva. She was very rough with my hair. She just pulled the comb through it, and anyone who’s on a hair care journey (or really with common sense) should know that’s not how you manage someone’s hair. I should have left, and I’m worried that I will have major damage when I take out the rest of the braids.
Next, after the horror of the detangling, I told Eva not to braid too tight. She did the exact opposite. My scalp was very tender and painful afterward. After a week I’ve taken out the top half of my head to relieve the pain. I also repeatedly told her that the parts were too painful and too small. She actually got offended, and said «I’ve been braiding hair for over 10 yrs, I know what I’m doing.» Well, it’s not about your «expertise,» it’s about what the customer wants. I ultimately left in a lot of pain, with larger parts in the back of my head, and very small ones in the front (which have caused most of the tension and pain).
If you want someone to listen to your concerns and take a little time to make sure your hair and scalp remains healthy, I’m not sure this is the place to go.

I’ve been to this braiding shop several times. However, my experience going yesterday has caused me to be my last experience there forever as I do not plan on returning. My daughter gets her hair braided here all of the time. Because she is a child, they usually only charge her $ 100 for Senegal twists as they are short and curled at the end instead of long. Yesterday, both of us were getting our hair braided. They informed me that they were charging me the full amount of $ 120 instead. I informed them that I usually only pay $ 100 for her hair and usually leave a nice tip. The usual people were not there yet, and proceeded to charge me the $ 120 although it was a child and it would be short. I also observed two other parents leaving out with their children with the same complaint. The usual people would have worked with the parents to keep the parents’ business. These people apparently didn’t care. In addition, after completing my hair, they put my hair in a pony tail. When I went home and took it out, I realized that the braids in the middle were so big, that if I wear them out, you can see all of my scalp. Bad experience. I will be returning to my previous braiding shop.

Stopped in to get some basic cornrolls. They were busy so I ducked out got my hair washed and blowdried across the street and came back. By the time I got back my braider was «ready» for me. Ummm yeah, turns out she hadn’t had anything to eat so she excused herself to get a bottle of water and came back with a full meal which she ate while I was waiting. No prob but be honest. I was trying to get out of there and did not have ½ hour to spare… would have gone elsewhere. Anywho back to the service… by the time she started I only had an hour or so. I got a basic braid updo with my own hair. She quoted me $ 50 at first and I said no, I want them big I don’t have time… she then reduced the price to $ 35. By the time we were all said I done I paid $ 20 for about 8 – 10 upswept cornrolls that met on the side of my head and were gathered into a topknot. I mean really when does a braider ever reduce prices… triple stars for that move. I left the shop with a very cute and affordable do and I’ll be back b/​c of their integrity. I actually think I’ll try another braider though. She was okay (gentle, did not pull my edges) BUT the work wasn’t «crisp» if you know what I mean… a few loose hairs, some not so straight parts. nothing awful but if you are anal about such things she is not the braider for you (I don’t know her name but she was a med brown complexion and her skin waasn’t that clear. chair was in the middle). Stay tuned cuz I’m sure I’ll be back with another review.

I like coming here… I change up my braid styles every few weeks or so, and this place is convenient and close to home. They have yet to disappoint me! Everytime I go, the ladies are very pleasant and they charge very reasonable prices. I can get a cornrow/​weave style done in less than 3 hours and for only $ 50! They’re also very fast braiders. The place itself is very clean and comfortable (definitely kept nice and warm in the winter and cool and breezy in the summer. There’s parking available in the Brick Church shopping center right behind the shop. They also have two TVs (one on either side of the shop) to keep folks entertained. Defintiely worth trying if you live in East Orange and need a good braiding job!
I definitely recommend going EARLY in the morning… they fill up quickly! The later you go, the longer you’ll have to wait to get into a chair.