Why New Year's Eve Is the Best Day to Visit a Dominican Hair Salon

By now, the Dominican salon has become nearly legendary. The hairstyling skills of these stylists are so major that even big-name salons bow down to them. (Trust me on this—I've sat at some of Manhattan's glitziest salons and upon hearing that I'm Dominican American, the stylist nearly high-fives me.) Without a doubt, you're guaranteed to walk out with the bounciest, shiniest, silkiest hair of your life. The downside: You'll be there a while, and if you're unfamiliar with the lay of the land, you might experience a bit of culture shock. But because it's almost New Year's Eve—and you probably have plans you want your hair to be on-point for—here are our top reasons to visit the Dominican salon tomorrow.

You won't go hungry, and you might even get a drink.

Since the salons operate on a "first come, first served" basis, with many customers lining up early in the morning, the wait can be tedious. But here's the good news: Odds are high that you'll get served a cafecito and that a street vendor might come by with an assortment of snacks, like arepas and pastelitos. And don't be surprised if you see a stylist walking around with a bottle of wine, offering everyone a drink. It's a mi casa es su casa mentality at a Dominican salon.

The music is as good as any Latin club.

Music is a constant, with the playlist rotating throughout the day. Earlier on, you might get old-school ballads and pop. But as the sun sets, expect a heavy (and loud) hit of bachata and merengue. Feel like dancing on your way to the sink? Go for it. No judgments here.It's affordable.

A basic wash and set—where your hair is set in rollers, followed by an hour or so under the bonnet dryer (or the secadora), and finished up with a blowout—averages about $20. Extras such as trims and special conditioning treatments cost a few dollars more.