My Favorite Dominican Haircare Brands (As an Italian Girl Living in the DR)

Best Dominican hair products & brands: my favorites after moving to the DR

When I moved from Italy to the Dominican Republic, I was convinced the combination of Caribbean sun, salt water, humidity and constantly being at the beach was going to destroy my hair.

For the first three months, my hair was actually completely different. Between the humidity, the change in climate and coming straight from winter back home, it took a while to adapt. It was frizzy, unpredictable and basically did whatever it wanted.

But then, somehow, the opposite happened.
My hair is healthier now than it was before I moved here.

Part of that might be the sun and the lifestyle, but I've also learned something since living here: Dominicans take haircare VERY seriously.

Hair masks, leave-in treatments, oils, salon treatments, heat protection: haircare here isn't just an extra. It's part of the routine.

And the Dominican Republic produces some really good hair products of its own.

So these are the Dominican haircare brands I personally use and recommend, plus some of the international brands I constantly see being used and recommended here.

My favorite Dominican haircare brands

These are the ones I can talk about from personal experience…. products I've tried, liked and would buy again.

1. Ginger Milk

One of my favorite discoveries since moving to the Dominican Republic.

Ginger Milk is exactly the kind of Dominican haircare brand that made me want to write this article in the first place.

Their products focus heavily on nourishment and hydration, which is particularly useful when your hair is constantly exposed to sun, ocean water and humidity like mine is.

This is one of those brands I discovered here and can recommend 100% rather than something I'm including simply because it's Dominican.

Why I like it: hydration, softness, ingredients, scents, and keeping my hair feeling healthy despite the beach lifestyle.

Would I buy it again? 100%.

What products? Hair masks, the entire BE BOLD line, and BE GENEROUS hair mask.

2. Deya

Deya is another Dominican brand that has become part of my haircare discoveries here.

What I like about discovering brands like Deya is that they're developed in a country where women know a thing or two about managing hair through heat, humidity and tropical weather.

I particularly look for their nourishing and restorative products rather than anything overly complicated.

Why I like it: Nourishment and keeping my hair manageable. Their products smell delicious!

Would I recommend it? Yes.
What products? The Emergency Mask, Velvet Shampoo, and Piña Colada Mask.

3. BOÉ (my low-cost favorite)

If you're looking for something really affordable, BOE is probably one of my favorite discoveries in the DR. You don't have to spend a fortune on haircare here to find products that work well for you.

My two favorites are the Ligao de Leche Shampoo and Mantequilla de Jengibre. These are the BOE products I keep coming back to, and for the price, I genuinely love them. You can check them out here.

4. Hair Plus

Hair Plus is probably one of the names you'll come across when you start looking into Dominican hair products.

The brand has a large selection of treatments and products for different hair needs, which also makes it a good introduction to Dominican haircare if you don't know where to start.

For me, this belongs in the category of products that made me realize you really don't need to bring your entire bathroom from Europe or the US when you move here.

There are good products made locally. My third favorite as I find their products less effective on my hair type. It’s easy to find at Sirena Market and other grocery stores.

And then there are the Dominican favorites

This is a slightly different category.

These aren't necessarily products made in the Dominican Republic. They're the international professional haircare brands that I constantly see, hear about or find in good salons here.

Dominican women take salon haircare seriously, so professional brands have a strong presence.

Olaplex

Olaplex is obviously not Dominican, but it has become extremely popular for repairing and maintaining damaged or chemically treated hair.

If you color your hair, use heat regularly or spend a lot of time in the ocean and sun, you've probably already heard about bond-repair products.

And yes, you'll find Olaplex fans here too.

It's one of those international products that fits perfectly into Dominican haircare culture because repair, treatments and maintaining healthy-looking hair are such a big part of salon routines here.

Davines: my Italian ally 🇮🇹

And then I obviously have to bring Italy into this.
Davines is still one of my favorite professional haircare brands.

It's Italian, it's not cheap (the opposite), and it's one of those brands that I continue to love even after discovering so many Dominican products.

For me, moving to the DR didn't mean replacing every product I used before. I still use Davines OI mil and oil, plus sometimes I like to treat myself to one of their (expensive) hair masks.

My routine has become more of a mix:

Dominican products I've discovered here + a few international products I already know work really well for my hair.

Davines falls firmly into the second category.

If you're moving to the Dominican Republic and already have a professional product that your hair loves, my advice isn't necessarily to abandon it.

Experiment with what's available locally and create your own combination. That's exactly what I've done.

What I see at Dominican salons

If you really want to understand Dominican hair culture, you need to go to a salon. A Dominican salon visit isn't necessarily just:

shampoo → haircut → goodbye.

Treatments matter. Hydration matters. Styling matters. And women tend to know exactly what their hair needs.

One example is The Beauty Lab, where you'll see that same combination of professional products, treatments and the attention to hair health that I've come to associate with Dominican salon culture. This is my favorite salon in Santo Domingo.

This is also where brands such as Olaplex and Davines fit naturally into the conversation.

They're not Dominican products, but they're part of the professional haircare world you'll find here.

Salons in the bigger cities have a tendency to give you the base price first, and then start asking about product preferences, hair therapies and all the other fancy treatments that are very hard to say no to. Just know that they're usually not included in the base price…….. so if your bill somehow triples by the end of your appointment, I warned you.

What about curly hair?

This deserves its own section because the Dominican Republic has a huge range of hair textures.

And while the famous Dominican blowout is definitely part of the culture, there's also a much bigger movement now around wearing and caring for natural curls.

You'll find products specifically designed for:

• Curl definition
• Deep hydration
• Leave-in conditioning
• Frizz control
• Scalp care
• Protective styling
• Repair after heat or chemical treatments

I've personally spent more time testing products for my own hair type, so I don't want to pretend I'm an expert on curly hair products that I haven't personally used.

Instead, I'm putting together the Dominican curly-hair brands and products that I see recommended and used here, and I'll keep updating this guide as I learn more.

If you're Dominican and curly-haired, this is also where I want your recommendations!

Has living in the Dominican Republic actually made my hair healthier?

For me, yes. Which still surprises me. I live by the ocean. I'm exposed to sun constantly. I'm in salt water. It's humid.

I thought that my hair should hate me.

Instead, I've become much more consistent about hydrating it, using treatments and actually taking care of it, and I've discovered local products that work really well for me. I also think that living far from the city and pollution makes a huge difference.

Maybe that's the actual Dominican haircare lesson: don't wait until your hair is damaged to take care of it.

Treatments and masks aren't emergency interventions here. They're part of the routine. And I think my hair has benefited from that. Once again, thanks DR!

My haircare shelf in the DR

If I had to simplify everything I use and recommend into three categories:

Dominican discoveries:
Ginger Milk · Deya · Hair Plus

International/professional favorites I still love:
Davines · Olaplex · Carol’s Daughter

What I'm still exploring:
Dominican curly-hair brands, local treatments and more products recommended to me by Dominican friends and salons.

And I'll keep updating this list as I find products worth recommending.

Where to buy hair products in the Dominican Republic

This is the next important question, especially if you're visiting or moving here and wondering whether you need to bring six months of shampoo in your suitcase.

You don't. Really… DON’T!

Many Dominican products are available locally through beauty supply stores, supermarkets, salons and online sellers, while professional international brands are generally easier to find through authorized salons and beauty retailers.

Where I buy hair products in the Dominican Republic

One of the questions I had when I moved here was whether I would still be able to find good professional hair products without bringing half of Italy in my suitcase. The answer is yes.

Sosúa: Cuidarte Beauty Supply

On the North Coast, one of the easiest places to start is Cuidarte Beauty Supply in Plaza Valentina, Sosúa.

This is where I'd look for local Dominican hair products, masks, treatments, styling products and general beauty supplies. If you're living around Cabarete or Sosúa, it's convenient because you don't need to drive all the way to Santiago or Santo Domingo every time you run out of something.

You'll also quickly understand something about Dominican hair culture when you walk into a proper beauty supply store: there are SO many treatments.

Masks. Ampoules. Oils. Leave-ins. Scalp treatments. Repair treatments. We take hair seriously here. And the ladies are incredibly helpful with awesome recommendations.

Cuidarte Plaza Valentina Local 7 in El Batey, Sosúa.

Santo Domingo: The Beauty Lab

When I'm in Santo Domingo and want something more specialized, The Beauty Lab is one of my favorites.

And I don't only go there to buy products.

This is usually where I go when I want to give my hair a little more attention, a special treatment, hair therapy or professional evaluation, and even just a regular wash and blow-dry.

They carry a large selection of professional haircare and offer dedicated hair and scalp consultations, where they evaluate your hair and recommend a routine based on what it actually needs. Their current salon program includes treatments from brands such as Redken, Davines and Olaplex, among others.

There are currently two main Santo Domingo locations, in Piantini and Los Cacicazgos.

So if you're visiting Santo Domingo and you're a little haircare obsessed like me, this is somewhere I'd save.

Okay, but where do I get my hair done in Cabarete?

Or, as I like to call this section:

Where to take your Gringa Hair in Cabarete

My hair is long and straight, so these are the salons I recommend if you have a similar hair type and can relate to the “okay, but who am I trusting with my hair?” dilemma when moving somewhere new.

I've either personally tried these places or had them recommended to me by people whose hair is similar to mine.

I'm definitely not an expert on curly hair, so I'm going to leave those recommendations to someone who actually has curls and knows what they're talking about. There are plenty of women in the Dominican Republic who can give you much better advice on that than I can! ♡

Dominican salons are AMAZING with hair, but depending on your hair type, the techniques you're used to can be different.

My hair is European/Italian, so when I'm looking for someone for a cut (no color or a particular style for me…I like to keep it boring), I sometimes want a stylist who is familiar with the kind of fine/European “gringa hair” I walk in with.

These are the Cabarete recommendations I have either personally tried or received recommendations for:

Beauty Is Art

Beauty is Art is one of the salons I'd put on the list in Cabarete if you have European-style hair and are nervous about trying somewhere new.

It's centrally located in Cabarete (Casa Laguna Hotel), so it's also convenient if you live or are staying around town.

Good for: Haircuts, balayage, styling and general salon services
Why it's on my list: Tried/recommended locally + comfortable option for international hair types.

LUX Hair Salon

LUX Hair Salon is another Cabarete name to save, especially if your first question when moving here is:

“Okay... but WHO am I trusting with my hair?”

LUX is another salon that comes up when asking around for stylists comfortable working with international/European hair.

Good for: Cuts, styling and salon services, hair color, blonde hair
Why it's on my list: Recommended option in Cabarete for the gringa-hair dilemma. Just make sure you book way in advance (sometimes there is a month waitlist).

And yes, “Where am I going to get my hair done?” is absolutely a legitimate relocation question. Nobody puts it next to visas, electricity, health insurance and buying property.

But give it three months and eventually you'll be asking someone in a WhatsApp group: “Girls... who do we trust with highlights around here?” 😂

That's part of moving abroad too.

Andari Spa at Millennium Hotel

If you want more of a spa + salon experience, Andari Spa is another option right in Cabarete. They offer haircuts, blowouts, color, highlights, balayage and hair treatments, including Olaplex, so it's a good place to know if you want more than just a quick wash and blow-dry.

And because it's a full-service spa, you can very easily turn your hair appointment into a massage, facial or mani-pedi situation... which is dangerous information for me to have ;).

Casa Maré: new in downtown Sosúa

One for my list to try: Casa Maré is a brand-new hair salon that just opened in downtown Sosúa. A few friends attended their soft opening, and from everything I've seen so far, the space looks beautiful. I haven't personally tried their hair services yet, so I'm not calling this a recommendation just yet… but it's definitely on my list. I'll come back and update this once I've booked an appointment myself.

My haircare map in the DR

If I had to simplify where I go depending on what I need:

Buying Dominican products on the North Coast → Cuidarte Beauty Supply, Sosúa or Puerto Plata

Professional products + serious hair therapy → The Beauty Lab, Santo Domingo (will need to look into options in Santiago, as well)

Haircut / salon in Cabarete → Beauty Is Art or LUX

My Dominican product favorites → Ginger Milk · Deya · Hair Plus

My international favorites → Davines

And this list will probably keep growing, because one thing I've learned after living here is that the Dominican Republic is a very good country to become slightly obsessed with your hair.

From Italy to the Dominican Republic

Beauty products might seem like a small thing when you're thinking about moving countries.

But they're actually part of all those little questions people have before relocating:

Can I find the products I use?

Do I need to bring everything from home?

What brands are good locally?

After living in the Dominican Republic for years, my answer when it comes to haircare is very easy: don't underestimate Dominican hair products.

Some of the products I discovered here have become products I love, and my hair is happier in the Caribbean than it was in Italy.