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This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
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These days, women are hitting the bar before they even go out—but not to drink. In fact, it’s not that kind of bar. A new kind of hair salon is popping up all over the country, with not a bottle of hair dye or pair of scissors in sight. It is the dry bar, also called the smoothing bar, where women can get a blowout or basic hair upkeep.

In Jackson, LaCru salon recently opened its Smoothing Bar by LaCru. It specializes in Brazilian blowouts and Keratin hair treatments. The salon’s offerings run from thrifty (a $5 five-minute scalp massage) to utterly indulgent—a Brazilian blowout with styling is $150, but it comes with a promise that it will last up to eight to 12 weeks. You can also get a simple blowout, loose curls or waves, or even an updo for a special event.

The Smoothing Bar at LaCru (5352 Lakeland Drive, Suite 500, Flowood, 601-992-4911, smoothingbar.com) is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m Mondays; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays; and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

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Pure Bliss

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The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.