Novelette and Joy are at odds on how to discipline Dre.
On a Saturday morning, before the shop opens, Starr catches Nigel at a cheque- cashing place and the sparks fly when she accuses him of sending money to another girl back home. This time Nigel's answer is serious and when Starr sees him helping Dre with his chores, she realizes she may have judged him too quickly. Joy attacks Novelette for her conservative ways and it becomes increasingly apparent the two sisters are really getting under each other's skin. In the mirror story, a woman who's embarrassed by her alopecia finally gets up the nerve to confess to her boyfriend that she has been wearing a wig.
Tensions between the sisters run high as Joy begrudgingly packs for her flight to Jamaica so she can care for their ailing - and cantankerous - mother. Novelette finds her thoughts occupied by concerns for a different family member, as Dre has become a quick study of the social habits of the neighborhood men. Novelette is pleasantly surprised when Dwayne offers to help. Meanwhile, Nigel turns to Starr for advice when he finds out his friend is not the father of his child. In the mirror story, a woman who was unfaithful to her partner is confronted by the birth father of her baby.
Starr's secret that she was adopted by a white family is finally revealed when her mother comes to the salon, unannounced. Meanwhile, Joy falls for Gary and lies to him in front of Dre about being the owner of her sister's salon. When Gary visits Letty's Joy is forced to lie in front of a steaming Novelette. In the mirror story, a woman who's graduating top of her law class refuses to introduce her lesbian partner to her family.
Joy's relationship with Gary is heating up, and when she enters the 'Miss Curvaceous and Vivacious' pageant for the $5,000 prize she can't wait to tell Gary...but will his reaction be what she expects? Meanwhile, Novelette is up to her ears in staff demands for money and tells Nigel to bring in more business if he'd like a raise. However, when Nigel fills the shop with 'booty girls', Novelette is faced with a crisis of conscience. In the mirror story, a woman who aspires to become a modern dancer decides to trade in her successful career dancing in videos when her niece tries to follow in her footsteps.
Mrs. Campbell has come all the way from Jamaica for Novelette's birthday, a surprise orchestrated by Joy, only she's two days early and full of complaints! Meanwhile, Nigel and Starr are getting closer, and as a result, he breaks up with his girlfriend Nikki, but everything changes when Nikki arrives at the party with news of her pregnancy. In the mirror story, a woman gives up custody of her children when she begins to feel herself losing control.
Joy and Gary are on a date at Maxine's when she bumps into Patrick, a childhood friend. Gary orders a taken-aback Joy not to see Patrick again and presents her with the promise ring. Novelette offers Joy an apprenticeship at the salon and is surprised when her sister says she has to run it by Gary first. Meanwhile, Starr refuses to talk to Nigel about his 'baby-mama drama' until she needs his help fixing an overbearing client's hair. In the mirror story, a Music Therapist is urged by her frustrated husband to 'take off her mask' and figure out who she is.
Starr is sent into an emotional tailspin when a client's husband walks in. Turns out he's not just any man, but her college boyfriend made good, the 'one that got away'. Meanwhile, Novelette has to deal with the mixed emotions that arise when she is forced to send her mother back home for medical care. She and Joy end up cutting loose with a bottle of over-proof rum - leading to more connections...
For the shop's first entry in the local Hair Shop Showdown, Novelette has marshaled Starr and Nigel into helping her create a classy and upscale exhibition to match her vision for the shop. Joy, however, has studied the hair show winners for years and is convinced that Letty's approach simply won't do - the judges want sassy, not classy! Meanwhile, Richard has re-entered Letty's life and she either needs to step up and put her heart on the line, or face losing Richard for good.
With a new man in her life, Letty is finding it hard to balance motherhood, the shop and her clients - especially without Joy and Nigel around. Over at Claudette's, Joy tries to change herself in order to fit in to the cold, sterile environment. Her Joy "ness" is hard to quash, especially in the presence of Trish Stratus, former wrestler turned media mogul. Meanwhile, left to run the shop, well-intentioned Starr tries to change the rules and finds she is alienating the whole of Letty's clientele. In the mirror story, Nina, an overweight client, is the victim of weight discrimination at work.
Letty's mentor, Pops, arrives at the shop in need of a favor - to give his grandson, Malik, a job at Letty's Salon. Letty is hesitant; Malik looks like a true thug. Joy is against this idea from the start. Meanwhile, Starr is trying to find an acceptable gift for her mother's birthday. When Malik's friend, Skinnaz, comes to the shop with amazing brand name goods, Starr is not so sure they are "legit". In the mirror story, Elise, a single mother, is judged harshly by the other clients for her work in the "arts".
Starr oversees some shop repairs, but has trouble trusting the Caribbean work crew with their seemingly haphazard work practices - they don't even have a permit! However, Starr's lack of trust ultimately causes more trouble as she attempts to take on the work herself. Meanwhile, Joy studies for her official hairstylist exam, but doesn't trust her own abilities, believing instead she just isn't very "booksmart". As Letty attempts to keep Starr from destroying the shop and ensure that Joy is studying, her trust in both women is strained. In the mirror story, Angela, an immigrant, discovers she must redo her entire foreign training at a Canadian Medical institution to become a doctor in Canada.
Dre, embarrassed by the way Joy dresses and acts, asks Novelette to attend his school's culture day in her place. When Joy finds out, she enlists Starr's help to make her more Canadian. Meanwhile, Starr is appalled Letty is using chemicals on a child. Starr refuses to use chemicals and wants Letty to allow her to be the shop's natural stylist. Will Letty budge? In the mirror story, Camille, a biracial child, breaks your heart because she doesn't love herself, she wants to look just like her white mother.
Letty and Richard decide it is time to take their relationship to the next level and go away for the weekend. However, when Thea, Richard's wife, comes into the shop to ask Letty to leave Richard alone, Letty has second thoughts about dating a separated man. Meanwhile, Starr has her first date with a black man and turns to Joy to teach her some last minute dance moves. With some bribing, Joy introduces Starr to the master of Soca. In the mirror story, Essence, a 17-year-old girl, is being pressured to have sex by her boyfriend, Malik.
Letty is extremely pleased with how well Dre is doing in school, so pleased she lets the whole salon know it. However, when Dre's friends lead him into trouble with the law, Joy and the shop clients want to set him straight with a few "licks!" Meanwhile, Starr is coping with pressures of her own, as she struggles to prove to her boyfriend, Jonathan, she's not wasting her life in the salon. In the mirror story, Cheryl, a successful businesswoman, is coming off maternity leave and struggling with the idea of returning to work.
Letty seems to be effectively balancing motherhood, work and her relationship with Richard. Letty's ducks are finally all in a row, until Cedric walks in - Dre's father and Letty's ex. Meanwhile, Joy, using Starr's power of positive thinking, receives an unexpected "windfall" from a bank machine error. In the mirror story, Lisa, a recently engaged woman, decides whether or not to tell her fiancé she is in major debt.
Joy decides things need to change in the shop - she deserves respect - it's high time that Letty made her a partner. Joy is surprised to find Letty is open to her demand. However, Joy soon finds out respect also comes with an R-word that she doesn't like as much - responsibility. Meanwhile, Starr has had enough with the bad service at Maxine's and decides to take on Fitzroy in a battle for good customer service. In the mirror story, Charmaine is constantly criticized by her negative mother about her every move, her appearance and even her relationship with her partner.
When Starr introduces a computer to the shop, scheduling appointments is the last thing Joy wants to use it for. Instead, Joy finds herself on a Caribbean Internet dating site, where both she and Starr set up profiles with the hopes of meeting their true matches. While they are at it, Starr and Joy create a profile for a doubtful Letty. After submitting all three profiles, the ladies receive some unexpected results. In the mirror story, Regina learns that her new boyfriend has herpes and must decide whether she can deal with this.
Letty and Starr's mother, Jackie, co-host a birthday party for Starr. Unfortunately, the heads of Starr's "two families" butt heads over how to throw the party. Starr, fearing her "two families" will embarrass her in front of the other, does her best to keep them apart. Meanwhile, Joy is certain she is pregnant and begins preparing herself for motherhood - Joy style! In the mirror story, Malik's mother, Chandra, struggles with schizophrenia and rebuilding her relationship with her son.
Letty and Joy must convince their landlord, Sanjay, an overprotective South Asian father, to let his daughter, Nira, date Dre. Cultures clash as the West Indies meet the East. Meanwhile, Starr must prove herself to Julian's traditional West Indian mom over lunch. With some advice from Malik, Starr has a plan - but will it fly? In the mirror story, a young black comedienne is offered an opportunity of a lifetime - an appearance on network television. One problem, she can't be herself.
Just when things get hot for Starr and Julian, Julian drops a homophobic bomb, leaving Starr to decide between ecstasy or integrity. Does love really conquer all? Meanwhile, Joy starts a pardnah (West Indian-style banking) group. The shampoo hits the fan, when the pardnah money goes missing. Tief! In the mirror story, Sister Corrine dates a younger man and must overcome her own "age" issues.
Claudette, Novelette's chief competitor and the bearer of bad news, has put in an offer for Novelette's building. Now Letty must raise $50,000 to stay and that's just the down payment. How is she going to raise the money? Joy has the answer, a fundraiser featuring a pageant of hunky oily men and a performance by Kreesha Turner. Will this work, or is this another hair-brained scheme from Joy? Could this really be the end for Letty's? In the mirror story, Karen, returns to the Eglinton West area in hopes of finding the daughter she gave up at birth. Could it be Starr's adoptive mother?