Hair Salon recommendations in the Washington DC/Northern Virginia Area

[smilencheese]

Hello,

I've been having a hard time finding a salon that I'm satisfied with and was wondering if you guys had any recommendations. Preferrable a salon that is unpretentious, up to date on younger/hipper styles and that is reasonably affordable. I've tried everything from PR at Partners to Vidal Sasson in McLean and would like to try something different. Thanks ahead of time!!

 

[JessRuthie]

I also have this same problem, smilencheese...it seems that you can't get a simple cut for less than $75 around D.C. and nothing is stellar. Most of the salons are pretty snobby (I guess that's true for a lot of regions in the U.S.) and I haven't found a place I really love.

I'll be interested to see if you get any responses. I've tried iLo and Tara Salon...both nice salons, but I'm not satisfied.

 

[smilencheese]

JessRuthie, I guess there aren't enough people that live in our area to give us tips or recommendations. Check out the hair issue of Washingtonian, they have a list of salons that maybe you can try. Please let me know how everything goes!

http://www.washingtonian.com/etc/shopping/greathair05/color.html

 

[LifeNatureLove]

I like going to Zoe (it was featured in Lucky magazine about a year ago). There's one in Montgomery County (MD) where I'm from and that's the one I go to. There's also one in DC. I'll find the address and post.

 

[elschic111]

I had an amazing experience at O Salon..haha but I can't keep up with the prices there..but honestly, if quality is what you are going for, O Salon all the way..I have never had a better experience in my life (and I have been going to great salons..) they are just meticulous. The guy who did my full highlights took a little over 3 hours to do the color to make it natural and it looked AMAZING. They really know what they are doing for cut, color, everything.

I had an awful time with PR and Partners (ha--the girl was coloring my hair and she made a mistake which she told her assistant to "cover up"..little did she know I heard ) and the end result was me looking like a long haired big bird..for only $50 less than what I would have been charged at O Salon.

I am goin to try Eurospa (2029 K St) soon just for a trim..I will report back here although several girls have recommended it to me already.

Another place to avoid is Daniel's (1800 block of M St). I had a manicure there, and as nice as the lady was who did it..I had to remove the polish as soon as I got home because it was done so sloppily .

Has anyone tried Okyo? I hear they are supposed to be really good..but again they have a high price point..hair is ridiculously expensive in this city, that is for sure!

 

[elschic111]

By younger/hipper do you mean vogue or more alternative?

For more alternative I hear Bang salon (U st) is good and PR and Partners can be good..I think with PR it just depends who your stylist is.

For vogue I think Eurospa, O or Okyo. O might seem pretentious but I walked in there clueless (I couldn't figure out whether to take off my shirt to put on the drape thing..the answer was to take off my shirt I found out later) and they are really professional, trying to make you comfortable and give you a great look to leave with..you really get your money's worth if you go there although for me it is a once in while type thing..haha hair vs. clothes..it's a toughie. Ok I promise I'm done. Hope that helps somewhat, bc yeah, the reviews for DC salons on the web are sooooo inadequate!

 

[Solfire]

What's the average price for a haircut at the salons you've mentioned? I've never been to a "salon" before, and I usually pay about $30 for my haircut at a local place in my neighborhood. Lately, I've been considering going to a "posh" salon and see if it's really worth it to pay $50+ for a haircut. I just need help in revitalizing my hairstyle and the place I usually go to isn't much help.

 

[smilencheese]

The best results I've had is with Vidal for 92 bucks NOT including tip but that was only the first time, after that my cuts were mediocre and definitely not worth that much money. Stylist at PR range from 30-60ish. I definitely want to give Bang a try.

 

[smilencheese]

When I say hipper/younger I guess I mean just more up to date on modern styles, a little of vogue and alternative but nothing extremely crazy.

 

[haruki]

If I still lived in DC, I would consider taking Amtrak to New York City (around $80 round trip) for a real hair cut. Not to be harsh, but I think that there are no good salons in DC for younger or stylish people. In DC the salons are only good at giving Harriet Myers type hair cuts.

 

[haruki]

This thread reminded me of Alexandre de Paris. He had a flashy salon in the Fair Oaks Mall way back when. When I was a child I got yelled at by one of the assistants because I was making Alexandre nervous by staring through the mall window. The shop is still around, but is freestanding now.
Maybe you should give old Alexandre a try.

http://www.alexandredeparis.com/

 

[JessRuthie]

If I still lived in DC, I would consider taking Amtrak to New York City (around $80 round trip) for a real hair cut. Not to be harsh, but I think that there are no good salons in DC for younger or stylish people. In DC the salons are only good at giving Harriet Myers type hair cuts.

Not to be rude, but I don't think this is true and is a gross overstatement....you're just keeping the old DC stereotype alive of women in bad suits and no style direction.

Check out the Washingtonian's pics for the Top 50 Salons & Stylists for some good ideas:
http://www.washingtonian.com/etc/shopping/greathair/salons.html

How do you find a good hairdresser?
For this report on Washington’s stylists and salons, we stopped strangers—those with flattering, well-cut and colored hair—on the street, at health clubs, in restaurants, even in a ladies’ restroom, and asked: Who does your hair?
We polled stylists, others in the beauty business, and well-shorn women we know. Besides inquiring about a stylist’s talent, we asked about chairside manner—does the stylist listen and treat clients well?
We sent staffers, anonymously, to get haircuts and manicures. We watched stylists in action and surveyed the hair coming out. We looked for pleasant receptionists, clean facilities, smiling faces. Sometimes all the raves in the world for a stylist couldn’t overcome the fact that the salon was dirty or the staff indifferent.
Some of our testers liked their hair but hated the service—one woman was made to stand during the entire cut, a trendy new practice. When this same woman went to pay, all the products used on her hair were lined up, ready for purchase. She didn’t buy anything.
After all our research, we came up with a list of best salons. We separated out specialists in curly hair, eyebrows, good ethnic salons, and top colorists.
Image consultant Holly M. Horning cautions that just because a stylist works magic for some women, it does not mean you’ll be a good match. Maybe you prefer someone who’s quiet, not chatty, when he cuts. Or you might want a salon that’s intimate, not high-energy.
Sometimes you don’t need a top salon. They can be expensive, and the wait for a star stylist can be weeks long. And a top stylist who’s grooming apprentices is likely to hand you off to someone else for a postcut blow-dry—a practice many women hate.
But if you want to change your look or don’t trust your head to just anyone, we’d put our money on these places.
A note on this list: Prices are for single-process color and for full, foil highlights.

 

[haruki]

JessRuthie, too bad I didn't have that list when I last lived in DC. Maybe I wouldn't have such grim memories of DC style. I don't understand why Alexandre de Paris isn't on the list though....just kidding.

 

[JessRuthie]

JessRuthie, too bad I didn't have that list when I last lived in DC. Maybe I wouldn't have such grim memories of DC style. I don't understand why Alexandre de Paris isn't on the list though....just kidding.

The list would have given you a whole new outlook!

 

[alyssa anne]

Bubbles at 2020 K isn't too bad for a $30 haircut. You get what you pay for, but for a simple trim or cut you should be fine.

 

[huda914]

www.maudehair.com

the BEST hair cuts/color in the VA ,DC area is MAUDE its in old town herndon and the staff there are the TOP cutters and colorist EVER..The owners were all trained by the best and they also train for Graham Webb. I live in NY and and use too live in VA ..and i still go to MAUDE : ) Its a very hip, quirky, fun salon and they also serve MAUDETINIS : )

 

[calisnoopy]

I love Philippe at Cristophe Salon and theres also a Japanese salon in Georgetown that was featured in Daily Candy recently and the lady did a pretty good job on my hair...its hard to find asian stylists in DC that know asian hair i guess...

 

[sleepy]

Urban Style Lab http://www.lab-dc.com/

It just by the Dupont Circle Metro, perfect for younger people, I went there for the first time this summer and never regreted. It's pricey ($75 for a haircut) but it's worth every cent.

 

[iLoveCouture]

Thanks for posting some salons. I live in the Northern VA/Dc area and I totally agree - it is so hard to find a great place to get a quality cut & style. I might check out Maude since it is very close to where I live.

 

[Ianastar]

Aveda opened an insitute in DC...I think its the Ballston metro...you can check on Aveda's website.

My friend is managing it, and I keep meaning to get in there and check it out. Its the Aveda School so you are having the treatments etc done by students, but at lower prices.

And they are supervised and everything. My friend she has seen some really good stuff coming out.