So apparently a haircut I got took an hour and 40 minutes, and I was banned from the entire salon because of it? I wanted to experiment with a hairstyle but I figured if it was taking too long I'd have been told. I genuinely had no idea that it was taking too long, if I had I'd have paid more or cut my losses. At no point was I demanding or anything and honestly I don't remember it taking as long as Rachel Gowin accused me of, which was an hour and 40 minutes. I had gone on my lunch break so I definitely don't remember taking a 2+ hour lunch. And if it was an issue I would have paid extra for any extra time. But I literally had no idea. Babalouise was a recommendation from a coworker, who originally recommended Diane Halcome but because of her limited availability recommended Rachel. So it is INCREDIBLY embarrassing to have been banned from the entire salon for something that seems like a misunderstanding stemming from a lack of communication. And even moreso, that since it was a personal recommendation, why would I have knowingly done something to get banned? It just doesn't make sense and I'm very embarrassed by this entire situation. I'm really just confused because if there was a way for me to make it right either now or at the time of my haircut I would have, but no opportunity was ever given to me. Nothing like this has ever happened to me anywhere else in all my life, and this entire situation is more confusing than anything. read more

This will be one of the most memorable haircuts of my life because I was so amazed at how many things I told my stylist that she didn't listen to or just ignored. She was very personable and asked me lots of questions about myself but nothing I had gone to the salon for was accomplished. I booked the appointment online and wrote a memo with it stating I wanted to keep the hair cut off in a braid (very important to me) and wanted face framing bangs. I figured anything the stylist wasn't comfortable doing or needed to be charged extra for, she would let me know so that I could either make an appointment elsewhere or add on the service. I arrived with washed hair so it would be easy to put the ends into a tight braid but it seemed to be a non issue for the stylist. She said something about putting it in a, "loosey goosey braid you can mess with" and I wasn't too happy with that but I told myself I could probably fix it as long something like a braid was started. What I got, well, I'll attach a picture so you can see. I almost burst into tears. No way I can make anything resembling a braid from it unfortunately. On to the face framing bangs. I told her last time I got bangs my previous stylist had to pull far from the back in order for the bangs to not separate into sections bc my forehead was prone to get oily. She nodded. Didn't pull very much hair forward but okay maybe she'd start w gradual sections. I tell her she can put the blade up to my face since I wanted the bangs in a blunt arc that curved it's way into a chin length layer around my jaw and had a pic of exactly what I wanted (which I've had before) and indicated the curve with my finger. She said she only did that with blunt straight across bangs and that people had to get haircuts that she felt worked with their body and face shape otherwise they should rethink having her cut their hair. At no point did she tell me she didn't feel like she couldn't do anything I had communicated or shown to her and I was already thirty minutes into the haircut. I had written a memo with the appointment and brought pictures. She didn't explain to me why or that she was not confident in her abilities or tell me that she didn't want to do what I had communicated to her until I felt it was too late to stop. Kind stylist overall but couldn't braid or do face framing bangs. Since that's what I went in for and communicated expectations for prior to my appointment, two stars seems equally kind. read more

Babalouise - the "braid" - Hair Salons Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I have been seeing Sarah Stewart at Baba for a couple of years now (and through many of her amazing changes of hair color). I could not be happier with both Sarah's talents as a colorist and with her cuts. Sarah's fun (and enjoyably raunchy) sense of humor make sitting in her chair a joy. I am a 57 year old brunette and have almost always had single process at other salons. No more! Sarah's skills with the foil and highlights rock my world. Look and be envious. read more

Babalouise - Foil highlights by Sarah Stewart - Hair Salons Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Oooh, you see all these pics on Yelp with the awesome up-do's and fab cuts and styles? That's my girl Marjory. She is a color wizard. Want to color your greys? She can do that. Want to take it a little further and add some fun highlights? She can do that. Wanna go all the way and try a unique color that really stands out, like blue or pink? She can do that! And you know what? It will look amazing. Not only can Marjory color your mop, she can finish it with a flourish. Great styles that fit your face shape and your lifestyle. I'm an easy-going-gal; no muss no fuss...she gives me a cut that I can do in a snap without excess styling required or products needed. It just looks great with a simple blow-dry and round-brush. Or if you have an event to attend, she can give you a fancy schmancy 'do that will turn heads...there's a joke in there somewhere, but it's escaping me. I highly recommend Babalouise because Marjory is fantastic. Make an appointment now! You'll be glad you did. read more

In a word: traumatizing. Lemme explain. It's a long story. Back in October, I decided I wanted a fire red ombre in my completely virgin (dye free) long brown hair. I scheduled an appointment with Diane. The first attempt turned out a pretty plum color. Diane offered to re-do it at no charge since it wasn't the fire red I was going for. She's a total sweetheart! The 2nd time around I was pleased with the result, though she does work pretty slowly. Both times, I was in her chair for over 3 hours. Fast forward four months. The red had faded, I needed a haircut, and this time I wanted to be back to brown but with a few pretty face framing blond highlights.This is the reference pic I provided: https://d3go1nrr5l7vi0.cloudfront.net/size_578xH/1A0cw7hRKUeaftGIFMU_hA0CvER I went in once to get a trim and an all-over brown to cover the red. Simple enough and it turned out nicely, though this simple service took over three hours. A week later, I went in for the highlights. Keep in mind - I had already had the haircut and the base color - all I needed were the highlights. I was in the chair for FOUR AND A HALF HOURS, which in of itself made me want to kill myself. The result was even worse though - my hair was about 10 different colors, including, but not limited to, orange, yellow, brown and red. It was also patchy and there was nothing "highlight" about it - it was ALL OVER. I uploaded a pic so you can see the damage. I am shuddering just looking at it. Diane was super apologetic and sweet, didn't charge me for the service, and scheduled another appointment with me the following day to "fix it". I was so upset though, and didn't want to be there for another 3-4 hours, so I ended up canceling the appointment and went to a different salon the next morning to fix it. The guy who ended up fixing my hair told me that because I had bleach left on my hair for so long, it was completely damaged and had broken off in chunks in multiple places. He refused to even attempt highlights because of how damaged it was. So, long story longer - I dyed my hair back to it's natural brown, but I am now living with very fragile, damaged, and frizzy hair because of this whole fiasco. And even though I didn't pay for the second service at Balalouise, I DID pay $155 before tip to get it fixed. That's in ADDITION to the $120 I had already paid for the first service at Babalouise to get a haircut and all-over brown. Oh plus $60 in tips between the two services. So basically, I spent $335 for a haircut, my natural hair color, and completely destroyed, unhealthy hair. Awesome. I don't mean to indite Diane - like I said, she is an absolute sweetheart and will offer to fix anything you don't like - but I will never be going back for hair color. If you are just going for a haircut or for an all-over color that isn't too different from you're natural color, she would probably do a great job. read more

Babalouise - I asked for blonde highlights. This is what I got instead. - Hair Salons Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Babalouise is a funky little salon that I happened upon after reading positive Yelp reviews. My hair situation had grown desperate, the often peeking grays had become full-blown agitators and I couldn't stand another second. I'd found a great hairdresser at another salon but she moved, and they didn't know where/wouldn't tell me. Enter Babalouise. I made an online appointment with Alex, and showed up hoping for the best. The salon was unusually quiet for a Thursday, but Alex was a little ray of sunshine. Wait, not little, as his giant self clocks in at 6' 4 or something. He resembles some sort of hulking athlete, but is actually a gentle, skilled hairdresser. I only had an appointment for color, but he managed to cut my hair as well, for a reasonable price to boot. Alex mentioned that they are under new ownership and the trademark monkey is going bye-bye. No loss there, as long as they keep Alex and the great service at this neighborhood darling. read more

Nigel is great! He's been doing my hair for many years. The only time I've ever had an issue, when my color turned out a little too dark, he made time within 24 hours to fix it (during his holiday rush) and it looks perfect now. I truly appreciate his professionalism and his salon is lucky to have him and his adorable little dog Ollie who hangs out there. read more

Babalouise is a great little salon with a professional yet laid back vibe. They are incredibly COVID friendly and very diligent about cleaning communal spaces and mantaining social distancing standards (although I have not been in a few months so this may be a bit more relaxed now). Rachel has cut my hair on a few occasions and always does a fantastic job! It would be hard to find a more reasonably priced hair cut with the same quality. read more

I have been here twice in the last month and a half. Not because I needed to see Sarah, but because I wanted to see Sarah and what amazing things she can do next. I LOVE BaBaLouise and the other people who work here. It's chic without being too fussy. Everyone here is mad rad, and no one can lift 8 years of box over the counter hair dye and turn it into something AMAZING like Sarah. She is a lifting and foil master, and it shows. She has a natural talent to tell what your hair can do and what it can't. No damaged burnt out hair here. Just a room full of friendly amazing professionals and a few adorable little and well behaved pups. read more

Babalouise - Pink/rose gold hair #dontcare - Hair Salons Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Rachel is great! And the haircut is amazing too :). Super pretty and light just what I wanted!

I see Rachel. She has never let me down! Great stylist. I have given her name out to others and they have all been extremely happy.

There are certain things you don't want your friends doing for you; your taxes and your divorce come to mind. For others, such as maintaining your lady, I think it's a lot better to go to someone you know. Here is the abridged transcript from my visit with Mireille.... Mireille - "Oh, and you know what? *insert TMI here*" Me - "What?!? HAHAHAHA!" *RIP!!!!* Me - *HAHAHAHA - FUCK!!! OUCH!!!" Mireille - "Oh, and then he said *insert naughty thing here*" Me - "NO FUCKING WAY! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" *RIP!!!!* Me - HAHAHAHA!!! That wasn't so bad..." And so on...lots more *RIP!!!!*, lots more me laughing...me leaving with a lot more lady going on. Go, make friends. She's easy. read more

This is what my day was like today: I had to get from Portland to Seattle for my appointment with Mireille in the early evening. Therefore, I wanted to leave by 1:30 to beat rush hour. *Delay #1* My stubborn-as-shit cat decided she wasn't going to get in her carrier to make the trip. Every time I tried to put her in, she hid under the bed, where she definitely has the upper hand. Attempt 1...2...3...4...5...I had to trick her into coming out, trap her in the bathroom, and force her into the carrier, dealing with her hissing and spitting and yowling the entire time. I left Portland closer to 3, and while the light I-5 traffic was amazingly helpful, once I exited, the Seattle-city-street traffic was terribly UNhelpful. Thus *delay #2.* (Meanwhile, my mood was low - so sad to leave my family, and having to go without the on-the-road phone call I was hoping to have on the way up.) I get to the summer home...unload the car, unload and set up the cat. Very very quick shower - I didn't want to show up to Mireille all stale from my car ride. And while getting ready afterward, I startled the cat, making her scratch my toe. So I show up to Babalouise, stressed, defeated, and bleeding into my sock. Which is why I'm so impressed. As soon as I walked in, I felt warmer, both physically and emotionally. It was quiet, everyone was so nice, and Mireille was absolutely wonderful. Awesome conversation. Personable. And THOROUGH. She was great. I thought the process of "getting my lady on" (tm Diana L) would be stressful, painful, awful. Well, okay, it was painful...but really, it was great. After a day like mine, if anyone or anything could make me feel better, especially something involving this kind of (ahem) *procedure,* they certainly deserve 5 stars. read more

Sometimes I am forgetful, okay... MOST of the time I am forgetful, I can be found with all sorts of scraps of paper on my desk and in my purses reminding me to do/buy things. So I forgot to make my next appointment last time I got my hair done, waaaaaay back in October, from my normal girl, Lauren at James Alan Salon in Shoreline. Because I keep normal working hours 8-5, I need an evening appointment and when I called last week to get in with Lauren the soonest she could see me for an afternoon/evening appointment was mid-February. My hair could not go another month without getting colored. Too much growout. So I went on a search for someone else to take care of me at least this time around. I happened upon Babalouise on Yelp and called, I was able to score an appointment within a week for a time that was convenient for me, with Donna Jean. Right on! So I get there, I'm greeted, they grab Donna from the back, she sits me down, we talk for several minutes about what I want to do with my color, she makes great recommendations and we come up with a plan. She gets to work and we spend the time chatting about any and everything. She's fun, chatty, but not gossipy. She tells funny stories about some other clients who have said silly things. I like her! I hadn't planned on a cut, but while she was rinsing me I decided I might as well just go for it rather than waiting two more weeks like I planned. I don't give her much direction in my cut but she spends a long time layering and making sure it's nice and even. It's probably a bit shorter than I would want, but the cut will last a little longer than usual this way, and I guess I should've given better instruction considering she'd never cut my hair before and didn't know what I liked, so I won't at all fault her for that. I'll get used to this and probably love it in a few days. Anyway. My total for cut an color was $20 less than what I normally pay, and when you get your hair done 6-7 times a year, that $20 adds up to one free cut/color a year. I love that Babalouises' prices are more reasonable than other places I have been, and the staff there was so friendly. Now I'm torn on whether I go back to Lauren, or if I start seeing Donna. I hope Lauren doesn't read this and find out I cheated on her! read more

Donna made my hair look, not just like Dr. Giaus Baltar's, but she modified it to suit my own clever, witty, demeanor that can sometimes be trusted and sometimes not. Thanks Donna. That is for BSG fans of which Donna happens to be one. In all honesty, it is so hard to find a good hairstylest. I have never actually in my life gotten more compliments about my hair then when she has cut it. read more

Babalouise is my regular hair cut place now. I love Joie and would recommend her to anyone. She is genuinely friendly and kind and listens to the client's suggestions and wants for the cut. I have been happy with every cut I've gotten from her. The salon is homey feeling and comfortable while being trendy and welcoming at the same time. Prices are very reasonable and competitive. Want a real experience with nice people? Babalouise is your place! Psst...you get a 5% discount for paying with cash! read more

I wanted to get this out before it left my brain, simply due to the fact that I have the attention span of a stoned goldfish. I've lived here a year and a half now. I love the area... grocery stores, pubs, libraries, parks... it's been perfect, with one exception: finding a hairstylist. I've gone through eight (8) since March 2009. Eight. I'm not one who is a perfectionist, wanting to look like Haley Berry (well, I do, but...) or Katie Homes - let's face it, I'm realistic. However, I know that I *don't* want to look like Justin Beiber's lesbian twin, or Florence Henderson's stunt double, either... which is basically what I've ended up with over the past sixteen (16) months. Joei "got" me from the moment I sat down in her chair... I told her, almost in verbatim, what I previously said - and without batting an eye, she jumped right on in, and with the heart of a lion, battled the cowlicks and curls and fought like a warrior against the really weird hairline as if a mother bear protecting its young... ...okay, maybe a little over the top there, but you get what I'm sayin', right? Needless to say, I'm sold. For the specs, per se, I wear short hair, almost to the point of a Ceasar, but a little longer. I also have thick, yet fine, wavy/curly hair. I tell you this because for those of you out there that wear short hair, you're probably reading this, looking for a stylist who can cut some short, cropped hair. Joei can. I wish I could go higher than 5 stars. What makes it even better is that they're right next to the sock shop and one of my favorite local haunts, Molly's... easy to find, lots of street parking, and it'd be a great place to hit just before you go to dress your feet or get your drink on. :) read more

Yup, I can admit to being a bit of a salon snob. But sometimes its not all about those shiny little extras. When I first came upon Babalouise, I thought the place looked a bit shabby - not hipster shabby. I had booked a simple haircut and eyebrow wax because the prices here are hard to beat when your a girl on a very tight budget. My lovely blond stylist warmly greeted me into the chair and even worked me in to getting my brows done a bit earlier in the appointment as well. After talking over the look I wanted, she gave me her honest impute and worked out all (literally) the kinks in my hair into a more maintained look. Oh, and my brows were done amazing and cheaply! Clean cut and they are still growing out nicely. At the end of the appointment my stylist sent me off with a hug and I left looking and feeling groomed for my well being! Excellent cheap basic cuts happen here! read more

Ever since I was a kid my dad pretty much just shaved my head or gave me a buzz cut. When I was thirteen my parents realized I was a raging homosexual and decided that they better try to get me some better hair before I become enraged with my constant buzz cuts. Enter the fauxhawk. I pretty much had that damn thing for the past 14 years... One of my homegirls told me to hit up Joie at Babalouise and me wanting to finally have some fantastic hair took her up on this. I now have fantastic hair. My goal was to find someone I could say "i don't know what i want but i don't want what i currently have so you work your creative magic on my head" and someone who the conversation didn't feel forced with. I found both these things. Plus the conversation gets a little ghetto which is a sweet, sweet bonus for me. Oh sheesh - and no one tries pushing product on me. That's some serious pain in my butt when people are like "your hair needs this $80 bottle of crap or you might die". So there doesn't seem to be any salesman product pushing pressure which makes me happy. Go Go Babaloise! read more

I followed Mireille from High Maintenance on Capital Hill to this awesome location in Ballard. She has her own private cubby in the back of the shop where she works her waxing/tinting magic. For a procedure that has the potential of being highly awkward, Mireille makes it as comfortable and pain-free as can be. I go to Mireille for a sparkling new sense of femininity. If I ever decide to cheat on my current hair stylist, I will visit BaBaLouise. read more

THANK YOU YELP! I grew up in Seattle, but I've been gone for a few years for college, etc... came back.. desperately needed a cut and color. Shopped around, found a couple expensive places I considered entrusting my hair with... but then stumbled upon the Yelp reviews of Babalouise and thought I'd give it a try. I called Wednesday, got a 3 hour appointment for a cut and 3/4 highlight (more than just the 'crown' or 'partial foil') with Donna for today - Friday. Donna is great! I am the ultimate anxiety-ridden hair-goer. They always mess it up. But not Donna. She sat down in front of me and carefully listened to every minute control-freak thing I had to say about my hair.. thick but fine, weird hairline here, layers no higher than here, here's where I had trouble before. No standing behind me, toe tapping. She actually cared what I thought. We made great, natural conversation throughout the process. I stopped for 20, 30 minutes at a time to browse a magazine, then we'd naturally begin talking. She's wonderful, funny, naturally gorgeous - and looks as if she's straight out of a 1950's homemaking guide (hair, dress) but with a spunky little attitude to boot. On top of all this... my hair is great!! This is honestly the best color job I've had in years. The haircut is exactly what I asked for - never happens. I'm so pleased. EVEN BETTER.... this is the most reasonably priced cut/color in all of Seattle I imagine. Half of what I would have paid at the other place. I have very long hair - past my shoulder blades (generally a lot extra is charged).. and the entire thing was $122. Which is a steal. STEAL. I LOVE YOU DONNA, AND BABALOUISE!!! AND YELP! read more

My hair made me look like a slob. No one at work took me seriously. My girlfriend leaves the bathroom when I walk in. People on the street look and glance away quickly. By no means was I rockin' a Euro trash mullet but I did have a bit of whale tale going on due to a combination of long hair + a permanently affixed hat. Fortunately, I took a friends advice to check out Bablouise. It had been so long since I last had a haircut that I walked-in without calling ahead to schedule an appointment. Heather greeted me and informed me that appointments are preferred. Then she told me to get the hell out. No, JUST kidding, Heather politely informed me that I could come back in 1.5 hours for a cut. I walked out, grabbed a bite to eat, checked out the awesome Sneakery shoe store next door - going to be where I buy my next pair of shoes - then returned. After the formalities, it was down to business. I had a mess of hair. A clean canvas of opportunity to for a stylist to work with. I said a few things about the bottom needing to be short, that I liked to style it occasionally, and really just didn't want to look messy. Heather didn't know, but I was testing her. Game time, I didn't say exactly what I wanted. I really just wanted to see what I would walk out with. If it was bad, I would have had a tough time convincing myself to come back. Well... this review AND I don't have to wait a few days for my hair to grow a tiny bit just right to look right (don't you hate that?). read more

Babalouise is a fantastic salon with not-salon prices. I was able to make an appointment less than 24 hours before and parking on the street was easy to find. Donna is the best stylist I've had ever. Period. I have fine, straight hair. It does whatever it wants which is mostly just sit there. I keep it medium-short (between chin and shoulder length) and pretty much all I do with it ever is wash it. I don't even own a hairbrush because I really don't need one. Now, usually when a tell a stylist this, they launch into a thing about how if only I would use this one product or if I took ten minutes to blow-dry my hair with a special brush...at this point I glaze over. They tell me that my haircut won't work without a little extra care, I tell them that they'd better give me a different haircut then, we push, we pull, nothing gets resolved and I get cranky. Donna, on the other hand, told me that I have the right to be wash & wear and gave me a cut that I love but don't have to do anything with. Also just for fun she styled my hair for me while she was drying it - think 60s airline hostess. Fabulous! read more

Boy, do I feel lucky. My first haircut in my new city, and I strike gold, just blocks from my house. Nyssa knew exactly what was wrong with my old cut, without me having to explain it using my limited hair-related vocabulary, and then went to work. I have medium-length curly hair, and honestly, I've never been happier with a haircut. It wasn't a drastic change, it was just exactly the trim and layers I needed. For $36. Let me tell you, Seattlites, you have no idea how lucky you are. I'll be back for highlights -- she told me how she could make it look less like foils, and more sunkissed and natural. Again: without me even having to try to explain what I wanted! read more

I went here because I got sucked in by that dangerous creation, the Groupon, but this was one of those times where it totally worked out for me! I got a cut and highlights and not only am I really happy with the result, but I had a very pleasant time while it was being done. I have curly, fine hair (read: very hard to do much with) and Joey took it all in stride and got really excited about my hair and had a lot of fun highlighting and cutting it. Sometimes I find those haircut conversations really awkward, but it was really easy chatting with her and she was both imaginative when I needed it as well as doing what I wanted done with it. Prices are totally reasonable and my cut has grown out great (read: save money b/c you don't need a haircut every 6-8 weeks). Definitely be going back here! read more

I was so happy when I found Babalouise! I've never found anyone that could give me layers with my fine, straight hair until I met Lara (also the owner). She's fabulous. The shop is casual and welcoming. Lara's dog Sadie hangs out under her station mostly napping but occasionally poking her head out and wandering around to check things out. They have even let me bring my dog in with me while I'm getting my haircut! read more

I originally went here after listening to a Who song of the same name... Wait, I think that was another Baba but they are close cousins anyway. Actually, I knew Lara way back when she was still riding her Vespa! She has been cutting my hair since the 90's and it still keeps on growin' so I have to keep going back to her (vicious cycle). OK, this is a great place to get your haircut and it's in the Green-Lard neighborhood so get hip & don't slip! Get on down there and don't leave until they are finished fixing your do... Kudos ladies! read more

One of the most nerve racking things a girl like me goes through when moving to a new place is finding someone to do your hair!! Well, thanks to my good friends C & E and Yelp ~ I found her!! Nikki at Babalouise did the BEST job on my hair!!! Hallelujah!! I am such a stickler for really skilled stylists and she knocked it out of the ball park!! Nikki really listened to what I was looking for and translated that into one of the best hair cut/colors I have ever had :-) My hair looks amazing! My color is like buttah and the cut is textured and layered like no ones bizniss!! Babalouise has such a great vibe!! Super chill and friendly. While my color was processing the other stylists were chatting with me and I just felt very much at home. I felt like I was hanging out with old friends :-) Rob, at the front desk was sooo nice and patient with me when I first called and made me feel very comfortable about my "blind date" with Nikki. I would HIGHLY recommend Nikki for cut AND color. She did a really great job! Then to put the cherry on top of the sundae :-) The pricing is SOO affordable!!! I was able to get the cut & color w/ TONS of product for less than I usually pay for the service alone!! XOXOXOXOXO to Nikki & Babalouise!! YaaY! read more

After many years of forlorn searching in Seattle I have found MY hair salon. I feel like SUCH a grown up, having not only my own hair stylist (the lovely and talented Nyssa) but my own eyebrow/eyelash expert as well (the also lovely and talented Mireille). Nyssa does color like noboby's business, my hair does not get fried and the color is always rich, the style of it edgy and it stays in fairly long for red, and she does really good highlights. Her cuts are also wonderful. And Nyssa is just nice and interesting and funny, making visits a pleasure. I also recently had my hair trimmed by Eunice while Nyssa is out on maternity and she too did a bang up job. As for Mireille - wow. I'm a TOTAL controlling primadonna about my eyebrows as I feel they are my best feature (ok the BF will argue with that ;-) ) but I cannot express how good of job Mireille does on the waxing and dyeing of my brows. She also does fantastic eyelash tints AND perms. PERMS you say? On your eyelashes? Ohhh yes girls- what a treat. It lasts about 6 weeks and it's such a joy to not have to curl those suckers or add gobs of mascara. I also like Babalouise for the style- forget the clinical mirror and formica and steel decor of most salons. Baba's has a handsome and interesting decor- warm walls, plants, fun monkeys, old fashioned wood vanities for the stylists. Throw in the Goodwill steps away to occupy said boyfriend during my appointments- well you just can't beat it! Long live Babalouise! read more

Oh dear. The haircut that looked so good, now that it's doing its own thing - without product, without blow drying, etc. - is a bit awkward and quite chunky. So, though I love Heather, I'll be trying another stylist at BaBalouise. Is that tacky? I gotta keep it real, though - I love the place, and Heather's a sweetheart, but this cut isn't. And you know, I am seriously thinking of flying to SF this Summer to have Christina do her magic. Or sending her here.... I'm so serious. read more

Go see Leida. She's ridiculously good. I followed Leida from Rudy's simply because she is the best stylist I've ever had. I can mumble to her vague ideas and leave it in her hands, always coming out with something better than I had hoped for. She styles men's hair phenomenally and takes great care with her work. It's obvious that she has not only done this for years, but she has real talent. She knows what's contemporary and looks good. I'm not as diligent as I should be when it comes to getting my hair cut, but even when I let it grow out, she can sculpt my mop into something great. She does awesome work with medium/short hair like mine. And she's smart, funny, sweet, and sarcastic--even though she's from Oklahoma. :) Go see Leida. read more

Babalouise is so great. It was the first salon where I was treated like the interesting, friendly, nice person that (I think) I am. I don't do crazy things with my hair and I'm not what you would call "hip" and I've often felt out of place at salons where I don't really fit in. This is never the case at Babalouise! I love how friendly and personable Cindy is and how she does my hair and that it costs less than $40. I've even been known to go 6 months without a haircut before heading back to Seattle and Cindy's chair! read more

Eunice is amazing. When I came into Babalouise, I hated my hair. When I came out, I LOVED it! Eunice gave me a cut I had never had before and really listened to what I wanted. This is the place for me. :) read more

Nigel is wonderful. Followed him gladly from across town. The north end finally gets to be graced by his talent. Hopefully with a musical biography to follow. It is refreshing to be in the hands of professional who is as fun and he is adept at his craft. I buy most everything at thrift stores - Nigel s definitely a do w/o thinking splurge, well necessity (!!!). A magenta Faberge (egg) you find in the Walmart gum ball machine of the Seattle hair dressers. I always walk out feeling like a million dollars. Even with my doing 8 months between cuts (because am just not into hair), he doesn't shame me or make me feel stupid - he just does another magazine worthy make over. Thank you! read more

I've seen Marjory walk by the bar I go to a few shops down and always wondered about her hair color so one day I decided to go in for a consultation. Marjory was great, told me she could give me the color I wanted and got me in the next day. When I went in, she gave me exactly the color I wanted without fuss. She works fast and knows her stuff, she's been coloring hair for a long time and has a lot of experience with non-traditional colors, this is what sold me on her. She also used a color line that I loved: Keune. It is Demi-permanent and smells amazing! Most importantly, her prices are very reasonable. read more

As long as I live in Seattle, no one will touch my hair except for Diane at Babalouise. Diane has been cutting my hair for the better part of a year. When I first arrived, my hair was fine, thin, frizzy and unkempt. I started coming in every 8 weeks for regular haircuts, and the occasional keratin treatment, and my hair has made a total 180. Mostly I've been coming in for trims, but had some noticeable cuts as well (like short bangs and layers). She's one of the sweetest people I've met since moving to Seattle. Sometimes talk can feel a bit tired and forced, especially when seeing a new stylist, but Diane is really friendly and conversation flows very naturally. You'll feel like old friends here in no time. I've never been the person to make repeat appointments with a stylist, but I love love love Babalouise and Diane! read more

Hold the phone - I think I just found my hair spirit guide, and her name is Joie. When I moved from Capitol Hill to Magnolia, I had to leave my go-to stylist behind. What used to be a 25 second walk was now a 25 minute drive + hunting for the rarest Pokemon of them all, a parking spot on Capitol Hill. I tried this one salon in my new neighborhood, but just couldn't jive with the stylist that much. I'm not a weird unfriendly person, so feeling like sitting in silence for the duration of a cut was a better option than trying to talk to the stylist was a massive bummer. So this week I decided to see what else near Magnolia was available, and Babalouise popped up. I considered it due to other delightful reviews on Yelp, and was able to make an appointment that morning with the stylist of my choice. I chose Joie because others on here made her sound like a delight, and she most definitely is. I popped in and immediately was like - oh my god, I love this girl. She was hilarious and so fun, reminded me a lot of the stylist I left on Capitol Hill but dialed into like 11 in the best way possible. Personality really does matter because if you don't click with your stylist, routinely getting a cut can be damn brutal. But Joie is a doll, and I'm so happy I stumbled into her chair earlier this week. So personality aside, she gave an awesome cut. I go for the aline bob, and she helped amp it up some because previous stylists were kind of letting it go blah. Having fine and thin hair, she made sure to give my cut a lot of layers to help it appear fuller while still keeping in the aline mode. And the best part was it felt less like getting a haircut and more like just chatting with an old friend. But then 30 minutes later you look up and you're like, "oh, sh*t - i totally forgot I was getting a haircut, and it looks AWESOME." The salon itself is a great spot, too. I always liked going to Rudy's when I first moved to Seattle, but this place felt like a more serious, grown up version of Rudy's with stylists who are damn good at what they do. I really dig the look and feel (and music!) of this salon, and am 1105058835% coming back. Thanks for the great cut, Joie! :) read more

OK, I moved to Seattle a full year ago from Chicago, and had yet to find a decent hair salon. It didn't matter if I paid $20 or $60, every place was lacking. Then I found BabaLouise by just doing a search for hair salons in Ballard. Totally cool place, hip hairstylists, a weird salon dog, and reasonable prices! Only $30 for a cut! And I love my hair again! yeah! I had Donna, but everyone else looked cool too. My husband has since gone here and also liked his haircut. His was $23 I think. read more

Eunice does my hair and I walk out feeling like a million bucks, smiling like an idiot, and thinking..." I should really pay her more for making me look good and feel good." The prices there are completely reasonable and I enjoy the overall atmosphere. Hey look Belltown...a salon can look trendy and not be over-priced and snobby! Imagine that! When I am there, I don't feel like I have to get "dolled" up to go and get my haircut. Not that I have ever gotten 'dolled' up to get my haircut, but some places sure make you feel like you should. I mean, don't show yup stinky, but for cryin' out loud give me a break. Seattle is like the Snobby Salon capitol of the northwest. Hate that. Babalouise doesn't do that to a girl. They seem to implore more of a "come as you are, we like you like that" feeling. The stylist and staff are all skilled and friendly. Oh, and Mireille is FANTASTIC. I don't just say this because she has seen me in a light I wouldn't even want my lover to see me in, but rather because that girl is SKILLED, QUICK, and GENTLE. All the things one could ask for in an esthetician. Do yourself a favor, dump your snobby stylist for a real person who knows how to do hair, not talk your ear off, and charge you a reasonable fee for their fantastic service. Then, let let Mireille handle those sensitive spots. You'll feel great, and you'll look good too. read more

How have I not written a review of Babalouise and JOIE? In a phrase: I love her hard. I have short, messy hair, and I hate it when stylists try to make me look too polished. I took a bunch of photos in to Joie the first time, and she looked at them, said "I think these (pointing to 2 of them) are too conservative for you," saw me nod, and went to work. I love the haircuts she gives me, and she is HILARIOUS. If you're looking for great short haircuts in Seattle, look no further. Joie is your girl. read more