I have never highlighted my hair before out of fear of becoming a horror story. However, this summer after spending much of my time indoors due to quarantine, I felt it would be nice to brighten things up with a natural partial balayage. After extensive research (and I mean extensive) for the best colorists in the area, I found Color Bar. Walking into my appointment, I had no solid idea of what I was looking for, and am definitely not the best at communicating things I want hair wise. (Turns out there are many different tones of highlight. Who knew!) After a quick consultation, Samil provided insight on the type of highlights I will need, the color it will have, and was upfront about the additional services related to the blow dry and toning. She was very accommodating with my requests, and you can tell she takes high pride in her work. I left with exactly what I wanted, a subtle and brighter highlight, that looks like I've been at a summer camp. Overall, I spent $275 on a partial balayage and left extremely satisfied. If you are willing to shell out some money for a quality balayage, this is the place! (Note, the picture with the highlights was after a long bike ride and the haircut is from a different salon) read more

Color Bar Arlington - Hair Salons Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Update: DO Not recommend. She stopped doing a decent job after about the 3rd appointment. My color ended slightly tingey reddish. I was placed in the back room instead of front of salon and some setting machine was used on me for a normal dye appointment. Shampoo assistant continued to bump everywhere around my face to do the shampoo. She said I knew her assistant when I do not. No receipt is provided after payment ever due to payment mechanism. read more

Color Bar Arlington - Wella purple shampoo - Hair Salons Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I showed a picture of what I wanted from their IG my hair was already red, so just some fall lowlights and gentle highlights right? Wrong. first The experience. I got there on time, and she needed 15 minutes she was still with her client. No problem so I sat in the car and came back she was still not done but seemed very annoyed already. So I waited a little bit and stood there until they could get me into a chair. Then I'm in my chair and the assistant is doing everything for Samil, not saying anything to me. When I went to the bowl because she was combing color into my hair and again not talking to me just grabbing all of my hair and roughly pushing my head around (if you need me to go back or whatever just TELL me) or pushing my head forward with one pointed finger, to have me sit up instead of asking me to do these things. And I ended up soaking wet water all over me. When I finally had my hair dried, my stomach saying it was in knots as I saw my roots were very hot, and I said my roots are yellow can we darken them up a bit? and, I was told, it's not yellow your hair just wet at the bottom. They dry my hair out she says something to her assistant and they put me back in the bowl for a shampoo, And then I was dried again, this time burning my head with the dryer. I was really upset that there was no attention to my hair by Samil when I was getting my hair done. There was another client that came in so it seems like three clients were booked right on top of each other, she didn't give herself enough time and she started working on the other client doing a color fix meanwhile she spent no time with me, directing her assistant and her assistant did almost all of the work. I left in tears because I regularly have to be on zoom calls for work and my hair does not look like fall or autumn like the picture I showed her, it looks like Chucky. I ended up going to another salon, John David who fixed me because they felt so bad due to the fact I came in the way I did and How uneven the color was. The place is very small however looks nice. looks can be deceiving. No Colorist should ever let a client leave like this. Especially if they're going to charge almost $400. Really you did a horrible job, just own up to it. I have NEVER used a box dye and I told you before I left the roots were hot a d you can't even be woman enough to accept that and try and make it right. This hot root photo was taken the second I got Home or do I need to post a time stamp? You fucked up. I'm sure you have done well on others but for me boo you don't need to lie. YOU made a mistake and tried to make me feel like it looked good. Your little fairy story is laughable. I would not have had to have another salon fix this mess and spend more money if it were t for you. Nice try, nice lie. Box dye, lol you are hilarious! It's funny how the bad reviews have you saying how much fun,and how much your clients liked the service and it's our faults. Instead of overbooking, make shit right, be a good person. Morals and ethics were clearly not something you encountered growing up, or ownership of your mistakes. Good story though, I sure wasn't laughing when I was in your salon but I sure am now! Laughing you created a fictional tale. To save you the reviews try listening to your customers. read more

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I'm happy for the people who were able to get their color fixed by Samil, but that was far from my experience. I am almost two weeks out from my appointment and I think I hate my hair more every day. I have lived in Arlington for six months and was at another salon I liked, but they just couldn't get my color right. Reading the reviews for CBA gave me high hopes. First, the positives: the salon is small but beautiful, with lovely decor and modern equipment. Samil's assistant (don't know her name because neither of them introduced themselves - only know Samil's because of Yelp and the booking) was very nice and gentle with my hair. They also had a great music playlist going. And they did get my hair one uniform color, although it was not the color I wanted. More on that later... The negatives: literally everything else. First of all, I'm surprised to see reviews about how nice Samil was, because she wasn't friendly to me at all, especially at first. When we were discussing my color, I found her to be short bordering on rude. It was only later when she realized I wasn't happy with my results that she started being nicer. My previous salon had been unable to match my color, so I had a lot of different tones in there along with gray roots to cover. I told her that I didn't mind the warm tones (my hair tends to have reddish undertones), I just wanted it all the same color, a medium brown. They did a two-process color to lift out the old and then recolor. When they rinsed out the color I did not like how dark it looked, but waited until it was dry to say anything. Then I mentioned that it was darker than I wanted, and she told me it wasn't dark, it was a 6 (whatever that means), and it looked darker because of the ashy tones. I never asked for ashy tones and said I didn't mind the warmth! I do not like cool tones in my hair because they do not go with my skin, plus why try to fight your natural undertones? And for her to stand there and try to pretend my hair wasn't almost black was laughable. Then she asked if I wanted it cut almost as an afterthought, when I had booked for a cut and color. I almost changed my mind and said no, but I did need a cut. Her price for a cut, dry, and style is $95 and I regretted every bit of it. The cut is not great (layers don't blend well, short layers are too short, ends are a little jagged). The styling was nothing to write home about, and to make matters worse they didn't even dry my hair thoroughly (it's really thick) so after I left it curled back up underneath. Such a waste! Besides telling Samil that my hair was too dark, I didn't make a fuss because sometimes once you get home and wash it, things look better. Not the case here! The worst part, for my not-great haircut and too-dark color job, is that I paid over $360 with tip. For me that would have been too pricy even if I had loved it, but the fact that I hated it so much was just adding insult to injury. I considered going back to have her fix but first of all I didn't want to have to hear her tell me what is and isn't dark again. Also, I really don't want her touching my hair because apparently when she was roughly combing through it while the dye was setting, I think she ripped out a little chunk in the front. When she was styling my hair she kept trying to part it on the wrong side and I couldn't figure out why it wasn't settling right. Then I looked closer at home and realized there was hair missing. Horrifying. So for now I'm living with hair I hate (at least it's summer so I can pull it up and throw on a hat, although those too-short layers sure won't stay put!), and I'll try a new place in a few weeks with hopes that they can get it right. read more

Samil did a fantastic job with my hair! This is my first time going blonde, my natural color is a very dark brown, and she took me through my last 2 lightenings to get to this beautiful ashy blonde I wanted. I came in with partial highlights and old box dye (that I forgot I even had) and she was able to take care of everything. I see some reviews on here referring to her personality as being rude or short and I think you have to understand her job as a colorist and the experience of working with many different clients with different expectations and attitudes. Samil is straightforward and realistic about what she can do with your hair. I came in with a reference picture of what I wanted and she told me it may take a few visits to get there, and what I walked out with after that first visit was still beautiful even if it wasn't my goal yet. My first appointment was late on a Sunday and she and her assistant stayed past closing as Samil wouldn't leave until the final product was to her liking. She took me through 2 lightenings to try to even out the tones from the box dye and was very honest when there was still some brassiness leftover as a result. She gave me clear after care instructions (note: if you're going blonde, be prepared to shell out some cash outside of the appointment on hair repair products as the bleach dries out your natural locks) and told me to book a full foiliage 4-6 weeks after so she could take out the box color. What is shown in the pictures here is the final result after my second appointment and I am OBSESSED to say the least. This ashy blonde color with a little bit of root peaking through fits my natural tones so well. Thank you so much for making my blonde dreams a reality and I'm looking forward to coming back for my next touch up soon! read more

Color Bar Arlington - Hair Salons Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I want to begin by saying I didn't have an appointment to get any of the hair services done. I made an appointment for a consult. It felt like the stylist was a bit rude, and dismissive of what I wanted to do to my hair and basically spent the 5 whole minutes talking about how my hair was too dry or too damaged to do what I wanted. I showed her a picture of someone who is literally my same ethnicity and same hair (it was colored and I wanted that look) and she dismissed it by saying the person had lighter hair than me without any questions. I mean I know that I don't have the best hair, that's why I'm there to try and fix it. I believe a relationship with a hairstylist is sacred, and I'm not sure why it felt like it was a burden for me to be there. I made another consult at a popular place I heard about in DC and decided to go with them instead. Maybe they were having an off day, I'm not sure. But, if I was going to be dropping a big chunk of money, I would not do it here. read more

As someone who has lived in Arlington, VA for several years, I've tried out many salons in the area. I'm so happy to have found Color Bar and met Samil, as she has been cutting my hair for the past 3 years now and is the only person I trust to do so. My preferred hair style is a short asymmetrical look, which in the past has been cut awkwardly or too short at other places. With my hairstyle being less common and requiring more attention to detail, I tend to get really nervous trying out salons I've not been to before. However, I've never had an issue with Samil and her team, as they always do consistent and excellent work. I receive tons of compliments from work colleagues and passerbys alike on my hair, which is a testament to Samil's skills and expertise. As a design professional as well, I personally love coming here too because the space gives off a high end boutique vibe, and it's clear that the owner is passionate about style in every sense of the word from hair and fashion to interior design. I would highly recommend Samil if you're in the area ! read more

Color Bar Arlington - Hair Salons Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

This place is a mess. Went with a friend to keep her company. Firstly, the salon overbooked. Should've read more reviews because it seems that is this places norm. Secondly, the "stylist", if that's what we can her, barely worked on my friend's hair. She had her assistant do most of the work. The color and cut were all wrong. Even used images from her social media pages as examples. She just did whatever she wanted and made silly excuses. This place needs to keep a better schedule book and need to know their limits. If you can't do the color and hair the way it was asked, don't just agreed and "attempt" it. You just ruined it and made us waste our time and money!! The salon looks nice and clean, but it's a facade covering up subpar work. Instead of trying to make a client happy and have a potential returning customers, she just said whatever she wanted to get money and rush us out. Never again! read more

I love this place- absolutely great work every time, Samil is a miracle worker. I had a horrible experience at a DIFFERENT salon awhile back, and she completely transformed my hair without having to overprocess it or do further damage. I just went in again recently, and she took me all the way to this beautiful icy blonde with lavender undertones exactly like I'd envisioned. She rocks. Really knows what she's doing, very friendly and very cooperative to make sure she gets your hair to exactly the right look. read more

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Potential client- review of my communication with the salon, not for hair care. After a horrible experience at a DC salon in Feb 2020, my hair appointments are never taken lightly. I called The Color Bar for information on pricing, options for color to correct and for availability and was so happy to talk to Samil. She was very sweet. Kind phone service unfortunately always the norm at salons so this was appreciated. I look forward to checking out the salon in the future! read more

Do not recommend. I have been going to Samil for over 5 years. I'm not sure what has happened in the last year but I have had 2 very catastrophic hair appointments. The first one was last November when my hair ended up looking like Strawberry Shortcake- nothing like I asked for nor anything close to what I have ever had. She tried to fix it but could only do so much. I am very conservative on my color and never stray. This time my haircut was absolutely horrible. I have had the same haircut for over 25 years. Samil has cut the same cut on me for over 5. Today she butchered it. She over texturized (all of my hair) before she even cut my layers and accidentally cut bangs - I have never had bangs! Her comment was "I'm not sure how I cut them so short." Not only that but the bangs she did cut are stringy due to over texturizing. She couldn't fix it without making it worse. I actually had to say- we need to stick with what we have before it gets even worse. She knew I wasn't happy, knew that she had made a mistake and then she charged me FULL PRICE. I will not be returning and do not recommend to anyone else. I used to but not anymore. read more

I went to the Color Bar in March to fix my hair color and the cut from a different stylist. Samil did a great job with the color and fixing the botched up cut! I was very excited to go back again this week. read more

I've been here a couple times over the past year and really love what Samil has done with my hair. I have trust issues finding new stylists (having gone to the same salon nearly my entire life) and Samil has been great at listening to what I'm looking for and matching it perfectly. She takes her time and ensures that everything is done to a high standard. Would definitely recommend working with her for any coloring needs! read more

I have really enjoying going to the Color Bar to get my hair done by Samir and her team. She has worked wonders getting my hair towards the color I wanted, and always leaves my hair feeling great afterwards. She helped me turn my grown-out Balayage into the most beautiful shades of ashy blonde, and I am so pleased with how it looks every time I leave the studio. The studio is modern and super clean, and I love how intimate it feels inside. I am looking forward to see the team in 6 weeks :-) read more

I came to Color Bar for a full balayage and was not disappointed!! I had been struggling for years trying to get back to my medium brown color with accents of light pieces for years!!! Color Bar did an amazing job and I was so happy with my hair!! read more

I met Samile from another hair salon. I am glad that she moves to this new place which is very convenient for me. Samile is very professional, and has a high attention to detail. She does a great job every time! read more

I am very disappointed with my experience here. I've been coloring my hair for about 5 years now and the following events have never happened to me. I had to visit the salon 3 times within 3 weeks, my hair was orange, then turned green, and now its orange/brown again - and in the end it cost me over $500. I went to the salon because I just moved into The Ten and saw that it had decent reviews. The first time I went I wasn't happy with the color; it was too golden/orange for me so I called, and she happily said I could come back in and she would fix it. The second time I came in it was closer to what I wanted but still not quite blonde enough, so she told me to go buy purple shampoo ($44) and use that. A couple weeks go by and I go in a hot tub and my hair emerges in the water for probably 5 minutes and it turns GREEN. I've been dying my hair blonde for years now and that has never happened to me, I'm not sure if it's the type of dye she uses but whatever it is its extremely sensitive. I call her and tell her my hair is green and she tells me to come in and she wanted to see how my color turned out from the second time after using purple shampoo. I go in and she does a glaze to neutralize the green, basically my hair is not blonde anymore. Then she charges me an additional $40 after I already paid over $400 the first time. I left and cried in my apartment. On top of that she kept listing excuses as to why it was my fault, when 1. I'm not a professional hairstylist and 2. This has never happened to me in the past so why is it happening now. She said the color came out of my hair because I used Head and Shoulders once when I went out of town and I looked it up and Head and Shoulders ingredients do not take hair color out of your hair. I called to see if she would do right by the customer and give me a refund and she did not, she told me to come in, but my hair is so damaged from this experience I can't have anything else done to it for at least the next few months. She again blamed me for turning my hair green when that has literally never happened to me before and I've been dying my hair blonde for the last 5 years. Each time I left, my clothes were soaking wet from the shampoo station and I was not happy with my hair color and now it looks like I just dumped a bottle of sun-in in my hair. I will NEVER be returning. read more

I've lived in the area for over a year now and I have a really hard time finding a salon that meets all of my expectations. My mom was a phenomenal hair stylist when I was growing up, so I know what a quality cut/color/overall experience is and what to expect for your money. Because I do a lot of research before getting my hair done, I typically know exactly what I want, if it's actually feasible on my hair, and what types of treatment it will need. I get nervous going anywhere new overall! After searching, I found Samil at another salon and was so pleased with her work! When she left to start Color Bar, I without a doubt had to follow her! She's phenomenal and the quality of her work is worth the price. The service is ALWAYS excellent from start to finish and I am absolutely thrilled with my cut and color. Price was fair for the quality of the service. Samil will not disappoint! read more

The ladies at color bar were the most intuitive hair stylists I have had. They also were very kind to stay open late to accommodate my travel schedule as I am not from Arlington and was in need of a hair color and cut while traveling for business. I will be planning extra time next time I am in town to visit Color Bar again. I highly recommend as with very little guidance the stylist knew exactly what I needed! read more

I usually dye my hair myself (using semi-permanent bright dyes) but don't trust myself to bleach or cut. This has been my go-to spot for about 8 months or so. Every cut has been great and she's done great work lightening my hair but keeping it healthy. read more

We were very unhappy with the coloring job my 13 year old daughter received today. She has medium to dark brown hair and wanted two inches on the end dyed royal blue. We sent her a text with the royal blue color and a few photos of my daughter's brown hair. We were told the price was $135 and it would take 45 minutes. We Asked for the split ends to be cut off. That "trim" was $60 which she did not mention and she did not trim all the hair, just the split ends. Then after the blowdry was done and she acknowledged the blue wasn't very dark and saw my daughter was disappointed. She offered to redo it and make it darker, but by this time we had already been there an hour and fifteen mins. She re-did it in 25 mins but it looked no darker than before. My daughter was crushed but was polite and we left. I felt like we had been ripped off with the cost of the "trim" that wasn't mentioned before and with the fact the ends of her hair do NOT look blue at all. I am taking her to get it redone somewhere professional. This "salon" was a small room with a chair and sink for washing hair and two barber chairs. It is a one woman show. Her asst was brand new and was clearly inexperienced. I will NEVER go here again. I do NOT recommend this place at all. read more

I first met Samil at another salon- I will follow her anywhere if possible! She always takes her time, listens and gives a terrific haircut! I have very fine hair, so not easy to manage. I've had Keratin at other salons but none have lasted the way her application/treatment has worked - absolutely the best! You will not be dissapointed! read more

If I there was an option to give more than 5 stars, I would have selected it. The customer service is great, and very nice professionals. I had the full package done (cut, color and keratine treatment), and let me tell u, my hair is not easy to work with, I have thick corse hair. I was very please with the service and definitely recommend this salon. read more

Awesome. A year ago, I went in for a cut & color. I left with the correct hair color. And it was the best haircut I had ever gotten. I go back every 6 weeks like clockwork. Simply the best. read more

I've been to Color Bar a couple times now and these ladies are amazing! They're always very kind and create a very friendly and warm atmosphere during my appointments. They always do an incredible job coloring my hair and have great prices. I'm so glad I found color bar and will definitely keep coming. I 100% recommend coming to this salon! They do an amazing job read more

Who knew it would be so hard to find a good colorist in the DMV area. After moving here recently and having 3 different salons ruin my color and hair in the process, I came across Samil at Color Bar, and I'm so grateful I did. On the very first visit she was able to magically fix the damage from the other salons and do an absolutely perfect color job along with a great haircut. As long as I live in the area I wouldn't trust anyone else with my hair. read more

DO Not Go!! She is rude, hostile and the quality of the work is beyond bad! the lady who never introduced herself nor greeted me at the start did everything in a rush. once she finished the result was absolutely terrible, it was spotty, tingey and the colour was dreadful, after expressing politely my discomfort she just applied something on top (didn't bother to explain), basically she turned my hair completely dark again and when I asked where is the result? she said that was it, she then started shouting that she couldn't do anything else, I said there was no reason for her to shout I would pay regardless, but she continued shouting. Not only the quality of the work is terrible, she is an aggressive and very rude and hostile person. I don't mind the result of the color as much as the terrible treatment. I never felt so distressed at a hair salon before. DO NOT RECOMMEND! I am definitely sharing in all social media. read more

Fantastic salon. Very friendly, very talented. They take the time to listen and work with you. My daughter could not be more happy.

Samil is the best! I've been going to her for the last year. I appreciate her professionalism and consultative approach. Couldn't recommend Color Bar more than enough. read more

I am very grateful to Samil for the great job she does every time without fail. Not only she is a great stylist and colorist, she is also a lovely person, always very professional, calm and respectful. She and her assistants are a fantastic team, and the salon is very nice! read more

When I first met Samil over a year ago my hair was completely fried from over bleaching. Samile Vo has turned a bad situation into a good one. Her recommendations on how to care for my hair along with her hair style has allowed me to be able to add highlights this week and I LOVE them!! She is the best! read more

I went in with a few pictures and idea of what I wanted and Samil was fantastic! I've always hated getting my hair done bc of the bad experiences I've had, but she was great. Exactly what I was looking for and very sweet. Thank you! read more

Color Bar Arlington - Hair Salons Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Samil is wonderful and Anna is a fabulous assistant. Great color and cut...very happy. I'll be returning!! Thank you.

Samil is wonderful. From the shampoo to color to cut, I could not be more pleased.

Samile knows exactly what she's doing, when it comes to hair. Having resigned to frizzy hair all my life, she introduced me to keratin treatments that made my hair look as glossy and healthy as never before. She also encourages me to try new cuts and colors which makes me believe she has magical abilities that let her know what the best look for a person is. The customer service here is also off the charts. Samile is very flexible when it comes to scheduling appointments, and will unflinchingly work her way through 3 hours of hair work to get you where you need to be. I have been coming here for nearly over a year now and will continue to do so while I'm in the area. read more

I came to Samil after having my hair cut at different lengths. She saved my short hairstyle and I haven't gone anywhere else in over a year. She is amazing at cutting and styling hair. I also go to her for my color and she always gets my dark hair to the most natural looking, multi-toned blonde. I highly recommend visiting her salon for cut and color! read more

Like many women, if I find a great hairdresser I will follow them wherever they go in the city. I have fine, blonde hair so I'm very particular about who cuts and highlights my hair. It's difficult for me to recover from a bad haircut because my hair grows at a snails pace (and poor layering can make it look too thin). I met Samil while she was working at another salon and always thought she did an outstanding job highlighting and cutting my hair so I followed her to her new location at the Color Bar Studio. There is a wonderful peace of mind knowing every time I get my hair done it will be consistently beautiful. read more

Only giving 1 star because there is no 0-star option. I went to this location because based on the positive reviews. Sorry to say but this beauty salon has to be the worst experience ever. Bad service and the timing was ridiculous. The owner arrived late to my appointment without even giving an apology. I have had made it very CLEAR from the beginning that I simply do not want a LAYER and Samil gave me a layer anyways. I was screaming and very upset internally. When I stopped her, it was too late. Very very disappointing! She didn't even apologize either. She claimed that she didn't see a "no" when I typed on my phone "NO layer". How much more clear can I be? Not only that, her assistant was seemed to be constantly distracted by her hair and makeup and as a customer viewpoint, I do not see any asset with having her as an employee there. She did not make me feel better considering myself as a new customer and feeling nervous, she made me feel awkward! As it was time to dye my hair, I have once again had made it very clear that I want a dark brown and even showed them the photo of it. Samil was like "we can see little purple strands in the photo" and it's like okay? Just do dark brown as I had originally requested. I just feel that Samil did not understand my vision even after showing her my inspiration photo. Then her assistant did FOUR cycles of shampoo and conditioner on my hair especially with her long fake nails, it was not fun and can do absolutely damaging on my scalp and hair. And her assistant was literally pulling out of my wet coloring hair with blow dry and big roller brush and my scalp was in a lot of pain and I had to stop her there saying that I have to go!!! Right when my hair was dried from the blow dry, I had noticed that my ending roots had a little brighter color than my top roots and Samil was like "it's because we wanted to do a lighter shade to give it a more natural look." with zero communication. Communication seems to be a major issue that needs to be fixed there. I left this salon with a headache from the stress I had there. read more

I actually wish I could give this place 10 stars! I first need to explain what happened with my hair and how much this salon saved my hair and stopped my tears after my first experience. I went to Mynd Salon in Pentagon Row where they completely RUINED my hair and I had three different shades - essentially looking like a fox's tail. I walked out in tears and randomly dialed whoever could take me that day last minute to get this fixed. Once I called The Color Bar, they said they would be happy to take me in for a consultation and help me out once they have an idea of what I had wanted. They saw my hair, completely fixed it and made me a brand new person. I was so happy and could not have made a better choice. I left the salon in pure bliss and bouncy, healthy, BEAUTIFUL hair! I cannot recommend this salon enough - if you want an expert and professional look - go to The Color Bar! read more

NOT PLEASED AT ALL. Samil was not prepared to do a spiral perm for either my sister nor me. She was 30 minutes late for our appointment. We waited and was not impressed with what we saw. She obviously knew nothing about spiral perms as we both spent $155 and came out with even straighter hair (not one curl to speak of) than when we entered the salon. To add insult to the whole experience she brought her young daughter along and had to keep moving her out of the salon chairs - she was totally distracted. Extremely disappointed and seriously not impressed with the salon or Samil's skills. Wasted money and on top of that she said parking was free - not! We paid $10 to park. Find another more experienced salon than this. read more