(REVIEW BASED ON CLIENT CARE, NOT SKILL)…read more
I've haven't been able to come to this shop in a very long time. Had a bad experience with my hair being heat damaged here, and it took many years for my hair to recover. It was my fault I choose to just get flat ironed to save on cost. I say all of that just to say I've been serviced by this stylist before.
She knows her stuff and does a great job, but times have definitely changed. When I was coming here back when I was in college; a wash, blow-dry, and straightened was $75. My hair is 4b/4c, extremely thin, and needs careful handling. I usually detangle and deep condition at home because money's tight, so I save up for this service.
Now, the same service costs with me deep conditioning and detangling in my own cost $196. That's a huge jump and there's no clear pricing upfront. She'll just add a bunch of things without your permission and then when you're done she'll just add things to your bill and tell you that's why it came up to that price.
You pretty much book through an app, but add-ons (detangling, hair past shoulders, thickness, conditioner) can push the final cost way up, no matter what you select. That lack of transparency feels unfair, especially when you're already stressed, trying to budget and short on time.
On top of that, the stylist is now an influencer and goes live during the service, with clients on camera. She says her regulars enjoy it, but me and another client clearly expressed we weren't comfortable. Her response? "Hold a mirror up to your face." She said there was a beauty filter, so we "didn't have to worry."
But I shouldn't have to hold a mirror the whole time just to protect my privacy, especially when I'm paying to relax and be cared for. My arm got tired. The mirror slipped. And that's not the experience I paid for.
Getting your hair done can be vulnerable. Some women don't even let their husbands see their natural hair until it's styled. To broadcast that moment without consent, especially in today's online climate, feels really unprofessional and, honestly, exploitative. If she wants to showcase her work, she can do it without showing clients faces.
I like her work, and she's a kind person. But this experience left me with a bad taste. $196 for one day of straightened hair is already steep, but being recorded without real consent? That crossed a line.
If you value clear pricing, privacy, and not being on a live stream while getting your hair done, this might not be the spot for you.
I only stayed because I was already booked last-minute for my brother's wedding and had nowhere else to go. It saddens me to leave this kind of review or to risk burning a bridge; because it's so hard to find someone who truly knows how to care for natural hair. But if this helps even one person, especially my soft spoken girlies who might not speak up in the moment, it'll be worth it. No one should have to pay way over budget and feel forced to be on live just to get their hair done.
I gave 2 stars because this review was based on client care not skill. With that being said if you can budget spending $300 or less on a worst case scenario, and don't mind having your process filmed she really is skilled and this may be a good fit. Also I forgot to add I was 15min late for my appointment accidentally went to the wrong location and she was chill about it and didn't cancel my appointment so that was a plus.