Let me start my review by admitting that I am a hair snob and am terrified of letting anyone touch my hair without watching them doing about 10 other people's hair first and quizzing them on where they went to hair school, their favorite products, etc. You can imagine my reaction when my normal stylist had to cancel my appointment due to a family emergency and I was due to leave for vacation in just a few short days. I called around frantically trying to find another salon that used the same hair color as my regular salon to ensure that the colors matched exactly. After about ten failed Google searches and twenty phone calls I stumbled upon Jeanie's.
I made my phone call to Jeanie's on Thursday afternoon. I needed a full color at exactly 3pm that Saturday and they close at 4pm. I was expecting someone to laugh in my face but instead the phone was answered by a calming voice that belonged to the owner, Jeanie. I explained the situation and said I don't even need a blow dry, I just needed the color before I left. She told me not to worry and that even though I had my formulation I would get a full consultation with my stylist, Lisa, and that they would like to blow dry my hair before I left so they could ensure that I was happy with the results.
I showed up about 5 minutes late, frantic and walk into complete calm. I have never been into a hair salon that relaxing in my life. There was no blaring music, no yelling across the salon from stylists, just light holiday music playing in the background and the laughter of the owner talking to a satisfied customer checking out at the register. Jeanie said hello, told me to take a seat and finished up with the customer before calling me back to the counter. She introduced me to my stylist and asked me if I would like anything to drink. At this point, I was still terrified. Have one bad hair cut or color job in your life and that is enough to scar you forever. Lisa was very pleasant and thorough. She discussed what products I was currently using at home and how I was styling my hair. I was taught a long time ago the importance of using salon quality products on your hair so I was already using a lot of what she recommended. If you are not a person who uses salon products at home - pay attention to your stylist's recommendations - they are worth the extra money, especially the shampoo and conditioner!!! Yes, the stylist will make money selling you products but they will also extend the life of your color and make styling much easier.
Lisa used my same formulation, placed a barrier around my face to minimize color stains, and after applying the color to my roots placed me under a steamer. Once the color was processed she took me to the shampoo bowl. This is where I fell in love with Lisa and where most shampoo girls screw it up. In order to remove color stains from around someone's face, you actually rub color on that area again. Color removes color - not shampoo, not water - those set the stains. After an amazing shampoo, Lisa brought me back to her chair and told me about the products she was using during the blowdry. We then sat in silence for the next 30-40 minutes while she dried my hair. Knowing it was well past their normal closing time, I never felt rushed. When Lisa was done, my hair felt like silk, there were no stains around my head, and I was more relaxed than I can remember being in weeks. The key to finding a good hair stylist is finding one who can tell when you want to chit-chat and when you want quiet and that is exactly what Lisa offered.
When I went to pay, Lisa had left the products she used on my hair up front so I didn't have to stare at the shelves trying to guess which ones she had talked to me about earlier. I happily paid for my services and made sure I grabbed Lisa's card for the future. Not only was the salon doing everything "right" in my book but, Lisa was amazing. From our chats I learned she has over 18 years of experience. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a stylist in the Annapolis area. The prices compared to any other salon and the service was impeccable. Thanks, Lisa for easing my fears and doing an amazing job and kudos to Jeanie for creating the perfect salon atmosphere!
**Note you cannot add tips to your card. They can give you change, you can write a check, or there is an atm in the salon** read more