The haircut here was very disappointing and did not meet the standards I have come to expect from a Japanese salon. 2022 I am new to DC. Over the past five years, I have regularly visited Japanese hair salons in Los Angeles, New York City, and Boston while traveling frequently. In those experiences, even when a haircut did not fully match my preferred style or length, the technical quality was consistently strong, and any adjustments were handled professionally. Unfortunately, this experience was very different. One of the defining characteristics of a Japanese haircut is the smoothness, softness, precision, and careful organization of the layers. In my case, the cut lacked those qualities and appeared uneven and poorly structured (the photo from the back). I was also disappointed by the salon's management. Based on my experience, the overall operation and quality control did not reflect the standards typically associated with Japanese salons. Update (May 2026): Over the past 4 years, I have been with my Japanese hair stylist in New York. I returned to the salon to see Keiko because I was hoping to find a long-term stylist in Washington, DC. I had not had my haircut for 7 months prior to that because I delivered a baby in December 2025. Ozuki appeared to be one of the few salons in the area offering Japanese hairstylists. Immediately after the appointment, the haircut looked good due to the styling and blow-dry. However, within a few days, the shape became difficult to manage and appeared increasingly unstructured. The photo on my ID, taken approximately three weeks after the haircut, reflects how the cut settled over time. In contrast, the Japanese haircuts I have received elsewhere typically maintain their shape and balance for several months. Despite my concerns, I scheduled another appointment six weeks after the first haircut with Keiko because I genuinely hoped the issues could be corrected and that I could establish a relationship with a local stylist. At the same time, I let the management know that my haircut had bad form and hope that it can be resolved at the second appointment. Unfortunately, my interactions with management, Liz, were once again disappointing. Rather than addressing the concerns constructively, the response left me with little confidence that the salon could deliver the level of quality I was seeking. This is the first Japanese salon where I have repeatedly had unsatisfactory experiences. Based on the consistency of those experiences, I am not convinced that the salon operates at the standard typically associated with Japanese hairstyling. read more

Ozuki Salon - My haircut in 2026 by Keiko - Hair Salons Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I can't imagine not seeing Tony for my styling. He takes a decade off my many years by giving me the lift in my cut I wish I could have daily. read more

I have been using this salon for over ten years and now my spouse goes here too. It is fabulous. The stylists are artists who listen to customers and understand different hair types. read more

Meh. I was really expecting a way better cut based on the reviews, for the money, and the distance I traveled. It was also a long wait and the stylist was not very attentive nor social. Won't be coming back. read more

My sister and I got the scalp treatment (detox). We enjoyed our experience for the most part. They used Milbon clarifying gel shampoo and Milbon exfoliating conditioner to clean out our scalps. They both had lemon and mint in them and felt so refreshing and tingly on our scalps. They smelled AMAZING! They then applied some type of moisturizer or something. I think it was also gel-like and smelled the same as the shampoo and conditioner. I can't remember what it was. What was weird/different to us was that they had us dry our own hair. They gave us a hair dryer and diffuser (for me) and said we can dry our hair ourselves. My sister finished before I did, so she got a good amount of time to dry her hair before I had to use the dryer and the workers had to bring me a diffuser, which was all taped up and beaten up. It did not fit the dryer well and was a bit loose-fitting, so I found myself having to readjust it often. Since it was of a different color than the dryer and of a seemingly different brand, it makes sense that it wasn't a perfect fit for the dryer, but I felt like for the prices they're charging, they could have a better diffuser. We were also pretty disappointed that they didn't have a steamer as part of their scalp treatment. That's what we were looking forward to the most, after researching about scalp treatments. Nevertheless, my scalp felt much cleaner after that, like it can "breathe" more than usual. I could feel the breeze through my hair more than usual, which is one of the things scalp treatment videos often talk about. My sister, on the other hand, isn't as happy with her results. read more

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Ozuki Salon really exceeded my expectations. I got a haircut with MK and really loved how it turned out. I asked for face framing layers and to take off the weight on the bottom of my hair and was stunned at how she was able to deliver a wonderful cut that was even better than I could have imagined. Ozuki definitely made my list of trusted salons in the DMV area, especially when you walk away paying $116, including tip and taxes. It took approx. 1hr and 45 min from shampoo to settling my bill so make sure to plan accordingly. They get to work on your hair right away and really listen to your wants and questions. I will definitely be back! read more

Ozuki Salon - Before and after of the hair the day after styling - Hair Salons Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Wonderful service and knowledgeable staff. This is the only salon I trust to do the Japanese Straightening on my thick curly hair. Relaxed and chill atmosphere in the salon definitely a must visit if you are looking for an experienced stylist who knows how to do the Japanese Straightening treatment properly read more

Short review: Shigumi cut my hair. It looks awesome. I'm going back when I need my hair cut again. Long review: So hard to find a salon in DC. There are a lot of salons but if you look at the hair photos everything just seems weird and has an early 2000s vibe. Idk why. I chose this place because the reviews were decent and it's close to my apartment. I submitted the appointment request and got matched with Shigumi. Then I looked at her reviews in yelp and it was mixed. I kept the appt because I really needed a haircut and wanted to see what the Japanese salon thing was about. Unlike other reviews I was not given tea and didn't feel the overall Japanese vibe. There are cherry blossom colored lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Was anything else Japanese? Honestly I couldn't tell. It just seemed like a salon. Everything was very organized. I saw one person get turned away because they were late for there appt. Don't be late! For reference, I once had my hair cut at the now closed immortal beloved. I did a ton of research before going for my haircut. The place looked and smelled amazing but I got the worst haircut ever. Thanks again Shigumi! read more

I found Ozuki salon on yelp in 2011 in search of a good Japanese salon. I have a combination of thick Asian hair and high standards/expectations for haircuts since I was born and raised in Asia. I religiously trimmed hair and did babylights with Akiko until she moved somewhere. Tony was a new stylist at the salon that time. I saw a lot of Asian clients visiting him but I was too loyal to Akiko. I disconnected with ozuki after Akiko left... due to 30 mins drive to DC. I trimmed my hair here and there in fairfax VA but longed for that short haircut one day. That's when I decided to go back to Ozuki. Getting an appointment was a breeze. You fill out the form on their website with your preferred dates and they email back to you. Tony genuinely listens to your wants and needs.. and gives you his suggestion. I like that he asks me to remove my mask briefly so he can suggest the perfect length for me. Throughout the cut, he explained my hair type and told me how to style my hair. He took his time to perfection and my hair grows beautifully. Thank you Tony for your dedication. Please don't move elsewhere because I plan to visit you for as long as you are there. I want to keep him to myself but that would be selfish of me to do so - hence here's my post. read more

Ozuki Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Definitely recommend MK! I asked for long layers and she did an amazing job! She explained everything thoroughly and you can tell how much experience she has in her technique. Total was $91 not including tip and she blew dry, styled, and taught me how to style my hair at home! read more

Disappointed. It may depend on who you get but I was disappointed by my haircut with Tony. Quick hair wash - no scalp or head massage. When it came to the cut, it seemed like he was trying to get through the hair cut quickly. Cut my hair shorter than I wanted. No heat protectant spray - I asked if they could use some because my hair already runs dry and it was getting blown dry to a crisp - so much drying on high heat, no product, rough hair brushing. I had to move my head a few times bc it was getting way too hot. I then asked if he could try to style it a little - maybe some waves? Maybe a rounded brush? There was no styling or blow out, even though I saw another stylist carefully blowing out another client with a rounded brush. He parted my hair into half and just wrapped it haphazardly around his finger so that it looked like I slept on it funny. Had to ask for leave in conditioner in the end and he seemed annoyed that I even asked. It's a quick no frills type place, which is disappointing for how much the prices are. I was hoping an Asian hair salon would know how to cut Asian hair! You could go to the Aveda hair salon and have a student cut your hair for way less. read more

After a long search of a salon that does quality scalp treatments, I finally came across Ozuki. I put in an inquiry to schedule an appointment online and was booked within 2 weeks. I drove an hour to get to this salon and through the crazy traffic that is Georgetown, but it was well worth it. There's a garage on the same street as the salon - I came on a Saturday & parked for a little over an hour and it wasn't bad (maybe like $12). The directions on their site were helpful - the shop is located in a corner, you just need to keep your eyes out for it. Upon coming in, I was a bit confused because I didn't see the front desk, but it was located toward the back of the shop. Seeing that I was a tad lost, a nice employee kindly showed me the front desk. I checked in (early) and only had to wait a few minutes because Lilli ended up taking me a few minutes earlier than the scheduled time. Because this was my first time being at this salon and my first thorough scalp treatment, Lilli was so sweet and informative the entire process- she talked me through what she was doing and had post-treatment suggestions. She took excellent care of me; the treatment was niiicceeeee. In addition to the exfoliating shampoo, the manual exfoliation and scalp massage were soothing- scalp was left feeling refreshed. After treatment, a leave in conditioner was applied and I sat under the hair dryer for some time (I have long and thick hair). I will definitely be returning monthly for treatments. Great experience! read more

What an awful experience! I arrived late and asked the receptionist Jordan to negotiate with stylist Tony for a haircut. Jordan accused me of using bad language, but I vehemently denied it, swearing I didn't. Given the small size of the salon, if I had used offensive words, every customer would have heard. I requested Jordan to provide evidence or review the CCTV footage, but was told there's no CCTV. Tony, appearing impolite and aggressive, intervened, demanding I leave. I insisted on finding the truth, asking Tony to verify if I indeed used offensive language. His response was dismissive: 'I just trust Jordan.' I pointed out that Tony wasn't present during the incident and questioned how he could be so certain. Tony retorted, 'I don't give a shit. I just trust Jordan.' Frustrated, I called security, who advised me to contact their manager. The core issue lies in Tony's confrontational behavior, resembling that of a gangster, and his reluctance to uncover the truth. It seems the receptionist aimed to fabricate a story against me. As a customer, I feel unjustly treated. The least they could do is conduct a fair investigation into the incident. read more

I got a men's haircut with Shigemi, she was highly skilled and very friendly! I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for somewhere nice and relaxed. read more

Making new friends, learning your way around town, finding great places to eat - all of these are recognized parts of the transition process when you move to a new city. Finding someone new to cut your hair though, that's one nightmare that's less talked about but still every bit as challenging. When faced with this ordeal recently in DC, I turned to Yelp (are you surprised?) Over and over again, Ozuki Salon with its rave reviews popped up. I took the plunge and made an appointment with Akiko. When I arrived I was greeted with green tea before being whisked away for a thorough shampoo by Lilli. When she told me that she grew up in Mexico I immediately started quizzing her mid-shampoo on where I could find authentic Mexican food in the area. She was more than helpful, though she agreed that her native cuisine in its pure form is a difficult thing to find in the District. After a short chair massage from Lilli following the conditioner I plopped down in front of the very ebullient Akiko. Her hair was wound up in a perfectly messy knot atop her head and I admired her beautiful tattoos. I gave her creative license with a few caveats and she set to work. Unlike many stylists who either prefer to work in silence or make idle chatter because they feel they must, Akiko possesses an authentic curiosity and likable charm that make chatting with her feel like catching up with an old friend (even though we'd just met.) How she manages to effortlessly make conversation and cut and style with such precision is actually quite remarkable! At the conclusion of our time together I stared in the mirror, genuinely pleased with my reflection. But as you well know, a haircut that looks great in the salon can easily turn into hair horror once you attempt to style it on your own; which is precisely why I waited a couple of weeks before writing this review! Akiko assured me that I would not need to use a blow dryer with my cut but since she had used one to style my hair, I was unconvinced. Seeing as how I will only use a blow dryer to prevent the freezing of my hair in cold temperatures, I hoped she was right. As if by some sort of miracle, my hair turns out, day after day, looking remarkably like the day Akiko cut it. Without a blow dryer! I couldn't be more pleased! read more

Ozuki Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Tony has been my stylist for the past three years. He is the best without doubt. I have straight black hair, and he has been making my hair look healthy and great. Nowadays it is very difficult to find a stylist like Tony because he has such a great heart and always puts his customers first. While everyone is trying to ask their customers to change hair color and style regularly to make as much money as possible, Tony tells me to come to the store only when necessary. Sometimes I ask him if I should do this or that to my hair, he will have the most honest answer instead of pushing me to do it. For example, I once asked him whether I should do this therapy session with my hair, he said there is no need, you can use good hair nutrition product at home and do it yourself, that way it is healthy and you don't need to spend so much money. I was so surprised and it warmed my heart. Last weekend I went to him to get a haircut and told him I want to keep it long. He told me to come back to the store in six months so that my hair length will be ideal and he can cut off the split ends then. His magic is, as my hair grows, it will look better and better, as if I style it regularly, because he is very good at setting the foundations. My colleagues often asks me "did you do something to your hair today?" I will say " No I just washed it, then it naturally looks nice". read more

Pretty bad Japanese scalp treatment offering. The entire set up was pretty poor and uncomfortable. Unlike actual Japanese head spas, the scalp treatment station had chairs that don't lean back and forces your neck to be at a very uncomfortable angle for half an hour. There's also no scalp steaming, which is a typical part of Japanese scalp treatments. And because they had a shortage of staff, the woman doing the treatment walked away for several minutes walked away to wash someone else's hair, leaving me with water dripping down my back. This treatment at Ozuki is a waste of time and money. read more

Head and scalp treatment as well as professional cut! Wished my scalp treatment was more private but was amazing to the say the least! Highly recommend! I have very thin hair and my cut was unbelievable and exactly what I wanted! read more

The worst hair salon experience unfortunately. They overbooked and had me wait for 30 minutes. The stylist, Shigemi, didn't take time to counsel and listen to my requests. She kept hitting my head with a brush really hard when she was coloring my hair. Also trimming in the back was not done enough and my hair was uneven. I noticed when I got home and had to fix it all by myself. It was a total waste of my $180 and time. read more

Many years ago when I tried this place, with a guy who I don't the name but wore glasses, it was ok. I only remember he went out to smoke in the middle of the haircut. But the in-person experience this time is worse than I thought and certainly much worse than last time. Only now I noticed that they had some bad reviews. If I had noticed those before, I would not have come. Try at your own risk, and remember to share what you thought. read more

i haven't had a good haircut in a while so i was pretty really nervous coming in. make the trek to georgetown from noma. first thoughts: *greeted by woman not at the front desk that didn't really add to the hospitality (didn't hang up my jacket but hung up jacket for next person) *once i actually got to the front desk (located at the back of the shop), the front desk woman was more welcoming and friendly. i waited for a few minutes to be seen. was gradually starting to calm down *when the hairdresser was ready, they sat me in his chair. it was weird to me that they didn't clean up the area between people or sweep (side note: they did sweep the area in the middle of the haircut so it wasn't super messy) shampooing: *quality shampoo and smell. my hair felt super clean and silky smooth *loved the scalp massage tool she used haircut with tony: *again, i was nervous. tony was friendly but concise and quick. he seemed to understand immediately what i was looking for. i had long hair but was looking to switch it up with a shoulder length bob *tony definitely knows hair. i have lots of hair but each strand is fine. he explained to me my hair type and that the length i wanted would end up "flipping" the edges of my hair. i really appreciated that insight. we adjusted my expectations and what i was looking for from there. *the only negative thing about the haircut was the first 30 seconds when he parted my hair after i said i did a middle part. it was an inch off from middle. part of me panicked because that didn't bode well for a symmetrical cut! after he tried a second time, i ended up parting it for him to show him that i wanted direct center *the cut itself was incredible. he is extremely talented and shaped my hair so that it had texture, was light without being thin, and it was easy to style at home. it's been a couple weeks since the cut, and so far i'm really pleased with how it's been. overall, i would definitely recommend this place, esp if you're not neurotic like me i'll be back but will try to be more laid back this time to really enjoy the experience read more

New to the area, I looked for a salon specialising in Asian hair. For 250 dollars I got a decent hair cut and very careful colour application which I appreciated. At the salon's price point, and given its emphasis on Japanese style salon, I expected a more pleasurable experience with a higher level of customer care. I would have appreciated being offered tea or coffee or water, and a place to put my bag, or some magazines. The hair wash was fine, nothing special. The hair cut itself is very bland. It's skillfully done but just a shorter version of what I had before. I felt like I was getting something I needed to do off my list, but it wasn't a treat. I was a little disappointed as getting a haircut can be a restorative experience when the salon wants to delight it's customers. Not so at Ozuki, Oh well. read more

I have been twice now, and I will definitely be coming back! Both times I have received amazing haircuts from Tony. I get a bob cut, and Tony is so precise. He is a true artist, and it is wonderful to watch him work! When I say I want a short bob with layers at most salons, I end up with that Pinterest choppy cut, which only looks good with loose waves and half a can of texturizing spray. Tony makes suggestions based on my face shape, and my hair ends up looking amazing whether it is straight, curled, or air-dried. It also grows out really well between cuts. A precision cut with Tony is well worth the price. I also got the scalp treatment during my first visit. It was great too! Lots of massaging, shampooing, and steaming with a hot towel. I would get it again, but probably not regularly. read more

Where do I begin to rave about Tony?? I've been getting my hair cut and colored here at Ozuki by Tony for about 7 years now and I am just constantly amazed at how positive my experience is. Previous bad salon experiences had made me wary of a decent color job and he has listened to my worries and explained what he does differently. Asian hair can take on coppery, reddish tones when colored poorly so he mixes a custom color that includes cooler shades to tone down the warmer ones. He's incredibly meticulous with the color application when we do balayage and he does it in such a way that it grows out beautifully and naturally. Even when I haven't been able to get a touch up in 8 months, my hair still looks great. The other part of my hair growing out wonderfully has to do with how Tony cuts it. The layers he adds give my hair movement and his technique for removing weight without compromising the appearance of volume is magic. I've been to hairdressers whose hair thinning technique is relying on those scissors with the teeth and it never turns out as nice. I don't know how he does it. I have a LOT of hair and I'm always there for at least 2-3 hours because of the cut/color job but I never feel like he rushes the process. Even if he has a client right after me, he always takes time to style my hair with a curling iron so I can get the full effect. I was hesitant to go in recently because of cases spiking, but I felt safe with the masked staff and constant cleaning between clients. I appreciate all the precautions Ozuki has been taking to ensure everyone feels comfortable. Would also love to shout out Jordan at the front desk for being so friendly and Lily for the best scalp massage and shampoo. TL;DR - Tony is the best. read more

Shu is one of the most skilled stylists to ever touch my hair. He's a true artist. I have super coarse, thick, and wavy hair, and have been burned far too many times before by non-Japanese salons. Shu knows exactly how to cut my hair so that it lays correctly when it's unstyled and grows out nicely. The first time I came in, he pointed out that I had a lot of damage (that I had noticed but had written off on hard water) and he told me he wouldn't be able to cut my hair exactly the way I wanted until it grew out more and was repaired. And he was 100% right; the fact that he didn't just try to give me some immediate result to make me happy when I didn't have the foundation for it was honestly so refreshing and it made me appreciate his expertise even more! The salon is clean and cute, the front desk staff are always so polite. I always leave really really happy with how my hair looks. Shu is the absolute best and I refuse to see anyone else in DC (although I'm sure the entire Ozuki staff is excellent)! read more

After years of trying out different salons in DC in search of a good bob cut (and always feeling frustrated with the results), I came upon Ozuki Salon. What a find! Tony is simply the best!! He knows all the ins and outs of a bob and really takes his time to always create a perfect outcome. I have tried a more wispy cut that could cope well with the windy conditions during a visit to Ireland, or a very professional look, or one that's more slanted, or one that's quite short in the back - Tony can do them all. He has a special gift to make each style look very effortless and natural. I highly recommend him, as well as the Ozuki salon because it is friendly and unpretentious and you are never pressured to buy any products. read more

Great haircut from Keiko! I went to Ozuki for the first time recently and wanted a style change. I wasn't exactly sure what I was looking for, and Keiko reviewed magazine pictures with me to identify a style that fit my personality and face shape. She was friendly and professional. A great place to go for those looking for a stylish haircut and/or those with Asian hair! It's the best haircut I've had in years, and I get lots of compliments. I'm planning to stick with Ozuki going forward! read more

Ozuki Salon - layered cut from Keiko - Hair Salons Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Stephanie was late 10 min for the consultation which was a game plan to do at the appointment. At the time of the appointment, three weeks later, this time Stephanie was 3 min late. She seemed complacent as she was gathering the materials. She started applying the color and talked about autumn, warm colors. Wasn't sure why but I was telling her not for me. She kept on rambling and when then I realized that she was matching my roots with the rest of my hair color. The appointment/game plan was to match my grey roots to the rest of my hair. The second she realized that, she immediately was apologizing repeatedly and asked told the wash (hair) lady to wash my hair out ‍! My hair was highlighted and during the process, Stephanie would mutter something as if not sure what to do. She even muttered, "That was scary." In the end, even though the finish look is nice, it is a set back to growing out my hair again. Her demeanor after the styling was disrespectful that she just walked to the back room. It cost me $350 w/ tip. The trip to this salon costed additional pay for parking $16 each trip. I picked a Japanese salon becuz I had a great experience from a salon when I was in Japan. Unfortunately, this salon does not practice the same work ethics or the same customer service. read more

Got an haircut last week. The environment is peace and clean. Tony Peng is very professional and nice. He provided valuable suggestions and taught me how to treat my hair in daily life. I will definitely recommend my friends this salon. read more

Ozuki Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ozuki is the most expensive hair salon in DC. A 20-minute hair cut costs $81 and if including tips for the hair dresser and hair clean lady, it would cost $100. You would think such a high price would give you a stylish hair cut. But the answer is NO NO NO. I got a hair cut from Shu on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. He rushed through my hair and gave me a very earthy look. I was very disappinted but he had another customer waiting there, so I did not correct him. Also, my hair was already cut too short to get corrected. The experience mad me angry. I would never go back again. read more

The staff here is very friendly and prompt about their response time. They were also super accommodating when I asked them if I could donate my hair. They tied up the hair neatly and put it in a bag for me. I got a short cut Tony was very kind and patient with me despite my indecisiveness! He let me try out different lengths of cut until I was satisfied. He also had great suggestions that definitely helped the process and also made the cut specifically suit me. Even when a staff member was on break outside, she kindly directed me to where ubers usually pick people up from the salon. Highly recommend especially for Asian hair! read more

I have been coming here since I moved to DC and Shu is by far the best stylist I've ever had! Really understands Japanese hair and style. I never even have to explain to him what I want - he just gets it by intuition!!! The only reason I am rating it as 4/5 instead of 5/5 is the front receptionist Jordan who is quite consistently rude and unprofessional, and always seem to be on a power trip for god knows what reason. I dread every time I call the salon and she picks up or if I have to interact with her in person when I am at the salon. After every interaction with her (prob been there ~4 times now), it always leaves such a bad after taste after interacting with her energy. It's too bad that a great high end salon has hired such unprofessional staff. I grew up in Japan and if they are trying to emulate a true Japanese salon, professional and polite customer service is imperative! Please educate her about basic customer service etiquette or consider changing staff. All the other staff there a fantastic - so odd!! read more

I'm gonna start following him now lol. Tony Peng did my hair today. Here are my before and after pictures. I can't really take pictures looking from the back, but this new hair is perfect in 360 degree. Very professionally done. He cares about hair and he knows what is best for you. Love the green tea and snacks. Will def come again and sure will recommend this salon to my friends :) read more

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I carefully read Yelp reviews for this salon - I hate to say, the reviews have never been more wrong. I've never gotten a haircut this bad. I used to go to Hayato in New York City where my (very good) cut cost $100. I thought paying $85 in DC at another Japanese salon would at least be acceptable. Not at all. I would have done better going to Supercuts. I am not exaggerating. The pros: I was 15 minutes early for my appointment and my stylist was ready for me - how fabulous! Stylist was very friendly and sweet. The cons: everything else. The haircut is awful and not fixable. Customer service - dreadful. The cut. I asked for a simple straight, clean cut, basically a 3-4 inch trim. I described to my stylist how much I hated layers and that I did not want any. What I got was: hair on the lower half of my head was cut short - she took some 7 inches off. She cut the hair off the top of my head less, so it covers up the bottom layer. This was left a proper length, some 4 inches shorter than it was. I got these weird reverse layers,an top layer 3 inches longer the bottom layer. In addition, everything was incredibly uneven side-to-side. My hair was butchered. I went to get color done since then and asked my colorist what she think had happened. She laughed at the cut saying that she'd never seen anything like this and that her best guess is that the stylist cut the lower layer too short and then covered up with the longer top layer. Customer service: I was truly upset that I would have to wait at least 4 months for my hair to grow enough to fix this haircut. I went into the salon and politely, in a very low tone described what had happened and how my hair could not even be fixed in months. I was curteous, I didn't want other customers to hear. The receptionist, however, raised her voiced at me, waved her hands around, and argued with me in a disrespectful tone. Her body language was terrible - she leaned towards me aggressively as she raised her voice. I've never been treated worse. Receptionist promised that the owner would call me, but this never happened. When I called later, I got no response, despite several tries. read more

"Oh, you got the Asian persuasian? Once you go Asian, you don't go back!" OK, so the homeless man that yelled this to my BF while we were walking around in Boston needs to work on his rhyming skillz, and he was talking about relationships (or sex), but truer words have never been spoken when it comes to haircuts. People always told me that only Asian people know how to cut Asian hair, but I secretly thought that was incredibly arbitrary and just a smidge racist, so I went out of my way to prove those nay sayers wrong. Turns out I was wrong. So very wrong. To date, I've had my hair cut by Americans, Eastern Europeans, Latinos, gays, and a whole slew of stylists of varying backgrounds and descriptions. I've had bad haircuts (I'm lookin' at you Euro Hair Design -- no, I don't want #@($*&@# curls), good haircuts (Love my gays at the Back Bay Hair Designs), but no jaw-dropping, euphoria-inducing, floating-on-air-cuz-I'm-so-happy-with-how-I-look haircuts. And then I went to Ozuki and met Shigemi. Oh Shigemi. Shigemi, Shigemi, Shigemi. You're not very smiley, you cut hair very slowly, and your waist-length hair didn't inspire a lot of confidence in your ability to give me short hair, but...I was so wrong about you. You don't smile because you are so focused on your work. You cut hair slowly because you're a perfectionist, and nary a single errant hair escapes your exacting gaze. And your waist-length hair? Well, it's a good look for you. And it has absolutely no bearing on your ability to give me the best haircut of my life. Which you did. Bravo, Shigemi. Bravo. Shigemi's amazing skillz aside, I love that Ozuki comes equipped with picture books filled with different hair styles/designs to choose from. I knew I wanted short hair cuz long hair was getting to be such a drag, but didn't know anything specific beyond that. However, looking through the books and seeing the different styles on girls with my face shape/general appearance let me narrow my choice down to two options. I told Shigemi I wanted a combo of both styles, and BOOM, she did it. Love it. Love her. See new profile pic for results. Yes, I'm throwing up a fobby Asian pose on purpose. It's only fitting. And that shit-eating, "my GOD I love my fabulous new hair" grin on my face? Um...yea. Still there. read more

I hate going to Georgetown. I hate getting haircuts. I hate going to Georgetown. I hate paying more than $40 for getting said haircut. I hate going to Georgetown. I hate going to Georgetown. But I will do it ALL for Keiko at Ozuki. I thought I'd found the stylist of my life in Bobby at PR@Partners Metro Center, but it was just the folly of youth. After getting my hair cut in Tokyo, I knew that I couldn't go back to a Western-trained stylist. Japanese hairstylists are the best in the business when it comes to Asian hair. Yeah, I'd never bought into the whole "Asian hair" thing but there really is some substance to it. I love my new haircut. In the past, I've always had to take a few days to "grow into it" or "wait for it to settle" but no, Keiko is a genius and I love it. She has a fantastic eye, noticing that my existing layers had grown out into a point in front, which she fixed, making the cut look younger...I would never have noticed that. Best of all, she didn't give me mushroom head, which I'm always worried about with Asian stylists. read more

I came in for a scalp treatment with Lily and it was amazing. She took great care of me and met all of my needs. I would recommend anyone go here for great service and results read more

*sigh* I'm in love. For those who have yet to visit this place, I will give you one warning...if you do so chose to try Ozuki, keep away from Akiko...SHE'S MINE (in a completely platonic and heterosexual context). The epideme of the often sought after "hole in the wall" gem, Ozuki delivers a genuinely friendly staff and A-list quality cuts. Upon walking in, I was told that Akiko was ready for me and sat down immediately. I'm sure many of you are familiar with the category of stylist that only pretends to listen to what you want for your hair, and eventually end up doing what *they* see fit. Not so here--I felt as if Akiko genuinely understood what I was looking for, which is something I've never experienced. After hearing out a few of the guidelines I set, she (almost strategically) laid out what she saw for me, step by step. For the first time in my life, my stylist acually executed all that she said she would do, leading up to a beautiful finish. We're talking the kind of beautiful that you can't help but look at in every window reflection you pass on the way back to your car. Miriam was correct in noting Akiko's uncanny capacity for sharp, yet lighthearted conversation. She's right, it's far from the forced, cookie-cutter "So do you live around here?" type. Subsequently, my three hours spent there getting my highlights and cut felt like no more than one. Suffice it to say you can't help but like her immediately. Announcement, everyone: A visit to the salon is no longer a chore for Christine. read more

I would give them zero stars if I could. I think I still have to go here. I need a very specific asian loose curl perm. So... i'll come edit my review after my new appointment. I called them nonstop Thursday morning and afternoon, and it turns out the receptionist ignores phone calls. So, make sure you leave a detailed message and she'll call you back within a couple hours. I was trying to confirm my appointment and since they weren't picking up, I decided to drop in the afternoon by despite the July heat. When I got there and confirmed my appointment was for Friday, I told the receptionist, Liz, that i may have plans Friday but that I'd call her either Thursday night or Friday morning. She looked straight at me, assured me that she understood me, and then today she tells me I said no such thing and that she gave my appointment away. Wonderful. I think I wouldn't have minded as much if she was honest. But she kept saying I didn't say what I said. I remember being very particular with my word choice, so I'm positive I said what i said. I have friends with me that heard everything. So......yeah, idk if they do hair well, but Liz, the receptionist either has a really bad memory or .... well, i'll stop there. I guess facilities can afford to mistreat their clients when the rep is so good. read more

I've been all over DC and Alexandria looking for a place that can manage to cut my very fine but very thick, extremely straight hair. It shows scissor cuts like baby hair, but there's so much of it, it takes forever to cut it "right" by the usual methods. And do not even THINK about coming after my hair with a razor blade. No matter how much it is only bad for my hair "if it's done wrong". Wrong-O. You razor it, and I watch it break off into giblets and split ends for the next 4-6 weeks, until I have the cash and the gumption to take on Yet Another Hairdresser Trial. All that ended for me when I put my recalcitrant hair into Akeiko's hands. I've heard that "Japanese hair is different". And I can tell you that this cracker writing this review could not GET any more Caucasian-looking! But if my trouble-making hair is like Japanese hair, or maybe it's just that everything Akeiko touches turns out beautifully! Whatever it is, she's the gal who makes me not want to cue-ball myself when I get frustrated with my hair, and is helping me grow it out long (upper back now). I keep asking her to keep an eye out for good unusual styles for my hair, since she keeps on top of what's in style in Japan, and new techniques, too. Of course, I'm lucky in that I don't have all the problems of lifting my hair color that someone with naturally dark brown on black hair would have: I can Manic Panic pretty much any old time. And Akeiko is the kind of stylist who would be okay with that and maybe even have some great ideas, too! I'm sure she can cut your hair to look like everyone's else's, but please- don't waste her artistic talent and her studied skills on that. Go in to see her and ask her to do something wonderful! read more