*I appologize for the length of this review in advance, but attribute it to how much I adore this salon and my stylist, Kerri!* I first discovered Von Kekel in Cary after a terrifying, social-life-threatening botched baylayage/ombre at a different salon. I was frantically searching for a salon to fix my hair before my 21st birthday, and luckily Kerri at Von Kekel had an opening. Upon walking in the salon, my hair was blotchy and an embarrassing shade of orange-yellow (courtesy of the previous stylist). I got there a bit early and was asked if I wanted anything to drink, and told Kerri would be with me shortly. My appointment was at 9:00 AM, the salon opens at 9:00 AM, and Kerri was right on time. I was impressed with the time and effort she put into understanding how I wanted my hair to look. She asked questions about how I style my hair daily, the tone of the color I wanted my hair to be, and my how long I had been coloring my hair. I showed her pictures of examples that I liked, and she took her time looking over them and asking me specifically what I liked about them. When she began coloring my hair, I could tell she really knew what she was doing. Before meeting Kerri, I was a bit nervous because the salon's website listed her as a "junior stylist" and I was hoping to find someone very experienced with color. I soon realized that "junior" must be referring to how long she had been with the salon (I'm still not exactly sure why she's listed as "junior," that's just my assumption), because she was absolutely the most experienced and talented stylist I've had. Coloring and styling hair seems like second nature to her. After working with my hair for a little while, she told me she realized what caused the blotchy-ness from the previous salon: the fact that I had previously colored my hair at home, and when the bleach was applied to it, it lifted my color unevenly. Kerri went on to teach me much more about the different types of hair dyes which ones are damaging. Before I knew it I had gained new insight on haircare and hair coloring, and Kerri was finished applying the baylayage to my hair. I sat in one of the comfy chairs in the back of the salon, Kerri brought me a water, and I read a magazine while I waited for my color to process. Soon it was time to rinse out my hair and apply toner. I wanted my hair to be an ashy, cool blonde tone. Kerri toned my hair with a purple toner, and then looked closely at it after she washed it out to see what the resulting tone was. She said it was a cooler tone, but not as ashy as I had wanted it, so she applied another purple toner. She probably applied purple toner about five different times to get my hair to the ashy-blonde shade I wanted it to be. I was so happy that she put so much time and effort into fixing my hair. She took my hair from the blotchy, orange-yellow mess it was to a beautiful, blended ashy-blonde baylayage and I was absolutely ecstatic about the result. When I booked the appointment, I failed to mention that I had to work later that day, so I had to leave for work and we didn't have time to dry or style my hair, so she just put some smoothing lotion in it. When it dried later in the day, I swear I almost cried because she had done such a good job fixing it, and my 21st birthday was tomorrow so I would be able to go out and celebrate confidently! I was so nervous that I wouldn't be able to find anyone to fix my hair before my birthday, but Von Kekel and Kerri definitely saved the day. She even contacted me a few days later to make sure that I was happy with my hair, because I had to run out so quickly to be on time to work (my fault, I didn't mention I had a time restraint while booking) and she didn't get to see the final result after it dried. I was so impressed with how she genuinely cares about her clients' satisfaction! I booked another appointment with Kerri and was just as happy the second time. Another thing I love about this salon is that they're open until 8:00 PM on weekdays, so I can go after work. I had some concerns about breakage that I discussed with Kerri, so she used a gentle hair dye and gave me really great advice on how I can cut down on breakage and help re-strengthen my hair. She gave product recommendations and used one of them to style my hair, and by the end of the appointment it honestly looked like I had a new head of hair - it looked worlds healthier. I had never been to an Aveda salon before going to Von Kekel, but Kerri educated me on their products and how they are different than other brands and salons, and I can proudly admit that I'm now an Aveda convert. I would absolutely recommend this salon, and Kerri, to anyone and everyone. They have super-educated and talented stylists (everyone in there seemed to be regulars who loved their stylists), fully stocked Aveda products, and they even send out e-mail reminders of appointments a few days in advance, which I love. read more

I loved my haircut and highlights by Kiley! I have never had highlights before and she transformed my hair. Kiley is very meticulous, took her time with the highlights and made sure all was perfect before cutting and doing the blowout. I love Aveda in general and all of their products so it was such a treat to go to a real Aveda salon and be pampered. The staff is extremely friendly and make you feel very welcome and taken care of. Located in Fenton, this is a great location and I would come here again in a heartbeat. read more

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Requested a balayage appointment to get lighter blond mixed in my older balayage. I showed the pictures to Jamie, who did a great placement. When toning she said it would lighten with shampooing, but it was darker then what I came in with. She had changed my appointment to a different appointment type because she said it wasn't as intensive as a true balayage, which I thought was nice because it was less expensive but I didn't ask and it wasn't a balayage or the colors I showed. I asked to come back in after trying head and shoulders, which they recommended to use to speed up the lightening, and Meredith was awesome to fit me in to see if it would lighten. It did a bit but is still darker. She also seemed surprised of the colors based on the pic I showed her too. Very nice and professional but not worth it when you'll need to redo it somewhere else. read more

Got a massage at the North Hills location and it was great the first visit, so decided to go get my hair cut at the Fenton location. Zaahirah did my hair, overall taking my short hair back to a pixie. Overall the cut was okay and she followed what I was looking for, but nicked me pretty bad on my back hair line (pic below) and left so. much. hair. in my head that she didn't clean off after cutting it. I had to shake my hair out 3-4 times because it was so messy. Also, overall atmosphere felt stiff and unwelcoming. I liked that they were able to get me in on a tight schedule but due to all above I don't recommend and won't go back for another visit. I did send a note to them about this on their IG page to see if they could help but no response. Edit: they sent me an email 3+ days later and didn't offer any help beyond an adjustment, which my hair is super short anyways (which again, was what I wanted), so why adjust it. Knicks can cause infections, but I guess they don't understand that... avoid. read more

Von Kekel Aveda Salon Spa - Day Spas Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

I walked in the salon with my hair damaged from all the coloring and bleaching. Robert brought back the health and silkiness that my hair once had! His color correction was totally amazing ! He was very informative on the best way to care for my hair , including product recommendations for my specific concerns. I highly recommend Robert! read more

Zsoka did an amazing job on my daughter's hair! Will definitely be returning when it time to have it done again.

I had a pandemic panic and colored my hair at home too dark, then I bleached it... and then it MELTED the ends of my hair!!! What can I say? It's embarrassing and frustrating, but Renee was a life saver today!!! She was sweet about it and up front with the results I may or may not get because of what I did. I'm so grateful for her skills and I'll definitely be back! read more

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My horrible experience at Von Kekel. If you do not have blonde hair please do not get your hair done in this beauty salon. After delivering a baby, I've been in postpartum depression and my husband wanted to cheer me up. So, he made an appointment at Von Kekel. He says "go there and do your hair, I want you to look beautiful for our anniversary". We didn't know it'd been the worst experience in my life. No one goes to a salon to get their hair messed up. I wanted a silver smoke ombre. The stylist made me balayage even though I strongly repeated her more than three times that I wanted an Ombre, not Balayage. She said it is the same style. Jill bleached my hair for 20 minutes and then she dye my hair for 5 minutes. When I left the place I had some hair with color and other parts orange, yellow. This is the first time I go to a salon and I leave the place in an hour and 30 minutes. In my experience, for a Balayage the stylist took between 4-6hrs. As you can see in the first photo on the left is me at 10 hours before I got my hair done at Von Kekel and the next 3 photos are 30 minutes after leaving Von Kekel. I can't believe my hair looked better before having a service in Von Kekel. This was a total disaster. I've been crying and in depression. Instead of being a happy customer, I ended up in the hospital for depression when I saw that my hair is orange with yellow and not gray as I wanted. The Von Kekel return and exchange policies say that they will redo work if the client is not 100% satisfied with the service but when I asked for a redo they told me that this policy did not apply to me, I don't even know what they meant by that. Even when I told them that I want them to fix my hair to look like all the colors blended and not partially dye or bleach, they told me that for that I would have to pay more money. They made me feel like I have no money to pay for my service. They made me feel bad. Now I feel worst than before and I don't know what to do with my life. it's an immense sadness to see how they treat you. I was offended on the phone by the receptionist. So much so that I'm on medication. I share this story with you. I hope Shawn Von Kekel see this and make his team own his policies and treat other ppl better. read more

Von Kekel Aveda Salon Spa - Worst experience ever - Day Spas Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

How unfortunate. Looks like a great salon but after waiting 40 minutes past my appointment time I left.

Beautiful salon, friendly staff, easy appointment & perfect location for me! I would make this salon a must!

I have been going to Von Kekel for many years - not one time have I been disappointed. Not only do I enjoy my hair dresser I enjoy the rest of the staff. They go above and beyond to reschedule me if I need it as I have a very busy schedule. The product they have is amazing as well. I have also gone to the Raleigh location and got waxing and got hair done as well there when I needed to be on that side of town in emergency situations. As I said before they always go above and beyond to take care of the customer first and foremost. read more

I just got my hair done today at this salon by Jennifer. It smells good in the salon and the staff is professional if forgetful. I was offered a refreshment when I arrived which I never received. My hair stylist was nice but didn't do my hair to my satisfaction despite my best efforts to steer her in that direction. I got a blow out and wasn't told the flat iron would be extra. I won't be back not because of any undue animosity on the part of the staff. I just wasn't happy. My hair is highly textured and I appreciate someone who can manage it for me. read more

Von Kekel Aveda Salon Spa - Day Spas Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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A longtime girlfriend and I were crossing paths in Raleigh for one day on our respective travels so as a treat she booked us back to back facials at this AVEDA salon. I was hoping to include a microdermabrasion treatment in my facial, but that's not a service offered at this location. (We figured at least AVEDA had all-natural eco-friendly products.) I'm giving the AVEDA Facial only 2 Stars because it was very mediocre, based on my experience having facials on a regular basis over the last five years everywhere from cosmetics schools to aestheticians with private studios. The steamer "broke" at the beginning of my facial and all the aesthetician did was try to turn it on and off a couple times then announce, "Oh well, it's broken," and continue with the facial. She said she would be using hot towels to achieve a similar effect & yes in most quality facials a yummy hot towel is applied to the face between each stage. I think she may have used one hot towel at the end? All in all, this facial felt like the work of a newbie -- NOT what you would expect from an AVEDA salon!! I would NOT use your AVEDA salon dollars on a facial -- stick with the hair care and treat your face to Goodness at a spa that knows facials. read more

I booked an appointment with Elizabeth and had a wonderful experience. The salon itself is very clean and well maintained. Elizabeth is very nice and did a fantastic job. She was very expedient and gave me exactly what I requested. I highly recommend her and will definitely be back! read more

I've been here many times for cuts and have always left satisfied. My last cut was nice, and also got a good color, which was almost perfectly matched to my original color. I am trying to let my natural color grow out and they truly helped me with this process. I recommend this hair salon. Come with cash for a tip. read more

I started going to Von Kekel three months ago. Finding a place to go to get a good haircut has seemed challenging to me up until visiting here. Marina has a schedule that suits my availability well, has done a good job cutting my hair, and she seems pleasant - making the visit enjoyable and relaxed. The shop's decor is a good fit for my style too. I like clean, modern, and not too fancy or feminine. Yet, I also don't like it to be too austere and simple. I think what I'd like to convey is that it's been very hard to look forward to getting my hair cut elsewhere. So far, so good here, and I want to suggest to others that this is a place you should consider if you're a male professional living in the vicinity of the Crossroads shopping center. * Scheduling is good - check! * Qualified, capable, and pleasant staff - check! * Good style or ambiance of the shop - check! * Pricing - moderate, not cheap - check! If you're new to the area, or simply not happy with the haircut you're getting give Von Kekel a call and give them a try. I think you'll be happy you did. read more

Thank you Krystal great haircut will definitely recommend bit on pricey side but it's worth it to get a great men's haircut

Hi, I wanted to take a moment to to recognize Samantha Hessey She is bubbly and has a fantastic personality!! I moved to Cary two years ago and have extremely thick hard to manage hair. I tried several salons in the area and had really bad experiences with either color or cut sometimes both. I started going to Samantha this past summer and she did an absolute amazing job on my hair. My most recent visit two weeks ago I decided to go from a long layered haircut to a shorter bob style and only had a limited amount of time due to a work conflict. I have to say Samantha did an amazing job on both my color and cut and I couldn't be happier with her services and want to make sure she is recognized. She's fantastic!!! The entire salon experience from when you walk in the door to when you walk out is just fabulous. Definitely highly recommend. read more

355$ dollars later and then they called to tell me they under charged me by 25$! No.. thank you! I have shoulder length hair and got a balayage! read more

Today I had my haircut with Sia Hair stylist.She gave me amazing cut and style.She clarified my questions on my hair.Will go for hair color with Sia read more

Well, first off I was an Aveda Stylist for over 8 years and I had NEVER let a customer walk out of the salon because I just didn't want to do the service. I went in with highlights, which were grown out in back underneath, but the top had highlift highlights. All I wanted was either a reversed balayage (taking my hair darker while leaving some pieces light) or a root melt (darken the root). Both processes would have covered the highlift and blended the highlights. I was going back to my natural on top for less upkeep, but with peaks of light that I already had...not that difficult! RAMON persisted that we needed to do this in multiple sessions! He wanted to take my already blonde hair to an all over brown, and then after a few sessions enlighten the brown back to blonde with a balayage! My hair is fragile and fine! It would have melted! When I spoke up, he tried pushing me off to a different stylist for a different day. There are only 2 reasons why he didn't want to do this; 1) he didn't know how, or 2) he was trying to upcharge me for services that I did not need! BEWARE OF THIS TYPE OF STYLIST! This guy will take you for hundreds of dollars with unnecessary processes. It literally could have been done on one session, and it will be....thanks to a different Aveda Salon! read more

Terrible experience. If only 0 was an option. I had been growing my hair out for 3 years. Went in for partial highlights which were completely botched, spotty, streaky and then without me knowing the "hairdresser" decides to dye my entire head without asking my permission to mask the terrible bleach job. I was under the impression she was going to try and tone it to try and blend the highlights nope, dyed my whole head an odd reddish tint. Not to mention the trim that turned into me having hacked off uneven bangs I didn't ask for and can't even put into a ponytail anymore. My hair is extremely long. It's going to take years for it to grow out again, the color especially. Their idea of correcting their mistake was to add more dye to tone down the redness and still charge me for ruining my hair. (It's also still red) When I tried to dispute, then had my husband call, saying I shouldn't be charged for something I didn't even ask for (and you RUINED MY HAIR) their response was they'll have to Call the cary police to get payment. Eventually the owner and my husband worked out a deal, which I completely disagree with. I do not recommended this salon to anyone. What a joke. read more

The people are super friendly and my cut is nice, but I feel like my stylist didn't really listen to me. I said I was trying to grow out my layers and bangs, yet she cut them anyway. So, now I have to basically start all over. Additionally, there were no Aveda rituals - which is really the only reason I favor Aveda salons in the first place. It wasn't a terrible experience, but I won't go back. read more

I was under the impression that this was a high-end salon but was very wrong. This salon is in a strip mall with daily walk-in specials...reminds me of a great clips. It is very small on the inside. While blow-drying my hair, the stylist had to walk to the back of the building to flip the breaker because it tripped. This happened twice! The stylist that I had didn't speak more than three sentences to me the entire time. I was quoted a price on the phone when I made the appointment and then given a completely different price at check out. I'm sorry but while my haircut was fine (it was nothing spectacular but not terrible either), it was definitely not a $62 hair cut. Was really hoping to find a new salon that could be my "go-to" place but this is definitely not it. read more

I am extremely picky about my hair cut and color. I used a zspotlight certificate for my first visit so had to use a junior stylist. I was assigned to Katy to do my highlights and cut. Katy attended the aveda institute in Chapel Hill and was quite young. I was very pleasantly surprised at what a great job she did with my highlights. I have been to numerous salons since moving here 3 years ago and I think she might be the best yet. The haircut was average. So I am still searching for someone who does an excellent job with cut and color...but I would definitely go back for the highlights. read more

I'm not sure if the stylists are only allowed to use so many foils for highlights, but for some like me who likes all over blonde, I did not get the blonde I was looking for a full highlight service. Set me back $250 and was not satisfied with the results. read more

After a botched cut from Ulta, I was searching for someone who could meet my needs. My hair cut was so uneven, I needed someone who was meticulous and had an eye for detail. I booked an appointment with Linda, who specializes in Asian hair and oh my... She did wonders. She took her time in giving me the best haircut she could and I was more than impressed. I really just wanted an even cut that made me feel confident and was clean and classy. Linda nailed it on the head. When I arrived, I was greeted with a pleasant smile and I was offered a beverage. Shortly after, Linda met with me and asked me about my hair, concerns, and what I was looking for. I gave her some reference photos for a general idea of the type of cut I wanted. Honestly, I had low to moderate expectations because of how bad my cut was and, like I said, I just really wanted an even cut. But, by the time Linda started working her magic, my face lit up. I have a mix of fine and course Asian hair, and Linda specializes in Asian hair which was so perfect! My hair is very temperamental and it takes a lot of patience for inexperienced people to work with. Not to mention, I always get looks of bewilderment when a stylist sees my god-awful cowlick at the nape of my neck. Linda, however, was not only well experienced, but she really listened to all my concerns and wanted to do what she could to keep them in mind. I feel so pretty and fabulous now! Thank you Linda for all your help, guidance, kindness, and patience. I am beyond happy! read more

Sitting in the Cary salon about to get my hair done and enjoying a mimosa! !! Get the picture? This salon is wonderful:)))) read more

Thank you for responding. To clarify, I actually wasn't going for services, but as a soon to be massage therapist from Miller-Motte across the street working on a class project to research spas to see types of places we'd possibly work at after graduation. Also, the front desk associates may be fine - the person I dealt with was a manager. I'm writing this so that when you incorporate better training (as you mentioned), that you should take this into consideration as well. Thanks again for your response. read more

I was so happy when I moved from Wilmington, I was able to find Monica to do my hair! She pointed out my old stylist was cutting my hair wrong for my curls and she was absolutely correct. Since going to her and the way she cuts my hair these past few months it has been a HUGE difference! My highlights are always spot on too! Love her! read more

Love this place. The staff is very friendly and my stylist Britt did an amazing job with my hair. I got an all over color and it turned out great. It looked very natural. read more

Avoid this place if you are not trying to spend your entire bank account! I made an appointment for a partial highlight & trim. 265$ later - and it wasn't even what I asked for. The staff were not very welcoming either. read more

Avoid this place if you have fine and curly hair. I am devastated by the cut I received at the Raleigh location today. The stylist, actually a lovely person, chopped off my hair without regard to the wave pattern, which is pretty strong. And that was done after I SPECIFICALLY SAID NOT to do that, three times (focus problem, I think). Essentially, I have what looks like a big dent in my hair now. Yeah, hair grows back, but by chopping off my hair in the wrong place, this cut highlights where I lost a LOT of hair due to a health crisis and the unexpected death of a younger person in the family. Who on earth cuts hair in a way that ends up highlighting hair loss?!!! Now every time I prepare to face the day, I will have to face down those memories. And I also look pretty darn awful. Aveda used to be dependable. Not any more. read more

This is a first time i put bad review to someone because this worst experience it happened to me in this salon ! with the stylist Ramon. I showed him a video about the color what i want and he said yes i can do it for you but then the result is awful for me When he finished he said your hair is dark I can't do the same color what you want Next day i call the salon they said you must do toner to get the color what you want Or you can come for consultation with another stylist to see what will do ,this is the manager said . When I'm going to them the stylist said you need another foil for this balayage again to get the color !!the toner not gave you the color you want. that is mean another charge , i said to the manager this not my fault his fault must he tell me before he Do my hair color . She said maybe misunderstanding also I remember this manager when I'm going to do the appointment she said Ramon is a very professional stylist! now she said misunderstanding??? The manger said you can come again to correct your color for another charge That what we could do it for you . This is my worst experience with vk von kekel salon in cary . read more

I received one of my worst hair experiences ever by Ramon. He gave me a horrible cut and color! Master level stylish in what I would like to know! I wish I had read the reviews first. I will never go back to Von Kekels. I have been to high end salons in NYC and other major cities and my experience at Von Kekel was definitely not high end! read more

As soon as I could afford to spend more on hair care I found an Aveda salon at the suggestion of my friend who is a hair stylist in my home state. I like that the stylists have excellent training and I love that the Aveda products are natural and plant-based. I'm over 50 and have thinning, graying hair. Donna had been my hair stylist for years. She has always been very professional, offering suggestions on how to keep my hair looking healthy and up-to-date. Plus she's a delight to talk to and makes the coloring appointments go by quickly! The salon is absolutely beautiful, like it's been professionally designed. It has a top-notch spa like atmosphere, hot and cold beverages are offered and the attention at the front desk has always been excellent. Be sure to ask about the packages which are great deals but they don't always mention them. The only criticism I can offer is that they don't let you put tips on your credit card. This is so annoying and I have yet to hear an acceptable explanation as to why they don't offer this convenience, hence the 4 stars and not 5. Other than that I love this place! read more

Von Kekel Aveda Salon Spa - Lounge area - Day Spas Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

My daughter went to the Von Kekel salon in Cary with the intentions of becoming a platinum blonde. She is a natural blonde who has become darker over the years and she wanted to brighten it up. When the stylist was shown a picture of the color, she simply said okay and went to the back to mix. There was no discussion about when her last highlights were done, had she every had all over color before, etc. Long story short, my daughter ended up with white and yellow hair. The stylist realized this and called another stylist over to consult (again, never saying anything to my daughter). She proceeded to add some sort of toner to her hair (after talking with other stylists, this was done to cut down the yellow). The toner grabbed and gave her hair a pink hue and once again, the stylist never explained what was happening. When my daughter went to pay (at this point, she was extremely upset and didn't want the stylist at Von Kekel to do any more harm, she just wanted to get out of there and call someone she trusted to find out what to do), she was charged $58 more than the $106 she originally thought (bringing the total to $164). Again, she just wanted to get out of there so she paid and left. This was her second 'sticker-shock' experience with a Von Kekel salon. The first time she went to the one at North Hills and was charged almost double what she anticipated. I held her at fault for that one since the price said "starting at" and she didn't ask for them to clarify. This time, she asked several times about the price and was charged an additional $58 for curling (not requested and certainly not told it was additional) and toner (which was used to correct their mistake). The additional charges of $58 were refunded after a week of discussion, but it never should've happened. When she called me to tell me what happened, I told her not to leave dissatisfied, but she was so upset that no one ever told her what was happening. She said she could just tell something was wrong by the looks on their faces and then when she saw her hair. She just couldn't go back in there. She talked to a stylist from home who told her how to get the pink out which she promptly did, but it left her with the original white and yellow. A couple of days later, she drove home (almost 2 hours) to have my stylist take a look and see what she could do. My stylist was able to 'fix' the color to more of what my daughter envisioned when she walked into Von Kekel. When I called Von Kekel the next day to ask about the additional charges and a possible refund for the botched color, I was told the additional charges were for curling and the toner (used to cut the yellow). Neither of these services was requested and they were washed out within hours of her visit. Again, after close to a week of talking to a representative, the additional charges of $58 were refunded. They refused to refund the $106 charged for the color even after admitting that it would've taken several visits to get the color my daughter requested from the picture and that someone should've explained that to her. "To achieve that color, it would take several appointments to match up to that color. It would be our fault if that was not clearly expressed to her. I honestly think in this case the formula used did not grab to Kristen's hair the way [stylist] had anticipated." Also adding in subsequent emails "I already agree with you its our fault for not communicating properly with Kristen on expectation of outcome. " and "Again, we accept that was our mistake." They offered a complimentary partial foil or all over color in a couple of months when my daughter would need a touch-up; however, after her experience, she has no desire to go back and after my experience with their charges, I'm afraid that the 'complimentary' service won't cover what she would actually need so we'd end up paying more anyway. So, even after admitting they were wrong, they still refused to refund because my daughter went to someone she trusted to fix it. When I asked for the final time about a refund because my stylist had been the one who had applied highlights a few months before and she was also the one who fixed it so we felt more confident with her, the response was "It was [my daughter's] choice to go elsewhere {Von Kekel] aside from your own stylist." Basically saying that we should've never come there to begin with. On that, we can agree. read more

I drove my fiance there today (the day we are getting married) and the employee there waxed a big part of her eyebrow off. The store manager told us that we are not charging for the service so we are even!! They assigned an amateur stylest for her without asking and giving the option. read more

Got my hair colored here last month. I liked the color. However, it was quite pricey. The staff was very friendly and the salon was very clean. I would definitely come back. read more

For clarity this review is late, but I feel its important to enlighten others (especially those with highly texturized hair) so they can be fully informed. I did not write a review initially because I was so angry, I was worried it would just come off as bitter/vengeful versus just truthful and helpful. Short version: my 3-4 inches past bra strap length natural hair was so over processed I had to shave my head. I paid $234 (that did include a small bottle of shampoo and conditioner) dollars to have my hair fall out, and be unevenly processed =-( Full version: First let me say until this point I had not had anyone put any chemicals in my hair in 12 years. I had been doing my own relaxers (and trims) since I went off to college. I had been natural for almost 4 years and my hair was 3-4 inches past bra strap length. I only applied heat once a year when doing a major trim. My hair had gotten so long, I just began to crave straight hair again. I had a consultation with a woman who claimed she was another country and too had been skiddish about leaving her hair in someone else hands. She stressed how negative experience she had...reassuring she would treat my hair with the most respect. You may wonder why I didn't relax my own hair if I had done so for years. Answer: I had only been doing touch-up's dealing with under an inch of new growth. Tackling a full head of natural hair just seemed to overwhelming. She did my relaxer, that seemed fine. When it cane to wash it out and blow out... that was scary. She blew my hair out as if she had never worked with ethnic hair. She sued both a paddle and round brush and did no work from the ends up. Once dry she flat ironed (during both these stages my there was literally smoke from the heat.) Once dry and flat she cut...and cut...and cut. Taking off at east 4-5 inches. She just kept saying my ends were damaged. I left feeling pretty good as I still had more length than I ever had straight. I could put my hair in a high pony-tail and it still swing. But my hair stunk! My boyfriend at the time said he liked my hair before because I smelled like a chemical factory =-( Where it got bad.. after 3-4 days my hair started breaking off and falling out. The first time I washed I realized parts were under processed and still curly! I got another consultation by a trusted salon and was told "Sweetie, you need to shave your head...wait 2-3 months and shave it again! I'm sorry your hair is beyond over-processed." I didn't have the nerve and just keep majorly cutting my hair. people thought I was crazy because I was chopping off my long silky hair every chance I got. But I knew it was damaged beyond repair. I later cut my hair to about 3 inches and just wore braids for the next year. I am currently recovering form a Brazilian Kertain treatment that made the last 4 or so inches of my hair so straight I can't wait two-strand twists anymore. I can not honestly recommend this to anyone. Apparently name brand, and money do not guarantee you a good hair experience. read more