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Akane Beauty Salon
Category: Beauty and Spas Hair Salons Hair Salons [Edit]
2024 Center AveFort Lee, NJ 07024
(201) 461-3644
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- By Appointment Only:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
7 reviews for Akane Beauty Salon
7 reviews in English
-
Review from Bryan L.
Fort Lee, NJ
2/16/2010
Different strokes for different folks is the best way for me to describe what you will experience at Akane. For starters, this is a Japanese hair salon. "So big deal?" you may be saying, and that "all salons should cut all types of hair well!!!" you may be proclaiming... well you couldn't be anymore wrong.
Just like different races possess different traits... hair is no different. Time after time, over the many years of changing from salon to salon (with some big & heavy NYC hitters mixed in there too), I have yet to have found one that cuts "Asian" hair well, or at least to my standards... that is up until now.
Maybe this is because this is a Japanese owned salon, where they import their stylists from Japan... regardless of what it is, it works for me. Again, working for someone with "Asian" hair.
For a man, $30 gets me a hair wash, a cut to my desire, a post-cut shampoo, a brief head and shoulder massage, and some styling too... so just on value for price alone, it's hard to beat. But the value does not stop there.
If you are like me, you are very indecisive about what to do with your hair... you wan to look clean, but have some modern flair without looking too teenaged, and this is where Akane shines. They always manage to find me a look that fits my personality and lifestyle.
I can't comment on womens' prices and styling menus, but I do know that my wife is a recurring customer and always gets what she wants. According to her, perms, color, and cut are very reasonably priced. And she also recommends the salon to her friends and family too.
I also can't comment on non-Asian hair... so for non-Asians wanting to try the salon, I don't have much to offer, except for the fact that I do see plenty of non-Asians who get work done there.
If you decide to go, different stylists have different strengths, so you would be best served to check out their website (http://akanesalon.com) to see who you want to make an appointment with. A recommendation of mine is to ask for Eriko, who is their head stylist, as she does a wonderful job with both my wife and myself, as well as with the friends and family we have sent her way.
So if you are looking for a great salon with reasonable prices, where service and customer attention run high, then I highly recommend this place. You will notice that the styles are more on the trendy side, but that trendiness is one with a very Japanese flair and feel (which for me works perfectly). Hope this helps =) -
Review from Felicia C.
East Hampton, NY
3/29/2012
I started going to Akane' in Fort Lee, N. J. over 20 years ago when Tei, the original owner, was there. Tei, unfortunately, moved back to Japan. He gave me the best haircuts I've ever had in my life, for any price. I recently returned to Akane' and had my hair cut by Erica, the manager. My hair was pretty much a mess and I am trying to grow it in from a very short cut to a bob, all of which I explained to Erica. The first cut she gave me, considering the little hair she had to work with was very good, though not a "Tei". I returned after six weeks and my hair looks like I cut it myself: unruly, poorly shaped and unmanageable, basically like someone had placed a bowl over my head and cut around it. Angry? You bet as I saw the work that Erica and other stylists do on their other (Japanese) clients and it's beautiful.
Every time I have had to call for an appointment, the phone is answered in Japanese and I always have to ask if I am reaching Akane': the person on the phone NEVER understands what I am saying, including the word "appointment". At a beauty salon, where all the person on the phone does is make "appointments"???? I find this highly offensive as we are in America and if not exclusively English, bilingualism would be nice!!! Japanese people are known for their good manners, yet when Erica accidentally gave me an appointment for 12 weeks from my haircut rather than six weeks, I called to correct the date and explained the error and she was beyond rude. After I had given my name, the individual asked who the stylist was and I suddenly recognized the voice: it was Erica!!! She already knew my name, yet gave no sign of recognition. She finally acknowledge me after I told her that I had recognized her. Hostility? What else am I to conclude?
Bad haircut, bad manners. A no brainer. Sayonara, Akane'. -
Review from Julia P.
Paramus, NJ
9/18/2009
So .. whoever on the bottom had a "4 hour haircut" is exaggerating beyond belief. Yes, it is true-Akane hair salon stylists are very meticulous and perfectionists..but isn't that what any customer would want? They do take a longer time in cutting hair, making sure that the hairstyle correlates with the customer's head shape. Akane is a bit more expensive, and when I went, I paid $50. However, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. After an amazing shampoo experience (which was a special surprise), there was a mini-consultation before the hair-cutting began. Aki not only asked me what I want, but he also told me what would and would not work for my specific head shape. Then he began to work his magic...it took about an hour a bit more in cutting my hair (however I do have more hair than average people..)
If you decide to go to Akane, make sure you do not have any pending arrangements after. After all, if you are paying the money, might as well get receive the full-quality treatment that you get from it! I'm tired of going to other salons who have no idea what they're doing and hack off my hair as they see fit. Akane is awesome! It is a special treat I give to myself every once in a while .
One more note..MAKE RESERVATIONS! Walk-ins are allowed, but you may have to wait a really long time before anyone is free to take you. -
Review from Jewel Y.
11/6/2009 2 Check-ins Here
This Japanese-owned hair salon is reliable, professional, and affordable, highly recommended for Asian people. Because all the hair stylists are Asian, they know how to cut Asian hair. We Asians tend to have straighter and courser hair, and unfortunately not many American hair stylists understand the general characteristics of Asian hair, which is why they tend to thin out the hair too much. I agree with Julia P., whoever said 4hr haircut is over-exaggerating, they'll do their job efficiently if we do our homework - just bring an inspirational haircut photo or some reference and explain to them what you want!!! The customer service is excellent, they really care about customer satisfaction! When my perm didn't come out the way I wanted, I went back and they gladly re-did my hair without charge! That's the Japanese way, It's really refreshing to be treated with care and attention, I love how they make sure customers have enough magazines to read, offer them a complimentary drink(coffee or tea) and massages. And for all this, $50 is not expensive for a haircut!
UPDATE:
I guess they only give massage & complimentary drinks for people who come for perm?? I got my haircut again today but no drink or massage, but I still love this place because they did such a good job with my hair today. -
Review from Cynthia H.
Cliffside Park, NJ
5/21/2009
Do yourself a favor, and DON'T go here...ever.
The prices are ridiculously expensive...and I mean, RIDICULOUSLY expensive. Their cheapest haircut is about 200.
And the time it takes to get it done....fucking hell. It takes 4 HOURS FOR THE HAIRCUT TO BE FINISHED! The people there don't speak great English, and when I asked them to speed things up (I had a family dinner to got to), guess what they did? They just grinned and giggled a little, and said, "Only little longer." Two hours passed, and then they were finished. I got so mad!
They do, however, give out free experimental hairstyles. Free, but, again, they do take forever, and they either give you a trim or practically shave your hair off.
I don't recommend it. -
Review from avery c.
Brooklyn, NY
9/30/2009
i have to resort to this salon because i don't know where else to go in new jersey. it takes forever for my stylist to cut my hair.. usually around 2 hours. granted, my haircuts usually aren't bad, and at $40 a haircut, it's pretty damn inexpensive. i just feel like somehow my stylist still isn't very experienced, nor is she very consistent, even after having cut my hair for over a year now. their shampooing is also pretty weak & could definitely put more strength/ effort into it. i dono, maybe my standards have been upped too much and i'm used to getting a great haircut (i.e. one which i will receive compliments after getting it) that will last at least 3 months in under an hour. some stylists at akane will give back massages and some won't, and some will give massages to non-asian customers only, which really bothers me.
note: if you go in for a trim, it's free. it'll probably take under 10 min though, and they don't even spray your hair with water before they start. i made the mistake of going in for a trim once, and almost died when i saw myself in the mirror the next day. my attempt to blow dry my bangs to normalcy was futile since all my hairs were so unevenly cut, and at such awkward angles. -
Review from june Y.
Edgewater, NJ
8/29/2010 1 Check-in Here
all stylists are japanese and in tune with the current trend. they take their time and are careful and professional. not all of them speak english perfectly but they really listen and understand what you want. it's not cheap but the service and care made me feel that it's worth the money... i usually hate getting my hair washed but they're really gentle here and it was great. it generally takes at least 30-45 minutes to get a trim but it took over an hour today when i asked for a style change. it was more expensive (50 bucks) but she gave me exactly what i wanted (the male stylist i had before [forgot his name] made other suggestions when i described what i wanted last time, which was also ok). i was going to have my hair cut at a cheaper place but i came back here because i felt like i could trust them not to mess it up and i was right. if you're in just for a trim, it could feel like the stylist is taking forever though, but i guess they just like taking their time making sure your hair looks perfect
