Bijin Salon & Day Spa

 

6

179

Adam C.

Shawnee Mission, KS

10/10/2008 1 photo

I've been to Bijin twice and both times I have been very pleased with my experience.  For a guy, this is an expensive place to get a haircut, so the first time I went, I went on a Monday to have a student cut my hair at a discounted price.  I still got great service, a full shampoo with neck and scalp massage and a quality haircut.  If you have the choice, I would recommend going on a Monday to save your pocket book.

Other than the actual service, the atmosphere is fantastic.  Since Bijin is also a spa it is very relaxing and calming, the lighting is soft and the design includes smooth lines and high ceilings.  Complimentary drinks are also a nice touch while you wait.  If you want to get a great haircut at a cost go to Bijin, if you want a great haircut at a low price; go to Bijin on a Monday!

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33

264

Colleen O.

Kansas City, MO

9/23/2008 7 photos

I don't ever get my hair highlighted...much...and I always forget why I have chosen not to lighten my brownish-blond hair, until I remember that one unfortunate experience that reminds me that despite prestige and sky high prices, any girl in any salon can really screw up a die job, any way you look it.

Bijin, for me, was always that swank salon in Prairie Village, across the street where I went to grade school, where all the soccer moms frolicked, after their hard day, to the spa. Growing older, a girl starts to understand the draw of a place like Bijin, promising trendy styling and ultimate pampering, I have to admit I booked my appointment for their hair salon for all of these reasons and more. I wanted to lighten my hair trusting through word of mouth that Bijin was THE PLACE to go.

And I should have known upon making this appointment that trouble lay ahead when the woman over the phone asked me: "What level of experience would you like your stylist to have for your highlight next week?"

And I replied, "Is there a price difference?"

She went on to explain that the women with the most experience charged the most and the women with the least experience (meaning the freshest out of beauty school) charged the least. And here I was at a cross roads...trying to weigh the risk of saving money and making out with a decent hair job.

I grew irritated that Bijin would offer this game of roulette for their hair services and I countered with, "You mean to tell me, there's a quality difference at stake here? I might run the risk of getting a worse color job if I chose a less expensive colorist? Why do you even offer a lower quality alternative if it runs the risk of shoddy work?"

And I recall she assured me, the quality would be of 'Bijin standards' whatever that meant - I guess I was desperate for a change because I booked the appointment despite the passive warning.

A week later at Bijin, while I sat in the chair where they wash the dye out in the sink, I could feel my colorist's hands searching through my hair to find where she had colored my strands. The problem, she realized, was that she had highlighted my hair the same color. She was, as I had chosen over the phone, one of their novice stylists.

For $90 that day I had an amateur color my hair my exact hair color.

"It looks...um....so natural!" I recall she tried to convince me in the mirror after everything was dyed and dried.

Why a top of the line salon would entrust their clients to novice stylists is beyond me! I am a student, and any time I'm offered a deal where I can pay less than the highest amount priced, I'll take it, which is why I selected the less expensive option at Bijin...but $90 is ridiculous to pay if the job is botched any way you look at it!

Bottom line: if you are set on Bijin for your next hair appointment, don't fall into their trap of 'a look of less'. Pay your dues fully, book the best stylist and you'll probably be happy with the result. Never again will my hair be in the hands of a novice, never again.

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Elite '09

318

186

Paige W.

Chicago, IL

12/27/2007

A taste of urban bliss in the quiet quaint confines of suburban Kansas City.
Bijin snuck its way into the Prairie Village Shops in 1998, and I promptly fell in love with it. I had one haircut there that we... Just. Won't. Talk. About. But my hair's finicky, and I shouldn't have picked such a daring cut for a first-time visit. One star lost for Paige, not the salon.

Where Bijin really excels is in its spa services. From manicures and pedicures to bikini waxing and full-body massage, it's just heaven. You're treated like royalty from the moment you walk in, and all the spa services are conducted in an area far beyond a closed, soundproof door away from the gossip and blow-dryer noise of the salon.
The lighting is dim and sleepy, the quintessential relaxing spa music plays softly and the staff is warm and engaging. Unless you want them to leave you alone while you enjoy your treatment, and they just seem to SENSE it if that's the case.

Massage and waxing, the two most personal services you can get (in my mind), are approached with professionalism and sensitivity. My most recent experience, an hour-long Swedish massage, was comfortable, thorough and incredibly relaxing. Even as crazily ticklish as I am, my knee-jerk reflexes were calmed by the massage therapist's steady hands.

Following my massage, I was invited to relax a bit more in the steam shower, which they could customize with a blend of essential oils. I chose grapefruit and lavender, and I sat and basked in the thick, aromatic steam for about 15 minutes while enjoying the bumble&bumble products they'd stocked for me to use.
Truly a pampering experience before a stressful day of travel back to Chicago.

My personal recommendations: Donna for waxing, Keith for massage.

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