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Kim Sun Young Beauty Salon
Rating Details »
Category: Hair Salons [Edit]
Neighborhood: Wilshire Center300 N Western Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 467-4247
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- By Appointment Only:
- Yes
127 reviews for Kim Sun Young Beauty Salon
This business is a Yelp Sponsor
1/12/2008
11/4/2009
Updated - 10/9/2009
2 photos
9/30/2009
9/25/2009
12/3/2009
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Updated - 8/4/2009
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Updated - 2/23/2009
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5/25/2009
One of the Business' Favorite Reviews What's This?
I went in yesterday for Magic Straight perm and a cut with Robin Lee. I've had magic straight done three times now, and Robin's is by far the best. She didn't fry my hair like previous stylists have. Her technique is much more natural looking and the haircut she gave me was fabulous. My roommate (Sandy A. who also wrote a review here) went to her the day before I did, and she remembered us and made sure she gave us different haircuts so we don't look the same.
Robin tailors her straight perms to your hair type, so if you don't have super curly hair, she will charge you less. She refuses to quote over the phone because she wants to examine your hair first -- to me, that shows me she really cares about the quality of her work.
While I was there, I also saw Robin highlight and cut another girl's hair, and she did an amazing job.
A big plus for me is that I don't speak Korean and Robin is really fluent in English, so she was able to explain what she was doing to my hair at every stage, why she was doing what she was doing, etc. She is extremely detail-oriented and I could tell she really takes pride in the works he does. She's also a total sweetheart.
I'm never letting anyone else touch my hair. Robin, don't leave ever!!!!
One note: They accept credit card, but you can only tip with cash, so make sure you have some cash on hand.
I am sort of a hair geek and have been to many high end salons. But after reading the yelp reviews, I decided to go to Kim Sun Young Beauty Salon with my Mother and get high lights- I was shocked by the professionalism and the expertise of Robin, all those yelp reviews about her were so right on- I have never met a hair stylist so concerned and focused about the condition of my hair, most of the salons I have been to previously would perform all tasks requested- i suggested to Robin that I get a magic perm (although Im Asian, my hair can get quite wavy) she politely refused. and when I suggested I get blond highlights, she refused. what I left with the salon are very subtle, expertly placed golden brown highlights and my hair is still as healthy as when I went in-
I thank her for her advice and knowledge and I truly can appreciate someone who is more interested in the overall well being of my hair as opposed to just making $$$$
Thank you Robin!
Once again, I yet again write another review for Cindy and Alex.
Why?
Because they're simply that marvelous at Magic Straight and making me eye candy for the male species and also the most envied in the female species. Cindy has been the epitome of a girl's dream when it comes to having their personal stylist. She is always able to be hoenst and straight forward with everything she does to your hair and futhermore is extremely considerate in showing how much she values you as a customer. She personally teaches you how to maintain the magic straight longer, how to avoid futher damage, how to style it, and so forth. Trust me, if you're looking for someone who can give you a damn good worth every penny Magic Straight- get serious and go to Cindy.
Did I mention, she doesn't rip the soul out of your pockets? Exactly, she's a girls hair guardian angel! I love my hair and of course, my stylist, Cindy!
Picture of my most recent magic straight will be up in a bit!
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/9/2009
Took my trip to Kim Sun Young again yesterday to see Cindy. I really love how Cindy cuts and styles… Read more »
I am writing this review on behalf of my mom, who has been getting her hair doneat Kim Sun Young for some years now. (How adorable is she?!)
My mom's bottom line is: this place is GREAT for haircuts, but BAD for coloring. (She can't speak to the perming, etc.) She has been getting cuts by Cindy, who is very professional and very, very fast. The cut itself is no bullsh*t - no gossip, no small talk, just CUT! But I think that's fine with my mom :)
Cindy knows based on years of experience what will look good on your hair and with your face and frame. She will be honest with you if you are asking for something that won't look good. In the end, she will give you a very solid, very good cut.
Now on to the color: what they fail to mention at this Salon is that they do not use permanent color. However, they charge you for the permanent color. They use SEMI PERMANENT hair color. In my mom's case, after a few washes (and because she has gray hairs, aww), the color just faded away. Only when she called to complain did they fill her in that the color was semi permanent. All that money, literally down the drain!
Overall, however, their service is great, the staff are friendly, polite, and not greedy or trying to sell you products. The team work is excellent, everyone is helping out. Again, this is the place to go if you want a chic, modern haircut - and it's only $30! (not including tips). After years of looking for an LA stylist who "gets" her hair, my mom has found "the one". :)
I got a body wave with Cindy and I waited about a week to see how it would look after washing and styling it myself a few times....And, I have to say she did a pretty good job!! It takes me only 5 minutes to style my hair and it also looks great in a side parted low-ponytail.
I liked that she showed me how to properly pat dry my hair to not damage it and also how to style it. Thank you, Cindy!
I would have given her 5 stars but it came out to be like $130 for an electric body wave and haircut. That just seems kinda a lot to me. I'm not that high maintenance so anything over $75 for my hair is too much. Nevertheless, she will be seeing me again in about 6 months...I'm sold.
I cannot say enough good things about Robyn. She is wonderful in every way--both as a human being and as a stylist. I have now gone to her three times for Magic Perm (after previously going to a fancy Beverly Hills salon and paying $600) my hair under Robyn's care came out healthy, shiny and straight as an arrow. She is very direct and won't let you do something that will damage your hair or won't be flattering. She is extraordinarily knowledgeable, professional, and incredibly patient especially with customers like me who don't speak Korean. I almost feel guilty going to her because I know if she worked at Frederic Fekkai I would be paying upwards of $700 to be in her chair....she really is that good!
Actually, I need to thank all the Yelpers for helping me find this AMAZING salon! ~_~
The thing I love MOST about Anna K. is that she listens! In the past, overzealous hairstylists would end up either A. thinning out my already-flat Asian hair or B. cutting it shorter than I told them to! Anna gave me exactly what I asked for... fresh layers all around but still preserving thickness and length. It was perfect! I couldn't have asked for a better trim. In fact, I was so pleased, I took my mom there a couple weeks later so that she could get a perm and I could get some color done! (BTW, her perm looks great: curls aren't too tight and very natural.)
It also doesn't hurt that the place itself is nice: flatscreen TVs, well-lit stations, state-of-the-art styling tools and lots of cute products!
Hate this place. With a passion. I went three times in the past 5 to 7 years...and all three times have been freaking nightmarish.
1st nightmare: I was just an innocent kid. Went for a regular haircut with my mom. They did a horrendous job, and the stylist kept trying to convince me to dye my hair orange. She said I wouldn't be "Korean" if I didn't dye my hair. I sneered.
2nd nightmare: I went to get my hair done for my brother's engagement pictures. I didn't want to go - was forced to. The man basically knotted a row of hair on top of my head so that I resembled a Oviraptor Philoceratops (look it up) and then spray-painted the knotted row a bright, sparkly purple. For a formal engagement picture. I think he was drunk.
3rd nightmare: I went 2 years ago, before my wedding. Again, forced to go. Thanks mom. The lady said, "Let me perm your hair." I said, "No." She said, "It won't damage your hair AT ALL, it's a new style of perming from Korea. It'll only stay 5 months, and your hair will be right back to normal after that." I was suspicious, but like an IDIOT, I allowed her to do it. Two years later, my hair is STILL wavy, and dry...and split-ended up the wazoo.
Never again. Ever. EVER.
EVER!!
Cindy is definitely good at what she does. It took her only 30 mins to cut my hair and it normally takes other stylists longer because my hair is long and thick.
The only downside of the salon is that they do rush you through the appointment so don't expect to be treated like a princess and pampered when you're there.
Compared to other Korean beauty salons I've visited, Kim Sun Young sort of does a reverse method in the process of cutting hair. First, they take the time to wash your hair/massage the scalp for you. I love this part because it feels so good haha. Then, they blow dry and if you have naturally wavy hair like me, straighten it for you. This is all BEFORE they cut the hair. Personally, I've never had it this way because there have been a number of times at other places where they go straight to snipping away wet hair. But they don't realize wet hair = shorter hair than when normally dry = cutting more hair than you think = mothereffin' disaster!
So it's nice that they take the time to dry it, straighten it before getting to work. Cindy was great as Yelpers have noted. I didn't make an appointment, dropped by around 6:30 to find there were still a good number of customers. I didn't have to wait at all, so I guess I got lucky. She wasn't too slow nor too hasty, asked if I was okay with the length and suggested longer layers if I tend to have my hair straight rather than curly. Basically, she knows what she's doing--she's not an overbearing haircut nazi but also isn't timid or afraid to give you a good cut. She also offered me a discount the next time I decide to get a straight perm. My haircut was $30 + $5 tip. Pretty reasonable.
The only bothersome thing was the woman at the front desk. She was not welcoming at all, which isn't a great impression when you first walk in. All in all, the place is pretty clean besides the hair on the floor, of course.
I hate to write this review because Robin and her assistants were super cool and nice and worked hard on my hair, but my once shiny soft black hair is now an orangish red frizzy nightmare of a rat's nest.
I brought in a pic of a celebrity with long soft waves with natural looking highlights and wanted something to that nature. I was tired of having to use a curling iron everyday to create that look. I've had a digital perm b4 and thought maybe I'll go that route again.
Robin took a look at the pic and said digital perm won't get me that look and will fry my hair. She said a setting perm would be closer and give me a younger style and not fry my hair as much. She sounded very knowledgable and given all the good reviews of her, I trusted her.
As for the soft highlights I wanted, she said she won't do highlights on the same day because it's too damaging to the hair, but can give another thing where they can lift the color by one level so that it looks really natural and when it grows out, the roots won't be noticable. I told her I want it to look really natural and she told me not too worry so i said ok again, since she seemed to care about my hair.
Basically after 5 hrs and $250 less (that's including tip), my hair came out looking like my mom gave me an at home perm 20 yrs ago...when wet...looks like pirate hair..the color, an unnatural looking orangish red that does not fit my complexion at all. And they said that I can let it air dry or blow it out to look like the pic, which they blew it out but it looked liked the poufy hair of a southern belle. and when i let it air dry the next day, it was a frizzy mess. I can't even run my fingers through my hair in the shower to rub shampoo in because it's so damaged and stiff and knotty as hell.
I'm really upset and so embaressed by my hair and I paid $250 for this shit! HORRIBLE HORRIBLE!! I've had multiple perms b4 and I've had to do a digital perm on my hair twice in a row cuz the first time it didn't take and my hair has never been this fried!!!! And seeing that I'm not in LA anymore, I can't even try to get a refund.
My advise is DON'T GO here unless you just want a haircut.
.
I came here two days ago, visiting LA. I was anticipating for a haircut for a long time, so i waited.
i brought in a picture of what i wanted, and my stylist Moon Baek did an amazing job. I asked her to cut it a little shorter, but she insisted that my face would look more round if i did, and i loved that she gave an honest opinion.
Of course you would want a stylist to have stylish hair themselves, and Moon had very stylish hair. I didn't want some nappy person doing my hair, but I believe she did an excellent job with my hair, and also my sisters. She got a cut and coated her hair ($80)
I don't know how to speak korean, but she tried her best to communicate with me and explain to me what she would do, before cutting.
she warned me about the layers she was going to give me, before she started chopping away, which gave me reassurance that my hair would turn out beautiful. and it did! i give five stars because my hair is stylish.
note: they wash your hair & then cut. my haircut was $25.
End result: Beautiful hair & more confidence!
I just got back from here and the first thing I wanted to do was post about this place. Ok ok the first thing I did was check out my new do ; ) but after that, I ran to the computer to share my amazing experience!!
I normally don't splurge when it comes to this beauty stuff, but my boyfriend Robby called me this afternoon and said a few of his co-workers were all going out to dinner, so I wanted to be an impressive date for him! He's a sweety and was insisting I didn't have to join, but I knew deep down he would be upset if I didn't come with.
As soon as I got to the salon, I was helped pretty quickly. I just explained to the stylist that I was going to a special work event for my boyfriend and wanted to look nice for it tonight. It felt like before I even finished my first sentence, she was already getting to work. She gave me the most beautiful updo that made me feel so beautiful, like royalty. It was definitely worth every penny. (And it was a lot of pennies hehe)
The experience was just so smooth and quick. In fact, maybe a little too quick? Dinner isn't for another hour, and I'm already pretty much ready! I'm just looking forward to his face when he sees how great a job Kim Sun did.
UPDATE!!!
I went back after 7 month of waiting with wavey hair and came out with perfectly straight, shiney stick-efffin-straight hair!!!
Robyn is THE BEST!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/6/2009
It's been a few weeks and I'm definitely satisfied. I went to Robyn Lee after all her… Read more »
I've been here about twice now. First time I went here, I had medium-long length hair and was ready to cut it short. A bit of anxiety since I didn't really know what to expect. About 45 minutes later, I ended up with short/medium length hair. I liked it enough and would keep on coming back if it wasn't so far (I currently live in Alhambra). The cut for guys is reasonable at $20. I think Brian does a good job on my hair and would definitely recommend the place for someone looking for a medium price range salon with great service.
My sister and I went here on the recommendation of a couple of our friends. Given the numerous positive Yelp reviews, we were confident the place would be great. Boy, were we wrong.
The place was packed and overcrowded and our hairstylist, Christine, was incredibly frazzled with the numerous customers she had waiting which is probably why she was rude and curt. I guess customer service isn't a top priority. We should have taken this as a serious warning signal.
For four hours, I dutifully sat and read my magazines as her assistant and her permed my hair. Turns out, the perm did not even take. My hair was still straight! I have been getting perms since 2003 so I was as bit shocked the perm did not work. By then, afternoon had turned into evening so when she asked me to sit through another perm, I turned her down. Four more hours was more than I could handle. I also believe Christine could have apologized for putting me through four hours of boredom with no end product to show for, but she dismissed it as a problem with my hair. An interesting form of customer service..don't you think?
My sister was unhappy with her slip shot haircut she received. Christine was too scissor happy and cut her hair too short and trimmed her bangs haphazardly. It was a bit funny to see that her cut in the back was uneven. I don't think her hair cut was overly complicated but I guess Christine did not feel it was necessary to make her hair even.
The salon lacks a level of professionalism and our stylist did not listen or care about the opinion of her customers. I agree with some of the opinion on Yelp about how the assistants would pop in out of nowhere and drag you somewhere to get treatment done with no explanations. Perhaps there was a language barrier, but even so, I have consistenly been to Japanese salons where this has never happened. We eventually did find a salon we liked, however, in DuJapon. Service is incredible and the hairstylist Toshi listened and offered opinions rather than going to town with her scissors.
Stylist:
Robin
Pros:
-it has officially been over a week since my haircut "fix" and honestly robin did a FANTASTIC job
-she is sooooo sweet. she doesn't treat you like a kid cuz you look young. she treated me like a long time valued customer even though that was my first visit.
-she's honest. i went to have my already short hair fixed by robin. robin told me flat out that i'm going to have to wait. she just softened up my layers without cutting a chunk off.
-she didn't try to push any other chemical services on me
-i got a complimentary hair mask treatment.
-she is not like the other 907846328947 hair stylists i've been too. robin cuts slowly and carefully as to not skip a beat.
Cons:
-none
I would like to take a moment to thank yelp for pointing me to K-Town to find this gem! I have been wanting this mop on my head to be soft and straight for years, but cringed every time I saw the $500 estimated cost for a Japanese thermal conditioning. I read here on yelp that Robin Lee does it for $200, so I made the call.
I live in the Valley, so the drive for my consultation on a weekday afternoon was a bitch. I found parking in their back lot and after a 5 minute consult, Robin looked at my straight, yet slightly frizzy hair and quoted me at $200.
The following week, I had an appointment for what they call the Magic Straight Perm. It took all of 4 hours to magically transform my wayward hair into that silky smooth softly laid straight hair that I haven't seen since the 4th grade (pre-perm).
Since my hair was straight, Robin thinks that it will last 9 months for me. It's been 3 months since I've had it done, and it is a life-changer to be able to wash-and-go. The best $200 I've ever spent on my hair!
Just had a perm done here today. So far it looks great. I'll have to see how it looks after I wash and style it myself. I think Robin was very personable but I can see how some people may think she comes off the wrong way. Her assistant was super sweet. Also you can't beat the price! $150 for a perm! Haven't seen that anywhere else yet. I would recommend her to a friend. I already have a girl who does my cuts, but I might be willing to switch...
Also like there is parking available!
My hair before Kim Sun Young was a puffy mess!! Thanks to them and specially to Kimberly, I finally got the hair I've always wanted.
When I first called to ask about their salon, the operator was very patient. She asked me for my hair type, how I would take care of it, my style, and other good questions. This operator helped me decide what was best for my hairs health and financial status. I went in on a Friday, for a consultation, they saw my hair and recommended I get the straight perm. I love straight hair and I have little time to style my hair. They made my appointment, and gave me instructions. I felt special.
Kimberly is my hairstylist, she is so caring! Long story short, I got my hair straight, and I've been going ever since. There's always time for me, I don't have to wait, and the price is fair.
It has a nice busy environment, fashion is a big inspiration here. I would recommend this place for people (men and women) who take their hair seriously.
I'm going to write a short review. This place was pretty good. I believe my hair stylist was Robin and she was very good at explaining details things about haircut/style/color that I didn't know. I would go back when i go back home and visit!
Robin at Kim Sun Young is the best hair stylist I found in LA. I've been getting Japanese straight perm for 12 years because I have messy curly hair. I used to call my hair a mob, because it's really messy and damaged. Although my hair gets really damaged every time I get the Japanese straight perm, I still have to get it because I can't even go outside if I don't get it.
What happened last time I got the Japanese straight perm at another salon was they completely fried my hair. I couldn't believe it. I used to pay about $300-$500 at other salons for Japanese straight perm, but they always fried my hair.
I've been to so many high-end salons both here in LA and Korea for the past 12 years, but Robin at Kim Sun Young is the best hair stylist I've ever met. Although it was the first time I met her, she knew exactly how to handle my hair. She told me that although my hair is really thick and naturally stubborn, she should not kill the stubbornness entirely. She told me what happened at other salons was that they completely wanted to destroy the original characteristics of my hair because it was stubborn and they just ended up completely damaging my hair. She didn't do that. She told me she would preserve the natural stubbornness of my hair and still straighten it.
The end result: even after the Japanese straightening perm, my hair quality was improved by 200%. She didn't fry my hair. My hair looks naturally straight now, and its quality is very good. It was like a magic. My friends were so surprised. AND she only charged me $200.
Robin really knows what she's doing. She's the best!
I have NEVER seen a curl in my hair. I have the most straight, thin hair ever. Every stylist I have been to has felt challenged on giving me "body". Let alone a curl- other than senior prom and a can of hair spray, I have yet to see a hint of curl in my hair. No matter what magical products or tools.
That has all changed. I LOVE CINDY
She doesn't need any more reviews- it's obvious how talented she is. She is fast, a multi tasker, and is very honest. She spent 4hours on my hair giving me a body wave, highlights, and a haircut all without a dent in my wallet! Let's just say I spent less than $200.
The salon is clean, the staff is friendly, and even though I don't speak Korean, they all made me feel so comfortable. HIGHLY recommended.
Where was the first place I went to when I arrived in LA? No, not In n' Out, not even Pink Berry... I went and saw Robin, my hair chemist.
Everything I said in my previous review from a year ago still stands. However, in addition to her skills, she needs to be praised for her honest work ethics. It's hard to find an honest anything/anyone out there these days w/ close to pure intentions. Robin will tell you straight up whether she thinks the procedure will be damaging to your hair, if she thinks it won't look good on you, whether or not your hair will be a good candidate for that particular procedure, etc. She won't make false promises, and she'll deflate your false fantasies of you thinking that you'll look like Jessica Alba if you got some honey colored highlights and waves in your hair.
She loves her clients and she loves hair. I can just tell. Isn't that what a major part of love is? wanting what's best for the other person and not being selfish, even though you may end up having to sacrifice something? I think so.
I was thinking about getting a digital perm , but she told me to save my money and that with my hair type I would look better if I just did it myself with a curling iron. And since I had magic straight last year, it might damage my hair. Actually, the magic straight I got one year ago has managed to still maintain itself! I just got my hair cut/trimmed. I like it.
Oh, and I need to mention JULIE her assistant (i forget her korean name). She is like what Robin is to Batman. Julie is so nice and great! She's always smiling, genuine, accommodating, and helpful. Tip her well! She's the one who curled my hair for me (see pic). Thanks, Julie!
*****************************************
hehe i just re-read my last year's review of KSY. dang, how fast a year goes by! oh dear.. so my long-time search for a great hairstylist has ended in la. however, the namja situation is to be continued... whatevs. i got nice hair & im happy. :) i also found another gem this time~ Julie!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/1/2008
people think i'm picky about guys... eh, maybe true...but not as much as my hair. i strongly believe… Read more »
Let me just begin by saying this: Robin Lee is a total ROCK STAR! I'm saying this even AFTER she REFUSED to straighten my hair!
Over the years, I have been to expensive salons who've done nothing to help this horrible mop on my head. I have VERY thin, naturally wavy hair that gets very frizzy and perpetually looks straight outta the 1980s. Every salon I've gone to does pretty much the same thing with my hair - boring layers that result in me looking like Jon Bon Jovi or a frazzled poodle. They always say the same thing, "Ohh Cecil you need a cut that works with the wave in your hair...blah blah blah."
So... I said, FUCK IT - after a lifetime of looking like a baglady, I decided to have my hair straightened, and seeing all of the glowing reviews of Robin, I booked an appt with her. She examined my hair and questioned why I wanted straight hair because according to her my hair was "perfectly wavy." Bottom line: she WOULDNT straighten my hair because of it's thinness and previous highlights; she felt that it would only partially take and end up being worse than ever. I was initially bummed because I pictured myself coming home with silky straight hair. She told me that many of her clients come in desiring the hair I have. I asked her recommendation of what I should do, afterall, what have I got to lose at this point, except poodle hair? She recommended a cut that would accentuate and bring out the large natural curls in my hair (yeah yeah, heard that before), as well as toning down the highlights I had from my last visit to another salon. She told me this cut would be very easy to maintain, with minimal effort in the morning. I was skeptical because I've heard this countless times before - VERY SKEPTICAL - but again, I've followed the shitty recommendations of several dozen stylists already - whats one more?
She instructed her helper on what to do with the color and I must say she was meticulous with the job she was doing. After it was colored, Robin did the cut, blew it out, and showed me how to style it so that my frizzy mop would actually have large, clean curls- girlfriend didnt even need to use a BRUSH! After a simple blow dry, it literally took her about 5 minutes and my hair was actually TAMED without having to use a round brush or ANYTHING. At the end, all she used was a small dollop of product to polish. I was amazed at her technique because in all my years no one has used this simple method.
Robin was SO nice, SO sweet, and EXTREMELY knowledgeable about hair. She has extensive experience on how hair will react to various chemical processes, and she analyzed my hair to a T.
She is very honest and if she thinks that a certain process will fuck up your hair, she WILL let you know. Trust this woman's experience people - she actually cares about what happens to her client's hair!
The prices are GREAT here too - it was 40.00 for my color and 30.00 for the cut. SWEET deal for the expertise you get here. BTW, Robin is also the head stylist there. She's a total doll.
I am so sold on this place - there is some serious artistry going on here. So add me to the long list of Robin Lee devotees!
Cindy and Alex are great!
Yesterday was my 3rd time at KSY and decided to go with Cindy based on a few Yelpers' recommendations.
The 1st time I had this older lady who had poor English and she did a great job giving me my 1st perm. The perm cost $175 and my hair was down to my butt- a steal! I had a NYC salon quoted me $550!
The 2nd time I had Lillian who's English was slightly better than my 1st but unfortunately, it did not help and was disappointed with my $150 perm. It took her more time to perm my shoulder length hair than the first lady.
It started off rocky since Cindy was late 30 minutes due to being stuck in the tragic fire. I wasn't annoyed at her being late at all; I was annoyed at the 3 ladies at the front desk who claimed that they tried calling me - "Oh, uh, we tried calling you." "Uh, yes, we did." "Oh we tried call you at #." Yes, you have my right number. I hate liars. My phone worked all day yesterday, and I didn't get the call.
Cindy finally arrived and apologized. She made me feel comfortable and asked a bunch of questions of my needs. I needed a change so I had dyed my hair light brown with the do-it-yourself hair dye...and realized that I needed a professional since I dyed my hair permanent black. Um...yeah...so it looked like I was wearing a brown yamaka. Cindy and Alex (her assistant?) fixed my hair with highlights without bleaching it. Alex was great; he was constantly asking me if I was ok. It cost me a $100 (excluding tip) --just the max I wanted to spend. I love my hair!
i'm not into it. maybe because i don't like straight perms or light digital body wave perms. what the hell does all that mean? maybe orange ain't my shade and i resent being told that light hair is "in". i found their start- stop methods to be frustrating. i got rushed to a chair and had my hair washed by an assistant, then i sat around with a sopping wet towel on my head. then this same assistant combed out my hair by running through knots, no attempt to be gentle. i sat around some more and was asked to blow dry my own hair at another station. then some more sitting. THEN i got straight ironed, why do i need stick straight hair before a haircut? i came in asking for a trim. it was several hours later before i could escape.
I love Gi-San. I've been getting my hair straightened with him for 3 years now, he has never ever messed up my hair. He is supper fast, trustworthy, and professional. I have referred several people to him, all have called me and thanked me, he is great and reasonable.
I've never gotten highlight's and/or haircuts from him, I know others that have and are happy with his work. Also check out the jewelry place next door, they have some really cute stuff.
The love of my life (loves of my life actually)- Cindy and Alex!
If you have never been here, you get your phone out and start dialing. Make an appointment with Cindy ASAP. I'm not exaggerating. They're phenomenal!
My hairs history has been filled with Perms, dyes (salons and home), straightening, you name it I've done it. After years of hair torture, you pay the consequences. My hair started looking and feeling like a scrappy broom or what my friend's called "pubic hair." Through a friend's guidance and reading the reviews from yelp and other review sites I made an appointment with Cindy.
From the get-go they were amazing. Other salons I've been to, the head dresser gets a bit lazy or busy, whatever and leaves you after five minutes or so, but Cindy was so considerate and made sure she knew what I wanted. She listened, actually listened instead of trying to force you into some style, and told me what was going to happen and so forth. I had treatment, a dye, MAGIC STRAIGHT, and trim and I couldn't have had a better time or experience at a salon. She didn't hassle me about anything and really got down to business. Alex, her helper, was comical as well. He brings up random topics from celebrities to I don't even remember. The duo will definitely lighten up your day.
Whatever you do, if you're hair was like mine, go to Cindy! And then you'll be looking all fine in no time.
My UPDATE ON CINDY
12.28
My update trip to Cindy & Alex.
They are always so damn perfect, terrific, just heavenly. Cindy always manages to give me the bombest of the BOMB DIGGITY BOMB BOMB hairstyles on Earth. Truth be told, she literally gets the boys to holllla.
I got my hair done root to tip. I needed a new hot look, and cindy manages to do that without failing my high expectations or high budget. I got the curvy, wavey do with the light auburn hair and a trim. I was expecting my hair to get a bit damaged or ratty, but my hair was smooth as can be and super sleek. I got to go to my cousin's wedding and had a lot of his friend ask for my digits. It's nice.
After the wedding I headed out to eat with a friend and even there I got some extra attention. What can I say, Cindy is GREAT!
I booked an appt with Robin after reading the glowing reviews about her magic perm skills on yelp. It was a wonderful experience... Robin is very knowledgable, understanding, sweet even! :) She took the time to advise me based on my personal situation and quoted me $200 which is really low on the scale of magic striaght perm jobs. I trusted her and off we started.... one note, although she promised me a scalp massage by means of her assistant, I never got one :( boooohoooo.
BUT she spent a lot of her time checking the process and progress and really (I'm sure she does so many straight perms prolly at least one a day?!) was careful and attentive to both mine and my hair's needs.
I loved her and she made me blush when she and her assistants told me I had beautiful long hair. She made me promise to take care of it, and I did. I do.
One complaint. The reason I took off one star is due to the fact that two years ago I had done a magic perm... I guess my hair grew out in an uneven fashion because while she was doing the roots to somewhere in the midrange (already treated, no need to treat again) and she fell short a bit. I have some minor bends and even a few waves in the front where it didn't exactly connect. Thankfully these waves are on the layers so, it still looks kinda natural. If you have had magic perm already be prepared to estimate at what length it has grown out to maybe help her while she's applying the "potions"...
SIDE NOTE: there is a quaint little korean restaurant next door, they serve up some DELISH food. I got the cabbage/meat soup, the side dishes are sooooo good.
Thanks to all the yelpers for their reviews. Everyone's reviews helped me discover my new fave salon.
Add me to the Robin Fan Club. I got my hair cut and colored this morning. Robin and her assistant Kae (sp?) were very efficient and accommodating. I had an inkling of what I wanted, but was unsure exactly what I wanted. I just knew I was tired of my uber long soccer mom hair. Robin made some suggestions on color and a cut that would better frame my face. I am thrilled with the results.
The salon was busy, but not nearly as hectic as some other reviewers have mentioned. I suspect this may have something to do with my timing.
Kae mentioned that I picked the best time to come in. I had scheduled one of the first appointments on a weekday. She said that weekday evenings are busier, but nearly as bad as weekends. That may be something to consider when scheduling an appointment.
I can't recommend this salon enough. Definitely give them a try. You won't be disappointed.
O.M.G.
I hate this place! Because it's not conveniently located in the Bay Area for me to keep going back to! BAH!
I cut my hair super short in May 08 (think before Rihanna got that Prince hair cut) and I've been waiting patiently for it to get back down to the middle of my back so I can finally get a digital perm. Well, it's still not there, but I got a digital perm anyways.
We were in So Cal for some vacation time and I said...why not! My hair is to my shoulders and basically stick straight.
There's two salons in the complex, so if you know who you have an appointment with they'll direct you to the right one. I knew my appointment would be 3+ hours giving my friends all the time to take pictures inside of the American Girl store at the Grove. wat.
Anyways, my stylist was with another client still, so she directed me to the hair washing section of the place. I had no idea what to do, so I sat there. I think I waited for awhile till I actually got started on...no problem, they were pretty busy.
Plus, for the way my hair turned out now, WHATEVER, take as much time as you need! Well....not too much.
They're super nice there and my stylist, Heidi Ku, said she loved me because I got everything she said the first time since her English was a bit broken. I was also often handed off to an apprentice I believe, which was fine because she was super nice too. You can see how much skill Heidi has, she rolled more than half of my head in less than 10 minutes, while it took the apprentice 10 minutes to do the 2 she left for her.
Unfortunately, during my treatment one of the rollers wouldn't heat up, so I had to sit there another 30 minutes to have that one catch up to the rest. Oh Heidi also cut my hair and it was so nice I started contemplating just getting my hair cut. Haha!
They also give great directions on how to take care of your hair after. I brought in pictures and gave her a description of what I wanted and she delivered.
I asked for soft, loose waves and brought in a picture of Kristin Kreuk with hair like that. Hot. haha
They also gave me a discount for being a first time customer. I believe it was cheap as it already was! Compared to the bay that is....
4.5 stars!
I've been their customer for over 10 yrs. I've had a couple of hairstylers so far & the now my stylist is Sara Kim. She trims, colors and does magic perm well, but she isn't so good in styling (I had my hair done for a Christmas party). Sara trimms well, however, she tends to not follow the pictures I show her, and at other times, she trims kinda shorter than what you want. It's better to go with an appointment because this salon is packed especially during the weekends.
ROBIN LEE is the stylist to go to for any chemical treatments (perms, straightening, etc.) She is ULTRA careful with your hair and will never overprocess it. Robin straightened my hair every six months for 4 years. One time (and one time only) she was away on vacation and I trusted another stylist there to do it, and she FRIED it! Within a couple days, parts of my hair crinkled up and broke off, it was literally burned. I ended up having to cut bangs, which were a disaster, since I have a widow's peak and cowlicky hairline. Anyways, it grew out and I recovered, but never again will anyone treat my hair but Robin Lee.
Just yesterday Robin gave my hair a wave perm instead of my usual straightening, because I was ready to transition back to my natural wavy hair. She was very specific about using the "rainbow" wave technique, which applies heat from the outside of the roller, not the inside, which would have damaged my already treated hair. I'm happy with it!
Oh and by the way, the price is way better than anywhere else in town. Before I found Robin I had my hair straightened at Guissepe Franco salon in Beverly Hills. They did a fine job, but it cost $500 as opposed to $200 at Kim Sun Young! 'Nuff said!
This is the best place to get straightening perms, rainbow waves, hair dyes, haircuts, whatever you want. The prices are reasonable and the service is good.
I've been going to Robin for years and she always know what I want and what would look good on me. Since i've had a lot of work on my hair, she always carefully analyzes the health of my hair to prevent it from getting too damaged. I know i can trust her.
I decided to try another hair designer recently, Cindy because i wanted to try something new. I got a straightening perm (i've had 4 in the past 5 years) and a "little trim" that took seriously 5 minutes. She charged me $240 when Robin usually charges just $200 since trims are suppose to be included in the package. AND, she charged my sister $35 for a trim only when she went before. Lastly, Cindy is all business, no talk. Whereas, Robin was much more warm and caring.
I'm gonna go back to Robin next time.
Note: i live in nor cal now and tried a few hairstylists up here but no one compares to Kim Sun Young. I now just wait to get my hair cut during my visits.
Btw, also wanted to say that i got my wedding hair and makeup done here...very reasonable and loved the results.
My astrological sign is the libra. I am very fair. I am a forgiving person. I believe in giving second chances. Sometimes even a third chance if the occasion calls for it.
Alas, I experienced every vain girl's WORST salon nightmare. Here's my sob story to prevent this from happening to you:
I figured since I had some time in LA, I could get my haircut and color done. I received the recommendation for Kim Sun Young and cross-referenced it on yelp. So far, so good...
Having read the positive responses on Yelp, I requested the services of Olivia Kim. Over the PA system, the front head lady announces my arrival. With all the women in herds of color, set, make-up, up-dos, etc, I felt like a stranded heifer. However, I was reassured with photos in hand of the color and cut I wanted. One person's definition of layering is another person's definition of weed-whack job.
I THOUGHT my consultation with Olivia was successful because she understood what I wanted to achieve with my hair: an all-over color and a slight trim of my haircut. But for some reason at the last minute, I told her that I wanted to skip the color this time and just do the cut. She nodded, "ok ok".
A moment later, she returns with a bowl of color. I try to explain that I don't want the color but she gives me a look of disdain. I should have just offered to pay the cost of the color (without the service) and opt out. Instead, the guilt of wasting the already mixed formula (that really couldn't cost more than $15) prevails and Olivia begins to brush the color on my hair with the help of a male assistant...
After my color is washed, the towel unravels and I'm wondering why this color looks no where near the brown color we agreed using the color swatches. My hair is BLACK. "Oh no, my hair is darker, this is Black," she says. "Come take a look outside!"
With mirror in hand, we go outside to examine my hair in natural sunlight. Yup, black. With accents of red.
We return to her station and Olivia wastes no time as she starts snipping at my hair. For someone who wanted a trim and a FEW layers, I see locks of three inches falling to the ground. I begin to worry. Just to be sure, I show her the photo of the haircut and am relieved that she occasionally references it.
As she blow-dries my hair, my stomach starts to knot up. "Don't worry, it will get lighter" Olivia insists every few minutes. It's not even about the color anymore. My hair looks NOTHING like the photo. (And I am not one of those girls who expect her hairdresser to be a magician. I politely requested for my hair to resemble the style of the model. Not the model herself). Instead, my hair looks like a pretty mullet, black with red accents.
I don't even have the energy to say anything or complain because all I want to do is flee far far away from this place. I go to pay my bill and overhear Olivia speaking in Korean to the head counter woman. Even though I may be half Japanese, half Chinese, little does she know that I have dated Korean men and can pick up a few words such as "she" "wanted" "this"... the next moment, she's pulling out the color book and points at a totally different color than what we agreed upon. At that point, I lose it. I may be a Libra but I'm no chump.
"No," I defend myself. "I didn't ask for this color, I wanted this color!" as I point to the BROWN shade. The head counter woman tries to appease me by offering to have a re-do. The next thing I know, I'm thrown back in the chair and Olivia and a female assistant are applying some blue-ish color paste on my hair... slowly I feel this burning sensation or torture (I'm a bit numb at this point from hair shock) as they apply it on my scalp. Bleach?
"How light do you want to go?" Olivia casually asks.
"Um... this color... is BURNING my scalp!!!" and I rush to the shampoo station dragging the female assistant with me!
As the towel unravels, I am trying to fight the tears from traveling down my cheeks. WTF. My hair is red.... and to make things worse, I see the original color roots when I first came.
"Oh yes, much better!" Olivia lies. I can't even muster a response or look at her. I become lost in the reflection in the mirror.
And to top it off, this emotional and physical pain cost me $100.
The next day back in San Francisco, I am researching salons and stylists with any opening on a Sunday, who are experts at fixing other people's flops. And that is another $260 story...
I've never seen my wife so angry and disappointed after visiting a salon than when she got her wedding up style done at Kim Sun Young. This place is too busy for their capacity. It seems that they don't turn anyone away. My wife's appointment was interrupted by another client whom her stylist knew -- no reservation.
My wife was left stranded in her seat with curlers in her hair for 30 minutes while the stylist (woman with a mushroom hairstyle) started cutting the other woman's hair. Obviously, my wife was on a tight schedule since it was her wedding day, but this didn't seem to matter to the stylist.
It wasn't until my wife mentioned to her politely (in Korean) that she was in a hurry since her wedding was later in the day. "What time is your wedding?" the stylist asked. What kind of question is that to ask? Was my wife expected to sleep overnight in her up style for a wedding the next day? Of course her wedding was today, you idiot! Needless to say, after the stylist got a grasp of the situation, she put her full dedication/focus on my wife, but by this time, almost 2 hours had past when she was promised that it would take 1 hour max. My wife was angry as hell but she kept it inside because she wanted the stylist to do a good job and not be distracted by her anger. In the end, my wife was overall pleased with the final result. It was not bad. But we were still behind schedule because of the unnecessary wait.
This screwed up our ceremony scheduling. By the time my wife arrived at the location, she had zero down-time to take a few pre-wedding photo shots and family shots. To top it off, after my wife went to the counter to pay, the stylist had the nerve to stand next to her and wait like a hungry dog for her tip. We're never going back to this place and for those of you needing a wedding up style, we recommend you save yourself from tears, anger, and frustration and go elsewhere.
I have been a faithful customer of Kim Sun Young Beauty Salon since mid 90'. Mrs. Chung Sil HONG (aka Hong Unni - Big sister in Korean) is one of top hair stylist & has been my hair designer for past 14 plus yrs. I can always count on her to make me look fabulous every time and walk out of salon with runway ready. I always get top services from her and her price is so reasonable.
I'm going to make my review simple.
I strictly come here for my magic straight. No hair cuts.
They try to trim my hair while I get my hair straightened and I just say NO.
I don't know if it's the woman I get my hair straightened or all of the hair dressers but the hair cut is so bland.
They make layers in the back and they are not pretty layers. It is those layers where it makes your hair look brittle and dry...
Anyways I get my hair straightened here twice a year. $200 each time.
Expensive but still cheaper than japanese hair salon. I don't know how long the magic goes on in japanese hair salon but I have given up finding new places to get hair straightened.
It is a great risk to go to a new place because the straightening process itself is very damaging and if you get it wrong, all hell breaks loose. When I go here I always call for Kai.
this is based on magic straight and hair cut for an asian girl with shoulder length straight hair. $230.
based on my friend's recommendation, i made an appointment with anna since i failed to find robin (when i called the number on this page, they told me robin is in another building).
when i got there, i felt very out of place. i think the stylists and assistants speak english fine, but i could barely understand the receptionist and she wasn't very friendly either.
right when i got a gown, a shampoo boy popped out of nowhere and led me to shampoo my hair. this was my first time getting magic straight and i wish anna and her assistant explained the process to me before starting a little bit (they failed to mention i couldn't wash my hair for 2 days until AFTER i was done...luckily i had done my research on this).
anna asked me my hair's history before she started and offered me water and tea during the entire process and made sure i was comfortable but she would disappear here and there to work on someone else's hair....
so the process takes a while: they glob a bunch of crap in your hair, make you sit in a heat lamp for a while, then wash it off. then immediately, they blow dry and straight iron your hair. then you get more crap in your hair that smells terrible and then they wash it out. it seems pretty complicated so for $230 it wasn't too bad.
after all this was done, anna asked me if i wanted a hair cut and i said can she just give me a slight trim since my bangs were poking my eye. she barely cut anything but somehow managed to make my bangs poke me eyes even more...
i dont know if this haircut was included because she failed to show me an itemized bill, but i sure hope not since it took her 2 minutes. anyway, a real steal for magic straight only because i had a 20% off new client coupon.
2 days later, i washed my hair and i notice that my hair really isnt that straight. it's been about a week now and it's still pretty straight for the most part..i never have weird dents in my hair the way i use to after tying it up, but it's still a little frizzy in one area and the layers aren't really stick straight. overall, i am satisfied but for something called "magic straight", maybe my hair needed more than magic to be fixed...
overall, it's cheap for what it is but i don't know if i'd come back for a haircut. stick with magic straight and maybe ask a lot of questions before you begin since they seem to disappear a lot during the process and not offer you information.
