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Ozuki Salon
Rating Details »
Category: Hair Salons [Edit]
Neighborhood: Georgetown1025 Thomas Jefferson NW
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 342-7591
- Hours:
Tue. 10:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Wed-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- By Appointment Only:
- Yes
61 reviews for Ozuki Salon
This business is a Yelp Sponsor
11/18/2008
10/1/2009
11/23/2009
6/24/2009
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Updated - 4/13/2009
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7/2/2009
One of the Business' Favorite Reviews What's This?
Yay for Keiko! After 6 weeks of great hairdo and 5 weeks of crazy growing hair madness, I was in need of a haircut. After some extensive research, I decided to go with Keiko at Ozuki for it seemed that she would be less booked up than Akiko from the review ratio they were getting on Yelp. I called early enough that I was able to get an appointment with Keiko for 2 weeks later.
Keiko was very sweet. When I told her that I'm a wash-n-go kinda girl and that I don't even own wax/gel/spray or a blow dryer, she didn't laugh at me. Whew! I always hate admitting that I don't do anything to my hair because sometimes I get the look that says "it shows". But Keiko was very nice. She asked me what kind of style I wanted, and all I could tell her was that I wanted my hair thinned, keep my bangs and definitely shorter. If it were any other stylist, I think he/she would've just said ok and went to town. I should know, I've had a few of those. But Keiko didn't. She continued asking me if I wanted a more feminine style or more cool and edgy style. I told her that I preferred something in between, not as boring as my then style. She thought about it for a minute and then explained to me what she planned to do and asked if that was ok. It was perfect, just what I wanted.
After the consultation with Keiko, she sent me to get my hair washed and then I was back in her chair. She took her time cutting my hair and we had a fun time talking about food. According to Keiko, she likes sushi from Perry's and Sushi-ko. So all you sushi lovers out there, apparently this is where native Japanese people like to go. I mentioned Kotobuki and she said she likes that place too. I told her that I found her on Yelp, she laughed nervously and said she hasn't read any of the reviews because she's scared to read what people are saying. I told her there was nothing she should worry about, all the reviews are great. How cute is that? :D
When Keiko finished cutting my hair, she put a little wax in it and styled it for me, and even taught me how to blow dry and apply wax. It was very helpful.
I walked out of Ozuki with much lighter hair and a great new do. It was easy to maintain and convenient for someone like me yet if I wanted to glam it up a bit I now have the tips from Keiko to help me do that when I want to. Very happy!!
"Oh, you got the Asian persuasian? Once you go Asian, you don't go back!"
OK, so the homeless man that yelled this to my BF while we were walking around in Boston needs to work on his rhyming skillz, and he was talking about relationships (or sex), but truer words have never been spoken when it comes to haircuts.
People always told me that only Asian people know how to cut Asian hair, but I secretly thought that was incredibly arbitrary and just a smidge racist, so I went out of my way to prove those nay sayers wrong. Turns out I was wrong. So very wrong. To date, I've had my hair cut by Americans, Eastern Europeans, Latinos, gays, and a whole slew of stylists of varying backgrounds and descriptions. I've had bad haircuts (I'm lookin' at you Euro Hair Design -- no, I don't want #@($*&@# curls), good haircuts (Love my gays at the Back Bay Hair Designs), but no jaw-dropping, euphoria-inducing, floating-on-air-cuz-I'm-so-happy-with-how-I-look haircuts. And then I went to Ozuki and met Shigemi.
Oh Shigemi. Shigemi, Shigemi, Shigemi. You're not very smiley, you cut hair very slowly, and your waist-length hair didn't inspire a lot of confidence in your ability to give me short hair, but...I was so wrong about you. You don't smile because you are so focused on your work. You cut hair slowly because you're a perfectionist, and nary a single errant hair escapes your exacting gaze. And your waist-length hair? Well, it's a good look for you. And it has absolutely no bearing on your ability to give me the best haircut of my life. Which you did. Bravo, Shigemi. Bravo.
Shigemi's amazing skillz aside, I love that Ozuki comes equipped with picture books filled with different hair styles/designs to choose from. I knew I wanted short hair cuz long hair was getting to be such a drag, but didn't know anything specific beyond that. However, looking through the books and seeing the different styles on girls with my face shape/general appearance let me narrow my choice down to two options. I told Shigemi I wanted a combo of both styles, and BOOM, she did it. Love it. Love her.
See new profile pic for results. Yes, I'm throwing up a fobby Asian pose on purpose. It's only fitting. And that shit-eating, "my GOD I love my fabulous new hair" grin on my face? Um...yea. Still there.
After reading the reviews from previous Yelpers, I decided to give Ozuki a try over the summer. I got Akiko. Before the cut, I grew my hair out so that I could donate it to charity. I think because of that, Akiko wasn't as adventurous as I hoped she would be. I kept telling her to cut it shorter but it never really went anywhere. I also felt that she was rushing to finish me and didn't really pay too much attention to detail.
In general, I don't think the atmosphere at the salon was very friendly. I was left to sit on the shampoo chair for at least 20 mins without knowing where to go with wet hair and the lady that washed my hair just walked away. If I am paying at least 65$, I expect to get a better cut than what I ended up having. It wasn't bad, but not the quality I had expected.
Eh, I've had better hair cuts for cheaper.
I got my hair cut by the owner the week I landed in DC and granted I didn't ask for anything life-changing, it was very bland. He did a pretty good job, but with all the great reviews on Yelp I guess I was expecting something more.
I liked my haircut here and they got me in on short notice. Their customer service was great and Akiko clearly knows what she's doing. Also, I'm caucasian, so if you're wondering if they only do Asian hair, they don't.
Until I had my hair cut here, I'd never paid more than $15 for a haircut; partially because I'm not adventurous when it comes to hair, partially because I always tie my hair back anyway, and partially because I'm too damn cheap! So I really don't have anything to say about the cut other than I like it, BUT I do have both something to say about their service.
About two months ago (yeah I'm slow with reviews), I called to make appointments for myself and a friend for the next week, and was told our ideal date and time would be fine. However, the next week, at the appointed date and time, I called the salon to report that we'd be a bit late (since I'd just gotten off work and the metro was delayed), but was told somewhat impatiently by Liz that our appointments weren't in her system. After some back and forth, we finally figured out they had trouble with their computer the morning I made the appointments, and no work had gotten saved. Liz (now sounding a lot better) wanted to schedule appointments for another day because they were all booked the rest of the afternoon, and promised to give us some kind of compensation for the inconvenience. Luckily, Keiko (who the receptionist had booked us with) overheard the conversation (since Liz and I were now speaking in person), and interrupted to tell Liz she wouldn't mind staying behind to work on us if we didn't mind waiting a couple hours.
Long story short, we took Keiko up on her offer and she was the best, and the girl who prepared our hair for her was great (I don't remember her name - I want to say it was Maria - but she was sweet and got us tea). However, to compensate us having to wait the extra two hours, Liz only gave us a gift bag with samples of styling wax and Japanese shampoo. Maybe I'm just being whiny, but the items weren't the least bit useful for me personally, especially when earlier we had discussed a discount! I was also handed two envelopes and told to put a tip in one for Keiko and one in the other for Maria (?), so felt a little forced with tips. Finally, someone mentioned feeling awkward upon entering the salon because there didn't seem to be a waiting area - agree, agree, agree! It was all the way in the back.
Overall, I was happy with my hair, I appreciated the tea, and I adored Keiko and Maria (?) for their friendliness and professionalism, but for that price and the less than wonderful first experience, I don't think I'll ever go back.
From the minute I saw Akiko, I knew she was gonna be exactly the type of hairdresser I needed - stylish, funky, and creative. She provided her feedback on all the styles I'd shown her and modified the cut to my features and facial shape. And time passed by so fast since she's interesting to converse with.
You know the hairdresser has done a good job when the hair grows out flawlessly, which is exactly how I feel about my hair after 2 weeks. The layers are falling in place and I can style my hair effortlessly. This means simple blowdry with some hair shine serum. Love it!
I do not know what is all the hype about Ozuki. I got my hair done with Keiko and it was nice, or yelp says it "A-Ok".
They did not seem to want to deal with you if you do not have some name brand designer hanging off your shoulder.
They were forcefully nice which are one of the worse kind of service. Stinky smell of snobbery. The only person that was actually really sweet was the lady that washed my hair. Keiko was nice but a little intimidating.
Regular clients are probably in business casual and beyond, you will never see anyone in sweats! The atmosphere was nice and trendy-ish. And they offer drinks (water, coffee, tea) which was nice or was it policy.
I payed about $240 plus not including tip for cut, dye, highlight that ended up looking like a regular cut and dye no highlights. The only highlights that showed were my OLD highlights. I had to ask "are you going to put some highlights?" Keiko "I already did"....yea she used the same color mixing to dye my hair at the same time as foiling my hair for highlights.
DUH no wonder it doesn't show! Then why am I paying for dye and highlights when it is just one color?!?!
Too bad my old hair stylist was book for the whole month and I could not get an apt. so I decided to go here. But I'm not coming back.
All in all --- nice cut but not worth what I paid for.
Akiko cut my hair last month. I waited six weeks to review to be sure I would return, and yes I will.
Pre-Akiko, I had longish, layered, coarse, mangy Asian hair. I've always heard that it takes Japanese talent to cut Asian hair, but never paid any attention to that. So after bouncing between Circe and Sugar House in Old Town and ending up with blah hair, I finally decided to look up Ozuki.
Akiko was super nice, asked good questions, etc etc etc. We decided upon a cute shortish cut after flipping through pages in a Japanese hair book. Her technique and precision was amazing. She took extra time to show me how to style it after I explained that I didn't know how. Honestly though, the first week I hated my hair - I just wasn't used to seeing my hair so short. But I grew to love love love my hair. I'm headed back next week.
I hate going to Georgetown.
I hate getting haircuts.
I hate going to Georgetown.
I hate paying more than $40 for getting said haircut.
I hate going to Georgetown.
I hate going to Georgetown.
But I will do it ALL for Keiko at Ozuki.
I thought I'd found the stylist of my life in Bobby at PR@Partners Metro Center, but it was just the folly of youth. After getting my hair cut in Tokyo, I knew that I couldn't go back to a Western-trained stylist. Japanese hairstylists are the best in the business when it comes to Asian hair. Yeah, I'd never bought into the whole "Asian hair" thing but there really is some substance to it.
I love my new haircut. In the past, I've always had to take a few days to "grow into it" or "wait for it to settle" but no, Keiko is a genius and I love it. She has a fantastic eye, noticing that my existing layers had grown out into a point in front, which she fixed, making the cut look younger...I would never have noticed that.
Best of all, she didn't give me mushroom head, which I'm always worried about with Asian stylists.
I just moved to DC from NYC so I was very concerned about where to get my haircut. Thanks to Yelp, I decided to give Ozuki a try. Despite the reviews for certain stylists, my strategy is to ask the receptionist to recommend a hairstylist, and then decide whether or not to stay or change stylist after my first try. Well, the person who she recommended was Shigemi.
First, the atmosphere: Not cool and hip, but definitely no nonsense and very dedicated. Next the haircut: Shigemi - not flashy or fab as my old stylist from Soho, but she did an excellent job. Her approach was very thorough and detail oriented, which gave me a more demure look than I preferred, but the end product was very nice.
Now, on the payment protocol. The receptionist was very insistent that I tip the shampoo person. Maybe NYC is different, but I've been to many salons in NYC and I've never been asked specifically to tip the shampoo person before. I always thought I would combine the tip for the stylist, and she/he would then split a fraction with them. Unless of course the shampoo person does a fab job. So I was kind of confused, and I also felt kind of forced.
I think I will try a few other salons in the DC area before going back to Ozuki. But overall I was pleased with the haircut.
The thought of Ozuki makes my hair smile!
I love this place. I went in for my first haircut with Akiko yesterday and the results are amazing! I am East Indian so my hair texture is very similar to east asian hair - fine yet heavy. I didn't have to tell her much other than I needed lots of layers in my hair because it can get bulky otherwise. She was able to give me a very low maintenance haircut. The layers are cut precisely and lay beautifully because she cuts it while it's wet and then finishes the cut while dry to ensure the layers lay right.
I've been to many high end salons in DC/VA area and this is the best hair cut I have ever received during my 3 years here. The idea of trying out a Japanese salon came to me from a coworker but also from my recent trip to the Philippines. I had the best haircut of my life there and thought it makes sense to go to a place that understands our texture! And I'm so glad I did! All for $65 - you can't beat it..esp in Georgetown!!
Lastly, the staff here is very helpful and friendly. From the shampoo girl to the receptionist, there was no attitude which I loved. Try out Akiko..you'll love her!
OH YELPERS YOU DID IT AGAIN! Thank you for the great and accurate reviews.
Before going to Ozuki Salon I was really apprehensive to trying out any of the salons in the D.C. area, because my friends all had stories about bad hairdressers who could not cut their Asian hair. But I was really desperate for my highlights started to grow out.
Well, after reading everyone's reviews I decided to try this place out (since I figure...."Hey bad haircuts are fact of life when moving to a new area"). But I didn't have to go through the pain of horrid hair after all! Keiko, whom I had an appointment with was very friendly, funny, and willing to take the time to understand exactly what kind of hairstyle I wanted (even though I was 15 minutes late and she wasn't mad at all). She did a wonderful job mimicking my previous "Fresh Off the Boat" Japanese haircut and getting my hair color just right.
The atmosphere itself is very relaxed and the staff is very friendly. They also have my favorite Japanese hair product Spice Water for sale (yaye!). In all it was a great experience and would definitely be seeing Keiko again for my hair.
I usually trust yelpers so I wasn't nervous going to Ozuki. I chose Akiko and she was awesome. I never thought I'd find anyone better than my stylist in NYC (also Japanese and very good (Hair Kuwayama). Akiko understood my texture after a few questions and now I can wash and go and actually look great. I know it's gonna grow out well and my thin hair has more body than it's ever had before. If you have thinner hair I def recommend Akiko. I'm sure everyone is good though. Nice place, easy to find, very very reasonable for the precision and quality of the cut. $65
Everybody commented everything I wanted to say so, here is my 2 cent :)
I enjoy going to Ozuki when I am in DC and seeing Akiko.
She is GREAT! She is into the latest fashion, knows what the clients want, and a very relaxing place.
I am big fan of Japanese hair cut so, I recommend it for those who are picky and wants something stylish!
If you do decide to go, Have fun!
I like the hair cut I received. However, it was hard to get an appointment. Several times when I call during the weekdays for a hair cut, I was told only 1pm or 3pm are ok. Those are not good times for me. Instead of getting haircut once 6-8 weeks, I got about once in 3 months due to difficulty to get an appointment. Also, they seem to have different receptionist every time I went there.
I was mad last time I called. Because the receptionist told me that Akaiko is fully booked on Tuesday. I knew in my heart it was a lie. I was a block away so walked by there and did not see her there.
I walked to another salon and got my haircut. I am not going back to Ozuki anymore. Their receptionists suck.
Making new friends, learning your way around town, finding great places to eat - all of these are recognized parts of the transition process when you move to a new city. Finding someone new to cut your hair though, that's one nightmare that's less talked about but still every bit as challenging. When faced with this ordeal recently in DC, I turned to Yelp (are you surprised?)
Over and over again, Ozuki Salon with its rave reviews popped up. I took the plunge and made an appointment with Akiko. When I arrived I was greeted with green tea before being whisked away for a thorough shampoo by Lilli. When she told me that she grew up in Mexico I immediately started quizzing her mid-shampoo on where I could find authentic Mexican food in the area. She was more than helpful, though she agreed that her native cuisine in its pure form is a difficult thing to find in the District.
After a short chair massage from Lilli following the conditioner I plopped down in front of the very ebullient Akiko. Her hair was wound up in a perfectly messy knot atop her head and I admired her beautiful tattoos. I gave her creative license with a few caveats and she set to work. Unlike many stylists who either prefer to work in silence or make idle chatter because they feel they must, Akiko possesses an authentic curiosity and likable charm that make chatting with her feel like catching up with an old friend (even though we'd just met.) How she manages to effortlessly make conversation and cut and style with such precision is actually quite remarkable!
At the conclusion of our time together I stared in the mirror, genuinely pleased with my reflection. But as you well know, a haircut that looks great in the salon can easily turn into hair horror once you attempt to style it on your own; which is precisely why I waited a couple of weeks before writing this review! Akiko assured me that I would not need to use a blow dryer with my cut but since she had used one to style my hair, I was unconvinced. Seeing as how I will only use a blow dryer to prevent the freezing of my hair in cold temperatures, I hoped she was right.
As if by some sort of miracle, my hair turns out, day after day, looking remarkably like the day Akiko cut it. Without a blow dryer! I couldn't be more pleased!
*sigh* I'm in love. For those who have yet to visit this place, I will give you one warning...if you do so chose to try Ozuki, keep away from Akiko...SHE'S MINE (in a completely platonic and heterosexual context). The epideme of the often sought after "hole in the wall" gem, Ozuki delivers a genuinely friendly staff and A-list quality cuts.
Upon walking in, I was told that Akiko was ready for me and sat down immediately. I'm sure many of you are familiar with the category of stylist that only pretends to listen to what you want for your hair, and eventually end up doing what *they* see fit. Not so here--I felt as if Akiko genuinely understood what I was looking for, which is something I've never experienced. After hearing out a few of the guidelines I set, she (almost strategically) laid out what she saw for me, step by step. For the first time in my life, my stylist acually executed all that she said she would do, leading up to a beautiful finish. We're talking the kind of beautiful that you can't help but look at in every window reflection you pass on the way back to your car.
Miriam was correct in noting Akiko's uncanny capacity for sharp, yet lighthearted conversation. She's right, it's far from the forced, cookie-cutter "So do you live around here?" type. Subsequently, my three hours spent there getting my highlights and cut felt like no more than one. Suffice it to say you can't help but like her immediately.
Announcement, everyone: A visit to the salon is no longer a chore for Christine.
It is easy to take certain things for granted when you're moving from one place to another. That hairstylist who you searched high and low for, you realize one afternoon when your hair looks like an overgrown shaggy dog's, didn't move across the country with you. You sigh and pull your hair back yet another day and recall that this isn't the first time you've been faced with this problem. The year in Japan brought you face to face with hopelessly cool haircuts and your inability to express "asymetrical bangs" in Japanese. But you owned up to the challenge and ended up with perhaps the haircut of your life.
Thus, when I walked by the Ozuki Salon one evening I was overjoyed to see the small print below the salon name, "A Japanese Salon." My hair is a hopeless stick-straight mess and, as mentioned above, the best haircuts of my life were had in a Japanese salon (where my hairdresser had the amazing ability to make my hair feel light and actually rather hip). So I was a little excited when making my appointment.
I was greeted warmly by the receptionist and offered my choice of coffee or tea, waiting only a few minutes for my hairstylist, Akiko, to finish up her previous client. Akiko was quite friendly and accomodating in deciphering my request for "shorter, asymetrical bangs" (I am still not over that hairstyle) and "a sort of zig-zag layered look." After having my hair shampooed by a really nice girl named Jessica, Akiko set to work at my four-months-overdue-for-a-haircut mess. When she finished, cutting my hair while wet and dry, I looked, well, hip. (Or at least I felt pretty hip) And, unless my co-workers, housemate, and boyfriend are all liars (which they very well could be), my haircut looks great to other people, too.
I definitely recommend Akiko and Ozuki Salon, and I will actually look forward to getting my haircut in a more timely fashion. I find the prices to be on par with a typical salon, if a bit on the high end ($65 is the starting rate for women's haircuts, check the website for other pricing), but so completely worth it.
And, if you're ever in need of someone to with a kimono dressing, Ozuki also offers that service, too.
I get my work schedule from week to week, so planning any salon-type services sucks. I spent one of my days off and while in Georgetown, called Ozuki up and asked if they had any appointments available that day. Well, they had one in 15 minutes! I got a little lost getting there, despite working around the corner from them for over a year. For the direction-challenged, the salon isn't located in the Foundry Building, but in the one next to it, and you have to enter a courtyard. It's located near a Korean-owned cafeteria/deli.
My stylist was named Shigemi, and she had been working in the salon for 4 or 4 1/2 years. I had brought some pictures of styles that I liked but had stuffed them in my bag. I am really low-maintenance when it comes to hair. I usually get it cut once a year and am just a wash and go kinda gal. At this point my hair was down to my hip. I told Shigemi that she can do whatever, but I was looking for layers, and since I worked in a spa, anything shoulder-length had to be tied up. She went straight to work (and used no razors, yay), and the result was really nice. In fact, later on I pulled out the photos I printed and the look was nearly identical. I only wished I had told her to cut it shorter, as no one really knows I got my hair cut because I pull it up at work. Also, I wasn't really being a conversationalist that day and we had some Awkward Turtle chit-chat. Other than that, it was a good first visit.
Funny aside: I had put my earrings on top of this receptacle and as I was putting them on, one of them fell inside it. The owner of the salon practically pulled the whole thing apart trying to find it. I told him he didn't have to find it as a friend made them and she can make me another. But he wouldn't hear of it. After 5-8 minutes he finally managed to shake my earring out of the receptacle. Thank you , Ozuki Boss-san!
After getting really tired of blow drying my long hair day in and day out, I was ready for a new do. My regular stylist had disappeared and the old salon wouldn't give me any forwarding information, but thankfully Yelp came to the rescue.
As the other Yelpers mentioned, it's a cute, zen-like salon with friendly staff and service. I also made my appointment with Akiko and she took the time to listen to my preferences and make suggestions. She provided some style recommendations for me to choose, and off came the inches of cumbersome locks. woohoo! Not only did she walk me through the cut, she also took time to show me how to style it and achieve the same look at home.
My only complaints were the price and the hours. Wish they were open a little later at least one day a week for those of us who don't work in the city or live nearby, and it is a bit pricier than what i'm used to. However, it's been several weeks since I got the cut and I'm still getting compliments.
OK, I've now had ample opportunity to wear my hair curly, blow-dry it straight, etc. with Keiko's cut. The ends are just choppy and there are too many layers for curly hair. Bottom line-if you just have thick, straight hair-I'd try Keiko out, she does remove a lot of volume. But if you have curly hair-steer clear! My hair is a frizz-fest right now and I totally have mushroom hair. Beware curly-q's!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/10/2009
I have mixed reviews on this place. After the rave reviews of Keiko, I was excited to try her out.… Read more »
After reading more than a few 5 star reviews for Akiko, I confidently and excitingly made an appointment to get a hair cut.
Long story short...She did not deliver the results I expected. Plus, while she was laying my hair, her technique allowed some painful pulling and breaking of my poor little hairs, which I have never experienced before. I didn't how she layered my hair, it was top heavy. My bangs look pretty pathetic and I have a chunk of short pieces which makes my bangs heavy and dull.
The hair cut was 65 dollars and now my hair looks thick and unnatural.
Akiko is not the stylist for me and I will not go back!
To say I dislike hair salons is an understatement. One year I went as far as to cut my own hair (which obviously didn't turn out very well) to avoid having to get my (extremely long) hair cut by a professional. I dislike mindless chit-chat, and I always strangely feel like the stylist is sooo annoyed that they actually have to be there.
The last place I went to in DC (Bang Salon) the stylist grumbled and complained that she actually had to dry my hair because (and I quote) "It's so damn long." Seriously - I felt like she wanted me to apologize for having long hair or something. But that's a review for a different time and place.
That being said, I went to Ozuki off of recommendations I read on this very site. And if I wasn't moving across the country, I would go back, and go back, and go back. I asked for Akiko, and she was marvelous. I never use that word, but it's fitting here. Not only did she make the conversation not seem awkward, she also acted pleased to be cutting my hair. Amazing, right? AND she had brilliant ideas about what to do, and my hair looks fantastic, if I do say so myself. I hadn't changed my style in 5+ years and I'm very glad that I waited until I found Akiko to do so.
Highly recommended.
Another happy customer! I hadn't gotten my haircut in over a year because the last haircut I got in DC was a disaster!! I paid too much for a place in Penn Quarter and they really murdered my hair. Anyway, I went in to see Keiko at Ozuki yesterday and she took my shoulder-length straight mess and gave me the cutest pixie cut ever.
I was worried because it was a big change, but she did a great job! Plus, she was fun and easy to chat with. The rest of the staff is great as well - the woman who washed my hair was really friendly, and came by to compliment my haircut when Keiko was finished.
Ozuki is a little hard to find, but it's well worth the effort. Plus, they don't push products on you, which is something I hate about other salons. They'll definitely suggest something if you ask, but otherwise, it's a very low-pressure place. Loved it!
*UPDATED REVIEW!
I got my second hair cut from Akiko.
This time for a longer layered look from my last outgrown A-bob. I wasn't too sure how this would turn out since I didn't want something too "styled" because I'm trying to grow out my hair (dramatically styled hair tends to grow out funny). Akiko remembered me since the last time I saw her (6 months ago!), and knew exactly what I wanted. The result is nothing too dramatic, but I am liking the cut more and more.
Seriously, she cuts hair really well. I don't even have to blow dry or sometimes even brush my really flat hair. It all just falls in the right places and I have this volume on my hair. The bangs are natural and just right.
If you want a really good haircut (no matter what style) that doesn't require any maintenance at all, go see Akiko at Ozuki!
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I love my new hair, and I love Akiko!
Despite some of the last few not-so-positive reviews, I am here to announce to the world that Akiko and my hair was the greatest encounter ever achieved. I have never been so happy about my haircut. I feel pretty vain because any chance I could get to get a reflection of my hair, I am checking my own hair out. Ridiculous.
As soon as I sat down with Akiko, as most of the good reviews here say, she really asked me what I wanted and what I did not want for my hair. Within 2 min, she said "ah hah, I got an idea" and proceeded to explain to me every wonderful thing she would do to my hair. I nodded in agreement.
After 30 some minutes of wet-cutting, dry-cutting, easy styling tips and some good chatting, I was all done and had a big smile on my face. The following day (today), my hair still looks good, and it was almost too easy to style it. And by styling, I mean, brushing my hair. Hah.
Coming from New York, I used to get my hair cut at Hair mates, a pretty popular Japanese salon on Astor pl. Skeptical of a new salon in DC and my flat thin Asian hair that never seemed to have any volume, I found Ozuki from Yelp and made my appointment. Ozuki beats out any New York Japanese salon, and I will even start recruiting my NY friends to visit me for a haircut. Akiko was wonderful, and I'm never going anywhere else!
Ok, I seriously put too much hope in this spot and now I regret stepping out of my bed this morning. Just like the previous reviewer Sarah s, I have curly/wavy hair, very voluminous too. It took me lots of courage to try another place, last time I cut my hair in Philly, disaster and I heard many horror stories about getting a hair cut in DC. I got Shigemi, She seemed unsure what to do, I pointed out my concerns, short cut, ability to still have a small ponytail, something easy and quick for me in the morning, I can't concentrate on my hair, I am always on the go and the morning means, I have to attend meetings, fly out and whatnots. So a short, coupe carre would have been acceptable. I am not saying she sucked, she is obviously experiences, she cut my hair meticulously, she got rid of some volume, I wish it would have been more but then it felt ok, then once done, she put some sort of gel in my hair and started blow drying it but it still remained wet, I guess she didn't really get it when I said, in-between, meaning dried hair but not necessarily straight stick. Anyways, it looked ok then, gel+ wet culry hair looks generally ok.I thought, gee I need some change, let's give it a try.
The real deal though, is once you leave the Salon and let my hair dry, lord, I wanted to hide, exactly what I feared, my hair dried and it became super voluminous. I got home, 02 hours later and my hair looks awful, there is not shape whatsoever, no sign of a cut, I have some long and short hair mixed. I am not happy.
I visited Akiko for the first time this weekend. I am very happy with my hair cut/color and look forward to my next experience. I lived in Japan for three months so I appreciate the talent Japanese hairstylists bring to the table. Definitely worth a try for those looking for a stylist.
Just want to echo the positive reviews given on Akiko at Ozuki. My friend has been getting her hair cut by Akiko for a while now and recommended her to me.
I too have Asian hair. I've worn my hair long for most of my life, except for those occasions when i've gotten really bored and had an itch to cut it really short, only to be horrified and swear never to do it again. Anyway, when I went to Akiko, I wasn't planning on getting my hair cut short. I came in meaning to a mid-length, asymmetrical cut. we talked about it and she thought it woudl be nice to do what i wanted but overall shorter.
it turned out great and i have to give akiko major props because that length has never looked right on me. Akiko was extremely extremely attentive and took a lot of care in cutting my hair. she also showed me how to style it afterwards too. amazingly enough my hair looked BETTER a few days after it was cut.
i've been to asian hairstylists before, but my experience at ozuki was exceptional. no more choppy cuts from stylists without experience w/ asian hair!
this is the first review i've ever written for anything (yes, in life) so you can imagine how much i definitely recommend trying this place out!
I cannot praise Akeiko's abilities with hair enough. Both my boyfriend and I went here to get our haircuts, and we walked out with amazing hair.
She has been the first person to ever give me perfect bangs. I asked for bangs that went straight across my face, which is very hard to perfect, but she nailed it. I live in San Francisco now, and miss Akeiko and her salon. If I could afford it, I would fly back to D.C. for a cut from her.
She was very nice, and not at all pushy with products. My haircut was 65 dollars, which I was glad to pay. Immediately after, everyone complimented me on my great hair. I even got compliments a month later.
I would recommend Akeiko to everyone.
And the Japanese Spice Water hair products they use are AMAZING.
I first learned about Ozuki Salon during DC's Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) because they had a booth selling hair products. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't what I got. I traveled up and down TJ NW looking for them, then realized they were in a large building, across a courtyard (very hidden). Once I walked in, I felt really awkward because right-and I mean RIGHT-in front of me were people getting their hair cut. I had to look around for someone to recognize me and check me in and then looked for where I was supposed to sit and wait. I read reviews of the salon before I went and it was hot and cold. It seems that everyone either had a really good experience or a really bad one, but the consensus was that Shigemi was the best stylist, and I got her. Out of all the stylists, only 3 were Japanese. (2 women, 1 man). The rest of the staff was not. [Even thought Ozuki makes a point on its site that you can choose to conduct your 'experience' in english or Japanese]. I had to wait a little while she cut this guy's hair and then I showed her the pictures of what I wanted it to look like. I think she just didn't understand the pictures. She kept looking and looking at them and nodding to herself or saying things to herself. I didn't think the cut was that difficult, but apparently it was. After shampooing, I did NOT get the famous 'tea and cookie' that everyone says is this salon's hilight. She cut my hair and then blowdried it (I don't know why she round-brush dried it under-I never wear my hair like that and hate it) and then 'texturized it'. She looked like she did NOT know what she was doing and was trying to cut my hair each and every way with everything to try to replicate the picture-in fact she spent 5-10 minutes on one section of my hair until she moved on to the next. At the end, my hair was a bit shorter than what I wanted, and it didn't look like she had slaved for an hour to cut it. All that work to 'texturize' it and it sort of looked like a mousy mullet bob hybrid. I don't think I'll go back again, but I'll have to try and style it myself (without her roundbrush aid) and see how it ends up. Plus side is that I got to speak Japanese ^_^. (and realized how much my Japanese has worsened!!)
go and ask for akiko. good service and a great cut.
really great haircut, and reasonable prices. my mom's a fan, too. for coloring, I usually do it myself because it's hard to explain to others exactly what I'm looking for. A hint: the best strategy going in for a haircut (esp if it's your first time) is to bring a picture of EXACTLY what you want. It's hard sometimes, but hey, picture's worth a thousand words, right?
i just need to find the time to go back, but my hair was cut so well that it hasn't needed any maintenance so far. make appointments well ahead of time.
I think Ozuki might love yelpers as much as we love them. When I arrived at 9am on a Saturday morning for my appointment with Keiko, I noticed that YELP was written very large next to my name. The receptionist was extremely nice, introduced me to Keiko, and we got started. I explained to her that I wanted something drastically different, maybe a bit longer than chin-length, strawberry blondish color. She brought out the color book and we browsed the options together: she was very good at explaining what would work best for me. She also asked what my routine was and the kinds of styling products I used. I was pumped for this haircut!
As she mixed the color another woman loaded my neck down with towels and asked if I would like water, coffee or tea. I asked for green tea but she never returned with it. No big deal, but I still noticed it. Keiko methodically applied my highlights and color and I was able to take in the beauty of the salon. It's one room, which I really really liked. Lots of natural light and you can also look around and see what everyone else is having done. Many of the stylists would also say hello to me while they passed, which I thought was very cool.
After my very indulgent shampoo (they also applied toner-- yay!) I was really excited about my haircolor-- it was exactly what I had asked for. Keiko said she would take about 3 inches off of my hair, which sounded perfect. She did the main chop while it was wet and said she'd do the layering/texturizing once it was dry. I noticed that she didn't cut much off-- maybe more like an inch and a half to two inches and it was more shoulder grazing than chin length. I figured that maybe more would come off once it was dry, but it didn't. I'm satisfied with the cut but it is not the hip trendy style that I asked for--- it's pretty classic and just a shorter version of what I came in with. Still, I love the color.
In the end, I'm glad I tried out Ozuki but I'm not sure if I'll be back. I really love my stylist at Trim and I think they do more inventive and trendy cuts there. I would still recommend Ozuki to people who are looking for a solid cut and color in a very relaxing environment.
Akiko!!! I just moved to DC for the summer, and didn't trust just anyone to cut my hair. After reading the reviews, I decided to take a chance on Akiko, and am so glad that I did! She was fast, friendly, and really good. My hair looks and feels amazing. I would highly recommend her.
I actually found this place through Yelp, and I'm so glad I did!
I went to Akiko for a cut and single-process colour, and everything turned out great. My cut is exactly what I wanted (conservative enough for work, but still stylish so that I don't look like a suburban soccer mom), even though my directions weren't that clear. This is the first time my thin, fine hair has ever had body and fullness. The colour looks great as well.
I saw a fairly diverse range of people when I went here, ranging from young hipster boys to the suburban soccer mom, so I think it's safe to say they can tailor their services to their clientele. The prices are pretty good; mine was $130 for cut + colour, and I have reasonably long hair.
I just had my hair cut and highlighted by Akeiko and feel like I made the right decision. I haven't switched my stylist in 8 years (I have only had 2 in my life) and as I recently moved to Arlington, needed to find another. I have been so anxious about finding a good salon that I hadn't had my hair cut since last July! But, I chose Ozuki based on all of the excellent Yelp reviews and am glad I did.
First of all, I was so happy that Akeiko understood curly/wavy hair. She listened to my concerns and suggested something that could be styled the night before and still look fabulous the next morning. She then taught me how to blow dry my hair so I could reproduce the style at home. The cut is awesome too and is by far the best I have ever had. Yay for that!
I appreciated Akeiko's attention to detail when I had my hair highlighted. She checked the color multiple times, even when I was in the middle of a shampoo. While the highlights are a little more dramatic than I am used to, I think I will grow into them and really enjoy my new style.
The salon itself is pretty small, but they offer you beverages and yummy little Japanese crackers. I parked in the garage on 30th street, which was pretty packed for 11 am on a Thursday and shelled out almost twenty bucks for two and a half hours, so maybe next time I will cab in or something. Either way, it is worth it and I will be going back.
My hair was way overdue for a haircut and I went to Akiko not really knowing what I wanted. My hair is baby fine and somewhat wavy. After a brief consultation, Akiko cut off several inches to a shoulder length layered bob. Her precision cutting gave me layers that fall naturally and are not the least bit choppy or butchered like some I have had in the past.
The length is a tad shorter than I wanted but it is very flattering and after a few weeks, I think it acutally looks better. I simply run a straightening iron through my hair and it looks salon fresh.
I think this is the Salon for you if you are looking for that Victoria Beckham/Katie edgy bob.
My only complaint about the salon is the horrid flourescent lighting. I can't believe how horrible it made me look and I would really hesitate to have my hair colored there because I think the lighting would totally distort the color. I get my hair colored a lot and think the lighting is key to good results.
Simply wonderful. One of the best haircuts I have ever gotten.
Ask for Akiko.
I'm a guy with with typical Asian hair - thick, straight, and kind of sticks out a week or so after a poor haircut. I got a good haircut at a salon in Dupont, but it became clear to me that the lady who cut my hair did not know how to deal with Asian hair. It looked good after the cut, but the way it grew out looked terrible. Long story short, I searched for "Asian hair" on yelp and found Ozuki, and I have been very happy ever since. Shigemi does a great job with my hair. My hair looks good even a month after a haircut (I usually get a cut every 4 weeks). Only downside is the price. $45 + tip for a men's haircut is a bit much, but it's worth it to find someone who does such a great job.
