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Salon Mint
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon-Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- By Appointment Only:
- Yes
68 reviews for Salon Mint
I got a haircut by Zara today. She was superb from beginning to end. I wasn't really sure what I wanted when I walked in and we went over many different styles before we settled for the one I have now. She was really detailed and during the cut, she would make sure I'm satisfy with it.
I would definitely go back for another visit. I would give a five star if I get the same performance the next time I visit.
Zara gave me the haircut I didn't even know I wanted, but now really love :). Given previous reviews I was skeptical too because Mint has the rep of not knowing how to do bangs, but Zara gave me wonderful cute little bangs after so many other hair stylists had told me it wouldn't work with my face/forehead shape ! She also made nice recommendations regarding coloring for highlights etc. Usually stylists dont like to take much of a risk on me, but she was different. Very nice experience and I'm generally a very picky customer. And all done very quick without much debate/fluff talk. Although she is a very sweet lady and we had nice light pleasant conversation.
:)
My wife went there to Jane after reading the reviews and she was pleased as whatever that pleases you!
Really the cut made her look younger and more vivacious, i know does a haircut really make a diffenrence.
If you are in this area, then you should try this place
I love Salon Mint. As others have mentioned, you'd be surprised such a nice place is located in the ol' Courthouse strip mall.
I have been going to Min for the past year or so. She always listens to what I want, which is usually the same. However, when I'm in the mood for a bit of a change, she knows just how to fix it up. I have really long, thick hair and she does a great job with layering so it feels light and isn't a giant poof ball. On top of that, she's a sweet lady who's easy to talk to, but doesn't force awkward conversation on you if you're not in the mood to chat.
I moved to DC about 6 months ago but still make the 30-min trek out to VA every couple months to have Min cut my hair. Combined with the excellent price, it is well worth it.
The only cons I can possibly mention are that their hair washing sinks are not very comfortable and that you usually have to call pretty far in advance to get an appointment with Min. But neither of those are enough to make me lower my ranking to 4.
Had my second appointment with Audrey yesterday.
I decided this would be the make-or-break, since the first good experience could have been a fluke. All I'm gonna say is, how can you argue with a shampoo, cut, dry, and style for $45, plus an hour of my life sitting in a stylist's chair that feels more like a gabfest with a bff than stabbing myself in the eyeballs? You can't.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/27/2009
The search for a great stylist is officially OVER! Audrey is fantastic. I have been searching for… Read more »
I was surprised guys cuts were only $28, which is a lot more reasonable than the 30-40 i was expecting. With that knowledge in hand, i decided to give salon mint a try.
I booked a same day appointment with Zara and was really pleased with my hair cut. I had just recently decided to go with a small faux hawk, and i wanted someone to cut my hair with that in mind. she did a great job, taking her time. her technique and cuts were careful and precise.
ive had a few days to style the hair and also observe it in its natural out of shower state and am still very impressed. i normally just go to hair cuttery, but i may start splurging to come back here.
the only reason i didnt give 5 stars was because i love scalp massages, and unfortunately zara didnt really do one. maybe its an asian thing.
After a 6 month break where I went to a Bubbles closer to my work, I decided to go back to Zara. I tried to save some time by going to a salon within 5 minutes of my office but it ended up costing more and not being what I wanted in the end. So went to see Zara again and she spent time "fixing" my cut so that it was closer to what I wanted. She layered and trimmed uneven areas she found in my cut.
I recommend her for thick and course or curly hair. She literally cuts every strand with care. Which as anyone knows who has hard to deal with hair is important because the hair does what it wants so you need to give it special attention. She took about an hour and half on it total including wash, blow dry and trim. She blow dries it first since my hair is wavy and course and then she texturizes it. It's really the best cutting job ever. It does take time though but worth it. Cost is still very reasonable at $50.
I plan to go back for color next time.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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2/9/2009
Yay! So I did my hair myself over the weekend and it's perfect. I was worried that the layers were… Read more »
I went back to Min last week for a major change. I needed something different and she delivered. First she did an initial cut of 8 inches! Then did a baseline angled bob and finished up with a bunch of texture. I'm always amazed by the amount of time and detail she takes with me - and I'm sure every other customer.
Once again I'm so glad I've found a legit place to get my hair cut so close to home without paying outrageous prices. Can't say enough good things about this place.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/4/2009
Excellent. I was woo'd by all the Yelp reviews and in desperate need of a haircut (read: last… Read more »
I went to this place for the first time a couple of weeks ago and got the best haircut of my life !!
I had Min and she was wonderful, but honestly at every chair in the salon i saw women getting gorgeous haircuts/stylings so it seems that whoever you wind up with here you will walk out with great hair.
I went to Salon Mint for the first time yesterday and went to Zara -per recommendations seen here. She knew exactly how to correct my haircut to work best for my length (little longer than chin length) and hair type (wavy) and spent an entire hour just trimming here and there to make it perfect. Definitely knows what she's doing & she does it well! And the kicker is, it was only $45!
GO SEE JANE!
For all y'all that can't seem to get an appointment with Audrey or Min, Jane is a new employee that you will -not- be disappointed with.
My first visit at Salon Mint was back in January, and what impressed me back then was the amount of questions Min asked and the attention to detail she gave in getting to know my hair and what types of things I liked with regards to it. Cue up late February when I couldn't get an appointment at Salon Mint and ended up going back to my stylist. Now, I love my old stylist dearly, but every time I told her I wanted something different, I ended up leaving with the *same* exact cut. Kinda like being in a marriage where, one night you think you and your man are really gonna turn it out, but instead you end up having the same ho-hum sex in the same ho-hum positions. Yeah.....no.
I called SM a week ago looking for an appointment and found that I wasn't going to get lucky for another three weeks, so in sensing my frustration, the receptionist suggested Jane. I asked why she would recommend her and she told me she'd seen Jane's work and that she had alot of experience. I told her what I really appreciated about having seen Min last time, and based on those things, I was assured I would really like Jane. Okay. Sold.
I arrived early for my 10am appointment and was asked (by Min) if I'd like any coffee or something to drink. I was good to go, but did recall how hospitable everyone is. Jane greeted me and started to get a feel for me right away. During the wash, she told me some of the ways in which she can tell what type of cut is good for a person's hair, that each person's hair has it's own map, and gave me a sense of where she I thought I was top heavy (with my hair, of course. It will be the day the earth stands still before I am graced with being top heavy anywhere else!).
She proceeded to cut, dry, flat iron, cut some more, smooth and then set into place what was once a wrongly cut head of hair into something sexay and stylish. She even took some extra time to show me how to section my hair and flat iron it, which is something I've never done before. After we were done I realized an hour and 15 minutes had passed. Talk about attention to detail, Jane did a phenomenal job in offering me styling tips and showing me how to do some of the things she suggested. I should have brought a note pad because I lost half of those thoughts over plates of food at A & J shortly thereafter.
Believe me...now when I need a hair cut, I'll be calling and asking for Jane. She's new to the shop, but she's a pro. Give her a shot and see for yourself.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/13/2009
With the start of a new year, I was thinking it was time to do something a 'lil different with the… Read more »
Since Michele D told me to, I SAW JANE!
I haven't had a haircut since July, so decided on Salon Mint since I can't leave this area without a DC Yelp experience here. I did, and I'm happy with the result. Jane trimmed a couple of inches off and worked it to give my hair more texture. If I decide to go short again, I'll be sure to go back to her for it. She was friendly and helpful with giving style tips without being condescending. Very pleased.
Okay - I am REALLY late in writing this review (I had my haircut back in Jan 09...but better late than never, right?
For some reason, I had no problem spending $40 for mani/pedi once in awhile...but it's really hard for me to spend $40 for a haircut (mental issue-I am used to paying HKD$40/USD$5 for haircut).
Based on all the rave reviews from the Elite Yelpers and seeing all their great cuts...I had to try Salon Mint. I called one day back in Jan to make an appointment. I was LUCKY that Audrey had an evening opening (due to cancellation) that same week.
I got to the salon (plenty of parking in the lot), receptionist greeted me and offered me some hot tea (perfect to warm-up my freezing hands!)
I met Audrey...she was very professional and down-to-earth...asked me what I wanted. I told her I wanted something low maintenance (wash and go kinda cut). She told me that I should keep my hair short based on my face and features. I was like - go for it.
Audrey was very friendly, we had a nice chat while getting my hair cut. After less than an hour, it was done!! I put my glasses back on...I already really like my cut (It usually takes me awhile to like my haircuts.) It was short at just the right length, right above my shoulder, the layers were perfect.
Now - here's the best part. I got tons compliments for my haircut (friends/co-workers)...I even got a few double compliments from a few people. OKAY - This is definitely money well-spent ($40) for this many compliments!!!
I also took my sister here for a cut too, she got a cute cut from another stylist!! I will definitely come back for my next haircut!!
I usually book my appointments with Audrey! But with her busy schedule and a photo shoot coming I had to get my hair done. Last time I went somewhere else and my experience was not the best so I decided to go back to Salon Mint. This time I got Min!
MIN DID AN AMAZING JOB!!
I love both Min and Audrey! I can trust them both with my hair. Now that I have two great hairstylists, I can have a date that fits for me and I'll go to whoever is available.
Once I get my headshots in New York, I'll post them up and you can see what an amazing job Min did!
SALON MINT will always be my number one choice :)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/2/2008
Audrey is amazing ::exclamation mark::
I love my hair color! I think this is the lightest I have… Read more »
Come on people, if we keep giving this place 5 stars we're never going to be able to get appointments with Audrey!
I've been putting off writing this review for MONTHS now because, well, it takes me roughly 1 1/2 months to book an appointment with Audrey. I briefly contemplated giving one star to throw off the scent, but decided against it because (1) Surely everyone would be able to see right through me and (2) it would not be in the TRUE spirit of yelp. AND because it was yelp that lead me to my sweet sweet Audrey!
So of course I have the usual to say blah blah blah amazing blah blah blah hair prodigy blah blah blah a better than sex.
The best about Audrey is that she's HONEST. Recently I decided I wanted to grow my hair back out, I went to book my next appointment because, let's face it, with a schedule like hers you better book your next appointment as soon as she's done cutting your hair, maybe even before! Anyway, she said to me, "I shouldn't be telling you this, because I'm your hairdresser, but if you want your hair to grow don't come see me for the next 10 weeks." Usually when you're growing your hair they give you this spiel about how cutting helps your hair grow, thanks to Audrey I know this is all LIES!
When I first went to her I had hair halfway down my back and wanted to shorten it gradually. Her first cut brought my hair to my shoulders and second to my chin. The cuts made my feel sexy and the color made me feel like a rock star.
My only advice to you is book your appointments early and often, because between me, my mother, my two sister in laws, and my best friend, we have Salon Mint booked and on speed dial!
Audrey is to my hair as Ray's the Steaks is to my belly and the Steelers are to my heart.
I'm a low maintenance girl. I don't get my hair cut NEARLY as often as I should. It's just a lot of work, you know? Making the appointment, getting out to the place, sitting in the chair for two hours.
Okay, maybe lazy's the word. I'm a lazy girl.
The endless stream of compliments I receive when I emerge from Salon Mint with a new haircut, though? That's some serious motivation to get my butt to the salon more often.
And I don't just get your run-of-the-mill compliments [not that those are bad] when I go to Salon Mint. I get *second* compliments.
Second compliments, for those who don't know [and that's probably most of you, because I kind of just made it up] are when someone goes out of their way to compliment you AGAIN on something that you've just changed or purchased, or what-have-you. Like coming back five minutes later to say, "No, seriously, I really like the haircut."
Yeah, second compliments are pretty awesome. And now Min's going to have some new clients, because I definitely have been making referrals left and right. With two awesome stylists under the same roof, Salon Mint is quite a powerhouse.
All I have to say is that people had better not start booking up Min like they have Audrey, because I'm planning on getting my hair cut more often!
Oh, and I've got pictures here - http://www.flickr.com/... - just keep in mind that this was a couple of days after the cut. I still love it, but Min styles way better than I do.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/10/2008
Everything nice, wonderful, and lovely that everyone has said about Salon Mint is 500% true.
That's… Read more »
So after not being wowed by Jane, I booked an appointment with Min, or so I thought. My appointment was initially set for 8/22, then the receptionist called back saying they had an opening on 8/15 which I took instead. Turns out she wrote the exact opposite in the date book, not a huge issue but a little annoying nonetheless.
I adored Min's personality. She's super sweet, funny and doesn't feel the need to make pointless conversation. She told me all the things I've been doing wrong when it comes to my hair, which none of my other myriad of stylists ever bothered to mention. Apparently, you should only get an all over dye-job if you have grey hair. You should get partial highlights or lowlights if you're sans grey. This will prevent your hair from being fuzzy on the ends and flat at the roots (the exact complaint I've had for years!). She also took forever with my hair, not once did I feel rushed.
So why 3 stars? I showed her a picture of my hair as a kid and said I was aiming for that color (a light golden brown/blonde). I also said I was thinking about growing my hair out but it was at an awkward stage right now, so I was okay with her taking about 3 inches off if she had to. She did the partial highlights and my hair is now a slightly brassy brownish red. I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt here that maybe there was just too much crap on my hair to make any significant headway towards the hair of my youth. She also cut my hair and dried it and while it was a bit shorter than I would have liked, it was a really great cut. Then she said she wanted to do some texturizing to make it lay even better. *Twirl*Cut*Twirl* Next thing I know, I have no hair. Well, I do but it's way shorter than I ever wanted it to be. It's a good cut, but it's so not me. I'm a classic, tried and true kind of girl. This hair cut is edgy and requires waking up an extra 30 mins earlier each morning to try to tame it.
I thought about it and thought about it and I think I'm going to go back to Min. She took care of the health of my hair and everything she did, she did well. I'm just going to make sure I'm explicitly clear about what I want.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/21/2009
So I took the below advice and went to see Jane. Maybe she was having an off day? My hair cut is… Read more »
I called to make an appointment with Audrey after reading all these positive reviews. It was my first time at Salon Mint and was pretty nervous b/c stylist always have a hard time cutting my wavy/curly hair -- they either layer TOO much or cut it straight across!
First and foremost, I was thankful that Audrey listened to everything I had to say about my hair texture and what I wanted (well, I didn't know 100% exactly what I wanted). I told her that I usually wear my hair wavy, wanted my curls to be more alive, and that I wanted to keep some of the length! Then she explained what would work for my hair texture and what she'd need to do in order to get the style I wanted.
Another thing that's always so important to me (and which I forgot to address to her during the talk) is that I need both sides to be of equal length. It seems that a lot of stylist have difficulty with making the right/left sides even lengthed even when I stress it so much. However, Audrey AMAZINGLY made both sides of my hair perfectly even!!!
I'm not sure how to explain how she cut my hair except that she gave me layers, but the layers she gave me were so much better than the layers stylists have given me in the past!! She said the haircut she gave me would be good for both curly-wear and straight-wear (I hadn't told her that in the beginning, but that is actually what I wanted, so WOW!! She read my mind!!!) I thought my haircut came out tremendously well at the salon, but when I went home and washed my hair and got it wavy/curly again, I was AMAZED!!!!!!!!
Somehow my curls were more lively and not weighed down! It actually looked like I got a perm!! :D I didn't know a haircut could make such difference in my curls!
I booked an appointment with her for October and found out that she's booked a month ahead!! So if you want to get a haircut by Audrey, you should make an appointment NOW!! Even if you have to wait, the haircut she'll give you is totally worth it!!!!!!
Thanks Audrey!! I LOVE the haircut!!! See you in two months!!
I've been feeling a little under the weather and wanted a change. A couple friends of mine had gotten their haircut here a few weeks back and recommended Audrey (especially since I was gonna go short and she's supposed to be awesome with short cuts).
I called on a Monday and was told Audrey would be booked for the next month and a half! I was disappointed but the receptionist was very nice and polite and offered to put me on the cancellation list. I figured I'd have a month to grow out my hair some more and maybe change my mind about snipping it all away. Cutting my hair must have been fate because I got a phone call Tuesday about a cancellation on Thursday! I was ecstatic. I couldn't believe it.. I even called back Wednesday to confirm my appointment just to make sure it was true!
I love my A-line bob. I brought in a picture to show Audrey what I wanted and she was very knowledgable about my hair type, the way it grows out, all of the things that would affect my hair cut. She also discussed with me the types of products and round brush I should use to give my hair more texture and volume. All of my questions were answered and we even talked about the areas we live, how she met her husband and what I go to school for. She was very friendly and not in a rush at all.
$45 bucks?! That's a STEAL. I'm used to driving to DC and paying $100 for a cut and leaving not so content and thinking, "I'll like it more when it grows out in a week." Not like that here. I was happy when I walked in and I was 10x as happy when I walked out.
A great pick-me-upper. I feel and look fantastic!
I grew up in a frugal Chinese household which included home haircuts until I was 12. I was definitely sporting the bowl/mushroom head cut way past the acceptable age of 5. It wasn't until I was 12 that I was allowed to venture from the blunt cut bangs and chin length hair. That was also the year I discovered beauty schools that would cut your hair for $8-12. There were 3 in the Boston area at my disposal - Blaine Beauty School, L.I.B.S., and New England Hair Academy. I don't mind being a guinea pig since they are supervised by skilled instructors. My haircuts were simple - just straight across, nothing complicated or trendy. For the next 10 years, this was one of my money-saving tactics.
Since graduating college, I've had the good fortune to be able to visit Hong Kong a few times. There I discovered professional haircuts for $15-20. My thermal reconditioning/Japanese straightening treatments would go for $500 in the US vs. $60-100 in HK. Same pricing goes for digital perming, another innovative Japanese hair technology. As a result, my perception of cost and value for hair services is totally skewed.
I decided that I would let my hair grow out in between trips to HK- my last stretch was 16 months without a haircut. Hey, I gotta save money where I can so I can continue to eat out the way I do. I had a few inches cut off and a digital perm in May. 6 months of growth and I had hair down to the top of my ribcage. It was taking too long to blow dry in the mornings and I decided that it had to go. I consulted my stylista Thuy L. about salons since my experience with professional haircuts in the states is limited. She recommended Salon Mint which I'd been following for quite some time on yelp thanks to raves from Kevin L., Michelle P., Stef W., etc. I called up and I was able to get an appointment with Min as Audrey was booked until January.
I consulted more with Thuy and she recommended I go for a side-swept bang and get layers. I found a picture of what I wanted with a simple google search. I had also been thinking about donating my hair to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths program since it's min. 8 inches (vs. Locks of Love's min 10 inches). Please consider donating your hair if you have enough - http://www.beautifulle....
Min is just a darling. I told her I had two goals - to maximize my hair donation but to still achieve the cut in the picture I was supplying. She said no problem, tied my hair in an elastic and snipped off a 10+ inch ponytail. She then studied the picture for a bit and went to work. She is so meticulous. Even after the initial blow dry, she continued to texturize my hair and was a perfectionist about ensuring every hair was even and in its right place. You can't rush perfection so I was very pleased that she took her time. It was exactly the cut in the picture.
$45 is a good price for a woman's haircut these days, and a downright bargain for the quality. My next cut probably won't be for another year and it'll probably take place in Hong Kong, land of the $15 haircut. But if I'm need of a cut before then, I'm coming back to Salon Mint.
I got my haircut from Audrey this past Thursday. It took about a month and a half to get an appointment and I had to take off work early to go. The receptionist was very nice and greeted us right away. There was not that many stylists working and no one was in the waiting area. Audrey took me on time.
Audrey was really nice and my girlfriend actually ended up knowing her. She did exactly what I wanted and walked me through the whole haircut. She also gave me her opinion of what I should do with my hair which I really appreciate because all my stylists never tell me what they really think. Overall I was satisfied with my haircut. My bangs is not exactly what I had pictured it and that's why I gave the salon 4 stars. I will definitely go back again for another haircut.
This really is a "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" I find it hard to ever give anything a perfect score. I always feel like you should hold back for something really extraordinary. Well, this is it.
I went to Salon Mint on Saturday with an overgrown mess of a hair "style" and spent (probably too much) time explaining to Zara what I wanted. Choppy, sexy, messy, shorter hair. I've been trying to explain this cut to stylists for years...this dream cut...and I actually had come to expect that it would always be less than I really hoped. I even had begun to think that maybe my hair couldn't do what I was envisioning. Zara proved me wrong.
She took her time, used several different methods (including a really cool razor comb), and talked to me throughout the process about what she was doing. In the end, when she blow dried it out, I was amazed. It was EXACTLY what I wanted.
I've already made a follow up appointment to maintain what Zara created. Thanks to the Yelpers who recommended this place!
So I recently was the "victim" of Yelp and all you Yelpers (me included). After reading all these reviews and Kevin L's personal recommendation, I decided to try out Salon Mint. I called on multiple occasions to try and get an appointment with Min and then later Audrey but they were booked solid on days that were open for me. I finally settled for Sara and went for a haircut last Friday evening as that was only open slot last weekend.
I like the interiors of the place - clean and not cluttered as other places sometimes are. Also there was no in-your-face display of overly expensive styling product too :)
After a warm greeting, Sara started by finding out what I had in mind for a haircut, if I preferred clippers or just scissors, etc. Once we were set on our plan, she shampooed my hair.
Sara did a good job with my hair considering it was something new that I was trying out other than my usual. She was very precise in her technique and took her time getting it all right.
It was worth my trip from Arlington and I will most definitely be back :)
You know me. The most I know about fashion is that my socks (oops, I've been corrected: this should be shoes) should match my belt. I can barely tell the difference between a mullet and a mohawk. Fashion and style have never really been my fortes. Heck, my mom still mails me clothes every so often. Apparently those genes never made it into my DNA.
So when I walked into Salon Mint after all of the rave reviews, I still wasn't sure what to expect. Would I have to know about styling and products and exactly how I wanted to look? Nope, not at all. The only direction I provided was that I wanted my hair cleaned-up, shorter, and easily manageable. Min did her clipping and snipping, and now I have short, fun, and quick-fix hair that I like. It's not utilitarian, it's playful!
For $25, I got a shampoo before and after my cut, some lovely conversation with the super sweet Min, and even some valuable styling advice, along with some product recommendations based on my line of questioning. I'm still not entirely clear on what the difference is between pomade and forming cream, but at least I know which one I should use!
Oh... and just to reiterate: shampoo before -and- after my cut. Hello, brilliant! I don't have to walk out to my car and lean over so I can try to rub all the loose bits of hair out of my head before getting in. Am I the only one excited about this?!
I'm pretty sure that I'm a convert - I don't know that I could go back to a barbershop after the magic of Min!
They say that when you go to get your hair cut, you should judge your hair dresser based on their hair cut. If that was the case, i probably should have switched hair dressers a long time ago... her hair looked like it came out of 1985!. But i had had the same one since i was 5 and was absolutely terrified to try someone else. Yet, after being completely fed up with my "old woman" haircut, i decided to try this place out. I figure if its good enough for hte very stylish Kevin L., then its good enough for me :)
Min was just about the sweetest person ever. I'm sure she could tell i was nervous and totally calmed me down by asking about me and my life and what kevin had already told her about me :P And she did a PHENOMENAL job with my hair. It finally looks stylish and not completely ridiculous. I love it!
They also take care of the little things, like hanging up the sweater i threw on the floor and teaching me how to properly style my hair in different ways. It almost looks as good today as it did yesterday.
All of this for $45? And its right down the street and not all the way in Maryland. I'm sorry to my hairdresser that i've been going to since 1988... you're just not going to cut it anymore. I will definitely be back to min!
I have to agree with Quyen T. I made an appointment to see Min two weeks in advance because of the rave reviews on Yelp. Min was friendly and asked lots of questions, but I also left disappointed--and with very mullet like hair! Thinking that I was just in shock, I waited about a week before writing this review, which was probably a mistake. Last Monday, she might have gotten a 3, but right now, it's definitely a two! My hair isn't very easily styled--the shorter layers she cut don't seem to want to behave and stick out awkwardly. Guess she's just no good with my hair. I might be wiling to try Audrey next time or I'll shell out the extra cash to go to Ozuki.
Finally, the place was completely empty when I was there. For a place that is supposedly so busy and appointments are hard to schedule, it was curious that there was no one there!
This review is a long time coming, so here goes. I went to see Min back in March because of the stellar reviews here on Yelp. Unfortunately, I had an event coming up and would have had to wait 3 weeks before being seen if I wanted to come to the salon on a Sat. So, I made an appt for a cut and partial highlights and had to come in during work hours on a Thurs.
It's right in the heart of Fairfax City near the courthouse. The salon itself is located in a strip mall with a grocery store & if you don't look for it, you could miss it.
The staff is friendly, and I had a great conversation with Min while she worked with me for almost 3 hours (I have seriously thick coarse wavy hair that tends to frizz). She gave me exactly what I wanted & I don't think anyone has ever "gotten" me when it comes to hair styles. She thinned out my hair cutting a lot of layers (with scissors, no razor), cut my bangs perfectly straight across, but texturized them so they didn't look so blunt, and gave me highlights the exact same color of the sample - auburn/reddish. My coworkers knew that I definitely didn't "have a dr's appt" (excuse that most people use).
I've been back since then & I always leave sooooooo happy! All of my girlfriends go to Audrey and/or Min now.
I'll have to post my next cut & color, but my last cut looked exactly like this:
http://www.gallery.bec...
A few pieces of advice:
*don't expect a glamorous salon with all of the amenities aka. Salon Bleu, PR Partners, etc.
*even Min is busy, so plan to make an appt at least 2-3 weeks in advance
*ask questions, if you're unsure of something
I hate to break the cycle of good reviews for Salon Mint, but I have to give my honest input in my own review. I was HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED with the outcome of my haircut! Not only did it take me almost 2 months to book an appointment with Audrey (granted, I will say that my friend and I both booked the appointment at the same time on the same day so that might have factored into the long wait), but for what I paid for the services?!!! $200 is ABSOLUTELY FREAKIN' RIDICULOUS!!!!! I was under the impression that Salon Mint would be an economical salon that would deliver with great potential. It just left my wallet feeling dented and my hopes obliterated.
To start off with, I WILL say that Audrey is a very friendly person who did engage in a nice dialogue with her clients. I'll give her that much. But that lady CANNOT cut bangs, for some odd reason. I wasn't even asking for anything spectacular. I just wanted my side-swept bangs to be trimmed so that it would not fall into my eyes (you don't know how frustrating it is to be driving and you can't even see if it was a red light you ran or not, lol). She f*cked it up majorly. I had to go to my local salon for an emergency "fixer-upper". The hairstylist there laughed at me and asked, "What in the world? Did you try to cut your own bangs?" and the sad part is, I PAID A PROFESSIONAL TO CUT IT FOR ME!!
Next grievance I had with Salon Mint is the outcome of my highlights!!!!!!! I told her that I wanted to "freshen" up my blonde highlights, and that whatever she could do to tone down any potential brassiness would be great. She nodded and proceeded to explain in full details what she planned to do (which is quite nice, at least I wasn't left in the dark during the entire time)..........however, as it was getting nearer and nearer to the end, my stomach lurched and I had a dry lump in the back of my throat. THE RESULT WAS NOT WHAT I HAD EXPECTED! In fact, it looked much much worse than this one time I went to the Hair Cuttery to get my highlights done. I literally could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. And Audrey kept telling me, "Don't worry, it will look better once you shampoo it." I just wanted to jump up and smash the mirror!
So over all, very friendly service albeit not very easy in terms of securing an appointment especially with Audrey (I guess she's the more popular one of them all??) I was sorely disappointed, as was my friend.
I just remember us saying "WHAT THE F*CK! WHAT THE F*CK!" over and over and over again as we left the salon.....*sigh* So I wasted $200 that I could have very well just saved by going to my normal salon. This is what I get for steering away from what's tried-and-true in my normal salon. You guys! I recommend you go to Jon David Salon instead! Great service and great hair outcome! :)
I know a lot of people are going to vehemently disagree with my review, but bear in mind...it was my OWN PERSONAL experience.
I am usually too lazy to write full reviews but I feel so strongly about Audrey and Salon Mint that I will list reasons to go there in bullet format.
- A women's haircut is only $40 (so you can spend more money on new clothes or shoes because you will feel fabulous as soon as you walk out of there)
- Audrey is cute and stylish...always a plus when trying to choose a new hairdresser
- She remembers details about your life and texture of your hair so you don't feel like just another customer
- She never tries to push you to buy salon products
- She does whatever you tell her but will make suggestions on how to spice your style up
- She teaches you how to style so you can recreate the look at home
My only complaint is that Audrey has gotten so popular that it takes a while to book an appointment with her. So what are you waiting for call now!
I got a better haircut here for $45 than I did the last three times at my regular salon for $85. I sometimes have to "fix" my haircut after I get home and see that one side is longer than the other. I hate that! I didn't have to do that this time. It's perfect! I don't think I'm going back to my regular place now that I found Salon Mint. Ask for Zara if you want a really precise, methodical, even and symmetrical haircut. She's great! She just needs to work on bangs a little. Another reviewer below had the same issue. But that's a minor thing for me because the rest of the cut was so nice.
Also, there was no wait. I got right in. No one pushes products on you either. It's just a really relaxed place. Everyone there seems really friendly and low-key.
I loved this salon! It was great and really professional looking.
I had Zara as my hair stylist and right when I sat down I let her know what I wanted and she did exactly that. I wanted to keep it long but needed a trim and she did it beautifully. She was great to talk to and I really enjoyed myself. It was a great salon experience.
The place is really clean and it's very fresh looking. Everyone was so friendly. I will definitely go there again.
I didn't give 5 stars because she cut me some bangs and they weren't as styled as I was hoping, just cut very straight across. But overall I loved this place!
I grew up in VA and I never ever found a hair stylist that i liked so much I wanted to stick with her/him. When I found these reviews for Salon Mint I knew I had to check it out and luckily I had a big head o' hair that needed some desperate attention. I went in on a wednesday at 11AM and Audrey was my hair stylist and Toni was my waxer. I got there early for Audrey so Toni moved my appointment up and did my bikini wax first. It's been a while and I had forgotten how uncomfortable it can be to be waist-down naked in front of a stranger wearing plastic gloves and coming at you with hot wax. She did a good job though and i didn't feel embarrassed by the end of the appointment.
On to the (head) hair: Audrey called me out on my long hair, saying it was too much for my face, but did agree that because i have such rebellious frizzy hair (and its naturally straight...grr) a short do would not...do. plus i love me some long hair so we compromised and she went to work. We talked a little bit...I'm not good with chit chat so we talked about hair options and ways I could tame my wild angry hair. She was really nice and didn't rush and was a perfectionist with her shears.
my hair looked wicked sexy when i left and the next day too. A $40 cut is really reasonable considering she worked on me for an hour, but I would have liked the wax to be a bit more economic. A bikini wax (inner thigh only) is $40, a french (top and sides) is $50 and a brazilian is $80.
I had an appointment with Min. I had colored my hair at home and it turned out pretty bad because it was really spotty in some places. Min fixed the color and gave me some great natural looking high lights. She cut my hair and all that good stuff... I loved my experience here, but the only reason I'm holding off giving this place 5 stars is because Min did cut my bangs shorter than I asked her to. But, whatever.
But yeah... everyone is real friendly and all that. Nice, clean environment.
I wish it was closer to my house, but I will be coming here for Min because I think she's better than other stylists that I've experienced with before.
To say that my hair is thick is an understatement. I've been told that rather than hair, I have bristles. I once broke a pair of clippers at Hair Cuttery. My hair defies gravity and keeps growing outward, creating a nice KFro/Microphone/poof effect, until at a specific point, much like titration, gravity just barely wins out and my hair falls down. And when it grows this long, it will often curl and some individual hairs will have become so damaged that they look like pubes. Yes, you read right: pubes - you know, the kind you find in your bar of soap when you're showering after someone?
To complicate matters, my hair grows back incredibly fast. If I go with a 0 guard on the sides and back, I'll have the head equivalent of a 5 o'clock shadow. To keep my hair nice and tidy, and not so poofy, I need a haircut every 2 weeks or so. I've gone for as long as 3 months without a cut but that was problematic b/c a) I had pube hair, b) my wife (then gf) found it disgusting, and c) I had a nice rat tail emerging in the back. She was able to get me to cut it when she would stroke the rat tail and probably called it some cutesy name you'd call it a cat or a dog.
Consequently, I've always gotten my haircut at places that were both close to home and cheap. When I was a kid, my mom cut my hair. Growing up, I got my haircut at various basements of ahjumah's (old Korean ladies), and the one rule about these places, like Fight Club, you do not talk about them. Oh crap. I guess I just talked about 'em. Then I got my haircut at Hair Cutteries, and I settled on a method for finding the right "stylist" by turning on my gaydar. Oh, who am I kidding? I just got my haircut from the ONE dude who worked there, and there was always one dude working at each one I've been to and they've all been flaming! After much searching, and breaking several clippers, I finally settled on one stylist, and she's been doing a decent job on my hair, at a reasonable price, with industrial strength clippers, and to top it off, it's not in her basement.
So despite my insistence on proximity and frugality, when some of my fave Yelpers, Kevin L., PC W. and Jenn H. all recently raved about Salon Mint, I seriously considered it. And then at the Johnny Boy's UYE, Kevin, being the marketer he is, sold my wife on making a trip there and we decided to make it a family trip. On the way home from La Plata, MD, we called and we were able to secure an appointment for a little over a week later, both of us with Min - apparently, appointments with Audrey are much harder to book.
It's located in a pretty crusty looking strip mall, complete with that old school tile on the roof that looks like wood. Really? A swanky--yes, $20+ on a haircut is swanky for me--in a place like this? We were greeted by Min and she took my wife first. The waiting area is pretty nice with tons of trashy gossip mags, but no mags for us guys, unless you're into finding out all the goings on Re: Jennifer, Brad, and Angelina. Min worked for about an hour on my wife's hair and it was fabulous! My wife says the real test will be after a week, apparently, something about how easy it is to manage, and something something else. *shrug* I'm the type of guy, when asked, "Do you notice anything different about me today?" will respond, "Uh, you're wearing a different shirt today than yesterday," so I have no clue.
Then came the moment of truth. My first haircut over $20! No longer would Mr. Jackson suffice for the cut and tip; he'd need to bring along his friend Mr. Hamilton at least, and maybe Mr. Washington and Mr. Jefferson would need to join him as well. The first thing she did was study my hair and head. Then she asked how I would like it cut. I answered her question with a question, "How would YOU like it cut?" I mean, it's a $25 haircut, so I figured a quiz were appropriate. She thought short and messy on top would be good. I agreed. And off she went. She was a master wielding the clippers - whereas most barbers take to my head like a butcher, she struck with the precision of a surgeon or perhaps even a ninja. As my new hair was taking shape, I found Min to be a darling and we had a nice conversation. Turns out she's Korean and she's been doing hair for 17 years, and her experience shows. The thickness of my hair and the odd shape of my head usually make for a steep learning curve for any barber, but Min got it right the first time.
Unlike Kevin, I didn't get a shampoo before, but I did get one after, and it was sooooo relaxing. My haircut was also $28 rather than $25, so either the prices went up or they tacked on a $3 thick hair charge. Other than the precision with which she cut my hair, I like both Audrey and Min b/c they both seem to know what's in style, which I definitely appreciate since what's in style for me is the latest offerings at Marshall's.
The price and distance deter me from being a regular, but for special occasions when I need to get my hair did, I'll be going to Salon Mint!
It took me 2 months to get my appointment with Audrey. I told her I wanted to keep my current length, just a trim, typical long layers and bangs. I was hoping to come out of the salon with amazing beautiful hair! That didn't happen cause my hair was just mediocre. It was a good cut for the money and I was pleased... just not estatic. It was $40 and well worth what I paid for.
Audrey does a good job with cutting and like what others said, she spends a good amount of time being attentive to your hair and knows what she's doing. I guess if you are looking to get a safe haircut, this is the place to go. Otherwise if you are looking for something more fun or sexy, you'll need to spend more $$ elsewhere.
audrey is even BETTER than the reviews say!!! how is that possible, you ask? well... this new mommy wanted to get herself a new mommy haircut which wasn't actually so mommy-like after all. (translation: i needed to go short but still wanted to try to look hip and hopefully hot too!)
i was thinking along the lines of posh (before her new supershort 'do) meets rihanna when she first went short meets katie holmes (once again, before she went way short and sans bangs)... anyway, you get the picture. long in front and short in back - kind of a reverse mullet, but with the party in the front and the business in the back.
don't forget that i'm MUFASA here, people. i did the short 'do about a decade ago and swore that i would never subject myself to being so mushroom-headed ever again.
anyhow, i walked in a little scared and walked out ELATED. and now my hair belongs to someone less fortunate since i donated my locks to be made into a wig. my good friend, kat k, persuaded me to donate to pantene's beautiful lenghts http://www.beautifulle... over locks of love. i've uploaded some pix to really show my before and after, and i'm thinking i'll be keeping this after for quite a long time. the only complaint i have now is that i have to make sure i plan my next cut way ahead of time since audrey books up so fast thanks to you yelpers! :)
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9/6/2006 First to Review
My friends call me MUFASA. It's b/c my mane o thick hair would rival the likes of Chubaka. (At… Read more »
I really really wished that I could have left a happy customer who couldn't wait to return. Based on all the rave reviews about Jane, I called and made an appointment with her. Despite having to be asked to reschedule twice, I went in feeling good about all the good things I'd read.
It started off okay with Jane asking about the condition of my hair -- whether it was dried with a blow dryer or air dried. Apparently, that makes a difference in how she cuts. Perhaps I should have taken a picture to give a visual for what I wanted but I gave her pretty technical terms: a stacked bob. Usually when I say that, hair dressers can look at my round asian face and cut in a way to accent the good and hide the bad. But then again, perhaps I shouldn't have assumed that just because I was going to an Asian hair dresser she would know how to give me an appealing haircut.
I think I should have known I was not going to be a happy customer when she started snipping away and creating odd angles and texturizing the heck out of my hair. The result was a shaggy, shapeless mess of my otherwise beautiful hair. I tend to believe that hair dressers should at least know what they're doing and should at least attempt to give flattering hair cuts but not this time. I finally asked if I could please show her what I'm looking for. However, being a hair dresser .. if you're not sure what the customer is looking for, wouldn't you go get a picture book and find a visual yourself before cutting? Even my previous hair dresser whom I've been seeing for over 7 years continues to take the 30 seconds it takes to walk over and find a picture of what I may be talking about before she even touches my hair.
After showing her what I was looking for and trying not to look at my mishapen hair, she was able to create some form of a haircut for me. She'd already cut too much from what I could tell but I do have to give her credit for actually being able to make something out of the shag I was originally given.
What's funny is that behind me, I could see another customer being given the haircut that I had gone in wanting. I didn't get the name of that hair dresser unfortunately. I don't think that I will be returning unless I can get an appointment with Audrey, who seemed to be more of a conversationalist and at least pretended to be interested in the customer.
BTW -- the haircut was $45! I am usually a good tipper as I like to show my appreciation for a job well done but I couldn't force myself to tip more than $5.
I've owed Salon Mint a review for awhile now, and I've also owed Yelp a review or many since I rely on Yelp for reviews of everything - restaurants, dentists, etc.
I moved from NYC back in November 2005 and had a consistent go-to hair guy up there. It took my awhile to find him too - many a hair people just didn't cut my hair right - leaving the sides uneven or cutting the top too short or too chunky. He was excellent and also extremely affordable. So I knew finding someone down here was going to be a pain. And it was. Again, uneven sides, too short, too chunky - and expensive. Which led me to work a haircut into all my visits back to the NY area. That was for 2.5 years until.. ah, Salon Mint.
Thanks to Yelp I found Salon Mint and Min and haven't gone back to my NY guy. Min sat me down, asked how I usually get my haircut, and I told her like everyone else I had been to - except this time, she actually did it right. She was as meticulous about my hair as I'm used to and knew how to work with my thick, bushy hair. She was also more affordable than any of the fancier type mall places I had tried, or really anywhere else that anyone had suggested to me. I'm still getting used to having to call at least a week in advance for an appointment but it definitely beats traveling 4.5 hours for a haircut. I hope I never have to look for another hairdresser again!
great service! does what you exactly want and not the other way around.
will definitely go back !
I'm glad I found Audrey from Salon Mint through Yelp. She's really as good as everyone has mentioned. My hair is now 5 inches shorter with long bangs that I can sweep to the side or leave hanging. The inspiration for the cut I got is Heidi Klum's hair at the NY Fashion Week Event in Bryant Park. As Christian from Project Runway would say, "it's FIERCE" :). I will definitely go back to Audrey for future hair services.
**** Update: It has been over three weeks and the cut continues to work! I just wash and go and still get compliments on my hair....definite sign of a good haircut. *****
