Smitten

Today was my first time visiting Smitten and it is absolutely beautiful. I loved the ambiance and décor. I was greeted by a young man at the front desk who was very sweet as he asked for my coat. The staff was very friendly and nice.
Abbie highlighted my hair today and did a fabulous job. She took her time and helped to get the brassines out of my hair. I look forward to returning to Smitten soon! –Heather

This review has been a long time coming. I decided to give Smitten a try after moving out of DC and getting sick of having to find parking (not to mention stress about how much money was left in the meter!) at my old salon on U St. So first off, the parking here is great! Meters right out front and I believe there may be a garage around as well. The front desk girls are fine. They do their jobs and are friendly but if you’re looking to get fawned over like God’s gift to Arlington, you should probably check yourself. It’s irritating to read negative comments when people are simply doing their jobs.
Anyway I keep my cuts simple but I like a good highlight on my long light brown hair and I’m pretty picky about the shade. My last color job at my previous salon messed up my hair (another reason I left) so not only would my new stylist have to update my highlights, they’d also have to fix a few things!
I ended up in the very capable hands of Ashley. She talked me through my desired look and we even looked through magazines together. She brought over another stylist for some added input — very cool! I definitely did not take this as a sign that she didn’t know what she was doing but rather that she wanted to get it perfect — not just good. And perfect it was! Gorgeous highlights and she somehow managed to get rid of the mess the other place made! If you’re thinking about trying this place, go for it! And if its blonde highlights you’re looking for, ask for Ashley!

Meredith is great — I’ve loved every haircut I’ve ever had from her. It’s very cute inside and all members of the staff are very nice. Only downside is that it can be difficult to get an appointment — I always try to get afternoon appointments and I usually have to book three weeks out.

I heart Smitten! Melanie has an incredible eye for color and always gives me an amazing cut.

I have been seeing Alisha for almost 2 years now. She is super sweet and fabulous hair stylist!

I love Smitten! I was recommended by my friend Neda, Smitten’s coordinator.
I booked an appointment for highlights with Ashley and she did a great job! I’ve now seen Ashley 3 times with another appointment coming up this month. She listens to what I want and we make a plan for how to get there whether it’s spotlights, bumping the base, foils or next up… balayage! She’s great at what she does and I totally trust her to do a good job. I love the teamwork attitude of the stylists — one night one of the owners and Ashley tag teamed my blow out to get me to my dinner date on time!
Smitten is modern and clean and they run a great shop — super organized as far as scheduling and they always offer beverages (wine, coffee, tea, water) which is an excellent touch. They also give you a little massage during the shampoo that my boyfriend (who goes to Michael at Smitten) and I both love! They also have free parking!
I can’t recommend Smitten enough and have been singing their praises all over town :-)

Abbie was amazing and so was the rest of the staff from start to end. My experience was everything like the fancy salons I used to go to in Philly but loved that it was so convenient to get too.
Since I was a new client for Abbie and showed her a picture of what I wanted for my hair color. I love that she went to other stylists and asked for their opinions and insight on how to make sure I got the color I wanted. She took her time and explained what she was going to do and I enjoy that she added a little curl to my blowout.
She gained a new client for life. If you are looking for a new salon, Smitten is definitely worth your time and money.

Meredith is an angel and a hair styling goddess. She took me from long, natural dirty blond hair, to an icy white/​platinum pixie. She always checks in during the process to make sure you’re getting exactly what you want and are comfortable.
Going to Smitten in general has been a great experience. Everyone seems very friendly and the booking is easy, though they do fill up pretty quickly especially if you’re requesting someone specific. As a bonus, you get a little head massage when you’re getting your hair washed.

I tried this place for the first time because it was near my home and my usual salon in georgetown was hard to get to. I have very thick, coarse Asian hair. I’ve been told by many stylists that it’s easy to cut if you have solid technique but hard to cut because it shows every miscut. I ended up with a really uneven, disjointed, blocky and overall disastrous haircut but I’m adding on a star because the service was good and the stylists were really friendly. They made every attempt to salvage my haircut even though we all knew that the only thing to be done is to let it grow out. I probably won’t return because they weren’t for me, but I can see how people with different hair may have a better experience.

I had a great experience getting color done at Smitten! I came in with photos of what I wanted to get done and the stylist gave me what I was looking for. I also loved the fact that the hair washing women give you a full out head massage and wash, which was easily the best hair washing experience I have ever had. I love the design of this salon and the front desk staff was sweet.
I’m giving it four stars instead of five for a few reasons. First, the stylist consulted with another stylist for awhile which made me nervous that she didn’t know what to do. I also was there from 5:45 until almost 8pm which is an incredibly long time for color. I got a partial high/​lowlights and a clear glaze for $ 115, which is on par with what I would expect to pay and want to pay for good color. I think their cuts are overpriced and would probably go somewhere else but their color is priced right. They could also drop the cut price when color is done like a lot of salons to make it more attractive to do cuts there.
Overall, I would recommend Smitten for your hair care needs!

This place is amazing. I followed my stylist Ashley from her last location to Smitten, and I’m very glad I did so. Not only is Ashley a great stylist, but Smitten itself is worth the experience. They bring you a drink while you wait (coffee, cappuccino, even wine); the shampooers do an amazing job and include a head massage (!), and the whole process is very friendly.
I also highly recommend Ashley. She’s great with my hair (very thick, has an attitude) and helped me transition over to bangs and to red hair from my natural blonde. Wonderful stylist and great to chat with while she’s doing your hair :)
The salon is a price above Ulta but seems commensurate with other high-​end, non-​chain salons. You also get a real bang for your buck, so I suggest giving it a try.

Went for first time as I was looking for a new stylist and Smitten was recommended by a friend. I saw Lyndsay who was very nice and took time walking me through different cut and color options with my hair. The salon is cute and they have great hairdryers for when color is setting… They don’t make your head feel hot like the older ones. I also was offered coffee or water. In the end loved my cut and color. I got three compliments on my hair in 24 hours after cut and color. I can’t wait to go back. This is my new spot for hair and I don’t plan on making a change anytime soon!!!

Went in for a blowout, instead of using DryBar. Left disappointed. My hair was frizzy as I walked out and it actually was way more frizzy by the time I got to my destination. Wasted a lot of money this trip.

First time trying this place yesterday and it was great! Michael was such a doll and he cut and styled my crazy hair with ease. The salon is super cute and very clean, loved it.

I don’t often post reviews of anything on Unilocal,but I think this place deserves it.
I got my hair cut at Smitten two weeks ago by Meredith. I came in with pretty long, extremely thick, and very wavy hair, and a history of getting shot down by stylists whenever I expressed a desire to go short (to my collar-​bone). I showed Meredith a picture of what I wanted, while also explaining that I’m extremely low-​maintenance and don’t want to be bothered with a style that takes any time at all in the morning (probably why I was usually advised to keep my locks long). She listened to me, told me OF COURSE I can go short, and explained some tweaks that she’d make to my desired look to keep it easy.
I walked out an hour later with an amazing cut and an even more amazing blow-​out, but a healthy dose of skepticism that I’d be able to make it look anywhere near as good. With the recent heat wave, I’ve mostly just been moussing and wearing it curly, and it looks AWESOME (bouncy and voluminous, and no triangle head!), but the true test was this morning when it cooled off enough for me to attempt to blow it out myself. Guys. I didn’t even have to use a round brush, and my hair is soft and straight and the ends curled themselves under. I don’t know what kind of magic she worked in there, but this is the best haircut I have ever had in my life. Worth every penny (and not really that pricy compared to a comparable salon downtown).
Thank you Meredith!!!

After two haircuts, I’ve decided not to return to Smitten. My first cut was great — Lynsey was attentive, asked great questions, and narrated her blowdry (a first!) so I could understand and replicate her technique.
My second visit took place after the salon relocated to Pershing Drive. The facility is very large and attractive, so the business must be doing something right. However, the stylist was 15 minutes late, and then, after I was shampooed, I waited another 15 minutes for her to reappear. This time, the cut was hurried, without the attention to detail of my first experience. The layering in the back was uneven.
For more than $ 70, I expect better service and a better cut.

I’ve heard many good reviews about this salon so I decided to check it out. The inside of the salon looks amazing and very clean. I had an appointment with Meredith for a hair cut. I didn’t know what to expect. She did such an amazing job!!! She knew exactly what I wanted. I will definitely be coming back soon to see her. The price is also worth it. Thank you!

Melanie is the best. The wife found her and got me going to her and now it’s been around two years of great haircuts. Cuts are a bit pricey for men but she’s worth it. I’ve spent just as much in a month going to the barber twice a month to keep it looking right. I always hated getting my haircut because it’s naturally wavy and everyone cut it like it was straight which was great in the shop but no so much daily. Mel got it right the first time and we’ve refined over the years and have to say I am currently getting the best ‘edgy’ cut I’ve ever had. My collection of hats have dwindled thanks to Mel. The girls’ say it looks great but i think they’re paid to ;). Melanie has been training with some men’s barber in the new scene and I feel like that’s helped my hair.
As for the shop itself. We lived next door and walk by everyday with our French Bulldog and we always stopped by to say outside or in the shop. All the ladies love him and we brought him in a few times. They are all very friendly and the desk girls know me by name and Melanie squeezes me in almost any time on short notice so I have never had a hassle. Even though it’s in the heart of Clarendon where lots of people aren’t friendly it’s important the owners embrace the neighborhood which they do. We often see her out getting coffee and chat or days off running around the area on errands. She’s also squeezed me in during her lunch or other things to help me, in the chair we talk about zombies, horror movies and tv shows so she hangs right there with me. Also she gives my wife the hot new looks… give her the pitch to go bold!
The new shop it looks like Restoration Hardware build a hair salon. Definitely dig it. Should definitely have beer for the guys. I there is ample opportunity to get a heavy male clientel would be to have another work shop or may look out for one of those crazy barbers using straight edge and crazy parts. I think that would be a first in the area and a prime opportunity.
Overall Melanie is the best but I have not been cut by the others. So as my stylist and the shop owner she does an excellent job with her business. See you next week!

This place rocks!
If you don’t mind spending a good chunk of change for your haircut then Smitten is the place for you.
The staff is incredibly friendly (even providing wine or beer for you and friends during your cut)
Jana has been cutting my hair for about a year and is the best in the bizz. I’ve referred about 4 – 6 friends and they all keep coming back.
Great establishment!

Loved the friendliness of the staff and the fact that I waited less than 2 minutes (without an appt) for a bang trim. The stylists are well experienced and it made me less worried knowing they wouldn’t mess up my hair. Will definitely go back and everyone should try them out too!