SquaRe Salon Suite

Location:
I’m shocked to see I’m the first to review Richie Roman, owner stylist of the serene and simple SquaRe Salon Suite. The concept of single-​chair salon suites was completely new to me, but the privacy and and personal attention has spoiled me — I’ll never go back to a standard multi-​station salon again! (Peace and quiet while being gently and skillfully pampered was heaven.) And Richie staked out the best suite in the complex, with floor-​to-​ceiling windows providing a place to gaze from the chair and excellent natural light.
Credentials /​Expertise:
I stumbled upon some old reviews of Richie’s work on
and Unilocal reviews from his former salons (example:
). I learned from those reviews that his success and customer following had recently allowed him to realize his dream of his newest salon.
I had very long naturally curly hair (see pics) that was stringy and ridden with split ends at the time of my visit. I was done fighting my curls and refused to allow a stylist near them who is not SPECIFICALLY trained and experienced with DRY CURLY CUTS (Devacurl-​certified for those in the know —
). Richie’s qualifications met my conditions and his initial friendly customer service in scheduling the appointment and price quote assured me I had made the right choice. (Of course he can manage any texture, but he’s a rare gem in the curly world!)
Experience:
Richie exudes an aura of positivity, creativity, and calm. I was instantly at ease upon our introduction, which is a first when my hair was at stake! His suite was modern, CLEAN, and uncluttered — complementing his style and personality. I loved that it was void of noisy pop music, unlike most salons (though I’m sure he could provide tunes upon request). I was offered a couple options of beverages and went with a chilled bottled water.
As he examined my hair and inquired of it’s past (color/​texture treatments), daily routine, and preferences, he also shared his curly credentials and all kinds of tips. He truly is passionate about teaching his clients techniques to get the most out of their natural hair. He got to work clipping one curl at a time and in no time my hair was happy, healthy, and bouncier than ever! Inspired by his own creation, Richie then played around with a few different creative, yet simple, everyday styles, teaching me step by step at no additional cost! (Guess I got lucky no appointments followed mine.)
Cost:
Richie is a PROVEN EXPERT stylist; you get what you pay for. And if you’re a curly head, you likely need fewer trims/​cuts per year than straight hair requires. (Richie recommend every 3 months for my hair.) I called around other curl-​focused salons/​stylist in LB and OC and he quoted the best price and offered the earliest appointment availability out of the 4 – 5 salons I contacted. (His communication was also the most pleasant and genuine.)
Results:
Lasting perfection. The immediate «after» pics don’t do the cut justice, because Richie used a small amount of Devacurl styling product, rather than my usual homemade flax seed gel I make from a simple online recipe. Richie LOVED the shine, hold, and curl definition that my homemade gel provided and wanted to learn all about it — showing his passion for curly education & techniques. I’ve included some additional photos of the resulting cut styled w/​flax seed gel. I’m long overdue for a trim, so expect an update very soon!