Bounce Blowdry Bar

Great experience at Bounce! I’m from L.A. And came out to Oakland for a wedding. I made an appointment late, a couple of hours before I needed to come in and they set me up no problem. My hairdresser, Robbie, was super friendly and did exactly what I asked for with my hair. Clean shop, good conversation, and great final look. The receptionists were very nice and helpful. Made my trip easy :)

The blow dry that I had looked great for 5 minutes! The stylist didn’t use any product in my fine hair. By the time I got to my car, my hair looked like it had been washed and dried without any styling. Two major problems: 1. Not enough product for root lift and volume and 2. Not enough heat to set blow dry. Very dissapoiointed! I cancelled my next appointment that I had scheduled to have my hair done for an important event. Can’t chance a second time $$.

These ladies know how to give great service and blowdry. I hate writing negative reviews, which I just had to do a few minutes ago, but to balance it out I felt it was necessary to give this establishment a shout out. I have seen a couple of different ladies here before I go to events or the last time, an interview. No one has been rough with my scalp or pulled on my hair at the shampoo bowl, they always shampoo your hair thoroughly, everyone is always friendly, the floors not full of hair like some places, and the ladies have to be trained to give a good blowout because I’ve never left unhappy. The last time I was here I left so confident about my blow out and the lady told me to knock em dead as I left. and girrrlll I did! I got the job! I will be back, thank you Bounce!

Definitely take notice of the negative reviews if there’s a possibility that someone can deem your hair too course, too long, too thick, or simply too much. Because if Bounce makes this determination about your hair, they won’t allow you to make an appointment.
I’ve been to Bounce at least 3 times and received great styling. So much so that I called again today to make another appointment. I was told that «my file» says that it takes 1.5 hours to blow dry my hair and that they didn’t have any 1.5 hour time slots. At this point, I’m still hopeful and thinking they just can’t fit me in THAT day. So, I start naming off alternate days and the answer is still no. I’m eventually transferred to a manager and I ask her to tell me a day that they have a 1.5 hour time slot available. I was told they don’t have any because their «business model is based on 1 hour time slots.» I was then advised that I should go to a full service salon because I have «a lot of hair» (FYI-​my hair is thick and shoulder length). When I asked why she thinks I need a full service salon if all I’m seeking is a blow dry and this is a blow dry salon, I got the same nonsense about their business model being only for 1 hour time slots. The manager then told me that she would call me back and «try to move some things around» and «fit me in».
What makes this experience so deplorable is that on their website, they clearly have tons of days where several staff and several time slots are available in both their Oakland and Berkeley locations (see posted screenshots). So, what does the manager need to «move around» and «fit in» on the schedule if the schedule clearly has availability? And why do they make it impossible to book a 1.5 hour appointment online, when it appears they have the means to do so on their website that already allows different increments of 15, 30 and 60 minute services? Today the answer to these questions became quite clear– they simply don’t want your business if they feel your hair will be a burden to them by taking more than 1 hour to do. That’s their business model. It doesn’t matter if you’re willing to pay their price increase for the additional time. Once they put a note in your file that your hair is too «fill-​in-​the-​blank», they will deny service to you.
This is my first negative review on Unilocal and I hesitated to do so because my initial experiences at Bounce were decent. But my experience with them today was so outrageous and, based on other reviews, it appears to be a pattern.

I really wanted to like this shop. It’s close, convenient, and easy to book. But at best, I’d say overall it’s a hit or miss. The stylist I had didn’t know, how to do a good blow out or the traditional curling iron. Early into the process (when my she just started on the curls I tried to ask which direction she was rolling them, and I could tell we had a disconnect. I just wanted a loose vertical roll, away from my face. I guess that was too complicated so she cut me off and got defensive. I decided to stop pressing the issue and just go with it. Maybe this was her strong suit. Nope.
Long story short, my hair was completely flat and frizzy less than two hours after my appointment. We’re talking Oakland sunny, dry, breezy weather. And now, I need to do my hair again-​myself-​adding MORE heat in order to get anything close to something I would wear to work on my first day (which happens to be tomorrow).
There were other stylists that looked like they knew how to do a great blow out, but I’d rather pay more and not feel like I’m making someone go out of their way to get what I paid for.

I was able to book a 10AM Sunday appointment very late on Saturday night. I was in and out of there in under an hour. Jay did a great job. Super cute little salon. Very clean. My hair looked amazing all day and day 2 it still looks good. I will definitely be coming back here. Quick and quality service at a great price! They also offer package deals to save some money.

Love this place! Do you have a special event coming up? Are you going to be in a lot of photos? Do you want to feel like a star?
Then try Bounce Blowdry Bar. You will be amazed at the results. This is one of the most inexpensive boosts you can give your appearance for a special event or just for a «me day.» You deserve this.

Great job every time. My hair looks perfect and done professionally. I leave out of there and get compliments every time.

Taneil and Karen!!! Taneil & Karen!!! Karen +Teneil!!! I am elated I found this place… not on my own I had to call Karen because I was on the opposite side of the street; Karen got me there!
I got the best blow out! I love my hair. A million thank you’s are just not enough!!!

Norah Ephrom once said that a good blowout can easily replace therapy– and I agree! Bounce is my weekly therapy session — my indulgence– my happy place… and the best blowout bar in Oakland!
In fact it’s one of the best things going in the east bay. Conveniently located, each stylist is top notch, their products are top-​quality and the care and attention each customer receives makes you feel like you are part of a really sweet community. The prices are fair but to get the best deal, you need to buy the 12 pack.
PS They have even scheduled me in at 7:15 am to accommodate my schedule. Owners Karen and Iris go out of their way to take care of you. It’s a great local business worth supporting!

I adore this place. I am truly hooked. It is the best use of an hour a professional woman can I have. I get treated like a queen, I get work done and walk out looking totally amazing.
The service and care are impeccable.

I really enjoyed going here periodically. I could usually get fit in last minute. I love my main stylist but occasionally I wanted to try something different. The staff is really friendly and welcoming. At my first consultation I mentioned how I am glad they do a preliminary analysis because I’ve had stylists tell me they couldn’t do my hair because it was too thick or unresponsive. They stated my hair was fine and they’d be happy to have me as a customer.
Each time I had a fabulous result. Once the stylist sold me a deep conditioning. It looked fabulous but took longer than she anticipated. I had already been in for a consultation and I had previously visited before. As I was paying I was told that they had to schedule essentially me like I basically had waist length hair although it wasn’t even shoulder length because it was so thick and course. I would consume much more time than an average blow out. I was fine with that. I was also asked not to book online and to call because my hair took more time than average. I was fine with that.
I called recently to get a last minute appointment. There is a note stating that it takes too long to wash, condition and blow-​dry my hair. I cannot be accommodated and would be a better fit for a full service salon. I am really disappointed given what they stated during my first couple experiences there. I was fine booking a longer increment and paying for additional chunks of time. I was told my hair was too taxing for the stylist. Too be honest, if I want to wash, blow-​dry and flat iron my hair it will take me 3 hours (when it is chin length). It isn’t even unruly or unmanageable. There is just a ton of it and hypothetically if I grew it ankle length I could sell it as rope. However, I’m not a professional. It is worth it to pay someone to spend 2 hours on my hair to make it look like a curtain of satin.
I am just so disappointed that I was ‘somewhat’ politely black-​balled. It’s not that I wouldn’t use their service it is that I can’t. This explains why my calls to make appointments had not been returned. I really hate that I wasted time calling repeatedly. A call back would have been nice stating that «We’re sorry but we’ve changed our booking slot and cannot accommodate anyone who has required more than 90 minutes. However, we still offer make-​up and lashes and would love to see you for those or share our products.» Nothing. Honestly, I’d love to have my make-​up done or lashes or buy nifty products. I am just plain old not welcome. Although you don’t know me, please be advised that I am not a rude person. It even bugs me to give them less than 3 stars. If you read my lower star reviews I can be sarcastic. This just really bugs me a whole lot. And, I have a stylish husband who now won’t be visiting for their gentleman’s services.
If you’ve got shorter hair and it is not thick or coarse you may fare very well here with their booking system. I no longer have the option.

Traditionally I like to try a place twice before I leave a review. There’s always an off day for any business but I just can’t bring myself to want to even risk spending the money again.
I was treated to a sink full of ICE COLD water for my wash. My stylist apologized so I didn’t hold it against her. BUT when I mentioned it to the receptionist about it at the end first she tried to make it sound like sometimes the water is cold but it heats up again in a minute or two. I told her the stylist had informed me they had cold water all day. She shrugged and said oh well sometimes that’s how it is. I asked if they ever thought about upgrading water heaters etc and she said no. So you run a business where some days your water is just going to be ice cold and expect your clients to be okay with it?
I don’t recall the woman who did my hair but she did a decent enough job. It was raining heavily out that day so she recommended skipping the brush and using a curling iron. The volume wouldn’t be the same but the hold would be more likely to beat the humidity. I appreciated that though my hair ended up looking the way I could have done it at home which wouldn’t have bothered me too much (I get that it was raining and her suggestion made sense) if not for the water situation. Something about the complete lack of concern about that bugs me.
I kept telling myself I’d go back and give it another shot but when you’re spending 50 dollars (factoring in tip) on what is a luxury purchase in the spa/​pamper category I usually expect to not have to leave feeling «Meh» and I just can’t bring myself to part with that much money again if the risk is leaving with a similar experience.

I come here very often and every time I do I’m always treated very well. Melissa does my hair she is the sweetest person. At $ 40 for a blow out you can’t ask for more. Thanks again

I just had the best blowout that I’ve had in a long time. I was visiting with family and was in desperate need of some TLC for my hair. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this place because my hair can be a bit temperamental but I just needed something to hold me over until I got back home. I was blown away by the exceptional customer service and the level of engagement by the owner which all made my visit that much more delightful. My stylist was very gentle and listened to my needs. I would highly recommend this salon and my stylist Taneil.

I had the most wonderful mother daughter day here. The staff was delightful and the owner was welcoming. Thank you for helping me create a wonderful memory with my mother. You eared yourself a return customer.

I’ve been going to Bounce for several months and I must confess that I’m completed addicted! I get my hair done there weekly, it may sound like a lot, but it literally saves me so much time & fuss. My hair is so much fuller & healthier than when I started. I’ve been getting fusio doses for density & moisture & I swear they work wonders. I don’t even wash or dry my own hair anymore… Such a time saver! It’s looks great for at least 4 – 5 days after it’s styled & I’ve learned how to handle my oily roots so I can hold-​off on washing it until my next blowout. I’ve had my hair done by at least 6 different stylists at Bounce and they are ALL FABULOUS! The styling crew are skilled, talented, fun, patient, & pay attention to my requests. From the moment I walk in, I’m greeted with a smile & treated like family… an hour (usually less) later I walk out a transformed woman! Seriously, my hair looks fantastic every time I leave! Customer service is always impeccable. The owners do a fantastic job of managing such a young, talented, growing team. I’ve recommended Bounce to many friends & clients, & will continue to do so!

Bounce rocks! Thanks for always making look so pretty. Especially when I’m pressed for time. Hair is always bouncing and beautiful when I leave the salon. And with this natural stuff I’m working with, I need all the help I can get. Thanks, ladies!

Extremely unreliable. I had an appointment for a blowout at 8am as I had a photo shoot at 12. The girl I was booked with «didn’t know she was working» so I had to scramble and go to a shit salon across the street and Ended up absolutely hating my hair.
Whether it’s poor organization or irresponsible employees, my whole day was thrown off and I have to look at an $ 800 photo package with hair that I hate for the rest of my life.
Very unprofessional way to do business, and completely unacceptable.
Will stick to my Aveda concept salons from now on.

Thank you Bounce Blowdry Bar for existing. I had no idea there was such a convenient service until I stumbled upon your boutique. I come in now, as you well know, at least twice a week. I can’t go anywhere without your blow dry! I feel so wonderful when I walk out the door. I tell everyone about Bounce. I can’t keep a secret when I love a place. Don’t ever go away, you’ve spoiled me now and I have no idea what I would do without Bounce. And, your make up gal is fabulous too! Now when I go out I can simply make one stop and wah la! Cinderella! Thank you!
PS Owners, Karen and Iris are the best! They always make you feel welcome and always go out of their way to make you feel special. I don’t give myself a lot of me time, so when I come to Bounce I appreciate the «me» time they give me.

Bounce started off fabulous and now… it’s even MORE fabulous! I come here several times a month and have had almost every stylist at the Lakeshore location, so I think I have a fairly good breadth and depth of experience on which to base this review.
My own personal experience with Bounce over the past year or so has been consistently and uniformly solid: They give good blow outs, decently priced for the area, in a pleasant atmosphere, done by competent and creative stylists (Alandria and Cheron are 2 of my personal favorites and just nice people on top of their snappy hair skills, but almost everyone I have gone to has been solid). And my hair is long, and tedious and NOT a stylist’s best friend by any stretch of the imagination! On GOOD days, it resembles limp fettuccine. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE fettuccine — but not on my head. NOTHING beats a nice big bowl of hand rolled egg pasta with some luscious alfredo sauce and giant gulf shrimp!!! But I am getting both off topic and hungry so… back to my point — Bounce rocks!
This Oakland girl loves you Bounce and hopes you live long and prosper on Lakeshore!
Note: I have no clue what is behind the last few negative reviews, but they all seem to have come around the same time, and one even appears to be from a stylist who was fired (No surprise that she would give a negative review if she got fired!) But anyway — as with anything else I would say like most experienced Unilocalers, I look to what the majority of people say knowing that there will always be outliers (in both directions — super positive and extremely negative).

I have been in here twice and both times I had interactions with the owner that assured that I will never return.
The first time wasn’t that big a deal. I’ll talk about that later. Most recently, I walked by and saw they sell Kerastase and picked up shampoo and conditioner. A stylist was in there, and she was extremely helpful in selecting the right products for my hair. She didn’t know how to ring up a product, so I had to wait a few minutes for the owner to come back from an errand across the street to take my money. When she returned, she told me all about their amazing special of 4 Kerastase treatments for only $ 100 — «And the best part is you get a blow out too!» That is a direct quote. I was thrilled and booked my first appointment while paying for my products.
My appointment time came and the stylist was fantastic. My hair looked amazing. I went up to pay, and the owner pushed another deal in front of me — 4 blowouts for I can’t remember what. That is when I realized my 4 for $ 100 was actually FOUR TIMES THAT AMOUNT because the blow out was not included. The owner told me how expensive Kerastase treatments are, and how this is a great deal with the blow out deal, but that my bill for that day was nearly the $ 100 I expected to spend for all four treatments. She took no ownership of the confusion and simply said, «I am sorry you misunderstood,» as though it was my fault. Hmm, I thought the cardinal rule of business was that the customer was never wrong. I paid and left, and I will not return again. There are too many salons out there with honest business people to frequent a place that does a bait and switch.
The first time, I was there with my daughters getting our hair done for a special event. The owner was sweet with them, asked them their names, and showed them where to sit. She walked up to me and said, «Okay, Mom, you can sit here.» I replied, «Please don’t call me Mom.» Really, there are only two people in the world that can call me that. She rolled her eyes and walked away and avoided me the rest of the time I was there, including walking away and having someone else ring me up when we were done. Sadly, our hair looked great, as the stylists are top notch, but I again, I cannot give my business to one where the owner is not an honest business person with good customer service skills.

Review for Pop-​Up at W Hotel in SF, CA
Had a blow out done for a wedding. I described what I wanted and the stylist made my hair so perfect I feel unworthy to ever style it myself again. I did not catch her name but she is the very pretty black girl with the star shirt on in a lot of the pictures.
The wedding was over and hour away, causing my hair to have to go through heat of outside (SF was 88° that day), car AC, to Vacaville (where the wedding was) which was over 100°!!! And then to top it of dancing (yes, I get down!). The style lasted amazingly not a single curl fell! I would get my hair done every special event if there was one close on the regular.

I usually only get my hair blown out when I am in New York, but not anymore! I have discovered the magic that is Bounce Blowdry Bar. I come in looking bleh and leave looking fabulous (check out the pic I shares for proof).
The ladies at Bounce are warm and professional. The atmosphere is trendy, yet welcoming. Their price point is aligned with the market/​competition. If you buy bundles of blowouts, you save a ton of money.
The best thing about getting my hair done here is that I can get about 4-​days from one blowout (with the assistance of dry shampoo). It saves me a lot of time getting ready in the morning.
So, if you are ready for your hair to look amazing, then go to Bounce!

So… I’m a cheerleader. Really– the type that tells anyone who will listen just how amazing my favorite service or product is, and usually ends up converting 3 – 5 people in the process of giving my testimony. This is why when Bounce Oakland had a cross promo event with Bar Method I thought it was a great opportunity for me to bring some of my friends whom I had been bragging to about the salon.
We get to the salon, the mood is festive and fun, and my girlfriends thank me for the invite because they are now convinced (before they’ve even gotten their hair done) that they’ve found their new blow-​dry salon. Within about 30 minutes, the upbeat mood turned into a very disappointing night-​apparently there was no one left to do our hair, and two of us walked away with our hair not done.
The thing is– it didn’t have to be so awful. The situation was handled so terribly that it took me a while for it to sink in how poorly we had been treated. There was no apology, certainly no rain-​check, and I didn’t get the feeling that anyone particularly cared at all that they had completely ruined our night. I was terribly embarrassed because I had ranted and raved to my friends about how great this place was and dragged them to the salon on a work night only to be literally turned away (while watching others with our appointment times be served before us) even though we had booked our appointments a week in advance. What’s more frustrating is that I’m leaving town this weekend and expected to have my hair done and have zero time to head to another salon.
Cardinal rule: If there’s one thing you don’t do to a woman, it’s tell her she’s getting her hair done, and ungraciously leave her with no options before a weekend of dinner parties!
I had to write this review because I really don’t know that I’ve ever felt so disregarded as a paying customer in my entire life. In less than an hour, Bounce managed to convert my friends and I from excited current and future customers to frustrated women who swear they will never return again. I was torn and considered Unilocaling 2 stars because my earlier experiences were so pleasant, and I have really had decent stylists… but sometimes one awful episode is enough to leave a taste in your mouth that simply cannot be washed away. I wont tell you to avoid this salon at all costs as you may really enjoy your time there. What I will say, however, is that I am a loyal and mindful consumer, and I cannot, in good conscious, spend my time and money at a business that treats customers in such a cavalier manner. There are so many options in the Bay Area (such as My’Amour Salon and Spa– been going there for years and they are consistent, professional and provide excellent customer service, I would go more often if they were closer to my home) that will do just as great of a job and treat their customers well.

Bring a STOP WATCH! I took my daughter in for ‘the Little Lady’ which should have cost $ 20. Here’s the timeline:
8:00 AM — arrived and explained what we needed then was told to have a seat on the bench
8:05 AM — introduced to stylist (Shauna was awesome) and talked about the type of curls we wanted
8:10 AM — service started (Shauna politely paused to get an iPad for my daughter)
8:48 AM — go to pay for service was informed that it was $ 40 because it took longer than 45 minutes
I politely mentioned to the owner that it was 8:48 AM and we did not start promptly at 8:00 AM. The manager didn’t even bother to acknowledge my concern. Only statement made after my comment was did I want to leave a tip. Then she proceeded to process the payment and pretended nothing happen. I strongly recommend the Bounce owner work on her customer service and pricing model. I’m appalled that the server price DOUBLED for 3 minutes. Three minutes that were spend waiting for service or talking about our hair needs.
It gets better because she was completely wrong about the price. I went back to the Bounce website to check the price of ‘the Little Lady’ and it states 60 minutes/​$ 20. Even more disguised given I had up to an hour. This is not the first time it’s happened but it will be my last!

Awful, couldn’t wait to get out of there to wash my hair. Seemed like an amateur, curling iron curls. No style, no imagination, I can definitely do better on my own. Not worth $ 65 for someone to curl your hair, then just walk away, I didn’t even know she was done.
DPG

From my experience this isn’t like your usual blow dry bar. I have tried a few and usually love the finished product
It was very easy to get an appointment. I brought in some pictures to reference how I wanted my waves to look. The stylist seemed very nice and that she could do the look in her sleep.
However, the process started and she never used a round brush on my hair… She made me flip my head upside down and sit like that while she dried it. Then she proceed to curl my hair.
The curls did look good after she pulled them out so they weren’t so tight. However my front layers had no body and the top of hair had no volume. It was just like if I had curled my hair at home…
I would not go back because I can do that at home to my hair and save myself $ 40. Though I still recommend others to try it and you may get better results. Good luck!

Pro–
Jazzy is a knowledgeable stylist for al hair types
No heat damage on my natural hair after spending the winter months straight. My curls bounce right back after washing
The deep conditioning mask works great on my thirsty hair
Nice décor
They provide ipads to read while you get beatified
Always professional; never a long wait
Cons–
I wish they did trims so I didn’t have to go any where else. I love this place!

Went here before a wedding that I was coming to from out of town. I made a last minute appointment and they were super nice and helped squeeze me in.
The salon is super posh and has a great atmosphere. I really enjoyed the people and music as well. Overall the experience was lovely and relaxing. The iPad with magazines on it was nice as well.
My hair was perfect when I left. It did fall a bit but that is to be expected when you are dancing the night away. I would definitely recommend them.
Parking is a little difficult so give yourself some extra time to navigate the public parking areas.

Sept 2014. I had been curious about Bounce since it opened months ago. Decided to call them in the AM. Taylor answered the phone. I asked her about April (who was recommended to me as a stylist who has many long haired clients who like curls) but April was booked. Explained my copious hair and desire for curls and for them to last 2 days. Taylor offered to spend extra time with me so I made a 12:15p appt. I arrive on time. Met the owner, Karen, who was pleasant and offered me an ipad. Taylor greets me and shows me to her chair – last one nearest the restroom and darkest corner. (In every salon, the more senior the stylist, the better the lighting. April’s chair, I noticed, was in the center.) Next, I notice the copious hairs on the chair. I point this out to Taylor, who uses her bare hand to wipe off the chair and she motions me to sit down and then picks up a brush. I then ask Taylor to wash her hands and she complies. Taylor returns, I show her many pics of my hair as done by Atheena, I tell her exactly how Atheena curls my hair (using a 1″ diameter iron, she winds my hair around the wand and holds it for 30 – 60 seconds). Taylor, who got her license in 2012, says she will do my hair her way. She sections my hair, sprays it with something to make the curl last longer and then curls my hair. This resulted in two things: 1. much curlier hair (I looked like I had an Afro) 2. taking longer than 1 hour (which is how long it usually takes; i arrive with my hair already shampooed/​clean). Taylor asks 2 more experienced stylists for advice and one of them walked over to me and told me what to do to relax the curls.
Taylor was sweet and patient. My hair actually turned out quite well after the curls were finger combed into waves. I was complimented by a stranger as I stood outside taking a selfie. If I were to return, I would ask for waves (not curls) and would NOT mention wanting them to last.
Per Karen, there are no «senior» stylists at Bounce, so if you want a stylist with more years of experience, specify as such. I did observe others getting their hair done and all turned out well.

Very impressed! I came today for a wash and blow out. And couldn’t be happier. Cute space with friendly helpful and warm reception. Loved that they use all kerastase products. My stylist was awesome, she was detailed and quick. Gentle with my hair too, didn’t pull too hard or yank me at all.
All their magazines were on an iPad, was pretty entertaining. I hate sitting still for long periods of time.
So glad there’s such a great blow bar In my neighbor hood. Worth it defiantly a must try!