Smitten Salon

I’m the kind of person who would rather go to the dentist than get my haircut. Monika is wonderful! She calmed me down right away. She listens to what I have to say and understands my hair needs. She doesn’t push me into anything I don’t want to do. Ever time I leave the shop I get complements. She came recommended to me by the Phyto representive at Nordstorm. I’ve been going to Monika for a year now. My hair is fine, coarse, frizzy, and untamed and tangled. Seen Monika I’ve been able to pull a comb through my hair without breaking it. She has taught me how to properly take of my hair. She works miracles. Couldn’t do without her.

Monika is the best around for your hair! Go in and try her amazing line of Phyto products your hair will never be the same!!! Plus she is just THE BEST around!!!

Ok so where do I begin?
I moved to San Leandro, CA from Honolulu, HI in October of 2010. I have always had the best hairdressers on the island so one of my main concerns of moving was the problem I might find in finding a new, loyal, and absoulutely fabulous hairdresser.
I immediately looked on Unilocal and found Smitten Salon. It sounded great, it had 5 stars, everyone seemed so happy and to top it all off, Monika the owner and sole hairdresser of the salon specialized in curly hair! I decided to give her a call. It took a little bit of time to get ahold of her. No one ever seemed to answer the phone at her salon so I decided to leave a message. It took her a day or two to call me back so that wasnt too bad. She specified to me that her first opening would be in about 3 weeks from the day that she returned my call. Desperate for a root retouch I consented for the wait and thought to myself that she must be as awesome as everyone else says!
Finally the day comes for me to get my hair recolored. I had natural dark brown roots about 1.5 inches in length. Immediately she looked at my hair and said the overall color was not that great and that she wanted to fix it up so it would be considered «a work in process.» I have been dying my hair for a few years with highlights and toners so it has blended to an overall golden color and I follow up every 7 – 8 weeks with root retouch. I was always satisfied with the color my hair was.
I let Monika take the lead on my hair and she put die directly on my roots and some highlights through the hair that had already been colored. That is already when I became nervous. It doesnt make sense not to put highlights on my roots because trust me, my hair is very thick and very dark and it needs a lot of color to lighten it up. After the die she put a color wash through my hair and cut it.
I noticed that my hair looked orange, especially when it was wet right after she shampooed my hair and was about to style it. She must of known I was unhappy because she started making a comment about how her «halogen» lights are really bright and change the color of things. I decided that maybe she was right.
After she styled my hair, we set up an appointment for her to do the keratin treatment in my hair. She said she could fit me in two days so I was happy about that.
This is where it went downhill. She gave me the bill and it was $ 305! Wow I was somewhat shocked at the price. I have always gone to great salons in Honolulu and have NEVER had to pay more than 200 for a cut and a color. I was a little upset but I paid for it and left.
Immediately after I left I looked at my hair and was disgusted. The roots were bright orange! The highlights she put it were unneccesary my hair only needed coloring on the roots. The color wash made no difference. I was really upset. I decided that I would ask her to recolor my hair when I went back to get the keratin treatment.
The day I went back to get my keratin treatment I told her I was not happy about my hair. She attempted to color it again. She than did the treatment and sent me on my way. This time the bill was 400. I wasnt suprised, I just wanted my hair fixed. My hair didnt blend in all the way but it looked a little bit better.
As soon as I went home again I realized that it still looked orange. I have washed it a few times and it keeps getting worse.
So here is my opinions about Smitten Salon:
Monika may be a good hairdresser for her current clients but I would not say she is great. She is doesnt seem like she is knowledgable at coloring and I definitely would not go there again for the fact that if I pay $ 300 for a hair color it BETTER look perfect. She is OVERPRICED and apparently thinks her services are deserving of charging an arm and a leg!

The first time Monika ever did my hair, it was for an updo for a formal event. I had just moved to the Bay Area and got lost on the unfamiliar roads. I showed up with only 30 minutes left in my appointment. She was friendly and understanding and she did wonders in that short half hour. My hair looked amazing and stayed put all night with no worries.
I decided to go to her for my next haircut and it was perfect – I have never strayed since. Over the last seven years I have followed her from one salon to a second salon and, finally, to her own Smitten Salon.
Monika is a talented hairstylist who is funny and friendly. I always enjoy getting my hair done, knowing it will look great with the bonus of having a chance to chat with her.

I have been seeing Monika for about 2 years at the recommendation of a friend.
I am VERY particular about my hair and I have very challenging, fine but copious curly/​frizzy hair. I’ve had stylists (even very expensive famous salon owners — upwards of 400 – 500 a pop) do my hair and few do a flawless job of cut and color.
She does a fantastic job with my hair, is a real person (fun, smart, very enjoyable to talk to), and her prices are very fair, given her skill.
Her new salon is adorable and stylish and Amber (her assistant and fellow stylist) is quite talented as well.

Anybody with curly hair, listen up:
I’ve been going to Monika for almost 5 (maybe 6?) years and I can’t imagine going anywhere else. Anyone else out there with curly hair knows that it’s either going to cooperate or not, and Monika makes my hair behave. I can hop out of the shower and run some product through my hair and it practically styles itself, seriously. Sounds too good to be true, but after seeing Monika on a recommendation from a friend years ago I felt like I was finally starting to have good hair days, and I’m never going anywhere else, ever.

I have going to Monika for the last 5 years and she is FANTASTIC. She is the first hair stylist that I have ever trusted. I can walk in and let her do what ever she thinks will look good and know that it will come out great. She also teaches me the tricks to do my hair at home.
I recommend Monika to everyone that I talk to… She definitely knows her hair!

I have been going to Vogue Hair Studio for some time and found out about Smitten Salon where Amber works. I went there for the first time and it was AWESOME! Amber really knows hair and to tell you the truth, I love the way she did my color and the way she took her time and made sure the style was perfect! I was completely satisfied and decided that I want her to continue doing my hair. I have told everyone I know just how satisfied I am. I am so happy that I found this place and Amber is GREAT!

I have been seeing Monika for almost 8 years, even though I haven’t lived in Oakland for the past 4! I schedule my trips south around my hair appointments and I have not yet found a reason to stop. Monika knows me and my hair, and I always leave completely satisfied. I have been with her through the past 3 salons she has worked at and Smitten is by far my favorite. Though she is a little out of the price range of some of my friends, I always recommend her. By far the best stylist I have ever been to.

I’ll be frank. I have LOUSY hair. Fine, thin, grey, curly.
Monika made me happy. She listens to what you want and she’s got skills to burn. The cut she gave me WORKS. Minimum fuss and I actually like the way it looks. I’m so grateful to have found her!