Mina’s Studio

I have used Mina’s in the past for Keratin treatments and have also had a haircut by Alejandra both of which I was very pleased with. Due to a cancellation with my normal hairdresser I took a last minute appointment with Mary Credendino for a base color and cut. I had the formula for the color from my original hairdresser and I asked simply for a trim of about 2″ with some long layers in the back. I had hair to my mid back upon entering the salon. The color was not disastrous but much too dark compared to my regular hair color and too dark for my complexion. The haircut is the worst cut I have ever had in my life. First of all the 2″ trim ended up being more like a 8″ cut and on top of that there is a myriad of choppy uneven layers through my hair that make no sense at all. I doubt that I have 2 strands of hair that are the same length anymore. The layers start at chin length and traverse my entire hair. There are long strands next to short strands, truly I have no idea what this cut is supposed to be, a bad 1990’s Jennifer Anniston meets John Bön Jovi perhaps? It is most definitely NOT what I asked for. A truly atrocious hair dresser who claims to have 30 years worth of experience. I will not be returning to the salon.

Had hair done for my wedding at Mina’s. I choose Mina’s because of how close it was to The Carolina Inn (my venue) and because it was named one of the top salons according to Bride magazine in 2013. I exchanged multiple emails with Louise, the bridal consultant onsite, she seemed very polite and eager to get me in for my bridal hair trial. She was very accommodating when scheduling my appointments with Enrique for trial and subsequent wedding day appointment. However, she neglected to tell me how much the hair trial would cost and that it would not he included in the price of the bridal hair. There was also no mention of it in the written contract.
The hair trial was not what I wanted and didn’t not look like a professional had done it. I assumed that because it was a trail, that I would not have to pay since there was no mention of it and was so poorly done. I posted pictures along with this review, please see for yourself. The updo was not worth the $ 120 that I was charged. I was furious and let Louise know that I was not what I had expected. Nothing was done, except that I would get a discount for my day of updo.
I was also told that I should come the day before my wedding to get a wash and blowout. I’ve been to multiple hair salons in the Raleigh/​Durham area
and by far this was the worst blow out. I’m Latina and have very coarse and thick hair, most other salons are able to blow dry without any issues. After my blow dry at Mina’s my hair looked so frizzy, I was so disappointed. The price, $ 60.
Day of wedding, my sweet dog died causing me to be late. Enrique was very accommodating considering I was not only late but I also changed my updo style. Enrique tired really hard to make me happy but now that I look back on wedding pictures, was not the hair style I envisioned. Cost: $ 120. No discount as previously discussed was given but by this point all I wanted to do was get married, so I did not complain. I encourage brides to stick with people they know for you bridal hair or get multiple trials until you get one that works for you. I will not be back.
Total paid, after 1 trial, 1 blow dry style and 1 wedding style: $ 300, not including makeup.

I really enjoyed my haircut here. Heather was my stylist, and she made me feel very comfortable. She asked me for exactly what I wanted before I sat down, listened to my hair problems (just wanted about an inch trim and thinning/​layering for my frustratingly wavy thick hair), confirmed some of my hair desires (how I wanted my bangs to look, how my hair is usually parted, etc), and then set right to work. She was very friendly and warm, and did not make me feel rushed at all. She also offered me a drink, which I gladly took. The spa water was infused with cucumbers and lemons, and was very refreshing.
The best part was the haircut. After she worked her magic, my hair looked and felt so alive. There was volume and bounce and no frizz at all. She trimmed it to the perfect length and had reduced the weight of my hair by renewing the grown-​out layers. The ends of my hair flipped out adorably due to the way she blowdried my hair, so my normal frizzy-​wavy texture was now smooth-​wavy. The back of my head looked soo good — I couldn’t even believe it. My boyfriend was super impressed too and loved it.
I wish I had a before picture so I could show the comparison, but the $ 41 I paid was very worth it. I deducted one star because it is a bit on the pricey end, but then again, I have yet to find a cheap haircut here in Chapel Hill, so I am willing to pay that much for such quality cuts and service.

the studio.
Its nice… not NYC style but they’re trying. Cappacino, snacks, water, etc. Nice.
pricing.
Called prior to setting up the appointment, asked what a «cut and color» cost. Quote: $ 78.00. The woman goes on to tell me that they have bronze, gold, platinum employees that charge different rates based on their experience.
*This should have been my first clue.
I am not wealthy, rich, nor do I have indiscriminate income but I set up an appointment for my wife because I asked, «So, can the BRONZE stylist do this cut and color?» Oh, yes.
the goal for my wife.
To return her darker brown hair back to the rich blonde she was when we met. Look, if you can’t do a job, don’t take it on. After the FIRST cut and color, I was upset. Brown, reddish blonde, and dirty blonde is NOT Blonde.
payment.
I get to the counter to pay for services that I am unhappy with and the price is now $ 119.00. I said, «Look, you told me on the phone $ 78.00» and the counter staff tells me that I must have «heard them wrong.» I’m a former Marine. We don’t HEAR things wrong but we do the job done right the first time.
telephone promotion
This type of telephone promotion that engages customers enough to set up an appointment only to change the price after the services is a con. I live in NYC. I’ve NEVER been to a salon that tells me one price then charges another. The only time that I’ve ever spent $ 200 on a cut and color was in Chicago… where the experts are and man did I look like a million dollars when I left.
next step
We have to return to the studio the next day so they can fix the color. Even after the «fix», my wife’s hair is still dark reddish/​brunette. I walk away and can’t wait to leave.
The moral of the story.
If you can’t do a job, don’t say that you can do it.
final impressions
I wouldn’t go here again. The stylist obviously doesn’t have a lot of experience. She cut my wife’s hair like you would cut a man’s hair… sideburns and all. If I wanted to marry a man, I would have done that a long time ago. Bronze stylists, Gold stylists, and Platinum stylists. Look, you’re a stylist or you’re not. Quit pretending.

This place is great. My mom has a degenerative brain disease. She needs some extra attention in service. Some places pretend like they like my mom, but you can tell they are really annoyed. This place treats my mom so well. I feel comfortable dropping her off. She always comes back with a fantastic hair cut and color. She always comes out smiling. It’s pricey but its worth it IMO.

Had an appointment on ³⁄₂₁ for hair and makeup for my son’s wedding – first trip to the salon. I was booked with Gabi and I thought she was fantastic. My hair came out beautifully and my makeup did too. Was it pricey? Yes. Was it worth it? Heck yes. The point of having a service like this is to get what you couldn’t possibly have pulled off yourself, and that is exactly what I did. it’s 2 days later and I still look like a beauty queen! (Okay, an older beauty queen… but it’s my fantasy, let me have it.) Points for new/​out of towners: This salon has the highest end products for hair and they aren’t shy with using them. Huge Bonus. Makeup selection was varied and on trend. Had false eyelashes applied and they were beautiful. The receptionist managed my return taxi to the hotel and was very pleasant the whole time. Don’t think twice-​book your event hair/​makeup appointment here and breathe easy.

Mina’s studio has taken a turn for the worse. After several years of good service, I went to Alejandra for a cut. I have long hair and asked her to cut it to my bra strap well below the shoulders. About 2 inches. The stylist apparently was too distracted by conversation with another stylist and didn’t listen. She cut it to my shoulders. The length is wrong and the cut was poor. During the cut, she repeatedly yanked on my neck causing me pain. At the end of the cut, she asked me how I liked it and I politely said it was too short and not what I asked for. Instead of apologizing, she made an excuse and walked away. I’d be very cautious about returning. This was poor service for a very long-​term client.

This was my first time visiting Mina’s, my longtime hairstylist [Karen Proulx] started working here a month ago and I finally scheduled an appointment. The process was easy, the staff friendly, and I love the option to have a reminder email sent and the ability to request an appointment online. The salon was very clean and bright, and I will certainly be back.

I seriously drive an hour to this salon just to see Lane. He is the best colorist I know and I even get compliments on my hair from other hair stylists I meet. He is always up on the trends and seems to constantly be upping his game. Not to mention, he is a joy to be around, you feel more like you are hanging out with a dear friend, rather than getting your hair done. I would never see anyone else!

So, I don’t usually write public complaints about people but I am still a little PO’d with my experience here five months ago. I have been there for other spa services and thought I would try them for my bridal hair and makeup.
I set up an appointment with Gabby through the bridal coordinator Crystal. I explained to her that I wanted to come on the day of my engagement shoot for my trial so I would have hair and makeup done for that too. No Problem she says, right. I get there and Gabby insists that we can’t do my hair trial because they would be different styles for the engagement vs. wedding photos, but not really, I wasn’t planning a big hair helmet up-​do so she plays with my hair and smooths out the curls a little — total of talking and working 10 min tops!
Then we go to do my makeup, she drops foundation on my work pants and I end up looking like a Miss America Pageant trainwreck. When I go to check out they want to not only charge me for the makeup but also the hair trial, which in my mind was not done and was a waste of my time as I had to use vacation to make this appointment and was told I needed to come back another day for the true wedding hair trial. What a SCAM.
So, the crux of the matter is Crystal did not seem to know what she was talking about when she booked the appointment, Gabby was sloppy, I was not happy with the end-​product and they were just plain rude, no customer services values and fairly arrogant. I will never go back there and will definitely steer people away from using them for any services.

Unprofessional, Rude, Overpriced — Where To Start — Go Somewhere Else
I don’t think one star is too low for this salon. I only give it one star because there are some very nice stylists there but they drop like flies once they realize they are working in an incredibly unprofessional environment.
The owners do not care at all about clients in my opinion. It’s a «one lost, one gained» mentality. I have had stylists miss my appointment. I’ve shown up and been told they were running long with another client and I had to reschedule — no phone call, nothing. I have arrived and been told that another stylist would have to take me because the person I scheduled with did not make it in that day — no phone call.
I would love to support a local salon run by women, but truly, the unprofessional manner with which they conduct business, their lack of concern for customers, and the general sense that they are high end, worth the jacked up prices, and above needing to care about the customer is just terrible.
Finally, I have had product after product, service after service pushed on me and, frankly, wasted a whole lotta money to be treated badly.
There are much better options in the area.

An extra star for the ease of making an appointment here and friendly receptionists. I stopped going here after one too many bad haircuts. I was a client of the owner’s and the quality of her cuts rapidly deteriorated the longer I was a customer. She would cut or highlight my hair in rapid time, often pawning me off on another stylist for the blow dry. She always seemed to have friends and family visiting, which greatly distracted her. She’s friendly and nice and I’m sure she’s competent, but she isn’t focused on her work at all. Overpriced for the quality of services rendered.

I’ve been to a lot of ritzy salons. TenOverTen. Jin Soon Hand and Foot Spa. Rescue Beauty Lounge. You know what these places have in common? They all have their own nail polish line, they’re in New York City, they have celebrity clientele, and they’re all cheaper than Mina’s. Look, you’re in a strip mall, your salon doesn’t even specialize in just mani/​pedis, and lord knows the reviews here aren’t exactly glowing.
There are better salons in the Triangle that take hygiene just as seriously and charge a fraction (nearly half!!) of the price.

Lane is the best hairstylist & colorist In the area! Plus, He is so passionate about his job and you can sense he loves it. The color and Cuts I have received are consistently flattering and I always get tons of compliments from people about my hair! I have natural (dull ashy blonde) blonde fine hair and I have been to a good number of stylists in my life that just don’t get my hair type and have totally messed up my hair. or how to provide highlights so it looks natural with my skin tone yet is flattering too.
The color is always amazing! Thankfully, A co-​worker of mine referred me to him when I moved back to the area looking for a salon and I am SO glad she did. On a sidenote: He is also great at Wedding Day Hair for Bride, Bridal Party, etc.
Definitely would recommend Lane!

I was a loyal customer of Mina’s for over two years, consistently seeing a high-​level stylist (Shelia — who was great!). I never left the salon without scheduling my next appointment, which was usually highlights with a haircut.
Nonetheless, I never felt like I was a client of the salon, but rather just of Sheila’s. Looking around when you’re there, the salon feels like a collection of stylists in business for themselves, not a team of people working for the best customer experience. As time went on, the environment felt gradually more competitive than collaborative. Besides the barista, none of the other stylists or managers would even attempt small talk while I waited for my color to process, and few would even talk to Shelia.
Recently, Mina’s let go several of their most experienced — and longest-​serving — stylists, including both Sheila and another stylist who I had tried out after she left. I can only assume this was a cost-​cutting move, but as a client who seeks out experienced (and therefore more expensive) stylists, it was very disconcerting.
Without a friendly atmosphere, and confidence in keeping a relationship with a stylist I can trust, I’ve decided to move on from Mina’s and not look back.
Miraculously, weeks later, I walked into Forever Young Salon and Spa (Southern Village) for a some pre-​wedding pampering, and found my Shelia!

I’ve been going to Jessie Van Der for years, I was shocked when they told me she was gone. I needed my hair done and since they wouldn’t tell me where she went I accepted an appointment with Lane. Big mistake, he was condescending, didn’t listen and he took forever! I left with the worst highlights and cut of my life. I was so upset I went looking for Jessie and found her in Durham at Bella Trio. I will not be back to Mina’s ever again. They don’t care about you customer experience just taking your money. If you happen to find a good stylist that is the only thing that makes Mina’s a good place to go.

Mina’s studio is expensive but worth the money. I have gotten my hair done there 3 times now, and I’ve had a couple Brazilian waxes too. My fave stylist is Lane. He is extremely talented and always spends several minutes just talking to me about my needs and wants. Basically, going to Mina’s is how I imagined hair salons when I was a child. You sit down and have a very adult conversation about exactly what you want. I can’t believe people say they get rushed here. That has been the opposite of my experience! Lane talks to you and actually explains the science behind what he’s doing (I’m a nerd and I like the chemistry behind everything). Also, he uses brand new techniques which make me feel like I’m a superstar: D
For reference, I have blond hair that is very fine and thin. I go to get my hair lighter and trimmed. My hair has never looked better! Friends and family are constantly commenting about the color and how my hair looks thicker now (which is a huge deal for me because my hair always looks flat and stringy). Also, I got recommended really good products.
Go to Mina’s to get spoiled and treat yourself, and you won’t be disappointed.
FYI You can’t put a tip on your Credit card slip so bring cash

I have Sheila do my haircuts after many years of putting up with supercuts and great clips. She does a great job with my wavy hair and have me the exact cut and style I wanted. Yeah it’s about 3 times more than a cheap haircut, but I don’t spend the next week hating the cut. Also not having to wait as long is great too.
Now I just really like my hair and spend more for it.

I go to Mina’s to get myself waxed down under, and I’m talking all the way.
Used to see Molly and she was great, but she’s moved on since, and I recently saw a woman who I think was named Kate. I was VERY pleased — it was as painless as a Brazilian can be, and very quick. Highly recommend her services, but would not recommend Jenny, who I saw about two years ago. I hear her eyesight is not good, and that matters with these sort of things.
I would highly suggest Mina’s do some sort of system for their regulars, since I hate doling out $ 65 every time I want to get a Brazilian, but I haven’t found a better option in the area so I can’t really be picky. But yeah, like a punch card or a discount or SOMETHING would be really appreciated.

I don’t understand how there isn’t another higher-​end salon in Chapel Hill. They would MOW Mina’s down. I’ve been here over the years for a couple haircuts and several manicures, all of which were positively ABYSMAL. Both times they cut my hair way too short (what about «I need to still be able to pull it back into a ponytail» don’t you understand? How is that a complex request?) and the one time I had my hair colored, the colorist left the bleach on my scalp too long and I left with chemical burns all over my scalp… that was fun. The manicures have both been sloppy work done in a cramped back closet room of the salon by testy women who have their children with them at work. And for as much as they charge for a mani/​pedi, they should include a scrub or something on your feet — nada.