Elements McLean

Lauren was great I will definitely be back!
Background on me:
– naturally straight long hair
– I don’t style my hair unless it’s a major event. (Usually just air dry or pull into ponytail or bun)
– I hate spending money on haircuts because I get the same easy haircut every time
– I make my own «shampoos» but about once a week I use a shampoo with simple ingredients rated by EWG
– I’ve been going to a beauty school for haircuts for 2 years and it has been, err, rough…
Why I’ll go back to Elements:
– Lauren knew exactly what I wanted and executed it without any problem
– The shampoo ingredients are safer than other salons
– It’s pricier than I’d like, but felt worth the great cut and ability to get a full shampoo and blow dry without chemicals

Elena is incredible! I walked in with over processed and over bleached hair. She sat down and talked with me about what I wanted and was very honest about the condition of my hair. She gave me highlights, lowlights, protein conditioner and a cut. My hair is amazing! I highly recommend her and Irving, the owner, plays the BEST music! Thank you for a great experience!

A great salon with caring practitioners. Tasha helped me when I first called through my huge concerns, and I asked for Elena based on reviews on here. I had *tried* to cut my own hair after swearing I never would again, and called them after searching online, because I haven’t had someone to rely on recently for haircuts.
Elena is caring, helpful, and very skilled at what she does. My hair is going through stages now, but she made it so I can leave the house again. I will definitely consider her my go-​to person now for haircuts, and I don’t have to keep looking.

I want to shout from the mountain top about how much I love this place! Finding a good salon, and one that uses vegan, sulfate, paraben etc etc etc free products is not difficult… it’s impossible! Until I found Elements. I have curly hair and after yet another bad experience at a salon I wasn’t really holding my breath that Elements would be the end of my search. With every other salon in the area it’s either great staff, or a great haircut. Never both. Not true here! From the moment I walked in I felt like I was entering a room full of people who had known me for decades. They were warm, and inviting, and not the least bit condescending or rude. While I filled out the most unique hair salon survey I’ve ever seen («What is one thing you want to change about your hair?» «When you walk into a room do you want to be: noticed, subtle, a little of both») I listened to the other stylists who so expertly suggested various cuts and colors and styles for their clients. When it was my turn, I saw Elena, she actually pulled up a chair and sat with me for 15 minutes just chatting, about me, my life, my hair, my style, a wedding I’m going to be in soon, everything! I felt so welcomed and like I’d known and trusted her for years. The haircut was nothing short of fabulous and the fact that their products are environmentally friendly is huge in my book. We put so much nasty stuff in our hair and on our bodies. When she was done she proceeded to roughly dry my hair with curl product so I could see how it was going to look when I styled it at home later (aka eliminating the dreaded moment of truth when you wash your hair after a salon trip) then proceeded to blow dry it straight.
I have not one single bad thing to say about Elements! I even booked myself and two friends for updos later in the spring. I cannot wait to go back. Such a happy place! So much laughter and fun. Keep it up, Elements!

I’ve had really great experiences here. Best salon I’ve been to in the DC area. I think I’ve had most of the stylists do my hair at some point, and they are all truly excellent. You won’t be disappointed — it’s worth the extra cost.

Bring my daughter here for her haircut. We have an amazing experience. The place look great, The staffs are wonderful, rather than just cut her hair they help her donates her hand. My daughter actually got a consultation before her hair cut. Mr. Irving is very knowledgeable not only about hair stylist but about the sciences behind it. The last thing I need is putting unknown chemicals on my daughter’s hair. All the organic products uses at Elements of Mclean take care of my worries. Highly recommended, not only you look great but you feel great too!

I was extremely nervous to get my hair done being I have had the same stylist do my hair since I was young but I am so glad that I found Elena! Not only is she sweet and kind, I loved that she talked with me before starting to really understand my routine and what I’m looking for. I know that she was listening to me because my hair turned out amazing and exactly what I was looking for! The atmosphere was also great and I enjoyed getting to learn about their hair products (which all smelled and felt wonderful). I highly recommend going to see Elena and can’t wait to go back to get my hair done again!

Irving has been my stylist for over a decade — I followed him from Eclipse when he opened this salon. I trust him completely to do what’s best.

I’ve been going to Jesi for years, and will not let anyone else touch my hair. I recently moved out of state, but whenever I’m home visiting I always make sure to get an appointment. Jesi is very easy to talk too and very friendly. She’s done everything for me, from a simple trim to coloring to up-​dos for special occasions. I promise she will not let you down, and she won’t get scissor happy either! For a person who has hair down to their butt, I used to be so worried when getting a trim, I’d ask for 2 inches off and end up with 4 inches off. Now I can sit back, relax and talk with my hair stylist. I always look forward to getting my hair done and catching up with a great friend.

I have been getting my hair done at Elements for a year now and I love it! The salon itself is lovely and I adore the fact they are exclusively a Surface Hair Arts facility! Jesi Mahan is my stylist. I have been a client of Jesi’s for three years and I followed her to Elements McLean in September 2014. Before visiting Jesi in her new salon, I went to another stylist with the hopes of changing my hair color from black to red (i.e one of the most difficult and delicate processes to endure in the professional hair world.) When I left the other salon, my color was not only still very dark, my hair was extremely damaged. Whenever I combed it, touched it, and when i woke up, hair bits were all over the place. I was literally leaving a trail of damaged hair like breadcrumbs! Realizing I made a huge mistake, I went to see Jesi with my hat in my hand.
From the moment I sat in Jesi’s chair, I knew my hair was going to get better. After a few rounds of color remover, a customized, Surface Hair treatment, and a good cut, my hair slowly transformed. I went from a wacky-​colored nightmare to vibrant colored hair that was healthy and strong. Yes, the process itself took a long time but Jesi was there with me, every step of the way. Jesi believes in protecting the integrity of her clients’ hair while listening to their desires for cut and style.
Speaking of style, I have a very different style than most. My look is very rockabilly/​vintage and thus, I need my hair cut in a vintage style. Many of my previous stylists would simply give me layers and blow-​out my hair and I would leave the salon feeling let down and like I wasn’t listened to at all. A true style must have a vintage cut. Period. Jesi understands this very well and whenever I curl and/​or set my hair at home, it looks great!
I love Jesi and I ADORE Elements McLean! The environment is very friendly and I love how I am made to feel at home the moment I walk in. The Surface hair products, along with Jesi’s expertise make my hair truly happy!

Regardless of the occasion, Jesi is the best stylist all around. Whether you want cut, color, updo, highlights, etc., she’s the one to see. I’m a very picky blonde and it has taken me 6 years to finally settle with someone who can always take on the exact description I tell or picture I show to a T. Jesi’s skill and experience is unbelievable and she is the only stylist I trust with my hair. I am a 22 year old college grad, and all my friends, neighbors, co-​workers are constantly asking where I go to get my hair done. If you need ANYONE to do your hair in the DMV area, go see Jesi. You will never be disappointing and she has the best way about her. Her work ethic and love for seeing her clients happy is what she is most recognized for. There’s no point in going to Elements salon if she isn’t the stylist you’re scheduled to see!

Just tried Elements for the first time! Elena was so sweet and did such a great job listening to what I wanted. She was so easy to trust when I was super nervous to switch stylists (I’ve been with the same stylist before I moved for 10 years)! I love my hair and the magic she did to it! The only reason for four stars was it was a bit more pricey then my past hair place!

I loved this salon! It was very welcoming as soon as I got there they offer me for something to drink. Every sweet staff. Elena was my hair stylist and she was so personal and she took the time to listen what I wanted before I even sat down on chair! No Body else ever done that. =) even before I cut or did anything to my hair I had trust Elena! Isn’t that funny? She exactly knew how to cut my dense, heavy think unmanageable hair! It was so horrible to even show my hair but it turned out really well. It was meant to be that my previous hair salon hairstyles cancelled my appt!!!

First time since I moved to this area that I liked my haircut!!! First time I ever got my hair highlighted and was nervous, but Elena did suuuuuch a great great great job on everything she did!!! Love my hair; my husband loves my hair. She made me feel comfortable the entire time and was super attentive and understanding. Easy to converse with. Great hauf artist! Everybody loves my hair! Thank you thank elements especially Elena! I won’t be going anywhere else anymore :)

Have been getting my hair cut with Elena since she became a stylist. She is one of those rare stylists that has the eye and great taste to give you a cut that flatters you. Am always inundated with compliments on my new do!
I love the family atmosphere of the Salon, Irving, the owner does such a great job with quality control and hiring really talented staff members. The scalp massage you get when they are washing out the color are phenomenal too!

I got my haircut and highlighted with Elena. She is amazing! I was super nervous before going in. I moved to the area a year ago and this is only my second time cutting my hair down here since then. The first time was a disaster and I was scared to try another place. I decided on Elements based on the amazing Unilocal reviews I read and was not disappointed. I’m so happy with the cut and color Elena did. I felt like she really knew what she was doing and took the time to make sure she understood what I wanted. She was very patient and went over all the color options (full dye, highlights, ombré) and helped me make the choice that was right for me. For me, it’s really important for me to feel like I can trust the person doing my hair, especially if that includes coloring in any way and I definitely feel that I could trust Elena. This salon as a whole was very bright and welcoming and everyone there seemed very cheery and welcoming.

Had an amazing cut and color with Elena. Highly recommend this great salon as well as Elena. I wanted my hair brought back to my natural color which I’ve tried to do countless times with no success. Elena was the first to be able to do it and was so precise! 5 bigs stars to this great salon!

It’s very hard finding a salon that is worth the money around Northern VA, until now. Yes, they charge the going price in this area, but you get exceptional service. No double or triple booking, but a one on one appointment. Lauren is honest, and gave me multiple options to fix a terrible haircut I got from a previous salon. Her opinion is gold, and she knows exactly what will look good on you. Love the Surface products they use. Great brand. The salon has a fun atmosphere, and everyone was friendly and beyond kind. (I had to rebook because I ended up in the hospital awhile back, and they waived the late cancellation fee.) I was so happy with my haircut. It looks healthier, and was exactly what I asked for. Excited to get Lauren to color my hair soon. If you want to have amazing hair, go here. It’s worth the money.

I cannot say ENOUGH good things about Elena at Elements McLean. She colored my hair a few months back and I was IN LOVE with what she did. Due to availability, I wasn’t able to come back to her and went to someone else who turned my hair a HORRIFYING shade of purple-​red which faded in this DISGUSTING manner to a red-​orange-​pink ombré thing (and not in the cool, intentional way, either). She first looked at my hair and rather than having a heart attack, she told me she could return my head to a natural color, but warned me it might be darker than I wanted because she didn’t want to destroy my hair. She spent two appointments coloring, protein treating and then cutting off about a foot of hair. My hair has NEVER been softer, looked more gorgeous OR gotten me more compliments. She got it almost EXACTLY to the shade I had hoped it would be-​and it looks beyond natural and absolutely stunning. My hair came to her with ratty, obliterated ends and now is shiny, soft and a stunning, NATURAL LOOKING color.
I will NEVER let anyone but Elena touch my hair. Not only do the products she uses at Elements make my hair feel wonderful (when it normally feels like straw after coloring), but it looks like I was born with sunny highlights all over. I could not ask for a better hair stylist. I am insanely picky about my hair and she pulled the perfect hair cut and color out on to my head.
DO NOT MISS OUT ON ELENA! She is sweet and has a great natural eye for what matches your skin tone. She is the type of hair stylist I would travel anywhere to go see.

Finally found a new hair home at Elements!
For years and years I’d an Anne Welsh devotee but had a few bad experiences there — combine that with a drive way across town and the need to book at least 2 months in advance and I was done. I then drifted, hair homeless, for far too long. A friend recommended Lauren at Elements and I am thrilled to report my hair is once again being properly looked after.
One of the things I love and appreciate about Lauren is that there was no judgement about the fact that I color my own hair. During the hair homeless years I still needed to cover the grey, and actually found a box color surprisingly close to my natural. Lauren admitted the amazing color match, and said although she’d love the chance to color my hair, she was supportive of the box given how well it works on me. That she didn’t push salon color was enough to make me love her.
And then she cut my hair! At my initial appointment I went about 4 – 5 inches shorter. Lauren was great as talking me through the options and after she cut it, took the time to show me a couple different ways I could style it. I’m three cuts into the new style and still really happy with Lauren and the salon.
She and I work well together because I tend to be someone who gives the professional (Lauren) a general idea of what I want and then I leave the details to her. I trust her to take what I want, and create a cut and style that will flatter my face and work with my hair.
I’d definitely recommend the salon to any of my friends!