Drybar – Del Mar

Pros
Easy to make online appointment. Lots of parking. Customer focused stylists. They offer selection of complementary drinks.
Cons
Very loud music. Hard to endure.
Hot small space with no A/​C. Doors were open but no fans.
Even with appointment often 15 minute wait.

I’ve been here a few times and been very happy, but the last time I was treated horribly by Amanda. She was condesending, unprofessional and downright rude. Should you go there, make sure your taken car of by someone other than Amanda. She is doing the business a serious dis-​service.

Got my hair blowed out here awhile ago but I never had the time to write a review. I’m glad I tried this place out because I was satisfied with my experience! The salon is kind of small but very cute and clean. I was hesitant getting my hair done right before an event I had because what if it came out horrible… Then I wouldn’t have time to fix it. I’m usually VERY picky when it comes to my hair so when I find a stylist I like, I give them kudos! This review is for my stylist, Amanda I believe her name was? (I’m so bad with remembering names):) she was awesome! My hair is pretty long almost down to my waist, so I was unsure of how long it was going to take and if it would even hold the curls. I told her I wanted a Victoria’s Secret type of look. She managed to get me out less than an hour and my hair looked on point! I felt bad because her arms were probably sore the next day after dealing with the amount of hair I had lol. Not only was my hair styled perfectly but my hair felt even healthier. The products she used on me smelt amazing and made my hair feel so soft. Usually my hair feels fried after getting blowed out so I was happy with how my hair turned out. I will be coming back again! Especially since I work walking distance from here (:

They’re really good here… although not quick… it will be at least an hour and a half… and they offer you treats and mimosas while you’re getting your hair done… you can also watch a movie… they don’t offer any makeup services… the Jimbo’s is right next door… so you can get your grocery shopping done afterward.

I’ve only been here once. It’s a hip place. Cute décor, good music, and fun stylists. I enjoyed my time here. The fun vibe reminds me of the nail salon I go to in the Del Sur town center: curBAR.

I rated this place 5 stars originally — in 2011 — I’ve been a consistent customer since I first came here 5 years ago. I am still a huge fan. But I had to take away 1 itty bitty star, b.c. of TIME. The appointments almost NEVER start on time. The staff is always kind and apologetic, which is appreciated, of course. But appointments are made with one’s entire day in mind. So when it’s consistently late — that’s disrespectful of the customer’s time. Once — I waited over 30 minutes past my appointment time & they were generous enough to comp my blow out. And even though that’s an extreme example — 9 times out of 10 — my appointments start approx. 15 minutes late. This isn’t just Saturday evening or a holiday weekend. I mean like 8AM on a weekday. I got into the habit of scheduling my appointments now 15 minutes before I actually want them to begin & I’d recommend the same thing to future customers. Booking appointments is extremely easy online, as well, or download the app.

I tried Dry Bar out today for the very first time. Hesitant because I had my 4 year old with me but I had to have my blow out for Valentines weekend! The staff was amazing and treated my son to water chips string cheese animal cookies and made sure I was taken care of as well. Talk about service! Amanda my hair stylist was super friendly, did an amazing blow out and had me out of there in a timely matter however I never felt rushed just taken care of. I can’t wait to come back. Thank you Amanda and dry bar

Pros: Easy to make an appointment online, friendly staff, quality products
Cons: Price, employee experience
When I made my appointment online through their website, I made a point of saying in the comment portion that I have fine, thin hair. And when I say fine and thin hair, I mean it! I’ve told stylists that before, and even they are surprised when they touch my hair. With that type of hair, it’s very difficult to hold a style.
I received several emails and a text message the morning of my appointment to confirm my booking. I checked in to my morning appointment early, and was greeted with friendly staff. After waiting a few minutes, my stylist took me to her station to talk about my hair and what I wanted.
I was taking portraits later that day, so I just wanted something that would last a few hours while my photos were taken (Again, I know I’m not going to get super model hair unless I wear a wig). She was the pro, so I told her more of what I didn’t want (i.e. a bouffant) and wanted to let her do her thing.
However, it was obvious that my stylist, albeit very nice, was pretty nervous. After splashing me during the shampoo and a few other mishaps, she told me she was new to the salon. She wasn’t very talkative, and another employee was the one to ask if I wanted something to drink.
I honestly am not sure what kind of blow out I got… I think the Mai Tai? When it was all said and done, the style was cute, but I was a little worried that there wasn’t enough product or curl to give it staying power. On my way out the door and to my car, my hair was already falling flat.
Given my hair type, I knew my hair was not going to look like the photos from Drybar’s menu, but I did expect the style to last longer than 5 minutes. I ended up pinning most of my hair back and re-​curling a few sections before meeting with the photographer. Honestly, that was something I could have done myself without spending an additional $ 40.
Unfortunately, I think my stylist’s nerves got the best of her and she didn’t quite know what to do with my hair. I would have much rather her ask another stylist for help or tips if she wasn’t sure of what to do than hope for the best and send me on my way.
Most of the other customers in the salon that day seemed to be regular clients, so Drybar is obviously doing something right. If you have thicker or easily styled hair, I’d say give it a shot. If you have fine and thin hair like I do, I’d be cautious. Personally, I don’t know if I would risk going again.

Lillian is my go too!!! Used amazing products for my hair and it stayed for days… such a great place!

I had Chelsea for my first ever visit to Dry Bar & I went with the Manhattan smooth & sleek. I was promptly greeted & offered a beverage by the hostess. I can’t believe Chelsea got my hair dried that fast! When I was finished it was raining pretty hard so I was given a complementary dry bar umbrella which was an awesome touch. I am not from this area but I will definitely come back when I am in the area & I’d be happy to have Chelsea as my stylist again.

A great concept of a hair salon where you go just for shampoo and styling. Once you arrive and check-​in they offer beverages like tea or mimosas. You get shampoo-​ed and can choose from from a «menu» of styles. Both times I’ve been here I’ve gotten the Cosmo from Megan. She did such an amazing job with the curls that they held throughout the day and the next without feeling too tight. And even though she did my hair twice, the curls looked different on both occasions but fabulous nonetheless. The stylists here know what works well for your hair (i.e. which barrel size would produce he best look for you) and do a great job in spite of the place always being busy.
As far as pricing goes, I like that everything on the menu is priced simply. It’ll always be $ 40 for the shampoo and blowout, and there are always other add-​ons such as a longer massage or conditioning treatments if that’s what you’re looking for. I’ll definitely be back in the future.

Best place to get your hair blow dried! They do a great job everytime no matter who does it. Highly recommend :)

I feel like a Victoria Secrets model after I get my hair done here! Chick flicks and wine while you get pampered, it’s fabulous!

I was pleasantly surprised! Place is trendy and looks super clean. The staff was welcoming and very friendly. I only visited Dry Bar because I had received a gift card but after my experience I’ll definitely go back when I need a good blow-​out or special event style (approx $ 40 – 45 per session). You get a nice wash and conditioning treatment, followed by a menu to select your desired style and then the stylist gets to work! I was fortunate enough to be sitting right in front of their TV which was playing a Ryan Gossling movie haha! Nice!!!

Love, love, love this place! This was my first time here and Caitlin was an absolute angel. She helped me create an entirely new do. Thanks again. I will be back with friends and family.
5 Star service!

My ABSOLUTE favorite place to go when I want to unwind and walk out feeling fresh. If you are a BUSY person like myself it is vital we get those little «me time» hours so we can kick back, drink a mimosa or glass of champagne, and do something for ourselves. The DryBar experience is just that.
I especially love how there’s an option for them to put your hair extensions in. Just this past week I went in and they made sure I not only had a perfect blowout but also secure extensions.
I have had nothing but perfect experiences here and HIGHLY recommend this place over all the other shops I have been noticing popping up. Drybar is the real deal and above the rest. :)

Kelsie was great! Not only did she do good job on my hair but she was very outgoing which made me feel comfortable, I will deff go back just for her

Very disappointed! I went in yesterday, 19 Aug, and wanted the Cosmopolitan. I have very long hair, and it was still wet from my post gym shower. I arrived 20 minutes early because I wasn’t sure how the traffic would be. They took me right away– the reason for the two stars.
This was a big day for me, my birthday and the justice of the peace ceremony with my fiancé before our destination wedding. My stylist didn’t offer me a water, coffee or anything and I saw other clients who were having them so I know it was available. My stylist said maybe 3 sentences to me and I didn’t feel welcomed. My hair looked pretty good when I left and I left a very nice tip. I got in my car, and before I was home my hair had started to flatten. I had all my windows up and even had the AC vents completely away from my head. Within an hour my hair had completely fallen, no body whatsoever, and limp weird curls. Basically like a flat iron job.
I’ve had my hair blown out and styled many times and my hair actually holds curl really well. My pictures came out badly, and I ended up putting my hair in a pony tail.

Absolutely love this place. Take awesome care of you and really listen to what you want and how you want a look executed.
I had a 9:15 appointment and since I’ve had a Brazilian treatment, the curls don’t really last. She took over an hour to make sure my curls lasted and it looked amazing. Unfortunately by 1pm they had fallen. I called them and they were amazing about fitting me in and redoing my curls even though they were booked solid. I was extremely anxious about looking perfect since I was getting my hair done for my engagement pictures.
I will definitely go back, not just for the hair but for the amazing customer service.
Highly recommend!

I love this Salon. I especially love Courtnay who does an excellent job every single time.

Drybar is a hit or miss– sometimes my hair will look fab and last for days, sometimes it starts to look flat right after i leave the salon. And sometimes you get a professional stylist, sometimes you get an excessively chatty kathy like one named Ann… while nice, she talked my ear off, even while i was trying to enjoy a magazine or the movie playing, and repeatedly got the round brushes stuck in my hair while tugging to untangle. I love the overall vibe of the salon, but it’s hard to relax when you have a stylist talking too much about her awkward family situation (and over the noise of the dryers). I actually felt the two gals and stylists on both sides of me looking over as if trying to save me from the conversation — even while i was on the phone for a min at the end, Ann managed to ask me questions. I will make sure to request another stylist during my next visit :(
P. s. My blowout took 2 hrs — the longest one ever
P. p. s. As a result of this review, I received a call from Drybar inquiring about my experience — not only did they offer an apology, but I was offered a free blowout as well — I will definitely give Drybar another go! Great customer service!

Had my hair styled at Drybar for a portrait session recently. I chose the Cosmopolitan and I was happy with the outcome. But I was a little disappointed that the curls lasted for barely 6 hours.
Pros:
++ Beautiful décor
++ Complimentary drinks and cookies
++ Appointment scheduling is easy using their website
++ Quick service. I didn’t have to wait and the blow out took about 45 minutes.
Cons :
– At 40 $ plus gratuity, the price is steep.

Update:
Yesterday evening, I encountered a scheduling incident which prompted a review. This afternoon I received a call from Caitlyn, the manager at the Drybar, offering her apologies while informing me that yesterday was the last day for the individual responsible. I was really impressed by how promptly the management addressed the issue. There’s something to be said about good customer service, and I really appreciate that. Thanks Caitlyn and keep up the great work!

i purchased a 3 blowdry package, gave one to my lovely friend, and enjoy the other tow on myself. Great $ spent for an hour of relaxation and you come out looking gorgeous. The complimentary champagnes definitely add to the experience!

Debated long and hard, 3 or 4 stars? Up until my visit last week, it would have actually been 2 stars. But after my great experience last week with Janelle I’m bumping up to 4!
I’ll start with why I WAS going to give Drybar 2 stars. I’ve been there on 3 previous occasions, and the results were really inconsistent. The first time was on new years eve and my hair looked NOTHING like what I asked for (I even showed photos). The curls held fine, but it was just not the look I was going for. The second time was before a concert the curls looked how I wanted them to, but after a few hours they fell. The 3^rd time (prior to last weeks visit) was the worst, I was a guest at a wedding and by cocktail hour my hair was almost straight and the curls did not hold at all.
Now onto why I AM going to give Drybar 4 stars. I decided to give Drybar one final chance (breaking the three strikes rule here) and am so glad that I did! After booking my appointment, I stopped by and explained my previous experiences to the receptionist. She made a recommendation that I book my appointment with Janelle, because she is really good at working with extensions and stubborn hair that will not curl easily.
Janelle was fabulous. My experience was a little bit different than a typical blowout, as she did not wash my hair because she said that based on my hair type, it would hold a curl better if she just used dry shampoo. It worked! She explained to me that she was going to curl my hair a bit tighter than I wanted the end result to be, so that after a few hours the curls would be a bit softer. It turned out perfect and held really well! Even the next day after sleeping on it my hair was still curly.
My mom was also with me on this visit and her stylist (I believe Amber?) was great also! This was my moms first blowout and she was skeptical, but she loved her hair so much that she returned to buy some products the next day!
When I return to Drybar my appointment will be booked with Janelle for sure!

I had the pleasure of having my hair drybar’d for the first time in Santa Monica a few weeks ago for a free event. I was back home in SD at the gym before family portraits and it hit me that it was going to take forever to try to curl my hair. «Damn it, I wish there was a drybar nearby!» Checked Unilocal and BOOM, there was one 15 minutes away. Awesome.
Call ahead, always! Even if you’re planning on making an appointment day of! It could save you a lot of time because appointments are prioritized.
Enjoyed complimentary coffee while getting my hair Mai Tai’d and it turned out perfecccct. $ 40 sans tip is a bit much for a blowout especially because my hair is, for the most part, tamed… if it was cheaper I’d probably go regularly and not just for special occasions. Regardless, I love that drybar is consistently awesome at every location. I didn’t even know it was a chain! So happy to find this out :)