Bubbles Salon

I went today for a full color and Tiffany said it started at $ 65 (higher than other staff) but if I needed an extra tube it will be $ 10 more. As it turned out, I supposedly needed not one but two extra dye tubes, for a total of 3 tubes and my hair barely reaches my shoulder. I felt ripped off. Obviously you never see the tubes opened in front of you but next time I will ask!

I should have known better than to return here after my awful experience earlier this summer…
Alas, I came in for «baylayage caramel lowlights.» I showed my stylist, Van, 4 photos of exactly the color I had in mind. The photos were of someone with my natural hair color as well, so that there would be no confusion whatsoever. After nearly four tedious hours, my hair was dry and I left somewhat unimpressed with the job. The following morning, I showered and dryer my hair as I would normally, and it was possibly the WORST COLORING JOB I have ever had in my life. My hair is partially platinum blond, partially bronze orange, and partially a mustard yellow color. On top of that, the baylayage, if you can even call it that, is splotchy and certainly doesn’t look natural, like it’s supposed to.
To make matters even worse, When I called to request a redo, I was told that I had to see the same stylist. Ummm, no thank you? She already ruined my hair once and that’s one time too many in my book. My hair is falling out, and you expect me to just let her «try again?» Hahahaha
And then, the last straw, was that the receptionist refused to allow me to see another stylist free of charge. Maybe that’s just their policy, but Van is not going to be anywhere near my hair anytime soon. For $ 200, my hair looks like crap, and I’m going to have to fix it myself with a tried and true $ 10 dye from the drugstore.
Tldr: DO NOT GO HERE EVER FOR ANYTHING!

I tend to never write reviews, whether positive or negative, but what I experienced the other day at Bubbles Salon in Cleveland Park was too frustrating and disappointing to go unnoticed or unmentioned. Hopefully this review will bring about some much needed change.
First of all, I’m very disappointed with the «style» of my new haircut. After spending more than $ 50 on a simple hair cut without my hair blown dried or washed, my hair looks almost exactly the same as it did before I walked into the salon. But hair cut style aside, the whole experience was negative for other reasons.
My hairstylist kept TOUCHING my hair and not doing much cutting at all. I tried to suggest to her to cut more in certain parts because she would barely do any cutting.
The worse part for me was the fact that her fingers smelled strongly like cigarettes and I could smell her tobacco fingers throughout the whole sitting. When I got home I had to wash my hair because it reeked like cigarettes. It was really gross and unpleasant. I don’t smoke and hadn’t gone out so I know for a fact that the smell came from her.
The stylist’s nails were also quite long and she kept scratching the sides of my face with them when she kept touching my bangs and hair on the sides of my face. I was more disgusted than anything else because longs nails store a lot of bacteria and I could feel them.
I was the last client of the day, so 20 minutes into my appointment the receptionist started to sweep around the area where I was sitting and after a while longer she would walk over from the front desk and just stand behind the hair stylist and me to stare at us and rush us-​I could tell that she wanted to go home for the day (her boyfriend/​friend/​or relative was laying on the couch, waiting for her to be finished. She kept returning and pacing back and forth between the reception desk and our area and kept glancing over at us to see if we were close to being done. It felt uncomfortable to be rushed on top of everything.
In general, I think that the personal hygiene and service are really poor and should be improved. The tobacco-​smelling fingers, the long nails scratching along the face, and the rushing attitude from the receptionist made this experience very unpleasant and uncomfortable. On top of everything, I am not happy with my hair cut.
Hopefully the manager of this place reads this and takes this comment into account and places some changes.
Needless to say I won’t ever be returning to this salon and will never recommend this place to anyone.

This place does not know how to communicate with their clients on their needs and/​or listen. Went for a hair updo. I showed them a picture of exactly what I wanted and they did something completely different. After the third attempt and two hours sitting, I ended up with a style I never requested and disliked. Looks like they only know how to make one style of hairdo.

Short story: I really recommend Katarina. I have very thick, long hair and she did an amazing job! Also, she’s super friendly. I got a cut and color for $ 120 which is very reasonable for how much work/​time she put in.
Long story: I decided to get my hair done spur of the moment while I was in Cleveland Park. I’ve lived here for almost 4 years and have avoided getting my hair cut at all costs because it’s hard to find a reasonably priced place that doesn’t have awful reviews, and paying $ 70 for a trim just wasn’t working for me. I was a little wary of walking into Bubbles because the reviews on here were mixed but I reeeaaaalllly wanted to get a cut and color. I walked in right after they opened and got an appointment for a few hours later, which was perfect because I had some errands to do. Katarina was awesome! She’s super friendly, made me feel at home, and did a great job on my hair. I have a TON of hair and it’s really long, all one length. I dye my hair red and she helped me figure out what color to use because I hadn’t had my hair dyed professionally in a very long time. She was super thorough, which is important, and when you have as much hair as I do it’s easy to rush through and miss pieces. She took a few inches off and did a great job straightening my difficult, wavy hair. I paid $ 120, which is such a great price for a cut and color with my hair. I will definitely be going back!

I’ve been a client of Thomas for three years and have always left feeling amazing about my hair. I came in originally with accidental fried, dyed jet black hair and extensions to hide the mess. He transitioned me out of the black dye slowly, as to not compromise the health of my hair. My over processed, frizzy, embarrassing mess that I desperately tried to straighten (DAILY!) was transformed into a chic, short retro style that my natural curls got along with. He really took the time to teach me how to care and style for my texture, something no other stylist I’ve been to has done. They always blow dried and ironed it straight. It took me thirteen years to finally embrace my natural hair, it rarely sees a flat iron anymore, and it has never been healthier, that all goes to Thomas. He is a miracle worker, extremely clean, professional and unpretentious. I often come in with nothing in mind and literally let him do whatever he wants with my hair, I’ve been happy every time.
They don’t have assistants or shampoo staff here, so TIP your stylists! There has been a lot of wonderful receptionists over the years, and only a few duds. Complimentary coffee, tea and water. Steps away from Cleveland Park station. The building is cool. I receive compliments on my hair daily and I always say, go see Thomas at Bubbles in Cleveland Park!

Walked in, no availability for a hair cut, so I made an appointment a few days in advance. I show up, and there is no recollection of said appointment.
Time & money wasted. Vastly disappointed.

Katarina was fantastic! I gave her a general idea of what I was looking for and she gave me the best cut I’ve had in a long time! Super personable and fun and I was in and out quickly! 5 stars!

I wish I could give zero stars. I would only recommend this place to people that I really, really hate. I’m not any more creative than giving my enemies embarrassing hair cuts.
I went to Bubbles in Cleveland Park once and received the worst hair cut that I’ve ever gotten, by far. I looked for a photo to post but, thank God, I deleted all evidence of the worst two months of my life. I asked for straight across front bangs which I’ve had before from other places and really liked. In this case, I got uneven, choppy, and super short bangs that looked like a 3 year old took safety scissors to my face in my sleep. I thought at first that maybe it was my fault and the photo I showed lead to this monstrosity but the more that I think about it, my situation was simply poor skill. Since they were so short, I couldn’t go elsewhere to get them fixed or attempt to better them myself. Plus side: I built quite the hat collection.
To top the actual hair cut off, the «stylist» spent the entire time telling me how dry and unhealthy my hair was, asking me what type of shampoo I use, and trying to talk me into expensive treatments. This was off putting because a) my hair is the bomb diggity and b) your personal critique wasn’t the service I was paying for. Cut my hair like I asked you to do and leave your own hair complexity issues out of it.
A tip if you brave the unknown: bring cash. You can’t tip on a credit card (even if you pay for the service with credit) and they don’t tell you this until you’re paying. There’s no sign or anything. The receptionist told me to run to the bank and get cash. I said okay and never came back. Disorganization and carelessness don’t deserve tipping.

I got a fantastic haircut from James. I showed him a few photos of the look I wanted and he did a great job re-​creating the specific cut I wanted. Bubbles is professional, clean and affordable; My cut was under $ 50 which is good for the DC area. You also have the opportunity to tip the stylist on your credit card which was hassle free since I don’t always carry cash in my wallet. I did have to wait about a half hour though; apparently the appointment before mine was running over schedule, no biggie though!

I just left Bubbles without a haircut after waiting for 30 minutes. Never having been to Bubbles before and searching for a salon closer to home, I made an appointment a week ago for a haircut, requesting anyone available. When I arrived, I was told that there would be a wait, but given no information about how long. The receptionist was not overtly impolite but was certainly indifferent.
I sat in the awkward window waiting area and watched several other customers come in and receive service. After 20 minutes, I checked in and asked how much longer it would be. The receptionist said she wasn’t sure, because the person assigned to cut my hair was «fixing someone’s color» and it might be awhile. I waited 10 more minutes and then told the receptionist I’d be leaving and not rescheduling, to which she responded, «Ok.»
I understand that this place isn’t the fanciest, but I expected basic customer service or a call in advance to warn me of such an extensive delay. I won’t patronize this or any other Bubbles location in the future.

Great customer service. Very chic and comfortable salon. Stephanie is me personal stylist and she never fails.

I did go back and while the cut and experience was just as good as last time around, it became a lot more expensive. I went to pay and was shocked when they charged me a lot more than last time. James heard me talking to the receptionist and said they must’ve mistakenly undercharged me last time.
So I was stuck paying the full price (plus extra for «long hair”-not cool) but I’m not going to come back. It’s just not worth the full price.

Tiffanie is amazing. I went to Bubbles yesterday to get my hair dyed and decided to get a trim while I was there. I have wanted to dye the tips of my hair forever, so I had a picture in my head, but wasn’t quite sure how to explain it. As soon as I described what I thought I wanted, Tiffanie knew exactly what to do. Everything turned out better than I could have ever imagined. The color is amazing and the trim is the icing on the cake. I will definitely be back!
I’ve never had my hair dyed, so I thought the price was a little high when she first quoted it before we began. But, after 3 hours there and two different processes and the amazing results, the price was TOTALLY worth it!

Got a fantastic haircut from Mario — I wanted a bold change and he understood how to translate my desire from a photo I brought into a great cut that works with my hair. He even knew how to fix up my bangs from previous horrible cuts.
Definitely going back, even considering his pricing is a little bit more than I’d like to pay — 45 for the cut. Worth it.
Also it was super easy to tip — it’s all one fell swoop on the card, no cash hassle.

Paid $ 50 for a horribly choppy and uneven haircut by Tiffanie. Her base price is $ 5 more than other stylists — not sure why since it was the worst one I’ve had of the numerous times I’ve been there. I was okay with it when I walked out, but after showering and styling it myself I can see how poorly it was cut. I hate to denounce this place, but after this last experience I will NEVER return and will make sure to deter my friends from going as well. Take my review seriously and save yourself from a potentially horrible experience.

I had my hair cut by James last week and I’m thrilled! The result is exactly what I wanted. He was very pleasant, and I really appreciated that he wasn’t overly chatty.
My one complaint has to do with the salon’s $ 10 «long hair charge». My hair is just below my shoulders, so I don’t think that merits an extra fee. Still, $ 45 for a haircut in DC is a great deal.

I’ve had hit or miss experiences with Bubbles Salon (I’m giving you the stink eye, Pentagon City Bubbles), but this one is close to my apartment and I was in dire need of a trim. My last haircut, in September 2013, was really tragic. I was traumatized, so I waited more than six months before I attempted another haircut. Rachel was very nice, and listened to what I wanted – my horrible butchered layers fixed without losing too much length. The end result was great, and I was overall quite satisfied.

Having just moved to DC I obviously needed to find a new salon. I decided to try this place because I live close by and I thought it looked nice inside. I called and made an appointment, the receptionist was so upbeat and sweet, she even thanked me for calling.
I went in on a Saturday and at first I was starting to doubt my decision because the music seemed a little loud and I wasn’t sure I really liked the vibe– I’m used to the salons I visited when I lived in California– most of them are very zen and you feel as if you’re at a spa. This place is entirely different. I got over the music, or tried to at least. My hairdresser was Van (not sure if I’m spelling that correctly); she was very sweet, offered me water, tea, or coffee and listened while I told her how I wanted my hair. I usually straighten my hair, but she said she would do some curls, I thought why not? Well, I hated the curls so I asked if she could just blow-​dry it straight, which she did. My hair turned out just the way I wanted. I was impressed with the cut and the price, so I will definitely visit again.

Long story short: The only thing worse than the terrible haircut I got here last month was the «customer service» (or rather, complete lack thereof) I received afterwards.
Here’s a timeline:
Pre-​April 2013 — I’d had great experiences at Bubbles Pentagon City. I’d just moved to Connecticut Ave., so based on previous outcomes I booked a birthday haircut at this new location. I was scheduled with stylist B. (She wasn’t recommended by any reviewers here, so I figured she was new?)
April 11^th, 2013: Came in for a haircut. «Stylist» recommended a color gloss too. I took her up on this. (In retrospect I would not have done this because it cost $ 35 a didn’t make a bit of a difference in my color, but I digress…)
FIRST REALIZATION: In the chair, I asked her to cut about an inch, but she ended up taking about 3. I was a little upset about this, but not too much, because hair grows you know?
SECOND REALIZATION: She spent about 15 minutes cutting my super thick hair and then jumped right into a blowout that took almost an hour. I remember thinking, «why didn’t she check the length of the layers in the front?» but by that point she was already halfway through the most elaborate, poufy hair style since the Jennifer Anniston. It was so fluffy that I left the salon and immediately pulled my hair back because I felt so embarrassed.
April 12^th: My birthday. Showered and threw my hair up on my way out of town for the weekend. Later on, I took it down and got a weird look from my boyfriend. I looked in the mirror and that’s when I had my THIRD REALIZATION: The cut was undeniably uneven. Super bummer, as I had just spent $ 75 + $ 15 tip.
April 15^th: Back home from my weekend trip, I showered and straightened my hair and that’s when I realized just how much of a joke this haircut was. The front layers were almost two inches apart. It was so uneven that it even looked terrible in a ponytail.
I called the salon. The woman who answered the phone was polite and didn’t question me when I told her the name of the stylist — it was almost as if she’d dealt with this before. She offered to have me come in that night to see one of their «best stylists,» and I agreed. I was pleased that they took me seriously.
Then they called back a few hours later and asked if I could come in earlier. But I was coming from class and couldn’t make it in, so instead they rescheduled me for the following day.
April 16^th: The very nice secretary called me back to ask to reschedule me again — She explained that the manager, Thomas, had a policy of fixing all of the re-​dos himself — could I come in on the 17^th instead? She was very friendly and apologetic, but at this point I was incredibly frustrated with my awful haircut, with being rescheduled twice, and I was wondering why I never heard back from Thomas himself?
April 17^th: Another call from the same secretary. Thomas wanted to reschedule me AGAIN — the third time. Of course he didn’t call me himself. At this point I was really, really frustrated. They wanted me to come in Saturday (April 20^th), a full week and a half after the world’s worst haircut. I asked to speak with Thomas, and the very nice woman told me that he wasn’t in that day and that I’d have to call back tomorrow. I told the woman how frustrated I was and asked her if I could just get a refund. She told me I’d have to call back and speak with the manager.
I got off of the phone immediately booked an appointment with a different hair salon. That evening, I got the haircut I’d hoped for in the first place.
I never heard back from Thomas or anyone else at Bubbles.
I dedicate the one star on this review to the woman at the front desk, who is apparently the only professional at the whole salon. (Come to think of it, I wonder if she cuts hair?)