Salon Anu Style in Ballston

God. What a nightmare. I was originally super excited to come here but a string of things went terribly wrong. My hair is chocolate brown, originally light brown. I get it dyed the same color everywhere I go, and I made it clear that I wanted the exact same color. My stylist proceeded to dye my roots almost blonde to the point where after it was washed and wet you could see a huge color difference between my roots and the rest of my hair.
From there, she claimed she was going to use toner to fix it up. She came back with what looked like a newly mixed up dye — just darker. Rather than taking the time to go back and fix the mistake, she said that my hair wouldn’t take the color for some reason (I’ve been dying my hair without issues for 6 years) and that she would use toner. I’m 99% sure she just put new color in while I was sitting at the hair washing station.
THE WORST PART: As I’ve accepted that the best I’m getting is RED hair out of this, she blow dried my hair and got my hair stuck in the blow dryer twice. I wish I had the balls to refuse to pay but I just paid and didn’t tip. I now have to go somewhere and pay to get this fixed.
I hate to say it, but save yourself the trouble. Don’t go here.

I’ve been going to Joseph for the past 5 yrs. I look forward to my visits with him each month, not just because he has a great sense of what to do with my hair and color (and leaves me feeling BEAUTIFUL when he is finished!) but it is like a stress free few hours to myself with a long time friend. I just love Joseph, Salon Añu and everyone that works there. especially Bo, she is cheeky!

It took me a while to find a place i like but i love Salon Añu and all the staff there. I don’t know what everyone is talking about in these bad reviews because I’ve never had a bad experience. The staff is very friendly and welcoming. It’s a little pricey but it depends on what you get. I always see Feliz and she is so awesome and i highly recommend her to anyone. She does a great job, always helps me with brainstorming a good color and new look and is very patient. She always greets me with a hug and is an absolute sweetheart, I wouldn’t go anywhere else at this point.
Last time I went there, I was in a huge huge rush and had a extremely limited amount of time and needed to rush. She was very understanding and went crazy fast and got me out of the door as fast as she could. Anyone who can pull that off gets five stars in my book.
If you are looking for a great salon in arlington, go to Salon Añu… not those snooty overpriced hair salons in clarendon

Come get «Añu» look!
I have gone to Salon Añu for the past five years. When I first moved up to DC I had the hardest time finding someone I was comfortable with to cut my hair. A friend referred me to Gina here and I’ve been coming back ever since. The thing that made me most comfortable was her ability to listen. Any sort of request I would make about my hair, Gina would happily oblige. I’ve gotten a little less specific over the years and now follow some of her suggestions (Like how to style a beard when I started wearing one) and they are excellent! So yeah I’m dude who goes to a salon, but I love the way I look after I go see Gina. My mother and a girlfriend have even gone to Gina to «fix» another stylist’s work.
The other aspects of my visits have always been wonderful. The front desk is very accommodating when it comes to appointments and always friendly. The hair washing person (Is there a proper name for this?) is super nice. Also they do have some Golf Digest and Sports Illustrated in the magazine pile so if you are a dude who goes to a salon, you don’t have to read Glamour while you wait.
Unfortunately, I can’t really comment on the other aspects (coloring, spa, treatment, etc.) because, well, I’ve never had a need for them, but if I did decide to color my hair, this is where I’ll go. Also the price point is fine for me ($ 40 plus tips) but I haven’t been to other salons to compare. True it’s more than a $ 15 Great Clips haircut, but extra $ 25 is worth the talent and quality you will get here.

In a nutshell: well, I didn’t run out of the place screaming at the end… but I won’t be back either. This place is *seriously* overpriced and I spent way too much for a ho-​hum cut and a color. The color was good — at first. They got me the shade I wanted, which is more than you can say for some places, I guess. However, the color seemed to wear out fast (I went to this place a couple months back).
The cut was fine, but not really what I had in mind — it ended up being pretty boring and uninspired. Not what I expect from a $ 50+ haircut (still pretty grouchy that I paid that and was only given basically a straight across trim!)
Other than the high prices and the generally resounding ‘meh’ that my cut and color elicited, the thing that really bothered me was the fact that my stylist kept passing me off. She was working on other customers, and would ask another woman to continue doing my color, or take me to wash out my hair. Assisting with things like hair-​washing would be fine, but when she handed her the paintbrush to work on my color, the other woman didn’t seem to be comfortable doing this. I felt nervous the whole time, not relaxed and assured that my hair was being well-​taken care of.
Also beware: they only accept cash for tips (who does this anymore? Credit cards are accepted for actual payment at least). Emptied out my wallet to find I had 15% but not the generally expected 20% on me in cash (not that this place deserved 20%). I apologized noting the cash-​only policy and was met with some disproving looks and side comments between the woman at the front desk and the stylist who only paid attention to me half the time I was there.
Overall, I give it 2 stars because the place was clean, my color was matched well, and the cut wasn’t a disaster. However, I won’t be back and I do not recommend this place.

My experience there was awful. My appointment was scheduled for a day that nobody showed up to open the salon — on a Saturday morning.
I rescheduled. For a facial. I returned the following week, only to be directed out of the salon and inti the rental highrise next door. I was told to go to an apartment on the 15^th floor by a gum snapping and obviously disinterested receptionist.
I was cautious — a bit scared — a bit curious on how much worse it could get. The front desk in the apt building was über rude — turning their noses up at me and making lemon sucking expressions. They said I was not allowed to go up unless someone came down. I checked around for any signs and basically bullied them into letting me access the elevators after five calls to the salon (gum snapper must have been busy playing angry birds or something). The apt front desk haggathas shared that this salon was in violation of their residential lease by running a business that appeared to be «shady».
I finally arrive at the unit and knock on the door. No answer. I knock again and someone hollers to come in. Door was not locked. A man is standing inside a sparsely furnished space that featured some secondhand office furniture. He’s staring out of the window. He looks at me and quickly looks away. I have my hands on my mace when the esthetician comes out from one of the two bedrooms.
She saw my alarm and hurried me into the bedroom, which was set up as a treatment t room. I told her I was uncomfortable. I had gotten a facial as a gift and she assured me that the owner was cheap and would never refund me. Unasked who the gut was — he was waiting for his gf who was getting waxed in the other bedroom. I asked her to lock the door.
She was nice, but pushed her personal card on me, and suggested I see her at another salon, as she was planning on leaving, cheap owner was not paying her and the environment was not as it had been promised (DUH).
As the facial started with some custom pumpkin stuff, I was getting draped with steamed lavender scented warm cloths. That also smelled of mildew. I asked her to please use different cloths, and began gagging.
She again said the owner was cheap (this is BS, she should not have stinky washcloths) and the dryer was broken and she had to bring her own cloths.
My skin did not react well to the pumpkin. I specifically described my sensitive skin, but apparently there was a misunderstanding. I left with a blotchy red face (I’m a former skin model. I know how things should go), gagging from the mildew smell clinging to my burning skin, cringing from over zealous Russian extractions. Feeling like a champ for coming out of there with my purse and all of my credit cards.
Zero stars would be too high. They never even apologized for closing the salon without notice the prior Saturday. Avoid at all costs.

Not impressed! Went here to get my hair blown out and my experience was less than stellar. When I walked up, the entire staff was hanging out outside and had to come inside to serve me. I showed up 15 min early and was told my stylist was not there. They did take me right away to start washing my hair and the woman washing my hair repeatedly insulted my hair. Not exactly giving my warm and fuzzies.
Once my hair was washed, I was led to my station where I waited until 15 min AFTER my appt was due to start for my hair dresser to show up. She came in frazzled and made me feel like I was rushing her. She then took FOREVER to dry my hair. I get my hair blown out often and this shouldnt take longer than 20 min, it took 45 min!
Once we were done, she had to get the receptionist back in from her chat session outside to let me pay. They tried to charge me more than I was quoted but I wouldnt allow it.
I dont understand how this place is in business in Arlington.

I got a haircut here last year because I lived in the building upstairs & it was kind of a spur of the moment thing. I didn’t make an appointment, but they had time for me shortly after I walked in. I filled out a form with my contact info on it & after about 5 or ten min I was in a chair.
The stylist talked to me about what type of hair I had and what I was looking for in a cut. The end result was great! it was a wonderful cut for my face & my hair type, & it still looked good after a normal wash the next day. She took the time to give me a blow out & put product in it so it stayed all day.
My stylist also gave me a business card with her number and said that I could call her for any style or waxing needs I had in the future.
overall a very good experience and I will be happy to return.

I’m quite confused about the negative reviews here. I’m not sure if they have recently replaced the front desk staff or what (previous Unilocal complaints about that area), but the service I received today was very, very good. From the receptionist to the wonderful gal who washed and conditioned my hair… To my stylist Lily (who handled my long layers will skill and care), the entire staff was great. They were actually able to accommodate me as a walk in around 11:30am… And although I realize that I’m sure that was just luck from a scheduling standpoint, I appreciated how willing they were to help by just being a little flexible. Most salons will send you packing if you show up without an appointment. Añu was a nice change.
Now understand that I’m a mid-30’s business woman from the west coast (in town on a business trip) and am VERY picky about my hair. If my layers are not cut properly, trouble (and lots of it) will quickly take over. In addition I’m a single mom and money is always tight, so I tend to have high expectations for what I’m getting in return for money spent. Añu Salon was worth every affordable penny, and I would return in a heartbeat.
I hosestly cannot vouch for any stylist other than Lily because she’s the only one I’ve seen there. So schedule with her & you won’t be disappointed. BONUS: They have very good coffee there. :)

I’m BIG on customer service and this place had zero service. I can’t attest to the quality of haircuts because I didn’t even make it past the reception desk.
Had a groupon from a friend and made a reservation for 6pm. I was running late so I called them to let them know I’d be there by 6:30pm. The man on the phone said the stylist was waiting for me already, but it would be fine. I arrived at the salon and the receptionist said the stylist had left for the day. There was no one else in the place and they were closing early because business was slow that day. They advertise as being open till 8pm, how can no one be in but the receptionist at 6:33pm? I asked for the man I talked to on the phone and conveniently he had left for the day too. I traveled to Ballston from Petworth for NO REASON!!! There should have at least been a courtesy call to say «We are going to f* your day up, please don’t bother coming in.»

How is this place in business? I wish I could give them a negative rating. Honestly. And I never even received a service. Unilocal is real people and real reviews, and well, I am reviewing this businesses customer service.
Groupon redemption can be a tiny bit of a chore if the business is non compliant and Salon Añu was more than non compliant. I purchased the groupon and a few weeks later tried to book an appointment to redeem a facial. No answer. I got an answering machine saying to email
or leave a message. I figured someone was just away, I’ll call again later. I did just that. No response. I wait a few weeks more and then the same run around.
Fast forward to Thanksgiving, I wanted to redeem the facial and places get busy around the holidays. So, I wanted to book in advance. (3 – 4 weeks in advance was a lot but I was really flexible with my dates.) I decided this time to email. (Maybe they were that advanced and dedicated to their business that they would return an email? I was optimistic. I like to think the best in others.) No response.
Holidays get busy, and I got busy too. I was starting to give up but I kept trying (about once a week.) I never heard an actual human being speak to me when I called. Only an answering machine. Always. This is ridiculous.
Today, the last date for redemption of the Groupon. I took a shot and called them. I was in Ballston, so I was really close by and probably should’ve just showed my face to talk to someone but why do that when I have a phone? You shouldn’t have book an appointment in PERSON for a place like this. That would be absurd. I reached a human being today. She was rude. I felt like I was talking to a teenager that needed a severe attitude adjustment. She told me that there may be a cancellation but she’d need to call me 10 minutes before because the client didn’t confirm. It was at a time I really couldn’t come in (just my luck, when there was an opening, I couldn’t go.) I asked if they’d redeem it later, she said no and passed the phone off to the facialist who said I should book in advance (like I am idiot who doesn’t understand how to read or book appointments.) I told her how I’d been contacting the salon for a long time. She simply said «no, you havent. Thank you.» and hung up.
I’ve contacted Groupon and explained their poor business practice. If a business signs up for the sale of 1,000 of their services (or however many) they need to be able to fulfill their end of the deal by the expiration date or come up with an arrangement for after.
.end.

I am a regular customer of Lily’s. I have been very pleased for the 10 years i’ve been coming to her. I always walk out of the salon feeling gorgous: D I get my hair cut and I have never been dissapointed with my color and highlights. She is very polite. I highly reccommned her and she is well worth the price. And turns out she’s mulit-​talented too! She does my eyebrows and i have gotten a facial from her aswell in the salon añu spa, I felt so invigorated… once again Lily is great.

Never even made it in the door. Called to make an appointment because I live close by and I’ve heard OKAY things about it. I have very long, thick hair and just wanted a simple cut. After reading other Unilocalers reviews, I realized they scheduled me with one of their waxers AKA not a real hair stylist. And the lady on the phone was well aware I wanted a HAIR CUT. So I got cold feet and called to cancel, and the receptionist could not have been more rude. Answered the phone with an attitude, and did not say one friendly or helpful thing. I was very polite and said I wasn’t going to be able to make it to my appointment and that I was sorry.
Just a tip to the salon, you are in the CUSTOMER SERVICE industry. First impressions are make it or break it. Hire people that are polite and well mannered.

I went for a facial I bought on Groupon. The stylist took me out the back door into he apartment building without explaining where we were going. When we appraoched an elevator I started to get confused. I had to ask where we were going and why we left the salon. She explained that there was a spa upstairs. We got off at the 18^th floor and walked all the way down a long hallway to a door that needed to be opened by a key. There was no one in the apartment it was not a spa just an empty apartment with a table in one of the bedrooms. It was incredibly uncomfortable I had thoughts of horror films. I think it would have been better if this had been explained to me or if there was another spa check in or attendant in the apartment or if it was set up to look like a spa in the apartment. The carpet looked dirty and it was messy which was not very serene. I won’t go back too creepy.

I went back to see the owner, Joseph, for a cut and highlights after my first time was mediocre (color came out well but the customer service was bad). This time, I finally got an appt after who I was told was a new receptionist made multiple scheduling mistakes. When I arrived at the salon, everything was generally disorganIzed and unprofessional (including employees doing each other’s hair while customers were waiting). Joseph did my hair how he wanted without asking my opinion, leaving me to keep interrupting to ask what he was doing. He cut about an inch off my hair and started drying it… and I had to ask him if he was planning to do the layers or angles (i.e. actually give me a haircut). He protested by saying that he’s been cutting hair forever and can do it quickly. In the end, the color turned out fine but my request for angles in the front left me with side bangs (I have long straight hair and now have three inch long pieces that I have to try to hide).
All in all, given that this is a review of the owner, I’d steer clear.

Lesson learned — research before buying the groupon! I had a facial this past weekend there. The actual facial was lovely but the experience was so odd. I arrived at the salon and the receptionist directed me (pointed) to the back door where i had to walk down the hallway of an apartment building, up an elevator to the 18 th floor and down a long hallway of apartments to their «spa», which was an apartment. It was so uncomfortable. The esthtetician was wonderful but I would never go back. I then found my way back to the front desk, squeezing past someone on their lunch break. It was completely strange!

I used to go to Salon Añu and Gina did my hair. At first I really liked her. She told me to see her every 6 weeks for a trim (my hair at the time was short and with bangs). After a couple of visits she suddenly told me that I needed to see her every 4 weeks and that I NEEDED to buy a certain brush and hair products for my hair.
I went back one more time but that was it… on that visit she tried to talk me into coloring my hair very dark (I’m naturally a mousy brown color) and putting in several tones of highlights. When I tried to politely decline she kept badgering me; it completely ruined the relaxing part of a salon visit.
The quality of her work also got worse. The first couple of times she did an awesome job but the cut and shape of my hair got sloppier and sloppier the more times I visited her. For $ 70 I expect a consistent great looking haircut. If I want to chance the outcome, I’ll head to a SuperCuts-​type place.
Overall, I really didn’t appreciate the constant badgering about purchasing more services or products. It’s okay to suggest it but once I’ve declined, let it go.
I wasn’t impressed with the salon itself. To agree with other posters, the receptionists are rude and the face that you can’t tip using your credit card is a huge inconvenience.
Also, my hair was short and each time (other than my initial visit) I was just getting a trim but every single time I was charged the maximum price. If you’re going to charge everyone $ 70 for a haircut, just put that the price for a haircut is $ 70 instead of range of prices.

I’m so happy I found this place!
I booked a hair cut with Christopher based on the other reviewers’ experiences. He was very attentive and completely achieved the look I was going for. He is a perfectionist and wants to make sure you are 100% satisfied when you walk out the door.
Everyone I talked to at the salon was super friendly and helpful including my stylist (Christopher), my hair washer (Lupe) and the receptionist.
The only negative was the cost: $ 65 for a haircut. However, if this is the price it takes to get good service and a quality haircut, I think it’s worth it.

I have been going to Salon Añu for around 2 years now and have yet to be disappointed.
I had been going to a stylist also located in Arlington that I was not overly attached too when a friend suggested I try Salon Añu. I am always greeted by my stylist (Redouane) at the front desk with a warm smile and hug. They immediately ask you if you would like wine/​coffee/​tea/​water/​soda to help make your comfortable during your visit. There are tons of magazines to choose from, but all the stylists are very talkative so I have never really needed to grab one.
I am always asked by coworkers where I get my haircut, and have had a number of my friends make the change to Salon Añu.
The downsides are the parking nearby (but it is close to the Metro) and it definitely is no SuperCuts price.

I went here for a quick hair cut before I left for a vacation and Gina cut my hair. I was in a rush so I wanted to get a wet haircut (just get shampooed, cut and leave). I walked in, the receptionist was a young girl who did not greet me but instead told me I looked really tired and frazzled and then continued to sit behind the desk loudly making fun of people wallking by on the street. Very unproffesional, and not really a good impression to give people walking in to your salon.
Gina was very friendly and greeted me by taking my bags (I was leaving for my trip from my haircut) and showing to her she station. She decided it would be easier and faster to cut my hair dry so she could see what she was doing. (my hair is really thick and wavy). So she cuts my hair, is very nice the whole time, makes good conversation and actually did a really good job.
So I go to leave and I the girl at the desk tells me my hair cut is $ 70,
(I got a trim, no shampoo and no style, I didn’t even get any product in my hair) I was pretty annoyed because it says on thier website and menu a haircut is $ 45-​$ 65 and I got the most minimal haircut you could have gotten and got charged the MAXIMUM price. I also worked at a salon for three years so I knew it was kinda stupid. The girl at the desk also wouldn’t let me add a tip onto the credit card charge so I had to walk 2 blocks to my bank to get cash while they held my bags ransom. I got a good haircut, or trim rather but it was kind of expensive and the atmosphere was annoying.