Salon Duarte

Wow!!! I had the most amazing experience at Salon Duarte! Eva is a goddess!!! I came in after being at two other salons, one had turned my hair purple after trying to dye it red, and then stripped my hair to pink then orange and when they put brown on, yup, it turned purple again! Then I went to another salon and they stripped my hair again and bleached some hair and I had streaks of that purple/​lilac color that was now stripped down to a light pink! So I had blonde roots and with pink mixed in and I looked crazy, my hair was bone dry and frizzy and breaking… I was afraid to dye the top incase the pink turned purple again… But God bless EVA!!! She spent hours doing treatments, testing color, neutralizing color, adding simple plant based color when she knew it would work, everything she said worked! It looks amazing! No purple! It’s healthy again… Pretty brown with blond tips, she left the light on the bottom so no bleach!!! I’m going back now for these treatments every two weeks and will never go to another salon!!! She is a Jem! The hair oils and steam and repairs are time consuming but your hair is saved!!! I wish I could give 10 stars!!!

I first went to Ava in 2003 before she opened Duarte when she was at Fred Segal. She gave me by far the best cut and color I had ever had in my life. And then after two visits she left FS and opened Duarte. I worked at FS so had a 40% discount. Despite that I made the trek out to Hollywood and paid for a full price cut and color because she is just that good.
Eventually though, I just didn’t have the time or the money so I started trying other stylists. I have literally been to just about every big name stylist that exists and often changed because despite the fact that all of them were very good Ava was simply BETTER. Also, she seems to CARE MORE. I have been to these so called high end stylists who are not delivering high end service– they are too busy working on three people at once and bragging about which celebrities they have worked on (as if I give a crap!) to give you the kind of attention you deserve when paying astronomical amounts of money to have your hair done.
I moved away for a few years and so had to go elsewhere– found someone amazing in Napa who was comparable to the best LA stylists. But when I moved back to LA I knew it was just time to go back to Ava. And I have been SOOOOO happy since I went back!!!
She truly is a genius at cuts and color. But in addition to that she has once and for all taught me how to manage and deal with my crazy curly hair. Number one, she got me off all those CRAP expensive products that deal with unhealthy hair by just coating them with a bunch of silicone that just ends up drying you out more making you completely dependent on the products like a damn junkie.
She got the silicones and the sulfites out of my life. She said it would take a while– she said it would be difficult– and it was– there were days where I just wore my hair in a bun while it got weaned off the Kerastase and got adjusted to actual real MOISTURE.
But it was all worth it. My hair has NEVER looked or felt better in my life. Is it expensive? Hell yes. But is it WORTH it? ABSOLUTELY. I would rather have some hair products that work and are good for my hair than fritter away money on cheap clothes or lattes. it’s an investment. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for and this is one of those cases!
Highly recommended!!!

Best Scalp and Hair Repair & Care
Does your scalp itch and flake? Have you ever wondered if your hair isn’t growing longer because your scalp is unhealthy? Then look no further for help and answers than Eva Duarte of Salon Duarte. Eva is the doctor your scalp and hair need to get healthy. In a series of customized treatments with essential oils, minerals and masks, Eva will end the itching and burning. Using natural ingredients like green needle, carrot, algae, chamomile, Eva will mix a cocktail to repair damage to your scalp and hair. My head was on fire from hair dye and the dry climate here in LA. My scalp was coming off in huge flakes. In just one session, Eva was able to stop the burning and itching. A few sessions later, I have noticeably less flaking, no itching and my hair is less frizzy and dry. And I think my hair is finally growing again! Thank you Eva

Another GREAT color change… Thank you CRYSTAL…
I’ve been to CRYSTAL a few times. She is truly an AMAZING ARTIST.. She is so meticulous. She been so thorough with explaining her techniques, I love my super natural Balayage highlighting that gave my hair a sun beach look. I highly recommend her. A tucked away little treasure of creativity…

I’ve been to Crystal twice now and can’t recommend her highly enough. She gave me an amazing cut with lots of long layers that added a lot of bounce and volume. It’s hard to find a stylist that can cut long hair. They all want to chop it. I realize now the importance of a good cut. You’ll rarely have a bad hair day if you have a good cut! She also highlighted my hair and that came out beautiful as well. Do yourself a favor and go to Crystal. You won’t be sorry!

If I could give Eva minus stars I would. Do not mistake her arrogance for confidence or skill. Shockingly unprofessional, outrageously expensive, frighteningly manipulative and convincing. I write this review to ward off ladies/​gentlemen who want healthy hair that is well cared for… My hair was healthy before my visits with Eva and after a shameful amount of money and repeated re​-dos​.it is confirmed: She does not have your best interest at heart. I venture to say that she wishes to create damaged hair that will need to rely on her «treatments» and products. This woman cannot be trusted.

I got the best haircut of my life from Erica. She really listened to what I wanted and did better than I was even envisioning. I’ve never gotten so many complements on my hair!

Love this place Erica is a very talented salon artiste

Seriously one of the best salons I have been to.
I have gone to Erica about 3 times now and she is fabulous. Super sweet, great attitute and produces a fantastic cut. She was the first stylist to cut bangs and made it work! Erica is really confident in what she does and really takes her time, studies your hair, and gives her honest opinions on what cut would look best for your face.
Most recently, I went to Natalie to be a hair model for a much needed change in my long drab hair. She is somewhat new to the salon, however, she made my hair look and feel amazing. Three weeks after my haircut, I am still getting many compliments on the transformation that she created. She took her time because she really wanted a perfect cut. Eva, the owner, is a great teacher and really has a passion for what she does. They have a new hair line that they are using and it seems to be great and all the stylists are knowledgeable about the line.
I have never had a bad experience at Duarte. I only wish that I could come there more often, but on my «gotta pay my student loans» budget, it is kind of difficult. Once I am rich and famous, they will be seeing me more often!

I am a responsible person. I have a budget I must adhere to. Salon Duarte is NOT within that budget. I have tried to reason with myself and say «you simply cannot afford this salon, find somewhere else.» But I can’t. This place keeps bringing me back somehow and I always leave with a better haircut than I even imagined. Granted, I always have tried to come back during special offers or as a hair model so I can try to stick to that budget of mine. But the truth is, the haircut is WORTH more than any other place I’ve ever been and I may as well surrender to the fact that I love this place, budget be damned.
Eva’s passion for what she does is awe-​inspiring. Upon first inspection, she instantly knew more about my hair than I ever did and is so creative in finding ways for each individual to really get the most out of their cut. Hair is clearly an art to her and she was born to do what she’s doing. I’ve gotten cuts from Erica in the past and most recently with Natalia, and both are wonderful and have clearly learned from the master.
The best thing is that my haircut is SO good that it grows out really nicely and healthily so I don’t need a cut again for quite some time. Further justification for breaking my budget!
Eva takes great pleasure in explaining Salon Duarte’s unique approach to hair with the Leonor Greyl system, which breaks the cycle of constantly coating your hair with junk that even the most expensive products do. I was given a free in-​depth consultation complete with a high-​tech hair follicle camera so they can evaluate up close the strength of the strands and health of the scalp. From there, she is able to know which products to recommend and use that day on you. She even did a free hair thickening/​regrowth treatment on me that I WISH I could do more regularly, but I’m having enough trouble economically justifying just the basics already!
So, yes. Salon Duarte is very expensive but it is truly an extraordinary place that delivers fantastic, detailed, individual service. It actually inspires me to become more successful just so I can come here more often and use more of their wonderful services and products. Wow, a salon inspiring me to be more successful?
Yes, I just got a haircut and am writing this review while still on a high from it.

Extremely satisfying! I have searched everywhere in Los Angeles to find a Salon that has a deep passion and knowledge for treating hair, not to mention an international presence… that salon is Duarte! As an model and actress my hair goes through so much pulling and tugging on set. Eva and Erica have transformed my limp and over-​stressed hair into long, rich and healthy hair. They educated me on my new favorite line, Leonor Greyl. I believe in this product so much that I had my hair done in Paris, where Leonor Greyl is based! I can’t thank Eva and Erica enough! I am looking forward to my next Protein treatment, which I highly recommend to anyone who needs an extra hair lift!
Love LOVE LoVe this salon and they serve Lavazza cappucinos and espressos for all of you european coffee lovers :-)

This is hands down the best salon I have ever been to… and the only one I will go to again. I love simple and I love the best. Since I have been going to Duarte Salon my hair has never been healthier, fuller, prettier, or sooooo simple to get looking gorgeous. Eva and Erica SAVED my hair… After a very bad visit to another salon (I won’t mention the name of)…I was going to shave my head. my hair was well past my shoulders and I didn’t care… My hair was that bad… copper penny red and fried. I came to Duarte (neighborhood salon that I always walked by) crying and taking a last chance to try and save my hair. Eva took me in the chair right away… if she were to save my hair I would have given her my 1^st born… and she did. SHE DID!!! I swear it was nothing less than a miracle… and now Ive been going to Duarte for about a year and my hair is growing so fast and healthy and strong I can’t believe it. I began using the hair product line she recommends: Leonor Greyl… and it’s the bomb. I have always needed to wash my hair everyday and condition it like mad and get it cut often… but now I wash my hair every 3 days and rarely condition it!!! You must get the palm oil… it is sent from heaven… just like these ladies at Duarte!!!
Once you go Duarte you’ll never go back… and the conversations are always enlightening as well” lol. ;)
DUARTE SALON IS SIMPLY THE BEST…

16? — number of times I’ve had my hair done at Duarte Salon.
4 — number of times I’ve had to have it «fixed» afterwards.
1 — number of times it was PERFECT.
unfortunately for me AND my pocketbook it was perfect that first time. Eva can be genius when she gives a crap. Trouble is she often doesn’t and the price and communication is bordering on offensive. After extensive negotiation I bargained down to a slightly less insulting price (particularly for a salon in Hollywood) only to have it creep up with each subesequent visit.
With this review I am cementing the deal for myself … never again. Each time I went there for the last 4 years my husband would ask me WHY I would go back. Well … I won’t. As I type the ends of my hair are green. I called about my green hair, I wrote two emails (to two different email addresses) about my green hair. Well … on my budget I will be living with green hair for a while but when I DO next trek to a hairdresser, it won’t be at Duarte.
Sorry Eva and Co. I really need to get better service for my money.

Amazing!!! Everyone was sweet and knowledgeable. I have received tons of compliments on my color and will be a return client. If you need a new salon I HIGHLY recommend this one, and make sure to make an appointment ASAP its a tiny salon so they book quickly.
It was pricey for me because I chose to go with the owner of the salon, but I do know that you can use one of the other stylists and they are all very talented :).

I’ve been getting Level 3 ($ 60) haircuts with Erica for a while, with good results. My most recent cut got a ton of compliments.
While some of the products and services are overpriced, you can get a good cut at a reasonable value.

I’ve been going here for about a year, initially because I lived just down the street, but now that I’ve moved, I still come back time after time. I know people complain that it’s expensive, but $ 60 for a level three haircut by Erica is worth twice the money, especially with my unruly curls.
The first cut she did for me was right before a big party last year, and for the first time– jaws literally dropped when I walked into the room (these people had been seeing me with a ponytail for months).
Erica is friendly and very cool, I’ve never experienced any of the product-​pushing some people here claim to see. She and I even swap recipes sometimes! Most of the time, they give me coupons for future services, or even samples of some of the products. The first time, they even gave me three coupons for free cuts to give to friends, and then gave me 15% off on my next trip because one of them had come in.
Great place, great people, and perfect cuts… Heartily recommend.

I’m so torn! I want to give it a 5 for quality of work, but the price is slightly ridiculous.
I came here because there was a craigslist ad for free haircuts. I responded, but I couldn’t make their appointment time, so they gave me a coupon for a free cut with color. I got a great cut from Eva (the Level 1 stylist) and she highlighted my hair. The total came out to a staggering $ 225, even with the coupon! (I’m a student, alright? I can’t go around dropping bills to look good.) After some negotiation, I got it down to $ 125. (Tip: everything is negotiable.) I loved my cut and highlights, but I didn’t love it $ 125 worth…
The salon didn’t look very nice. It looked like a studio with some salon equipment. I was a little apprehensive when I came. (I did find it on Craigslist afterall.) They didn’t try to sell me any products or convince me to do anything else to my hair. They did call and send a postcard though. I agree with whoever suggested that you give fake contact information if you want to avoid all that follow-​up.
If I had money to blow, I’d definitely come back and get a cut from Eva. But since I don’t, this place is only getting three stars from me.

Daily Candy touted this place, so I thought. hey why not? Been hooked since. Yes, its in Hollywood & yes, you’ll get a fabulous haircut, but guess what– they treat you like real people. They’re genuine and actually care about you & your hair. Famous people go there, blah blah blah, I just go there because I want to look good. It makes a HUGE difference. I don’t even brush my hair & it looks freakin amazing. All the little details count, and they know that! I am going to say it again, I do absolutely nothing at all to my hair, and it looks freakin amazing.

The salon is sort of tucked away, in the upstairs of an older building, which was fine by me. The place is pretty small, but is very clean, and the staff were very friendly. I was offered a drink and sat down with my stylist for a short consultation before beginning to ensure she knew what I wanted. They also took my contact info at this point (later I’d find out they call you to see «how your cut is doing» and then send you cards in the mail to keep coming back– give fake info if you don’t want to be bugged!)
Okay, so it’s a salon in Hollywood. I was expecting pricey. (simple cuts range from $ 50-​$ 185 depending on experience of stylist). And I was expecting hair dressers with a very high opinion of themselves. (From what I was told, they’re all the best in the biz). However, I really wasn’t expecting to be guilted into buying product after product every time something new was slathered into my hair. Seriously, the upselling needs to stop. Yes, I like Kerastase too, but I’m in grad school and can really only afford herbal essences. And don’t get me wrong, I loved my haircut, but the newbie hair stylists (affectionately called «Level 3») take FOREVER. I think it took about three hours total for my layered-​do. And after three hours of sitting up straight in my not-​so-​comfortable-​anymore chair, the main hair stylist (the all-​knowing «Level 1») came over to inspect the work and even criticized the other stylist’s work in front of me. So not only did I pay too much for my cut, I was told everything that was wrong with it before I left! I also got quite a bit of condescending tone/​looks when Ms. Level 1 insisted that I let her cut my bangs shorter even though I insisted that I did not want to.
I really liked my haircut, and enjoyed the conversation/​friendliness of the staff, but I’m not sure I want to go back considering I have to think of creative ways to not look cheap when I continuously turn down the offers to buy products. The cuts are quite expensive, but I would be willing to deal with that if they didn’t take three hours or didn’t try to get me to buy every Kerastase product ever sold! I probably won’t go back, which is too bad because I can’t stress enough that I actually did like my hair afterward!

I received a complimentary haircut here earlier this week as part of a campaign to get new clients in. I was greeted right away by my hairdresser (I think, Erica?) and offered something to drink. The environment was pretty relaxed and my hairdresser very friendly. We talked over my hair and she gave me an amazing cut (my boyfriend won’t stop complimenting me!) They sent me away with a 10% discount card for a friend, and followed up with a friendly card.
I have to agree with what’s already been said — a little pricey and loads of upselling. Seeing as I was getting a free cut though, the pushing of highlights and products on me was kind of expected.