The Shampoo Lounge

I purchased a living social and booked an appointment with Michael.
Upon arrival, Michael welcomed me with a warm smile and offered me tea, coffee or water. I wasn’t sure what I wanted with my hair at the time but Michael led me towards the perfect hair do. We chose a deep red color and he gave me options of reading a few magazines while I was under the dryer.
Michael’s friendly attitude is welcoming towards a conversation. He really knows about music as well so if you’re a music enthusiast, spark up and see if you have common interests.
After my simple shampoo and conditioner rinse, Michael gave me a simple layered cut and added a bit of volume with a blow out. I liked the overall cut and color and for the bang for my buck with the living social, would probably go again.

Michael did my 4 month grown out roots today, and my blonde is the best blonde I have ever had it be! He did base and highlights through in one shot. I didn’t have to wait for hours and for multiple applications as I have in the past. He was considerate with my time and efficient even though I was late going in. He got the color right on the first try. I was so impressed. Thank you, thank you, thank you! So awesome!

Michael has been cutting my hair for years, and I’m completely faithful to him and will be forever. I’m very particular about the length of my hair, and he’s always sensitive to that. In addition, he got me through the trauma of my first (and subsequent colorings). I was lucky enough to not get hit with any gray until I was in my late 40s. I had virgin hair — never been touched by a color, highlight, perm solution or bleach. I was seriously freaking out that it would look fake afterwards, but Michael did an exceptional job. The color was perfect, I still had my sun streaks (natural) and he made the overall experience painless.
The Shampoo Lounge is bright, airy, cheery and always has a good mix of music. Michael supplements the environment with great conversation. He’s well read, intelligent, aware of what’s going on, and the time flies by.
I recommend Michael and The Shampoo Lounge without hesitation!

Michael has been cutting my hair for a few years now.
I keep going back because the cuts are relatively cheap (around $ 60), he can usually get me in with not much notice, there’s ample parking, and the ambiance is pretty relaxed and unpretentious — not the hassled nightmare of many busier salons.
However, I have to admit that I have a wandering eye when it comes to stylists. I sometimes take 6-​month or longer breaks from Michael, trying out other salons and stylists between appointments at Shampoo Lounge.
Why am I unfaithful? Well, my hair is shoulder-​length and curly, but the curls aren’t perfectly corkscrew and uniform throughout… which means that some pieces are virtually straight, others are frizzy. My hair is also thin, so body and volume sometimes have to be faked. And I want my hair to look «cool,» not like I’m someone’s dowdy secretary. In short, my hair requires not only skill to cut well, but style and vision.
Michael has a lot of positive attributes, but «style and vision»? Not two adjectives I’d apply to his cutting techniques. He’ll do a perfectly acceptable job, but does my hair look ah-​MA-​zing — the way you want your hair to look when you’ve walked right out of a salon? Does the cut give me a new spring in my step, causing passersby to look at me twice, wondering who my stylist is? I’m afraid not.
Maybe it’s also that he sometimes gives me the impression that he’s phoning it in. He’ll nod and smile when I rattle off my preferences, but I feel like he’s just doing the bare minimum (or just humoring me)… so perhaps his heart isn’t totally in it.
On a positive note, on one occasion, I realized after a haircut that he hadn’t layered my hair at all… which for curly girls like me, is mandatory. I called and spoke to him about it, and went back in, and he redid the cut for free without complaint (which is appropriate, and laudable). So there’s that!
In short: My eye will keep wandering, but I’ll keep coming back to Michael until I’ve found «THE ONE» — the stylist to end all stylists.

Stumbled upon the Shampoo Lounge a few years ago via Google and needed a haircut badly. Went to Christianne for the first time and haven’t gone anywhere else since!
Aside from being the sweetest lady, she does such a great job with my hair. I have thick, semi-​crazy hair but she always manages to tame it and knows the styles/​cuts that work best with my natural hair.
I definitely recommend going to her if you’re looking for a new stylist on the Westside!

I happened to come into this salon because they have a KCRW discount, and it turns out that Christianne is about the best hairstylist I could have found.
The location is really cute and clean, which I love. All the stylists are very friendly and helpful, no matter who they’re working with. Christianne in particular is awesome. When I came, in I wanted to cut my medium/​long hair and donate it to Locks of Love. She helped me decide on a good post-​donation style, and recommended that I wait another month before I cut my hair so that I could get closer to the length requirement for Locks of Love.
When I came back in, she gave me a short cut that I loved. I have thick, wavy hair that can end up looking like a puff ball if it’s shortened in the wrong way. I showed Christianne a few pictures, but she was able to do even better than them.
I loved the cut, and when I wanted to go for an even shorter haircut three months later, she was the one that I trusted. Again, she did a fabulous job.
On a separate note, I’m someone who isn’t always the greatest at small-​talking with strangers, but Christianne made me feel at ease right away. I really enjoy her company and her kindness. I love coming here!
The only reason I’m giving it 4 stars is because it’s a little more expensive than I’d prefer, although still within my general financial comfort zone. Expect to spend about $ 60 or more on a cut, but know that it will be a style that you’ll really appreciate. It’s worth it!

You totally want to go to Michael Storms at the Shampoo Lounge for the Keratin straightener! It is faster than the Brazilian, no formaldehyde, and will leave your hair super straight, smooth, shiny and smelling nice. I go every few months and after several treatments my hair has become thicker, shinier and more healthy. You will need only minimal blow-​drying at home after this process.

Christianne is AWESOME!!! She did my color just as good if not better then the $ 300+ color job I got in Beverly Hills for under $ 100. So happy with her highlight job and she really helped me decide what to do with my hair! Finding an affordable, sweet, and talented colorist is hard but I’d recommend Christianne. She’s great.

I have to recommend my colorist/​stylist Nicole. I have dark brown asian hair, not black, that is greying… and no one has ever gotten my color right, except Nicole. In the past, my hair had been too red or too black or too orange or just the wrong tone for my skintone. I was so frustrated I stopped coloring my hair for a while.
She’s given me back the haircolor of my childhood, the haircolor my daughter has inherited, a neutral brown (asian natural brown!) with subtle highlights. It’s highlighted, but toned down so it’s really natural. I get the roots touched up every 6 – 8 weeks, and highlights every 3 months.
Nicole’s prices are very reasonable. She’s very down to earth and friendly. She’s part of my beauty crew. Don’t know what I’d do without her. I look forward to my next visit!

Very glad to find this place. Michael gave me just the cut I was wanting, without me explaining it much at all. It’s been years since someone got my hair just right.
The place has a nice look and a low-​key vibe that I liked. Plus the price was lower than what I’ve been paying, for cuts that were less stylish and flattering.

I was not impressed. Afterwards. I went here on the recommendation of a friend. The service and atmosphere were great but I don’t think the gentleman felt comfortable cutting a hairstyle appropriate for someone under the age of 45. That is my humble opinion.
During my haircut, he seemed nervous about it and not totally sure about what to do. I have long-​ish, wavy-​ish hair with fairly thin texture and just wanted a pretty basic cut with some layering and face framing. Pretty standard. Not anything particularly difficult to style. I asked that some weight be removed so that my hair can have a bit more volume and movement. As he worked he did not seem entirely confident in his strategy for adding some volume… i.e. «I think that will work, right?» Um, I don’t know. I’m not totally trained in hair styling or cutting…
Anyways, afterwards, about 2 days later my hair was basically back to its pre-​haircut look and I don’t know why I paid for a haircut. I wouldn’t go back. I noticed I was the youngest person in the room. That’s fine but I don’t get the sense that that younger aesthetics or long hair are their repertoire.

David is the BEST! I have been seeing co-​owner David Jensen (and only David) for over two years now, and a visit with him is more than just a haircut. The most important thing for me in a hairstylist (besides a great cut) is someone I feel comfortable with, and that’s David. We chat about this and that, catch up on all the gossip, and meanwhile my unruly mane gets tamed into submission. David listens to what I want and pays attention to how I actually style my own hair instead of assuming he knows better — he knows I know my hair the best! He’s also very generous — often does complimentary bangs trims for me between cuts, and once he even lent me a wig for a theater performance!
The other stylists are great — so personable. Christianne is a doll, and her clients always look fabulous. I’ve seen some sharp looking guys hop out of Michael’s chair as well. The charming midcentury décor and convenient location are also a plus — free 2 hr street parking until 6pm on side streets and I believe the meters on Pico expire at 6pm.
If you need a stylist you can trust and be yourself around, run — don’t walk — to the Shampoo Lounge!

My best friend visiting from Chicago and I went here last week and although I was hesitant to try a new place in LA, I trusted my fellow Unilocalers and booked an appt for both her and I with David and Michael.
Bottom line, we both walked out very happy girls.
The vibe of the place and the décor is bright, fun and tiny bit kitschy but not in an annoying way — in a good way. I’m not a cutsie kitschy kinda gal at all, but I found this place refreshing and it wasn’t trying too hard like many a salon.
David listened to what I wanted, but also gave great suggestions to maintain my color (Jennifer Aniston color ish). And the haircut, I didn’t realize how good it was until 2 days later I was doing my hair and noticed the shape, even though my hair is quite long.
The Fast Food product they sell there is also awesome — I bought the leave in conditioner and it works great on my hair. My gf bought some product as well, and even though she has a bit coarser and thicker hair, she loves it as well.
Overall, I highly recommend this place — great hair, great service, great place.

Wonderful and affordably priced salon off Pico in Santa Monica. David Jensen is the master stylist and co-​owner here.
He is the one to go to for a great cut and color.
The salon itself is very charming and low-​key. No snobbery here.
Highly RECOMMENDED for Beauty on a Budget!
Here is a link to my blog with a 20% off coupon good w/​David Jensen at Shampoo Lounge until 2−28−09:
David has been doing my hair for my recent TV appearances and for a photo in The New York Times. He has made my hair look FABU-​less every time. I will keep going back to this little gem of a salon for great hair at great prices. David Jensen is «da man»!

Okay, so I promised myself I wouldn’t write a review about anything that didn’t involve the grittier, grimier or sleazier parts of Los Angeles — but I just got a terrific haircut from Christianne at The Shampoo Lounge and by god, I’m going to sing her praise.
I don’t know about you but I’ve been through the pretentious salon mill, and its pretty much impossible to find a funny, professional and polite hairstylist. Most of the time their egos exceed their talent and you’re left wondering why you just let some asshole play with your hair for an hour — especially after they stick you with a huge bill for a lackluster result.
Christianne is awesome. She looked at my overgrown roots and hideous split ends and didn’t say anything about the fact that I look like a borderline bag lady. She was prompt, friendly and gave me a fantastic cut that I expect I’ll receive compliments on for weeks to come. On top of that, the salon is extremely welcoming and down to earth.
Bravo!

When I moved to LA I thought the more pricey the salon the more fabulous hair I would have. Oh so not true! I went from hairdresser to hairdresser for about a year until I met this one girl at a Christmas party and she told me about the Shampoo Lounge. The receptionist guaranteed me that Holly was one of the best and alas, she is!
Its 4 years now and I trust Holly so much with my hair that I just sit down and let her do what she wants. I haven’t been disappointed yet.
There’s usually ample meter parking so make sure to bring quarters!

As promised, here is the UPDATED review of the Shampoo Lounge now that I’ve had my hair done here (and not just a consultation):
If all that Christianne did was color my hair, my review would have been left at 5 stars. She really is great with color and a fun, intelligent lady to chat with. That being said, the haircut she gave me looked like it was done by Ray Charles. My hair is super straight, thick and short so any stray hairs or errant lines are extremely visible. In fact, during our consultation, I had informed her that my uneven «side burns» (the wispy hairs that cover my ears and extend towards my face, not the ones that grow in and one gets waxed =P) needed evening out. I also made it painfully clear how picky I am about my hair by bringing in a full collage of pictures.
The fact that she put me at ease was to my detriment because I let her use a razor on my hair despite my better judgment but even so, I assumed she would razor the ends after using the scissors to create the shape. Little did I know that her approach to cutting hair is similar to that of a gardener. She sort of just razors at this and chops at that without any consideration for whether or not it will be even. In fact, I’m pretty sure she only cut ONE side of my hair.
After all was said and done, I’d noticed a minor adjustment that needed to be made to my color and she happily obliged even though her next client was coming in. Once the color was adjusted and my hair washed anew, I noticed that my side burns were still uneven so I asked her to fix it and she did. My hair was wet at this point so it took my coming home and fully examining the back to notice the crazy lop-​sided layering (too short in some areas, too long in others) and the fact that it was all uneven! The nape of my neck had been tapered more so on one side than the other.
After crying my eyes out, I called and scheduled an appointment to have her fix it but as I examined my hair more and more, I realized it was pretty much beyond repair. And more importantly, if she didn’t do it right the first time, it can only get worse at this point.
To her credit, Christianne did refund the price of the cut but somewhat snidely remarked that I will have to find myself a new colorist too. While I would never trust her to cut my hair again, I would have considered coming to her for color until she made that statement. I guess my criticizing her Dali masterpiece of a haircut wounded her ego?
Sigh…I think I just have really REALLY REALLY bad luck finding a stylist that knows what he/​she is doing (and in this case, a stylist that bothers to comb the hair down to examine her handy work afterwards to make sure the cut is symmetrical!).
In conclusion, Chrstianne is good with color and she may even cut curly hair well but if your hair is short, thick and straight, letting her cut it is an extremely bad idea.
Oh, and some of the stylists DO take credit cards. You just have to ask if yours does before scheduling an appointment.
Latest Update: It’s been about a month since Christianne did my highlights and lowlights and now that more of my natural color has grown in, I’ve been noticing that the highlights are somehow «off.» I think it’s because they are entirely too light for my natural color and therefore look like that nasty «frosted hair» color. I’m a dark blonde and the highlights look nearly white. No one has ever given me highlights that are the wrong shade of blonde before, I didn’t even know that was possible! Thanks Christianne ;).

I went here a few times when I first moved to LA. The cuts were a little bit more than what you would otherwise find in LA but the shi-​shi me me attitude I could do w/​o. They weren’t outwardly rude but their was an air of «i’m too sexy» that wafted throughout the salon. i never felt relaxed (maybe b/​c i wasn’t sexy enough) and the music was so loud that you would think that they were doing a modernized version of «Hair» in the salon or at the very least playing up to the Abercrombie lucky gene pool crowd.
anyway — not a bad place for a cut but just a little too LA for me.

Like Richard A., I also followed Paige over from Floyd’s. It’s a bummer they can’t take a debit or credit cards, but otherwise I really like this place. Part of me feels guilty spreading the word about Paige, but she’s great for men’s hair and is a down-​to-​earth person who really cares about how you look she deserves all the clients she can get.
The atmosphere is fun and retro (kind of reminds me of a John Water’s movie or «Ugly Betty“‘s production design). Great supply of magazines (I like «Uncut» — a British music mag and they have it!). Free goodies and drinks (bottled water, Snapple). Parking is usually pretty easy in this ‘hood during the week — don’t know what weekends are like. The staff is very friendly also.
I love also that Trader Joes is just down the street — I usually stock up on stuff after a stop to have Paige cut my hair. And McCabe’s Guitar Shop is literarly just across the street — if you’re a music nut you should stop in there.

After my bad experience at The Cut, I wanted to be careful with my next try. Two five-​star Unilocal (including Amy R.‘s, whom I know from school and whose hair I have always admired) helped seal the deal for me.
You know all that stuff I said about The Cut? The waiting, the being bumped in the middle of my appointment, the wet hair? NONE of that happened here. Yeah, I was in the chair for two and a half hours, but that’s my hair, and Kate (great name!!) was great about it, did amazing color, an easy long layer cut, and a beautiful blow out.
The space is cute and retro, and with a hefty mix of great magazines.
Only bad part was that I wasn’t told ahead of time that they could only take cash, but Kate let me run away and grab cash and come back. I’ll remember next time and save the time.
Oh, also — MY HAIR SMELLS AMAZING.