Simplicity Salon

A friend of mine recommended I make an appointment with her stylist Pam who works here, but she was booked. So, I went to Tiffani and she worked her magic :). It’s been difficult finding a good stylist in the area that does short hair so I was worried, but I soon found out I had nothing to worry about. It was a great experience. I think all the stylist are really good. Everyone from the guy at the front desk to the hairstylist were in good spirits and friendly. My hair is real short and unmanageable, but Tiffani took her time to cut it in a really cute style.

I’ve been going for a year now and really respect this business. I love how the stylist know hair! I’m very picky and can’t say enough about the great arrive and friendly environment. Not everyone can cut short hair, but the owner is amazing!

I love this salon. Pam straightened my hair while I was transitioning, did my «big chop,» and straightened my hair after it grew out a bit. I was almost always out in 90 minutes or less and I really like the atmosphere here — friendly, laid-​back, fun. I have yet to find a salon that does a better job and I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who can get an appointment (Pam and her crew are very popular, so plan accordingly!)

Simplicity Salon is a vibrant and fun place to get your hair done. I have gone to all three stylist and they are all very good. Rasheen, my stylist, does a great job with my hair since I am natural. The only thing they don’t do is silk your hair which I am accustomed to. It bothered me a lot at first and I debated constantly on going back because I knew what my hair could do and how I was used to it looking and feeling. I have had to learn to love my hair without it being silked it still looks good and it is still healthy so I am pleased.

So I’m gonna start off by saying I am a fully fledged 4c natural. Kinks & coils… I have it all. Also, did I mention my hair is dense? Long story short, my shoulder-​length-​when-​stretched Afro was a lot to deal with, especially since I had been skipping the salon for about a year and had tons of breakage. Don’t get me wrong: I am not one of those «I-​hate-​my-​natural-​hair-​texture-​and-​must-​wear-​it-​straight» types. My hair was way overdue for a trim and was getting to a point where I couldn’t manage it at home.
But, let me tell you, Ms. Tiffani LAID, I repeat, LAIDT my hair.(yes the T is intentional)
I’ve gotten a thermal press & trim with her twice now (once in early July and in early October), and each time I am left with shiny, bouncy, bone-​straight-​yet-​voluminous hair. And the best part: Absolutely NO heat damage! This is definitely a stylist who knows what she’s doing! You can also tell she really cares about the HEALTH of my natural hair first, because she is constantly giving me tips and pointers on how to improve my hair health at home, without trying to force any excess salon products or chemical treatments on me (no perms or keratin treatments were suggested to me, even though Simplicity offers both).
I would definitely recommend Tiffani to any natural who wants to get their hair straightened, but is skeptical about getting it done at a salon. Just be aware that this isn’t a «natural hair salon» in the sense that most of their clientele are relaxed and/​or wear straight styles. So yes, there might be a comment here or there about styling difficulty, but my skin is thicker than that (as long as my hair looks good & is treated with care, I don’t mind the banter). The prices are pretty standard in comparison to most salons, and they even offer a discount for students. Simplicity’s staff as a whole is friendly and welcoming, and I will definitely be back!
Side note: For the skeptics, I currently don’t have pictures but I will update this review with a before and after once I return.

I can’t say enough good things about Simplicity. I have a standing appointment with Rasheen every Tuesday. He is not only talented, but very professional. I’ve never had to wait longer than 10 minutes for any service, and I’m always out in record time. Let’s talk a bit more about the talent. I started seeing Rasheen during the summer (think 100% humidity) with a brand new pixie cut and a head full of unrelaxed hair. For the first couple of weeks, Rasheen played around with ways to tame my mane, and had my hair «relaxer straight» all summer… in DC. Do you know how difficult that is?! Also, there’s wine and champagne on Tuesday and Wednesday, I love a good cocktail. I highly recommend Rasheen and everyone at Simplicity.

Really enjoyed my experience here. It was my first appointment at simplicity so I was a little nervous and didn’t know what to expect. I was greeted very nicely and my coat was taken to be hanged. I needed my hair cut and it’s a little scary when you’re seeing someone new but Rasheen was great! He truly focused on the health of my hair and put that first. I love that appointments can be made online. It’s really convenient. You don’t have to wait to be seen which I LOVE! The salon was easy to find. It’s clean everyone was so professional. My hair turned out great and I couldn’t be happier. Will definitely schedule another appointment at simplicity salon.

Love this salon!!! Moved to New York five months ago and have been on a hunt to look for a salon and can’t find one. I will be visiting DC at the end of the month and cannot wait to see Rasheen! Manny is great, Pam is great and so is Tonya. I love Tiff too! Rasheen is my stylist and he is all about hair care. Rasheen is the only person I trust to do my hair with my eyes closed as he always knows what is best and will never do anything to harm your hair. He is truly about making sure your hair is healthy and looks good! And because of this, he is booked so I know to call weeks ahead of time. It is so hard to come across great stylists who are professional and work in great conditions. The salon is beautiful and this is truly the only time I get to rest and relax. Love Simplicity Salon.

I’ve been a costumer here for about a year now, and I’m usually satisfied with the way my hair turns out. I can overlook the bad talking other costumers and the prices, once I get what I pay for. I am relaxed and my last session was something I do not intend to experience again. After getting a touch up, one of the assistant began to blow dry my hair. She was new and apparently not doing it to the satisfaction stylist, so the stylist, owner and another assistant proceed to show her using me as the practice dummy! Mind you this is right after being relaxed so my scalp is still sensitive. She cried and my hair got all that heat. To make matter worse, I washed my hair a week later and it was SEVERELY under-​processed in certain sections. After paying $ 85(with a discount) for this I was highly upset. The salon’s solution? Flat iron it. I don’t think they’ll be seeing me again.

I came to Simplicity Salon on the recommendation of my sister. Her hair always looks awesome, so I figured that would be the best way to go. I was not disappointed.
I was lucky enough to get an appointment with Rasheen without having to wait weeks for an opening and the whole experience was amazing. Now, I don’t know about ya’ll but getting my hair straightened and cut by someone I’ve never set eyes on is definitely a scary experience. I mean, a bad hair cut can scar you for life! But of course, all that worrying was for nothing. My hair looks fabulous and I’m feeling fabulous! The entire staff was professional and super friendly. And the best part: I was in and out of there in under 90 minutes!
I’ll definitely be heading back to Simplicity Salon on a regular basis!

I’ve been a customer of Rasheen for several years. He does amazing work, however I don’t like his attitude. I’ve tried to overlook it thinking just a different opinion or different styles of communicating. But the last 2 times I’ve been in his chair he’s been straight up rude to me, making nasty remarks about my hair or insulting comments on the things I share and laughing at me. Rasheen acts like my hair is his hair and that I need to do it exactly to his vision. He bluntly tells me how bad my hair looks which is quite insensitive. A hairstylist can make suggestions, but you don’t make your clients feel bad by berating them. What’s up with having my chair face away from the mirror when he’s styling it? There’s way too much gossiping going on in this salon.
Wayman is really sweet, I just wish he wasn’t so rough when combing my wet hair, I’m always afraid I’m going to lose half my head.

Simplicity Salon has some of the BEST stylists in DC, but the customer service is lacking. However, Manny at the front desk, is always polite and friendly.
I’ve been to Pam a few times and she’s good only if you don’t want too much heat. Her assistant, very sweet, never seems to get the hair completely blow dried though. Pam gets your hair very straight and bouncy, but a few times my roots were not straight, a major disappointment.
Wayman, Rasheen’s assistant, is super sweet and funny. He gives a great wash and gets the hair super clean.
Rasheen styles beautifully. I get compliments every time I leave the shop, but note that he uses A LOT of heat. I grew tired of his attitude and lack of listening, trying to overlook it because he styles so well.
On one occasion, he told me I wear my hair like an old lady and need to put it behind my ears. I told him I didn’t like my hair behind my ears, but he styled it like that anyway. Minor, I know, but shouldn’t a paying customer get what they want? His trims are mediocre, never really done through out the hair. I referred a friend to him once early on and she said he gave her a lopsided cut and then refused to fix it!
On another occasion, he gave me the third degree for having dirty hair after I took out my braids before an appointment. I DID detangle it and put it into a bun; was I suppose to wash it too, to come get it done?! Crazy.
The last straw was when I returned to him after a two-​month period (I couldn’t get an appointment with him any sooner) and he railed me on the poor condition of my hair. I let him assume it was because I was working out often and agreed just so he would drop the issue, but he continued to reprimand me on my hair in front of the entire salon. Little did he know my lackluster hair was a result of some health issues I was having at the time, I just didn’t feel the need to share that. He also never offered any solutions on how to improve my hair – conditioning, steam treatments – nothing, he just acted like I was a lost cause.
I’ve also witnessed some stylists talk about their clients (some I know) when they are gone. It makes you wonder what they say about you when you leave?
Rasheen does amazing styling, which shows since you have to book appointments months well in advance, but I’ll have to pass. If I’m putting money in your pockets every other week, I want to be spoken to with some dignity. Plus maintenance and hair care must go before styling.

I love the relaxed nature of this salon. Every time I come in I am welcomed by Manny’s smiling face (he is a doll!). I’m never in the waiting area long before I am invited to go upstairs and usually I am right in the shampoo bowl. The staff is professional and efficient and I am usually in and out of the salon in ¹¹⁄₂ hours! Woot woot!
Pam is and has been my stylist for a few years now and I always leave with a head full of silky lucious locks!
If you are In the market for a new salon, look no further, this is your spot. You won’t be disappointed!

Unfortunately, I had to drop a star and would give the salon a 2.5 to 3. I still give them 4 stars for the fast turn around and absence of overbooking etc… for services. However, my stylist changed assistants and the new one doesn’t get my hair thoroughly dry — this would not be a big deal if my stylist would correct this every time she notices instead of just when she feels like it. Twice I have been sent on my merry with semi-​frizzy hair instead of the sleek, silky, and shiny hair I am used to receiving.
Thankfully, I can style my own and have gotten rid of the frizzies. The owner and Pam seem to do consistently great jobs, so I would book with them if you want to try this place.

I really, really wanted to like this place.
I read the reviews and heard the praises of Rasheen and Wayman, and was determined to get in to see them. Unfortunately, when I called? He was booked solid for two weeks. Not good, because I had two trips within the next week. Manny offered to book me with Pam. I accepted.
I got to the salon about 15 minutes before my appointment. Manny was at the front and he was very pleasant! He gave me a cape and instructed me to walk up the stairs. From there, Pam’s assistant directed me to the shampoo bowl and asked if my scalp was itching. She then proceeded to scratch my scalp with a fine toothed comb (and now that I think about it… I feel some kind of way about that-​is that sanitary?) After she did that, she washed my hair. Great experience-​she asked about the temperature, asked where was it itching, etc.
She then proceeded to blow dry my hair. I should have noticed the first red flag-​she asked ME if my hair was dry. Um, aren’t you blow-​drying it? You should know! Plus, I didn’t know how dry she wanted to get my hair. At my old salon in Atlanta-​my stylist’s assistant would get my hair 80% dry and have the hooded dryer do the rest.
Sooo, I finally ended up in Pam’s chair. She asked me how did I want my hair done-​I told her straight with a bit of curl/​bump at the end. I guess she didn’t understand, or I wasn’t clear in sharing, because that’s not what I got. While she was flatironing my hair, she peppered me with questions:
«What do you put in your hair?» Me: «Nothing.» (I really don’t-I regularly get my hair done, so I kind of take a hands off approach to my hair. It works, because everyone in my friend and associate circle always say my hair always looks good, and I regularly get asked for my stylist’s name.)
«When did you last get your ends trimmed?» Me: «Four weeks ago.»
«How do you protect your hair at night?» Me: «I wrap it in a scarf and then put a silk bonnet on.»
«How have you worn your hair during the last week?» Me: «In a ponytail.»
When she finished, she told me that basically my hair isn’t laying right because I wore it in a ponytail for a week, and that I needed my ends trimmed. (I know I don’t, because my former stylist took off a few stray split ends just two weeks prior.) Then, she said that she’ll make it look better next time.
Next time? Seriously?
I told her it didn’t look horrible, (it’s a 5 on a scale of 1 – 10) and she was like, «Really?» as if to say, «Girl, this is a mess!» That bothered me because that basically told me that she’d send me out looking a hot mess and she’d take my money-​no thank you.
I was so disappointed with my hair-​for $ 50, my hair shouldn’t look like something I did at home. Yes, I’m natural, but my hair is so fine that it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to make it look great.
Summary:
Pros: pleasant staff, nearby street parking, great time management (I was in and out in under an hour), online booking, they take credit/​debit
Cons: see above review re: Pam, they only take cash for tips
Update (7÷23÷11): I was contacted by the owner of the salon. He offered to make it right. That wasn’t why I wrote the review, but to me, I appreciate the fact that he’s trying to make things right.

Rasheen has colored, cut, and styled my hair for over two years now. He does everything and more. I am very particular about my hair and he has yet to fail me. He can cut a mean style and is very educated and talented in his field. His #1 concern is the health of your hair. He has even convinced me to step away from the creamy crack – atleast for now! He is always learning something new and continues to amaze me. For example, I recently had a bad dandruff problem and he tried various remedies until he found what worked for me. I now can wear black without feeling like I just came out of a snow storm.
Whether you want something new and trendy, or just a trim, he cuts very accurately and accommodates to your needs. He even gives you the hard truth about your hair when you don’t want to hear it. Rasheen is by far the best stylist I have ever had and I strongly recommend him. Besides having amazing talent, he owns a very modern salon. I have followed him from 2 different salons until he opened his own and will continue to follow him.
On a bad day, I am out of the salon in 1 hour and 30 minutes (which is rare)! Most days I am out in 45 – 50 minutes.
Wayman is his assistant and will wash your hair as if he is giving you a scalp massage. I have actually fell asleep while receiving a shampoo from him. Wayman has a great personality and is the life of Simplicity.
As soon as you arrive, you are greeted by Manny, the salon manager and he runs a tight ship! His bubbly personality alone will make you want to return. There have been times when I have entered the salon in a somewhat bad mood and Manny’s demeanor alone changed my mood. When you arrive at the salon he will assist you with putting on a cape and then offer you coffee, juice, tea, water or even wine (my guilty pleasure)!
All in all, Simplicity is a salon that offers a friendly atmosphere and highly skilled staff. You will not be disappointed.

So, this review is long overdue. I’ve been seeing Rasheen for over a year now. I first started seeing Rasheen while he was still at Bo26 – and it was because of all the impressive reviews on Unilocal!that I made the leap to test him out for myself.
So a year and half later – I’m finally helping others-​by writing my very own review.
I initially went to Rasheen after my hair had been completely fried – from over processing (color, relaxers, and Dominican blow-​outs). We immediately tried to remedy the problem with a good trim and regular visits. I was happy with my hair – but even with all the TLC – one side of my hair it seemed that all growth had been stunted. This is when Rasheen suggested that I take a break from the relaxers to see if my hair would respond and begin to grow back healthy and strong. I had to trust Rasheen on this because I was not ready to make the transition – but I took his advice and a year later I am still transitioning my hair and the result has been amazing. My hair has definitely grown longer, but it is thick, vibrant and most of all the healthiest it has been in a very long time.
I’m looking forward to being 100% natural in the extremely near future. Rasheen has exhibited his competence in relaxed, transitioning and natural hair – and all on my head.
This review would be amiss if I didn’t include Wayman and Manny. Wayman – is the absolute best, most hilarious and awesome assistant I’ve ever been to. I truly look forward to getting into the shampoo bowl every time I come out. Also, no one can hold a candle to his blow out. Manny is so awesome and manages to keep everyone’s schedule together – is so polite and is always such a refreshing face when you walk into the salon. Rasheen, Wayman and Manny make a dynamic team.
The salon is professional – but everyone is very down to earth. What I love most about the salon is that it is truly a break from everything else – it’s a time to relax and have fun (while being pampered).
My advice to anyone who’s making a first time visit – is do your very best to listen. Rasheen truly knows what he is doing and sometimes the suggested path may be something you would never have considered – but he tells you this in the name of healthy hair and to me that’s what’s most important.

Today solidified my theory that there are subgroups of naturals. Those that embrace their God given kinks and coils and those that don’t relax their hair but slay their coils into submission with heat and are thoroughly convinced that straight hair is superior to kinky. Simplicity salon caters to the latter subset. I’m still kinda in my feelings so maybe I should wait to write this review, but I really just want to get it out there.
My experience over the phone was pleasant. I was able to get a next day appoitnment (Saturday) with LaTonya. I was a little surprised that they didn’t ask me what I was getting done but didn’t think much of it.
I arrived on time and was greeted by LaTonya herself. She was pleasant enough. I was a little confused as to where I should wait, but then someone pointed to a dryer where I sat and waited to get washed.
Let me tell you. ALL downhill after I put on my apron. The girl who shampooe’d me looked at my hair and asked:
«Did you already detangle this at home?»
«Uh, no…»
I’m a little taken aback here. If I’m getting my hair washed at the salon, why would I detangle it at home?
Anyways so then she says,
«Why you gotta make my job harder?!»
Red alert. Anytime someone refers to your natural hair as «hard to manage» or has the nerve to ask you to do their job before you step foot in the salon… you know ignorance is about to ensue.
She asks me,
«What do you put in your hair?» I
«Well not a lot. I seal my ends with olive oil and shea butter…»
She laughs. «Just» that? You need a conditioning treatment. The oils just coats the hair. The scalp has to produce the oil. You don’t need all that.
I admit that even after a year and a half of being natural, I am struggling with balancing moisture. But she was just rude with it. It was so apparent that she did not have an interest in doing natural hair. Same attitude when she blow dried me. Thats what pisses me off. DO NOT ADVERTISE THAT YOU DO NATURAL HAIR IF YOUR STAFF DOESNT LIKE TO DO IT! Or at least invest in some acting classes for them. People kill me. Can you pretend to like doing your job? Can you pretend that my hair is not a pain? If I was sensitive, they would have had me doubting my beautiful coils. In the middle of blow drying it she asked me if I wanted to take a picture. Like for what? Before and after photos? Really? No gracias. I know what my hair looks like straight… its been straight since I was eight and my mother decided to slap in the creamy crack to tame it and up until a year and a half ago when I decided not to let society tell me who I was. End rant.
Anyway when I sit down in Latonya’s chair to get it flat ironed, she asks me when the last time I had it straightened. All the other stylists were listening. I said, «This is the first time since I cut it all off». (I big chopped) I kid you not people replied Oh wow! I’m glad you got her Tonya. I don’t have the time or patience” The other stylists co sign and say «Mmm hmm. Yea. I wonder if it’ll get straight?» WTH? Why wouldn’t it get straight? You apply heat. Curly coily hair straightens. Have black folks not been pressing our hair since slavery days? I guess me being natural made Pam think of some of her clients and she proceeded to tell stories about natural clients… which invoked a discussion on good vs. «bad» hair. Yes ya”ll. For real. My hairdresser kept her mouth shut. I’d like to think because she realized how unprofessional the whole situation was, but maybe it was because she thought she was getting a tip.
Conclusion? Save your money if you are tightly coiled natural. ESPECIALLY if you don’t think there’s anything wrong with the way God made you and don’t feel the need to burn your tresses into submission every couple of weeks. And I so try not to judge. I didn’t even go natural because I thought natural hair was beautiful. I just got tired of giving my hard earned money away to the notriously unprofessional black salon. So trust me, I came from the city in which they still live, the town of «brainwashedbywhitemediaportrayalsofwhatbeautyisso­igottastraightenmyhairnomattertheconsequencesbutir­eallydolovemyselfville». Yea. Lived there. For a long while. So yes I was ignorant about kinky hair at one point but… I didn’t run a business. I’m not the type to write on Unilocal what I won’t say in person but this situation was different because the whole shop partook in the ignorant diatribe regarding natural hair. People acted like Latoya was getting ready to do major open heart surgery. So not that serious. I’m really kind of in shock. Just tragic all around. I should have known better since they don’t strictly do natural hair but hey live and you learn. At least I got a good trim!

***Yes I realize this review is super long but you’ll understand why if you’d had my experience****
So first i’ll say this: I’ve coined a new name for simplicity salon — «Hair Heaven» :) yes i know. hair heaven? Could they possibly be that good?
Well I can say this for a fact! I had my hair done by Rasheen and his assistant Wayman and YES – they ARE THAT GOOD!!! I do not exaggerate!
First a little background on my hair, I have pretty long say mid-​back hair that had gotten so dry and dull I became desperate enough to find a new stylist. On reading reviews of Rasheen and Wayman and a few other salons and leading stylists, I selected 3 stylists at 3 different salons to try. The 1^st one I tried was a nice enough experience, the 2^nd stylist I practically run out of her chair :) and the 3^rd was Rasheen. Now I had to wait a bit for an appointment because he books up fast. «Yes! Again, he IS that good»
I went in there with dry, dull hair and a hopeful attitude but not sure what to expect. Wayman gave me a great wash, protein treatment, and blow-​dried my hair and Man was he fantastic!!! While I have no idea how he managed it, after the blow-​drying process my dull hair already had a shine to it and felt so light and bouncy! I always say when hair is blow-​dried it can feel like carrying a bag of straw on your head or it can feel light and bouncy… These guys definitely know «light and bouncy»
Rasheen then took over and worked more magic!!! I was blown away. He is a skillful hair-​stylist!!! My hair felt so silky, soft, and shiny that I was amazed. and I’m usually not that easy to impress!!! He then topped the experience with a beautiful trim… none of that chopping all your hair off business that the «trigger happy» stylists love to do.
What made me an absolute believer was their patience in accommodating my questions and explaining everything to me. Like I said — and you can see from my picture — I have long hair and over the years I’ve honed the skill of not allowing stylists to destroy my hair! They were patient, answered all my questions with zero attitude! Their niceness floored me. How could such competent stylists not have that overblown «I know what I’m doing so shut up» attitude? They are fantastic!
I would be remiss not to mention Manny the super nice, super energetic, super friendly and super competent receptionist. I called that salon with a hundred questions before my appointment and he patiently answered each one!!!
I should also say I generally don’t do reviews, I’m always so busy and never have time to write them. But I took time to sign onto Unilocal just so I could review them, and went to the trouble of uploading a pic of my hair which I generally would never do. Again, Yes! They are that good.
I’m sure my excitement is palpable. I LOVE SIMPLICITY SALON — or should I say HAIR HEAVEN!!!
One Disclaimer: I have to admit I had a bit of a wait when I arrived. But later found out it was only because Rasheen had missed the notification that I was his new client. When he found out he was so apologetic and so nice I would be a major grinch to remember that part of the experience!
I ABSOLUTELY ENJOYED MY EXPERIENCE THERE! And will return again and again and again!!!

Tonya Cochran is by far one of the best hairstylist in the Washington, DC. metropolitan area. I’ve been going to her for about 2 years and couldn’t be any happier with Tonya being my stylist. Not only is she a great hairstylist, but she makes sure she gets to know you which allows her to know exactly what to do with your hair, how to treat it, and what styles best fits you, whether its something new you want to try or the usual. Being an athlete and a teenager, my hair was either always put up and sweaty but I always wanted it to look its best; so going to Tonya and listening to what she advised me to do with my hair has made my hair suit me and has made it stronger and healthier.
Going to Tonya, you will always be satisfied with the outcome of your hair and will always feel welcomed. Tonya is an amazing stylist and I have referred her to multiple people who still go to Tonya to this day. I refer Tonya to anyone in the Washington metropolitan area who is looking for a new stylist who uses the best products to make and keep your hair healthy and strong and styles your hair as you like with perfection.