Aisha Hair Braiding LLC — Attraction in Silver Spring

This is my honest review about the Aisha's braiding salon. Aisha the owner is great and lovely but some of the braiders are the reason for this rating and the reason for not going back. Bad customer service. My friend who has always gone to the salon and had good experiences decided to go back again and get her hair done and basically left the salon with her head done halfway because the 'acting manager' refused to finish her hair, and told her to leave the salon, while talking trash about her (thinking she didn't speak French). We have the videos and the name of the braider. Aisha (the boss) wasn't in at the time, so this lady was the one in charge. So, this all happened because my friend simply asked the braider to do the cornrow style a specific way as in the picture, and she didn't do it. The client asked her to re-do the cornrow she'd just done because it's not what was in the picture she wanted. The braider got frustrated and told the client she's wasting her time, and to leave so she can do other clients, etc. etc. It was a whole show, and I think this braider ‘in charge’ acted up even more because of all the attention it was drawing. Meanwhile...she's yelling at my friend in front of a FULL salon of women. It's on video. I just wonder if she'd act that way with the boss around. Imagine a braider refusing to complete your hair, leaves your hair half done, tells you to get out of the salon, and then makes mean comments about your edges, your hair type, etc. That’s what happened and it’s on video! Terrible!!! Learn some customer service please, it’ll keep your clients.

In my own experience with this salon, I have had both good and bad experiences. Bad experiences because the hair braiders just simply didn't listen to what I wanted and ended up finishing my head with a style different from what I wanted. In my last visit there (2 weeks ago), I asked the braider that I wanted to look at the mirror behind me to see my hair before she completed it, and she refused (they have you facing away from the mirror when they're doing your hair). I was so upset because I'm here about to pay someone $300 and she's telling me that I can't look at my hair. I don’t know what kind of childishness that is. She finally said "fine" with a bad pissed off attitude, started talking about me in French to the hair braider next to her (again, thinking I don't understand her African French) and guess what?! It wasn't what I wanted. At this point I couldn't say anything because there was no point, and I had to rush to work. I’d been there since 6am. I just had them finish, paid, walked out, and called Aisha to complain about it. Aisha offered that I come back, and they correct it (which is good) but it wasn't worth my time and driving. That braider literally missed a good tip.

The only reason I'll go back to Aisha's is because they braid quickly and professionally. The reason I won’t go back is because of BAD customer service!! I'd honestly just say that you have to say your prayers that God leads you to sit under the right braider before going there. Some of the hair braiders are the problem. They think they know best and when you try and correct them in their work, they get pissed off and talk about you right in your face. English is also a problem (language barrier) with some of them so just try and be as clear as possible. If you want standard box braids, you’re all good (as long as you can tell them the height and size). If you want anything else, please explain, show pictures, and pray you get the right braider! If you're African and speak French, just pretend you...

I came in two days ago to get braids done. I should’ve known there would be a problem when I showed the braider the hairstyle I wanted, and she laughed, said something to the stylist next to her, and had me show it to her the inspiration picture. Aisha was sweet, told me the price, and broke everything down, but she ended up leaving about 30 minutes later, which was fine.

Once I finally got seated, the stylist blew my hair out extremely rough. I didn’t say anything, because even though my hair isn’t super long, it is super thick. She started braiding with no issues, and about halfway through, she showed me the style. I was looking in the mirror and immediately felt uneasy. I told her the style didn’t match the picture and the front braids were way too thick, and I asked her to redo them.

She told me it would all come together once both sides were finished, and that it just looked off because only one side was done. Still not feeling it, I let her continue. Again, she turned to the other stylist and said something in another language, which i could obviously tell was about me. Once she finished the top, I asked for the mirror. She acted confused until the third time I asked, when I made it clear I wanted to see my hair up close.

Same issue, the front two braids didn’t match the reference photo and were too thick. I politely asked her to redo just those two. Suddenly, she claimed she didn’t speak English, even though she’d been speaking English to me the entire appointment unless she had something to say about me which she switched languages. She started calling other people over to convince me it looked fine and didn’t need to be redone.

At this point, I was frustrated. Their policy says if you're unhappy, you have to speak up while still in the chair which I did. Still, they refused to fix it. I specifically told them not to feed in so much braiding hair in the front, because it made the braids look bulky and unnatural. The “manager” (not Aisha) began arguing with me, saying it wasn’t their fault, it was just my hair.

Let me be clear: this style was $260. All I asked for was two braids to be redone—the ones front and center on my face. I didn’t even mention other inconsistencies throughout the style. I was calm at first, but after going back and forth for 15 minutes, I finally said I wasn’t paying for something I wasn’t happy with. I told them if they weren’t going to fix it, then forget it, just cut it out.

The “manager” then aggressively grabbed my head, cut the braids, and removed half of the style. I walked out.

The customer service was disgusting. Both the braider and the so-called manager should be ashamed. I'm attaching photos of the inspiration vs. what I received. I will never return after how I was treated. first photo is the inspiration, last two are my hair. you can clearly see how they don’t even look remotely similar. Stylist are EXTREMELY rude, would reconsider...

My experience here was very disappointing.

Yesterday I asked for boho knotless braids small

1.)I specifically showed the owner the tik tok of the hairstyle I wanted she stated she provides the human hair and I can get the exact style. After 15mins of the lady braiding my hair she hands me a mirror to take a look at it, it was a completely different curl..after informing her she said this is the only human hair we provide for boho and the lady in the video provided her own. That right there blew my mind because why did the owner not inform me of that? 2.)Without asking me the braider told me to separate the boho human hair for her and she will pick it up as she goes along, I don’t mind helping but other women around me was not doing the same. If I received the style I actually wanted I would have shook it off.

3.)As the lady was working on my hair I noticed different sizes of braids she continued to say it was the right size and she does not add much braiding hair for each braid..she literally forced a size braid I did not want. My braids are all different sizes the braids in the front are small/medium size the braids in the back are small. I asked for a good amount of boho human hair I even pointed out another young lady in the shop of how I would like my hair and the lady agreed to do it the same..it looks completely different.

3.) The second lady she had to assist her kept coughing every 10mins and sneezing I think she wore a mask the first 30mins but took it off. I have a weak immune system and had a flight to catch for my family vacation at 6am the next morning so I definitely did not want to feel sick after about 3 hours or so I complained about the coughing nicely and the lady that was originally braiding my hair literally said well it’s going to take longer and she is all I have to help she was blunt and sounded very careless about it. The lady literally would cough in the open and in her hand and CONTINUE to braid my hair. I now have congestion symptoms! To remind you another girl had the exact same style as me and had 3 people working on her hair.

4.) I ended up being there almost 9 hours I was the last customer to leave the shop. People who came in after me was finished before me with the SAME style I actually wanted. I am 100% upset with the service altogether. I was so excited to come here I really hope they can accommodate me somehow. Even though this was not the best experience I tipped BOTH braiders $20 a piece. I couldn’t complain about the price or state my concerns because the owner took my payment become she left for the day. I honestly am very sad I do not like my hair and I never experienced anything like this before. I have a good following on social media and I am trying to give this business grace to see what they can do for me before...