VaZa Salon — Attraction in Town of Ossining

I went to this salon for the first time in September and had a 5 star experience with Lauren. HOWEVER, today my daughter went for the first time and had her hair done by PAULA, who did not treat my daughter well and did three things that cost this review 3 stars.

First, at the start of the session as she was looking at my daughter’s hair, she says “ok I’ll cut your hair [this way] and I’ll add this treatment to deal with the build up, but it’ll take a little extra time. Do you have time for it?” When I went to pay for the service, I was surprised to find out that her cut was going to be $129 instead of the expected $93! When I asked about the price difference I was told it was bc she was given a conditioning treatment that cost $36. I asked if this fee was made clear to my daughter. The stylist then proceeded to say that she told my daughter that the treatment was going to be an extra charge. However, as I explained to the manager and the stylist, if my daughter was told that it would be an extra charge, she would have called me to ask me if it was ok for her to get it before agreeing to the treatment. Had my daughter known and had asked me, I actually would have approved the treatment and would have gladly paid for it as the salon visit (which I recommended) was my daughter’s birthday gift. However, instead it was misleadingly represented as part of the service.

Second, as Paula was parting it to cut it she kept saying that it was “knotted.” When someone knows how to deal with curly hair, they know that curls, by their very nature are entangled, due to their curly texture. They also know how to part the curls in the right places so as to not rip them apart.

Thirdly, after she washed it and was combing it out she kept saying how “surprised” she was at “how manageable” my daughter’s hair was. For anyone who works with curly hair they should know that curly hair comes in different textures and that terms like “manageable” are just racialized words for “close to white” or “not like ‘black’ hair”.

I will say that the salon manager did not charge me for the treatment. For the future, they should make sure that their stylist explain that treatments are charged extra upfront and not present such treatments as if they are a part of the wash and...

I had a similar experience with past reviews. I didn’t get the hairstyle I asked for and wasted money/ time. I specifically asked for volume and layers to the body of my hair. Unfortunately, they fell short and made me feel like I was getting a special haircut but they were only able to work on the tips of the hair (and not the body) and even that was all uneven. Overall, It’s a pretty flat and straight cut on the bottom with no layers to body or any kind of dimension to the overall shape of the hair. They tried to say they would layer the front around my face after the wash but all they did was cut 2-3 strands in the front without any technique or style. In addition, I took my child to see an associate and she was pretty lost… she went too deep and short on the sides without having a clue how to blend a short cut. Once she cut so short, there was no fixing or going back… we had no choice but to keep going. She basically left the top center of the head with long hair and the sides of the head super short. I would suggest associates be monitored and cut hair when they’ve had sufficient experience. I showed her a pic at the beginning and this was not the look we were going for. On a usual basis, I would go back for an adjustment but I just don’t think anyone there will be able to deliver since they are lacking skills and technique especially for curlyhair. You’re prob better off going to a local non-curly salon and getting a cut for a third of the price. The staff here need more training on curly hair if they want to survive in this market because people will start to realize it’s no good. The biggest plus is the quality of products, nice ambiance, and friendly staff but at the end, we were not satisfied and will have to wait months for hair to regrow to undo the...

Wow. Where should I start? This’ll be a long one. Skip to the bottom if you don’t want to read. TLDR:

I have what one would call 3C curls. I went through so many disappointing, and quite frankly, traumatizing experiences. Nobody knew how to cut my hair without straightening it, and it made me feel unseen and unequipped to handle my own hair. Forget even liking the way my hair naturally was.

I was recommended to go to VaZa because they had curly hair specialists. I rolled my eyes and shrugged, thinking it was going to be like everywhere else. Looking at my hair once and not knowing what to do with it.

I was blown away. Val, amazing hairstylist and so knowledgeable, sat me in front of the mirror and went over everything I never knew about my own hair, and addressed the hair trauma I had experienced for so long. I felt so seen and understood, I was shocked to the core.

It took time, but with Val’s help and the amazing girls who work there, I’ve fallen in love with my curls and actually know what I’m doing and how to use products like a pro. For all my curly girls: GO TO VAZA! Even if just for a Consultation. It can be a little pricey, but you’re paying for quality, attention to detail, genuine care, and the most personable, friendly crew who see YOU and your unique hair, not just as another head coming through the doors.

Photos of my hair after curling it by hand and an amazing balayage! You will not be...