Love Lane Salon — Local services in Jersey City

I’ve gotten my hair done for years (coarse bleached Asian hair). I tried to like this place as I know people that love it here, but my appointment was traumatizing. I’ve been to bad salons but never argued with a stylist over roots! Alyssa unloaded all her frustrations on me, which I didn’t deserve as a client. She was not nice during the first appointment, but I took a chance as she wanted to finish fixing my hair.

Pros: -Clear Directions & Friendly greeters: The texted directions were very clear, and the front desk was welcoming. -Great Initial Results: Despite challenges, my hair looked great after the first appointment, and I appreciated Alyssa’s recommendation for a better color mask. At the second appointment my overall color was ok too (I let her know I liked my strands). -Thoughtful Haircut: Stephany was warm, professional, and did a great job blending previous breakage.

Cons: -Unprofessional Stylist: Alyssa was dismissive and passive-aggressive from the beginning, making me feel unwelcome. She repeatedly mentioned in different ways she doesn’t “normally do hair like this,” which felt unnecessary and unprofessional. It made me feel she was doing me a favor by doing my hair, instead of treating me like a client. -Lack of Empathy for Concerns: After my 1st appointment, I reached out as the back of my shirt was bleached and a part of my hair was not colored. My concerns were acknowledged in the 2nd appointment when she told me to take off my shirts and just wear the smock “since you were so upset last time” which felt like sarcasm. I wish I knew ahead of time I would be taking off my top - I never had to do this at a salon before. -Poor Communication About Scheduling Needs: For my second appointment, I wasn’t informed that I would need a longer session due to hair growth. Instead of working together on a solution, Alyssa blamed me for the timing, which could have been avoided with better communication during rescheduling (asking for a pic before the appointment, recommending me to another stylist that could take me sooner). -Defensive and Dismissive Response to Feedback: When I calmly asked for advice for the banding on my roots, Alyssa became defensive, accused me of setting her up for failure by not being able to come in 4-6 weeks (I was sick for a month), and ultimately stormed off. -Hair Result Not Fully Resolved: During the second appointment she focused extra time on the ends of my hair, which she knew was hard to change. I wish she focused on what I came for (my roots), and I wasn’t offered any follow-up options to fix it. -Pricing: The price for a haircut was twice the amount of a Japanese salon in NYC and the 3 hr color was the same price as an 8 hr appointment in NYC.

Needs Improvement: -Better Stylist-Client Matching: If a stylist isn’t comfortable working with a certain hair type or situation, flag it during booking so clients can be matched with someone who is. Many salons handle this with a phone consultation or a question during booking. -Proactive Scheduling Guidance: A scheduler should check in before rescheduling long gaps between appointments to determine if a different stylist or longer session is needed. This would have prevented the miscommunication around my second appointment. -Improved Customer Service & Professionalism: I expected stylists to be trained to handle transparency and feedback and offer solutions rather than being defensive. If something doesn’t go as planned, they should address client concerns professionally. They also never answer the phone and only respond to text. -Attention to Detail & Cleanliness: Clients should be provided with proper coverage (smock over robe) and dry towels to prevent wet clothing or bleach stains. Most salons ensure this as a standard.

Final Thoughts: While I appreciated some aspects of my experience, the lack of professionalism and communication from my stylist and scheduling team made it clear this isn’t the salon for me. I wanted to share this as I hope these issues are addressed to improve the experience for...

Update a year or more later.. I’ve had multiple haircuts by crystal. Maybe 6? I’m including bang trims as well.. She’s my new stylist. She specializes in curly cuts but also cuts thick hair as well. She’s never given me a bad haircut and let’s just say after post partum hair loss my hair hasn’t looked this good in years. What I love about Crystal is that she actually is able to cut a lot of different types of hair as well as do makeup on varying skin tones and types. Let’s just say I’ve seen her cut a lot of different kinds of hair, and seen her makeup for weddings, etc and many of her clients are of varying backgrounds. Girl never skips a beat. Idk if it’s cause she’s also a minority with curly hair and darker features but you never have to worry about your face and neck not matching blending wise… (unfortunately this is all too common an issue, if you know you know) … don’t let these photos fool you. I’m an islander and get darker in the sun.

Let’s preface this review with I’ve been needing a haircut for roughly six months and color since prior my pregnancy so about 16 months at most. With a newborn I didn’t want to trek into the city dealing with pumping and a lengthy commute. As you can guess I was in desperate need of some tender loving care for my locks. I googled hairdressers around me and to my surprise Love Lane came up in the wee hours of 0200. They won many accolades as a salon in NJ. The appointment system is a bit irritating because there is no direct number at first when you are looking, everything is automated and online- super high tech. BUT they are quite responsive, and reach out multiple times to make sure you have enough time allotted and are matched with the proper stylist. The Lofts location is inside a building but they send you all the tricks and details prior so you don’t get lost. The salon is modern, cozy, clean, and stylish. Workers are friendly, warm, and easy to talk to. I had Inva for coloring. She was beyond superb. I told her I wanted to go back to my natural color. I’ve dyed it so many times over the years. She did a very dark brown shade without it looking inky. My husband loves it. He says in the light it looks almost purple. It’s super rich, dark and looks as healthy as it did in my teens/early 20s. (Which means a lot for this postpartum hormonal mess of me!) Now Cut, CRYSTAL is hands down, on my knees, a goddess. I realize that seems a bit much, over exaggerating but not at all. She’s such an energetic, welcoming, down to earth cool woman. She’s as beautiful inside as she is on the outside. She’s stunning but less about my girl crush on her and more about her sheer talents. I showed her what I wanted, some inspo shots. I wanted youthful, fun, wolf, shag, fringe… just razor away at my head. And girl did she deliver. My hair is giving. (I’m mid to late 30s I had to look up all these sayings the kids say.) I’ve never had so many compliments from friends and family.. my hair is straight and thick. Crystal was able to cut off the weight and make my hair look stylish without much maintenance from me which is great as a new mom. I’m still trying to be gentle with myself. I am attempting to get back to my pre-mom weight and these ladies really helped me feel like a sexy fun new mama. I recommend them 100%. Price is on the higher end meaning Manhattan prices but you get what you pay for. I’ve had many stylists in Manhattan just give me the version of the haircut they want me to have versus for what I ask for. They take credit card and venmo for tip if you’re like me and don’t like to walk around with cash. The reason I would return and recommend them is not only are they talented but relaxed and rather welcoming which is refreshing with everything happening in the world. Lastly, bathroom is particularly chic and the perfect place for a selfie when you’re feeling yourself.. which you will be because they are awesome. Thank you for...

When I first moved to the area in 2017, I tried a couple of salons that were okay, but didn't leave me WOWed, until a friend recommended Love Lane Salon, and I haven't looked back.

I've had cuts from John, Karina, and Hayley over the years, and the way they're able to work their magic to help my hair feel its best - from short cuts to long layers with face framing that maintain length, feel strong, healthy, light, airy, and textured - they always have me leaving feeling like a million bucks.

Chase is my lived in brunette colorist/magician, and when I sit in her chair and chat through what I'm looking for she just gets it. She always delivers and exceeds my expectations and when I'm interested in trying something a little new or different, she encourages me to give it a try and I always love the final look. The depth and dimension she adds to my color keeps me loyal to her!

To some people it may just be a hair style, but as a working mom focused on so many other peoples needs, getting my hair done is a bit of a therapeutic indulgence for me to practice self care. If I'm taking time out of my day for a cut or color, I want to leave the salon feeling amazing, like a refreshed version of myself. I've built that level of trust at Love Lane and if you're on the fence about trying - JUST DO IT, you won't regret it. Their team is incredibly talented and will take care of you and your hair care needs.

PS. This review is lengthy, but if you're still here, I moved to Houston Texas in 2023, tried a couple of salons in the area that left me disappointed. In 2024 when I made my way back to NJ/NY, I made it a priority to visit my family, friends, and Love Lane, and will continue to add Love Lane as a stop when I'm in the area. I was only in NY for a couple of days, and when I DM'd Chase to see if she was available, she got me on the schedule. If you don't have this level of trust with your salon, come...