Hair Arca — Local services in Los Angeles

Disclosure: DONT BELIEVE THEIR RATINGS! Many of the reviews are for discount at checkout. TLDR: Sketchy and unprofessional. This is highway robbery masked as a boutique salon. Having read other low reviews, Im not the only one who had the same issues. I'm not even sure the positive reviews are even genuine. So many of the accounts are people who only ever reviewed Hair Arca and probably just for the discount at the end. I left a more in depth review on yelp with photo evidence.

PLEASE do yourself a favor and look at the low reviews and dont be dazzled by their ratings and glamor pics.

First let me start off saying I really wanted to like this place and didnt want to write this review for so so long. I've never once written a review on a business in my life. I gave them multiple chances to work with me before writing this review and they were uncooperative to reaching any sort of agreement.

I came here twice and both times something went wrong. The first time I went in, I booked a scalp detox and hair cut but for some reason they gave me a keratin treatment instead of the scalp treatment I wanted. They tried to cover up and justify their mistake after the whole appointment was over by saying my hair was dry. They did not mention this before starting the hair treatment nor did they consult me about any changes they wanted to make to the agreed appointment.

The second time I came in I asked for the same haircut since that was the part I thought they were best at. Boy was I wrong. I live far away from this salon and wanted to treat myself while I was in Koreatown and I like supporting small businesses here as a native LA Korean American. I got the same hairstylist Jacob and told him the exact same thing that I told him last time, including the fact that I like to keep my hair in a bun with a clip most days and that I prefer a middle part for symmetry. Please remember this statement I will get back to it. He took off my glasses and started snipping away. By the end.... I left with a Side Part and uneven bangs. ALSO for some reason he also took pieces of hair from just behind my ear and cut it to jaw length. I think he was going for layers but I dont understand why these layers did not start from the scalp and stop at the jaw. Now whenever I wear my glasses they STICK OUT TO THE SIDE because my glasses pushes them out, which he knew I wore. What are these random floating pieces??!! I have to either tuck them under my glasses ear hooks and hide them or leave them untucked and floating in strange arches jutting out from the side of my head LIKE A CARTOON CHARACTER. Also for several weeks, they were too short to hide in my ponytail/bun.

Worst part is, I was so distraught when leaving that I accidentally clicked on the lowest tip option when paying.... a whopping 18% minimum tip button. I paid $118 and for what? To CRY for TWO WEEKS straight and forego taking any pictures on my birthday?? Why was a tipping button even there?? Why are we tipping people who dont get paid less than minimum wage? Thats the whole reason tipping exists.

When I realized I couldnt fix it with styling of any kind. I called multiple times to ask about a partial refund or at least to give me that tip back. They told me they do not do refunds. I happened to have had a family member go there some time after my appointment and I asked "Can you at least give them a discount if you dont do refunds?" Nope. They're not even trying to work with me here. The thing is, I could have left a review on yelp during checkout for a discount because thats something they offer but like I said at the top, I dont do reviews plus I didnt want to leave a bad review especially when I was already upset and overwhelmed. That was dumb of me. I should have left my honest review right then and there and taken the discount. I asked if they could at least give my family member this review-based discount on their haircut? NOPE. It's been months as Ive waited to grow out these weird hair loopies so someone else can fix it. Ive been fuming this entire time.

Shame...

I was really looking forward to my haircut and am really disappointed in how it turned out. Definitely rushed service and it looks nothing like the photo I showed. I mean nothing.

Everyone was really nice and it’s really tough to leave such a low rated review, but I felt like my disappointment only magnified after my mother saw my hair and noticed it was nothing like what I told her I was trying to accomplish.

The stylist took off so much volume, it made my head look bigger - opposite of what I requested. I don’t even want to post a photo as I’m entirely dissatisfied with the turnout and so upset with how it looks.

Yes, hair grows. I’m looking forward to it growing out, but how long will I have to suffer through with this hair style that I can’t even tie up? It’s so short with no volume that my mom asked “What happened to all your hair? Your face looks even bigger.” How sad. The whole point was to frame my face and have big voluminous hair to make my face look smaller since this is such a flaw that I struggle with.

What I received in service was rushed. Beginning with the hair wash - the kind, tall gentleman was not gentle with my scalp one bit. It was honestly so confusing as to why he was treating my scalp as such. He definitely needs a review on how to massage the scalp…

Caleb cut my hair. Perhaps, I expected too much. He’s the director of the salon with many years of experience - how can I not? I was so excited.

Due to his years of experience, he was able to accomplish everything in such a short period of time whilst also focusing on every other customer’s hair at the salon. Never in my years of going to salons did I receive such inattentiveness.

I’m in total shock at the moment with how it all turned out. I mean… at least tell me you cannot give me what I’m looking or asking for(?)

Part of me feels like he knew it wasn’t what I had asked for, but I cannot speak on behalf of anyone. Once again, everyone was really nice. I was trying to trust the process even when it felt to short, even when he was thinning it out.. I thought to myself, “shut up and trust the process, he’s the director”. My mistake.

I still paid my full balance and 20% gratuity and proceeded out the door. I mean.. what can you really verbalize when there’s not really any hair left to fix?

I feel bad it didn’t work out. I’m annoyed I look like this.. and yet I feel guilty for leaving this review, but I needed to share.

Not all good reviews are real. Perhaps… I should stop trusting places where influencers have probably been paid or given...

-Updated review After they heard about my experience, they put up an effort by asking how they can make it right . I appreciate the gesture. -Original review I never have written a bad review on any businesses, but I was so disappointed in my experience at hair arca today. First of all my appointment was at 3 but the haircut didnt start until 3:45-50 , but i didnt hear a single apology ( I did get a hairwash in the middle but I still had to wait for 20+ minutes). Second of all, when i showed pictures of the hairstyle i want to the the hair stylist, he kept saying ok, ok. I wanted to explain more but i trusted him because last time i visited i was satisfied with my haircut. However he cut it wayy shorter than the picture i showed. I already didnt like my haircut, but hair grows eventually and my hair was gone already so i didnt complain. BUT the hair stylist goes "this hair length doesn't look pretty with your hair, because your hair grows inward.". That's when I said well it's much shorter than i had imagined. And he said "oh really, well it looks nice on you though, and your hair seem to grow quite quickly". LOL . I understand it can be super hectic during the peak hours but everything was so rushed and chaotic. I think for $100 for a haircut, the experience should be much better. I had recommended this place to my friends in the past but Im not sure if I wanna do that anymore. They may be technically good, but you dont feel good and satisfied afterwards which is how anyone should feel after...