Salon Elan LLC — Local services in Parkville

On October 1st, I arrived at Salon Elan with high expectations for the “Silk Press Experience” with Michelle. And while it was indeed an experience, it wasn’t the one I anticipated. The salon itself made a solid first impression: clean, calm, with soft music and a relaxing atmosphere. Michelle greeted me politely and got started. However, from the shampoo bowl onward, things quickly shifted. Given that this was my first visit, I expected a bit of dialogue, an overview of the products, a sense of the process, or at the very least, a conversation about my hair. Instead, aside from a quick question about whether I’d recently had braids, there was little to no engagement. She briefly mentioned a treatment (name forgotten) that supposedly helps hair stay straighter longer. I declined, wanting to gauge this appointment first. For context, I’ve been natural for over ten years, take pride in caring for my hair, and regularly see professionals. As a new graduate student in the area, I had hoped Salon Elan could become my go-to. That hope began to fade quickly. Throughout the service, there was no consultation about product use, heat tolerance, or styling preferences. Most notably, there was no discussion about a trim, yet I left with a clear cut. And while I can accept the need to remove some length for health’s sake, losing inches without prior notice or explanation is unacceptable. Even while in the chair, the lack of communication continued. This is a clear indicator that the stylist was not invested in their client’s hair journey. At the end, Michelle remarked casually on my thinning edges, asked a vague question, and dismissed the concern with a flat “It’ll grow back,” offering no solutions, no products, and no further comment. To add insult to injury, the silk press didn’t last a day. Basic consultation and care should be standard, especially during a first visit. When a client entrusts you with their hair and their confidence, the least you can do is listen, educate, and communicate. That simply didn’t happen here. So yes, it was a Silk Press Experience just not one I’d recommend or repeat.

I've inserted pictures of my healthy hair before and after the...

I had an appointment for 8:00am on 6/1/24. When I walked in the stylist wasn’t very welcoming to me but to the other clients she was. I waited 40 minutes to be told the stylist who I was booked with wasn’t answering. I was also told I had to contact the stylist. I felt that was odd because since I booked the service the stylist should know when to be there. I was told another stylist was coming. That immediately just turned me off. Since I’ve been there for already 40 minutes! I left. I’ve been to this salon before and the experience was great. This time not so much. I’m not sure if I would go back. Thankfully I did get my deposit back....

Overall was not impressed with my service at this salon, called on a Saturday morning to see if they had any open availability for a silk press. They had one stylist Kena that was free and while at first the shampoo and conditioner wash was fine but when it came time to blow dry and flat iron my hair no blow out crème or heat protector was used which I was okay with as not all stylists use them but I was burned multiple times from her not paying attention. My hair had slight heat damage from the roughly applied heat, I can say that I will not be returning to this shop anytime soon. Also $160 for a wash, trim, and press out is pretty...