Curt Darling Salon

I have never remembered a time when I walked out of a salon feeling amazing about my hair cut until I saw Abraham. He worked wonders on my hair using the dry cut technique and I came out with a perfectly choppy lob resembling Lauren Conrad herself. The cut was done so well that I could even do minimal styling and still have a great wave with my natural hair texture.
The salon itself is beautiful and feels very organic and earthy while still being upscale. Abraham made me a blooming tea which was just delicious.
I would recommend parking in the structure across the street by Big Man Bakes as street parking can sometimes be difficult.

I just had my hair done yesterday by a new stylist names Stina. She did a beautiful job with my hair and she spent so much time with me beforehand consulting to make sure she understood my needs. I am planning on going very short with hair and what I appreciate about Stina is that she didn’t rush into it because this was our first meeting. She actually wanted to take it slow and have me come back just to make sure I had time to really think about this. Stina is a true artist who «sculpted» my hair to perfection. You get the sense that she is a true artist. I absolutely love the dry cuts they do here. If you are in need of a new stylist, check this place out and ask to see Stina. I have curly hair and she seemed very comfortable with my locks. I just went back to work today and literally everyone I have come across has complimented me. I will definitely be back. I highly recommend this salon and particularly this stylist. I am not the picture taking type so you have to trust my word!

My friend recommended this place and a few of their hair stylists. I went with Danica! Super skilled. Gave me the best haircut I think I ever had. Besides that she’s good company. A real sweetheart… Go go go!

This place is awesome and Oliver Nelson is a magician! He really knows his stuff and makes an ugly man look very nice :-) I cannot recommend him enough.
As far as the salon, its beautifully minimal and modern, and you get what you pay for!

Sylvia is awesome! She can take your idea and fit it to you properly, but best of all she knows how to get the perfect style for you when you’re not sure what you want. As a guy, it’s easy to get routine with your hair but that’s why I love coming to Sylvia, if you trust her to find something new for you (which you should!) she will find your new favorite look for you! And you can’t miss the scalp massage… she melts the tension away while I lay back in the cool calm atmosphere the salon provides with a super natural meets industrial vibe.

Came here on Friday and got my hair cut by Curt Darling.
It’s great because since they cut it dry, you know exactly how it will turn out even without styling etc. So you don’t go home disappointed after washing it.
Curt really knows what he is doing. Took his time on my hair. I was extremely nervous because I went for a huge change and since it was pretty short for me, I was scared if it didn’t come out right I would be stuck with no hair! But luckily that didn’t happen and Curt did an amazing job! Everyone loves my transformation :)

Ralph gave me one of the best haircuts of my life and was a calming, soothing influence on me before preparing for an event.
The dry cut method was perfect for my hair and Ralph is truly an artist.
I definitely plan to go back as this is my new favorite salon in downtown Los Angeles.

Curt has been cutting my hair for about 6 (?) years now .at multiple locations.. I’ve been VERY happy with all of them. he gets me out of my comfort zone. .good thing for me! And he has a sense of humor, all included for one price

Best haircut I have ever gotten and I am a man, of the heterosexual tendency. Sylvia was great.

I honestly didn’t know what salon I was walking into. I’d passed by a few times and based my selection on the fact that it looks trendy and I always base my opinion on how well it’s decorated and the taste of the stylists.
I had no idea it was a dry cutting salon.
They informed me before I sat down in the chair, and frankly, it didn’t deter me one bit. Why yes, it makes total sense to dry cut your hair! I’m down to try anything new, and I have enough hair so that it can’t be a total disaster.
My stylist was super friendly and a flattering, saying how much he loved the color and texture of my hair. It was super sweet as it was a nice experience to have someone who appreciates your hair taking such good care of it. I confessed I hadn’t ever dry cut it before, and he explained the advantages, especially for wavy/​curly hair like mine as he can see every cut he’s making before it shrinks.
It didn’t take very long, maybe 30 – 45 minutes. Probably because I was doing a routine trim, nothing drastic. After finishing it was a little frizzy from having been touched a lot – you know how it is with curls, you can’t do too much with them before you turn into a frizz ball, no stylist can help with that! I wish they’d gone ahead and washed it for me without a blowout, but time is money and id rather money be spent on the actual cutting of my hair. My stylist put some leave in conditioner and sent me on my way.
I have to admit the first thing I did was go home and wash my hair! I’d gone in with it a bit dirty expecting a wash. I let it air dry completely like my stylist recommended. Wow! It’s incredible how much volume and curl definition I have. Now about three weeks later, the ultimate test was going to the beach and having my hair air dry after salt and sun and waves. It still looked amazing, and zero split ends to date with crazy texture like I’d worked hard for it. (I haven’t bothered straightening or using a hair dryer, there’s no point anymore!)
Not saying you’ll completely love your hair after trying dry cutting, but it’s really a huge improvement for me and the guys at Curt Darling care about your hair!
You know those models with the sexy, tousled, just rolled out of bed hair? ;)

My coworker raved about Abraham so I had to give him a try. I am very happy I did. He’s such a perfectionist and genuinely cares about your hair. He gave me feedback and suggestions and explained why he was cutting my hair a certain way. I trust him completely and will definitely be back for all my hair needs.

I get my hair done by Oliver, who is seriously not only an incredible hair stylist but one of the most wonderful human beings. Oliver has been doing my hair now for 4 years and has always made getting my hair done a treat. I look forward to it everytime and always give him the freedom to do whatever he likes. Over the past several years he has paid such great attention to what I like and don’t like that I almost don’t have to give him any direction when I come in. Oliver just knows how to work with my hair and I trust him 100%!! He is very patient, personable and extremely talented! He is great will all types of hair and does a wonderful job. I always leave happy and Curt Darling salon is such a great salon! Its very comfortable and not pretentious with a high end vibe! Thanks so much Oliver!
— Martoosh

Extremely happy with Abraham! I finally found a hairstylist that really cares about how you look and feel about your hair. He did not rush at all and made sure I was 100% satisfied. He brought my hair back too life.
I already setup a follow up appointment, I can’t imagine going anywhere else. I’ve had so many bad experiences in the last 5 years that I’m so happy to call this place my new home. Everyone was so friendly and helpful.
I will never be able to have my hair cut while it’s wet again!

I got my hair dyed at Curt Darling Salon twice and both times it was not what I had asked for. The first time they fixed a terrible bleach job from a different hair salon and while they repaired the damage, I had asked for lavender hair and left the salon without even a hint of purple, just blonde hair. I ended up liking it and felt relieved that they at least fixed the mistake the other salon had made and feel grateful for that. They were really accommodating and took me in right away.
6 weeks later I was due for a root touch up and decided to get more brown (my natural hair color) to slowly transition to a «brown to pastel color ombré». I left the salon with pitch black roots and electric dark purple hair. It was not what I expected or asked for but I don’t really mind since the purple will wash out in a couple of weeks. The pitch black roots however I didn’t ask for. I wanted natural roots and pastel length.
I went back immediately the following day but they couldn’t fix it, they offered me an appointment on a different day but I can’t take a day off to get them to fix their mistake. I also don’t want to go to work looking like I’m wearing a Halloween wig. I talked to my stylist about it and all she said is that she matched the roots to my natural hair color which is not true. They sent me home with a list of lightning products to purchase at Sally’s and called me to tell me to wash my hair with head&shoulders several times.
I’m giving them 3 stars because the hairstyle is well executed and my hair isn’t damaged, but it’s not even close to what I asked them for.
I went there in the first place because of all the beautiful pictures of pastel coloring jobs and the glowing reviews I saw on Unilocal.By going there I wasn’t expecting to spend my weekend washing my hair with lemon juice.

I’ve never had my hair cut dry before. I don’t think I’ll go back to the old way! Oliver gave me an awesome blunt bob. Best part? I washed it and let it dry naturally — and it looks the SAME as when I left the salon. The salon also has a really great vibe. People seem to really care about the craft of cutting hair — more so than other salons I’ve visited.

Ralph… that guy is incredible. I fell in love with his work from the first time I received a dry cut. But… he REALLY took it to the next level when he took my hair from 3 years of bright red to a delicate pastel pink (by request, but he stayed 100% realistic). He works so hard during every single appointment i’ve ever had. You can see and feel his passion for his work. I don’t think a lot of people think about the gift of confidence that a stylist may or may not care to give, but Ralph is someone who can take you there. The whole staff radiates their love towards hair, and as a client it makes you feel comfortable. This salon is the one, the one I will probably travel to from wherever to get it done. It may sound dramatic, but hey, hair is a dramatic thing. And I don’t take it lightly! Much love to Curt Darling Salon!

In positive psychology, flow, also known as zone, is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity.
In essence, flow is characterized by complete absorption in what one does, and is a characteristic commonly seen in someone who has found their «calling».
This is how I describe what happens when Sylvia Essa does my hair.

After I wrote the first review, Curt graciously offered for me to come in and have my hair fixed for free. He asserted that he was certain Dawn would be able to do precisely what I wanted.
So here’s what happened: Dawn fixed my hair and the color now looks perfect. Glorious, really.
By accident, I was charged for it ($ 75). I didn’t say anything, because frankly it was awkward, but I did post a pissy Unilocal where I expressed my frustration and gave them one star.
That updated Unilocal review was up for maybe 2 hours when the manager of the salon called me herself (Kristy), on her personal cell phone, apologized profusely and refunded me my money.
Guys, this is REAL customer service. This is a neighborhood salon that cares deeply about their customers and building a strong reputation within the community.
Sometimes it takes a sticky situation to show us what people are made of. The Curt Darling Salon is truly different from the legions of snooty, petty, we-​do-​as-​we-​please salons in LA.
I was bummed because I thought I was going to have to find a new salon, but now I can return!
And they are pup-​friendly!

I love the mood and concept of this salon, they use these all natural organic products that just do wonders for your hair. The Interior of this salon is simply unique, raw and modern. I just love that is nothing like the tacky feminine spit-​spot like your average salon. The entire staff are friendly and provide great service.
This one time I came in a little early, before they were open. Curt happened to be at the store, he called one of the girls who happened to live downtown, she was there in 5 minutes and got right to it! Just goes to show that they care for their customers.
I’ve been there twice now for a wash and blow-​out.
I always go with Lydia. She is hands down the best at this. She’s sweet with a little edge, fun to talk too, and always does an amazing job (even in a rush!) She gives my hair so much life and volume that last for days.
The last time I was there I also had the pleasure of meeting Curt. Curt is great and is the guru of all things hair. I had some concerns of my bangs in relation to my face shape, and how salons never seemed to get it right. After hearing me out, he did a quick dry cut on me, right there and then as a demo. He did this amazing twirling technique that gave me sexy bangs that fell beautifully framing my face.
Definitely one of the best salons I would recommend in DTLA!

Love!
The staff here are great! Customer service is outstanding. Curt Darling is the real deal. The stylists are extremely educated and talented. If you get the pleasure of meeting Curt in person, prepare to be charmed, darling. Ask for Danica. She’s a rock star. My hair looks so good and healthy, i get compliments every day!