Urban Style Lab

Typically, I swear by my usual salon that knows how to handle curly hair. But, came here with a friend to get it styled for a special event and who knows, maybe I could’ve been converted to a new salon?
For the record — The front desk staff were welcoming, and my hair looked good.
But part of going to a salon is feeling beautiful after, and my stylist did not help. While I could hear other stylists chatting and joking with their clients, mine seemed to think a full head of curly hair was some sort of punishment. She complained that my hair was too thick and «over-​conditioned.» But then there was the kicker — «well, it will look good when you have make up on.» Seriously?

Tim is fantastic with women’s pixie cuts! He was able to explain all of the strange things I’ve noticed about my last haircut and fix them well. Part of the difference is that, while the guy I saw in Silver Spring cut my hair very bluntly, almost severely, Tim paid attention to the fact that I wanted short and feminine hair simultaneously. Also, he pays attention to your head shape and makes corrections throughout to get it right.
Trish did my color – awesome job. I’m a brunette with highlights, and she managed to get my contrast without turning me blonde.
Awesome, awesome, awesome.

I started going to USL three or four years ago, after I met two women at a party with fantastic haircuts and asked them about their stylist. They both recommended Tim. I have since moved to New York, but return to DC frequently, which is a good thing because I refuse to let anyone else cut my hair. Tim is fantastic. He completely changed my hairstyle, all for the better. My hair is short and the cuts grow in beautifully, so even when I have to go two or sometimes even three months without a haircut it still looks great. I get complimented on my cut constantly, sometimes by random strangers in the elevator. If I ever switch jobs and can no longer come to DC on my company’s dime, I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do.

New to Urban Style Lab but love it. Having followed Angie here from her previous salon (I would follow her about anywhere) I was a little nervous about a new place. The atmosphere, location, and friendliness of staff is superb. The music alone is a vast improvement.
If you are extremely picky about your hair, Angie is your girl. She has been cutting and coloring my long blonde hair for years now. Not only do I always love my cut but it’s nice to have someone who cares as much as I do about my shade being the right amount a caramel and gold (or whatever new idea I have about what my color should be that day). Angie’s strongest skill as a stylist is that she really listens to what you want and then 200% delivers it. Seriously. She’s the best.

I’ve been seeing Melanie Smith (owner) for about 10 years now and she really is the best. She always blocks enough time to cut my very thick hair and I never feel rushed. I always leave looking and feeling great… with haircuts that are stylish and sleek, but never overly trendy. She also tries her best to get me the most longevity out of each cut that she can (my hair grows super fast and is quite thick!). I’ve been following her around for 10 years and will continue to do the same.

Absolutely love this place but I suppose I am biased as I followed my favorite stylist here and let’s be honest, I’d 1000% follow her anywhere.
But in all seriousness, this place is great and I am so happy that Angie, my go-​to gal for over 5 years, moved over from Bang Salon. The staff here is super friendly and accomodating and you won’t get a bitchy attitude from the receptionist if you are running late (which I often am) or need to reschedule. The prices are actually really reasonable in my opinion and definitely worth it for the quality of cut/​color that you get. If you are in the market for a kick-​ass stylist, I would highly, highly recommend Angie at Urban Style Lab.

Wow! Unbelievable!
My 15 year old daughter & I just had the time of our lives with our first of what will be many visits to this little chunk of hair Heaven in Washington.
We read the reviews of the Lab before booking our appts & were biting @ the bit to get in… Luckily, there were 2 openings within days of our initial call.
Angie & Tyler are magicians with hair. These sweet peas are a delight to speak with & watch in action. I don’t know what we appreciated most: their delightful personalities, big listening ears or well honed knowledge of just what each of our «mops» needed.
My daughter & I have both endured nightmares from salons around northern VA, so we decided it was time to stop playing games & find a grown up salon that knows hair inside & out.
The Urban Style Lab is just the salon we’ve been dreaming of & wishing for… U will be greeted by the wonderful Monica, who is as knowledgeable as she is adorable. U’ll probably talk to her on the phone when U call, so feel free to ask her any hair question U have. I did. And, got all the answers I needed.
UR stylist will chat with U for some time on UR first visit getting UR hair history. Once they feel confident they know what U want, they’ll start their magic (after a super relaxing wash & head massage)!
Feel confident booking here! I’m so excited we found the Lab! Can’t wait to return next month for my balayage color!!!
Check out all of their photos on FB & Instagram. Bet U’ll get as excited as we did!

I decided to purchase a Gilt City deal for a haircut & blowout (with Brenna only) after reading great reviews about USL. While she was really friendly and made effort to understand what I wanted, it also seemed like she did not have much experience with Asian hair.
Since I have naturally straight hair, I requested texture/​waves for my blow out (something fun and different). She actually continued to cut more of my hair after creating the waves. When I got home and rinsed my hair out from the blowout, I noticed my entire haircut looked unbalanced. The layers on the right side were so choppy that you can see two distinct horizontal lines of hair on top of each other. The left side is wispy and also about an inch longer than the right side, with some random choppy bits peaking out from the back.
I wonder if the Gilt City deal had an effect on the quality of the haircut I received? I had wanted to find a regular hairstylist to go to, and this is the first time I’ve read great Unilocal reviews but got a completely unexpected experience. I’m a little confused.

I had one of the BEST haircuts by Brenna! Made my appointment same day and was very easy to get to. Brenna asked me all the right questions during our consultation and the outcome shows. I highly recommend booking your next appointment with Brenna, she’s amazingly talented with her scissors!

I can’t say enough about how important it is to find a stylist that listens and knows your hair well, especially when it’s long and curly. Like other reviewers, I too followed Brenna from a previous salon because of the results I get each time I see her. An extra nod to Urban Style Lab as well – the staff was professional and courteous! Congrats Brenna on the move!

I have followed Brenna throughout different salons and was so happy to hear she was at Urban Style Lab, which is conveniently down the block from my work! She’s transformed my style numerous times and I’ve never walked away disappointed. Shes nailed whatever style I’ve wanted… completely understanding what it is I want and adding her own touches of creativity to give you the best look possible for you.
I highly recommend her to anyone that is looking for a style with the versatility that she has, especially if you want that extra something that makes you’re out stand out from the crowd.

I followed Brenna to Urban Style Lab from another salon. We were in the process of a big change for my hair, going from a deep auburn to a multi-​hued champagne. This has taken months and is almost complete with stunning results. She is a rare find among stylists: equally at home with both color and cutting. I get many compliments on my new look and it has been so gradual that many people have not noticed it until the transformation was complete. I get compliments every day.

Brenna Powers gives a great cut! I’ve struggled the past years in finding someone who could handle the wild curls and texture of my hair. Brenna did an awesome job, especially for being the first time cutting me. I can only imagine how well it will turn out next time. Aside from a good cut, she was very friendly and kept a good conversation. Good small talk with a few laughs. As a whole Urban Style Lab is a wonderful place, well lit, clean, great staff giving an all around positive experience.
Thank you all.

Amy did a great job cutting my hair. Rockstars, movie stars, and anyone who thinks they are a rockstar or movie star would do well to sit in her chair. Amy first asked about what I would like and looked at the photos I brought. Then she cut it the way we discussed. My best haircut in DC.
The salon was pleasant. Nestled one half floor below ground, distancing the salon from street traffic. Clean salon. Friendly counter staff. I didn’t smell any hair treatment chemicals during the cut or by the hair washing area.
Jennifer Aniston, like many TV and movie stars, proved that hair styles have an impact. Money well spent!

This place is the real deal — super friendly and stylish. I had a great cut by Brenna Powers who cut and curled my hair. I can *never* get curls to stay in my hair, but these curls stayed in all day and all night — it was a Christmas miracle! Brenna was super knowledgable and fun to talk to. I live in San Francisco but come to DC a few times a year — I’ll definitely be saving my haircuts for when I can make it to Urban Style Lab.

Simple and chic!
My hair was looking pretty lame but I wasn’t really ready for a big change. Brenna was great– she completely understood what I was after. She maintained my length and added long layers for more movement. My cut looks great and feels fresh.
Thank you Brenna!

Laura Gibson is amazinggg with color! I mistakenly had my dark hair ombré’d at a different salon earlier this yr and it came out with a harsh line, orangey color, and some of my hair breaking off. Laura fixed my color, gave me a beautiful deep brown auburny glaze for fall, and got my hair looking in shiny healthy condition again! She’s also awesome with balayage and I’ll definitely be going to her for my hair coloring needs from now on. Laura is really sweet, takes all of your input, has a great eye for colors & tones that will compliment your skintone and face, and is clearly really knowledgeable about everything she’s doing. I usually get nervous about coloring my hair but I trust her!

If you want to feel like a problem client as soon as you sit in the chair then Laura is your girl. Immediately after sitting down, she said my hair was tangled and so handed me a brush to comb my hair. Then proceeds on complaining how I shed and have too greasy hair before getting it colored and cut. Oh and she didn’t know I was getting a cut after color. Not my problem! On top of which faults you for her misunderstanding of directions.
Two hours later, one can see a mile away that someone hates their job/​life. I don’t think anyone should have their troubles taken out on a paying customer!

I’ll start this review by saying that I have an above-​average ability to distinguish between one thing and the next… Food, hair, clothes, ideas, etc… My point in saying this is that I’m not using the 5-​star rating ignorantly.
When I walked into Urban Style Lab, I could instantly recognize that this place is «IN» when it comes to fashion and what’s hot/​stylish/​trending, etc. It reminds me of New York — (Keeping in mind that DC is basically one of the least-​attractive cities I’ve ever been in… women constantly wearing flats everywhere, men wearing sneakers with dress-​pants, etc…), this is a compliment.
I had been happily satisfied with my barber for years. I actually called him the «Hair Doctor». He was the best barber I’ve ever been to. I only tried the Urban Style Lab for one reason — I’m going for a new style lately and growing my hair long. I didn’t just come to Urban Style Lab for a new cut; no — I came for a consultation and advise on how to grow-​out my hair — and how to do so with style!
Amy cut my hair.
Amy is my new favorite hair stylist.
The entire process was completely professional, and so educational! She didn’t just «do» my hair, she explicitly explained why she was doing what she was doing. She cut my hair to look good as soon as it was done, AND to look good in a month.
Her techniques were flawless and perfect. She used scissors to but my sides, but managed to get just as close as clippers could.
Aside from that, her communication was real, non-​judgmental, and always informative. She even told me «no» a couple times. I RESPECTED this. She is such a professional at what she does, that she was literally able to tell me exactly what I wanted, better than I could tell her.
The price for this cut was a bit expensive, (60 bucks plus tip), BUT like I said — I didn’t just pay for a cut. I paid for a cut, and I paid for expert level knowledge on how to manage my hair to look and feel as good as possible.
I’ll never go anywhere else.
My name is Ross O’Rourke and I stand by this review.

I am a loyal client of Azi’s and I’m loving that Azi Brows has moved to the space at Urban Style Lab!
She is a true artist when it comes to eyebrows and I highly recommend her to anyone in need of brow shaping. She tweezes only, which I love because my skin is very sensitive to waxes. Azi is wonderful at explaining what she is doing and why, but more than that, she is an amazingly warm and friendly person. As long as I’m living in DC (and still have eyebrows :) I will be going to Azi!

I’m a recent DC area transplant and was looking for a stylist who was capable of rockstar cuts and color. I did my research and discovered Tyler. He’s been mentioned in the Washingtonian and has a good amount of press. I booked him for color touch up (I’m currently rocking turquoise hair) and for a side shave/​cut. Tyler didn’t disappoint. My hair looks awesome. I received many compliments, even from a homeless man, while I walked the Dupont Circle area. I was in the salon for about 4 hours. The downside to this salon is that it’s located in Dupont Circle which means parking is a big pain in the rear. I ended up getting a ride into town so I wouldn’t have to stress about parking. If you want to feel like a rockstar, I definitely recommend Tyler.