Tuesday, October 23, 2012

D.C. Got a DryBar...FINALLY!


Unlike Kyle Richards' face, no matter how many times I talk about hair, it never gets old. I told you about my difficulties getting a decent blowout at the salon (alongside how I do my blowouts myself); I told you when I finally found a colorist who I couldn't live without who also managed to tame my wild mane; and I even told you about the time when I found an amazing knock off DryBar in Houston.  

So you bet your ass we're gonna do this all over again for the launch of the original DryBar's two newest D.C. locations!!!!
Like any business worthy of being on the receiving end of my money, a huge part of the appeal is DryBar's branding. The shop is decorated with bright punches of their signature yellow, including the table by the front door, the blow dryer chandelier...:
...the DryBar motto painted above the reception desk...

...and in honor of their D.C. based opening, they even had custom cupcakes made by Georgetown Cupcake:

But the branding alone isn't enough to create customer loyalty--at some point, the quality of the service factors into the equation. The equation of PRETTY!!!!!
I showed up for my 11:15 AM appointment about 5 minutes early--I was anxious to leave enough time to find parking, but it turns out they have ample FREE parking in the back of the salon (a huge perk if you've spent any time in the D.C. metro area!). I waited only about 60 seconds before my stylist for the day, Brandi, came out to greet me. I looked through the, um, look book and settled on the Mai Tai (loose, beachy waves}. When I came back from getting my hair washed in the sun-filled shampoo room, a mimosa awaited my return. 

I learned that Brandi was relatively new to the area, having only relocated from, you guessed it, Texas a couple months earlier. Dammit, Texan women really know how to do hair!! Brandi was efficient, but not rushed. She used two types of round brushes on my hair (a small barrel and a medium barrel) and finished the look by adding just a few curls with a curling iron. I was probably in the chair a total of 35 minutes...not bad, considering it takes me about 45 minutes to do it myself. When she turned me around to see the finished product, I felt beautiful! My hair was shiny, smooth, bouncy, and with just a sprinkling of waves in all the right places! Of course, it didn't hurt that Brandi and the other stylists affirmed the way I felt. This is what I love about hair salons--free compliments!!!!

As I was paying, Alli Web, founder and president of DryBar walked into the salon, sporting an incredible leather jacket and head full of perfect hair. I mean, OBVIOUSLY! I nearly died on the spot when she told me how beautiful my hair was. I let her know that I had tweeted/Instagrammed about how excited I was about my appointment that morning. Imagine my surprise when she told me she had seen my tweet and that I was "so cute"! If by "so cute" you mean "huge stalker," then yes, yes I am. As you all know, I have zero shame, so I seized the opportunity to get a picture with her, adding to my pile of photographed celebrity encounters:
She's absolutely adorable, isn't she???

As I spoke with her about how life-changing DryBar would be for me and countless other Washingtonian women, she told me that she was amazed by the opening weekend and that it had, in fact, been one of their most successful openings ever. Do you hear that Blushington???

Anyway, while I was chatting with Alli, the reporter and photographer from the Washington Post arrived. Now that we're practically BFF's, Alli insisted the reporter speak with me about my experience. So I did that, and also had my picture taken by this guy and his ridiculous 8-photos-a-second camera:
What I'm saying is, you'll probably see me in the Washington Post this week.

DryBar should probably be called Dreambar, since it's literally what dreams are made of. I'm giving serious thought to quitting my day job and becoming a stylist now. Or maybe I'll just join their marketing team so I can do fun things like this gal drawing their yellow hair dryer logo in chalk on the sidewalk outside the salon...:
 ...or drive around Buttercup, the giant blow dryer on wheels that blows REAL air!
...or maybe I'll just try to get a job as their live-in hair model so I can just take more pictures like this of myself:
Ain't nothing wrong with a dressing-room-mirror-self-portrait, mmmkay??

Would it be weird to say I think I'm actually sleeping better knowing that DryBar has finally landed in D.C.? Because I AM!!!!!!

Has anyone else in the D.C. area been to DryBar yet?? What did you think??

DryBar Georgetown
1825 Wisconsin Avenue
Washington, DC 20007
202.609.8644

15 comments:

Sarah said...

How stinkin fun!! Your hair looks gorge and I can NOT get over that chandelier. I wonder how many years it will take Cincinnati to jump on this train...see ya in 2025 probably.

Jenna | The Eighty Twenty said...

Of course you took a picture with her, were photographed by the press and got a bathroom pic shot all while looking flawless. We are going here when I get to DC next. With megan of course and lots of mimosas. Which hair style should I go with? I'm thinking Southern Comfort.

christin said...

I can't wait for the one to open in my neighborhood! And for my boyfriend to take the electric bill so I can get the monthly membership...

Meg O. said...

You look amazeeeee! I love the chandelier!!

Corey @ When We Wander said...

Ugh I'm way jealous!!!! I HATE blowdrying my own hair. This place is like a dream come true! And to actually CHOOSE how you want your hair to look??? Unfortunately my talents only go as far as "straight" or "not straight".

Melissa {Persnickety Plates} said...

Damn iPhones for having so many adorable cases. That distracted me.

I am now thoroughly convinced I need to visit a DryBar. Or find a way to convince them they need to be in the Detroit area.

Also, I would love to be the chalk-drawing marketing girl.

Unknown said...

Your hair is way too cute! I've been waiting for them to open up shop here. Which means I'll actually journey into the city just for this :)

Gayla said...

Love your hair! What a fun blog post! Great pics! You should do a post someday with all of your celebrity photos!!! I love looking at you and knowing I made you!!! Big thumbs up for me...so proud!

Cara said...

Your hair looks amazing. I can never get my hair to look like this myself. I think this is a GREAT solution for that one night or event you just need some perfect curls. This lady is making a killing I'm sure.

P!nky said...

I can't WAIT TO GO! So stinkin' excited!

Unknown said...

This is AMAZING. I cannot wait to go!!

Sarah said...

Two things:
1) LOVE THAT YOU MET HER AND HAD SO MUCH FUN. You meet the COOLEST people in the world! All of my fave DC blogger girls have been this week and enjoyed it so much - I am going to find a chance to go soon! So excited! Also: LET US KNOW WHEN YOU ARE IN THE WASHPOST because I want to see!

2) One day we should meet up! I love DC blogger dates :)

Megan | Freckled Italian said...

WHAT JENNA SAID. CAN WE PLEASE GO HERE TOGETHER SOON??

Unknown said...

What an amazing place! I love the way you have your heart done

Lauren,
Laurensbeautydepartment.blogspot.com

xx

Kiley said...

Love it! Dry bars are so fun.

And lovin' the phone case. I had the Hello Kitty one until I killed her when I dropped her on concrete. :( Sad day.

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