The Experience That Reminded Me Why I Created Salon deZEN
Every now and then, someone walks through the doors of your life and quietly reminds you why you built what you built. This time, it came in the form of an email message.
She was visiting Alexandria when a hair emergency collided with a deeply personal crisis that had nothing to do with hair. This girl had been through it. After an out-of-state extension removal gone horribly wrong, she found herself left with glue in her hair, three large matted knots covering most of the back of her head, and no idea what to do beyond practically shaving her head.
When I read the message, I called her. Our stylist Elise, with an assistant from our manager Lee, was able to work her into her schedule and assess what could be done.
What unfolded over the next two days is something I’ll never forget.
Elise spent eight continuous hours with her, carefully working through the matted knots, offering reassurance, and staying patient when everything felt overwhelming. The next morning, when she came back with one final knot, Lee, and I stepped in to finish the last part, which took another two hours. Together, we got her through it. She left with a fresh blowout but, more importantly, she felt seen and cared for.
You’ll see her full review in the screenshots, and her words say it better than I ever could. She noticed the things that matter most to us.
The autonomy and joy among our team.
The lack of judgment.
The community work we do.
The queer-friendly, trans-affirming environment we intentionally cultivate.
The way the team cared for her and for one another.
That is the culture we work toward every day.
People don’t always come in just for a service. Sometimes they come because they need a safe place to land. And when someone takes the time to put their experience into words — especially with the honesty and vulnerability she did — it means more to a small business than most people realize.
To Nur, who wrote the review: You reminded us why this work matters and why creating safe, loving spaces is non-negotiable and needed now more than ever. Thank you.
And for anyone reading this — if a local business has ever held you, supported you, or made your life a little brighter, take a moment to tell them. Reviews aren’t just feedback. They are lifelines for the humans behind the scenes who show up every day trying to make someone’s day a little better. These reviews feed our souls and give us the fuel to keep showing up with intention.
Here’s to spaces that feel like sanctuary, and to the people who keep them that way.
