This review is only for hair, lashes, massage and facial. I've been going to this salon in Bellingham since 2020 while visiting WA on business. I have moved here to WA since then and I still love going to Zazen. First of all this salon is to next door to the Hotel Bellwether and a couple of restaurants. I get my hair and lashes done by Sara and massage by Victoria. Sara is exceptional! She cuts, colors, applies extensions etc. She is always professional and very flexible with trying to fit me in her busy schedule since my work takes me out of town frequently. She does lashes the way I want them to look. She listens and doesn't scold you for not taking care of your lashes better. I've had estheticians in the past who seem to lecture me about the state of my natural lashes and it's annoying. Victoria does my deep massages. She's excellent as well. This salon also owns a cafe next door with the most yummy sandwiches, baked goods and coffee. It's hard to find a good salon anywhere within 30 miles of Bellingham! Search no more. This place is great. It has a very chill relaxing vibe and a dry sauna at the treatment area. read more

I truly enjoyed my facial with dermabrison. The whole experience was top notch. A warm robe, slippers and mimosa just added to my visit. Clean, super quiet no matter if in the treatroom or locker room. Facials have been a mainstay in my life for 50 years. High quality so enjoy!! I'll be back.... One suggestion would be warm mitts for my hands. If i missed this service, please advise. read more

Worst pedicure I have ever had from Tanith. Toenails were cut unevenly and she had very long pointed fingernails that dug into my toes and hurt while she held them. So much that I barely felt when she cut into the cuticle of my big toe and made it bleed. Sure hurt when she rubbed acetone into the wound! Took 3 days for it to heal enough to stop hurting after I got home. I was charged $65 for this even though the drop down booking menu said $20+. She never discussed with me what services I wanted or prices. I liked the haircut I received from Sarah except my neck was itchy and sore from the rash I got from the razor clean up. Maybe she needed to disinfect her razor between uses. read more

Terrible customer service in the last 3 days. I was solicited for a discount massage, I booked it, then showed up for my appointment to find out the masseuse was gone for the day. I rescheduled on line for the next day and then at least this time got a phone call cancelling my appointment. The between Destiny and Derrick they could not get their stories straight what happened, and so basically no massage and a lot of lies and frustration. I had gone here for my hair and in the beginning she did a great job but the last two times my hair color was not complete, I had big areas that did not get color, so remained grey and the ends trimmed was not worth the additional cost. I work long hours and didn't have time for them to fix it, I found another hairdresser. I would not recommend this salon/spa. read more

I love the location and it feels really special to treat yourself going there. I had a great haircut and color so I am returning for my touchup and another haircut. read more

I recently brought my daughters in for a last minute spa day as a graduation gift for both of them. I was super grateful and impressed that Zazen was able to work us in and make our day feel special. I decided to book a cut/color to get ready for my daughters upcoming wedding. I was scheduled with Sydney today. I came in with multiple reference photos of what I was wanting for both color and cut...there was even a video of how to get the cut I was after. I had a considerable amount of length to come off. This is not the first time I have gone from long to short. The red color I was going for was a mix of highs and lows with an all over color just a bit darker than my natural red shade. I wanted my gray grow out to blend in. The color I received I can only describe as red wine....it looks burgundy/cherry. Nothing like a natural red shade. Zero lows were put in like I had requested. There is a line around my face that looks like a month of grow out that was never colored. The haircut is nothing like I had asked for. It's way to short, unevenly cut and the wtong shape. I even had to ask to have my neck cleaned up...its THAT short! There is no way I can style this like I wanted for the upcoming wedding. The more I run my fingers through it at home, the more mistakes I find. It truly is a disaster....think little kid cutting their own hair type of disaster. I was honestly speechless with what I received. I just wanted OUT of the salon. I paid the $280 that I was charged along with the expected 20% tip. Yes, I gave a tip because I hate to feel like I was the wrong one and I know that the stylists depend on this as income. She was nice, just terrible at my cut. Sydney disappeared as soon as I was out of her chair. I was in tears by the time I was in my car and yeuely saw my color in real light. Today is Wednesday...I have no idea how I am going to have this fixed before I leave on Friday. I have no problem paying for a quality haircut/color that makes me feel good, this disaster just has me in tears. I will not return. read more

I had been to Zazen before for a somewhat disappointing experience, and decided since I had a gift card to give it another go. I came in and the receptionist was short and not very friendly with me, and escorted me to a dark changing room which she had to go and turn on all the lights in and warm up for me, not a great welcome. I then went into my 90 minute massage and the therapist sat and talked the entire 90 minutes of my treatment. I'm not even joking, the entire time. Usually when you go in and don't engage in conversation they understand, but not this guy! I got to spend my time learning about his whole life story, how my posture sucks, and so many more details I did not need. This ruined my entire experience, and to top it off, the massage with mediocre at best. Will be going to Still Life from now on. read more

I started coming here for massage therapy, and learned of the esthetician services. I had the pleasure of meeting Marcella, and she took the best care of my lashes! She is my hero! I always thought my lashes need extensions, but they just needed a lift and a tint. My lashes completely transformed and they stay permed for 8weeks. Like seriously a notable difference. The prices are fair and with the work Marcella does it's worth every penny! I have returned three times for this lift since I started months ago. Wanna feel extra pretty? Get your lashes done with her! You won't regret it. She also gasses you up after which is super sweet. She makes you feel better than when you walked in. read more

Zazen Salon & Spa - Lash Lift and Lash Tint - Hair Salons Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Destiny was so thoughtful and personally came outside to help me find the entrance to the spa, along side an amazing experience with both Victoria who did my massage and Francesca who walked me through my first facial, everything was top tier! read more

Booked a pedicure and massage. Both services were good but the desk didn't inform me that my appointments had over an hour in between them, I was told they would be back to back. They offered me use of the sauna in between appointments while I waited, but didn't tell me they were going to charge me $20 for it. I was never told, I only saw it once I reviewed my receipt to see why my total was higher. I didn't ask for the sauna, and previously I've never been charged for use of the sauna when I've booked multiple services. They also tacked on $5 for each service for cleaning fees, I'm fine with that, but the person who booked my appointment should have disclosed the extra fees. As I said, the services were fine but feel like I was overcharged and not informed of the additional costs. read more

I am extremely happy with my experience at Zazen. Amanda did such an amazing job on my hair cut. I am always super nervous when I get a new haircut but she cut off 6 inches and I couldn't be happier with the look! She did exactly as I told her to, which is something that is very important to me when I am getting a haircut. I recommend Zazen for a awesome haircut to any women who are looking for a good salon to go to! Very reasonable prices as well. read more

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Would not recommend getting your lash extensions (or fills) done here. Amanda, the lash technician scratched my eye multiple times leaving it red, irritated and painful. :( I have had lash extensions for years with different technicians and have never had a lash tech continuously pull and pinch the area around the base of the lash. read more

Love this salon! Sarah is a master of color and my go to for color/foil service. Always look forward to the appointment, and leave feeling great! read more

I got a lash lift from Marcella. She was wonderful, quite friendly, professional and did an amazing job with my lashes. It was my first time with a lift and I will definitely be booking for a fil. read more

This place will not give me a refund for my hair. I paid 90.00 to have my hair dyed and the color never stayed in my hair.... awful customer service... who would want to spend that and nothing even changed.... read more

I paid, I believe, $80 for several salon services as part of a promotion (facial, wax, haircut and massage). After the haircut I received here I will never go back; I didn't even redeem all the services I paid for. I'll attach a photo of the haircut below. Mind you, I let the lady cutting my hair know that I wanted the smallest trim I could get because I was trying to grow my hair out. In the end, to fix her absolutely terrible job I ended up with about 6 inches off my hair. The person who fixed my hair was great, she did although mention several times it was a big project due to how uneven the cut was. Also, I let the first stylist know I didn't want layers so this wasn't even an attempt at layers, I have no idea what she was doing. The second stylist had to cut off the 6 inches just because there were some pieces at my shoulder and others mid back. The only way to salvage it was to level it out to the shortest chunk. Despite visibly seeing how horrible the haircut was, the owner and manager both tried to charge me an additional amount to get it fixed. Eventually, after explaining how ridiculous that was and after several phone calls they finally said they'd do me a favor and "pay out of their own pocket" to get me a fixed haircut at their salon. I don't know a single other salon that'd make a client pay extra for a very obvious mistake made on their part. I still had paid for the promotion and tipped both hairstylists, even the bad one, $10. The first hairstylist curled my hair afterwards so I wasn't able to see just how awful it was when I was leaving! She also mentioned multiple times during my haircut that the stylists don't actually make any money off the promotions and the management company gets all the money which made me feel bad and pressured to tip more. I'm not even sure they had a fully licensed person doing this because every time I asked what experience the person had, they ignored the question. The massage I received was in a very uncomfortable chair like the ones at the mall. She asked if it was comfortable and I explained it wasn't really because I have arthritis all down my spine and a pinched vertebrate which makes it uncomfortable to have that kind of pressure. She tried to adjust it to make it better but also mentioned she doesn't use the chair much. Although it was only a 30 min massage she said she had to use the chair and couldn't use the table. I found out later that both my other coworkers who got the exact same 30 min massage received one on the massage table. Not entirely sure why I wasn't allowed to have a table when everyone else who went did?? Overall, it was a real bad experience with poor customer service and poor action taken by the owner in resolving such an awful ordeal. I never received a follow up call regarding the haircut or anything like that. All that happened is they "fixed it" leaving me with hair to my shoulders that used to be mid-back and some sections that were still left uneven. Won't be back! read more

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Amanda, 10 year experienced stylist took care of the small details of my haircut. My hair is fine and I have a lot of it! She paid attention to how my hairline grows and lays. I appreciated her attention to detail. Zazen, is tucked into the Bellwether area of Bellingham. Surrounded by exquisite restaurants like, Hearthfire, and Anthony's. Not to mention Kuru Kuru Sushi!! Open 7 days a week, Zazen is by appointment only. I will update more of my review as I go through the services this spa has to offer. read more

Amazing customer service! This is the only place I will trust my hair with!! They also have amazing massage therapists and amazing facials! Have I mentioned their pedicures? To die for!! read more

Zazen Salon & Spa - Dog and pedicure - Hair Salons Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

The worst pedicure ever! Don't waste your money. You'd get a better job at a way less expensive place.

After having a poor first experience here, the owner reached out for some problem solving and resolution. I have even gone back for a second treatment, which was far more pleasant than the first and felt truly like a spa day. The massage from Victoria was probably the best I've ever had, and this time I was offered the sauna as well, to really round out my spa experience. read more

I am a college student, so I have to work within a budget. I was able to make an appointment at Zazen because Cher handed out complimentary hair cut cards. I knew I liked her immediately once I met her. She is very kind and talkative. I am a novice when it comes to all things hair care. Cher made sure every cut she made she explained to where and why she was doing it. I have grown up with thick hair, I was nervous about getting my hair cut short again. But she knew what she was doing, she is a senior stylist and it showed in her work. She was able to cut my hair short, and keep it thin. I will definitely be coming back for Cher! read more

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Madison was great! I had a 60 Swedish massage with her and her pressure was good the entire time, the oil she used smelled good and the room was very clean. I had never had a massage before and Madison explained everything and made sure that it felt good as the massage progressed. I will definitely be back! read more

My mother and I went to Zazen today for the first time. We both received a massage, facials and I had a mani/pedi and she had a hair cut. All I can say is I cannot recommend Zazen enough. I enjoyed every single second being there! All of the staff were wonderful, the massage was absolutely heavenly, the mani/pedi was great, my mother was extremely happy with her hair cut and we both loved our facials. Wim who did both of our massages did an amazing job. Our massages were everything we expected and more. He was very attentive, respectful and listened to our requests for focus areas and pressure. Veronica gave a great facial and we both are going to request her for future appointments! We received complementary wine while we were there and the staff was very attentive and made us feel extremely comfortable. Thank you so much to everyone at Zazen today for a wonderful experience! read more

With the new ownership I noticed a huge difference. The receptionists know how to address clients and are super nice and professional. I've been going there now for months after moving from OC CA. Veronica is the best for lashes. They stay on for weeks! Have had mani pedi as well and they are all good. Had a massage and I slept so well for the first time in weeks. The place is clean and immaculate. Barbara is great as well for cuts and blow outs. I started going to Sara now because she knows hair extensions. I've had mine retaped several times and she is good on the tape placements. She's done my color as well. I go almost weekly to get my wash and blow outs. Believe me if you have hair extensions it's worth having someone else wash and style it for you. I definitely recommend this salon. You won't be disappointed. My biggest fear after moving to WA is not finding the right stylist since I've been going to the same person for 15 years. But now I've found it! read more

Very friendly and professional. I had a massage and a haircut. Super happy with both!

I had a really amazing pedicure with Kaya! We had read some wonderful things about Zazen. It's tucked away amidst a hotel and shopping center on a lovely peninsula, but didn't look much like a spa when we walked in, more like a small salon. However, once Kaya got started, it was clear that I had underestimated the place on my first impression. She gave the best exfoliating massage I've ever had, and attended meticulously to every other aspect of the pedicure over the hour - best pedicure I've ever had! Worth the drive from Seattle. Thanks, Kaya! read more

I have been taking my daughter to the same stylist for 13 years, we had free time today but my go gal was booked we had the time so I decided it had to be done. So I called Zazen and luckily we got her an appointment. We got a stylist named Emily, she was fantastic, she took her time brushing out my daughters hair and talked to her about she wanted done with her hair. She did exactly what my daughter wanted. My girl after said that she loved the way Emily washed her hair, it was so relaxing. She also loved the fact that she didn't talk her ear off... she was quite and that was relaxing for her. We left happy with the service and with another appointment in 6 weeks. read more

Rude...& unprofessional I called to make an appointment for an eyelash tint for next month before my vacation. Left on hold forever & I mean significantly more than 5 minutes. Then she came back all disgusted & very unpleasantly asked me what I wanted! Made the appointment & she asked me for my credit card. When I asked why I was told that in case I didn't call at least 24 hours in advance to cancel or didn't show up then they would charge me anyway!! Wrong....I mean if you have THAT many people NOT showing up then hey maybe something is wrong! Like possibly you are rude on first contact. I was a potential new customer that won't be going there for anything as a result of the attitude of the receptionist. I gave them 2 stars because I did not get their services. They may do a great job, who knows but the experience BEGINS when you call up! She may as well of answered the phone "Zazen Spa I hate my job and what do you want!" Too many other places to go that have a better attitude read more

I was dropped of here for a surprise massage and mani pedi. This place was so welcoming, as soon as I walked through the doors I was walked to the locker room that had a calming affect and multiple amenities. After slipping into a fuzzy robe you're welcomed to a display of teas and treats while you're waiting and a sauna provided with any treatment. Their team is fun, professional, and go above and beyond. Highly recommend read more

Zazen Salon & Spa - Hair Salons Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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This place is awesome! I got my eyelashes and brows tinted here, black and brown respectively. The esthetician who did this, Kelsey?, a younger blond woman, was incredibly gentle and kind, and she did a perfect job. She matched the color of my brows perfectly to my dark blonde lowlights. No one has ever done such a great job before, and I've been getting tints since I was 14! The salon itself was super pleasant as well-very high end feeling, in contradiction with the low prices for the services. The massage table the esthetician worked on was so so comfy, and heated! Which is just lovely in chilly Bellingham. I would have loved to stay for a massage. I would have gotten my haircut here as well if I had had the time. read more

So, I understand that spas cater to women, but the men's side must have been an afterthought. There is an adequate bathroom/shower and a one person sauna in a hallway that serves, I am assuming as the "locker room". Blaring through the speakers throughout the place was the most obnoxious mix of pseudo jazz and indigenous pop. Embarrassing facilities aside, it was also the worst massage I have ever had and I have had plenty. What was supposed to be "deep tissue" was mostly random light touches. I even asked for it harder, but that only lasted a few minutes. There was no system and the requests to focus on a particular area were ignored. All of this for a ridiculous $100. Needless to say, I will not be back. read more

This salon really bailed me out by booking an appointment with me for my wedding hair and make-up when the Blessings cancelled on me less than 48 hours before my big day! Eileen (I think that was her name!) did a great job, was very friendly and professional, and despite my anxiety about feeling my makeup was a little heavy, my photographs turned out beautifully just as she assured me they would! Thank you Zazen! read more

I got the worst haircut of my life here. Since they changed management, it's not worth the time or the money. Go somewhere that has a personality. read more

I had an amazing experience with Ann. The swedish massage was absolutely wonderful from start to finish--she focused on my tension spots and was professional throughout. She asked which oil I preferred and checked in with me about the pressure. Room was dim and relaxing with calming music. The foot buff treatment was a great addition. It was gentle, yet it did the trick. I came out feeling refreshed and renewed. I'll definitely be returning in the future. Zazen has a tranquil atmosphere. I loved the locker room with its assortment of skin and hair products. The sauna was perfect after the massage. I lucked out with a morning appointment--the place was empty so it was really peaceful. read more

Don't even bother going here! Went with a friend for the pedi/mani spa birthday gift. The front desk gal didn't smile or acknowledge us. When we left to check out there was a new front desk gal and again, no smile or thank you or come again. The nail polish was bubbled up. There was polish left all around the nail beds. The polish came off the very next day! Not impressed! read more

This place is alright - one of the only places in Bellingham that does a decent job on everything. A little over priced in my opinion. The outcome of the services I receive are never worth the money I spend. read more

Not the most professional place at all. Staff doesn't act kind or friendly. Negative environment. Don't recommend.

I've used nearly all of Zazen's services and have been very happy with all of them. Haircut, wax, manicure, massage, all have been wonderful. I've even had mishaps that were entirely my fault (too hard on my hands) and the staff willingly re-did my mani without a fee. I recommend this salon to anyone who needs a moment to unwind. read more

I have had a couple of massages that were terrible, the masseuse didnt focus on the areas requested and there was barely any pressure even after request. Could hear staff laughing and gossiping in the halls throughout the massage. I then received a very unprofessional phone call about a cancelled appointment. Staff were upset that I decided to move my appointment to my stylists new location as I have been a long time client, they proceeded to tell me she was fired and I was wrong for moving my appointment. I will not be returning and will not recommend. It has gone downhill over the last year since my initial experiences there 5 years ago. read more

The ladies at the front desk were kind and helpful and the salon is quite clean. My manicure was not very good. The polish was old (bubbled, thick) and though I mentioned this to the stylist, she kept applying polish. She also kept looking at the clock. This was 5pm Friday night. By 9pm Friday night, the polish was bad. So I took it off but there left a reddish/orange on my nails. The next day they took me in and the lady buffed my nails. I only wanted clear polish but I think she put on top coat because on Sunday all the clear top coat was coming off. read more