by intern Isabella Gerard
Photo credit: intern Caitlin Ouano
D.C. Welcomes a New Kind of Hair Salon
A lush pink carpet marks the entrance to Blo, Dupont’s first ever blow dry bar, on the evening of its Media + VIP Preview event. Blo is a unique salon that specializes in hair blow outs and styling, with the motto “Wash, Blow, Go!”. The Dupont location is the latest addition to the country’s largest chain of blow dry bars, and Hollywood on the Potomac was delighted to attend and meet celebrity host Whitney Port for an evening of drinks, cupcakes, and style!
“We couldn’t be happier to be in the nation’s capital,” said Maha Sharma, DC Franchise partner and owner of Dupont’s Blo. We look forward to serving and bringing quality hair to all the women in D.C.!” The Dupont location will bring the total number of their salons across North America, the Philippines, and Russia to 30.
Maha Sharma
While some might not see the point in a hair salon that doesn’t offer any cut or color treatments, Sharma gave us the inside scoop on what makes a blow dry bar so great. “Anyone of any age, from nine months old to ninety years old – we’ll take everyone! We have specialists for little girls, and we offer full blowouts or updoes. We do everything from weddings to birthdays to graduations.”
The atmosphere of the salon itself is bubbly and posh: plush white chairs for customers to enjoy during their appointments, with accents of silver and hot pink as far as the eye can see. Attendees snacked on cupcakes supplied by Frosting and sipped Veuve Clicquot Rosé, while a DJ played dance tunes at full blast. It’s also worth noting that the entire staff – from the stylists to the Blo Bosses, or receptionists – are all incredibly stunning. Each employee appears to be a walking ad for how great the customers’ hair will soon look!
The Stylists
Stylist Weizei Manga seemed to be enjoying the evening, and let us know her favorite part about working at Blo. “The atmosphere, definitely! It’s awesome – I mean it looks like a party, you know! Anyone who comes here is going to have fun.”
When we asked Weizei what the difference between working at a blow dry bar versus a traditional hair salon was, she was quick to answer “No stress!” with a laugh. “If they don’t like their hair, we can just spray it down with a little bit of water and dry it back up. I don’t have to worry about fixing their color or if it’s cut too short, or anything like that.”
Weizei Manga
While the stylists had everyone in attendance looking like hair royalty, celebrity host and “The City” actress Whitney Port still managed to turn heads when she made her entrance. Blo stylists had done her hair in voluminous waves earlier that day, and she spent the majority of the event posing for pictures and talking to guests.
Whitney Port
“I love my hair! It looks great,” Port exclaimed, touching her curls affectionately and smiling brightly. She let us know that she had come to D.C. specifically to attend the event, but that she hoped she’d be able to return soon to see more of the city.
“I’m only here for a few hours and then I fly back to New York,” confessed Port. “This is my first time in Washington, but I didn’t get to see much of it! I will definitely be coming back though!”
Port was the epitome of warmth and friendliness, and definitely seemed to be enjoying herself.
Blow Boss Jeanall
All in all, the event was a major success, in the eyes of both the attendants and the employees. According to Blow Boss Jeanall, the salon doesn’t even officially open until tomorrow, yet they are already fully booked for days. Blo is about to take Dupont by storm and will certainly play a big role in redefining luxurious hair care for all of DC!
