She was amazing and patient!! These hair gave me so much confidence. I am coming here more often Thank you read more

Braid it Up - Amazing braids!! Thank you - Hair Salons Near Me - San Jose, California

I've been coming to Braid It Up for a little over three years, and the service here is so exceptional that I travel all the way from the East Bay to San Jose for my appointments. The experience, environment, and people are always so warm and welcoming. I also love that it's Black-owned and family-oriented--it truly feels like a second home. I get my locs washed, twisted, and styled by Nekko, and she is absolutely the best! I first came to her when my locs were badly damaged from bleach. My previous stylist had given me false information that left my hair in rough shape, and I was nervous about trusting anyone new. But from day one, Nekko made me feel at ease. She took the time to educate me on proper hair care, recommend the right products, and explain how she could help restore my hair's health. Three years later, my hair is no longer damaged--it's fuller, stronger, and has grown so much! I'm so grateful to have found a salon that treats their clients like family and always goes above and beyond to make sure we are well taken care of. Highly recommend! read more

Braid it Up - Twist out and growth, over one month after wash, twist, and styled - Hair Salons Near Me - San Jose, California

BABYYYYY Let me tell you about my experience with Foteche -- San Jose, we got a real one out here!! I came in with my locs lookin' a whole mess Parts were twisted up, matted, just... whew, chaos. But Foteche?? SHE GOT ME TOGETHER like the master loctician she is! So gentle, super knowledgeable, and her scheduling process is smooth and easy. ‍ From the moment I walked in, the vibe was everything -- that true Black salon energy: laughter, music, real convos, and good vibes all around. When she spun me around and showed me the back?!! I was like "OKAYYYY PARTS!!" It looked like I just got a fresh microloc install. My locs felt brand new, neat, clean, and blessed. She's licensed, skilled, and has HANDS -- like, real talent. Okay San Jose!!! We got cosmetology-certified master Locticians in this G thang!!! Oh and location? Super convenient -- I parked at the SJSU parking garage, only $8 for all-day parking. Can't beat that. Trust me -- I'll definitely be back. Foteche is HER. ‍ read more

Braid it Up - Hair Salons Near Me - San Jose, California

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Called to schedule an appointment and spoke with Lashae who had great customer service and was patient with me. I take pride in finding safe places for my children to go, so it's important to for me to be selective on what salons or barbershops they go to. I got the sense over the phone by her tone and patience that this was a place a could bring my children to get their hair done without the drama. Lashae thank you for your time and patience. read more

My service was a full head sew-in weave, and from the moment I stepped into the shop, the owner was welcoming and friendly. Her vibe and the clients' in-house getting services were positive and energetic. My Cosmetologist, Foteche, was very personable and knowledgeable, and my weave looks absolutely gorgeous. Her pricing is reasonable, too. The only downside is that you have to take out your own weave. I would 100% recommend Foteche installing your extensions or weave! read more

The atmosphere makes me feel like I'm at home enjoying a surrounding amount of care while enjoying the joyful laughter of stories shared amongst the customers and beauticians... I continue to feel relaxed and comfortable... Taneko my Locticianist is so creative , kind and highly professional. I love the entirety of BRAID IT UP read more

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I have been coming to Braid It Up since 2000. I have watched this shop grow and expand so much. The owner and longest standing stylists have shown wonderful consistency with their work ethic and styles. I never leave disappointed! Their customer service and accommodations for their clients are on point as well. I not only leave this salon looking and feeling good, but I leave with a feeling of rejuvenation and an anointing of positivity and peace! They do all types of styles, work with all types of hair textures, for all ethnicities at Braid Up It. SO DON'T BE SHY! Do yourself a favor, book an appointment ! Not only for your hair to get done but for the Experience and Vibes! Thank me Later! read more

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This was the first braider that I found who offered wash and blowdry dry services. That should have raised a flag right there but I assumed all black hair dressers understood natural hair. The knotless braids were done very well. I came back to have them removed 7 weeks later because I was too busy to do it myself. The take down was very fast and professional. Then everything went downhill. Everyone knows how much shed hair is released during the time your hair is in braids. It's best to remove as much shed hair as possible before the wash or it gets knotted and tangled in the hair. The stylist used one of the brushes that's used for Caucasian hair. No denman brush, no wide- tooth comb, no finger detangle.... She did not section my hair off to remove the shed hair from the roots. She did a quick brush of the perimeter of my fro then took me to the wash basin. I barely felt anything during the wash. No water pressure and no hand friction against my scalp. She did not finger detangle at all during the wash. All the shed hair was just being moved around and knotted up. Then when she was done washing, she aggressively towel dried my hair, matting my hair further and then immediately started blow drying! No heat protectant, no detangle, just blow drying through all the knots and shed hairs! I was in shock. I asked if she had heat protectant, she said no. I asked for a wide tooth comb and she complained that it rips out hair so she doesn't use it and that she already detangled my hair BEFORE my wash...I was stunned. I just couldn't believe she was serious. Unfortunately I could not continue the service because the only outcome would have been my hair being ripped out from the blow dryer. I cut the visit short and went home with my hair unfinished. She still had me pay $150 even though my hair was a knotted mess and she had no professional natural hair care experience. I had to rewash and finger detangle at home to remove all the shed hair. I will attach a photo of how much loose hair I removed by hand, which would've led to disaster if it would have remained and gotten ripped out with a blow dryer. It's disappointing because she is a sweet person and professional in hair braiding services. So sad her braiding experience does not translate to aftercare services. I'd recommend going to a professional licensed hair stylist for additional services. read more

Braid it Up - All the knotted and shed hair I removed by hand after I was told that my hair was detangled before she washed it. - Hair Salons Near Me - San Jose, California

Great service, amazing talent and very conscious about appointments, had a special request and Melody executed to perfection. read more

Braid it Up - Hair Salons Near Me - San Jose, California

if you are a new client do not bother booking here as they will not reply to your messages for help about hair. for over a week I tried to contact the shop and they would tell me to contact Grace Arlet directly. I called and texted her for over a week and received no reply, I finally got her on the phone the day before my appointment. She said she would send what hair she would like me to bring as this was my first time and I had no knowledge and they do not provide the hair for you. I never received a message back from her I booked a braids style that was going to be well over $300. The least she can do is take a minute out of her day to respond to a client. read more

Stellar service, every one is nice. Yolanda is knowledgeable , go w her. She know what she is doing.

Customer of over 20 years. Love this shop and the vibe. The service requested is always on point,

Yolanda is fabulous and talented. She worked my requested design. And her work lasted a good 3 weeks. Maybe longer if I didn't take it down. I highly recommend Yolanda read more

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Robin has hooked me up for over 20 years. She is the epitome of professionalism and natural talent. I won't let anyone else touch my hair. Robin is phenomenal. read more

Fabulous work clean, friendly environment . Very professional , hair cuts on point. Highly recommend.

Thank you Robin Hunt for taking care of my son and being patient with my sons first time getting his hairs braided it came out soooo good Thank you! read more

Braid it Up - Hair Salons Near Me - San Jose, California

Really friendly and professional with attention toward what the customer wanted in a style. Received a lot of compliments on the style done by Fotecha definitely plan to go back. read more

Denise helped with my son hait and omg. I'm so happy. it was super quick. she held off on eating her snack and it looks great. my son is 3 and sat there with no struggle. she made him feel very comfortable. and he loves his hair. what 3 year old loves getting braided? Mine :) Thank you Denise! read more

Braid it Up - Hair Salons Near Me - San Jose, California

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Ask for Neko! The environment is welcoming, the products she used on my locs were refreshing and she got me in and out in a timely fashion. read more

Braid it Up - Hair Salons Near Me - San Jose, California

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Great price, and great service! Keisha did my interlock braids, this was the first time having them done and I loved it! She was professional, understanding and about how I want to look. She was even able to braid all of my hair, which is short in the back. She was quick she didn't leave me sitting and waiting for her. I will definitely go back for a redo. read more

It had been 3 years since I had my hair braided and the whole experience was awesome! Shay did me and my little sisters hair back to back( bye my hair is pretty short 2inches long). I was late and we were immediately helped and she really did bring my idea to life. They are affordable, nice and make great conversation. I read Rose's comment saying that they gossip and that it was ghetto but I didn't feel that way at all. Everyone was, really helpful! I definitely suggest that everyone come here! No matter what texture of hair or how short THEY WILL GET YOU RIGHT! Lol The only thing that I dislike about this shop is the mass of homeless people that come stopping by bothering the stores on the block. This isn't anything that Braid It Up can fix so I still have 5 stars... Thanks Shay read more

This spot is an absolute fraud. They claim to be experts in their field but, are actually novices. The work was beyond horrible and I was, surprisingly, charged more than twice what I was quoted upon completion of the service. There's so much more that I could unveil but, for now I must keep it in my pocket. I would not recommend this business, if you want to call it that. read more

Enjoyed my experience! Laughing, sharing and listening to stories and music is what the black hair shop experience is all about. Corvette did her "Thang" on my hair...giving me a straight sleek look, especially since this was my first weave, I was nervous! But the outcome was well worth it all. Mrs. Robin was funny and accommodating as well. I definitely recommend getting it done at Braid It Up! read more

I made an appointment with Braid it Up a week ago. Two days before my appointment. I get a call that I need to give a $25 deposit. I asked if I could call back when I'm off of work to give them a deposit. They said ok. Do it before the date of my appointment I've tried call them over 5 times leaving voicemails and no response about my appointment or the deposit. They're unreliable read more

Robin is by far the best braider in San Jose!! I'm never disappointed!!! read more

Braid it Up - Love my tribal braids! - Hair Salons Near Me - San Jose, California

Great customer service along with great service and great braids looking forward to going back to braid it up

Unprofessional is not the word. I really wanted to give them a chance as a black owned business. no one hardly ever answers the phone. Finally got someone on the phone to schedule an appointment, reached out to the stylist Shakiesha. She was very unprofessional and barely responsive. I had to end up finding someone else all the way in Tracy! Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere. read more

I'm writing this review because I've been thinking about coming in to Braid It Up to get my hair done. But after reading some of the other reviews, though I've only been here a few times myself, I have experienced some of the things people have complained about. My hair has always turned out ok when I've gone to Braid It Up. And I even found a young lady that I really liked going to and she was always very sweet and courteous, However, there have been times when inappropriate language, subject matter and banter have been endured while I sat. I understand that some or perhaps even most young adults might be accustomed to that type of talk, however not everyone is, and I would hope that at a well established African American business such as Braid It Up, that such a diverse and dynamic clientele would be recognized and appreciated. I have an 11 year old tween girl myself, and I would be appalled if I came in to get her hair done and topics such as strip clubs or anything else inappropriate for a child or even a mature adult were being openly discussed. Most of us have kids and the way we talk at home is most likely different than the way we would talk in a professional setting. Now I'm not saying that we all have virgin ears; I certainly don't, but if such content is distasteful or offensive I believe it is the responsibility of the establishment to create an atmosphere that is friendly and welcoming to all their clientele. It would be nice to come back to Braid It Up and feel like I could bring my mother or my daughter or my aunties without fear of them being offended or made to feel uncomfortable. And it is my sincere hope that the staff and management at Braid It Up would welcome constructive feed back without being offended or retaliating via yelp. I love my beautiful black people, highly respect successful African American entrepreneurs, and like to fully support these establishments. I pray that God's peace be with the successful women at Braid It Up and look forward to having a wonderful experience at my next visit. read more

I have gone to Braid it up at least 5 times from 2013-2018. My last visit was June 30, 2018. This is the salon I go to when my regular hair dressers is booked far out. Unfortunately I regret coming everytime!! Here are some of the reasons why: 1) Parking is inconvenient!! 2)Robin braids tight as hell!! 3)Corvette braids too big. I went to her for a weave a while ago. She left my shit so lumpy, a weave is supposed to be flat and seamless. I don't think she knows how to handle 4C hair. 4)Denise doesn't follow instructions. On 6/30/18 I asked for cornrow sides and two strand twists in the middle. She asked if I wanted extensions, I said no. She put in extensions anyway. So the cornrows were bulky and didn't lay right. To her credit she was willing to re-do on 7/3/18...hella days after. I don't have time to come back because you didn't listen. 5)The salon looks run down for the price of there styles, I expect a better ambiance. 6) Unprofessional the stylist's I've been to have taken personal calls, moved there car/put money in the meter, get food...while working on my hair This review is long overdue, my last visit made me do it. Beware of this salon. read more

RE: Tree Braids by Joy: "I'm just trying to get this done so I can go home" Sometimes Businesses make the mistake of prioritizing getting $$ out of a customer *right now* over creating a relationship with a customer that will be even more valuable over time, than $$ or a single service on any given day. Braid It Up made that mistake with me. It was going to be my first time in a black hair salon after 13 years of taking care of my own dreadlocks. I was nervous, and wanted to help myself be happy with my new hairstyle. I did my best to give them the chance to do right by me: I called and spoke with them to ask questions and let them know what I wanted. I even dropped by a few days before my appointment to meet and speak with them, show them the extensions I was bringing for them to braid into my hair, and put a face to the name in their appointment book. In any case, they assigned 19 year old Joy to do my hair. Let's just say ... Joy was distracted. That very morning she was experiencing some big changes in her personal life, and she wanted to get back to sorting them out. As a result, I kept hearing these words come out of her mouth through the entire appointment: "I'm just trying to get this done so I can go home." Does that seem like something a paying client wants to hear during any type of paid service? No. It's not. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt. I waited patiently for her to finish braiding my hair. You never *really* know how it's going to turn out until they're done, anyway. What I saw in the mirror was an atrocity that I couldn't understand: - Tree Braids with 'spider legs' at the end, where her sloppy super glue job had left pieces of hair sticking out at odd angles - Scalp, Scalp, Scalp: she didn't know how to 'close in' the crown of the head to minimize how much scalp was showing. Add to this the fact that I was getting blonde extensions braided into my brown hair, and I had blocks of dark brown, framed by pale scalp, leading into sloppy braids. (other braiders have since done far superior jobs on my hair) - Within 3 Days, a handful of braids were slipping out and coming undone. When I contacted Joy about this initially, she said it was to be expected because I used straight blonde hair, and I have fine hair. Fair enough ... though others have done a fine job with these same conditions. Before I left the salon, I stood in front of the mirror staring: I couldn't believe they were letting me walk out of the salon looking like this. I looked around to see if any of the other ladies working we're seeing the same thing that I was, and they were all acting as if the 4+ hour appointment during which I had been sitting their in their salon had an abrupt and immediate expiration as soon as the last braid was braided: they all had their eyes focused on what they were doing, ignoring me. I walked out of the salon with barely a goodbye. Oh, but Joy was happy to take my $325 + $25 tip. She *did* offer to fix it for me. I only had to make the hour drive in a direction that I would only go in to visit Braid It Up. I declined because of the drive, and my feelings of frustration and doubt about the experience I had already had with her. I've considered writing this review for a while. I refrained thinking that I was coming from anger, and didn't want to be simply lashing out. But I feel it's responsible for me to add my voice to the conversation about this business. I believe that they were more focused on getting my money than on providing me with a quality service. If you're ok with that, by all means, go see them. Especially Joy. But if you want someone to actually care whether you like your hair when you leave ... stay away from them. Particularly, stay away from Joy. Good Luck!! read more

I had a great experience at Braid It Up. Everyone was super friendly. The shop had a nice Vibe. My appointment started on time and even ended up going 2 hours over what we expected (bc of how much hair i have) yet I never felt rushed. Robin took her time. My braids/Cornrows were NEAT, PRECISE, and LAID........She did them exactly how I asked. I saw a pic of her daughter's hair (that Robin did) on Instagram and had to get mine done! If you're looking for a place that does modern/edgy styles of hair/braids and doesn't break the bank this is it. read more

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This place is a great place to get braids. The braiders are experienced and do a great job. It is also a shop, which is convenient if you need to buy hair. Ask for Denise, she will whip your hair into shape real quick. 0-100! Love it. Bye. read more

I highly recommend this shop for all your braid needs. I showed up with a picture and an idea of what I wanted and Keisha got it done super fast! Make sure to bring cash and some spare change for the street parking. Ask for Keisha! read more

Braid it Up - French braids for the undercut "manbun" style - Hair Salons Near Me - San Jose, California

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Denise is a professional young lady who always do a beautiful job when she does my hair. I am tenderheaded and she helps me get through a sitting without braiding my hair very tight. She is gentle on the head and cares about the well-being of the client hair. She gives me her professional opinion on what needs to be done next for the overall health of my hair. She is very professional in braiding hair, great to chat with and is very kind. read more

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They saved my life! I love Love Love braid it up. I have been through the wire with damage to my hair but these ladies saved my hair. They posses excellent branding skill and they do t braid to tight! Ask for Keisha she is so accommodating and super professional. I would recommend all my friends and family to get their hair braided at Braid it Up! read more

I usually don't write reviews form first time visit to a business. However, I felt I am obligated to write for this salon. I never had my hair braided before, I have been thinking, searching, and very much hoping one day that I could get my hair braided with a professional hair braiding styler. When I came to California, Bay Area (San Jose) I start searching, and first business popped up is Braid it Up. I called first because they have "by appointment only" policy, and due busy hours I was not able to talk to them. I took the chance of walking in and see if they could take me. Denise welcomes me with sweet smile, and was able to fit me in her schedule. I really suggest you visit this place if this is your first time like me. Very nice people and very polite. You will be in good hands I'll post pictures of my hair before and after. Thank you Denise, and I'll definitely visit you next time I come to the USA. read more

Braid it Up - Hair Salons Near Me - San Jose, California

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From out of town, but made an appointment a week before getting into town. Set up an appointment with Keisha based off other reviews and pics of her work. I was not disappointed! My 3 year old son loves his braids! Keisha did a great job at listening to what I wanted done and she did an amazing job with my son. She had wonderful patience working with my son. I highly recommend her! Thank you Keisha! read more

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Robin didn't show up for the appointment we scheduled. Drove from Santa Cruz & back for nothing. Very unprofessional & flat out ridiculous. Downloaded this app just for this review . read more

Yolanda did my hair once and now does it every other week! very sweet beautiful professional women in this salon nothing negative to say very friendly and great vibes love this place go see Yolanda guys she always let's me make last minute appointments and is always accommodating and she's a LEO LIKE ME Lol only speaking from personal experience im most certain the other ladies do great work as well! read more

Braid it Up - Simple cute hour session braids great price braided into ponytail - Hair Salons Near Me - San Jose, California

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New to the area? Fear not !!! I just moved here from Chicago and was worried I wouldn't find a spot.To the rescue Keisha and Braid it Up salon. Flexible with appointment hours and my hair was done before my parking meter expired. Easy to find & fast friendly service And priced just right!! she did a great job and I will definitely be going back!! read more