I'm still just as impressed with Evangeline's work as visit 1 coming to the studio. She has gotten faster and I've never received as many compliments on my hair, the colors, the styles, how it frames my face, etc. as when Evangeline does it. She is a vivids pro and she makes me laugh the entire time. LET HER COOK! read more

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Had a great time with Karla! She was friendly, highly skilled and efficient. Did a great job with my hair, looking forward to seeing her again. The salon is clean with friendly staff and good vibes read more

Nerissa is great! Finally found a stylist that can work with my daughter's curly hair. We already had two appointments with her. I am also going to schedule with her to do my hair. I like her because she listens to what you want to do and she does it. Besides it gives me an excuse to go to my favorite pizza place across the street. :-) read more

First time to Elixir and so glad I went! Mireya did an amazing job with my hair. She took the time to understand what I was looking for and skillfully made it happen! The vibe is warm and welcoming - a nice change from the big, bright and busy salons. I've had this same cut done many times, but this is the best version of it! My husband thinks so, too :) read more

Elixir Salon - Hair Stylists Near Me - Berkeley, California

I gave Evangeline complete creative freedom with my hair. I've always wanted to experiment with fun colors, but haven't done it professionally up until this point. This is the final look that Evangeline came up with for my hair, drawing inspiration from different characters and working with the slight color I already had leftover from store-bought semi-permanent dye. I highly recommend Evangeline if you want a fun, vibrant look and experienced hair colorist! read more

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Go every 4-5 months and Jasmine cuts and colors my hair perfectly. I'm very picky about length and she layers for my face frame.

I was delighted with my new haircut, Prem did a beautiful job and I'm very fussy about my hair!

Mireya is amazing! She styled and colored my kiddie's hair and it came out exactly as they had hoped. The color is vibrant and just the right amount for one and the mix of colors is perfect and mesmerizing for the other. Highly recommend! read more

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I came to Elixir after a pretty bad curly girl hair experience at another salon. I actually called Elixir to set up an appointment for a Brazilian Blow Out because I was really just over my curls, despite the curl comeback. Thank goodness I ran into Alex who knows all about the curls. Alex also has a gorgeous head of natural curls, and that made me feel like I was in the right place. Don't sleep on Elixir and Alex my curly haired comrades. All Power to the Local People! read more

I was looking for a new stylist in an Aveda Salon. I made an appointment with Mary. She arrived late and had an attitude. I was ok with the attitude as I can sometimes have one and I assumed it was becasue she thought highly of herself and must be an excellent hair sytlist. The root job was fine but nothing special. I brought in the exact formula and it's a basic service. She informed me during my visit that she doesn't do highlights or lowlights. I found this very strange but thought I would simply go to her to cover my roots until I could find a permanent stylist. I went into their system to book another root job and she had blocked me from booking. She completely removed my log in info which I find rude and unethical. I left a VM at the salon about it and the owner never responded but Mary did. She texted me and said she is sorry I was unhappy with her service and goodbye basically. HAHA. I never said I was unhappy. I actually think it's funny as I spend anywhere from $100 to 400 every 7 weeks. There are so many hair saloms and stylists out there. I DO NOT recommend Mary @ Elixer. Shes up on a high horse but does not deliver anything special. In addition, the basins where they rinse your hair are in a tight space. It is not a good vibe salon. It appears Mary is also a liar. Another reviewer mentioned she had highlights done by Mary. What an unethical person. She could have just called me and told me it wasn't a good fit for her and that way I could have tried someone else. But since she messed with my log in I wasn't even able to do that. RUDE RUDE RUDE! Be sure to look at all the hidden reviews. They have a lot of bad ones! read more

Molly did great on my trim. Alexandra on the other hand was really bad. She agreed to cutting my bangs and did a horrible job! She took about 45 seconds and they are noticeably uneven (seriously, my family and friends even took notice to the length difference at first glance). One side is about an inch longer, it is choppy and overall looks like a teen did it in their room! I asked her to make it a little bit more like the photo and she got snappy and said she doesn't have time for this and made me feel like she was only cutting them as a favor. She should have never agreed to the photo if she didn't want to cut my hair. I would have paid more if that was the problem. She never indicted any of this to me, just rudely said "this was supposed to be a one length cut" despite her agreeing to cut my bangs like the photo (I sent her the reference photo and photo of my hair) PRIOR to me driving to Berkeley from SF. read more

I've been coming to this salon for over 6 years. I find the owner and stylists very nice and accommodating. Currently Mary is my stylist for over a year and she's been amazing. She impressed me the first time I met her with how honest, professional, amusing and knowledgeable she is. My hair was a mess coming out of the pandemic era. Then Mary started to work on my hair where she needed to adjust my formula and changed my hair cut too. Mary explained to me why she needed to make those changes, and it all made sense. Within few visits my hair looked/ felt alive and healthy again. I recommend Mary for anyone who's looking for an honest and professional stylist. I'm thankful to Alex (the owner) for being responsive and supportive all those years. I highly recommend this salon and definitely recommend Mary. read more

I have been growing my hair out for about 2 years waiting for the perfect stylist to work their magic and I finally found them, Kasi! She did such an amazing job at giving my curls life again with some layers but not only that she lifted and colored my hair beautifully! I came in with a full head of very dark brown natural hair and she was able to keep the health of my hair while giving me exactly what I wanted! I would recommend this salon and this amazing stylist, Kasi, to anyone looking to change things up or just looking to keep things simple! She really shows she cares about your hair and to me that's the most important thing I could ask for in a stylist! read more

Elixir Salon - Hair Stylists Near Me - Berkeley, California

Alex is THE hair whisperer. She has saved me multiple times and I trust my most valuable possession (my hair) in her hands. Plus! it's a beautiful salon and environment. read more

There's nothing better than the feeling of getting my hair done at Elixir. After an amazing cut and color, I always have to go out and celebrate. I've been here several times and always leave happy. Whether it's red, light brown or a little darker, the color is always vibrant and fits my look. Alex uses really good products and hair tints that actually leave my hair smelling aromatic and herbal (instead of like chemicals). The shampoo is one of the best parts of the entire process, complete with a nice massage and really great aromatherapy type Aveda shampoos and conditioner. I ended up huffing my hair for hours after I left. My hair cuts are never too flamboyant, not too short or long, but have several layers and add a lightness to my hair. My hair cut actually helps me get ready faster since it takes less to style. It's also a very relaxing shop, so I can sit back, drink tea and read a magazine while she cuts, dries and styles my hair. This last time, she added in some highlights to my brown hair that were subtle and gave my hair a little shimmer when styled. I love the warm color that this color adds with different hues. I always recommend Elixir because it's where I go. I know that when I refer my friends and family, they also get great service as well, because there is nothing better than feeling your best. read more

Elixir Salon - Another really great cut and color by Alex! - Hair Stylists Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I never write reviews, but I had the best experience at Elixir so I wanted to share! My stylist Mary J. was so kind, professional, and personable. Mary did so well when asking what I wanted and making sure she had every little detail. I was nervous because I have never had my hair so short before, but she made me feel so heard I knew I could trust her. I will also post the reference photo I described and what she did with my hair, the resemblance is incredible I couldn't believe it! Thank you, Mary! read more

Elixir Salon - How she did my hair! - Hair Stylists Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Don't trust the website -- call for prices! I'm in between jobs and wanted to get my hair highlighted and cut before an interview. I was looking to pay a "new talent" rate and found a rate of $155 for highlight and cut at Elixir that fit my schedule. My hairstylist seemed pretty experienced but I didn't flat out ask her before we started what her rate was (I trusted the website!) and when we were finished she told me it was $235 -- that's without tip! I ended up paying over $100 more than I wanted to after you add in the tip. What sort of burns me is that when I told her and the manager(?) that the website said $155 all they said was "sorry the website isn't working right". If what you pay is important to you I'd call to confirm the rate before you start. read more

Absolutely fantastic cut and color with Mary Johnson at Elixir salon. It had been a good two years since my last cut and I had old highlights and faded blue to cover. She listened and worked with my inspiration pics to take off the old length and get me back to my chocolate brunette color with great length and movement. Definitely returning and highly recommended! Mary is kind, considerate, and a pleasure to work with! read more

Love Mary at Elixir. She's done roots, color highlights and trim. Very professional and friendly. COVID safe precautions too!

So I have been a giant cheapskate when it comes to getting my hair cut. For the longest time I would just get my haircut every few months from supercuts (or some $12-15 barbershop) thinking, 'Oh. This is fine. What is so important about hair?" Yeah that wasn't actually all that brilliant of a move. People judge, and coming here was a really big eye opener. I got a haircut from Kasi and by giving vague ideas on what I wanted with my hair she really did an amazing job. I always feel it is the mark of an expert in one's craft when they can just produce excellence out of vague feedback and Kasi was an expert. I've gotten more complements on my hair in two days than I have ever had from any haircut I've gotten in the past! read more

I hate that the first yelp rating I am making is a negative one but I feel it is necessary. This place is not cheap...if you pay good money to supposedly experienced professionals the results should be satisfactory. This was a great disappointment. How does an Aveda Hair Salon turn a client's hair GREEN without it being requested??? The most traumatizing hair experience of my life! If I could select a Negative Star rating I would.I am so disappointed. To make a long story short, Rebecca claimed she can do a sombre (tone down version of an ombre). I showed her a picture of the exact tone: dark brown roots to ash blonde ends. I made it clear to her that I did NOT want it in an Orange tone. She claimed to understand. A little less than 2 hours later, my hair was an orange brassy tone. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, give it a few days. It will tone down. IT DIDN'T! I went back in for her to fix the orange/golden brassy tone. After her attempt, the hair color was sunflower yellow! She did not know what to do. She said my hair wouldn't take because it was too dark...umm Hello? Why didn't you tell me that in the consultation? Why now? She experimented a toner that would dull the color but we were unsure of how it would look. It turned out toned down but still not a sombre. Not what I asked for. 3 days later, my hair was golden/ brassy orange again. I spoke with the owner Alex. She agreed with me that my hair was not a sombre and it was golden. She said she could fix it. I told her ok, just take out the golden color. I still wanted a sombre. I went in again for the 3rd time! This time....she dyed my hair dark with golden highlights??? I didn't want it darker and never did I ask for highlights! I started to cry! I was so frustrated. She wanted to give me my money back but I was just so upset I wanted to leave. Washed my hair today (the day after), it is GREEN! Green and golden highlights with dark brown base?? So wrong! I went in to get my money back. My frustration is, this is my hair, it is not a dress that I can put on and take off. I now have to find a solution to this ugly green tone! Let's not even mention the condition of my hair! read more

Elixir Salon - Asked for an ash blonde sombre and after 3 visits, i get GREEN HAIR! DISASTER! - Hair Stylists Near Me - Berkeley, California

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WARNING I scheduled a consult that was supposed to be for 1:15pm. I arrived 5 mins early. I was not greeted immediately when I entered until I made eye contact with a woman who asked me if I had an appointment. I told her I had a consult with Mireya. She advised that I take a seat to wait for her. Mireya never came over to me to introduce herself, tell me she was running behind etc. I decided to leave at 1:30pm without saying a word. I can't help but to think I was ignored because I am a POC. I hope that is not the case, but I did recognize an elderly woman enter and she was immediately greeted she was not a POC. I would not recommend this place to anyone. I'm glad I was able to see this before I actually made a real appointment. SMH. So sad. read more

I can't believe it's been EIGHT years since I first wrote my review for this place! A friend recently tagged along when I drove to Berkeley for my haircut and said, at least five times in various intervals: "I can't believe you drive this far to get your hair cut..." It's true: I come from the peninsula to have Alex cut my hair every six weeks: * 80+ miles, roundtrip * $5 bridge toll * half a day off of work We've had tough times through the years and there were a couple of occasions when I thought the long distance would be too much. Gas prices peaked. The bridge toll went up, twice. My vacation time ran low. But here's the thing: I have a *really* flat spot on the back of my head. Like "Was I tied to a board as a baby?" flat. Like "If I lie down and turn my head, it'll automatically roll back to the center" flat. Like "I wonder if I can get a back-of-the-head implant" flat. Alex not only cuts amazing texture into my stick straight Asian hair, but she's able to create the illusion that my head is round. Round! A little hair clay in the morning and the back of my head could be mistaken for a bowling ball...with hair. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Alex and her crew can work magic in that salon. read more

Elixir Salon - Having fun and feeling silly after a hair cut with Alex! - Hair Stylists Near Me - Berkeley, California

Mireya is amazing!! I love my cut, I made a huge change (donating my hair) so cut about 10 inches, and she was ready to embrace this big hair change! Lots of layering and accentuating the natural wave in my hair. Hair has been a part of her journey throughout life and I felt very taken care. Thanks Mireya :) read more

Alex, the owner of Elixir, is truly wonderful. After my previous review, she contacted me personally to find out what happened, and went above and beyond to make up for it. She really cares about the level of customer service at her salon, more-so than I typically see at any customer service-oriented business. Any business would be lucky to have such an owner. I went in today for an AVEDA Hair Spa, which I was told is essentially a "facial" for your hair. Steve was my stylist. I gave a wonderful scalp and shoulder massage, and was very gentle in washing and blowing out my hair. I have typically come to expect that it hurts when a stylist blow-dries your hair. Stylists sometimes dry your roots for too long and your scalp hurts, drag the brush through your hair during the blowout and your scalp hurts some more. But Steve's technique hardly made my scalp hurt at all. On top of that, he used minimal styling products (other stylists tend to load em up and make your hair feel kinda mucky), and produced a naturally amazing blowout. My lower layers flipped out in such a cute way that I've never seen before, and all he did was twist the ends a little around his finger as he dried them. Obviously, my impression and opinion of this salon has changed. Definitely recommended, and I can assure you that if you encounter any issues, Alex will make sure that you come out very happy. :) Definitely one of the best customer services experiences I've had for a while. (One comment: street parking is a little tough, so get there a little earlier than you typically would go to have time to look for parking and be able to walk back to the salon.) read more

My first and last time to Elixir Salon. I have been trying to find a salon/stylist in the area, as I am not from the Bay. I was hopeful with the other reviews on Yelp that Elixir was going to be it. From start to finish it was a very unpleasant experience. I had an apt with Katsuko; right when she sarcastically mentioned at the beginning of our apt that it was "her lucky day with long hair clients" I felt totally uncomfortable & that I was an inconvenience for her. She was 25 min late to start with, was not welcoming in any type of way, barely spoke to me the whole appointment, was combative when I mentioned what I wanted (simple blonde highlights) and actually walked out of the salon for about 10 min during our appointment for whatever reason. Its a real shame cause I was so excited for this appointment, as I really wanted to find my go to salon, love getting my hair done and getting to know my stylists. I still gave two stars because her work is good and everyone else around me seemed to be very nice. read more

Thanks Natalie for giving me the balayage that I always wanted!! I have dark brown hair and was hesitant to get this done but I'm so glad I did!!! Book with her and you'll get a stylist who actually listens to what YOU want!!! Thanks Natalie!!! read more

Elixir Salon - Hair Stylists Near Me - Berkeley, California

Probably don't come here if you're Black or have textured hair. I booked a haircut with Jasmine and left the salon 10 minutes into my appointment, embarrassed and with dripping wet hair. I booked with Jasmine specifically since I saw that she'd joined the Elixir team from Manifesta, my old salon that shuttered halfway through the pandemic. I looked forward to working with another stylist from that salon (I'd worked with Monica and Serena, previously) The Elixir landing page features a Black woman, so I figured that I'd be safe to book an appointment for a standard haircut, especially since I didn't see any options for a pre-appointment consultation or anywhere to distinguish my hair type. I arrived 10 minutes early to my appointment and was seated in Jasmine's chair. She walked through the front door and her face seemed to drop immediately when she looked at me. Her greeting? "You're here already?" No introduction, no asking my name, nothing. She awkwardly poked around my hair, asking me to clarify what I was looking for. Per the salon website, a haircut includes a shampoo and blow dry so I iterated that was what I was booked for. She then loudly began asking the other stylist for a special hair dryer attachment and a straightener while pointing me to the sink. She limply washed and conditioned my hair (poorly, as I write this I actually still have a ton of conditioner in the hair at the nape of my neck) before bringing me back to her chair to begin "blow" "drying" "my" "hair" if you could call it that. She didn't detangle my hair at all before pushing the dryer into my hair. A mystery, as she was using a comb attachment on the dryer. So she was literally just drying tangled, wet, conditioner covered hair. She kept at this for a few minutes before I told her to stop. This service was so horrendous that I actually offered to pay this woman to put me out of my misery; yes, I offered to pay the full cost of the appointment just so I could leave without this woman damaging my hair and esteem any further. She apologized profusely and let me know that it was a timing thing more than anything. Despite telling me that it wasn't an issue with my hair type, my hair type was cited as the reason she couldn't do my hair in a timely fashion (from her technique, I would guess that she is not comfortable or familiar working with Black hair). I gave feedback that the appointment could have gone completely differently had she greeted me like I was an actual human being, expressed her concerns about timing and salvaged the appointment by turning it into a consult or figuring out how we could move forward. She replied that it was clear that she had a lot of work to do re: how she chose to engage with a client with hair like mine and apologized for the damage that was clearly already done. She begged me to let her towel dry the rest of my hair before letting me go (after offering to cut my hair wet -- what makes you think I would let you anywhere near my hair with scissors after treating me like that and demonstrating that you know nothing about my hair type?) I waited out front, holding back tears as I waited for my ride home. What a humiliating, disappointing experience. While I'm frustrated with the stylist, it's clear to me that she was not put in a position to ever be successful with this kind of appointment. Please Elixir: implement pre-appointment consults or hair type questionnaires to spare future clients the embarrassment of being treated this way at your salon. read more

This is a review for the very experienced Kasuko. 5 stars for her. The color and cut were perfect and her attention to detail is wonderful. On another note, this salon itself needs a makeover. It is not a very attractive place and please ask customers to keep their shoes on and not put their shoes and bare feet where people put their bags and hairdressers place their dryers. read more

Elixir Salon - Hair Stylists Near Me - Berkeley, California

I have been trying to find a good salon and an attentive and caring stylist since moving to the bay six years ago. Finally, my first really great experience occurred when getting a wash and cut from Genevieve. Genevieve was professional but friendly and accommodating. She dealt with my harsh scalp condition and gave me a perfect cut. She pays attention to the details like your eyebrows, sideburns, and neckline. Her work is immaculate. I'll be going back for color and future cuts. I highly recommend Genevieve. read more

i came in for a haircut yesterday--my first professional one in months. amanda did a beautiful job and gave me a dynamic, trendy cut which is something i haven't really had before! i wasn't quite sure what i wanted besides a trim, and amanda suggested some light layering in the back which has given my fine hair more movement and texture. she also did a great job with the blow-dry! i left feeling confident and properly styled. the salon itself is also really cute, lots of natural light and open space! highly recommend amanda and elixir :) read more

Elixir Salon - the back! - Hair Stylists Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Absolutely loved my experience at Elixir and my very talented hair stylist, Sondra. I came in having a small idea of what I wanted for my haircut and color, but was definitely open to more guidance. Sondra answered my questions and explained my options with unwavering confidence. I was at the salon for almost 4 hours, but the wait was completely worth it because I knew Sondra wouldn't want me to leave without getting my color just right. She was constantly checking in with me to make sure I was comfortable, including if I was open to her adding some more color than we originally discussed because she thought it would look better. I told her to go for it if she thought it was best. Turns out, a little bit of trust goes a loooonnng way. I absolutely LOVE my new look. And I didn't even need to re-style it when I got home (which I often find myself needing to do) -- she styled it just the way I wanted!! read more

Elixir Salon - Hair Stylists Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Alexandra has a team of pros making sure that everyone looks like a rock star! I highly recommend Elixir Salon and would give 6 stars if I could! read more

One star cause I was not happy with how my hair color turned out. My hair went flat the very next day! I have been coloring my hair for a very long time. I have had better experience in other salon. Plus my hair colorist Rose did not blow dry my hair completely after shampoo. And my hair texture was frizzy! I called next day with my concern, not a complaint. The receptionist said she will pass the message to Rose but it's been two weeks I have not heard back yet! I feel like I did not get $185+ 15% tips worth of service. read more

Let me start by saying if you need your hair done KASI is who you want to see . Her work is flawless . She is very meticulous and wants your hair to look and feel amazing . She really takes pride in her work and that is very hard to find . Definitely recommend read more

Elixir is a solid little salon. Nice folks. accessible in West Berkeley. Comfortable My review is probably really for Genevieve Palogan. I've been seeing her for 8 yrs - first at ARTBEAT and now at Elixir. Gen as a person is warm, funny, open minded, very intelligent and solid. As a stylist Gen has a ton of experience. She listens actively. She tells you when what you're describing is probably not going to work well for you. As a colorist she's an artist. She's got a great eye for color and she mixes colors and can add all kinds of neat things - not just typical highlights. The salon is not cheap. I have found using an excellent stylist and colorist helps greatly with my looks and hair maintenance and saves me money in long run. I highly recommend her. read more

I have had Geneiveve cut and color my hair several times now and she always does an amazing job. She uses a blending dye that darkens my hair but still looks natural and slowly fades over time so no roots. If you wanna look ten years younger have Geneiveve cut and color your hair. read more

Noel did an amazing job on my hair!!! He has super great ideas and gave me the most beautiful vibrant red color!! My hair is super healthy and looks amazing i couldnt be more pleased read more

Poor customer service. I moved to the bay area about a year ago and was searching out a new Aveda salon. I came across positive reviews for Elixer and decided to stop by... Mistake #1: apparently you should not just "stop by" a salon- they already have enough business. Two Elixer employees were sitting outside (nice day, can't blame them) eating their lunch, and when I went inside to check the place out, made no move to come in. I waited a few minutes, motioned, and one of them came in and (with a mouth full of food) said could they help me in a few minutes? OK. Turn off. Mistake #2 (why did it take 2x?): stopped in this evening to buy a gift certificate (easy $ for them) and the stylist in the salon said, could I come back or wait for a half an hour for her to help me? Granted, she was doing hilights, but another stylist was doing a cut in the back and could have taken 2 minutes. The first explained that their "shop" hours were only until 5pm (it was 5:45) and that she really should have put a sign up. Dear Elixer: A few words of advice: put it online, put a sign up, teach your people a thing or two about customer service. I will continue to be a supporter of Artbeat Salon on Solano. read more

Ohh this place is cool. It's easy to see from the cutest tree lined street. My wait was not long at all and upon getting there was greeted warmly. The place is very small, I think I only spotted four or five chairs? So it's got a neighborhood kind of vibe to it. My stylist was really sweet and worked with me to get a shadow root applied to my platinum hair. She managed to match the semi permanent color to my natural hair pretty well which isn't easy since I had no regrowth at all and my hair is light which means doesn't hide much if there's a mistake- it's been weeks and I can't tell where the dye is and my natural root starts even though some of the color has lifted. I will be sure to come back to get it redone for a more permanent color. She also really understood how attached I was to the length of my hair and just gave me some barely there long layers to dispose of the dead ends. I felt so pretty and was really, really satisfied with the results. I really felt listened to and understood. Thanks! read more