The articles I read when trying to find this shop say that the owners name is Sarah. She introduced herself to me as ZARAH so that is how I'm going to refer to her. She was incredibly knowledgeable. My wife and I were looking for a replacement for Mielle. Zarah recommend product called Organic Natural Girl. I was also looking for a Tumeric soap to help my skin and she gave me two choices. Zarah's skin looked great aonai aaked which one she used and went with that. Lastly she gave me something to keep my beard moisturized called Nature's Blessings. She made me feel welcomed and treated me like a long-lost brother or play-cousin. read more

Picked up a few hair packs before a braiding appointment, and had a beautiful experience. Zahra is simply wonderful, knowledgeable, and kind. Thank you for all of your help. I am a happy customer and will be back! read more

Love this store. The owner is soooooo kind. The selection of items is a bit smaller but you'll be able to find most things.

The lovely woman inside was so helpful, and allowed me to browse while offering her knowledge. I couldn't recommend this place enough! It was my first time buying hair for my daughter's braids, and she helped me get the right amount of hair, as well as a spray to keep her scalp moisturized. read more

Amazing store. Great owner. I normally am weary of going to beauty supply stores but needed to do my hair so I went here. I am glad I went I have never felt more welcomed before! I spent like 30 minutes in there because of me being indecisive, just me being able to stand in there and think without the worry of being unwelcome went away. I was also able to find everything I needed! I will definitely be making this my goto store from here on out. I definitely encourage you all to shop there too! read more

Auntie Sarah (as she kindly asked me to call her immediately upon entering her shop) has such beautiful and graceful energy and is incredibly knowledgeable about her products and hair in general. I very rarely write reviews but I was just so impressed with her and her store and I wanted to share it with others because I know how hard it is to find a good beauty supply store. The fact that you can also support a local woman owned business is a lovely added bonus. Go see Auntie Sarah, no need to go anywhere else. read more

The most welcoming hair supply I've been to. She pays attention to her customer's needs and knows about the products she sells. ANDDDD black owned !!! Can't get any better. Prices for hair products are pretty reasonable as well. You can either do street parking or across the street at the dollar tree. read more

Essence Beauty Supply - Entrance - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Oakland, California

Drove all the way from San Mateo to come meet the owner becuase of all the positive things i've heard about her and the store. I went with my mom and as soon as we walked in we were greeted and welcomed with love. She spoke to us as if we were family. Her energy is so authentic and gravitating. She shared with us the history of the store. Very inspiring. Yall please go support black business! she has GREAT customer service and she deserves all good things. this will be my regular go to hair store . Plus her prices are the BEST! read more

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Auntie Sarah was kind and knowledgeable helping me pick out hair for a crochet style I'm trying out. She has a good selection of braiding hair and I picked up a few staples I've been needing to refill. Knowing this beauty supply is black owned, I'll be back more often. I recommend because the prices are reasonable and the high quality service is what i was surprised by. read more

Essence Beauty Supply - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Oakland, California

Love this place been going here since 1995. No matter where I live in northern Cali I will always drive here.

The owner is really sweet with a big selection and I love supporting small women owned businesses :-)

Love this place simply because it is one of the last Black owned beauty supplies in the Bay Area. Sarah the owner is so kind they specialize in natural hair care and branding hair supplies. This is actually the only palaces I can find a few specific products that I use for my loc clients. Don't come here looking for sew-in, wigs, or chemical treatments for your hair. An Oakland gem read more

Just shopped here and the lady (who I assume is the owner) is the sweetest gem! She said to call her auntie Sara and she knew everything up and down that store like the back of her hand and recommended some great new products I'm excited to go try! Best service ever for a beauty supply store, I felt like I was at home read more

Essence Beauty Supply - Deep conditioner and curl cream - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Oakland, California

This is such a nice, small beauty supply full of all your basic hair needs. And you'll get greeted by the nicest, sweetest store owner around, Sarah. Eager to help and take a selfie, Sarah's just a wonderful presence in this black owned store. Gels, brushes, combs and hair galore, I found myself circling the store a few times. Not because I was lost (it is a small store) but because there was a variety of brands to check out. I appreciated the small but mighty style. I found the braiding hair and brushes that I wanted. There was a hair oil that I couldn't find here. But I showed Sarah a picture of it and she promised to order it and have in stock just for me! Talk about customer service. Support black women-owned small businesses! They're true hidden gems worth seeking out. read more

Essence Beauty Supply - Inside - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Oakland, California

A really friendly and great place. Keep this business alive. It is the only African run beauty supply in Oakland

Essence Beauty Supply has been in our Lake Merritt community for several years. The owner, Sarah greets you every time with a warm smile. The shop is small and there's a select chose of brands but if you ask, they'll be able to suggest other items that will fit your needs. Please support we need other shop owners like Sarah, filled with genuine love for all. She's the real deal. read more

Small store, but had exactly what we came for. The owner was a friendly woman who was really sweet! She was knowledge and talkative. The prices weren't bad. There was a lot of hair! All types and colors. I don't even need any but it made me want to buy bundles, lol. read more

Essence Beauty Supply - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Oakland, California

Went here a while ago, Sunday, March 27, 2022. Here on yelp time said they opened at 8:30am. I went there at 8:30am and waited 30 minutes til 9am and the store owner came to open the store. She said I had the wrong time and I let her know it was the wrong time on here. It says they've updated their time so hopefully it is right now. The store had exactly what I needed, but items are on the pricier side. This business is black owned! read more

This is the only place I can find The Roots Braid Spray. Owners are kind and helpful. The shop was small, but I was able to get what I needed. read more

Great Black owned Beauty Supply!!! The owner is such a sweet lady. She is so friendly and helpful.. I recommend this place to anyone

I no longer live in the Bay and I still come back here whenever I'm in town for my loc gel (that somehow no one else carries) and maintenance beauty supplies. Sarah is super sweet, friendly and always helpful. I do wish this place was bigger to accommodate more supply but I also understand the struggle of maintaining a black woman owned business in the midst of a place constantly trying to erase your existence. So I support however I can. read more

I believe the woman who greeted us was the owner/Sarah. Omg, the sweetest woman!! Went in for braiding hair. Showed her an example picture and she knew exactly what colors to pull for me! Good price ($3.99/pack). Small store, but had tons of good products. Will be going back to her in the future. Such a happy experience. One thing to note, parking is a little limited. Had to park across the street and run in quick lol. But won't the trip for sure. read more

Essence Beauty Supply - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Oakland, California

I absolutely LOVE Lumpy's! The food is amazing!, and the mimosas hit the spot! My kids go to breakfast spot!!! 10 outta 10!!!!

Forgot to write my review months ago so here I go. Sarah, the owner, is such a sweet, beautiful woman who happily greets you as you enter! She's also Black so #supportBlackownedbusinesses!!! I love her and will be coming to her to buy all my beauty needs and wants. I ended up staying longer than expected bc we started talking about stuff and my vacation and family and what not lol. Anyway, she gave me suggestions on which hair to buy since she didn't have one of the specific brands/styles I was looking for and it worked out great! Even though it isn't as big as other beauty supply stores you may find, it has all the basic stuff you need and trust me she got hella stuff so whatever you need she got or got an alternative to. She even said she'll look into getting the specific brand/style that I was looking for! So yeah if she doesn't have something you are looking for, let her know and she will find an alternative for you or get an order of it going for next time you stop by. read more

Quarantine means it's time to do crazy hair projects- and I wanted to dye my boyfriends hair blue. After a few YouTube tutorials, I felt ready to grab my supplies and Essence Beauty was a perfect, convenient answer for my needs! I called to make sure they had the right dye in stock and the lady on the phone was very helpful, she put my hair color on hold until I arrived. The price was $1-2 cheaper than Sally's for a comparable product, though this small shop has fewer selections. It's great to support local, black owned small business when possible! Loved this neighborhood shop- I'll be back next time I need beauty supplies! read more

Essence Beauty Supply - Vibrant semipermanent hair dye and brush - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Oakland, California

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Limited supply and very unorganized. The lady was more focused on her personal telephone call and missed an opportunity for my purchase. I really wanted to support this business but it didn't meet my needs or expectations. read more

Love this place! The owner is so sweet and caring! Please support this business. #BlackOwned enough said! read more

I was glad to meet Sarah the owner. This is not a large store and did not have the hair I was initially looking for but was more pleased with the alternative she offered. She was very welcoming as soon as I entered and helpful. She has enough inventory that I was able to get other items on my list. I will continue to patronize her store even though I live 50 miles away. Whenever in Oakland, I will come here. read more

This is a nice place to go get your hair supplies. The workers are really nice and helpful. I love the atmosphere here. They have everything you need. If you can't find what you are looking for... The workers will surely help you. The prices are reasonable as well. I will definitely be back again. read more

This sister Zarah is so sweet and professional. I've been going to her store since she opened it years ago. I prefer spending my money with Black businesses; being that is the mindset of Oakland natives as myself. #RootingForEverybodyBlack read more

I love the essence of Essence Beauty Supply! My name is Shauna, My daughter Kayla and I shop there for most of our hair/self-care needs. We are always greeted with smiles and kindness. The owner and her sons are always eager to assist with class A service! I am a forever customer of Essence Beauty Supply! ​ read more

I called this place and I asked them if they had face cradle covers disposable face cradle covers they said yes .I came all the way from Pleasanton to 18th St. in East Oakland and I get to the shop and they tell me that there's no shop there and I called again right in front of the shop and their phone rang so they lied to me and when I got here they said they didn't have them and I actually called first before I got out here. Very disappointing very unprofessional I do not recommend this place. read more

Black owned hair supply store! We enjoyed talking to the friendly and attentive owner about the history of her family's business and the community. read more

Essence Beauty Supply - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Oakland, California

This is the best beauty supply in Oakland. The owner Sara is such a sweetheart. When you enter the store she greets you with a warm hello and a hug. She carries all of my natural hair needs and did I mention that the store is BLACK owned! Sara is very knowledgeable and is a veteran in the beauty supply world. Sara and the store are rare gems that we all can appreciate and should support. read more

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I have been a customer for over 20 years. I feel like I am visiting a sweet relative whenever I come by. Sarah is always so knowledgeable, kind, and helpful. Whenever her children are at the store helping out, it's the same feeling. I usually get my Taliah Wahib and Eco gel from here. There is a nice selection of hair trinkets especially if you wear braids, twists, or curls. She also has a neat collection of costume jewelry in case you have to pick up any last minute accessories before a night out on the town. The best part is that she opens early enough so that if needed, you can get your necessities before work or school. read more

Ms. Sarah is the sweetest shop owner I think I've met. First time I visited her shop, she offered me a kind greeting. This in itself is a lost art. Not many sales associates, shop owners welcome you in with a nice greeting. I must've walked around inside of her shop about 3 or 4x. And if you've been there, you know it's not a big shop. She noticed that I was a clueless father trying to figure out which products would work best for my emerging teenage daughter. She then offered exceptional guidance. She didn't try to upsell me or trick me into buying more than I needed. If I need hair stuff for my girl, I go to Essence:) Thank you, Ms. Sarah read more

1- Black owned and comparatively price beauty supply. I have nothing but good things to say about the integrity of the workers/owners of this business. I bought the wrong hair yesterday came back today to exchange for the correct product. *2-No hassle just the heart warming affirmation " No problem, get what you need" when replied "thank you" she replied "We are family". *3- Now who doesn't want to do business with family? I certainly do and will be back support this business continuously. read more

I had been trying to get to this spot for a very long time. The staff and owner were helpful in helping me find the right product for my hair. read more

What a lovely lady! I felt very welcomed and they had the products I needed for a reasonable price. I will definitely be returning. And it's right in my neighborhood! read more

This is now my go to beauty supply. The owner (told me to call he Auntie) is very nice and she makes sure to get ALL of her products from Black vendors. She doesn't jack up the prices on the products she sells and to be honest she had all of the essentials so there really isn't a need to go elsewhere. And if out do find that she doesn't have a particular product that you use, then all you have to do is let Auntie know and it'll be there within two weeks or so. read more