Went based on the reviews here - I can confirm that Darren is legit as everyone says and to get your hair cut by him is both an incredible feeling and for observers. He is a master, a true craftsman - you can sense it as he's cutting your hair; there is no wasted movement, no fumbling of different razors, no extraneous moments of pausing. You can sense the skill and expertise and care in his movements he's cutting your hair - with both an eye for the practical as well as the stylish, Darren is hands down the best stylist I have ever had in my life. He weaved in this super subtle stylish pattern into the hair that was so detailed yet subtle - it fit exactly what I was looking for. And I didn't come in memorizing the cuts or numbers or with photos in hand of what I wanted. Instead, I just talked a bit about my head shape, my past cuts, and the "feeling"/vibes I was going for. Darren NAILED it without subjecting me from having to flip through thousands of stock mail haircut photos. There are just some people who are so damn good at their craft that you just know they know. They don't need those things and know exactly what works for you so long as you trust them to do it without getting in their way. My mom was so impressed just watching Darren's skill cutting my. hair that she said to me right after my cut how she plans on getting her hair cut by Darren next time! What a cool dude, wonderful clean saloon, true genuine care for haircuts (I was a new customer and didn't go in based on any references or having met Darren before) - this is a hidden gem! For $25 it's a steal. Please support Darren and this wonderful business in Los Gatos. Tired of your current haircut and stylist? Not sure they get what you're going for? Tired of printing out celebrity photos and trying to copy paste their haircuts to your head? Tired of memorizing #1 or random integers to apply to your hair? Want a LOOK and not a haircut? THIS is the place to go and Darren is the man for it. read more

Darren took the time and gave me the haircut I wanted based off of a sketch I found online. He was very meticulous with how much he took off the top and sides and gave me a super fresh fade. He is upfront about what he can do but will is always willing to give the styles I ask for a try. The thing that really does it for me is that he works on giving you the haircut that you can keep looking fresh in for as long of a time as possible so that you're not just burning money and time on cuts every weekend. Super professional, highly recommend! read more

First Look Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Los Gatos, California

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Darren is fantastic and super friendly. I remember the first time I showed him a picture of the cut I wanted, he offered his own suggestions. I decided to go with that instead and sure enough, it ended up looking better than what I'd originally asked for. If you just let him do his thing, he'll do a good job. There's plenty of barber shops near me, but I'm more than happy to drive an extra 20 minutes to get my cut done here, and I think that says a lot. read more

Darren is legit, found him from his old haircut place in Mountain View and followed him to south San Jose at his new shop. Very attentive and detail oriented. He understood what I wanted and was able to give my the haircut that I like. Darren's skills with dual razor is unmatched!! read more

My parents and I were walk ins and we got 2 pedicures, 1 hair cut, and 2 root touch ups. At first the service was excellent. My issue was when I tried to get my nails done. I asked for a full set, and me being me, I like my nails long... When I told ANNIE the length that I wanted her to cut my plastic tips at, she said no and cut them short. Then when she finished cutting all 10 fingers she asked me if I liked the length.... uh no hun I don't. Obviously these are MY nails so I wasn't looking for an opinion I just wanted them cut at the length I liked. She rolled her eyes, took a deep breath, and said, "Woooooow, are you sure? I have to take them all off if you want them longer" and then shook her head like this was my fault. THENNNN, she said the funniest thing ever to me, she said " When I shape your nails it will LOOK longer." How? How will you magically make my short nails longer by filing it DOWN? I told her no, I wanted them the length that I said and she told me that I "wasted her acrylics"... sis you didn't even put acrylic powder on me‍ WHAT DO YOU MEAAAANNN She finally started to cut my tips off all annoyed and with an attitude, she didn't even realize that she was about to cut my finger. I pulled my hand away from her and just left. DO NOT GOOOOO HERE read more

Darren is one of the best barber I've ever met. He knows exactly what's need to be done and give a lot of good advice. Decent price and worth every penny. read more

Worst manicure I have ever made. While chatting to her friend the owner of the salon Nancy (other girls there are even worse) unevenly cut off cuticle with unsanitarized instruments. None of the ten nails are properly covered with shellac. The picture is attached. Definitely my last time there. read more

First Look Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Los Gatos, California

First time here and they were polite. Tim did my hair and he was patient and kind due to I have A lot of thick hair. I'm sure I will go back:) read more

First Look Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Los Gatos, California

Been going to see Darren for my cuts for months before at his old spot in Sunnyvale. When I found out he had moved I had to find out where he went to and luckily I did. Has always done a great job with my hair and working with me to try out some different styles. Takes his time and does a really thorough job making sure everything is just right. I've grown to trust and like his cuts so I'll drive farther out to San Jose to make sure I continue to get my cuts with him. Highly recommended and never disappointed. read more

Went in on a whim with a picture and a hope and Nancy took such beautiful and thoughtful care of my trim and style that I quite literally stopped some traffic. Thank you so much! You will be my go-to stylist from now on and First Look will be my recommended salon going forward!! read more

My first experience about this salon was unexpected, i was booking appointment with a stylist name Darren for the hair cuts and color, the salon was so clean with great services, Darren is a truth artist he take over 4 hrs to color my hair and the resolved like OMG best hair color i ever had he very talented and pay attention to details on my hair, i would definitely recommend this salon for anyone our there who want to get the hair done i posted my pictures for you guys to take a look omg again thank you so much Darren. i'm sold to you from now on. read more

First Look Salon - I love my hair so much thank you Darren - Hair Salons Near Me - Los Gatos, California

Darren is the man. Upon hearing that he moved here, I made the 30 minute drive just to get my hair cut by him. He recognized me and made sure it was worth the time. He knows exactly how to cut your hair and pays close attention to the details. Absolutely loved the cut. Doesn't hurt that he is super friendly as well :) read more

I've been a loyal client of Darren for a few years now and he has never disappointed. He shows lots of care and consideration to what you want your haircut to look like now and how it will grow out between haircuts. How many other places can say they do that?I will continue to trust my haircut to him! read more

My young teen doesn't trust anyone but Darren with his hair. It always comes out better than he hopes, he says. Darren is wonderfully warm and patient, and takes the time to make sure both of my sons get the exact cut they want and know how to style it. For the one who colors his hair, Darren walks him through the options and then goes to the next level, tweaking color combinations for a final look that leaves my son glowing with happiness read more

First Look Salon - Cut and color by Darren -- shades of red, violet, orange and black - Hair Salons Near Me - Los Gatos, California

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If you haven't noticed from all the positive reviews already... Darren is a champ. Been cutting my hair for just over a year and hasn't disappointed once. He's constantly looking at improving his skills, respects your time, and always keeps you lookin' fresh. He truly cares for his customers and it shows. read more

Darren is my go-to guy. He works with you on what you want and goes beyond your expectations. It's always been great visiting Darren and each time has been good. The price for a cut is not bad compared to other shops and is actually pretty low for the type of service you get. read more

I tried many salon and was not satisfied with any until I found First Look. I'll definitely come back again & recommend others to check it out! Darren is a knowledgeable, and artistic hair stylist. I love my new look! read more

I have been having my hair cut by Darren every 3-4 weeks for the last 3 years. Darren is the best barber I have come across, not only because he is a master of his craft, but he is an amazing person to have a genuine conversation with. His skill with the scissors is unmatched and his ability to fade is second nature. He understands hair on a fundamental level. He also give excellent recommendations for hair health and styles. I don't trust many people with my hair, but I trust Darren enough to give him the freedom to try whatever he wants with my hair. I cannot recommend him enough. read more

Nope... NEVER again! Worst decision I've made in years!!! Thought I would try this salon based on a few reviews and a groupon... Well let's just say I would even love to get my $$ back!! First off, no very friendly when I walked in. I paid for a groupon; shampoo, cut and style! The lady told me to style my hair would be an extra $15 dollars!! "Style" means blow drying? Then after washing she stated she only has time to cut one length so if I don't like the length well pretty much too bad! I showed her a pic and said shoulder length! A nice trim and still need to be able to put it up in a pony tail.... Well needless to say she chopped it and I was telling her to stop her response "no honey your ok" no... I'm NOT ok! When she was done it was choppy, uneven and awful!! The mama her finally stepped in and in order to fix it had to chop it short, it still looks pretty ridiculous although the manager was very nice it still doesn't fix the fact that they have someone working there that has no idea what she is doing!!! She said sorry and offered me a free manicure next time. No thanks!! Yes it's hair, it grows back. But still wasn't necessary to chop all my hair off when i asked for a trim!!! read more

I've been a client of Darren's for more than a year, and let me tell you, he knows what he's doing. I've been to a lot of barbers/salons and no one's really known how to how to cut my hair like he does. In my case, my hair isn't easy to cut because it has multiple swirls going in different directions. Darren has come up with a long-term solution to work through this case of mine and in the meantime keeps my hair looking fresh. Needless to say, Darren is a magician--he's detailed in his work and does so in a timely manner with his cuts. Do yourself a favor and give him a try at your next visit. read more

I love how Nancy is very patient with what I want. She makes sure that she satisfies her clients and do the best she can to deliver what the client wants. This is the only place where my whole family gets pampered. Thank you so much Nancy for the job well done! I love my nails so much read more

First Look Salon - I love my rose gold champagne nails. Thank you so much nancy!! - Hair Salons Near Me - Los Gatos, California

Worst experience. I haven't touched my hair in a while. I wanted something new, I always wear it up so I went here cause of the good reviews. When I called she said $100 but when I got there and she saw the picture I wanted she said $160. I said as long as you can do it, that's fine. My hair came out fried , falling out, plus she was trying to brush it out yanking locks of my hair out. She put a silver toner when I told her I wanted blonde. She said if u wanted blonde you should've said so, really? I Never once said I wanted it silver. I showed her a picture of what I wanted. She did add another toner to try and fix it so it looked better than it would've of with the first silver one . Honestly, I think she just left the bleach on too long, because she was busy cutting someone's hair, causing my hair to thin out and fry. And the toner was not what I wanted at all. My hair is now very dry, and I have uneven three inch-long fried hair on the right side of my head. The other lady gave me some samples to help strengthen my hair for my inconvenience, to my surprise when I opened it up the following day to put some on, it was open and empty! Oh my god I couldn't believe it. OverallThe lady's there were both nice, So I was hesitant to post this, but I wish I was warned before I went there. To top it off they showed me pictures of hair they did that came out nice, I'm like ok? My hair looks nothing like this. Obviously you don't wanna take a picture because mine was not a good job. I would've respected them more if they said from the beginning that they couldn't do it. She also said that blonde didn't go with my skin tone. Ok, that's why you are the professional and should say this before agreeing to do my hair. I went to a salon so I can feel beautiful. I feel like a hideous beast read more

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They ruined my hair and I I thiNk they are under new ownership or something didn't listen to what I said aND did a completely different hair cut read more

My co-worker referred me to this salon and told me that they just had a grand opening this month, so I decided to try it out. And I am happy to say that I absolutely loved my hair cutting experience! So a little about the salon overall. It is very clean and organized and all of the stations are brand new. They have new salon chairs, new manicure stations, hair washing stations, hair drying and styling chairs, pedicure/spa chairs, etc. It is a relatively large salon with beautiful decorations, framed pictures, designs and images on the walls. Very professional looking. The workers were very friendly and they were really easy to talk to. They made me feel comfortable and knew exactly what haircut and hairstyle would match me the best. The person who cut my hair was actually the owner, Nancy. She was very nice and very charming. I told her that I wanted a new style but something that wasn't too much. And that she can decide what to do with my hair. She ended up trimming my hair a few inches and gave me a gorgeous A-line cut and bangs, which I never thought I could pull off. After that, she washed and conditioned my hair and I don't know what she did but my hair felt so much softer and healthier! She also blew dry and styled my hair and gave me some tips on how to work my new hair style. Amazing hairstylist and great customer service! I will definitely come back here next time! Also, I didn't know this but she told me after that they have a Groupon page and I could receive like 50% off my next hair cut. Pretty amazing deal! I will use it next time I come. Overall great salon and amazing stylists! I just cannot get over how great my hair looks! Try this salon out! You will not regret it! And since you can get a huge discount. Why not? read more

Every time I go in they always seem to increase their prices $1 or $2 here and there hoping no one will notice or say anything . Today they charged me $15 for a color change (nail polish only) on my toes. It used to be $10. I feel ripped off and will not be back. read more

My friend recommended me this salon and all I can say is WOW I'm usually quite picky about going to a new Salon, but honestly no regret here. First and foremost, the salon isn't too expensive and the experience was undeniably unique and awesome! I went in thinking of getting a specific cut (but knowing my indecisive self) I sat down and a load of ideas flowed out of my head. Fortunately the staff was very sweet and kind, setting a good atmosphere with jokes and ultimately helping me battle my himming and hawwing about what to do with myself (ughh a never ending battle with the mirror) In any case, they were beyond kind and I got a fantastic cut!! I wish I had some proper before and after pictures to display because it was simply diving, and I felt compelled to write this Yelp review afterwards solely for that reason. In addition to getting a creative, new, and fitting cut I also would like to point out at how the atmosphere is very VERY clean, with all new equipment and tools. It was at the same time very professional with hint of chic feel. I walked in an had a good feeling right away, which usually isn't the case for many salons. Unfortunately I chickened out of dyeing my hair (like I always do) but I'm pretty eager and excited about the hair removal and looking forward to going back to try it out. This salon is definitely worth a visit and I'm really considering a long term relationship!!~ read more

Nancy is fantastic! I tried out her salon because of its proximity to our home, and I was impressed from the start. She keeps her business very clean and inviting, and her rates are extremely reasonable. She cuts and colors my hair, and does my husband's and two little boys' hair as well. She is extremely careful and focused on doing a great job on each cut. She is very kind to my children, making them feel comfortable and happy. Nancy has a separate area for mani-pedi in the salon-one stop shopping! The last time I went in I got a pedicure while my hair color was setting-a great use of time. Now I feel confident from my head to my toes! Thank you, Nancy and First Look Salon! read more

Darren Van has been cutting my hair for the past three years. He is very talented and an amazing guy. read more

First Look Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Los Gatos, California

Darren so talented !! I love what he did with my hair !!! If you wanna get awesome nails talk to Nancy!! read more

First Look Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Los Gatos, California

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I love First Look Salon for all my needs. I get my hair trimmed by Nancy. Great job. She does how I want it and its not expensive. I get all my pedicures done here. Polish lasts a long time. My 8 year old gets her nails done. And believe it or not, the polish lasts over 5 days on her fingers. I cant believe it myself. That's why I let her get her nails done, because I get my monies worth. I also get my waxes done here. and my sons hair cut also. Its very clean. Nice. Inviting. Cold/hot water served and tea. Bahthroom is very clean and cute. I will not go to any public bathrooms, but First Look salon, I will. :) Love Nancy and her employees. read more

First time here and we loved it. I got a pedicure and the service and result was outstanding. Nancy (the owner) was very helpful, nice and went out of her way to make sure I was happy with the result. The equipment is brand new as the salon barely opened last month. So you will for sure have the best of the experiences. My girlfriend got a new look/haircut and Nancy delivered exactly as the picture that she was shown. The final result was better than the picture and she was very happy with the whole experience. We will definitely be back and be regular customers. The place itself is really clean and spacious. There are three stations for nails/manicure and three stations for the spa pedicure with comfortable massage chairs. And a total of six stations for haircuts. Cannot wait for the next visit! :) read more

Very pleased with the service and price. Highly recommend this business. I found this business on Groupon. This is the only place I will go to for all of my needs. read more

I was so nervous to cut my hair short, but they were so kind and gave me a beautiful cut! Haven't had hair this short since 6th grade! I love it so much and I will definitely be back! read more

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Darren is the best of the best. Dedicated to his work and customers. I've been coming to Darren for over 2 years. Do you want to know how good Darren is? I drive 40 minutes from Fremont to Los Gatos to have him do his magic on my hair, that's how good he is. read more

I came here to get my nails done and sadly the lady I got was very rude. She kept yelling at me and moving my hands all crazy and being ruff while taking off my acrylics and slapping my hands to get my attention. I after asked if I could get a manicure and pedicure. MY NAILS LOOKED HORRIBLE!!! She didn't even give me a manicure she just put the color and and it looked chunky and my nails weren't even filed evenly. Toward the end she finally started acting right. But never again will I return to this salon. First impressions are important and they failed. read more

First Look Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Los Gatos, California

First look salon was an amazing experience! I was welcomed as soon as I walked in and got the best haircut I've EVER had at a very affordable price. Darren did such an awesome job that i asked this wizard with clippers what days he works because i dont want anyone else to cut my hair but him. I was surprised to find that a guy with that much skill only works 3 days a week. An easy 5 and 2 thumbs up from me! Thanks to my boy Darren in advance for all the girls numbers I will get from this fresh and modern new look! I will defiantly be back soon! read more

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I walked in needing a terribly over due manicure. The service was amazing. Very friendly staff. Clean salon and the end result (mani and pedi) was excellent. Prices were competitive and in a lot of cases, less than other salons with not as good results as I got today. I will be frequenting this salon often. read more

My daughter had a very positive experience getting her nails done. She was the only one in the salon and all of the safety measures were being followed. read more

They did an ok job with the hair cut. Lady who did the my hair was incompetent.They did a terrible blow dry for the hair. Worst of all is eye brow Waxing. Both the eyebrows are uneven length. They totally screwed it. read more

I came here two weeks ago. Poor service, expensive cost, my hair is very ugly, after I told Nancy, she did not admit her fault, she also scolded me. I will never go back read more