The best haircut of my life, and I learned how to style it. I came in wanting long layers that would add volume, remove weight, and give my long hair a beautiful shape. Kenny matched my reference photo and adjusted the cut for my hair type instead of copying it blindly. The result has movement and body without feeling heavy. What set him apart was how much he taught me. I always thought blow-drying meant flipping my head upside down and calling it a day. He showed me how to zigzag my hair to find its natural fall, then blow-dry in the opposite direction of that pattern. When I mentioned I was learning to use a Dyson, he built that into the appointment and patiently taught me the air-wrap, which I'd been struggling with through online tutorials. He also tailored his maintenance and styling tips to my actual lifestyle. His business practices are just as sincere. No upselling, a fair price, and clear communication about his schedule. When my appointment ran late because of my work schedule, he was gracious and accommodated me. QUICK NOTE FOR BOOKING: Kenny is an independent stylist renting space in a salon center, so you'll need to schedule directly through his phone number rather than through the salon. I'd recommend Kenny to anyone who wants a precise, personal cut and leaves understanding their own hair. I'll definitely be back! read more

Today was my first time seeing Kenny. I was referred by my nail tech Linh and all I can say is WOW. I truly appreciate Kenny's years of experience and expertise, especially the way he explained how I can style my hair and what my hair type actually is. It was really nice having someone break it down in a way that helped me understand how my hair works. I've always had trouble styling my hair because it's heavy and fine, so whenever I add products it just falls flat. Kenny was incredibly knowledgeable and walked me through what I need to do to get volume. In all my years of getting haircuts, I've never had a stylist take the time to explain things so clearly and help me understand how to achieve the looks I want. He also showed me a quick way to curl my hair, which amazed me. I'm really glad I met Kenny. He definitely has a new loyal client. read more

Been meaning to post a review for the last month. Got a lucky last minute spot after calling Kenny for the first time for a haircut. I hadn't had a haircut in close to 2 years since I had a baby. As soon as I sat down, Kenny looked at my hair and knew all my problems areas (thinning in the front from postpartrum, flat/lack of volume) and was giving me tips throughout the appointment. I got a hair wash, cut, and dry and Kenny made everything very comfortable. I wanted something low maintenance since my baby boy kept pulling at my hair. Kenny gave me subtle layers using only a single scissors and did a technique in which the layers were more in the middle back section so that it wouldn't take away from the front which was thinning. I love how light it turned out and I've been able to maintain it with his advice. I will be reaching out to get my hair colored to cover up my white/gray hairs. read more

I recently moved from socal and have yet to find a hairstylist who I can trust. However, after my session with Kenny, safe to say that I finally found one here in the bay! Kenny was very knowledgeable, professional, and really kind throughout the whole appointment. He took the time to listen to what I wanted, explain what would work best for my hair, and made me feel comfortable and confident in the process. I also really appreciated that he checked in on me afterwards to make sure I was still happy with the results. That level of care and thoughtfulness really stood out to me. I'm so glad I found him and would definitely recommend him to anyone looking for someone skilled, professional, and genuinely caring. read more

I'm terrible because I somehow have neglected to review my stylist that I've trusted for over 5+ yrs now on coloring & cutting my hair. Everytime I go see Kenny I end up spending a whole day there but it's worth it cuz I like to get it all done at once if possible. I don't have time to go to the salon super regularly and Kenny is also very popular so you have to book a month in advance. So I appreciate that Kenny helps me color and style in a manageable way for me to upkeep at home. With his clear direction and my own experience, Ive managed to upkeep the purple/grey balayage he did for me for a year + and still going He's also touched up my new growth and blended it in so well that I was actually able to go a whole year without going back to the salon cuz my new growth of black + new highlights + old grey/purple color actually layered together really smoothly and beautifully. Always received compliments on my hair. And I have always trusted Kenny for years :) he's also always super courteous and let's me pay with venmo Btw he colors my hair as more of a favor for me, cuz he normally doesn't have the schedule for it so please don't blame me if he says he only does haircuts !! read more

Kenny took the time to get to know me and my hair goals. He walked me through exactly what he would do based on my description and made recommendations based on my hair type. Kenny is super friendly and worked around my schedule to make sure my appointment was fully accommodated. Would definitely recommend! read more

Kenny did a great job in cutting my hair to the right layers, highly recommend this place !

Thank you Kenny for the professional and honest advice! He also offered advice on how to maintain the shape .

I got a high-layered long haircut from Kenny, and I couldn't be happier with the experience. He was incredibly patient and took the time to explain how I should take care of my hair in a way that's practical for my texture and lifestyle. What really stood out was how thoughtfully he customized the cut--not just copying a reference image, but refining it into something that suited me even better. The layering is the smoothest I've ever had--there's no harsh break between sections, just a soft, seamless flow that gives my hair so much movement and shape. Even halfway through the cut, I could already tell my hair looks a lot different. He also taught me a simple, effective way to style it on my own. It's rare to find someone so skilled and attentive. A good haircut really does lift your mood--and this one absolutely did! Highly recommend Kenny if you're looking for both technique and care in your hair styling! read more

Focus Beauty Center - Hair front - Hair Salons Near Me - Fremont, California

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My friend recommended Kenny to me. Kenny is very friendly and easy to communicate. I want to have hot perm. He spent quite some time to discuss the plan of the hairstyle. And reserved the whole afternoon for me to make the best result. My hair is kind of coarse and hard to perm. And I lost quite some hair after had a baby. He spent about 6.5 hours to make my hair look much much better. I am very satisfied with the results. He took a picture for me which I attached here. He is very professional and I will be here again. read more

Focus Beauty Center - hot perm - Hair Salons Near Me - Fremont, California

Kenny really took his time to understand what I was looking for and gave his opinion based on my hair type. Very knowledgeable and patient

I had a fantastic experience with Kenny! I found him by looking through Yelp reviews in the Fremont area. His space is located in the AUtomall Parkway complex by Homegoods. His studio clean and simple. He's very professional and organized - you can text him on the phone number listed here. He responds promptly and follows up with scheduled appointments through an automated text system with detailed instructions on how to get to his space. He's incredibly warm and friendly. I felt completely comfortable and our conversations were so insightful and flowy - was a refreshing experience! He took the time to understand my hair type and my preferences. It's clear he stays updated on the latest trends by traveling globally to get ongoing education. He explained that his professional approach focuses on creating practical, sustainable, and stylish hairstyles. I'm happy with my haircut - highly recommend for overall experience and results! read more

Went here because of a recommendation through a friend, and I'm so glad I did! Kenny gave me exactly what I was looking for and on top he gave me many tips and tricks on how to style my hair and just very good information and tips in general. I had a great experience and I will def be back for my next cut! read more

Kenny did a fantastic job with my hair cut. I usually get tension headaches within 3 months from the weight of my hair. But it took about 5 months before the weight of my hair was giving me headaches again. He also did an amazing job with the cut and styling of my hair. Talked me through the process and made sure I was happy with it every step of the way. read more

Did perm for the first time with Kenny, and I didn't regret it that I chose him. He's very knowledgeable. Taught me what to do and not what to do if you got your hair permed. Very professional. Thanks Kenny! read more

Kenny made my hair, my difficult overprocessed, extremely dry hair, look really good. Good to the point that the ends looks moisturized, supple and overall less frizzy. He did this by working with my hair type, which is naturally wavy and thick. He taught me how to easily replicate the look with just my hands. A great haircut is priceless. read more

I randomly found Kenny in the Fremont Area from Yelp when I was doing my nails in the area. I'm glad I chose him as my stylist today. Loved what Kenny did to my hair, Kenny is a great stylist, good communicator and a very caring person! I also appreciated how professional and polite he is during the entire process. He did exactly what I expected and even better. I have to say that the communication is smooth and overall experience is the best I have ever had. I wanted high layers and french bands so I showed him few picture, he asked questions when he thinks he wasn't sure what I meant and double confirmed with me all the details before he cuts. He was explaining all the techniques while he was cutting my hair so I understand better how the style became what it looks like. He also teaches me how to style my hair along the way which I appreciated a lot. He showed his professionalism and obviously cared about the client by doing so. I also noticed all the products he used are high quality and natural(low temp curl, best viewed hair brush, and fragrance free shampoo...）so it could minimize damage to your hair. You don't find a lot stylist like him who knows exactly what he is doing and can manage to meet your expectations with the skill sets while explaining the details to the client. Thank you Kenny! read more

Focus Beauty Center - The photo I showed - Hair Salons Near Me - Fremont, California

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I needed to find someone to trust with my hair and I've had some bad experiences. Found Kenny on yelp so I thought to give a try , trusting the reviews. I'm glad he's got his own space so that way he's only focusing on 1 customer at a time . My hair was dried and frizzy from non-maintenance for a while so I just asked for cut off unhealthy ends and style to frame face bit. He understood and showed me what's best to keep low maintenance as a busy mom. He also showed me how to style to give boost to my flat hair. Can't wait to come back for perm ! Also thanks for advice on parenting tips read more

Focus Beauty Center - Fringe curtain bangs fresh cut - Hair Salons Near Me - Fremont, California

I really appreciated Kenny taking the time to educate me about my hair and explaining how best to care for it. We worked out a plan to get my bangs back to where I want them and I trust that we will get there in 2-3 more sessions. read more

I came to Focus Beauty Center on a whim for my first professional cut, and I'm very happy! Kenny was very approachable, understood what I wanted really well, and was very honest about what was realistic for my hair texture and what would get me closer to my desired look! read more

First time getting a haircut with Kenny- very professional & the place has great ambiance. I appreciated that he explained to me why he cut my hair the way he did (hair type, to frame my face, etc.). He also gave me tips and taught me how to style my hair easily since I let him know that I usually don't have the extra time to style it daily. Overall a great experience & would definitely come back! Just make sure you have cash on you :) read more

Kenny is super friendly and professional! This was my first time booking a haircut with him, and he was very communicative during the entire process from making the appointment to the actual haircut. I really appreciated that he shared his knowledge and explained what he was doing throughout the haircut. He gave me plenty of advice for how to style my hair, and always made sure that I was happy with the length, thickness, etc. Great experience overall, thank you Kenny!! read more

Super happy with my haircut and overall experience!! I briefly described what I want/don't want, and Kenny was able to read my mind and describe exactly what he would do. I have lots of hair, and he was able to thin it out without it looking too thin, and created cute layers that is EASY to wear every day! And I appreciate the extra hair wash effort and styling at the end. I'm really glad I found such an experienced person nearby. read more

After few hour, I'm very excited about my new hair and its unique color .I love this new color and style.Thank you kenny, You are the best. Motion hair color and cut by Kenny Chao. read more

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Great ambience, amazing & detailed hair cut and also very kind hair stylist! Will definitely come back to Focus Beauty Center!

My first time to this salon for haircut with Ann. She is very professional and easy to communicate with (she speaks both Cantonese and Mandarin.) I originally want a short bob and showed some pictures with the styles but she can tell it right away those styles are not working with me. Then she carefully study my hair and suggest a better style. I glad I went with her suggestions. It turns out this is the best short hair style I ever had. She also knowledgeable with the routine care. She points out my oily hair was cause by the way how I shampoo it. I was blow away for the fact that I was washing my hair wrong all my life. She then teach me how to style and more tips to care my hair. Ann is skillful and care for her clients. Highly recommend! read more

I was checking Yelp to find a new hair stylist closeby me in the East Bay now that I've settled back here. Wanted to find someone who had a lot of legit good reviews, specialized in Asian hair, and paid attention to a hairstyle fitting each client. Kenny met all my expectations and more! I went in wanting to get a 1.5 in. trim and asked for his input and he mentioned a 2 in. would be better to get rid of the dry ends which I'm happy I followed. Kenny is good in taking what you want and providing his expert guidance as a hairstylist of over 26 years experience. After we settled on the hair style I wanted, he washes and dries your hair and then works his magic on your hair. He also provided a ton of helpful tips on how to style my hair and tools to use as he was styling my hair. Besides being extremely knowledgeable, Kenny is also a pleasure to talk to. I was very happy with the end result and even the next day even with no styling. Would definitely recommend Kenny and looking forward to coming back! read more

Got a Japanese strengthening and haircut from Ann! She is very professional and experienced. She tells me a lot of tricks on how to maintain my hair. Will definitely come back again! read more

Focus Beauty Center - Hair Salons Near Me - Fremont, California

I had my first visit at Focus Beauty Center yesterday, and I am convinced that I would definitely be returning in the future because the professionalism and very " time-saving", practical advice from Kenny. I presented him with "too many" Pinterest inspirations regarding the styles I wanted. After examining my hair natural texture with his keen eyes, he helped me to narrow down to a just above shoulder shorter haircut that would make most sense for my hair texture, and lifestyle ( aka: not spending too much time to up keep everyday). I especially appreciated that he focused on helping a client to create a style that not only looks great on the day of the appointment, but something that can be replicated at home. I also got color done during my visit. We also went through the process of going through my Pinterest inspirations, and he explained to me all the subtle differences on different types of " chocolate brown". Of course, he did a fantastic job on creating the vibrant but also translucent chocolate brown balayage effect that exceeded my expectations. After coloring and hair treatment, he reviewed the process with me in great details on how to apply the booster at home. He's also great in teaching client on styling tips and techniques, clarifying some myths on hair care. I found the experience was very educational as well. He offered two suggestions on final styling at the end- blow dry with hair brush for a straight and smooth finish with movement and subtle wave at the bottom, or just apply the right styling product ( mousse from Milbon) on wet hair after shampoo, then allow my wavy hair to air dry. He offered to demonstrate the second and not very conventional styling option because he believed that would be very time saving, but also a way to polish my " naturally wavy " hair texture. I opted to try the second idea. I was surprisingly pleased with the result and ease of the application. I think it was very refreshing to me that Kenny showed me a way to embrace my somewhat tricky hair texture. read more

Fantastic! Absolutely blown away by my appointment with Kenny at Focus Beauty Center today. After a bad experience with my previous salon, Kenny put me at ease straight away, asking relevant questions at the start and offering useful advice throughout the appointment. He has such a warm personality along with a magnificent talent. Very pleased with my haircut and overall experience and highly recommend this salon and Kenny in particular. Thank you! read more

Focus Beauty Center - Haircut by Kenny. - Hair Salons Near Me - Fremont, California

I went back for another haircut! Kenny has moved from his own salon to a suite in Salon by JC. I asked for a short bob cut and he cut my hair in a way that I never thought would suit me! I absolutely love the slight buzz cut in the back and the angling of the hair on both sides. I also had some dyed hair leftover so it looked really nice! $66 for a great haircut and a quick wash. I'm coming back again! :) read more

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So far I have booked appointments at Focus Beauty Center twice, and both appointments were with Angela/Anjela. Both time were very enjoyable. She takes her time with your hair and does her best to make you comfortable while there. This was the second time I came. I was scheduled to dye and cut my hair. I didn't know what I wanted to try, so I let her choose. I think it turned out amazing! She gave me different suggestions depending on my preferences (bold/not, long/short), even told me what kind of scalp/hair I have, and if it was okay to shampoo everyday and whatnot. The place can be a bit on the pricier side, but I think it is well worth the price for the amount of time and detail they put in for each customer. P.S. She also bought me milk tea while we were waiting to dye my hair. 10/10 experience. I will definitely be back when I need another haircut or want to color my hair again. read more

Focus Beauty Center - Hair Salons Near Me - Fremont, California

Great experience. Ann, the owner, is the first barber I've met in almost 30 years who would like to sit down and spend 20 minutes to discuss with me about my hair and correct my everyday hair care routine. (As far as I know, only hundreds dollars private barber would do this.) Along with her skills and experience, I understand why she could keep her reputation for 30 years. read more

This review is for Kenny Chao, and his fantastic hair cutting and coloring ability. I went to Kenny to get a full balayage and cut. It wasn't cheap but 100% worth it because he pays close attention to detail and is very skilled at what he does. He understood my needs and was able to achieve a beautiful color in only one step to help minimize damage to my hair. He also paid close attention to my request to keep the highlights looking more natural. His haircut was flattering as usual. Most of all, I appreciate that he is honest and does not try to push extra services to generate more profit. For reference, my cut and balayage cost $272 without tip and he spent about 3.5 hours in total on me. Overall, he's fantastic to work with and I highly recommend Kenny! read more

Focus Beauty Center - Full balayage done by Kenny - Hair Salons Near Me - Fremont, California

I would highly recommend Angela to guys that want to have a refresh new hairstyle!! Actually yesterday was my first time to visit Focus Beauty, I walked-in without reservation and the staffs were all very friendly. The environment was also clean and comfortable. Angela did my hair, cut and styled it. She was so gentle, patient and experienced. She listened to your thoughts carefully, and then gave her professional and insightful suggestions based on your preference. I must say she just knew it. She knew how to utilize hair to adjust your face, which makes you look natural but refresh good-looking. I would definitely recommend Angela to my friends. And I think I would also come back if I want to trim my hair later. read more

Focus Beauty Center - By Angela - Hair Salons Near Me - Fremont, California

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I had such wonderful haircut yesterday. Ann is so knowledgable, skillful, friendly and patient. Learned a lot of hair care from Ann. My hair was long, thick and hard to manage, but it's now light and easy to manage. No need any flat iron in the morning and I still look good and stylish. Highly recommend Ann. Thank you so much, Ann. You Rock!! read more

I was in desperate need of color. My usual stylist at Ulta left and so I was in need of a new person. My husband comes here and is picky so I said what the hell. In the Pacific commons area behind Costco literally. They are all Asian and have heavy accents (it was hard to understand at times) but were always courteous. Ashley did my cut and color and blow out as well as a deep conditioning treatment. I told her "tiny trim" and much to my surprise she dis just that. My hair has good color and is super soft. Blow out was ok. The downside is they only accept cash which totaly blows!!! No one carries cash like that anymore, but they do have an ATM inside where you can get cash lol! All in all a good experience. Womens hair cuts are $57 starting. Color $90 starting. Clean bathroom. read more

Focus Beauty Center - The beauty shop - Hair Salons Near Me - Fremont, California

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Many years later, Kenny still does my hair. He is always on point and knows what I like. I always get so many compliments. read more

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I visited Kenny couple years back to trim down my hair and it was cute but still lengthy . Definitely the guy I go back for a more expensive haircut. Finally went back to even out my horrible uneven layers and deadness. But I told him that I leave the creative process up to him and literally give me whatever. Putting my complete trust in him. Very satisfied and am familiar with the look. He said it could be styled any direction I believe so this is one way you can style it as shown in pictures but I'm definitely gonna play around with it. Thanks again Kenny! I have serious respect for your work. read more

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Kenny has been cutting my hair for nearly two years now, and i couldn't be happier to have found him! I've searched high and low to find the right person who understands my hair and aesthetic. I've gone to both hi-end salons and paid ridiculous amounts of $ and to $12 Asian shops where my hair just got butchered. I needed someone who can cut my hair the same every time, and more importantly, be able to cut my hair and still look great even a few months later! I still get compliments on my hair even after 3-4 months of seeing Kenny. He is the only stylist that I can tell, "Do something different, and I'll leave it up to you." Now that's TRUST. Other things I love about Kenny and Focus: - he's the only stylist I know who can talk shopping with me and talk cars with the Huzbeau (he cuts his hair, too). - he regularly goes to conventions at style-hive cities like London and Tokyo to keep up with the current trends, techniques and technology. - We all look like we've stepped out of a Japanese or Korean fashion magazine after a haircut (he cuts the kids' hair too!) - the prices are *very* reasonable - the scalp massage at shampoo time is soooo relaxing. - Everyone is so nice here. It really is a great salon. Appointments are a must as they all book fast, cash is preferred and they have an ATM. read more