When my daughter asked if she could color her hair for the first time for her 16th birthday, I knew…read morethere was only one salon I trusted, Fox & Belle. Before we booked, I reached out to Judy, and she explained all the different color options. Since my daughter had never colored her hair before, it was really helpful to understand the cost, timing, and upkeep. I wanted this to be something she wanted and chose for herself. Having Judy and Cristi incorporate her preferences and keeping her informed by sharing their expertise ensured she would get the full experience and make her feel included. She originally wanted a green ombre, but after learning it would require bleach and a lot of maintenance, she quickly changed her mind. They recommended a lower-maintenance color, but my daughter really wanted it to be a big change so we all agreed that a honey dark blonde would fulfill that and be a great introduction into the responsibility of colored hair. I had to go back home and work and left her in their care but trusted fully and from past experiences, I knew she would be taken care of. My daughter ended up seeing Cristi, and she had such a great experience. She was at the salon for about six hours, and I was worried it was going to be too long, but she had a blast. She watched shows and played games on her iPad, she was offered snacks, and even took a nap as she got her hair washed. Before she knew it, we had returned to pick her up and it was time for the big reveal. They hadn't let her see it until we arrived and she is in love with it. It turned out beautiful, and seeing how happy she was meant everything to me. When I was 16, I used box dye from the store or "Sun in" so being able to give her this experience was really special for me. It also gave me peace of mind knowing she was in such good hands and that her hair was being cared for properly, esp without me being there. Of course, Fox & Belle did an amazing job! Now my 11 year old is already asking when it's her turn. Not anytime soon but when she's ready, I know where exactly where we will be going.

I've been going to Fox and Belle for about 5 years now and Vichida does a beautiful job on my…read morebalayage. Fox and Belle is so welcoming and friendly, I just love it there. Vichida is the best; she's so sweet and always knows exactly what I'm asking for.

I've been going to Rebecca for a year now and couldn't be happier. She's incredibly skilled with…read moreboth cuts and color -- every appointment leaves me with exactly the look I wanted, sometimes better. Beyond her talent, she's warm, easy to talk to, and makes the whole experience genuinely pleasant. I highly recommend her, she's the best!

Absolute perfection!! Emily took all of my curly hair concerns into consideration. She made my…read morefrizzball head into a luscious mane! I highly recommend her if you need a curly hair cut, she knows wassup. Very considerate of how I was feeling about the cut and she took her time. This was my first time at Salon La Luz, and I will definitely be coming back!

Irina is such a perfectionist and really takes her time with every section, but somehow the whole…read moreappointment is so calming that I feel like I'm mediating. She understands thick and fine Asian hair incredibly well and knows how to shape mine so it goes from ratty and generally unkempt to polished (and so much lighter). It can be surprisingly hard to find someone to do this kind of haircut (long fine hair) in the East Bay, but Irina really listens to the look you're going for. Her recommendations are always specific to your hair type, and I leave feeling less like I always have bedhead and more like I could be an art gallery girl in west village (iykyk).

TL;DR: This place is great! Book with Mark--he's an *artist*!…read more Longer version: My hair stylist quit the biz a few years ago to pursue a career as a therapist (so fitting, right?!) I was stoked for her! But since then, I've been adrift and searching for my hair match, trying out a new stylist for each cut. (My hair is fine but wavy with a weird cowlick, so it needs just the right layers. I had some great cuts and some so-so cuts, but never the right combo of close enough, a decent amount of availability that I'm not waiting months or driving across the bay, AND a great cut.) I tried Mark at Maru on a random rec from a friend whose daughter works at the salon--and after one cut, I feel like my search is over! The salon is very well-run and had an opening within a couple weeks. I arrived on time, was offered herbal tea, and waited under five minutes. It's in a nice spot in Berkeley with plenty of street parking with pretty cheap meters--$4. Mark asked me what I was looking for, got it right away, and was of course fun to chat with. I walked out with a cut I love for a reasonable price. I will definitely be back!

I came in depressed and with dirty hair that hadn't been touched by a professional in 6 months…read more Eric was totally judgment free and lifted my spirits even more than the volume of my blah hair. It occurred to me later that this might not be totally wash and wear- because I didn't remember to request that. I left with a super cute modern Farrah Faucet style that they carefully crafted. BUT I got out of the shower and just kind of scrunched my layers as they dried- SUPER CUTE. Natural volume and curl. The cut will be easy to dress up or down- and I'm not overwhelmed by the amount of hair strangling me in my sleep and tugging my neck wrong with the weight when I'm washing it. THANK YOU ERIC. SEE YOU SOON.

As someone who has continuously received so-so cuts for the past decade, Its safe to say I have…read morefound my go-to alt hair stylist. Eric helped me find my "bang" and worked around my small forehead like room temp butter and a knife :) It was a relief to know they were knowledgeable in how to strategically layer thick asian hair also! Came out with the hair of my dreams and all the 101 on upkeep,helpful tricks, and what products to use. Eric is a real conversationist( learned a lot about carnivorous plants ty) You won't find small talk here but if you want a silent/spiritual hair cut experience they are respectful to that as well which I think is even listed as an option in his booking site among many other A+ options

I have always been sketchy about my haircuts and I don't like people touching my hair I'm very…read moresocial in regards of it. But when I met Kokis oh my She is AMAZING and she gets you like she helps out with any recommendations and what best suits your hair and frame . 10/10 will come and trust me when I say I don't have any other hairstylist she is my Only One great service and customer service will recommend to friends and family !!!

The salon itself is very nice, and everyone is so kind! My stylist Brittany (@beautifullyslayedbyb…read moreon instagram) is not only a gem, but an extremely talented vivid color artist. She was wonderfully communicative. She talked me through the whole process, answered all my questions, and helped me decide what I wanted based on what we could achieve with my hair texture and length. I am obsessed with the results and I can't wait to go back!

Karen cut my 13 year old son's hair in Albany at Grove Salon on Solano Ave. She listened intently…read moreand compassionately to what my son wanted even though he didn't know exactly what that was. She gave him a great and stylish haircut that he is thrilled with. Five stars!

Walked into this salon last minute and was looking for a refresh. The front desk staff were very…read moreaccommodating and were able to get me an appointment for this afternoon. Bethany was my stylist and she did such a great job of understanding what I wanted and helped me visualize what could work for me. I was looking for a refresh and she delivered! Would recommend working with her. All the staff were super friendly and this salon was a breath of fresh air - great ambience and a very calming atmosphere. Parking is on the street and typically available.

Amazing hair artist!! Love my cut and color. First time…read moregoing for a unique unnatural color and Tsomuka nailed it. She did exactly the picture I brought in on my head like magic!!! Salon was clean and covid safe! Her pricing is transparent and on her website! My hair was not ruined and in fact after coloring was stronger with her protein treatment. I'm beyond thrilled and grateful I got to experience Tsomuka's hair art and can't wait to go back!!

I have been a repeat customer for about ~3 years. Tsomuka is an artist and a talented professional…read more I walk in with an idea, maybe a sample picture and she interprets it very well. A perfect location for transformational looks as well as maintenance cuts.

I walked in this week with very healthy hair and left with extreme heat damage, fried ends and…read morechunky uneven yellow highlights. When I stand in the sun, my hair is actually transparent. Virginia, you refunded my payment (thank you) and I wasn't sure whether to write this. I loved the haircuts I got from you before. But you cannot experiment on people's hair like this. And after this I do not think you should be coloring people's hair at all. I asked you directly before we started if you had knowledge and experience with blonde highlights and you said multiple times yes, and that you definitely could make it happen. But it turned out you had no idea how to do blonde bleach, let alone balayage. Once you rinsed out the bleach and saw how bad it looked, you didn't stop what you were doing to share what had happened. Instead of showing me the results, you applied a super-hot curling wand to give me a big hairstyle so I wouldn't notice the highlights. The wand on the new bleach left it with intense heat damage. The hair is falling out as I write this and my whole head stinks of burnt hair. This did not need to happen - you could have simply told me the truth, that you have no idea what you're doing with blonde highlights, and I would have been able to find someone who does, and my hair would still be healthy right now. Please let me be the last person this happens to.

I came to Vika Beauty Salon to get the haircut that I didn't get at the last place I went to…read more Virginia referenced my inspo pic a few times and asked questions along the way to ensure she was getting me exactly what I asked for. I have paid far more for lesser quality cuts. She is friendly, detailed, and efficient. I mentioned to her the other reviews that suggest booking far in advance but she said that it only gets busy around the holidays. I was able to get a booking within a week in mid-January. Leave a voicemail and she will get back to you in a timely manner.

So happy I found the one. I recently moved from Southern California and had to break up with my…read moreJapanese hairstylist. But now I found K! I was floored by his skills and attention to detail, not only towards my hair but also to my comfort. Making an appointment was easy - just text his number and asked about availability and sent pictures. I drove from South Bay but this was more than worth the hour drive. Plenty of street parking available. Upon arrival at 3:30 pm on a weekday, K greeted me with warmth into his well lit studio. Chic Hair Design is a one man show. I'm not sure about other's preferences, but I appreciate having one expert care for my hair from beginning to end (vs 5 different people passing the baton on different tasks). K inspected my hair thoroughly, made recommendations, and took the extra mile to ensure my shirt stayed clean, that I had something to drink, and kept me laughing with his charming demeanor. He makes it very apparent that he enjoys his career. Color, shampoo, haircut, blow dry, and style took a little less than 3 hours and the result was stunning! K made me feel like a K-drama main character walking out of the salon hahaha. His pricing is competitive - so do tip him generously! Can't wait to come back!

Kay is very professional. Loved how he worked with me in every step of the cut! This was to make…read moresure I would be happy with the great haircut and that it would work for what was happening with my thinning hair. I highly recommend Kay, you will NOT be disappointed.

Ja is amazing! I went as a first time walk-in and she was able to fit me in her schedule (and I…read moreleft within a half hour). I had been looking for a spot that knows how to cut Asian hair (I have stubbornly straight, thick hair) as I was looking to get a textured mod cut, and I scored! Ja delivered what I asked for and I left feeling really satisfied with my new chop. If you're looking for a locally owned, affordable, sweet and friendly salon, Shear Perfection is it : )! Thank you, Ja!

She is an amazing hairstylist with so much experience. I walked in and almost immediately got sat…read moredown. She executed my haircut perfectly. She's a great conversationalist. Super affordable - especially if you're a student. Fun fact: she has painted all of the artwork in her studio!