I have gone to Julie, the owner of Emerald Iguana, for three years. I had previously been to her salon many years ago and had a stylist that worked for her. I left the area and had another stylist cut and color my shoulder length hair. By the time I returned home to Santa Cruz, my hair was a dried-out mess. I made an appointment with the best stylist I knew (Julie) because my hair needed to be repaired. I told Julie that I wanted my natural grey hair, and I did not know how she would react to me not wanting the burden of coloring my hair every three or four weeks. It did not deter her. She helped me through the grow-out period by adding a few low lights and regular trims. Now, I only have trims and conditioning when needed. I receive compliments on my natural grey hair, and it looks and feels healthy. Her products for sale and what she uses on her clients during services are the top of the line. Julie runs a professional, clean, and relaxing salon. She listens to her clients and gives her expert advice to all who visit her salon. I can also recommend Sarah who works for Julie. I see the finished look of clients who leave the shop, and I am impressed with how marvelous their hair looks. Prices are in-line with services here in Santa Cruz. I believe "you pay for what you get". read more

Julie has been exemplary in helping me deal with my thinning hair. Very pleased! she's very skilled and a sweet person too read more

Lovely and experienced stylist! Julie was recommended by a friend. I liked how skilled she is.

I'm so happy Tiffany Griffith has added Tuesdays at Emerald Iguana to her schedule. She's such a talented hair artist and it's great to be able to book with her now in SC. She's been my stylist for a few years now and I always get compliments on my color and cut. On top of that, she's easy to talk to, her prices are fair and she's efficient! My hair is healthy and beautiful thanks to Tiff! The salon is clean and convenient. Check out Tiffany on Tuesdays at Emerald Iguana if you are looking for a great stylist in SC! read more

This past year there was a major turnover at Emerald Iguana, and now Julie, the owner, is doing my hair. And it's never looked bettter. Julie, along with Matt and Sarah, do a fantastic job of taking care of your every need. Now that Emerald Iguana has "streamlined" to be more efficient, you can expect that you'll get personal service with every visit. And the salon itself projects such a positive vibe, you'll feel comfortable right away. If you're looking for sustainable and healthy products, a great atmosphere, and a caring staff, Emerald Iguana is a great choice! read more

While I have only been a client in the salon once (to have my eyebrows waxed), I had the great pleasure of working next door to them. All of their staff is very friendly and every head I saw walk out of that salon looked beautiful! When I got my eyebrows waxed, I was very skeptical at first since it was the first time. I was not disappointed! They looked perfect for weeks after, however, a little pricey so I have yet to return. If you have the money to keep them updated, I would definitely recommend going to Kristen. Now I'm waiting to use their newly added (in November) mani- and pedi- room. read more

I was referred to Julie and Emerald Iguana when I came to Santa Cruz four years ago and I love it! Aveda product is awesome, but more than that - great friendly, knowledgeable service (by everyone) and the new spa area is really nice and relaxing. What I love most about Emerald Iguana is that I feel like I'm visiting with friends, and getting beautified at the same time. Julie does a great job with my hair. And Natasha gave me a hair-straightening treatment that is amazing. read more

I started with Julie 12 years ago on the recommendation of a friend. I live in San Jose and the job she did on my hair was well worth the 45 minute drive over the hill. She is professional, caring and accommodating to her customers. Her shop is VERY clean, welcoming and well stocked with Aveda products. She knows her color and gives a great haircut ( received lots of compliments on both). When my hair started thinning she had me try the Invati brand shampoo, conditioner and scalp treatment. It has made such a difference--my hair feels thicker and I'm not losing a lot of it. I have decided to leave her salon simply because I don't want to drive highway 17 with all the crazy drivers anymore and I have an Aveda salon 5 minutes from my home. I'm sad to leave Julie and Sarah, but Julie was so understanding and left the door open for me to come back anytime if I needed to. read more

This salon is a small cute salon in a small business complex. The salon is not very hip but it is very clean which pleased me at first. After a great consultation I felt very comfortable with an overall color change and partial highlights which the stylist told me would be $185. I thought wow that's the most I've ever paid but my hair needed it. She took her time and was very thorough with the coloring and highlights. So far so good.... When she rinsed the color I could see highlights that I can best describe as zebra stripes. They didnt even reach to the root. My natural hair color is a caramel brown and I wanted a overall lighter haircolor with highlight accents. There were streaks throughout my entire head. She insisted that the highlights were beautiful and that the toner was not necessary. At the time I thought I can not really tell because my hair is still wet. Her next client was already there waiting so she was rushing me out. I went to pay and the $185 was now $240 for the "haircut" she gave me where she took split ends off some of my hair. I woke up today and could really see the yellow streaks all over so I called hoping that they would fit me in to tone down the highlights. $40 more dollars just to use toner on the highlights that she left in for too long. Overall I will end up paying $288 (tip included) for yesterday and another $40 on top to get everything fixed. Honestly I've been dying my hair for years and I've never paid more than $200 and have been completely satisfied. Aveda has a great reputation but this salon does not live up to the Aveda standards. I will not be coming back. read more

I really love having my hair styled at this aveda salon. Everyone is so nice and accomedating. I would definatly reccomend thier services and you cant beat the quality of the aveda product line. read more

This small and intimate Aveda Salon is a "gem". I almost don't want to tell anyone about it so I can have Julie (the owner), Matt and Sarah all to myself. However, I need to say that, this is one of the most professional and friendly Aveda Salons that I have experienced. I have experienced many from San Jose/Los Gatos, to Scotts Valley, Santa Barbara, New York City and Boston. Run, don't walk next time you are near 41st Ave, Capitola and are looking for a great Salon! read more

Sarah is a color genius! Took me from a natural blonde to a fiery redhead and I've never received more compliments in my life. Everyone thinks it's my natural color! Not going back to line anytime soon, or anywhere else. Thanks Sarah! read more

I chose this salon because they use aveda products! I am very happy with the outcome of my hair!! My only complaint is that this place is very expensive! I will probably go back since I had such a nice experience read more

I love this salon, not only is Aveda amazing, but Julie, Cecilia, and all the girls at Emerald are non-pretentious and talented. I praze the iguana to the highest! read more

I have been a client at the Emerald Iguana Salon for years and can say without a doubt Julie is the best! Over the years I've had hair "issues: that Julie has been able to help with or direct me to the right doctor. The salon is beautiful and the adjoining Spa is a welcome treat! Julie and her staff (Matt & Sara) are wonderful and are always there to assist clients and lighten the mood! The Aveda products are amazing and I've had friends visit, try the products, then they are "hooked". A truly wonderful experiences each and every time I go to the Emerald Iguana and encourage you to try it too! read more

I have been getting a client for perhaps more than 15 years. I couldn't ask for better attention to my needs, excellent results, and the people working there are sincere and friendly. Julie, the owner is remarkable in professionalism and personal demeanor. Plus, they have great products and support many community projects, environmentalism, and women's health. Can't get any better than Emerald Iguana and their friendly staff. read more

Tiffany on Tuesdays! I've been driving to Cupertino for years and am SO GLAD she's local as well now. She's been amazing with my thick hair but I've seen her do amazing things with thin and fine hair too. She's done wild colors for me and is currently blending gray. She can do anything! read more

I have had two stylists here in the five years I have been going - the first one was very good, but we just didn't click. I switched to Cecilia and cannot say enough good things about her! Everyone in general has been super professional. read more

Julie did my hair for several years -- both color and cut. The results were generally good. Sometimes even great. There were, however, a few major failures along the way, including the time my lowlights came out purplish-pink -- ouch! And there was an annoying lack of consistency or predictability in the cuts. I never seemed to get the same haircut twice, oddly. Variability aside, Julie was and certainly still is an excellent hair stylist, although in my experience she rates just "fair" as a colorist. I stayed with her as long as I did solely because Emerald Iguana was an Aveda Concept salon. I like Aveda hair color, and I know that Aveda requires their salon owners to keep up on their training, new products and trends. (You should be aware that just because a salon carries Aveda products, it is not necessarily an Aveda salon. Check the Aveda website for more information.) I left this salon for two reasons. First and foremost, Julie was constantly up-selling and up-charging for things I didn't ask for. My cost for color and cut was hovering in the $400 range when I left, and I assure you it did not start out aywhere near that price point. Julie would whip out a sample-size, spray-on conditioner when she was washing my hair, and tell me my hair was horribly dry and I need this special thing. That would be a $20 uncharge on my bill. Surprise! She would add a few highlights and lowlights to my overall color. Those would be separate upcharges, as well. She never discussed those charges at the time. This is a business transaction we're talking about. All charges for service and products should be agreed to before work commences! I have been getting my hair colored for more than thirty years, and know how the pricing usually works. In all my years of coloring, no stylist or colorist but she has ever itemized a color or highlight job that way. As time went by I felt more and more strongly that Julie was taking advantage of me. So when she started making major changes in her salon and things there became a bit disorganized, I used that as an excuse to not go back. I see that another reviewer here wrote about these up-charges, way back in 2008. And I know another ex-client who left the salon for the same reason. So it was, I assume, just the way she did business. I just checked her current website and saw that she now lists a schedule of the myriad add-on charges. I noticed too, that many of her prices have a plus sign after them...so beware. If you add up all the itemized costs, a color and cut, with a few highlights dropped in, followed by a blow-dry, you are in that $400 range and headed north. The second issue that got to me was Julie's constant poor-crying. She talked incessantly about the cost of running a business, the cost of paying for her condo, etc, with everything supposedly running at a loss. But at the same time she would talk incessantly about her private trainers, her massage therapists, her nutritionist (her juice fasts!), her herbalist, her cleaning lady, etc. So many services she hired people for, so many of them high-end and self-indulgent. But she was, ostensibly, hurting for funds? And she rattled on this way while wringing me dry with up-charges! Not a smart move for anyone who is hoping for tips. And super annoying for anyone stuck in her chair for a couple hours. Sara, the other stylist, never did my hair, but she was always very sweet and friendly. She was very conscientious about getting things just right for her clients. If you try this salon I recommend her over Julie. And agree on a price at the start! read more

If you have bangs go see Sarah, she is the best and she is the only person I have ever been able to find thus far who can give a great trim and reshape (for bangs)! read more

Great salon, right by the mall, kind of hidden, but very intimate and calming atmosphere. I love love love Aveda products and they have 'em! The front desk staff, was really nice, one older woman, well she seemed new at it and a bit confused... but my stylist was young and hip and gave me a great color and cut! Love the Iguana, despite the strange name.... read more

I scheduled an appointment with my usual stylist at this salon in Feb of this year, but had to cancel due to an unexpected business trip. I rescheduled for the earliest available appointment which was 2 months later. I considered finding another salon, however I like the Aveda products and the next closest Aveda salon is 30 minutes away. I have never had a bad experience at Emerald Iguana other than not being able to get a convenient appointment. When I arrived for my appointment today, the owner told me there was no appointment and asked if I had received a 48 hour reminder call. I told her that I had not and thought that was unusual. She told me that the next available appointment for my usual stylist was another month away and the earliest appointment for any stylist was 2 weeks away. I was upset about having to wait so long again and she just stated "what do you want me to do- work magic?" She became very rude and as I was leaving another client waiting told me that he was also having problems with the salon. As I started talking to him, she came over and told me to get out immediately. I have never been treated so unprofessionally. I have been patronizing this salon for 8 years. Although I like my current stylist there, I will never return and will never recommend this place to anyone. I will also let everyone whom I previously recommended this salon to know of my recent experience here. read more

I stopped in today to pick up some more hair care products and the gal at the front was incredibly helpful! She suggested a product for my thinning hair (invati) and answered my questions about some other body products I was considering buying without being pushy! Providing helpful and knowledgable information is the best way to get my repeat business so I'll definitely be back! read more

I have been a cleint at Emerald Iguana Salon for over 3 years. I love it! It's a small salon with a great team who can take care of all your needs. I am always welcomed by everyone there and receive top-notch care. Julie is a Hair Wizard who takes her time and listens to what you need/want. The AVEDA line is a favorite of mine and at Emerald Iguana they are well stocked with products - even new and upcoming ones that they will share samples of. NICE! And I would like to mention - this is a CLEAN salon. It always looks so nice in there. Emeral Iguana is a place where it's easy to take a deep breath and feel well taken care of............ read more

Sarah worked wonders with my hair! I came in with dry, dead, over-dyed hair that was turning green and walked out with fresh, soft, shiny new hair and over a week later it still looks as good as it did the day I got it done. Sarah snipped off about an inch and added some light layers to get rid of as much of the dead hair as she could while still allowing me to put my hair up in a ponytail. She also added some framing around my face and it looks amazing! Definitely the best haircut I've ever had. read more

Terrible. I had driven by this place a few times and it looked nice. It was until I met my stylist who was needless to say... unperson-able. She did not speak, did not smile, and did not do her job. After a wash, she started to brush my hair, and must have gotten lazy, because she handed me a comb, and asked if I would brush the rest of it for her. she spent maybe 10 minutes trimming, then attempted to dry me hair, but it was too thick, and she was in a big hurry to leave work. Not a good experience, and for $60.00 REALLY not worth it. I could have gone to a super cuts and gotten a better and more friendly hair cut, for a 1/3 of the price! read more

I've bought Aveda products at Emerald Iguana for years, have spent lots of money here and have always gotten helpful service until a couple of months ago. I use a curl enhancer product which only comes in a 6oz size, which I go thru in a couple weeks. Since I don't get to Capitola very often, I normally buy 4 at a time, along with shampoo, etc. Apparently the policy has changed to only allow a customer to buy 3 of any product at a time. But the guy at the counter was incredibly smug about it, not in the least apologetic that this policy might inconvenience some customers. I think it was his attitude that was the most off-putting. I try to shop local, but now I've found several online sites that offer free shipping on Aveda products and I can buy as many at a time as I want. read more

I have been having Julie do my hair for years. She is wonderful, really knows color. I get many compliments on it.. Sara is also an expert. They do makeup here too, so nice to get both hair and makeup done in the same place. read more