In 2015 I was blessed to find Salon Vela on line. They were immediately personable. I had been using Redken products for years and it was important that I find a Salon that supported it. Ron Valdez and Simon run the most amazing talented salon in the Austin area! Cheers! read more

When I went in, I had said clearly that I don't want my color to be black. It is sure is black and I can't even see my highlights. Didn't get what I wanted for the price I paid. read more

Love this place! Jacqueline is fan-tastic. I have a curly, thick, jungle mane of hair and finding someone who can handle it is not easy. Jacqueline always gives me a cut that works perfectly with my texture - whether I choose to wear it curly or straightened. She's also great with color and we always do some kind of natural highlight when I go in. Beyond being awesome at what she does, she's a ton of fun and super easy to talk to. The salon has a great team and a cool, laid-back vibe - I feel totally comfortable going in there. See for yourself! read more

Grabielle at Salon Vela is absolutely amazing. I was referred to her by my sister and I am so glad we found her. She is so knowledgable and professional and really takes the time to explain the process. She took my coppery red hair and transformed it a gorgeous balayage. Love my hair and her so much. Definitely recommend her!!! read more

Like many of the other reviewers, I am brand new to Austin so I found myself in Salon Vela completely due to the positive reviews I read online.They did not steer me wrong! I emailed the salon to schedule an appointment and got a response within minutes. Angela gave me a beautiful single process color and cut, and the salon itself is very clean, modern and stylish. I would definitely go back and would recommend! read more

Love this salon! Everyone was so friendly and professional from scheduling to cut to check out! Would definitely recommend!

Rachel knows what she's doing!!! She's great at finding the perfect haircut, color, and has awesome customer service skills!!! Soooo happy I've found her!!! I enjoy my time with her and the whole staff at Salon Vela! read more

I just recently moved to Austin and looked up reviews for different salons near my area. I was impressed by the reviews about this place and it also had a yelp deal for new clients, so I figured why not try it out. The salon is super cute! Everyone is friendly. I felt super comfortable there. Gabriella was awesome and so knowledgeable! She made sure we were on the same page about the highlights I wanted and what kind of cut, basically made sure I was going to get exactly what I had pictured along with giving tips and advice for my hair type, hair style, and different product recommendations. She is super detailed and answered all my questions. Even busted out an ipad to pintrest hairstyles and colors! She made me feel super comfortable! And most importantly what I wanted is exactly what I got! I love my hair and my color! I will be returning to the salon and Gabriella. To me, it's key to find a salon you feel super comfortable at and find a hairstylist that will listen to you, make sure you are on the same page on exactly what you want and thats exactly what I got at Salon Vela. Love it! Oh and you offered something to drink... and wine was one of the options! Woo! :) read more

My first time there was with mel. She was super sweet and accommodating. Beautiful place. I received complimentary wine and a hand massage. she did an amazing job on my hair. read more

My former hairdresser retired, and finding a new hairdresser is almost as bad as trying on bathing suits. Luckily, someone recommended Salon Vela. I dropped by and told the receptionist about my hair (curly/frizzy) and asked for a recommendation among the stylists. He suggested Angela, so I made an appointment. I had my first appointment yesterday and really liked Angela and the cut she gave me. She was easy to talk to and tweaked my cut a bit in a way that I liked. The best thing was, as I was leaving, her next appointment came in. She was about my age and had curly hair, too. She said she has followed Angela to three different salons because she likes her so much. Now that's a great recommendation! My only complaint is that the benches for people waiting for appointments are pretty uncomfortable (at least to me). The salon sent me an email asking for feedback, and I mentioned this issue. I've already received a response, saying they are looking for better chairs. Nice! read more

This was my first visit to Salon Vela, and it was amazing. I had called to get an appointment because my old hair stylist once again had cancelled on me and I needed to find someone that would be more consistent when I made appointments. I was scheduled with Melinda. She was amazing. She listened to everything I had to say all my concerns, likes and dislikes. She did a wonderful job and she was super fast applying my color. I will defiantly be going back to her. read more

Gabrielle truly lives up to all of her wonderful reviews! You can't go wrong with her. My hair was super long but needed some TLC! Gabrielle is very welcoming and really listened to what I was telling her about my hair. She was conservative in her cut because she totally gets that when you've taken a long time to grow out your hair, you may not be ready to chop it all off at once. She took the time to explain her plan for the cut even before getting started, to ensure that we were on the same page. She's very talented and did an excellent job. I'm very happy and will definitely be back to see her. Thanks for the great 'do Gabrielle! read more

Great salon very happy with my hair but really expensive pricing especially for color. If the price wasn't so high it would get five stars hoping it won't be that much every time so I can go back. read more

First let me start off by saying I AM happy with my haircut. I have very difficult, multi-textured hair to cut and deal with and I do feel Ron did a very good job with it. I just need to find the right product to put on it (nothing they had really worked on my hair, although Ron promised when they get their pureology sample for curly hair he'll give me a ring) and then it will be great. BUT - two things make me only give 3 stars. One - the price. The website states $54+. Well hell...I'm expecting maybe $65 ...but NOT to be charged $84. (with tip we're talking nearly $100 here!) Yikes! Where the hell did that come from? Their website should state CLEARLY the top bracket that that goes up to! I feel very misled. And he didn't even wash it or put on any kind of fancy, expensive conditioner or masque. He cut it dry (that's fine) and didn't really cut THAT much off. It's not like I had some drastic overhaul - even in HIS words he was "tweaking" it! So I don't really see where the drastic price increase over the websites stated $54+ comes from. Oh - and the other thing is that the website states the following: "All of our services include a professional, thorough consultation, scalp or hand massage, customized cleanse and condition, and finish out and style." Well I didn't get the customized cleanse and condition OR any kind of scalp or hand massage yet STILL was charged WAY more than the stated price. Sorry guys - this sort of thing leaves a baaaaddd taste in my mouth. I don't expect a massage normally but if you put on your website that you do that as standard, then you really should DO IT. read more

Wonderful first experience at Salon Vela! Ron has been doing my sister's gorgeous color, cut and Brazilian blow-out for years. I've envied her locks and made an appointment while visiting Austin from Washington, DC. Ron is just as brilliant with my curly hair and I don't recall ever feeling so pampered at a salon! He gave me a skilled "curly girl" cut and made me feel part of a collaborative process. A great salon experience all around! read more

After my first disaster that I describe in my earlier review, I contacted the salon. Simon and Ron took my concern very serious. They took the time to talk with my former stylist to understand exactly what I was looking for. Ron had me come in for a consult with him and Angela (my first Salon Vela stylist). Ron listened, apologized for the situation and walked through an approach to fix the current situation. Then he walked through what they would do differently on a normal basis to produce similar results to what I was used to. I appreciate Ron's time and his willingness to help. I am optimistic that when I go back in a week, it will be a much different experience than my first one. Thank you Ron and Simon for your time and your willingness to help!! read more

My first visit to this salon was exceptional! I was referred by a friend, to Chris Perez. Chis did an amazing job, I love my hair! I told Chis my long term goals with my hair and explained to him the type of cut I wanted in order to keep my length. He listened to everything that i had to say, and made it very clear as to what he wanted to do with my hair. All the while ensuring I was satisfied with his work. I had a wonderful experience, and Im positive I'll be back! If you want a stylist that listens to your wants and needs and also enjoying the experience, I definitely recommend giving Chris a shot! read more

I recently moved to Austin and found Salon Vela on yelp! As it had really positive reviews, I decided to book an appointment with them. I wasn't disappointed. This salon obviously has all of these great reviews for a reason. As I needed a slight color correction (due to blonde hair and the San Marcos river not being the best of friends) as well as highlights and a cut, I wasn't sure whether or not they could help me. Luckily they could. Rachel looked after me and she was such a nice, friendly and talented stylist. I loved how my hair turned out and I loved the relaxed vibe of the salon! I will definitely be returning here when I next need my hair colored! Keep up the great work you guys! read more

Thank you Rachel for the color in time for the Labor Day weekend!! Perfect as always. :-)

love it, friendly, nice clean and they get the job done. for around 60 dollars for level 1 haircut.

Found this salon because I was searching on Yelp for a place that does Balayage highlights and decided on this one. It's ended up being the best decision that I made. I found a great stylist in Rachel she is super friendly and knew exactly what I was going for when I brought in some pictures and could not really decide how light I wanted to go. She is great so, if you look for a cute salon and good stylist I suggest this one you will not be disappointed! Also, I did the Yelp deal which is great by the way! read more

I just had the best hair salon experience of my life! I had an appointment with Luci and after really taking the time to discuss my hair and my routine, she recommended something I had always wanted to try. I am SO glad I did! I love my hair for the first time in a long time and my fiancée says I won't stop smiling. I can't wait to show everyone my hair! Thanks Luci for everything. I totally recommend anyone with curly out of control hair to go to Luci, she will tame the mane and make you feel fantastic in the process. read more

I'm a hesitant salon goer, reformed do it your selfer, but I grew up an got an adult job and couldn't have weird failed-bleach-attempt orange hair anymore. I found Salon Vela on yelp, was drawn in by their $150 for $75 deal and emailed to get an appointment. I got an almost immediate reply and was on my way. From the moment I got into the salon everyone was so kind and happy to explain what the process was. Rachel was my stylist and she's awesome. Great at her job, friendly, chatty but not overly so, funny, and she has great hair. That's always a good sign. I got a balayage treatment and I'm thrilled with the outcome. I feel like I have nice hair for the first time in a long time. I can't recommend this place enough. They have great deals when you refer people, and I already told my coworkers about how much I enjoyed the experience. Go here, ask for Rachel. You won't be dissapointed. read more

Gabrielle is amazing! She is so passionate about what she does and really takes the time to listen to what you want. I travel quite a bit and have moved around a lot, so I have had my hair done by a least a dozen stylists over the years. I can tell you that I have not been anywhere near as thrilled with my highlights in a very long time! They look natural and full of dimension. I let her know that I love my blonde, but I've been looking for a balance between that and my naturally very light brown hair for a while so that I don't have to get my hair done so often. She hit the nail on the head! I'm so excited to have finally found my Austin stylist! read more

Drove 40 minutes just to try this place because of their amazing reviews and I already set up my next appointment! They aren't just an average salon they truly want to help you reach your goal with your hair. I recommend Gaby! She explained everything she was doing to my hair step by step and even introduced some amazing new ideas I could try and even offered complimentary styling lessons! I've been trying to find "my salon" for about 6 years now and this is the one! I have damaged/rough hair because I straighten it just about everyday. I deep condition, use hair mask, heat protector, and leave in condition, etc. and nothing seems to fully help. But when Gaby was done with me my hair felt alive again! This place is amazing! read more

Salon Vela is truly my first enjoyable experience at a hair salon. Historically, I have walked out with haircuts too short or inaccurate to my provided reference so I had hardly gone to many. That has totally never been the case with my experiences at Salon Vela! I went in for an initial balayage and then an ombre application. Rachel took on my hair and questions with ease and excitement, much to my delight. :) Since then, getting my hair done at Salon Vela is an event that I look forward to every time! read more

I was looking for a new stylist in my neighborhood and stopped a woman at the grocery store who had a great cut with curly hair like mine. She referred me to Angela and she did a great job. My hair is very fine and curly and it can get really big and frizzy if you are not careful styling it. Angela was very professional and personable. I am returning to have my hair colored after a great experience. read more

It was my first experience here and I will never go somewhere else. Gabrielle was great, I would recommend her to everyone. She actually talks you through every process so you know exactly what to expect and consults with you to make sure you're achieving the hair you want. read more

I was excited to come to Salon Vela based on the reviews I found here but unfortunately my experience was far from 5 star. I went to the salon for a perm to bring curly life to my bland flat hair. My hair naturally has no volume and has limp waves. I was greeted politely and seated rather quickly and went over with the stylist showing her pictures of what i wanted to which she assured me could be done. Before we started the perm Rachel asked if I would like to have my dry ends cut before we started to which I agreed, (I have had perm's before and at the previous salon they did this same thing as part of the process.) After she rinsed me out I immediately knew something was wrong because my hair was lifeless, matted and tangled and I could see in her expression it was not good. She told me to not wash my hair for 72 hours and my curls would be fine. However when I went up to pay I was charged double what I expected because she decided to charge me an additional 50+ for a haircut. Never was it made clear to me that the trimming of the dry ends would be considered a full price haircut, when I brought this to her attention she said she would ask her manager and went back to a room only to come back in a minute and tell me he said there was nothing he could do and it was considered a haircut. Reluctantly I paid the price and went on my way. Luckily after I stressed the situation over email to the manager I was refunded the price of the haircut, which was good on their part. I thought the worst was over until 3 days later I washed my hair as instructed and used the curly hair product she advised me to get only to be EXTREMELY disappointed! My hair was tangled, matted, flat, DRY as heck, and worst of all STRAIGHT. I have tried a million different things to "bring the curls to life" and have failed miserably every time. My hair is in the worst condition it has ever been, super dry and brittle, tangles easily and I loose so much in the shower. I hate wearing it natural because its just a puffy, straight, dry mess. It looks like weeds. I have spent so much money on treatments and deep conditioners in attempt to get my hair back to the healthy way it was before this disastrous "perm". All in all, I will never be returning to salon Vela and advise those who decide to go to be careful and double check everything the stylist is doing because I ended up losing money and my hair is in the worst shape it has ever been. I also have waited about a month to write this review hoping my hair would get better but I see it every day and hate it more and more. read more

I have been going to Melinda for about three years now. For the previous seven I had been bouncing around stylists in Austin, never finding one that completely satisfied. LOVE MEL. I have followed her wherever she goes and am thrilled she got to open her own place. I have a TON of hair and have been coloring it since our first appointment three years ago. Normally this would lead to hair that looks damaged, but I get compliments on my hair and how healthy it looks all the time. I know it's hard to trust someone new, but if you are looking you should definitely try Melinda. I also want to backup a reviewer on the on time comment. Three years of appointments and I think I've waited maybe five minutes max only a couple times! read more

I popped in for a trim the other day with no appointment. I had some time and I looked on yelp for something close by. Gabrielle was available right when I walked in, and what a pleasure!!! She was sweet and efficient, and I will be back for sure. read more

Love my girl Rachel! I've been going to her for a few months now, and I'm always impressed by her ability to realize what I want, even when I stumble around trying to explain it. After seeing her natural talent and getting to know her sweet personality, I asked her to be my stylist for my wedding, and I have never second guessed that decision. She did a phenomenal job on all hair/makeup for me and my girls! SO glad I finally found a stylist that I feel completely comfortable with and can fully trust to leave my requests in her hands! read more

I just moved to Austin and finding a new salon that can cut my curly hair can be challenging, but I am so happy I found Salon Vela! My appointment was with Ron and he really took the time to discuss with me what I wanted (color & cut), as well as educate me about my hair. I was his only client that afternoon and I didn't feel rushed at all. While my color was setting, he gave me a hand massage and chatted with me like we had been long-time friends. I am so happy with both the service & results I received - I highly recommend this place! read more

As a new Austinite, I visited Salon Vela at the recommendation of a friend and had a very good experience there. Melinda was my stylist. She did an excellent job. I booked my next appointment before I left and look forward to visiting again. The salon is comfy and the staff are friendly. Found my new salon in Austin! read more

I started with the Yelp deal. Loved my haircut and baly by Mel. I'm going back!

Gabrielle did an amazing job with my hair! I loved my cut and color!

Being new to Austin and having the same hair stylist for 15 years, I was very reluctant to find another. After reviewing the reviews on yelp, I found a new-forever hair stylist and company. Rachel is the most meticulous and friendly hair dresser. She listens to your questions and concerns and makes suggestions to best fit YOUR hair. The customer service is wonderful. If you are looking for a new hair stylist, please give Salon Vela a call and ask to be put on Rachel's schedule. read more