I haven't been there, yet - but I'm looking forward to checking it out! Jill's there now, so I'm in! I'll circle back with results for a real review. This place is beautiful, modern, well done! The professionals are exactly that! This group is 5 star. read more

I got my hair done by Ana. She did such an amazing job on my hair it's absolutely gorgeous. Hair is such a personal thing and she totally understands and does such an amazing job. Not only that but she is extremely sweet and cool. I highly recommend her to anyone who needs a trusting colorist. read more

Shanghai Hair Salon - Hair by Ana - Hair Salons Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Greg is amazing!!! Had the best first time experience at Shanghai today bc of him....and I am a VERY PICKY customer with a high bar! I needed to get my color done and my usual colorist has Covid. I'm headed to Vegas Friday so I was really stressed to find someone who could help. My colorist uses Davines color, so I looked up Davines Salons on their website. Left a voice mail Monday when they were closed and the salon promptly called me back Tuesday morning telling me David was available at 12:30! Thrilled, I arrived at the salon. Greg was so friendly, easy to talk to, and executed my color with great precision! He's meticulous!! He's the creative type for sure!! I'm thrilled to have found him and Shanghai. Great experience overall. So impressed! read more

Andrew is the best stylist! I've been going to him for over a year now and he is so consistent with my hair color and cut. Recently due to having chemotherapy treatments I lost my hair. So I brought my wig in for him to cut it to look like my old hair. It was so remarkably accurate to my real hair that people who hadn't seen me without my hair did not even realize It wasn't my real hair!. He is very caring and kind and such a great person! I would highly recommend him to anyone. The salon is very friendly as well and reasonably priced for their great services! read more

Hot damn my hair looks good! Christina Sanchez is a dragon warrior level 25 scissor master! Not only does this girl have the professional skills to cut your hair perfectly with scissors, instead of going at it with a razor like many lazy hairdressers out there, but she really makes you feel great the entire time. Before the cut, she puts you at ease by explaining (honestly) what would look good on you. During the cut, she is so easygoing and can shoot the breeze about anything. And after, she does a great blow-out job to make you look going-out-ready. I don't know how much more I can explain how happy I feel leaving Christina's chair, ready to show my hair off to random strangers walking down the street. I was out of the country for a while, and after I got back, I hadn't encountered anything that made me want to Yelp it immediately. That is, until I got a haircut with Christina at Shanghai Salon. I started going to Christina at Empire and have followed her to Shanghai. This salon is small, but so modern and hip, and the vibe is fantastic. Everyone is so nice. I will be leaving to Boston for school this fall, but I refuse to let anyone else touch my hair. I am a loyal patron of Ms. Sanchez and will just have to wait for holidays to fly back. And I can't wait to try out one of Christina's famous bob cuts when I come back. Thanks C! read more

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I am in love with a woman and it is because this woman is a hair guru. An ex once said to me that it is a well known fact that women are never really satisfied with their haircuts and I agreed with him for the most part. I have never found a hair stylist that thrilled me so I have never developed a loyalty to one. I make appointments based on convenience and when asked my preference of stylist, my standard response: "Surprise me." Never particularly moved. So I hop from salon to salon, in futile attempts of finding The One that would make me monogamous. But with a less-than-great 2009 coming to an end, I decided I wanted a change for the New Year. So I turned to the trusty Yelp in search of a hairstylist with more than average talent and came across Shanghai Hair with...5 stars from 63 reviews?!?! How is this possible? I decided to find out and dialed for the first appointment available. Only one spot at 1:00? I will take it. Well, when I went waltzing in 30 minutes late (this place is in the corner of a plaza next to Marie Callender's) I had already accepted that there would only be enough time for a bang trim at most and I would most likely be rejected once the hairstylist saw what needed to be done. I won't go into detail but let's just say she had her work cut out for her. To my surprise, not only did she kindly take me in, she also magically washed, cut, and blow dryed the best haircut of my life in LESS than 30 minutes. It was as if she already knew what I wanted before I did. "Whispy bangs?" she asked. Sure? "Cut this much off because you really need to?" Ok? And BAM! I walked out wanting to toss my hair as if I were in a shampoo commercial and was a bit sad that I actually had absolutely no where to go to show off my awesome haircut. Katie Reece is the only one I want to cut my hair from now on. My long search is over and I will drive the 40 miles (one way) just to get my haircut. It is so worth it. And by the way, the $60 for the haircut was a great deal in my opinion because my hair is super long and also needed a lot of work when I got to Katie. Plus I even got some tips on how to keep the hair looking good once I was on my own. Ex boyfriend, I got news for you: it IS possible. read more

Christina cut my cousin's hair super cute and after readin her reviews on yelp, I had to test her skills out for myself. I have to say, she lives up to the hype. I have had two bomb short bob cuts in my life and she was responsible for one of them. Its edgy, yet still professional, and not too hard to style in the am! The next day at work, I heard compliments galore, so much so, it embarrased me. "where you going after work? you look sexy," said my female coworkers. I wear the same clothes to work as I usually do but it was definitely the hair that spunked up my new image. I highly recommend Christina for haircuts. I haven't had anything else done to my hair there but plan to in the future. Thanks, Christina! You got major talent and skills girl! Oh, btw, you should tell the manager to change the floors...its a lawsuit waiting to happen...or an iceskate rink in the winter. haha. read more

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I came in yesterday and saw Ana. She always makes my hair exactly how I ask and she had to fix what another salon did yesterday and it came out so perfect! I highly recommend her she's so kind and will always make your hair exactly how you want it! read more

I've never been able to see a hair dresser more than twice. I always end up irritated or disappointed. A lot of stylists do what they want, not what you want... maybe I am just hard to please. My stylist, Jennifer, moved to Shanghai a couple years ago so I followed her there. I think I've been going to her for almost 4 years now. She always have a vision and I've never walked out disappointed- always happy. She is detail-oriented and a master colorist. I highly suggest Jennifer to help you with your hair dreams! read more

Shanghai Hair Salon - Hair by Jennifer - Hair Salons Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Absolutely love Patty [owner] and the rest of the staff. She colored & cut my hair I let her do what she wanted I didn't even mention leave the length long enough for a pony. I received raved reviews from everyone Patty even suggested tips on maintaining the color longer to keep the cost....gotta love that! Friends are already calling her to make appointments! read more

I've had hair for a LONG time now. I'm old. I have been to a TON of hair stylist... and Patty Is the ABSOLUTE BEST I have EVER had. I have long curly hair... and a lot of it... well not so much anymore... but Patty has ALWAYS made my hair look FABULOUS! She knows how to cut, color, highlight and maintain curly hair SO WELL. I have never had better. I've since moved away... actually 17 years ago... and have still not found a better hairdresser/ stylist EVER... read more

Awesome colorist named Ana! The owner Patty is wonderful as well. The salon is chic and clean. There are many high end salons in the area and Shanghai is my favorite! read more

I've been coming here for a LONG time... even when I moved to New York for two years, I would still come to get my hair cut here whenever I came back to OC! I originally found out about Shanghai when I heard about the men's only haircutting place next door, Matador Alcove (think "man cave"), where men can pay a monthly membership fee to go there whenever they want to get a haircut or just hangout and enjoy the open bar with high-end liquor (what a great idea!). THEN I found out that they have a women's only place next door that has a really modern, chic vibe (think upscale NY salon) where you can have a glass of wine while you get your hair cut. SOLD! (Even though I think I've actually only had one glass of wine in the 5+ years that I started coming here, I still like that I have the option. :) ) I used to go to John (who is great), but I recently started going to Patty (owner) and I love her too! Beyond telling her the general length that I want and for my highlights to look natural, I don't really have to go into that much detail specifying exactly what I do/don't want (I've made this mistake at other hair salons in the past) because I trust her expertise and that she'll know what looks good on me. read more

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This is my favorite Salon ever! My hair looks amazing. Now for the scoop, The salon just introduced a new facial that uses cutting edge technology. Its like having a face lift without the surgery. The equipment is calle a Kline facial and it exfoliates firms and stimulates collegan deep into the skin using infared and micro current. Marrissa is a full time Esttician at the salon. Jonathon is a wonderful stylist. So is Patty the proprietor she really cares to make you look the hot. T They carry a skin care line that is pricey but probably the best quality for the price. You pay more for this cutting edge salon but if you want to look good the value is TRUST. read more

If you want to go to someone that knows what they are doing - go to Andrew. I was referred by a friend and I have never been happier! My hair was awful and needed a lot of color correcting. I leave the salon feeling super fierce every single time. read more

Shanghai Hair Salon - love!!!! - Hair Salons Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

***NEW CUSTOMERS - BEWARE*** I recently moved to California. I was looking to find a hair salon that was close to my apartment, fair in price, had experienced stylists and great customer service. After extensive research and reviewing different salons in the area, I decided on Shanghai Hair Salon in Costa Mesa. Though the Shanghai Hair Salon charges an expensive $65 & up on a Women's Haircut (quoted from Shanghai's website), I thought you know, it's worth it to find a place where I feel comfortable and that does a great job. I was looking to get a long bob cut. I needed about 3 inches cut off my hair. I have very thin (almost child-like in thickness) hair, easy to manipulate. After my appointment with John, I made my way up to the counter and one of the stylist helped to check me out. She looked at me and said "It'll be $89.00 for your appointment." I was a bit confused and looked at her and asked, "Was this just for the wash, cut and blow-dry?". She seemed a bit taken aback by my comment and Anna, the receptionist returned to the desk. Anna, stated again my final price would be $89.00 plus gratuity. Still confused as I know it stated $65 as the base on the website and then if you were looking to add more services (highlights, color, if you had difficult hair -thick/long) the price would go up. At least this was my perception, as I believe many others would infer as well. I said to Anna that I saw the $65 price on their website...she responded with "Oh no no, you were probably looking at the Men's Haircut pricing". I know I did not look at this wrong, but Anna made me feel like maybe I did. There were other customers waiting to pay in line and not to cause a scene, I let it go and paid the $89.00 with a 15% tip (I didn't want John to get jipped out of this whole situation), with a total of $102.00. I could not believe that I paid over $100 for a haircut. Literally, just a cut. Anna gave me a 20% off coupon for the next visit. I rushed home and went straight to the computer. And a las! What did I find? "Ladies Haircut- $65 & up" and "Men's Haircut-$50 & up". I was beyond upset. I called the salon back immediately. Anna answered the phone. Anna apologized and explained to me that their prices are based upon the stylist you are assigned to. So, to clarify, I asked her "basically what you are telling me is that, each stylist requires different pricing and that determines the final price of your appointment?" Anna said yes. And how would I know that being a new customer? There is absolutely no signifier on the website, you know the typical * or exclusion paragraph in small letters...nothing. Anna didn't know how to respond. She asked me if I would like the owner, Patty to call me back and I obliged. About 2 hours later, I received a call back from Anna the receptionist. I let her talk. She explained that she spoke with Patty and that they are very sorry for the inconvenience however, it is based on availability and that is who I was put with. She went onto explain that they would like to extend a 20% off coupon for my next visit. At this point, I'm fuming. 1) Anna, the receptionist called me back after stating I would receive a call from the owner, Patty. 2) Their solution was to extend a 20% off coupon for my next visit which a) does not solve my immediate issue of the cost of my last appointment and b) Anna already gave me a 20% off coupon on my way out. How is this helping again? 3) You made me, a "customer", not only a customer, but a new customer who can make referrals, feel as though I was wrong. Anna told me I was looking at the wrong price, not to mention the fact Anna repeated the Men's haircut pricing 15 off. Is she not well versed on Shanghai Hair Salon's products & services? This is the face of the salon; your first look, your initial greeting and first impression when you walk in as a new customer. How in any way does this exemplify the Shanghai Hair Salon motto " Let us anticipate your needs and exceed your expectations" ? Anna could tell I was upset and said that Patty would give me a call back. It has been 3 days and no call. Unbelievable. As a hospitality professional, I am appalled by their customer service and managerial skills. I feel like I was robbed in a way---so because I was a new customer, I was slyly put with the most expensive stylist? Talk about being taken advantage of. This whole thing is really just a shame. I feel mislead and that this situation was handled in a very unprofessional and unfair manner. I think it is safe to say I will not be returning to the Shanghai Hair Salon in Costa Mesa. I wanted to write this review because I have never been in a position where I was so blindsided, mislead and left with an issue that was completely unresolved. This review is to help all Yelpers, new customers, salon- going people aware. Hope this is helpful! read more

Tried them two times for haircut and color... enough to know I won't go back. The people there are all very nice and the receptionist (Candice) is so friendly and helpful. I gave them 2 stars for good customer service... but I'd rather have my hair done somewhere that the stylists actually know what they are doing. I was explicit with John that what I didn't want to look like and I think he got it. I told him a couple of times to cut my hair as short as needed to get rid of the split ends and the split ends were the ONLY reason I wanted a haircut. It took him 5 min to trim my super long hair 1/4 inch shorter only at the length and not the layers. I showed him the split ends right after he blow-dried but he refused to cut it more and said I don't cut it because you said you'd like to keep your hair long!! FTW? Not to mention he put so much oil and other products on my hair that my hair looked so greasy... he was actually so proud of it and said I am so generous in using hair products on my clients' hairs... I agree!! Can you believe he applied the oil into my roots and scalp? and said this is the way you should do it.... oh thanks! And I thought I made it clear that I do not like red hair but he surprised me by turning my hair red..... John was talking like "look how rich the color is, it covered all your gray hairs and it looks like your natural hair color"... ummm really??? I was going to spend a month out of town and I wasn't happy with the mess of a color - not to mention the split-ends.... he didn't react professionally when I said my hair is too red. He said come back if you didn't like it and walked out next door. And this is when he knew I was going to leave the town. Candice came to save me by showing my hair color to the owner (Patti) and she decided to redo it right away.... Yes, they did color my hair again, but the two stylists who dyed my hair together didn't really care much and they covered only some parts and roots.... so I left the salon with streaks of red and goldish colors that turned even worse after the first wash. The second week the color faded away and my gray hairs scream under the natural light. One of my friends teased me that I should pay more to have a good stylist color it ... They use Davines color and this was not my first time using Davines color on my hair... I certainly don't blame it on the color... and I paid $200 + tip for this mess and wasted over 4 hours of my time there. I didn't want to post this review because Patti was so sweet and we actually had a nice and long conversation about her trip to Paris afterwards... but this is what Yelp is all about plus it annoys me every time I look at the mirror. read more

Ever since I moved back to OC, I've seen more hairstylists than the Duggars have kids. But, unlike them, I know when to quit. I just found my hairstylist fo' life. And Christina Sanchez is her name. This lovely hairstylin' goddess knew EXACTLY what I wanted for my hair and she exceeded all my expectations. My hair color is perfect as was the haircut. The lady has some mad technical skills. Unlike another popular OC hairstylist, she didn't touch my hair with a razor. Her shearing skills alone are pure magic. I felt like one of those housewives getting her hair did by Edward Scissorhands. You know that feeling? If you don't, book yourself an appointment asap. Shanghai Salon is very chic, with a modern and stylish decor, and everyone is very friendly. This is a full service salon and they use Davines hair products, which I had never used before but now I love. The salon offers free bang trims and $25 root touch-ups for existing clients. Also, make sure to look out for amazing deals via Twitter and Facebook. Shanghai is also the sister salon to the Matador Alcove next door. The Matador is a men's salon/barbershop/bar but, unlike other men's salons, the ladies are welcome to stop by and hang out. Make sure to at least peek your head in while you're there. It's very cool, in a man-cave kinda way. If you wish to imbibe during your salon visit, Christina will serve you a fabulous cocktail. Ask her for the Tinto de Verano. I could've stayed all afternoon drinking those up. Actually, I think I did. I'll be back soon for a Brazilian Blowout, a hilarious chat-fest with Christina, and a delicious drink. Now that's what I call a perfect day at the salon. read more

Oh, Christina Sanchez...mad skills! I usually get my hair cut from my mom (hey, she's licensed), but I needed a good cut from someone who has talent and can tell me what the heck to do with my fine, limp, slightly wavy, and oily hair. First off, she asks you lots of questions about your products, styling tools, and hair routine to see what might suit you best. Then, she gave me lots of tips on not only how to style my hair as she was doing it, but explained to me how to do it up wavy style too! Also, she explains everything she's doing throughout the whole process. I really like my cut, I have lots of movement and she showed me how to get my bangs to behave. One other note, there was some confusion when I booked and rebooked somehow I wasn't on her list for the day and she already had an appointment. She knew I wanted her to cut my hair so she accommodated us both and apologized profusely many times. No worries, she handled us both no problem..superwoman! I might have to ditch my current stylist...sorry mom! read more

Growing out your hair is like going through puberty all over again - it's awkward, temperamental and you just feel you feel butt ugly. Enter Sanchez - Sanchez is to shears as Beatrix Kiddo is to a Hattori Hanz sword- swift, precise and deadly. Ok maybe not deadly, but who can argue with a master who has perfected the art of hair cutting? I love that Sanchez is personable, patient and meticulous. She gives great recommendations and hair tips to keep my locks in check. And I trust her whole-heartedly - I always get compliments after a session with Sanchez. What is also fab about this salon - the decor. It's minimal though modern and I feel like I am in a ultra fab LA salon, but only to realize that I am at a much more authentic place and only a hop, skip and a jump away from the oceanside. And ditto on Aimee G.'s comment about the Tinto de Verano - it's red wine with a lime soda and lime juice. It's heaven on a hot day and a relief after a hard day's work. I wish that I could continue being her Asian clone with the short, funky, edgy 'do, but with 3 weddings next year and mine the year after, I gotta grow this mop out. So girls, don't be like yours truly and neglect your hair just bc you are letting it grow out - Sanchez works miracles and you'll walk out of there smelling and feeling like a million bucks! read more

I'm posting this follow up because I was contacted on 2 different occasions from the salon and the stylist since my review went live. It turns out that Christina hasn't worked for Shanghai for about 6 months now. They asked me to remove my post in exchange for a complimentary haircut from their head stylist. I appreciated the gesture, but I declined because I found a stylist that FINALLY gets my style and how messed up would it be to ditch her in hopes of a better experience that might turn out crappy all over again? From a customer service standpoint, it's commendable they are trying to rectify the situation, which is why I'm posting this at all, and I have to acknowledge that. Give credit where credit's due, right? But it still doesn't change the fact that my experience DID happen and I'm not going to pull it down. Yelp is supposed to promote fairness and competitive services in the industry. If Shanghai hired a stylist that turned out to be a bad fit for their company, then that's an HR problem, not mine. Never once have I encouraged people to not go to this salon. I've only communicated what my actual experiences with them are. Cheers :) read more

Aimee G's review got me thinking about it. "I need a haircut soon." One week later.... Kayla G's review confirmed it. "I must have a haircut!!" Shanghai Hair Salon was the place and Christina Sanchez was the hair stylist. Two weeks later I was sitting in front of a mirror as Christina was going through the consultation portion. We discussed my likes, dislikes and general hair worries and she gave her professional opinion on what would look best on me. The thing I liked about Christina is that she was relaxed, engaging and made the experience of getting a haircut enjoyable. Who knew it was possible? It's rare to meet a person who treats their job as anything but. For her it's art, a love if you will. When I told her I was having a hard time figuring the ins and outs of creating a lasting curl she offered to help. She didn't have to do that and that's what makes her a great stylist or person-either way. Damn I sound like I'm in love. Stylist love. So back to the haircut, was it everything I hoped for? My answer to that is yes and then some. It's been a month since I got it did and it still looks great. It might even look better. Also if you mention Facebook or Twitter you get a discount. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Costa-Mesa-CA/Shanghai-Salon-Costa-Mesa/110996172529?ref=ts http://twitter.com/ShanghaiSalon How cool is that? read more

I came straight home to write a review for Christina Sanchez just in case I forget later. (cmon, I have to go out and show off my hair) I've been going to her for a while, so naturally I would chase her all around the OC no matter which salon she decides to hop off to. 3 things: 1. BELIEVE THE HYPE! I think a lot of people read all the reviews about her and think it's just that- hype. But trust me, girl's got skills. 2. She's extremely meticulous- one of the only stylists I've ever met who really and truly *genuinely* cares about you looking good. My hair is so fucking cute right now I can hardly stand it. 3. Shanghai is a bitch to find. (Hey nothing worth having comes easy right??) It's right behind Pancakes 'R Us on 17th street in this dingy little strip mall. So free up a couple hours in your schedule (real beauty takes time!) and get ready to have a blast. I'm already dreaming up my next impossible haircut just to see if Christina can pull it off- which she probably will. She's the bee's kneees. read more

Super belated review of Shanghai Hair Salon. I got my cut in November during Yelp's special thingy--you get 50% salon services at a bunch of fancy places such as this one. 50% off=$42 cut here (not including tip), which is actually sort of out of my price range even with the discount. The place is small and chic. John A. (super nice) cut my hair. You can see the style in my current pics as well--I haven't cut it since, besides investing in a couple barber scissors and trimming my bangs myself, in the past 3 or 4 months. Shanghai does give you free bangs trims, but I only went once, as I realized that I cannot afford another cut here (regular would be around $100 including tip!). I'm a student! So my main criticism would be the value. My haircut itself took like noooo time...I would estimate less than 10 minutes, but I was charged the highest amount. I guess maybe it was a difficult haircut? I pretty much got what I wanted, although I could always use more extreme layers. The cut (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/55pdzMYm0ykLK8EGlt_Mug?select=VkXvOz3LsLsves4x9o0XEA) did include a shampoo and lengthy styling though. I suppose it could be worth coming here if you have something fancy to do after. I thought too much time was put into the latter...they should offer some sort of student option where you can opt to skip the styling portion. My hair never looks like that (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/55pdzMYm0ykLK8EGlt_Mug?select=WQsp6D8gKSb3kpfZRwPabw) after a shampoo anyway. This is the do without elaborate styling (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/55pdzMYm0ykLK8EGlt_Mug?select=HgNU2Ki8AkF63yko8as4Hw). John suggested that I come in for a trim every 6-8 weeks. Ummm no I can't do that -____-. All in all though, I enjoyed my cut and my experience at Shanghai Hair Salon. If you have the money...I say, go for it. I wasn't in awe; though as a disclaimer, I do not think I have ever been smitten with one of my haircuts. Give me emo hair pleaz. read more

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I found Ana at Christophe when I first moved to Orange County from San Francisco. Her creative work is world class. Grateful to have found her. read more

John Alanouf is the only stylist who touches my hair!! John has been giving me the best haircuts for nearly a decade. Even when I lived in Australia, I'd wait until I came home to get my hair cut by John. I now live in San Diego, but drive up to Costa Mesa to see him. He knows more about hair than any reality TV hair people!! He's won countless hairdressing awards all over the world. He even gets flown into other countries to teach hair styling!! He did a Brazilian Blowout and my hair has never looked better...no more flat ironing for me. I'd recommend John to anyone who asks! He rocks!! read more

All I have to say is SEE John Alanouf. He's simply the best. I have been seeing him for years and years now... I have followed him wherever he goes. He's simply a genius when it comes to hair. =) I travel from Laguna Niguel to Costa Mesa just to get a bang trim by him... So worth the trip! Shanghai Salon is quite the lively place to go; the owners are wonderful. I have always been greeted with many friendly smiles & hellos when I arrive. I leave looking AND feeling good! Go see JOHN!!!!!! read more

EDIT: I spoke too soon...after writing yesterday's review, I took a shower and blowdried my hair for the first time since cutting it...it took me less than 10 minutes!!! Shorter hair is SO liberating..nehoo, afterwards, I actually took the time to straighten my hair thoroughly (took less than 20 minutes) and it looks great!! I've posted a picture for all to see! I met a friend for lunch after and she couldn't stop raving about how much she liked it... Oh Christina...seriously, I've only met you once but I love you. Not only your skills, but 5 big stars for your awesome personality. So my hair is about 2 inches shorter...and I'm not used to it at all. I LOVE the hair and the layers are beautiful, but I'm still not used to seeing it on myself. My hair looks weird now when I scrunch it but I'm sure a visit to Christina for a little tutorial will change that. When straightened though, the layers look so nice and there's so much more body. Although I love the hair, I still think longer hair is for me as opposed to medium lengths. I'm hoping to visit Christina soon for this Brazilian Blowout she told me about!! And when my hair grows out I'll be returning to her for sure and seeing what she can do next with a longer hairstyle. YAY!! And I love their mini bottles of sparking apple cider hehe...yummy!! The salon is so beautiful too and everyone's extremely nice. read more

This place is hard to find and in a strip mall, HOWEVER, once you find it, the salon is very clean and modern chic. I'm really writing this review for Christina Sanchez. I went to her when she worked at Empire Salon in Irvine and loved my hair so much that I had to follow her wherever she went. Christina is meticulous and a perfectionist. But more than that, she knows her craft. She listens to you and does a marvelous job at giving you want you want. As to the "hard to find" part, my GPS directed me to the shopping center next to the salon so perhaps some of you will have this problem as well. Just remember that it is in the same plaza as Pancakes R Us. This place is definitely worth a try, go visit Christina! read more

Christina Sanchez has been cutting my hair since beauty school then I followed her to empire salon and now shanghai.. She does amazing cuts/color work! and has grown so much over the past year, her bob cuts are to die for btw....CS will make you comfortable as soon as you sit in her chair.. she has an amazing outgoing personality.. and her vibes will definitely get you coming back to her.. if you have twitter, start following Shanghai salon and check out all the specials they have. www.twitter.com/shanghaisalon -bp read more

I have mixed feelings about Shanghai Salon. The space itself is clean and modern - I love the minimalist decor. A relaxed atmosphere and the friendly staff make customers feel immediately welcome. I was very pleased with my first visit: I got an awesome haircut with layers just the way I wanted them. I loved the results. While I was there, the stylist told me that she was great at special occassion hairstyles, especially curls. So when my next dress-up event rolled around, I returned to her to get my hair done ($35 for a blow out). Now, I've had my hair done this way before, and have loved it, but I know that the look can be tricky to achieve. My hair doesn't really keep curls very well, and I warned the stylist of this. She did not seem concerned, and assured me that her amazing curling iron would hold the curls well into the next day, if I refrained from washing my hair. I trusted her, even though she was awfully fast at curling my hair, which usually takes a long time. When she was finished, she asked me what I thought. To be honest, I didn't think she was *actually* finished. There were curls present, but there were also a lot of stray, frizzy curls (which do not naturally occur in my straight hair) hovering all around my head. I nervously asked about the frizzies, and she cheerfully worked to smooth them into the rest of my hair. The results were an improvement, but nowhere near the clean look that I wanted, which was big, glamorous curls. And not too long after I got home, I discovered what happens when you don't hold the curling iron in place for long enough: curls? Not so much. Two hours later, I headed to the party with wavy-ish, curly-ish hair. It wasn't terrible, but it was not the glamorous look I had in mind. By the next morning, any signs of the previous night's ringlets had all but disappeared. Now, I am positive the stylist meant well, but I spent the night feeling as if I'd been overpromised results. She was certainly more excited and insistent about the results (and curls that would stay for DAYS, she claimed!) than any other stylist who has worked on curling my hair. I appreciate her demeanor and optimism, but wish that the results could back up her claims. Would I return? For a haircut - yes, definitely. For event styling? I'll go elsewhere next time... read more

I have been going to CHRISTINA SANCHEZ for almost 2 years now and I'm satisfied after every visit! =) Not only does she cut & color my hair, exactttlllyyy the way that I want it (keep in mind, I'm really picky about my hair cuts), she makes me feel like I am at home every single time I go. Today, I got my hair cut by her and I am thoroughly satisfied... like always. I did a 1 1/2 inch trim and told her that I wanted to keep my length and she didn't cut any less or any more. She also did an undercut, which took out a lot of the weight on my hair. **Girlsss!! If you feel like you have a lot of weight and bulk to your hair, go to Christina! She will help you take some weight off your hair which makes it feel so fresh and light. I would definitely recommend that everyone go and try it out, you'll be satisfied, because I've tried it & I love it!** The salon itself is so cute and chic. It's kind of small, but in a good way, because you feel right at home there. The products that they use (DAVINES) are amazing and keep my hair so shiny for dayss! The other staff members are always so nice and sweet when I come in, but I will always stay with Christina since she really knows how to cut & color my hair exactly the way that I ask for it. I would definitely recommend trying this salon out if you're looking for a hairstylist. Good stylists that listen to what you want are so hard to find, but you'll definitely find it in Christina Sanchez at Shanghai Salon. read more

I found out about this salon through my stylist, Christina Sanchez. I first had Christina cut my hair over at Empire Salon, and I followed her to Shanghai, of course, and here I am back again for another (belated) review. First, Christina was super awesome as always! She puts you right at ease the moment you sit in her chair and she's super easy to talk to. She has a great outgoing personality and like another Yelper said, "[she] can shoot the breeze about anything." She'll always explain what she is doing/going to do with your hair throughout the entire process, and gives you a lot of helpful tips on how to style your hair. Not once has she ever made me feel stupid for asking a silly or obvious question either, which is why I truly love going to her, and on top of that she gives great advice. She takes her time with your cut unlike other stylists I've been to and she's very thorough. Christina is just plain super awesome =] This was my first time going to Shanghai and let me tell you, this place is REALLY hidden in the corner of the shopping center, and while you're driving by you won't see a sign out by the street. Christina warned me about this and gave me a heads up (look for the Pancakes R Us sign) though. The salon doesn't really pop out at you as you drive into the shopping center, but that's not a knock off on the salon at all. The salon itself is great!! It's small, but hip and super cute and welcoming. The staff is really friendly, and the atmosphere is really nice. I remember Empire being too busy and hectic for me and the pacing of the place shouted out LOUD, but Shanghai is a lot different. It's lively and yet not overtly loud or anything. It's definitely not slow or boring, but rather just upbeat, modern, and organic. The place is really cheerful, and it's a great environment: clean and organized and well decorated. If you're reading this and debating if you should go see Christina at Shanghai, don't even hesitate! Christina really knows her stuff, and you can trust her!! read more

I went back to Christina about a week ago to get my hair cut again before I left for school. I wanted to try something new and a little different, so I asked her about bangs. (The ones that go straight across, not the side-swept ones.) She knows I live in New York, so she made sure I knew the consequences of not styling my bangs in humid weather. She did some undercutting, which i love, because I feel like I'm not wasting shampoo on useless, bulky hair. Anyways, what I'm trying to say (again) is: this girl knows what she's doing. Especially with long, curly, unmanageable hair. Also, in response to a negative review I read regarding Christina's skills cutting long hair: I have long, crazy-person hair. Like, I've literally almost had an afro a few times in my life, and I'm asian. If you let her know what you want, talk to her about how much maintenance you're planning on putting into it, Christina will make it happen. But seriously, I love the girl for curing my terminal bad-hair day. read more

Ok here is my story. I am one of the most critical people when it comes to my hair. If you have ever had a bad hair cut, then I am sure you understand. I was introduced to Shanghai by my sister-in-law who see Patti. I went to Patti once and she did a great job. I was leaving the state for a few months and scheduled another appt with Katie thinking she was Patti the owner. I waited to have my hair done until the last possible second since I knew I'd be gone for a while. It turned out that ironically enough a Katie worked there but she was not the one who cut my hair the first time, it was Patti I needed. I was panicked and very upset and skeptical to have anyone but Patti touch my hair. I had no chance of rescheduling as I was leaving and Patti wasn't going to be in before I left. Katie Reece convinced me to let her color it and have John Alanouf cut it. Meanwhile John was watching as Katie talked me through this, sweating bullets thinking I don't want to touch this woman's head. I'm sure he had some choice words for my attitude, but was very professional and cut my hair to exceed my expectations. Katie did a fabulous job with the color and I have been going back to them for the past year and love their work. I get tons of compliments and I am so thankful for the mishap. Apparently it was meant to be... read more

Wow.. I cannot believe I didn't update my review! Shame on me. I had my appointment with Christina Sanchez, and she did a great job. I chopped my long hair (like elbow length long) into a really chic bob. I brought pictures of different styles, and she told me her honest opinion on what would look best. I felt so comfortable, I said I trust you. She worked meticulously at my hair making sure each strand fell into the right place. Best of all, its been a bit and my hair is growing out beautifully. Also, I had my boyfriend dye my hair for me and he missed a few patches so I had blond highlights peeping through here and there. While she was shampooing my hair, she added some kind of special shampoo to help minimize that. Highly recommended, can't say enough great things about her! read more

Seriously, Christina S. saved my hair. During my 2 month vacay in Asia, I made a terrible decision. That unforgivable decision was to get extensions. To make a long story short, the extensions were pulling out my natural hair and made it incredibly damaged. Once I returned to the states, I immediately made an appointment with Christina (for the first time) to fix the wreckage. First and foremost, the one quality I value most about Christina is her honesty. She is one of those stylists who will give it to you straight, even if you don't want to hear it. And at the end of the day, her honesty makes for better hair. I didn't want to hear that after enduring 5 hours of getting my extensions put in, I needed to take them out to save my hair from further damage. Alright, later shiteous extensions. After removing my extensions, my shoulder length hair was about 2/3 of its original amount and scattered with wispy/awkward layers from my previous haircut in Asia. It looked like a lost cause that just needed to grow out, but in comes Christina to save the day! She listened carefully to what I wanted and gave me feedback on what she thought would be feasible. In the end, she gave me a lovely slightly angled bob with Nicole Richie bangs. I loved it! Her blowout simply blew life back into my dull and sparse hair. Her precision, thoroughness, and keen eye are one of a kind and I highly recommend her. read more

I LOVE SHANGHAI! times gazillion! Before I go on about Shanghai, I have to give much love shout out to my hair stylist, John. He's been my stylists for like 8 years! (that's longer than most marriages in OC) He is ammmmazzzzing. Again, AMAZING! For like 6 months in that 8 year period I decided to go somewhere due to my friend's begging and I will never forgive myself for deserting John. Now, I made a promise to myself that he is the only person that can cut my hair until he decides to retire... Please don't!!!! I always wondered about those hairdressers who moved their mouth faster than thinking about their client's hair. No "crap talking" to those stylists that talk 90 miles/ min, but I love the fact that John and I don't have to be talking the whole time while he is cutting my hair. I'm confident to know that he won't be scissor happy while busy talking and being distracted. My hair is long and fine so even though it looks easy to cut, it belongs to a fickle owner. (me) John always listens to me , I mean really listens to what I have to say. He gives great suggestions since he is the master of hair but still he takes the time to listen. The most important thing is that even if I wait longer than 3-4 months to go get my haircut, which is all the time... My hair still looks great. you know when you got a bad haircut from a not so great stylists when after few weeks your hair doesn't grow out nicely. Your great hair moment has passed faster than Crazytown ( OMG, remember that group with that one hit song?? ) Overall, John deserves the Oscar, an Emmy, Pulitzer, and all the other awards the world gives out but for hairstylists. And of course at last Shanghai. Enough said! 5 stars all the way!!! read more

As you can see from my track record, I am not one to update my reviews but Christina & Shanghai totally deserve an update. The salon is always squeaky clean and kept up really well. Candance at the front is always super nice even when I am being totally difficult with scheduling my next appointment. On to Christina. It's been almost six months since I first started going to her and I am still in the honeymoon stage! She is extremely talented and I can't stop telling everyone about her (and I get compliments on my hair cut ALL the time--think angled bob). She is super thorough with every client and is a perfectionist---a trait I appreciate greatly in this industry. I am so pleased that I actually brought my picky/demanding cousin to get her hair done with Christina, and she loved the results. She turned my boring and old-fashioned cousin into one hott mama with her master scissor skills! I can't wait for my next 8 week visit...! read more

What can I say other than I LOVE this salon, my new cut, and fringe! The place is always kept tidy and the staff is very welcoming. I got my hair cut & colored by Katie before (who is also wonderful) but read about Christina on Yelp and decided to give her a try. The cut: Most stylists jack up my bangs and layers so I told her what I wanted - she told me her opinion and made it even better than what I had in mind. My hair looks and feels healthy (she cut off my dead color so my color looks renewed when I didn't even get it colored!) and when I tie my hair up, it falls naturally and effortlessly around my face. Yay! The stylist: Christina meticulously cut my hair and gave me a tutorial on how to style it. She's amazing, sweet, and funny. She would talk about products/services as if I were her friend made so it made me feel comfortable and allowed me to trust her. John was working at the station next to Christina's so I was able to see his work as well - he was giving a lady a french bob and I fell in love with it. Clean and perfect. The products: They have a nice selection of Davines hair products. Unlike other salons, it was nice to see the stylists using their products to mainly educate and recommend rather than being pushy salespeople. The price: I would recommend to check Yelp or their Facebook page on the day of your appointment for any promos. Wish I read about their $50 haircut special before going in! Oh well, better luck next time. read more