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San Jose, CA

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Above First

5.0 (53 reviews)
Closed • Closed

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Quaint little spot with a fabulous view in San Jose!
Lorrie M.

I was that Asian chick who spent years looking for the perfect hair salon until I just gave up and got that $35 cut from the random hair place in the Asian strip mall. Until I met Chris! I also balked at spending what normal people spend on hair but I actually now believe it's worth every penny. Yes I am no longer paying $35 for a cut, but what I'm getting is quality, superior products, and a stylist who actually listens to me! Chris always pays attention to what I want out of my hair and remembers what my hair was like from previous times to give me the same look. He's also able to help me get out of my look by giving me something that's just slightly outside of what I said I wanted but still made me look soooo fabulous. He is amazing at styling as he is at cutting. I've never been able to curl my hair ... ever. Thank you straight hair Asian genes ... but Chris somehow not only curled my hair perfectly but made it last all day without 30 bottles of hair spray. GENIUS. I'm so happy he opened this new place because now I can make appointments just with him. Woot!

Right after blow dry
Jessie V.

Chris is absolutely the best hair dresser/stylist I've EVER been to, hands down. He does exactly what I want, every single time and it honestly looks so perfect. It blends so well it basically looks natural! As long as I live in the Bay Area, I won't trust anyone else with my hair

the groom's haircut!
Allison F.

I would like to say a huge thank-you to the Groupon Gods for the role they played in me finding The Steampunk Beauty Bar ~ it all started when I met Christopher on a complete whim when I choose to get all glammed up for a bridal boudoir shoot as a wedding gift for my future husband. Before my mini glam sesh was over, I immediately booked my wedding day hair and makeup! (Which turned out perfectly, might I mention!!) He also cut my husband's hair for the wedding, in addition to helping him get ready the day of. To be honest, my husband and I can't say enough good things about The Steampunk Beauty Bar & Chris.

Get your hair done...
yolanda p.

Christopher is wonderful. he pays attention to detail and his passion for cutting and styling shows. I recommend coming in and having him style you! I am definitely hooked.. Thank you!!! I love my new cut. New flare new bounce to my step! You are so talented!!!

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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Christopher T.

Thank you Cindy! Hope you had fun at the concert!!

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11 years ago

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5 years ago

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Christopher T.

It is always a pleasure to see you! So much fun every time!

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3 years ago

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10 years ago

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7 years ago

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

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Christopher T.

Thank you so much for your kind words =)

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9 years ago

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8 years ago

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11 years ago

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5 years ago

Honestly the best work I've had done to my hair. Chris reveals the real you with his haircuts :)

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9 years ago

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Page 1 of 2

Ask the Community - Above First

Review Highlights - Above First

“I got so many compliments from our wedding guest for both my hair and make up and all thanks to Chris!”

Mentioned in 31 reviews

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Studio Cathy HM Beauty - Bridal hair and makeup selfie

Studio Cathy HM Beauty

5.0(163 reviews)
4.7 mi•Brigadoon, Evergreen
•$$
Available by appointment
Luxury

As a coordinator, I've had the pleasure of working alongside Cathy multiple times, and she is truly…read morea dream to have on any wedding day team. She is always punctual (honestly, usually early!), incredibly professional, and one of the most responsive artists I've worked with which makes planning and day-of execution so much smoother. What really sets Cathy apart is how personable she is with brides and their parties. She has this calm, friendly energy that instantly puts everyone at ease, which is exactly what you want on a wedding morning. And can we talk about initiative?! Cathy consistently goes above and beyond by sending out a detailed day-of makeup timeline without even being asked. That level of organization is GOLD for coordinators and keeps the entire schedule running seamlessly. If you're a bride looking for someone talented, reliable, and genuinely wonderful to be around, Cathy is your girl. I can't recommend her enough!

WOW! where do I even begin?! I was visiting home for a wedding, trying to find someone available…read morefor just hair. I got SOOO lucky Cathy was free!! I requested a quote via Yelp and we were able to book something quickly, after sending my inspo pic and a current pic of my hair. Everything was super easy to check-in and I immediately felt so comfortable talking to Cathy! I expressed that I wasn't sure if my inspo pic was right for the dress and she helped me choose a style that would go best with my face shape. I was so nervous about the day but sitting in Cathy's studio truly made me feel so relaxed and taken care of. Also- with all this hair, we were still done within the hour! My appointment was at 9:15am and my hair lasted until 2am, withstanding the sweat, dancing, and all other bridesmaid duties. Thank you so much, Cathy!

Photos
Studio Cathy HM Beauty
Studio Cathy HM Beauty - Half up with lots of volume

Half up with lots of volume

Studio Cathy HM Beauty - Bridal glam with added hair extensions

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Shanney Beauty - Makeup Artist

Shanney Beauty

4.9(125 reviews)
325.2 mi
•$$

I had such an amazing experience with Shanney Beauty. She is truly a talented and professional…read moremakeup artist. She did my makeup and it came out absolutely flawless. You can tell she is very detail-oriented and takes her time to make sure everything looks perfect from start to finish. Not only is she incredibly skilled, but she also made the entire appointment so comfortable and enjoyable. She is such a great person to talk to, which made the whole makeup session feel relaxing and fun. Her work is extremely high quality, and it really shows through her technique and attention to detail. You can definitely tell she has over 10 years of experience as a professional makeup artist. I highly recommend Shanney Beauty to anyone looking for flawless glam, luxury makeup, or makeup for any special occasion. I will absolutely be coming back again.

Shanney did such an amazing job for my wedding. She made me feel like such a beautiful bride!…read moreMakeup is an art and she is truly a master of her craft! She is also so easy to talk to so getting my makeup done was a joy. She did my whole bridal party makeup including my mom. She listened to my wants and made the minor adjustments I've requested from our trial. I truly loved how I felt on my wedding day! I would recommend Shanney in a heartbeat!

Photos
Shanney Beauty - Touch Ups!

Touch Ups!

Shanney Beauty - Makeup by @shanneybeauty bookings- SHANNEYBEAUTY.COM

Makeup by @shanneybeauty bookings- SHANNEYBEAUTY.COM

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Makeup by @shanneybeauty bookings- SHANNEYBEAUTY.COM

Styles By Ann

Styles By Ann

4.8(184 reviews)
4.9 mi•Evergreen
•$$

I booked Ann for hair and makeup for my wedding and had a wonderful experience working with her. I…read morehad also booked a trial almost a year before my wedding, and she was very responsive and easy to work with. We communicated via email for booking. We met at her Sunnyvale studio for the trial. She gave lots of helpful tips on what she recommended for my skin tone, skin type, and my hair length, and explained the different products she was using and why she was using them. I really appreciated her attention to detail and that she took her time perfecting the small details. She was also super chill to chat with. I had booked the trial the same day as an engagement photoshoot, and the photos turned out better than I could've imagined! On wedding day, Ann and her assistant arrived to our venue bright and early. I was feeling a little nervous, but the 2 hours with Ann left me feeling super at ease - it was a peaceful session despite how hectic wedding days usually go! I had also noted small changes I wanted from the trial and she was super receptive to my preferences, making sure I felt my best on wedding day. Ann's assistant also did an amazing job with my mom's and MIL's hair and makeup. Ann also gave my mom a tutorial on how to put my veil in my hair, which was very appreciated. I'm so happy I booked Ann for my makeup on one of the happiest days of my life!! She didn't just made me look beautiful; she made me feel beautiful too. I'm still impressed at how good my hair and makeup looked in photos afterwards, even after a night of laughing, crying, and sweaty dancing. Highly recommend booking Ann for your hair and makeup needs!!

Ann helped me feel absolutely beautiful on my wedding day! I did a trial session with her and had…read moreto reschedule it a couple of times because I was trying to coordinate it with my engagement shoot. She replied graciously every time and eventually we found a date that worked. I wanted a natural makeup style because I rarely wear makeup and she executed it perfectly. I requested two different hairstyles for my trial and day-of and she did both perfectly as well. I highly recommend Ann and her services.

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Styles By Ann - Bridal hair and makeup

Bridal hair and makeup

Styles By Ann
Styles By Ann

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Design Her Image - Hair & Makeup | Makeup Lessons San Francisco & San Jose

Design Her Image

4.9(331 reviews)
3.0 mi•West San Jose
•$$$

Tiffany and Nicole were very accommodating for my event with hair and makeup…read more Both were done in a timely manner and amazing! My makeup was done how I wanted- instead of a natural nude look, I asked for color and Nicole delivered. Looking forward to working with them again.

I don't like to write negative reviews, but overall, I was somewhat disappointed with Tiffany given…read morehow expensive her service was, transparency and how my hair held up at the wedding. Tiffany really nails the soft-glam look for makeup. It's very flattering but you still look like you. She's a pro for this What bothered me the most is she didn't mention she had a minimum until after she did my trial. It's not on her website and not in the informational email. In order to meet the minimum, we decided to add my mom and MIL into the schedule but this ended up changing our whole timeline for the morning at the last minute and, I had to wake up way earlier than I planned since she said it would take too long to set up at the Airbnb they were at, but OK. I did a trial with her a week before my wedding and the teasing really damaged my hair, I could barely brush it. My hair looked great during the first look, but it really didn't hold, and even by the ceremony it was falling out. Similarly, my MIL also had curls done and I noticed it didn't hold up either. Lastly, she overslept my trial (which she was very apologetic for). She offered a small discount, but I didn't really feel like it compensated for me taking the day off, spending a whole day driving to San Jose, waiting an hour, driving back, and then rescheduling. She was about 15 minutes late arriving to our venue, but it didn't end up setting our schedule back.

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Design Her Image - Bridal party goal | makeup and hair by designHERimage

Bridal party goal | makeup and hair by designHERimage

Design Her Image - Wedding parties FUN! | San Francisco Wedding Makeup Artist Team

Wedding parties FUN! | San Francisco Wedding Makeup Artist Team

Design Her Image - Romantic engagement makeup style take your breath away~

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Romantic engagement makeup style take your breath away~

Beauty By Chau Nguyen - Bridal Makeup and Hair

Beauty By Chau Nguyen

5.0(238 reviews)
7.8 mi
•$$

Chau is amazing! I booked a trial with her, after a bad trial experience with a different HMUA…read more Chau instantly made me feel at ease, listened to exactly what I wanted (natural makeup), and completely delivered both at the trial and day of. I'm not used to wearing heavy makeup, and she found the perfect balance in making me feel done up, while also feeling comfortable/like myself. She is punctual, and a relaxing presence to be around while getting ready for what can be a stressful day. I'm Indian and initially incorrectly thought I needed a South Asian HMUA, but Chau did a fantastic job with both makeup and my hair, placing the tikka, and securing jasmine flowers to my hair. Highly recommend Chau!

I highly recommend Chau! I have a few friends who had her as their makeup artist and her skills are…read morealways flawless. I originally had her assistant at one of the weddings and felt my makeup was decent but not the way I would like for our wedding. I went to another artist for a trial but felt like she wasn't able to execute what I was asking for. In reality, I shouldn't have gone on a search, I came back to Chau and her attentiveness and consideration was worth it! She knows what she is doing and I could trust her the entire process. My makeup was prefect! She covered all the areas I requested and prepped the makeup in case of tears. My hair was beautiful and she knew what to do to accentuate the accessories I had. Her assistants are skilled but may be off the mark sometimes. My bridesmaid's foundation was a few shades too light as she has a darker complexion. She didn't notice until after everything was already on and didn't want the artist to redo all her work. It was still decent but something to keep in mind. Don't look any further for a makeup artist as she is worth the price!

Photos
Beauty By Chau Nguyen - Bridesmaids and Bridal Makeup and Hair

Bridesmaids and Bridal Makeup and Hair

Beauty By Chau Nguyen - Bridal Makeup and Hair

Bridal Makeup and Hair

Beauty By Chau Nguyen - My hair, face & eye makeup (silver dress) after 11+ hours with 0 touchups needed

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My hair, face & eye makeup (silver dress) after 11+ hours with 0 touchups needed

Beauty By Thao - Bride to be

Beauty By Thao

5.0(96 reviews)
6.3 mi•Blossom Valley

Thao was absolutely amazing! She did my wedding hair and my mom's hair and makeup for both days of…read moremy wedding, and we couldn't have been happier. Not only is she incredibly talented, but she was also such a calming and fun presence to have around during such a busy weekend. Getting ready with her honestly felt less like sitting through hours of hair and makeup and more like hanging out and chilling with a friend before the main event. She made the whole experience feel so relaxed and easy. My hair looked beautiful both days and held up perfectly throughout all of the festivities, and my mom looked absolutely gorgeous. Thao really listened to what we wanted while also knowing exactly what would photograph well and last throughout the day. I'm so grateful we hired her for such an important weekend. I would absolutely recommend Beauty by Thao to anyone looking for someone who is talented, professional, warm, and just genuinely wonderful to be around!

I had the best experience with Thao for my wedding hair and makeup! During the trial, I was…read moredebating between an updo or hair down and Thao was kind enough to try both on me so I could see which look I preferred. On the wedding day, everything turned out beautifully. My hair stayed perfectl all night and I received so many compliments on both hair and makeup! What I appreciated most was how much time and care she put into making sure I was completely happy and confident with the final look. She truly listens to what you want while using her expertise to guide you, and I couldn't have been happier with how everything turned out. Highly recommend her for your wedding day!

Photos
Beauty By Thao
Beauty By Thao - Bridal hair

Bridal hair

Beauty By Thao - Mom and Me

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Mom and Me

Above First - makeupartists - Updated October 2026

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