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Above First

5.0 (54 reviews)
Closed Closed

By appointment only

Updated 1 month ago

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Services - Above First

Hair extension coloring

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Hair styling

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Makeup application

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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.

Juliette-jane O.

Chris did my makeup (along with seven others) for a wedding this past weekend. He worked on girls between ages 14 to +60, all with amazing results. Everyone had elegant and age appropriate makeup tailored to their preference and comfort level. Chris and Armando were both timely, professional, and so much fun to work with. They went beyond their call of duty and tried to help us in every way they can to make the wedding a beautiful success. If I'm back in the area and need my hair and makeup done again, i will absolutely be hitting them up. Can't recommend them enough! xoxo

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!!!

Haley G.

Katie is amazing. This place is absolute magic. Not only is it by appointment only, but the experience is so personal. It's a small cottage located conveniently right on bascom ave in San Jose behind the big yellow Victorian photo shop. She's up front & honest about what she can do in a visit & what may or may not be the start of a process to get you where you wanna be. Steampunk definitely gives me the best experience I've had so far at a salon. Don't hesitate! Call to book your appt now!

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9 years ago

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10 years ago

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7 years ago

My hair is healthy and the cut is just what I wanted, also Chris is super nice and let me control the music while he did my hair

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9 years ago

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7 years ago

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Photo of Mike M.
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10 years ago

Awesome place, Christopher the stylist is on top of it andPrices totally reasonable. I would definitely recommend!

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7 years ago

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8 years ago

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9 years ago

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10 years ago

I love my haircut and color from Christopher love your salon Steampunk thank you be back soon

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9 years ago

Katie is amazing with hair, I love the salon it is comfortable and modern. Chris is amazing with makeup and hair as well.

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9 years ago

Thank you Christopher for cutting my hair!! You are an amazing stylist and I only trust you to cut my hair short!!

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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 32 reviews

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Studio Cathy HM Beauty - Created a face framing updo to pair with a hydrated dewy glam to celebrate a grand & elegant milestone birthday party.

Studio Cathy HM Beauty

5.0(159 reviews)
4.7 miEvergreen
$$
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!

Cathy hands down is a gem! She is wonderful and so experienced with hair and makeup. She has such a…read morecalm, reassuring energy that instantly puts you at ease, especially during what can sometimes be a stressful getting-ready process. She's incredibly personable and easy to talk to, and you can tell she really knows her craft. She listened carefully to what I wanted and delivered results that felt both polished and natural. I'd absolutely recommend her to anyone looking for someone skilled, professional, and a joy to work with!

Photos
Studio Cathy HM Beauty - When you have the right hair density without adding hair extensions-. Created a voluminous mid part waves hair style for this beauty.

When you have the right hair density without adding hair extensions-. Created a voluminous mid part waves hair style for this beauty.

Studio Cathy HM Beauty - Hollywood waves with all the fluff of volume paired with warm tone makeup adding top and bottom lashes.

Hollywood waves with all the fluff of volume paired with warm tone makeup adding top and bottom lashes.

Studio Cathy HM Beauty - Let us design your elegant updo

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Let us design your elegant updo

Styles By Ann

Styles By Ann

4.8(182 reviews)
4.9 miEvergreen
$$

I found Ann on Instagram because I was looking for a hair and makeup artist for my wedding. I…read morereached out to other artists but ended up picking her because she had 20+ years experience in the makeup industry. Another thing that stuck out when I was deciding was when she said she has an eye when it comes to what product looks good on her clients. She also encouraged me to look at her past clients to get a feel of what I wanted for myself. I scheduled a trial with her at her studio in Sunnyvale because I was taking engagement pictures that same day and also wanted to get a feel of how I was going to look for my big day. She arrived on time and we both hit it off very quickly. She asked to see a picture of how I normally do my makeup before she worked her magic. She didn't encourage inspo makeup pictures because she said every face/skin type is different, but she did ask for hair inspo pictures. I really appreciated her expertise since I am not a makeup guru. Not only did she make me feel beautiful, I still looked like myself. The day of my wedding, she came to my house at 6am to make sure I had enough time before my tea ceremony at 10am. Her other colleague also came because my 2 bridesmaids and my mom needed their hair and makeup done. Ann was calm and took her time to make sure she nailed the look. My eyes aren't even so she put tape to make it look as perfect as possible. She kept saying that one eye looked bigger but it wasn't a big deal for me. At the end of the session, I was shocked that I could look that stunning!!! Everyone complimented on my hair and makeup that day. I am so glad I found Ann to be part of my special day. She is extremely professional and easy to work with. I hope she continues to make every woman feel as beautiful as she made me feel!!

Ann did the hair and makeup for my wedding and it held up great, especially considering I had…read morebroken out a bit the week of. She was super responsive, always on time, and really flexible. I was planning on doing a second look for my reception but wasn't sure if I would need my makeup redone or not. Ann said she'd only charge me for what I ended up needing. She was wonderful to work with day-of. Would definitely recommend her.

Photos
Styles By Ann - Bridal hair and makeup

Bridal hair and makeup

Styles By Ann
Styles By Ann

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A-List Makeup - Kat's makeup

A-List Makeup

4.9(1.2k reviews)
6.4 mi
$$

Ann was quick, responsive, accommodating and professional! I…read morereached out to her because my best friend used her services for her wedding, which I was also part of in the bridal party, and knew her work was the real deal. We discussed the date, time and budget and she was quick to provide me with a quote and service detail. I personally didn't get the chance and time to go in for a trial, but I trusted Ann with the process and I've seen her work personally and had her services before. She was accommodating with the amount of space I had at my home and the amount of people her team had to work with in the limited time. My bridal party and mothers love the services and everyone looked beautiful the day of my wedding. It is really great to find good priced services (esp. since wedding are super expensive already) and has a whole team to assist a bridal party. Thank you Ann and your amazing team!

Jennifer Vo is amazing! She is so kind and a pleasure to work with. She is always willing to answer…read moreany questions you may have and responds promptly, which was super helpful during the wedding planning process. I did a total of three hair and makeup sessions with her (two engagement photoshoots and my wedding day). Each time, both my hair and makeup held up well for the entire day. I cried at the end of the night on my wedding day and received comments at how impressive it was that my makeup didn't run On wedding day, Jennifer and her team helped make the morning run so smoothly with their timeliness and efficiency, which I truly appreciated! My mom and bridesmaids really enjoyed their experiences, and of course I did too!

Photos
A-List Makeup - Soft-Glam Bridal Makeup

Soft-Glam Bridal Makeup

A-List Makeup - Loved how the look came out!

Loved how the look came out!

A-List Makeup - Wedding reception! Hair/Make up - Jennifer Vo Video: Micha Videography Photo: Kelvin Balagtas Photography

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Wedding reception! Hair/Make up - Jennifer Vo Video: Micha Videography Photo: Kelvin Balagtas Photography

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

Design Her Image

4.9(330 reviews)
3.0 miWest San Jose
$$$

Tiffany and her team was fantastic from start to finish, and very accommodating. She reassured me…read morethroughout the entire process, which was particularly helpful after having gone through a trial with another HMUA and being disappointed with the results. I had more anxiety about my hair and makeup more so than almost anything else during the wedding planning process, and Tiffany made me feel beautiful and heard during the trial and wedding day :) Highly recommend!!

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.

Photos
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 - Luxury Trending Magazine cover. Makeup and hair by Chau

Beauty By Chau Nguyen

5.0(236 reviews)
7.8 mi
$$
13 years in business
Free estimates

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!

Chau was one of the very first vendors I booked, 2 whole years before our wedding date. I was very…read moreparticular with all of the vendors I chose, looking through all of the available options I could find first, and I love makeup, so my hair and makeup artist was super high priority to me. It was such an easy choice for me to have Chau as my wedding HMUA. Her work speaks for itself, so I knew I wanted her just by looking through her Instagram. She is super knowledgable and experienced, and you can clearly see her skill through the wide range of looks she does so well. I knew that whatever look I had in mind, I was confident Chau would be able to execute it perfectly. We met for my hair and makeup trial about a year and a half before my wedding day. Chau was super responsive and helpful throughout the entire time I worked with her, starting from my inquiry. I showed her inspiration photos for my trial, and the look she did for me was exactly what I was looking for. A year and a half later, for my actual wedding, I changed my mind and had a different look I wanted to do. I had new inspiration photos to show Chau but also wasn't quite sure about how dark I wanted my eyeshadow or how heavy I wanted my eyelashes to be. Chau was super helpful and patient with me, and she even customized lashes to fit what I was hoping for perfectly. At the very end of the night around 4am, I was sad to take off my makeup and wash my hair because I loved it so much. I didn't even touch up any of my makeup or hair at any point after she finished it in the morning. I couldn't have been happier with working with Chau and with all of the looks she created for me. She's also so fun to talk to and made my trial and wedding morning so enjoyable. Chau will give you the exact look you want, and I would recommend Chau to every single person looking for a hair and makeup artist!

Photos
Beauty By Chau Nguyen - Natural bridal makeup and hair

Natural bridal makeup and hair

Beauty By Chau Nguyen
Beauty By Chau Nguyen - Natural glam makeup and hair for her photoshoot.

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Natural glam makeup and hair for her photoshoot.

Beauty By Nguyen Ha - Still looking SNATCH 8 HRS later

Beauty By Nguyen Ha

4.9(49 reviews)
4.1 mi

I had booked Nguyen to get my hair done for my baby shower, and I honestly couldn't have asked for…read morea better experience. From the fast response on yelp, attending my call on a weekend to the minute I sat in her studio, to get my hair done, I felt completely taken care of. She really listened to what I wanted, offered thoughtful suggestions, and executed everything perfectly. The hair turned out absolutely amazing. The Soft, elegant look that I had envisioned for such a special day. I felt confident, beautiful, and shower-ready the entire time. What stood out most was the attention to detail and the calm, positive energy throughout the appointment. We connected so well and It made the whole experience so relaxing and enjoyable, which is exactly what you want during pregnancy. Not to mention, she finished the entire look in 30 minutes . If you're looking for someone you can trust for an important event, Ngugen is your person. I'm so grateful and will definitely be coming back. Highly, highly recommend!

5+ stars for this incredible woman! I was looking for an artist who could do my makeup as a guest…read morefor a wedding and found Nguyen on Yelp. With her nigh ratings and reviews, I contacted her right away. Her response time and communication was so quick! During my appointment, she made me feel comfortable and was so patient with any questions and helped me create the vision I was looking for. I would definitely recommend for everyone!

Photos
Beauty By Nguyen Ha - Hair and makeup

Hair and makeup

Beauty By Nguyen Ha - Lethal face card

Lethal face card

Beauty By Nguyen Ha - Picture credit to Arrowood photography

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Picture credit to Arrowood photography

Above First - makeupartists - Updated May 2026

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