Couldn't be happier that I met Mia!!! I first went for a consultation as my hair turned red/brassy from moving to demi permanent to permanent color. I wanted to find the right colorist as I was feeling lost. I fell confident I will get back to my wanted color progressively. Not only she is super knowledgeable, she is got that beautiful soul. read more

Color by Mia - roots touch up and highlights - Hair Stylists Near Me - San Francisco, California

The female Guy Tang of of the SF bay Area! My hair was damaged from going to different salons that gave me bad dye jobs. She put Olaplex to mitigate any further damage on my hair and worked her magic Balayage treatment on my asian hair. WOW WOW WEEEE!! Several weeks later people are *still* admiring the color on my hair. Mia is incredible. She truly has an eye for color. I hate writing this review because it would mean she would be so well-known and overbooked and it would take forever for me to get an appointment. But we are really lucky to have the female version of Guy Tang in the Bay Area!! read more

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Highlights: 1. Got the exact color and tint I requested, which if you've dyed your hair before, you would know how rare this is. 2. Very reasonable price. 3. Left the salon feeling like I received minimal hair damage for such a drastic color change 4. Mia explains the process very clearly as she works on your hair, so you are aware of all your options and tradeoffs necessary to achieve a certain shade I went in expecting to dye my hair grey or silver, but spontaneously decided to go with peachy rose gold at Mia's suggestion. Not something I would have ever thought of on my own, but I'm so glad I did it. Mia really knew what color goes well on certain skin tones. Will definitely return to her again for my next coloring. read more

Color by Mia - Hair Stylists Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Mia is fabulous- from her personality to her talent as a colorist. The day I met Mia she color corrected my hair from a botched orange blonde to a beautiful natural honey blonde. Not only is she great at what she does but you feel comfortable in her presence as she is super down to earth northern Cali kinda girl. I know that when I am in her chair I have no worries and that my hair will come out exactly as I imagined- if not better! It's hard to come across a good colorist. Mia is a true artist. I started going to Mia exactly 2 years ago and I couldn't be more impressed with her technique and easy going attitude that leads to perfection with my hair. Thank you Mia!!! My color is current and chic. I couldn't be any happier. I am a lifer! :) read more

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Mia is one of few hair color specialists who knows exactly how to transform your hair color from ordinary to absolutely stunning. She is skillfully trained in the French hair color technique called Balayage. My hair has never looked so healthy, naturally rich in color and luminous with shine. She really tries to understand what you want in your consultation with her, yet with her experience and expert knowledge, will let you know if what you want is going to be realistic and if it will work with your hair. Everyone is different. Hair color that looks good on Emma Stone, may not look so good on you. She takes into consideration your skin tone, eye color, the health and strength of your hair, etc. I am usually very weary when it comes to getting my hair colored, but with Mia- I put my faith and trust in her and her skills and my hair comes out flawless every single time. Thank you Mia! read more

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I wanted to write about my experience with Mia. I am transitioning to grey and found her via google. Before our scheduled highlighting appointment she spent time with me looking over photos via text and we spoke over the phone twice. It ended up that I didn't need her services and I'm going to "tough it out" during my go to grey transition. After discussing possible options we decided there could be damage to my curl and the texture of my hair if we did what it would take to soften the grey grow-out demarcation on the crown of my head. She is the most knowledgeable and honest hairdresser I have ever encountered! She was generous with her time and expertise and incredibly honest and ethical. In the end she "lost" a client but gained an admirer. I am very grateful to her and will recommend her to my friends. Thanks again Mia for your support! read more

I've been coming to Mia for 3 years and every time I see her she goes above and beyond to color my hair past all expectations. She has done natural colors, creative colors, and ombre for my hair and everything has looked amazing. Mia is an expert at taking my suggestions and innovating them to best match my hair type and facial features. She always has my hair's best interest at heart and I leave the salon with happy, healthy hair! I take her advice on how to wash and treat my hair between appointments and the color stays rich and vibrant for weeks. Mia is friendly and professional and her assistants are always bright and helpful read more

Color by Mia - Fun, colorful, vibrant purple hair thanks to Mia - Hair Stylists Near Me - San Francisco, California

It would be nice to know that Mia can only do bayalage on pre-lightened or virgin hair. Considering I had called specifically for that service, talked to her personally on the phone before, and then made the bus trip to the salon only to be told she couldn't do what I wanted-i was very disappointed because of all the raving on yelp about her technique. She was very professional and she is trying to protect her reputation by giving the clients what they want and not making promises that she can't keep. I left and am going back to my last stylist. I will say that she was talking trash about another client when I was waiting...and that put me off. I bet she is talking about me right now... read more

Had a consultation with Mia regarding how best to grow out my very long grey hair which I stopped dyeing when the pandemic first started. Mia explained several things I could do, and some that I should NOT do even though it meant she would lose a client. After our chat I felt better knowing the route to take for my hair. Glad that I went to her for this consult. read more

Please note, this review is based on personal interaction, as i did not receive any services today. The scenario: Mia has been doing the color on a friend of mine for a while now, and I had seen Mia once before for a Balayage treatment, with which I was mostly happy with (I had booked a full Balayage with all over tint and at that appointment she just did a partial Balayage and told me that was all she thought I needed). Fast forward to today: I had an appointment scheduled for 4:30 - again for what I hoped would be a full Balayage. The day before the appointment I received an email from Mia letting me know that they had some cancellations earlier in the day and I could come in at several other times, including 4:00. In the email Mia noted that if the other earlier times worked, great, if not keeping the 4:30 appointment would not be an issue. I agreed that although I had other appointments during the day, I could move up a little sooner to the 4:00 appointment. As life, and more often than it should, MUNI has delays. When I realized I was still a few stops away from the salon and approaching my appointment time I emailed Mia (the method in which we had been communicating up until this point) to let her know that I was going to be late, but I was on my way. I arrived at the salon 13 minutes late (yet still would have been 17 minutes early for my previous appointed time..) the desk attendant told me to have a seat, and that she would let Mia know that I was there. Mia then walked down the stairs with her jacket on and bags in her hands stating that she assumed that I wasn't coming to the appointment, that we had confirmed earlier during the day. I apologized, and said that I had returned her email to let her know i was running a few minutes late. She said she didn't get the message. Note: the salon did not attempt to contact me when I was not there at my appointed time. Mia said she could still maybe do my hair, but it didn't look "that bad" as it was, but that it could look better. I again apologized and said I was only going to be in town for a few more days, and that I was going out of town to be in a friends wedding. Mia said she was sorry, but everyone had already cleaned up for the day, but I could make an appointment with her in her Oakland salon the next day. Although Oakland would be out of my way to get to, I agreed to do that. She told me to just go ahead online and book something for the next day and she would see me at that salon. Of course, I get a block away and try to start booking my appointment online for the Oakland location, and lo and behold she does not have any appointments available. Summary: I work in patient care, and if a patient is not present in the office at their appointed time I call the patient to find out if they are delayed and when I can expect them. Mia coming downstairs to meet me with her jacket on and bags in her hand made the conversation feel very awkward, as if I was continuing to hold her up from leaving the salon. In the future, maybe just have the desk attendant let me know that I would not be able to be accommodated because i was 13 minutes late and make an appointment for me in the Oakland salon for the following day. Oh wait, nevermind there are no appointments available then anyway... read more

I have been to Mia three times for color service. I paid 150 three times for partial bayalage highlights that took about twenty minutes. Here I am about a month later and it looks like I had nothing done to my hair at all. I was willing to pay the fee because I had faith in her reviews and reputation. However, after the third try, I am disappointed. I feel like I had better color elsewhere and the price was a bit much for what I got. I am willing to pay for good color, however this does not seem at all like it was worth it. Other issue that made me uncomfortable were her hostile attitude. The last two visits she spent the entire time talking about her business. Actually, I should say bitching about it. On the last visit she spent the entire twenty minutes talking to me about how rude it is for clients to cancel, which I do agree with. However, I honestly do not think it's appropriate to spend my visit with her listening to the ins and outs of her business. I am her customer. I am taking time out of my day to have my hair done, which normally is something I find relaxing - you know, read a magazine, drink some tea, etc. With Mia I end up listening to her yak away about how rude her customers can be and how if anyone cancels or moves an appointment, she will not see them again. I literally felt like I was being threatened! It's a month after the last visit and I still feel uneasy. It's been three visits. I am going to continue my search for a colorist elsewhere. I just think running a business with customers involves more than a high price and a reputation. It should be the complete package, good service, good value, and care for the customer who leaves with a good feeling. I get none of that with Mia. read more

I first met Mia in 2009 before my wedding. I read her reviews, liked the idea of 'balayage' and at 49 years of age, was TIRED of trying to find the perfect highlights for my hair. I have never stayed with the same hair stylist/colorist for longer than a year because I kept searching for better and better results. I can happily say,and my husband can attest to, I have found someone who I know I will stay with until I stop getting highlights (age 90?:-). The result is fabulous every time, and it looks so NATURAL. My husband loves that I am so happy after every appt because for 10 years of our relationship, he knew I was never happy with my hair after every appt. He loves my hair color and style and tells me every day that I "am having a good hair day"! I love the new salon she is working at now-Echos on Sutter St. Mia also referred me to my hair stylist Diana Gallegos, who I will also never leave until I am too old for beautiful hair styles! She, too is an expert and my hair looks and feels fabulous for 3 months - right up to the day of my next appt. Diana is also at Echos now, so it is one stop shopping for me. I live in San Rafael, and do not care that I have to go into the city (and across town) because getting what I want is so worth it! Plus - it's fun to be in downtown SF! I was surprised to see the less than 5 Star reviews here, because I have never experienced Mia as anything but kind and professional. She made me feel at ease from the first appt and I always feel welcome each time I go. Oh - and and as far as price goes, yes it is expensive, but NO MORE expensive than any other salon I have gone to for highlights and haircuts! Knowing and working with the public as I do, I bet those few complainers are a pain in the ass no matter where they go! read more

Mama Mia!!! Whatever your color quarrels, don't worry my child, let Mama Mia take care of you. I will start this review by saying that Mia wants nothing more than to get it right. My first visit wasn't 100% perfect - it was a good job, no doubt - but not quite what I wanted. The biolage (sp??) method that she uses just couldn't quite break through my stubborn head of black hair. I was left with a few streaks of orange here and there... But whatever Mia didn't get right the first time, I didn't even have time to worry because she was on top of the solution (unlike, AHEM, a certain nasty beeyoch at Hair Play who did my color the first time). Mia called me, made time for me, and take #2 was all about the foil method. WHEW. Color came out perfect and couldn't ask for anything more...Except now I want a full head of blond hair ;) Mia, I'll be back for that! read more

Mia ia amazing! She gives me the beautiful, natural loooking highlights that I've always wanted! read more

Color by Mia - MIA making some lucky someone beautiful! - Hair Stylists Near Me - San Francisco, California

Mia Mia! Mia is funny, witty, hot! ...oh wait, we are talking about her color skills, right. I found Mia via Yelp when I moved to Pac Heights. Immediately sold on all her raving reviews I called to make an appt and by serendipitous happenstance she had a cancellation that called moments before I did and I was able to go in and see her the very next day! I went in with a year worth of box colored self abuse on my curly curly do so needless to say I was many toned. (many tones of Red at that) I told her I wanted to take it back to brown and start a lightening process. She was honest and advised that this wasn't going to happen in one sitting which I totally agreed with and appreciated her 'process' approach as some stylist are known for listening TOO much and sacrificing healthy hair to appease a deluded client. I left with FABULOUS hair that was fixed to brown and had it's first phase of highlights. That was one year ago and I've continued to see Mia like clockwork to keep my hair looking ahhhhmazing! After every color you get a KILLER blowout so you seriously walk out of there looking and feeling like a model. Outside of the actual color experience Mia makes you feel good in general. She is always laughing and there are days that I have gone in there a lil down in the mouth only to be greeted by one of the best auras ever. It's like having girls time! With that said you can imagine I wish I could give more than 5 stars for her killer skills. read more

I went to her for the second time this past Saturday, and I am extremely happy with the result (as I was with the first time). We did bleach for the roots and then toner for an ethereal silvery platinum look. It felt like therapy. She's extremely honest about the process, but even bleaching the roots felt like nothing. She's also just a lovely person. 100% will go to her again. read more

Color by Mia - Extremely pleased! - Hair Stylists Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've been visiting Mia since I moved to the Bay Area three years ago. There's a reason that I haven't ever looked for another colorist... Mia will definitely have an opinion on your hair -- she has a keen eye for color and has talked me out of going too blonde a few times. I'm a naturally dusty blond, so we highlight with cream-colored balayage. I walk out of her salon feeling incredible and looking awesome! Please allow her some room to adjust your desired color to a look that will work better for you! The photos you bring in will be helpful for a guide, but she may need to adjust to compliment your skintone, etc. She is SO great at this, if you trust her she will deliver every time! Love love love Mia's work! read more

Mia is awesome! please go to her! I was lucky to get an appointment with her the day before i went off to Vegas..she gave me the most beautiful highlights ever.. The day after I got compliments left and right about my highlights!! and i am still getting them !! as soon as she starts with you , you feel as if you guys have already bonded before..in a past life she was your hairdresser and knew exactly how to do your hair.and lucky for you she has found u again in this life..she does your hair how you want it but combines that with how she thinks it would look best.. have her do your hair and you will see!! :) read more

Mia is superb! Whether you want to go with something super natural and sun-kissed or go a little nuts (a la 7 months pregnant and bored- purple), Mia is your woman! She is also a joy to spend time with so go ahead and spoil yourself. read more

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Mia is WONDERFUL!! She is the first stylist I found since moving to the Bay Area 2 years ago (thanks to Yelp), and I haven't even thought about looking anywhere else. I have been going to her for 2 years now, and she always knows exactly what I want. She really knows what goes well with my skin color, even when I want to mix it up a bit with highlights, while still making it look very natural. She truly listens to the client and gives each client good advice based on their own specific needs and wants. I am always 100% pleased with the results. Plus, she's great to talk to - very laid back and easy to get along with. Mia is probably the best colorist I've ever had, and I'm willing to pay a good price for a quality product I know I can count on. read more

Mia is incredible. I was lucky enough to find her on Yelp when looking for someone who does Balayage highlights. I had them done in Seattle last year and loved them....so I wanted to find an expert Balayage stylist in the Bay Area. This method is so natural, beautiful, and long-lasting--I don't understand why more stylists don't do it. Good thing Mia does--and she does it soooo well. Plus she's fun and sweet and makes you feel like you're hanging out with your best friend the whole time you're in her chair. I've heard other people call her a goddess and I agree--she's the ultimate color goddess. She even won the Citysearch Best of 2008 award. She made it worth the drive from Pleasanton and I'll be seeing her again. She's in Oakland and SF, btw. read more

I have been to lots of salons and colorists over the course of my life, including an amazing colorist at Ken Paves salon in Los Angeles, and I can honestly say that I have never had highlights look so natural or last half as long as when Mia does it. She is absolutely hands down the most gifted colorist I have ever been to. My highlights lasted six months the first time I went to her. SIX MONTHS! My roots blended so naturally into the highlights she put in that I got asked after five months if I had just been in to see her. Mia really takes her time, she listens to what you want and she has the skill and know-how to make it happen and look great. In addition, she's not afraid to tell you that something is not the best idea. I have really fine hair that damages easily and in her hands it is healthier than ever. So if what you are looking for is the "my hair just naturally gets this light from the beach and sun" kind of color - Mia is the answer to your prayers. Oh and did I mention, she's fun and really nice? read more

My daughter was going through some bad times but before she left to go back to college, by some miracle, Mia the colorist voted best in the bay for several years in a row had an opening! I took my daughter down there and we let Mia decide what color to use. When Mia was done, my daughter's spirit lifted and she felt like a new person because her hair was gorgeous. I think I found something better than therapy when you're feeling depressed, go color your hair by Mia! Check out my daughter's pics, it's amazing. read more

Color by Mia - Better than therapy, color your hair by Mia! - Hair Stylists Near Me - San Francisco, California

So, I learned a very valuable lesson. Hair Stylist does not = Colorist. Okay, check! Won't make that mistake a tenth time ;) Mia was lovely. Not only is she absolutely stunning but she has a down to earth approach. I like her straight-forward opinions and delivery. If you want someone to tell you that you're perfect and to coddle you, well that's just ridiculous to start with but also not what a colorist should do. I appreciated her honesty and, even though she didn't believe me when I said I hadn't tinted my hair for 6 or 7 months, loved our interaction. Yes, she's busy but she checks in with you every step of the way. And the fact this is my first Yelp review definitely says a lot in my book. Loved Mia and will be going back! read more

I am not one that takes hair changes lightly. I have been a blond for over 8 years and was ready for a change. I came in to see Mia with a few photos and an open mind. Mia was just what the Dr. ordered! She talked me through transitions, options, lifestyle changes, maintenance.. the full 360! We jumped in with both feet and I must say, I am one happy camper. I LOVED everything about my experience!! My hair is better than I imagined and my time spent with these lovely ladies was ideal! read more

Color by Mia - Mia the Magician! - Hair Stylists Near Me - San Francisco, California

I have been using Mia as my colorist for a few months now and she is fabulous!!! Every time I step out of the salon feeling happy and satisfied with the color of my hair. I absolutely recommend her for anyone looking for a new colorist. Also on another note Spruce Salon in Oakland (where she works on Sundays and Mondays) is wonderful as well, they are warm and welcoming and every time I have gone I have had a great experience. read more

For 8 years Mia's kept my hair looking fabulous and fun! With Mia I've moved confidently from a light brunette with traditional highlights, to more blond with Balayage, and most recently a tint closer to my (original) dark brunette color with caramel highlights. No matter the technique Mia is the master. She is open to your ideas, but will be honest with you on what works (and what won't). She builds on what you have in mind to make your hair look fantastic. The best part is when I'm in her chair I'm having a blast catching up with a great friend too. I'm always *thrilled* to walk out of the salon after Mia works her magic!!!! read more

Mia is very cool as a person, but I had a negative experience with her at the Grant Ave location. My hair is very dark and thick and difficult to color, so I figured what better person to go to than someone with black Asian hair -- surely she would know how to handle my hair? Well, she kept me waiting for 72 minutes -- no kidding -- past my appointment time before she was able to even put me in a chair. Then she proceeded to turn my hair two shades of bright burnt orange -- very unattractive -- and people noticed it, actually said my hair looked orange in the sun. Ran to Festoon the next week to fix the color, which they did. All this said, she did a great job with all of the lighter haired women that I observed while I was waiting for her... read more

Mia makes a pretense of asking what her clients want but doesn't actually listen. If you complain, she finds a way to make it your fault. It wasn't just me...several times, I heard her do that with an unhappy client who was just leaving as I arrived. Mia is a prima donna who believes her old press. She should read her 2012 yelp reviews. Wish I'd bailed before, it took nearly four months for my hair to recover from her mistakes. read more

She does an OK job on hair, but really got the attitude that she's coasting and it's really just a job--ok for her, but not for my hair. Definitely not the most professional, as others have stated, and the new salon gives me the willys; time for someone new. read more

I have been having Mia do my hair for years and just want to say to the people who complain about her price, that it's not how long the service takes, it's the results! My hair looks great! Thanks Mia! read more

Mia contacted me within a week of posting my review. She offered to completely refund my appointment, which was greatly appreciated! I believe this shows how much Mia cares for her clients and the overall outcome of their experiences with her. I have provided an additional star for this outcome. read more

Mia not only did a fantastic job on my hair, but she was also very accommodating and personable. She put balayage highlights in my dark blonde hair, and made it look so natural, just like the sun did when I was younger. People I see daily asked me if I'd gotten a haircut, or if i was wearing make up. They noticed there was something different and prettier about me, but since the highlights were so natural, they didn't immediately notice that my hair had been lightened. It's been three months, and since the color gradually darkens toward the roots, it still looks great. I'll probably go back next month for a touch up. I thought Mia's prices were reasonable for a high end color specialist. The fact that that I'll only need to have my color done three times a year, makes it even more so. This lady is good at what she does! I'd recommend her to anyone. read more

When I showed up at the salon, not only was I late, but I felt like a frumpy stressed-out blob. Although I was still so embarrassed, Mia was gracious about my lack of punctuality. She knows exactly what she's doing and what looks good. Before I left, other clients oohed and ahhed over my "model hair". I walked out of there feeling like a million bucks. Definitely worth the trip from Sac. read more

I have been a devoted customer of Mia for the past five years. I've done some serious highlights, lowlights, panels, and all-over color in that time-frame. Mia is capable of accurately assessing an individual's desire for expression and she competently transforms that desire into a reality--every time. She is an expert in both the minimal and extreme side of the coloring spectrum. Most importantly, Mia both listens and recommends--if one suggests going for a look that is not achievable for one's hair, she'll definitely let you know. read more

MIA rocked my color! She's saucy, funny, talented and super fast! If Mia was like a fine cut of meat, she'd definitely be Wagyu Beef. ;) I heart her. read more

Let's put it this way. Each time I see Mia, I walk out of the salon feeling like I should be headed to a red carpet event. For almost ten years now Mia has been my hair colour Goddess. Once I went to a country far far away and decided to color my hair same as the locals. Well, when I got home I realized what a huge mistake that was so I immediately phoned Mia and she took care of bringing me back to normal, and she did damage control in one visit. Whew! Now, I continue to enjoy endless compliments about my hair all because of Mia. xo read more

Mia makes it possible for me to look people straight in the eye and tell them that I am a natural blond. I don't even feel bad about it. It's the most amazing experience to go in to see her feeling a little blahhh and walk out feeling like a naturally blond super model. read more

Mia is the BEST! I always let her decide what to do with my hair, and it always looks fabulous. I started going to her back at A&H, and have stayed with her since. She will also give you what you want, but you might as well leave it up to her because she has never let me down. read more

Mia is AWESOME! After a couple of months of VERY bad die jobs from "fancy" salons, my hair had slowly turned into a gross reddish/rusty color. No matter what I did, my hair always reverted back to that horrible red color. Just as I was about to give up , I found "color by Mia" by doing a google search for "best hair color in the San Francisco bay area". I was sooo excited to find out that in addition to winning multiple awards for her highlighting/ coloring skills, Mia was also known for her color CORRECTING skills!! So I ended up driving all the way to San Francisco from Fairfield to see Mia. Right away, she knew exactly what to do. She also explained what she was doing each step of the way. Mia ended up alternating beautiful caramel foil highlights with NON-RED, mocha brown lowlights. Sounds yummy, right?? Well it is!! It looks so natural! I am so happy that my carrot top hair is back to normal! It has already been about 2 weeks and there is no red in sight, my hair is still so beautiful and natural-looking. It is growing out beautifully...no harsh roots. THANKS MIA!!!!! Seriously though, Mia is a color genius! I have been to sooo many fancy salons- Mia is definitely the BEST of the BEST. She is also very fun to talk to. I just can't wait to see her again!! I definitely want to go lighter... I may possibly get balayage highlights ( a technique that Mia learned in Paris....as seen on Gisele Bundchen and Jennifer Aniston!!) I just have to wait until most of the tint in my hair fades (Balayage looks best on virgin hair or highlighted hair with no tint). Bottom line: If you are looking for a AMAZING colorist/highlight-ist/balayage-ist...go see Mia!!!!!! read more