Cut and balayage done by Claudia! I really appreciate her keeping me updated on my hair process every step of the way (how the color was developing, how much time we would be spending in the hair wash area, and always came back to check on me during waiting periods). I got a trim with long layers and I love how she made my hair feel light and healthy again while still maintaining my length just as I wanted. I'm very happy with the results and would definitely recommend Claudia as a stylist! read more

Essence Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Mountain View, California

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I've been with the salon for years (they are all so sweet and kind and I love coming here). It was my first time meeting Ellie and she was so kind and welcoming and detailed every step of the way, explaining everything to me and offering me ideas and recommendations when asked . She helped fix my hair to feel confident as a busy mom of two littles ! read more

You know your in good hands from the moment you enter. They are attentive, caring, and listen to your needs. The booking process is a breeze with an expanse of times for my busy schedule. Every stylist is superb with different skill sets and tailored recommendations to my thin hair and problematic scalp. I've used them several times and would recommend. read more

Claudia did such an amazing job on my short bob! She's super friendly, attentive, and really knows what she's doing. I left the salon feeling fresh and confident, and I've already gotten lots of compliments. Definitely recommend Essence Hair Salon and Claudia! read more

Essence Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Mountain View, California

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I wish I could give more stars. The interactions with Lauren in the front, the masterful cut (and listening and patience) from Grace, everything about my first time at Essence was beyond what I had hoped for. Friendly and good humored, great service and skill, clean and welcoming, all fabulous. I will not be getting my haircut elsewhere and will recommend Grace and Essence to all my loved ones. Thank you for being so fabulous. I don't write reviews but had to in this instance and again, wish I could give them even more stars and accolades. read more

My last review was in 2009, and here it is 2025, wow! Mary, thank you for introducing me to the Olaplex hair treatment! You said I would be pleased with the way it controls frizz, and YES, I am very pleased and impressed. You were so wonderful to honor my request to try out my heat brush on me, to give me an evaluation and also use your curling iron for comparison, and talk about products that you used on me in the salon.Your cut was just the right length that I asked for and I'm glad we decided not to do layering, as just delving into styling my hair will be enough to keep me busy without the added attention to more styling skill with layers (which I may eventually "graduate" to). I really did love walking out of the salon with smooth, shiny hair with loose curls that lasted intact for 4 days with no touching up at all! A very new look for me. Since then, I have just let my hair air dry with some styling cream to help hold my natural wave and finish with some oil. I am happy with it. I look forward to mastering the kind of look you gave me in the salon. You listen and execute skillfully and well. I was completely satisfied with your work and my experience in the salon! read more

Christine, Fallon and Grace are all amazing. I've had several cuts and a full foil highlight and I couldn't be happier.

Great service by Anais!! She did a cut and blow dry and left me feeling refreshed and beautiful! The shop itself is very welcoming and appeared to be quite busy on a Friday night as the holiday season is approaching. As for the service, Anais made sure to ask what I wanted and showed me the final result before finishing the service. I'd highly recommend booking with Anais as not over is the service itself amazing, but she is also very friendly, welcoming, and makes you feel at ease throughout every part of the process! read more

Appreciate Jin so much!! She's my only go to person for hair color. I've been seeing her for many years. She's meticulous. Jin's techniques and quality of work is always AAA++ Her salon is always clean, stocked with the best hair products and her staff are thoughtful and accommodating. She did balayage on me yesterday. It took 3 hours. She never rushes the process. Tysm, Jin. read more

I came in this week for a haircut and haircolor. I wasnt exactly sure of what i wanted but had some ideas or style references. Ellie listened to what i was saying and paid attention to the photos i showed her. I love how my hair turned out and i felt like she did so good in delivering the detailed we spoke about. She also explained the process and i really appreciated it. The place was small but very comfortable and clean. I will definitely be coming back! read more

If you're debating between salons in the South Bay Area, I highly recommend Essence Salon in Mountain View. This was my first time dying my hair at a salon, and I was paired with Tricia, a master stylist. I got lucky and got a last minute cancellation with her. The first image I gave her required her to dye my hair from dark brown to blonde. She got it done within 3 hours, and even stayed last past closing to get it done. What I really liked about her approach was she wanted to try to damage my hair the least she could - not an easy task bleaching dark hair. She achieved the end look from the image I showed her. I ended up not liking being a blonde haha, so I came back and they fixed my hair for me complimentary! They fit me in a day later and made sure I was happy with my end product. Fyi their policy is - if you do not like your hair within 10 days of getting it first done, you can come back and get it redone to your liking for free. Great customer service - I will be back! read more

Another amazing haircut from Mary! I can't recommend her enough. I've been driving down from SF to have my hair cut by her and it's completely worth it! read more

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I had the best haircut experience with Jennifer at Essence salon! It was the first time I've ever had my hair cut by such a master of their craft--it was amazing to watch how precisely she worked and I've loved the results, plus the treatment that left my hair looking so much softer and healthier. Highly recommend read more

I've been coming to Essence for years, and I always book with Grace. She is very kind and knowledgeable. At first I was just coming for haircuts. Then around 2021 I got my hair colored purple at a different salon that specializes in fashion colors. After about a year, my hair was really showing damage. I brought up my concern to Grace, asking her to do whatever she could with scissors to minimize the look of the damage. She mentioned then that she does color as well, and has done fashion colors. I started getting my hair colored at Essence as well. I decided that with her help, I would transition from a global to a balayage to phase out the purple to my natural color. But Grace has been doing such a great job, that I've just kept going with the purple. I trust her with my hair so much that I come in for a cut a couple of times a year because I know you're supposed to, but I more or less let her do whatever she thinks is best for my hair's current situation (damage, dryness, length, goals, etc). Grace is a gem read more

Essence Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Mountain View, California

Please note, I did NOT end up booking with Essence for my actual hair, however, this review is for their booking process. I picked a different salon purely on my budget, this is a review as a client working with them. They genuinely earn 4-5 stars, EASILY, for being one of the simplest, fastest, and most straightforward communicators when it comes to salons in the area. I had a pretty unique/difficult color set I was going for and they were transparent and timely with their responses regarding the process. It was a genuinely fun process to get me all the way to the consultation, and a part of me wishes I had gone with them simply because everyone's personality was so great, particularly Don (I believe that was his name), who helped me with the initial booking process. read more

My overall experience was great. Grace was not only friendly, but very detailed and really put the effort in. I really appreciated it and got the exact outcome that I wanted for my hair! It's so pretty, I'm very happy with it. read more

Essence Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Mountain View, California

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Fantastic service Can't go wrong with any of the stylists - so far never been disappointed. I even had my pre wedding balayage done here - was lighter than I'd asked but looked great! My favorite will always be Tricia read more

I've been looking for a salon that works efficiently while does a great job with color & cut. Grace has worked on my hair twice now - excellent work. She really cares about her client. She keeps checking in with me and how I'm feeling (generally & about my hair). She listened to what I wanted and did a great job getting the orange tone out of my hair for my balayage. I was very happy with the final color. Her cut was also exactly what I asked for (I've done different styles with her). Service: Essence Salon definitely provides a great customer experience. They truly care about the customer happiness. If you're not happy they work with you (free of change) to get the result you want. read more

My first haircut appointment at Essence Salon was beyond my expectations! Tricia is a very kind and trustworthy hairstylist who knew what type of cut would look best on my wavy/curly hair. I've been wanting layers and bangs for my hair, and she was more than glad to add them for some volume. I just love how my layers look when styled! She recommended that I opt for a 10 min Olaplex 1&2 hair treatment prior to cutting my hair which gave me very soft and bouncy hair :) I'm very happy with my decision to book an appointment at this salon, and will most definitely be returning for the wonderful service. read more

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I have been getting my hair done by Mary for years! She has taken me from having my grey hair colored to my decision to go natural. The transition was made much easier with her guidance. Now she regularly gives me a cute bouncy cut that I absolutely love! I never miss an appointment. Mary is fun, easy to talk to and relate with and I look forward to my visits with her while she expertly shapes my hair. read more

My stylist was CHRISTINE! She is so easy to talk to and will get your hair needs done. She has done perfect hair cuts, highlights, extensions and lowlights. Photo of my hair styled and highlighted by her! read more

Essence Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Mountain View, California

Grace did an amazing job with my highlights - she is professional and a pleasure to work with. The photo speaks for itself. read more

Essence Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Mountain View, California

Grace is the only person I trust with my hair and I will always recommend her to anyone I know. I always get so many compliments whenever she does my hair. And she knows how to do it all - cutting, coloring, and always has such an eye for how to style and enhance your hairdo. Grace is also very knowledgeable and friendly. read more

Very satisfied with their work. Style was great and they even showed other options that I am going to try on my next visit.

Great facilities, well kept and knowledgeable stylists. They are pretty reasonably priced and did a great job with my hair. I got a Carmel brown bayalage earlier last year by Mary and she was amazing. I even got some local food recommendations that have been a hit. My hair is getting long again so I've been thinking about getting another appointment with her again. I highly recommend this place. My only sort of quip is that it is Mountain View downtown so parking can be kind of hard. Luckily, there is a parking garage right behind that you can park and walk there pretty easily. read more

I got my haircut with Grace and I couldn't be more happy! It's exactly what I wanted. I went to Grace after a friend recommended her to me and I'm so glad I did! She made sure to check in with me through the cut to make sure she was giving me the exact cut I wanted and I loved how it turned out. She was also so kind and welcoming :) Would definitely recommend her! ‍ read more

Essence Salon - wolf cut - Hair Salons Near Me - Mountain View, California

I have been coming to this salon for over two years. The customer service is excellent. Everyone that works there is super friendly and makes you feel at home. I get my hair done by GRACE. She is a master at haircuts and color. She is superb at bringing out beautiful highlights that look so natural. Grace is very friendly and professional. She is delightful and very knowledgable about what's best for your hair. When I first came into the salon, my hair was in a bad way. Someone had done a terrible dye job. Grace fixed my hair over a few sessions to where now I am a beautiful natural blonde (see pics below). I have received a lot of compliments regarding my hair and color. Thanks so much Grace!!! I definitely recommended Grace for any salon services!!! read more

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Booked a shampoo and cut with Shali. She was is meticulous with my haircut and checked in at different stages to make sure I was happy with the length. I received a very relaxing mini head massage with my shampoo. Thank you for pampering me. read more

I had a haircut and kerastase fusio-dose appointment with Sarah. And I felt so heard throughout my appointment, she took care of every expectation I had for my hair. I look and feel great! And it was the pick up I needed. Essence has become my goto for all hair care needs, and is the best in South Bay imo. It's also amazing that there is such a friendly and positive vibe at the salon! read more

I haven't cut my hair in years and have definitely been traumatized by bad uneven haircuts in the past (my fault for choosing Great Clips). But I booked a last minute appointment with Jennifer and chopped off about 8 inches of hair. It was a great experience and I appreciated that she actually thought about whether the haircut would work well on my face type. She looked at reference photos and made sure to hear out exactly what I was looking for. It's only been a day but I'm extremely happy rocking my new hairstyle. Tons of compliments everywhere I go about how good it looks, how well it suits me, and how much more youthful I seem now! Big thank you to Jennifer and everyone else at Essence Salon read more

Essence Salon - Women's haircut (featuring a straight cut, no layering, to get a wavy-ish bob) - Hair Salons Near Me - Mountain View, California

I've been getting my long hair cut with Jane for the past year. I have fine straight hair, and it can be difficult to get a cut that gives the volume and style that flatters me while being low maintenance. I've gotten tons of compliments past year Jane's the best read more

Although everyone was nice and fun to talk to, I am very unhappy with my hair. I had schedule my appointment right before my birthday but Mary had to cancel last minute so Tricia did my hair instead. She was really nice and sweet. It was my first time coming here and wasn't expecting much and had let her know that my hair was really thick as I wanted to keep my hair long and subtle. I went in for toning and a trim. I thought she understood what I was going for and kept emphasizing that it will be soften up towards the end. The result was not what I expected. Even with the styling, it came out super choppy, not evened out, and too many layers which didn't complement with my features. read more

Essence Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Mountain View, California

Amazing quality service! 10/10 would recommend. Jennifer was wonderful and her energy as well :)

I needed a last minute haircut and was able to book one easily online. Yessenia was my stylist and she is amazing. First off, when I first sat down and explained that I wanted more layers so that my hair was more "bouncy and fun" but nothing too choppy, she knew exactly what clarifying questions to ask to make sure we were on the same page for the plan. During the cut, I felt that her technique was expertly precise and I appreciated how between each step, she would pause to check in and would remind me of the next step before she moved on to it. I felt taken care of and like a well respected client! The awesome experience didn't stop there though because when she started styling my hair, she showed me each of the products she planned to use and asked if I was ok with her using them. I asked her to please use them, but I can appreciate that she asked because perhaps some people can't use certain products and she likes to make sure first before just going in with the products. She then gave me a blow out and made my hair look so shiny, healthy, and voluminous. I love my haircut so much. Easily one of the best haircuts and styles I've ever gotten. Thank you so much, Yessenia! read more

Essence Salon - Long haircut with layers and blow out by Yessenia! Amazing. - Hair Salons Near Me - Mountain View, California

I had a great first visit with Essence Salon! Sha Li was extremely attentive to my needs and started off the visit by asking important questions about my hair consistency and needs. She was also super fun to chat with but still remained detailed and focused on my haircut. She also made some great recommendations for Oribe shampoo and condition (which I'm so excited to use). Can't wait to go back!!! read more

Today, Fallon cut my hair and did a conditioning Olaplex treatment. This is my third time coming to Essence and it's always a wonderful experience. Fallon truly performed, I wanted to keep as much length while giving my hair some layers for shaping, and she did just that! My hair feels and looks so healthy. read more

Got a haircut with Fallon and loved the results. I wasn't sure whether to go in to get a haircut at first for an upcoming trip but I am SO glad I did. My hair feels so much better and I loved the styling at the end. Fallon is great! The booking process is also really easy online. Will definitely return for my next haircut! read more

The best hair saloon in the South Bay. Jane is informative. Had a great time chatting with her. She tells me how to treat my hair. How to manage it on my own. Some many tips I didn't for the past 20~30 years. I've been to many luxury saloon before. Stylist just does the job but never told me this much tips that I can try at home. Strongly recommend! read more

I have medium-thick asian hair. I first had my hair cut by Grace 2 years ago - it was the best haircut of my LIFE! She gave me a wolf-cut like haircut that gave my hair movement without styling, and made my hair feel light, voluminous, and bouncy. I recently had my hair cut by Yessenia while Grace was out of town. I am unhappy with the cut -- while Yessenia was very kind, I don't know think she understood my asian hair. I asked for bangs at my eyebrow level. I have cut my own bangs for 2 years, and know that when my hair dries and curls, it bounces up. She cut my bangs just below my eyebrow so now they dry an inch above my eyebrows. For the first time in having bangs, people ask me whether I cut my bangs myself. I have spent at least 30 minutes styling and wrangling my bangs in the morning; hopefully this time goes down. These bangs will take about 3 weeks to grow out to my eyebrows. Second, I asked for the same haircut as my last visit. I tried to use the terminology "long layers" and "short layers" (which has been able to communicate with other stylists before), and had to try and explain this to Yessenia. The layers on the outside were much shorter than in the picture I showed, and when they dried, they did not curl as Yessenia had predicted - this is because the layers were too thin. There were too few strands of hair that were short on my head, which meant that when they dried they did not curl themselves; they just laid flat on top of the longer layers. I think the layers I showed in my photos were more dramatic than what I got, and when I asked for more dramatic layers, she mentioned that they wouldn't dry how I wanted them to. I think this has to do with not understanding asian hair and how it dries. I think I will try to cut my own hair in the future. However, Yessenia was very kind and chatty throughout the haircut, which I appreciate, and should never go unacknowledged!! It is clear that she is skilled. However, I don't think I got the cut that I wanted, and especially for $100, it was not worth the price for me. I talked with TingTing about my visit, and she was able to offer a discount for a future visit to fix my hair. However, I am not sure I will be coming back. Overall, Essence is a nice place, but I personally would trust an asian salon (need not be an asian stylist, but a stylist who understands asian hair) in the future for my asian hair. read more

Went here to get purple hair color on my dark hair. It was my first time here. Mary was just the best hairstylist I could ask for. She explained in advance what it would mean to get purple shade on dark hair, she was very patient, super thorough and best at what she does. Definitely recommend her read more

Essence Salon - Before - Hair Salons Near Me - Mountain View, California

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