My sisters and I have been going to Joel for many years, so it has been especially meaningful to watch his journey and follow him as he opened his own salon. We're incredibly proud of everything he has accomplished, and his success is so well deserved. Joel is not only exceptionally talented, but also kind, dependable, and genuinely dedicated to his clients. I always leave my appointments loving my hair, and I truly appreciate how easy scheduling is and how consistently punctual he is. The selection of products in the salon is another wonderful bonus. The salon itself is clean, welcoming, and beautifully stocked. The other stylists are clearly talented, too, and it's wonderful to see them creating beautiful looks for their clients. Seeing Joel build such a successful salon and surround himself with such a talented team makes me so happy and proud. read more

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Men's perm and haircut by Sunny. The perm last three to four months. Come back for the touch up after that. read more

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I always have a tough time finding a new hair stylist that I trust (I've had very costly hair disasters before!) which result in me delaying getting my hair done, so it took me some time after my last hair stylist left to find someone new. I'm so glad that my close friend referred me to Sunny at Joel C Ma! She seemed to "just get it" when discussing what I wanted, and finished my cut and balayage in two hours! I was amazed by how quick the process was, having spent many hours at salons previously, and even more impressed by how great the results were in that short period of time! She is efficient, effective, and very reasonably priced, which I really appreciate. Will definitely be returning for my future hair appointments. The salon does offer 3 hours of parking validation as well. read more

Joel C Ma Hair Studio - Hair Salons Near Me - La Jolla, California

I absolutely love how Laura does my hair! My wash and blow dry always come out flawless, and she takes such great care with my hair. She flat irons my hair in sections so it's silky smooth, and the curls she adds to the ends are always beautiful and long-lasting. She's patient, talented, and truly knows how to make your hair look amazing every single time. Highly recommend! read more

Joel C Ma Hair Studio - Blowdry, flat iron, curls - Hair Salons Near Me - La Jolla, California

Probably my fault for going into a salon for a fade, but it was close by and I was hoping it would still be okay. Took over an hour which already was crazy to me, but I was told once the cut was finished and being shown to me that they don't shave so this was the lowest for a skin fade they could do on the back...I had put in the notes ahead of time that I do a mid skin fade so I don't really understand why it wasn't told to me ahead of time that they couldn't do the haircut I wanted but instead did the cut and told me once it was too late. I had to ask for it to be reblended after I was first shown how disconnected and straight lined it initially was, but even after the blend I just took what I had cuz I could tell by this point she didn't know how to do fades. I'm sure they do good haircuts, but just pretty disappointed with the blend and service. I unfortunately had to go somewhere else to get it fixed so won't be back, but hopefully they're more upfront about their capabilities ahead of time. read more

I've been Joel's client since my son was 3 and he's 35 now. Joel is the best, I wouldn't let anyone touch my hair other than Joel. It's hard to find someone who does best in both hair color and cut, he is that! read more

Joel C Ma Hair Studio - Contact info - Hair Salons Near Me - La Jolla, California

Sunny has been cutting my hair since I moved to San Diego 3 years ago. She does perfect pixies and short bobs every time!

I had an appointment for a haircut at 12:30pm. When I get there my stylist was finishing up with a client, so I waited for her to finish. At 12:40 she finishes and tells me she'll be back in 5 minutes. 20+ minutes go by and she's no where to be found. I am getting antsy because I have another appointment to go to after my haircut, and while I left plenty of time for the service to be done, nearly half an hour had gone by and the service hadn't even started. Finally the receptionist gets a phone call, and it is my stylist downstairs in the parking garage having car troubles, and therefore can't do my service. I had other things to get done that day and was looking forward to this service so I was already disappointed. I completely understand things happen that we can't always control, it was the lack of communication that was very frustrating. I asked if any other stylist could take me and they said no and asked if I could come back at a later time. I was able to find a time to come back at 4pm. I am a college student without a car, so having to now pay for two different sets of Ubers to get to/from the salon was already a strain. When I came back at 4pm the stylist was ready for me. The cut itself was pretty good. However I did realize, after a few hours had gone by and the styling had fallen, my ends were cut very blunt, which I communicated that I didn't want, since my hair is so thick I communicated that I wanted the style to be more thinned out/cohesive. My stylist did give me a lot of helpful advice on maintaining my hair health, especially as a swimmer exposed to lots of chlorine and sun. After the service and heading to check out, I asked if it was possible to get a discount for my service, considering the large inconvenience of having my appointment abruptly canceled and having to come back at a later time (and paying for the extra Ubers to get there). I felt like it would only make sense, considering the salon charges a cancellation fee, why wouldn't I receive at least a discount for them cancelling on me? The stylist quickly said no and charged me for the full amount ($70). I walked away from that appointment, relatively happy with my haircut, but extremely disappointed with the customer service of it all. The lack of communication and accountability is very frustrating, and I don't know if I would come back, especially considering the price of the service. read more

I've been a client of Laura A. the past 4 years and I'll only ever trust her with my hair. If you're looking for a skilled stylist who's great with curly hair, look no further! I have fine but high density 3b hair and I always book a Brazilian blowout with a trim and because she's very attentive and knowledgeable about her craft, I always leave the appointment happy and confident! She's very kind with an affable vibe making her easy to talk to, and she never hesitates to put my best interests in mind without compromising the health of my hair. She's very professional and clearly passionate about delivering beautiful results! read more

I've been going to Laura for almost a year now, and she's been amazing! She's done my trims, toners, and even fixed the bangs I cut myself. She always makes my hair look beautiful, and you can truly tell she loves what she does. She's so talented, welcoming, and always pays attention to the little details. I always leave feeling so happy with my hair. I couldn't recommend her more! read more

Valerie did a haircut on me last min and it came out soooo good plus a really good blow out after ! read more

Joel C Ma Hair Studio - Curly hair cut by valerie - Hair Salons Near Me - La Jolla, California

Laura was very nice but when it's all said and done she did not know how to style a men's mod cut. She completely left my hair uneven from both sides and had very sloppy razor skills. Would not recommend if you want to switch from barbers to a hairstylist. read more

Finally, we found a stylist my boys love! I have been to so many barber shops etc trying to find the right fit for my boys' hair. Amber nails it every time! They love the shampoo as well. Thank you, we will be back! read more

I got my hair done here for the first time today with Laura. She is amazing!!!! I'm very particular about my hair and she delivered so well I felt inclined to leave a review and say I highly recommend her services. I got a wash cut and blow dry, I love the results. Thank you so much! read more

came in for a haircut and left with a much needed life reset with Janine! definitely recommend getting a service with her as the vibes were therapeutic and relaxing :) read more

Joel C Ma Hair Studio - post haircut w/ janine - Hair Salons Near Me - La Jolla, California

Amber did a great job with my haircut! She was very chill and attentive to small details.

Thank you to Valerie for the last-minute haircut appointment. It looks great; I feel good, and they validate your parking! What more could you ask for? read more

Sunny was the best! Clarified what I was comfortable with and did a great job. Much needed haircut and very happy with my hair! Made some good recommendations for taking care of my hair that didn't break the bank. Will be returning for all future haircuts! read more

Joel C Ma Hair Studio - After - Hair Salons Near Me - La Jolla, California

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My experience getting a blow dry and style with Sunny was so wonderful! She was extremely kind, professional, and punctual. She discussed with me what I wanted the "look" to be and showed me examples. No one has really done that with me prior to blowouts before. Sunny took into account the fact that I'd be at a wedding, so she advised me about what type of style would photograph well. She was very attentive and put me right at ease. The shampoo and little brief scalp massage felt so nice! :) I am going to be officiating the wedding and was feeling a little nervous in general, so this experience was the perfect way to have a mindful and calm moment in my day! The woman at the front desk who checked me in was really nice, too! I am commenting on this because I saw some negative comments about the service. The person who greeted me was extremely courteous, friendly, and found me a comfortable, empty seat right away even though they don't have an indoor waiting area. It was a lovely and efficient experience. Thanks Sunny! read more

Joel C Ma Hair Studio - Blow dry and style with Sunny! - Hair Salons Near Me - La Jolla, California

I'm updating this review to elaborate on my experience, because with further reflection, it was even worse than I thought. Even though the salon owner assured me that they would fix my hair, they booked me with the same stylist, who repeated the same issues. The stylist, Amber, refused to listen to my requests. She insisted I asked for beach waves when I had asked for curls (I actually really dislike beach waves, so there's no way I'd ever ask for them.) When I corrected her, she fully ignored me. In addition, she weighed my hair down with too much product, and didn't give each curl enough time in the curler to actually hold. I see that the only other review on yelp mentioning her is negative, and I wish I'd known that before booking her. I got scammed out of 70 dollars, and though I tipped because it was customary, looking back, I wish I'd never left a tip. Update in response to the salon owner's comment: As I stated, the first thing I asked for was a larger curling iron, only to be spoken over by the stylist. I came to this salon with high hopes, and I'm very disappointed with both my experience and the response I've received here. read more

I went in today through walk in and they had a spot for me, I got low-lights and highlights for 285! Laura and Joel were so nice and made the visit so enjoyable. Laura knows what she's doing and made the vibe during the whole stay peaceful. I was told that my hair would be like this for 4-5ish months and I think that's a steal. Can't wait to come again! read more

I visited this salon twice for a haircut, but both times, I was left unsatisfied. During my first visit with Stephanie, she gave me a choppy cut that left my bangs too short, forcing me to wear them to the side for weeks. My second experience with Amber was equally disappointing. I requested layers, but she ended up giving me an uneven blunt cut. Both times I paid $60 and given this price point I'd expect better, I'm not sure if the stylist here even know how to cut hair. read more

Joel C Ma Hair Studio - Hair Salons Near Me - La Jolla, California

I have come to this salon a number of times ,it's great . The products are high end, the customer service is excellent!!! I see Amber Ly,she is a very talented hairdresser!!! She is attention to detail,she's a perfectionist!!! I highly recommend Amber !!! read more

Every time I come the atmosphere is so welcoming. You can tell everyone works really well together, not to mention Vanesa who TRANSFORMS my hair every time I sit in her chair. It doesn't get better than her! read more

Joel C Ma Hair Studio - My hair circa 2022 - Hair Salons Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Amanda did a fantastic job! I'm super picky about my hair and very tender headed. She did not hurt me at all and was very thorough and communicated with me throughout the entire cut to make sure I got exactly what I wanted. read more

Joel C Ma Hair Studio - Hair Salons Near Me - La Jolla, California

I had a haircut with Janine and it was such a lovely experience. She was warm, professional, and really took her time to make sure everything was just right. Highly recommend Janine! read more

I have to say that my stylist, Karen, was a true artist with my hair!! The color looks amazing and I'm glad to have this new look. I will tell some that asks me to seek her out. I could've/should've asked more questions to understand what I was committing to re time and money before getting into it. The surprise on these things annoyed me. The hair studio space isn't ideal. It's crowded and hard to connect with the stylist because of the ambient noise. The salon should also have a mini fridge with small sodas and waters to offer clients. Excellent customer service would offer to validate my parking ticket vs me asking for it. Details like that make a difference. read more

I rarely give low ratings to businesses because I hate doing this especially to small ones. But my experience here was so demeaning and disrespectful that I felt that people needed to know, and to give them one last chance to apologize. I also tried resolving this with the business first before posting on yelp. I've been nothing but civil and cordial the entire time, and expressed that I wanted a refund because I was not satisfied with the results. Instead, I felt that the business owner took this as a personal attack and she went out of her way to say she thought I was trying to get a free service. Which is very hurtful because hair is a very personal thing to people, what I received made me feel horrible. Even all of my friends and family said this did not look good. So to be gaslighted into thinking that I was the diva trying to get a free service is simply wrong. Money was never the issue here, I even went to another salon and paid a lot of money to fix my hair. They did offer to have the same stylist fix my hair but unfortunately, my trust was already lost at that point. Plus, I was getting hostile vibes from the owner. So that added to me feeling even more uncomfortable with the situation. I just wished they could see that I was being very respectful. I mean, I wasn't obligated to reach out to them at all and could've went straight to yelp to complain. I could've went straight to my bank to dispute the entire charge. I know that times are tough for small businesses but this is no way to treat customers who had a less than stellar service. Can you imagine, asking for a purple belayage and then getting this? Asking for a refund and then being told, that it was done correctly? Wouldn't anyone ask for a refund when they paid $300 for this? Madness. ---- The owner really has no shame, and their public response to my review further shows their lack of accountability and gaslighting. Tipping $40 is far from a sign of being happy, that's only 15% of the bill which is the bare minimum to tip for a hair service. Guess they'd rather I didn't tip. My hair was not color processed at all before this service, I even told Lamya this a few times and I emailed the owner this a few times as well. As a reminder, it is completely natural, I shaved it off at start of pandemic. So not being able to tell the difference between natural and colored hair is very alarming as hair professionals. Yes I have naturally light brown spots which happens when you're in the sun a lot. On the day of appointment, I showed Lamya pictures again and at no point did she say "let's do highlights instead", she said belayage. If she was honest and told me that she couldn't achieve this or get even close, I would've politely walked away and not waste anyone's time. Instead, I was led to believe she could do this. What I received is not a belayage. Yes I was out of the country but like I mentioned, I did not have data and therefore cannot take calls- hence the emailing when I was at the airbnb with wifi. I'm not denying that people didn't have good services here, but that is not an excuse for my poor experience here- the two are not mutually exclusive. read more

Joel C Ma Hair Studio - I asked for a purple belayage and was gaslighted into thinking I asked for highlights and that it was done correctly.... - Hair Salons Near Me - La Jolla, California

I was very pleased with my hair cut, my only say would be that the blow dry part got super hot and my scalp was feeling it. overall, I love the hair stylists there! they answered a few questions I had about overall hair care and were super informative read more

I've come to this salon twice, both times with Vanessa for haircuts. The salon is super clean and staff are friendly and welcoming! Vanessa is so skilled in cutting layers and adding dimension to the hair without making it look choppy. I was never really achieving the look that I wanted until I went with her. She is also very sweet & efficient, would definitely recommend! read more

Got it done exactly as I wanted. I would definitely go back. It's worth the charge. Thank you Karen!! read more

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This is my second year seeing Sunny and she is the BEST stylist I've ever met. She is so kind and nice to talk to and has such great expertise! She always talks me through everything to make sure it is exactly the way I wanted it! She is very thorough and detailed throughout the whole session, and the results definitely show it!! She is the only stylist I trust with balayages!! read more

Joel C Ma Hair Studio - Cool ash brown tone balayage - Hair Salons Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Got a haircut and deep condition with Vanessa, BEST HAIR CUT IVE EVER RECEIVED. Vanessa was so great and not only cut my hair but helped me learn more about my hair, how to take care of it, and so much more. I have longer, wavy hair and I'm still learning how to take care of it but Vanessa helped me find a routine and products that work for my hair. She went above and beyond and made my hair so healthy and beautiful and I'm absolutely in love with the layers she gave me! It's been so hard for me to find a stylist that can do the layers I've been wanting and Vanessa just knocked it out the ball park. SO SO happy with my whole experience and I will definitely be coming back soon! read more

Joel C Ma Hair Studio - Long layers on wavy hair! - Hair Salons Near Me - La Jolla, California

I got my hair done today by Sunny Tran for the first time and I am obsessed Not only was she super kind, attentive, and welcoming but she gave me exactly what I wanted. I hadn't gotten my hair done in so long I was basically back to my natural black hair. I didn't want to go too light and blonde and she found the perfect happy medium. Will definitely be coming back!! read more

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I needed a quick blonde color correction as I had used one of those CVS cremes to do my roots but my blonde turned out orange so I met Karen a great hair stylist who could squeeze me in her tight schedule on a Saturday and when she heard the request she understood exactly how to find a solution with a quick set of highlights and toner to get my silver ash creamy natural blonde look back ! I highly recommend her :-) will go back to do my hair cut and retouch soon ! Greta ‍ read more

Joel C Ma Hair Studio - Hair stylist @karehair_ - Hair Salons Near Me - La Jolla, California

Vanesa is the best! She's not only very talented at cutting and coloring, she's delightfully easy going and very attentive. I've gone to her for many haircuts in the last two years and recently decided I wanted to add some sun kissed highlights. After we talked through it quickly, she got to work! And wow! I'm so pleased and she exceeded my expectations. Vanesa is a true gem! read more

Joel C Ma Hair Studio - Before - Hair Salons Near Me - La Jolla, California

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I can't say enough great things about Vanesa! I've been coming here for the past 3-4 years now, and each visit has been an absolute delight. My women's haircut always turns out perfect and exactly what I envisioned. Not only does she have incredible skill, but her friendly and welcoming attitude makes every appointment enjoyable! read more

I was looking for my hair to be done (redo balayage + hair cut) since it had turned brassy and long since COVID started. I moved to SD recently so I couldn't get my hair done by my regular stylist back in NorCal and I found Joel C Ma, it looked promising..... The salon itself is nice, everyone is taking COVID precautions measures, i.e temperature scans, social distancing, and face mask. My stylist was Gabrielle (I only know her name because Emma sent me a text and said she was going to be my stylist). I came in having high hopes, she did a great job on my balayage and got it to a color I liked (except I wish it wasn't already brassy on top; my regular stylist would've taken more time to fix that but whatever). Now to the hair cut.....yikes I think she's an amateur at cutting hair maybe she only specializes in coloring, if that was the case I wish she would've told me so I could get someone else to cut it. I got nervous when she started cutting my hair because she did not look confident and my gut feeling was correct. One hour later with just the hair cut I got a very bad bang cut and choppy long layers that isn't even blended properly. Initially I was fine with the long layer because she styled it so all the imperfections wasn't shown, as a low-maintenance type of person I am I normally have my hair straight and to be honest I'm so embarrassed walking around with a choppy haircut. As for the bang haircut I knew she messed up but after 3.5hrs at the salon and being the last customer I was tired and wanted to leave so I just left the bangs as is. I knew the cut was bad and when I came home my boyfriend liked everything but straight up said my bangs were terrible he suggest I go to a different salon and have it fixed, which now I'm on going on a hunt to do. For $50 a haircut I expected better. Yeah I wouldn't be back. read more

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Absolutely recommend this place. My husband goes there for his haircut, I went for root touch ups for the first time and it's all that I want. The service and staff were friendly and helpful. They have good understanding on exactly what you want for your self. read more

I booked an appointment at Joel C Ma salon for a perm and cut with a lovely stylist Sunny. My hair cut and perm was absolutely FABULOUS! Sunny did such an amazing job with communicating what she was doing and explaining to me how to make my hair cut prefect! She even went over after care for my perm, which was such a big help. She is such a sweet and kind person and I had a lovely time talking to her! Everyone at the salon itself was incredibly friendly and nice! I definitely recommend coming here! read more