I had been seeing Panduh for vivid/fantasy hair color and was willing to overlook early red flags -- until my third visit went so poorly, I was left with severely banded color, no resolution, and ultimately dropped as a client after voicing my concerns. A quick rewind: My first appointment resulted in chunky, uneven highlights around my face instead of a well-blended money piece. The second time, it blended better -- but the color wasn't applied close enough to my scalp, leaving a visible blond halo. I chalked it up to a learning curve and gave her a third shot. Her salon setup doesn't help: it's dimly lit, with black walls and a single window behind the chair -- great for her to see your hair, but you're completely backlit in the mirror, meaning you can't clearly see the results until you're in normal lighting. (In hindsight, that feels intentional.) At this last appointment, I came in with faded pink and brown roots, expecting a simple root bleach and color refresh. Instead, I left with a huge band of lighter pink across the middle of my head and a harsh transition to darker pink below. I didn't see it until I got home and looked in a properly lit mirror. When I texted photos and asked if she could fix it, she admitted she saw the banding -- but refused to fix it. Her excuse? That the appointment was too short and I "needed seven hours instead of five." Worth noting: I never book my own time. I always call and have her team schedule me, since they know my hair length and needs. She then pivoted, saying I don't come in "regularly enough" for my "color goals" (something she'd never mentioned before). I told her I would've adjusted my visits if that expectation had been communicated. Again, she refused to make it right -- and then fired me as a client. For reference: I was a $700-per-visit client. If this is how she treats someone investing that much, I can't imagine the experience for anyone spending less. If you still choose to go: pay with a solid credit card. Thankfully, mine sided with me and issued a full refund after seeing the photos and text thread. _____________________ Edited to add, in response to the salon's reply (8.12.25): To clarify a few things mentioned, for additional transparency: Again, I booked by phone every time so your team could allot enough time for my long, vivid-treated hair. I never used the online system. I never asked for any clients to be moved around. I never chose the length of my service. The first appointment was not fully corrected -- just a darker overlay added to blend the harsh bleach, which faded. I didn't push the issue and was never offered or given a refund, ever. Nor did I reach out about the issues with my second appointment; I fixed it myself. The lighting in the salon makes it very difficult to assess the results before leaving -- whether one black wall or not, the fact of the matter is Panduh's space is dim and backlit. I communicated calmly and respectfully, shared photos, and simply asked for the banding to be fixed. You acknowledged it and declined. Then dropped me as a client. If you're going to respond, please include the full context. I am. read more

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Another amazing haircut and rest for my spirit. I saw Esther this time and I was very impressed- not just by her skills as a stylist, but also with her warmth and ease. Do you know how some bartenders and hairstylist double as professional best friends and pseudo -therapists? Even if your schedules busy and getting your hair cut is kind of a pain... these are the people that make you look forward to that errand because it will really feel more like you've just taken a break in your day to chat with your bestie. Well, that's Esther, all the way! All of the staff is incredibly friendly and the vibe of the Salon is super homey. The owner Panduh is super generous and is clearly invested in the Queer & Trans community. I feel lucky to have found them, and hope to see them whenever I'm in Durham. Super bummed I'll be on the road too much to get my hair cut there every time. read more

Panduh has been my stylist for more than a decade, and I have never left her chair disappointed. She's done everything for me from conservative cuts to fantasy color, and I keep going back because I know I'm going to get the best results every time. In addition to the top-level service Safe Space Salon provides, it also is committed to serving the queer community through events that bring everyone together and lift up those of us most in need. In a world that too often exploits our community for profit alone, Safe Space stands out as a business that puts principles first. When that fact is combined with the knowledge that no one else is going to give me such high-quality hair services, choosing Safe Space Salon every time is a no-brainer. The clients and community are lucky to have this business in the area. It's a rare gem, one I will support at every opportunity. It makes the community better, and it makes me hotter. What else could anyone want? read more

Shout out to Meike who gave me the best haircut I've ever had! And to the salon in general despite the predominance of dogs. Highly recommend! read more

Panduh is an amazing artist. not only does she do amazingly beautiful hair coloring, she also does great haircuts at such a reasonable price. Not to mention her inclusive atmosphere. love her and highly recommend her! read more

This is the only place I will get my hair cut anymore. Panduh is the best at cutting hair and very receptive to any changes you want made during your cuts. The entire place is incredibly supportive and very queer friendly. Just such an amazing vibe. read more

I'm a long time client of Panduh's and love the space she's created in Durham! Safe Space is a welcoming salon that truly embodies its stated values. A gem for the Durham community. read more

A year ago, for their B Day, my 13 year old special needs, non-binary tween came in for a consultation to dye their hair blue, they were very nervous as we were new to NC and moving is hard and covid sucks for everyone. After the staff was 25 mins late to open the salon for our appointment, and being anxious about being able to communicate well, my poor tween had an anxiety attack. After we took a few minutes to calm down they proceeded to endure 2 bleaching sessions that took over 3 hours with no further anxiety attacks. We came back several days later for the colour and cut and that appointment proceeded without incident and after almost $400 total my sweet, non-binary, special needs tween had the hairstyle of their dreams. It's now their BDay again and they have imagined a new hairstyle. Unfortunately, Panduh just informed me my that my sweet and timid child is no longer welcome at their salon and we should look elsewhere. I'm truly shocked and disheartened. I'll never tell them what has happened, they'd never recover. So much for a safe space. read more

I normally get very basic haircuts with no other styling. I did fantasy color with silver dye. Panduh did a great job and was very friendly. It has also lasted quite a while, as she recommended a post-dye care routine with minimal products. 10/10 would recommend. read more

Panduh (the stylist) is a master of her craft! With over a decade of experience in the industry, she knows hair inside and out -- I was able to go to her with a general idea of what I wanted, and she was able to turn my loosely-defined vision into a masterpiece of color and style. Anyone in the area that wants to add a little vibrance into their lives should look into Pandas and Hair! Although I went with an extreme color this time (which is incredibly hard to do well and she *nailed* it, I've dealt with awful hair after bad complicated coloring jobs from other people/salons) she's also great at more conventional color services as well. I came out of the chair today a whole new person with incredible confidence thanks to her unparalleled color work. You can really tell she puts her heart into what she does with the attention to detail she puts into every step! I love my new Elumen color and have great advice from Panduh to keep it looking sharp for months to come!! Also, in the age of COVID -- she is very mindful and observant of health guidelines and I felt totally safe in her talented hands! read more

Safe Space Salon - Peacock death hawk styled and colored by Panduh - Hair Stylists Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I had no idea what to expect, certainly not the absolute star shine and velvet-soft soul of Danielle. From the cut to the color, every second was worth millions. Panduh has created such magic. read more

Safe Space Salon - Peekaboo - Hair Stylists Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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this beautiful woman has an artists flair with hair. You will be glad she uses yours like a canvas, even if you don't end up a rembrandt. My canvas is torn and stained but she crafts it like it was meant to be there. read more

Don't know why my previous review got deleted. My partner was very excited to get her hair cut. She felt unwelcome upon walking in but made an appointment anyway. Unfortunately she contracted poison ivy a couple of days before. When she called to ASK if she should reschedule the manager gave her a nasty attitude, refused to reschedule, shouted at her for accidentally using the wrong pronouns to address one of the stylists, even though she was not aware of that persons pronouns and apologized right away once corrected. Not everyone reads every page of a salon's website before booking a hair appt..On top of that she charged 75 percent of the fee PLUS the 30 percent she had already put down, so a total of 105 percent of the cost of a haircut that she never got. The manager told my partner she could have gotten covid or gotten in a car wreck and would still have to pay. Just be aware this business has a cancellation policy that encourages people to come in when they are sick or pay for a service they won't receive. Don't expect friendliness or a welcoming environment from this "safe space." read more

Danielle is a true wizard with my thick, unruly hair! Gives me the best hair cuts of my life, and the value is great. She briefly left Durham, and I'm so glad she's back!! Although she can clearly do wonders with color and edgy cuts, she never pressures me to do anything but my boring twice a year trim that I'm comfortable with. Also hired her to do the hair for my wedding and I can't wait. read more

Danielle is a straight-up hair magician. She cuts my curls perfectly and does things with color that don't seem possible. She is worth every penny (and more! Tip your stylists, people!) read more