This was my first time coming here for a haircut and I had a great experience. The staff, especially Niki (my stylist), were super welcoming and kind. At the beginning of my appointment, Niki made sure to understand what I wanted for my haircut and was considerate of what I envisioned while also providing recommendations, which I really appreciated. During the haircut, Niki was careful and detail oriented, all while checking in with me to ensure I was comfortable. My haircut turned out amazing and it feels so much lighter and fresher, which is exactly what I wanted. I will definitely be back! Side note: I told Niki that I was having a very difficult day and she was completely empathetic and understanding of my quietness. I appreciated that so much and it shows me how much care they put into not just their service, but also their clients. read more

Easy to schedule and salon was easy to find. I saw the owner Melanie and she was lovely! I was nervous about coloring my hair for the first time but she answered all my questions without making me feel silly read more

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Melissa is great, and the salon is cute, clean, and very well maintained. Melissa is incredibly gentle (I have ultra-fine hair that gets easily tangled) and did an amazing job with my long cut and highlights. I originally found the salon through ClassPass, but I'm a client now! Their hours are really convenient, and I've been happy with my experience every time. Highly recommend! read more

Kaitlyn did a phenomenal job with my highlights. She has a new customer forever. Not only is Kaitlyn an outstanding colorist, the entire experience was pleasant in a quieter than most salons. Go there, you will feel great. read more

I came to this salon for months because Melissa is wonderful and truly knows how to work with curly hair. She is not the issue here. The problem is the salon's management and their decision to upcharge me simply because I have curly hair. At a previous appointment, I was told that I would be charged more next time because my hair "takes longer." My hair is average in length and fullness, not thick or coarse. I only get a blowout with a flat iron add on, which they do not even list as a service. Despite that, I decided to return and accept a small increase. Instead, they added almost 80 dollars to my service, bringing the total to 186 dollars for a basic blowout and flat iron. I have been to celebrity stylists in Malibu who charge far less for the same thing. Their justification that my hair takes longer is not accurate. My hair has never taken more than 1.5 hours at any salon, including this one. It feels unfair and uninclusive to suddenly raise prices on clients with curly hair after months of consistent appointments. I expected better from a business in Belmont. I hope they reconsider how they treat clients with textured hair. Curly hair should not come with a penalty. Here are previous booking receipts to show how much my service used to cost and the 72% price increase that they told me would occur next time read more

Salon Essence - Hair Salons Near Me - Belmont, California

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Kaitlyn gave me a wonderful haircut! She was recommended to me by Melanie, the owner, who mentioned that Kaitlyn had trained with her--and it really shows. Kaitlyn is fantastic with curly hair. She listened carefully to what I wanted, offered thoughtful suggestions, and gave me one of the best cuts and blowouts I've had. My hair is thick and curly-wavy, and she knew exactly how to work with it. She's also so easy to talk to and did the nicest job blowing it out. I'm looking forward to going back for my next haircut. Got lots of compliments from my husband! Highly recommend Kaitlyn! read more

Salon Essence - Hair Salons Near Me - Belmont, California

I've been coming to salon essence for a while now. I have to say, every single hair dresser here is so talented! I recently got a fresh chop from Adriana and absolutely love the way my hair is feeling and the way it falls. She has an eye for shape and framing and products used are amazing!! I've also gotten to do highlights with Melissa and Kaitlyn and they are great too! Definitely give this spot a try :) read more

I'm absolutely thrilled with my look--Melissa gave me a stunning blowout and my curls stayed bouncy and flawless all night for my party. She was incredibly patient, even helped with my eyelash placement, and her customer service was exceptional from start to finish. Thank you, Melissa! read more

For reference I have thick, long, wavy/curly hair. Had my hair cut a few weeks ago by Kaitlyn and loved the experience. Salon was modern and clean; I like the setup of each station. She was attentive and thoughtful with the kind of cut I wanted, and gave me options for styling at the end. I really like how it came out, and I'll definitely be going back! read more

Got the perfect shade from a bleach and tone! Even if it turned out lighter than I expected Adrianna did her best to adjust the tone and it came out even better than my inspiration photo, and my hair still feels super healthy despite the bleach and retone, she was super careful and accommodating. read more

Salon Essence - Perfect shade of light brown from a bleach and tone - Hair Salons Near Me - Belmont, California

Melissa saved my hair! I'm so glad I found this salon after my scalp got destroyed by another salon in Burlingame and left me some orange highlights that's too yellow for my skin tone. Melissa listened to what I wanted and showed me the new tone each time to make sure it's what I liked. I walked away with a cooler tone that looks more natural and suitable for my skin color. She was patience and gentle as my scalp was still sensitive. Finally, someone who actually cares about the customer and I very much appreciate that. It was super easy to book online and the salon is only minutes away from my house. Plus free parking! I think I found my salon, and no going back to Burlingame. read more

Amazing experience with Melissa! Got a blowout from Melissa last week for a wedding and it was perfect! She took her time asking what I wanted and never rushed me - so relaxing I almost fell asleep. The blowout held up beautifully all night and the shampoo smelled incredible. Melissa clearly cares about her work and clients. Very clean and spacious salon. Highly recommend! read more

Easy to make an appointment online. Booked one with Melissa and it went great. She was easy to talk to, listened to all my needs and executed it just how I wanted. I asked for a very layered haircut with bangs (wolf cut) and she helped me navigate how short I wanted my bangs and layers to be, and how I wanted to manage it. The salon environment itself was nice enough, but could use an update on the wall decor. Parking was easy, plenty right in front of the salon. read more

It's been over 2 years since I wrote my original review. I feel like a lot of places have trouble maintaining their quality/standards over time, but Salon Essence continues to impress! The stylists are very skilled and friendly, the salon is still really relaxing with a great ambiance, and my appointments are always right on time. I previously saw Melanie (who does an amazing job) but needed to switch due to my schedule changing so I was no longer in sync with Melanie's availability. I've been seeing Kaitlyn for a while now, and she does a fantastic job (and is just a lovely person in general!). It's great to have a salon where you could see any of their stylists and reliably get the same high quality. I will definitely continue to be a repeat client! read more

Sooooo slow. My basic color was patchy and off by 2 shades for just roots. I dont mind if at times hairs are missed etc but for the cost of this amateur finish, I expected more. Disappointed and would not be back. There are many others who are priced less for better work. Lesson learned. read more

I came in a little embarrassed that at 40 years old I still don't know how to explain what I want with my hair. You'd think I'd have figured that out by now, but nope. Adriana didn't make me feel awkward at all, she broke it down for me, explained what would actually work with my hair, and we both had a good laugh about it. Walked out with the best haircut I've had in years and finally feel like I found my go-to spot. If you've been stuck in haircut purgatory like me, go see Adriana, or any one of the artists at Salon Essence, they'll save your hair and maybe even your dignity! read more

Kaitlyn was so nice and put me at ease. She listened to everything I said and gassed me up the about my current hair and after the haircut. I love my new haircut, and will definitely be going back! read more

It was my first time at Salon Essence and it was a delightful experience. The quick responses via text and convenient online booking were appreciated. Kaitlyn was very sweet, kind, and approachable. She took the time to put her full effort into making my hair look its best! Thank you Salon Essence and Kaitlyn for your amazing service! I would highly recommend this salon to anyone. read more

I found a last minute appointment with Melissa to style my hair for some recording work. I was so thrilled for the space and time Melissa took with me. She made me feel very fresh and excited going into project! read more

Kaitlyn was a life saver. I attempted to cut my own bangs yesterday and failed and she fixed them for me today and I am so much happier! She was also super helpful in taking the time to teach me how to keep them the way she did and teaching me how to cut them (if I ever made another attempt) but regardless I would absolutely come back to see her in either a crisis or in general for hair care! read more

Salon Essence - Bang trim - Hair Salons Near Me - Belmont, California

I came in for a haircut with Adriana. She took the time to listen to me, and I got exactly what I asked for. Thank you, Adriana for my haircut! I also want to mention how much I like the online booking system! read more

I'd like to start by expressing my appreciation to the salon for accommodating me even though I arrived late due to unforeseen circumstances. My original appointment was booked with the master stylist/owner, who arranged for another stylist to take care of my service and waived the no-show fee. I truly appreciated her flexibility and understanding, and I called before visiting to apologize and explain the situation. During the appointment, however, the color result turned out very different from what we had discussed, so I asked to speak with the master stylist/owner to understand what options might be available. Instead of addressing the color issue itself, she said to me, "You were late and micromanaging my staff. So what do you want me to do now?" I wasn't raising my voice or demanding a refund. I was simply trying to find a way forward. I understand she may have been under pressure, but that remark felt unnecessarily personal and took away from what could have been a professional conversation. I still appreciate the stylist who handled my appointment with warmth and care, and I hope sharing this experience helps encourage a more empathetic and solution-oriented approach next time. read more

One again Adriana did an amazing job!! I came in knowing I wanted, shorter, layers yet different from my usual. Adriana was great about giving suggestions but not being pushy. I said let's go for it. She did exactly what we talked about and it turned out way cuter than I expected. It's very fun and versatile. I absolutely love this cut. And as always her hair wash/head massage is sooo relaxing! Looking forward to my next cut read more

Salon Essence - In love with the cut and layers! - Hair Salons Near Me - Belmont, California

Melissa was wonderful! I've been trying to find a salon for years and have finally found one! I didn't know what I wanted when I went in but she helped me figure it out. She helped talk through what I like and don't like and she came up with an amazing style! I absolutely love my haircut! I also loved the fact that she made conversation but didn't push too hard when I didn't keep the conversation going. The atmosphere was welcoming, easygoing, and professional. 10/10 recommend and will definitely be going back for future cuts!!! read more

Melissa did a great job on my all over color and haircut. Holding up well so far with minimum styling.

My first time here and Adriana gave a very nice haircut with long layers/ face framing and offered styling tips too. It was a very warm day but she made me feel comfortable and the whole experience was very relaxing. Would definitely be back in the future. read more

I went in a bit bummed out because my hair was disconnected and slightly orange and it felt like I wasn't comfortable in my haircut and color . The salon owner,Melanie came in and fixed the disconnect and gave me back some confidence! My hair looked incredible after she worked her magic ! She said she threw lots of different techniques at my hair and it turned out even better than I could have imagined! I have absolutely found my new stylist and felt so comfortable with the service! Thanks Melanie! read more

Salon Essence - This beautiful bayalage! Melanie is amazing! - Hair Salons Near Me - Belmont, California

Adriana is a wonderful stylist who has been doing my and my daughter's hair for a couple years now. She's great with color and cuts. Also, the color product that the salon uses is high quality and does not burn or cause the scalp to itch. I highly recommend her! read more

Just got a trim, but Melissa was great. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed. Will come here again.

Melissa has cut my hair twice now and it's turned out perfect! I have thick curly hair and she is very thorough and listens to what I want. I've struggled with finding a hairstylist that can give me the results I want with my hair type, but Melissa has been the best I've found (and for a reasonable price!) The salon is also very clean, well maintained, and professional. I highly recommend! read more

This review is long overdue! I've been coming to Salon Essence for a couple years and absolutely love Shelby. Her friendliness and time spent in the consultation phase of every appointment is thoughtful, helpful and just honest. She has fantastic suggestions and always guides me to my perfect haircut. I can be sometimes be vague and a little picky and she just always "gets it". I love chatting with her while she works and she makes every experience fun. Thanks Shelby! read more

Adriana did such a fantastic job with my hair! I went in with a fairly clear vision of what style I wanted, and am so happy with how it came out. It was a pretty big chop, from long and straight hair to a short cut with curtain bangs -- Adriana asked me lots of questions on preferences before starting and made me feel very cared for and comfortable during my visit. The overall vibe of the salon was also very welcoming and clean! I couldn't recommend Adriana & this salon enough. I'll definitely be back for future cuts and styling :) read more

I came in to Salon Essence with brief ideas. Melissa helped me defined more details about the final highlight style I want to do and explained the steps very well. When my hair color was too light during the process, Melissa patiently retoned my hair. The result came out very great! I love my hair style so much and feel like a brand new person. read more

Salon Essence - Highlight style - Hair Salons Near Me - Belmont, California

Love my haircut! I booked through ClassPass and got a long hair cut by Melissa, she cut my hair exactly how I wanted and gave me a nice wash/blow-dry. I'm super happy with how it came out and will definitely be back :) read more

As I am new to the peninsula, I have been shopping around the San Mateo/Belmont area for a barber or salon. After trying several in the area (four different barbershops) and not quite getting the cut I desired, I decided to try Salon Essence. Shelby is an excellent stylist and very personable. She has even made recommendations to improve my hairstyle and increase the time between haircuts. I would not hesitate to recommend the men's haircut to my Peninsula neighbors! read more

Adriana did a wonderful job on my hair! She cut my curtain bangs in such a way that it gently fades into the rest of my hair. I hate when curtain bangs look choppy but not in this case. She did a great job with my hair color as well! Thank you Adriana! I love my hair! read more

I had my second pixie cut from Adriana and I couldn't be happier. I have had a hard time finding a hair stylist in the San Mateo area who can do a great short and stylish haircut. So glad I finally found Adriana! She is very deliberate and thoughtful in her approach, listens to your concerns and the end result is the perfect hair cut. read more

Adrianna cut my hair and addressed the areas I was looking for more shaping and lifting. She was very kind and attentive, and was able to give me exactly the kind of hair cut I was looking for. I will definitely go back and ask for her! read more

Adriana is the BEST! I got a mini highlight done by her, and I absolutely LOVE it! I highly recommend her and can't wait to go back for my regular color appointments! read more

What an amazing outcome I had going to my first pro hair color and cut in 20 years! Melissa was fantastic in asking exactly what I want and then specifically explained to me what she would do. The color is better than what I hoped for and the cut super! Thanks Melissa! read more