Thank you Magic Wanda!! You fixed the ugly color of my hair and made it absolutely beautiful and made a pregnant momma feel beautiful! So much time and attention, I'm so happy! read more

Sparks at RJ's - Hair Salons Near Me - Franklin Township, New Jersey

‍Hi, everyone‍ as a Hispanic Disabled Military Veteran attending Rutgers atm I would definitely recommend this place for a cut or coloring. Compared to everyone else in the Rutgers/New Brunswick area they have better prices and genuinely better quality. ‍They actually take time with your hair instead of rushing to finish it and bring you unlimited Coffee/Tea/water for free as you wait or during your cut. They also give honest and useful advice on hair and hair health without trying to upsell you anything which is a positive in my book .Great environment and good vibes honestly and as a gay guy i felt safe and comfortable their. Definitely safe zone for LGBTQIA and Women in general.‍ read more

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Came here from out of town, to get my hair done for my cousin's wedding, and I had a wonderful experience at this salon. Tianaa did my hair and it came out beautifully, not only was she friendly but also super efficient. Overall the customer service here was awesome and all the ladies were so welcoming--even gave me great pizza and bagel recommendations. Would definitely get my hair done here again if I'm ever in the area, and such a bonus that they're open on Sundays! read more

Yikes. Some of these reviews are a little rough. The Salon is located on a busy street and finding parking is such a pain, but if you forget to put money in the meter, someone from the salon will run and put more quarters in for you. Inside, you are greeted by a friendly receptionist who then lets your stylist know that you have arrived. The salon has two levels and a piercing parlor as well. Sometimes they have specials and coupons for the budget conscious. I originally went in to get a Locks of Love haircut and I've been a regular client of Sparks for almost a year now. Alysha is my stylist and she is amazing. I always feel so glamorous after a hair cut or styling! read more

Sparks at RJ's - Feathers and tinsel by Alysha. - Hair Salons Near Me - Franklin Township, New Jersey

if i could give this place 0 stars i would. they RUINED my hair. I asked for a blonde balayage and what they left me with was absolutely atrocious. after james was done with my hair the whole salon staff lied to my face and told me it looked so good and natural, i cannot believe they let me leave the salon looking the way I did. When going to a different salon they asked if I did the job myself because of how bad it was. pls train your staff better or hire better trained stylist. read more

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I called the salon 3 weeks ahead to book my GK keratin treatment, as I was coming from 3 hours away, and wanted to be sure of this appointment, and the brand GK, as it always worked magic for my frizzy hair. On the day of appointment, they called me an hour before to cancel as the stylist wasnt available; but I insisted to keep an appointment on the same day as I was only here in town only for that day, so they rescheduled me with a different stylist at a later time the same day. After I went in there, the stylest told me that they have not used GK keratin treatment in over a year, and the front desk person was new and might have not known this. I wanted to walk out with my refund, but the owner, Guy, came and convinced me that the Brazilian blowout they offered was similar to GK keratin, and would have the same results. He also offered to give me the shampoo, conditioner for free after the Brazilian blowout. I should have listened to my gut and walked away with my refund, but I wanted to give this a try, and it was a huge mistake. The frizz did not improve even a little bit, and my $300 went completely waste. I highly recommend not to go to this salon or to get the Brazilian blowout for frizz control. read more

Let me start by saying that I used to get amazing, amazing hair cuts at Sparks in 2005 and 2006 by a woman named April. She was the only hairstylist I've ever fully trusted up until very recently (until today actually). And then due to some family issues she ended up moving to North Carolina, and I had to go to someone new at Sparks. That someone was Ronnie (Roni?), this bald guy with an obsession with his dogs, an obsession which actually interfered with my haircut. It was pretty ironic because the entire time he was cutting my hair, we were talking about how much we hate stylists that just talk about all the great things they are going to do to your hair but then do next to nothing, and in the end, it was him. I was going to have him re-cut it, but it was clear that he overshot on the amount of time allotted for my hair (because he flatironed it without asking me, and then charged me for the flat ironing... apparently it was part of his nonexistant "technique"... and then he wasted more time by showing me approximately 400 pictures of his dogs). It was one of the worst haircuts, if you could call it that, of my life, AND it left me $65 poorer. I didn't look like a freakshow, but it was boring beyond belief. If April still worked there, I'd give it 10 stars if I could. But Roni was awful and I had to live with his stupid haircut for a few months because I was broke, so 2 stars for Sparks. read more

This review is for Sanctum Body Piercing, located inside Sparks. Chuck pierced my navel last summer. I did it very spur-of-the-moment and I think he could tell, so he really made an effort to walk me through the procedure and explain everything. The entire area was immaculate and felt almost like a doctor's office. He was incredibly thorough in cleaning the area (that actually hurt more than the piercing!) and explained what he was doing the entire time. Chuck also gave me a generous amount of cleansing solution and detailed directions for care. The piercing healed very well and I've had no problems. The only drawback I'd mention was the price. I believe it was $85 for the navel piercing including the titanium jewelry. I will definitely head back to Chuck for more piercings. He made it a very comfortable experience. read more

Nicole and Annie are so great, anytime I give them an idea of what I want to do to my hair they make it happen.

2.5 stars. Got my hair cut here a while ago, and I have to say it's way too expensive and I didn't see much of a difference except in my wallet. I wouldn't recommend getting your hair cut here unless you seriously have the money to waste. Just the cut alone was expensive, I can't imagine how much it would be if I wanted color as well. I'm sure there are very skilled hairdressers here, but the price is overwhelming. I also got my lip pierced at the Sanctum Body Piercing shop; Chuck is a very nice man, and is very clean and swift in his procedure. I had to wait while my ring was being sterilized, so it's good to know that he's into safety and all. Gave me a pamphlet on how to care for my new piercing, and said to come back if I had any questions at all. Also it didn't hurt, so that was a plus. He's the only reason I'm giving this place any stars at all. So besides Sanctum, I wouldn't recommend Sparks to anybody, really. Any haircut isn't worth the prices they charge. read more

My best friend and I wanted to get piercings, but Revolver Tattoo's person who did piercings wasn't in, so that's why we resorted to Sparks. My friend got her cartilage pierced, and I got my tragus pierced. When we entered, the receptionist was not attentive at all. I don't know the name of the guy who did the piercings for us, but it was the worst piercing experience I've had (this is my 5th piercing, so I have some experience). I just remember that he had a beard and odd stuff stuck in it, which is not a reassuring sight to see when someone is about to stick a needle in your ear. I was nervous prior to the piercing, as always. He was making conversation, but instead of making me feel at ease, it just made me nervous and focus more on the pain that I was about to feel. There was another girl who worked there that stood in the room and wasn't very knowledgeable about what was going on. I'm assuming that she was in training and was learning how to do the piercings, but it was really awkward. The people who work here need to work on their people skills and brush up on their knowledge about the services they're providing. If they did, their business and customer interactions would improve immensely. The piercing was also more expensive than normal. I do not recommend anyone go here for their piercings. read more

I've gotten a men's haircut here for the past four years and I've always recommended this place. You can literally walk in , have a random stylist every time and they would do a good job each appointment. I would say probably one best here in NB given the stylists. Speaking of time though... This place hasn't always been the most convenient for scheduling. I remember an instance where my appointment got moved around the day of three times within a matter of minutes, probably to accommodate other people. Similar instances have occurred throughout the last four years but I've brushed it off every time because I do like the job that they do. But I can't help but conclude that my experience of being shuffled around is a result of the business not valuing my time at the end of the day. Well you could say that's how the business works, that I can't be accommodated every time because this place is busy or it's that good and i would say that's true. I've been really satisfied every time and some of the scheduling mishaps were partially my fault. The problem is that times that it wasn't my fault at all was during the summer, when college isn't going on and the foot traffic is relatively slower. I would understand business closing earlier than usual but I feel that I've been inconvenienced on one occasion too many. Wouldn't it be logical to think that it would be much easier to get an appointment over the summer? Apparently not really based from my experience. Now apparently this place will be closed from now until at least the end of the August because it's summer (I guess June and July isn't because they were open?) and I'll be forced to look elsewhere to get my haircut. I'm pretty sure there other good places in neighboring towns but the truth is that I don't really want to go anywhere else. But whatever the real reason that this place can't be open for the rest of the summer, it looks like I'm going to find another place and if I like the job that they do, I may switch over permitting scheduling. The inconveniences up to this point are a bit beyond reasonable in my opinion. But at the end of the day I really enjoy the time I spend here. Really good stylists who also know how to get you talking. Barring the setbacks in schedule, this place is nice and I still recommend it. The stylists truly make the experience enjoyable every time and I hope that never changes. Hopefully the business makes steps towards improving and I'm still going here. read more

Love this place. The atmosphere is hip and chic. It's seems like they thrive off uniqueness here, all of the stylists are so different (in a good way). I get my hair done by Roni and I never walk out without a smile on my face. I always like to try out new looks and Roni is always very open to my ideas. From color to cut to fancy smancy doos the stylists at this salon deliver. read more

Sparks at RJ's - Hair Salons Near Me - Franklin Township, New Jersey

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I travel often and it was great getting an appointment last minute getting off my flight. Roni was amazing she listened and understood what color I was trying to achieve . I will definitely be back anytime I'm in town. Everyone was friendly and very accommodating. When I left the salon I looked picture perfect ! I will definitely recommend Roni and the salon to all my friends . read more

Sparks at RJ's - Hair Salons Near Me - Franklin Township, New Jersey

I've been coming here for 10 years, since my freshman year of college. It's the type of salon that is super fun and open to any ideas and suggestions. They are professional and never keep you waiting for an appointment. My current go-to stylist is Kara. She is really friendly and talented and I always leave the salon feeling gorgeous. I definitely recommend her for color and cut! Anytime I've gone anywhere else I've regretted it, this salon is the best! read more

Been going to Sparks for the last four years. I started going to Natalie and it was not a good experience. I was going through an eclectic phase in my life and I was looking into reddish highlights. Now I go to Josel and have been going for the last 4 years. She's one of the best hair stylists they have and she's got one of the highest customer loyalty rates at the salon. She really understands her clients and most of the time I let her decide what to do. I only give her guidance on the length that I'd like. She's also really nice and very funny. It gets crazy during the week but Sundays are nice because there's only 2 or 3 stylists so you get to talk to everyone in the salon. I feel like a scene from Legally Blonde when I'm there! read more

I'm looking for Susan She left does anyone know were she moved to She is phenomenal with long curly hair and highlights ;-) read more

This review is for Sanctum Piercing inside Sparks. I believe Sanctum recently moved upstairs to a bigger space. I went in to get my tragus pierced by Chuck a couple years back. It was my third piercing but I was still pretty nervous. Chuck was great! He answered any questions I had regarding jewelry. Once I decided on the hoop he sat me down and went through a pamphlet with everything I needed to know about my piercing. The room where he did the piercing was SUPER clean and organized. I mean sterile technique is the standard but the environment was better than I expected and made me feel really comfortable. Piercings are not painless or comfortable but I felt he was gentle and quick. Above that I loved that he didn't look at me like I had 5 heads because I was nervous or asking questions (like other places I've been to). I would definitely recommend him and it's worth the price for a safe piercing and great experience! read more

I can't believe all the negative reviews on here. I have been going to Tiffany to get my hair colored (blonde, brunette, black, pink, purple) and cut (every length and style you can imagine) for ten years. She is very awesome and I've loved everything I've gotten done. The salon is clean and modern and carries all the latest products and will let you exchange them if you're not in love. Upon two last minute appointments I've seen other stylists who did my keratin treatment and my color. They were also talented! Their prices are competitive so I don't know what people are complaining about. I strongly feel you get what you pay for and if you're paying here, you will be happy. read more

I was hesitant because I only go to one person back home. I was told my appointment was for a certain time and they changed girls on me like 3 times. However, I was desperate so I waited. Also, really not that big of a deal, but the salon looks really nice and it would be better if SOME of the stylists present matched that, not just like wearing whatever. That being said I ended up really liking my hairstylist, Olivia. She was patient in cutting my thick, long hair and I loved the end result. She gave me an awesome blow out! There was another blonde girl there who also seemed like she really knew what she was doing, loved her job, and spoke well with the clients! So it really depends on who you go to, I say try it out! read more

Unfortunately I couldn't recommend this salon, and I never even had an appointment. There are 2 major issues that have bothered me all day, and this all happened in less than 24 hours. The first issue, is I gave my all card information on the phone which is very unsafe. It's very unprofessional and insecure method of payment, with this technology and covid I would have hopped for another form, rather than speaking it on the phone. My second issue, is that while I was giving my card information over the phone for a $100 deposit, it was never disclosed with me that it was non refundable. I completely understand that I wouldn't get that money back if I missed the appointment, but this company itself had to cancel it due to from what I can put together, a covid case. Apparently it said something on the website, but I didn't even go on it because my brother said to just call them. I can't imagine to how many other customers this had happened to because they " didn't go to the website ". I am a broke freshman in college and I am making minimum wage. Unfortunately I don't have a $100 to give out for free with nothing in return. And to the receptionist I spoke to today ( whom I won't name because I respect your privacy), thank you for being kind to me and my mother! None of this is your fault, but the place you work for. read more

The haricut was less than ok, with an uneven back. I left with a cut in my ear and 3 bad aids on it because the girl (Caitlyn) didn't know how to react and the first two bad aids she had (it took her a while to find them) were too small and fixed it covering my whole ear with another huge one. After that, they charged me $5 more than the price they announce, because that's the special fee of the stylist they chose for me (I just told them I had no preference). Final price including $5 discount for being a Rutgers student: 35$ After a few days I came back to see if they could fix the uneven hair in my back. They were suprised by my request and, of course, refused to do it but they offered me to pay $30 for fixing it. Just don't go here, there are so many cheaper and probably better alternatives just around the corner. read more

I've gone to Sparks a few times over the past few years (since November of 2007, to be exact). My first visit was with Ron, a man who is balding and obsessed with dog shows and who essentially knows nothing about styling hair (HIS lack of hair should have tipped me off). I chose Ron to cut my hair that day because the website for the place stated that he specializes in bobs and short hair, which I wanted. I went to see Ron with photographs in hand of JUST what I wanted. This did not seem to matter to him. He told me that my hair cut wold be a process - that I could not get what I wanted today, but if I came back for a series of visits over the next few months, I could eventually get the look that I wanted. He pressured me into purchasing the products that he used on my hair, and told me to come back in a few weeks to maintain my hair. I left that day having spend over $100 on the cut and products combined, and looking defeated - I had just paid a large sum of money for some bald guy with a pony tail to part my hair. My next visit was with Ronnie. She, fortunately, was better than Ron. She had a whole new vision for my hair. Once again, I was not going to get the cut that I wanted - I was going to get HER hair cut. I left their with my hair looking just like her own hair. She also used the same line as Ron - telling me I needed to get my hair done in "steps" - making it necessary for me to return in a month for the "next step." I also left the salon with a wet head -she told me I should "wear it wet" - how is this even possible? At least this time I did not buy the products. In my in-between time - I went to another New Brunswick salon on Easton Ave - which also turned out to be a lame. My next visit was with Ron. I know - what was I thinking? There had been enough time between this third visit to sparks and my first visit with him, and my ill feelings towards him had somewhat subsided. This time, I was determined to make the hair cut MINE, be CLEAR with what EXACTLY I wanted, and REFUSE to leave that stylists' chair until I got the look that I wanted. I went armed with photos of MYSELF with a style that seemed easy enough to replicate at the salon. I also stated that I wanted bangs. Ron smiled and laughed. I would definitely NOT be getting bangs .I could not even have bangs, according to him. Also, these pictures of myself, I looked like a "Dutch page boy" - according to him. So he was going to steer clear of this style. Ron completed his desired look for me after only 15 MINUTES. I had been waiting longer to see him than the actual duration of the appointment. I left there with another hole in my wallet, this time vowing to never see him again. I returned to sparks once again more recently. Using the tip from a friend, I saw Melissa this time around. She was great - from the minute I got there until the minute I left. She listened to me, she did not tell me that the look I desired would be best achieved in "steps." She did not tell me that I should "wear my hair wet." She did not give me a haircut that looked like her own hair. Best of all, she ACTUALLY gave me a hair cut! She took my requests, even giving me bangs - showed me ways to style my new cut, and essentially gave me a new look that I was both comfortable with and excited about. I will definitely be gong back to see her again in a few months. I shared horror stories about Ron with friends. I would definitely recommend avoiding him. I give this place three stars - but only because of my experiences with Ron and Ronnie. If it were for just them, I would give sparks NO stars. Melissa was amazing - those stars are for her. read more

Got my hair colored yesterday, I asked for an balayage hair style and I got a 90s highlight! Worst part is that the back of my head is a different color the a the front of my head! And the blond high lights look green, while the back looks bronze! I guess the hairstylist there don't know how to color hair?!! Eghhh worst experience ever! I use to go there all the time, but this time did it! I don't even want to look at myself in the mirror anymore! $175 wasted read more

First time at this salon and Carlos did an amazing job with my cut and color. Cannot say enough about his incredible personality and experience!!!! read more

This place is way overpriced for the quality of cuts they give. I don't remember who I had since it was such a long time ago but she barely gave me a trim which cost me $80. I later learned that she left the company so I was given a 15% discount the next time I would be there which I will probably never redeem. The woman I had kept insisting on giving me highlights which I refused since I only wanted a cut. This place was very disappointing and overrated. Although the environment is hip and trendy, it doesn't equate to the quality of the cuts. read more

I went to this salon for the first time today. When I came in, I explained that I was growing out my own hair color and that I needed a glaze to even out the difference between the roots and highlights. The plan was to go a little LIGHTER but I walked out a little bit DARKER (?????). It doesn't look bad but that's not what I wanted. read more

Wonderful caring atmosphere, personalized advice and attention to detail. Great cut, expert coloring. Wouldn't go anywhere else!

Got the worst hair cut ever! Cut my bangs too short (a girl's worse nightmare)!! And when I went back home to my regular hair stylist to fix it she said it was uneven and a chunk was missing! Never going here again!! read more

I went to Jess to dye my hair. Amazing. Got the color I was aiming for and my hair felt so good after. She styled it perfectly too!! Loved the experience with her. She was so friendly and nice will definitely go to her again. The only thing I didn't like was the music was too loud. We were trying to talk but it was hard to hear each other over the music. Definitely recommend going to Jess! read more

I was very reluctant to go to Sparks at first, but overall, I'm glad I did. From first glance, Sparks is just another typical dirty New Brunswick hair salon. I made an appointment early on in the day and when I got there, I waited about 15 minutes after my appointment time to meet my hair stylist. Things weren't off to a good start and I was ready to be unsatisfied. My stylist was a tall, skinny, blonde girl (unfortunately I don't remember her name), and she looked so young that I was honestly a little nervous at first to have her cut my hair. I must say though, it was probably the best hair cut I've ever received. It's been close to two months and my layers still look good and my hair is at a good length. So even though the atmosphere might not be the greatest, the actual haircut was great and I would definitely come back just because of that. Also, they offer a Rutgers student discount for those who are interested. read more

Went here for the first time today and this will forever be my new salon. My stylist was AMAZING. Emily gave me exactly what I was looking for and more. My hair now has shape and a beautiful balayage color that goes perfectly with my skin tone. I had a few options going into the appointment but she steered me in the right direction (thankfully). She's also wonderful to talk to, so it made my 4 hr appointment fly right by :) read more

I'm surprised to read such terrible reviews of Sparks-- I've had far worse at other New Brunswick salons. Ron cut my (very long) hair into something a lot shorter, and he did a fantastic job. I should mention that I told him he could do whatever he wanted, just as long as the length didn't go above my shoulders, and he was fine with that. He gave me a gorgeous shoulder length bob with side bangs and layers-- he understood my wavy hair & how to make it lay properly. He didn't push products on me. We very briefly talked about his dogs. He seemed really excited to have creative liberty on my hair-- and that might be what Sparks is good for, when you aren't sure what you want but you're willing to try something new. The haircut I got at Sparks is honestly one of the best I've had in years, I'm pretty happy with them. read more

It was the first time in years I spun around in the chair to face the mirror and saw the most perfect head of hair...just like in TV and as it should be. Kaitlyn knew within minutes how to treat my hair, color specifically, in the most nuanced way. The team there strikes me as highly attentive and caring to client satisfaction - and I just walked in the door and they were already going out of their way for me. It's been years and Sparks has still sustained their niche as personalized, customized hair experts. read more

Loved my hair! Kaitlin did an amazing job correcting the color on my hair.. Highly recommend Kaitlin

I definitely believe the reviews saying they push products on you because I remember my mom coming home with tons of their products and always talking about how amazing they are--they're really not. It's also kind of immoral to take advantage of a woman who doesn't speak English that well, guys. Anyway, so my mom finally talked me into going there because she kept saying how amazing it was...I went in to get my hair bleached w/ a picture of how I wanted it to look. The girl was so busy chatting about how she's going to go to NYC later that night that she could barely pay attention. Then she went out to chat/take a phone call/smoke/I don't even know...but next thing I know she is looking at my hair going oh shit!!!! Oh shit was right, cause she damaged my hair so bad that it was falling out. Yeah...NEVER going back there again for hair. The one-man piercing operation there (Sanctum) is good...or maybe I am just forced to go there because I don't know where else to go. He is kind of creepy, honestly, but good at what he does. It's the jewelry quality that pisses me off...no matter what he says, it's PLATED. It always gives me an allergic reaction...no matter what kind it's supposed to be. But when I buy it from another place, it does not. I don't know if he's a scam artist or working with a distributor that's obviously selling poor quality jewelry, but tip: buy it somewhere else and bring it with you. It's cheaper that way, too. read more

I left Sparks feeling extremely confident and beautiful! Megan transformed my messy damaged blonde hair, to a sleek and sophisticated light brown, couldn't be any more content with my hair! read more

Ron has ben cutting my hair for over ten years and has never let me down. He is willing to listen to your needs and executes to perfection.

Our family has been going to Sparks for over 15 years, could not be happier with the service & have recommended it to scores of people. We live in Princeton but the trek to New Brunswick is well worth it. The same services would be 30-50 % more in Princeton & the value is only part of the reason we patronize this wonderful establishment. The quality of the services, the professionalism & friendliness of the staff & the overall ambience is why we (me, my husband & my 21 year old daughter) all adore Sparks!!!! read more

I can't speak to the greatness of all of the hair stylists here, but Kaitlyn and Melissa are the only two people I'd trust anywhere near my hair with scissors. read more