Absolutely LOVE Stowaway and will definitely be making another appointment! I went for a cut and color and Nikolas was so nice and welcoming! I'm not super familiar with hair care and styling but he made it so simple to maintain and understand! I really appreciated Nikolas taking the time to listen and teach me, along with an AMAZING cut and color! read more

Great job on my son's haircut. He's got great hair (unlike me) and so it makes sense to have a professional stylist. My teenage son rarely says anything about his haircuts but he said his hair looks great now and Nick is Cool! read more

Nicholas is fantastic at what he does. If there were ever a hair stylist that deserved a high rating....it is Stowaway Studio & Nicholas. He has mastered hair color and his technique that there is no way you will be disappointed. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a guaranteed great stylist. He even sells his own products. Also...you are able to make appointments online which made things very easy. He is kind, excellent at his Craft and professional. Go see for yourself. You'll have zero regrets. Promise!! read more

Just got my hair done by Nickolas. He was amazing! Such a pro and brings great energy and passion into what he does, plus he's a pleasure to chat with. He knew what I was looking for before I even told him, and the results were perfect! I 100% recommend him to anyone and will definitely be going back :) Thanks Nickolas! read more

Stowaway Studio - Just got my hair done by Nickolas, sooooo happy! He's such a pro, he knew exactly what I was looking for before I even told him - Hair Salons Near Me - Aptos, California

i can't stress enough how much I love Nick! He always listens to what I want and delivers. The salon is always so clean and cute, with the best vibes. I came to him with my hair needing major help, and he turned it around. No one else will ever touch my hair =) read more

Nick is the best! I've been going to him for years and am obsessed with his cuts and highlights! read more

Stowaway Studio - Hair Salons Near Me - Aptos, California

Hands down the best haircut I've ever received! Nickolas was wonderful, extremely talented and knowledgeable. If you're looking for a great haircut, look no further. Highly recommend!! read more

Stowaway Studio - After - Hair Salons Near Me - Aptos, California

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I have debated posting this review for a long time, but I came across a photo of myself shortly after my appointment with Nick, and feel like I have to give a review. I am still trying to repair the damage that Nick did to my hair (nearly a year and a half later). I regret not mentioning anything at the salon immediately after my appointment, but Nick was so adamant that my hair looked fantastic that I thought maybe I was just not used to the blonde yet. Yeah, no. I am attaching a photo of my hair that Nick posted on his salon page versus how my hair actually looked two weeks after my appointment. I'm not sure what filters he uses for his photos, but they are incredibly misleading. I mentioned my experience with this salon in a previous review of another salon: "I went to a very highly reviewed (and extremely expensive) salon in Capitola for a balayage. I showed the stylist a picture (from his Yelp page!) of exactly what I wanted done, and explained that I wanted to blend my natural darker brown roots with my outgrown dark blonde/light brown hair so that my hair all blended together and looked more natural but still had some dimension to it. I left the salon with straw yellow hair and a sharp line between my natural roots and the blonde - absolutely no blending." I am not sure why my experience was so radically different from the majority of reviewers here, but I am still irritated about the fact that I paid $300 for my hair to be damaged so severely. Updating to include my response to Nick's comment: I think the most frustrating part to me is that as a stylist of your caliber, you should know that it is not okay to let someone leave your salon with their blonde hair looking bright yellow. Unlike most other negative reviewers here, you didn't even admit to your mistakes with my hair and kept telling me how fantastic it looked which you obviously must have known was not true. Surely you can see how difficult it would have been for me to speak up since you were pretending that you didn't see the problem. Given that you booked me around 4:00pm, I assume you just wanted to get out of the salon because it was the end of the day, so you decided to play it off instead of trying to fix the color. But frankly, even if I had spoken up after you were finished, judging by the way you have handled responses to the other negative reviews of your salon on this page, I highly doubt that you would have offered a real solution to the problem other than to charge me more money to fix your mistakes. You are clearly a talented stylist, but it would do you and your business well to really reflect on the way that you handle the situations where you don't live up to your standards. 1/30 - Update to Nick's 1/30 Comment Nick, I absolutely did not have black dye in my hair and have not EVER had black dye in my hair. I am attaching a photo of myself with a July 22nd timestamp (about a week and a half before my appointment) with my light brown hair as well as the photo I took to you from your Yelp page of what I wanted you to do to my hair. I don't understand why it is so difficult for you to admit fault where it is due and are why you are now making up lies to try to cover for yourself. And yet you still have not addressed how you could not have known that something was wrong with my hair when I left your salon with bright yellow hair. This is ludicrous. read more

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Wow! So impressed with my entire hair experience--so happy I found Nickolas at Stowaway. I was nervous about trying a new stylist when my friend suggested it from a friend of a friend...but the moment I walked into his adorable and relaxing space, I felt at ease. I'm not one to have big hair plans and didn't come in with any ideas. Nick nailed my color and cut and it felt great to be able to trust and be put at ease all the while. He is an artist for sure and is friendly and fun to boot! I'll definitely be back! Thanks Nick!!! read more

I found Nick via Yelp and took a chance to fix my at home boredom induced haircut. He was super friendly and helpful. Overall an excellent experience and I'll for sure be back! read more

The perfect cut every time! Nick is truly a master of his craft. I live in Lake Tahoe but I make sure to get my appointment in when visiting my mom in Santa Cruz. I've always had the perfect cut and he's a great guy to hang with and get pampered by read more

Stowaway Studio - Hair Salons Near Me - Aptos, California

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This was the best haircut I have had in the Santa Cruz area. Nick is not only so kind but also a gifted hair stylist. He knew exactly what I wanted before I even told him. I have long and very thick hair that can be hard to manage so I always need layers. I cut my own bangs (horribly) months ago and Nick cut them into beautiful curtain bangs that suit my face. He also took the time to show me how to blow dry my curtain bangs so I can replicate it at home. He had me show him the length I wanted in the mirror and cut it exactly where I showed him. Nick blended my preferences and his knowledge to create the most dreamy haircut. My only regret is that I didn't find Stowaway Studio earlier. read more

If you would like to visit a Hair stylist who can execute what you want then see Nick at the Stowaway. My hair is in great condition and his products recommendations are amazing! What can I say, Nick is a magical hair unicorn read more

Stowaway Studio - A - Hair Salons Near Me - Aptos, California

Fantastic cut & color from Nikolas! The last haircut I had gotten was over a year ago, and I have had some bad experiences where stylists either don't listen to me, or overwork my hair/give me a cut that only looks good when it's styled (and I don't have to patience to do much more than a quick blow dry occasionally). Nikolas listened to me, and gave me the best, most natural looking blonde I could have imagined! And a cute cut to boot! Plus the experience was relaxing, just hanging out in a gorgeous sunroom with redwoods out the window. Reasonably priced as well! Everything was perfect! read more

Stowaway Studio - Hair Salons Near Me - Aptos, California

I went to another salon in Santa Cruz because Nickolas was still renovating his new space (well worth the wait, since it is just him and a fireplace, no other stylists). Bad, gossipy vibes from the chair next to us, and just a lot of awkward gum-chewing and her looking at her phone through the cut. She concluded the 5-minute cut with, "I prefer not to blow dry it so it doesn't get poufy." Awesome - see you, never again. Just got my 2nd one post-pandemic and while my neck down have seen better days, my hair and spirit always leave looking and feeling as chic and confident as the last time. His cuts and time are a legit and important routine for my self-care. read more

You will not be disappointed!!! Nick has cut and colored my hair so many times I can't begin to count, and I am never disappointed. I love him so much that I have continued to go to him even after I moved away from the area. So now I drive 2.5 hours for my appts. And it's worth it. He was closed for a time this summer while he was building his new salon. He gave us advance notice of his closing and let us know when we could begin to schedule our next appts. Hes extremely professional and talented! read more

Showed up for my prescheduled appointment and the salon was padlocked and cleared out. No notice to me, no response to my contact question. Not a good way to do business, even if he is "building out" his new salon. So disappointed. read more

Stowaway Studio - Window into salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Aptos, California

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had an amazing hair cutting experience here! coming from a girl with major hair trust issues, you can believe attention to detail is a priority here, and you don't have to worry about not getting what you came in asking for. i left so ecstatic about the cut i got, and have gotten lots of compliments on it too muahahah. highly recommend !!!! read more

I'm from Italy and we have a different way to cut, but I finally feel I found someone that understands the way I want my hair. I recommend Nick for your hair read more

Nic is an artist! Every time I get my haircut by him it looks amazing. He really has an artist eye for what looks good on each individual person. I get so many compliments on my hair. Not only that but he goes over and beyond to fit you in if you ever have a hair crisis. I don't know about you, but my hair will look great and then suddenly one day it just is a little bit too long and I need it cut right away. He's very accommodating and available during hair emergencies. Two more things, he's extremely handsome and has a great singing voice! read more

Wow incredibly unprofessional. They do not manage their online appointments well and don't have a phone number to call the salon. I drove out an hour for an 8:30 am appointment only to be turned away at the door. Emily said she had to bump me for a "regular" and said she would take me in at 4:30 pm. I show up later and she says that she actually can't do it after all. Really disappointing. Could have been managed much better on their end. I do not recommend this business. read more

Nick is a true artist when it comes to hair and color. Every time I've gone to Nick I've walked away feeling happy and confident. He is surprisingly quick working but it's only because he is super experienced and knows what he's doing. My Balayage is top notch every time he does it. The colors just melt together perfectly and they always grow out flawlessly. Beside being incredibly talented, Nick is super sweet and always has the best music playing. You will not be disappointed in his services. read more

Stowaway Studio - Balayage - this was taken 4 months after nick did my original balayage and then toned and cut. Could not have been happier. - Hair Salons Near Me - Aptos, California

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I just had a great experience with Nick - he's truly a master at what he does. Got a great cut and beautiful balayage - honestly I won't be seeing anyone else. Super friendly dude and a hair wizard. When I got home my 5-year told me "mama, your hair looks FABULOUS"... and it does! Book with him and you won't be disappointed! read more

Fantastic experience. I scheduled an appt online, then a few days later, emailed asking if anyone had cancelled so that I could come sooner. Nick's assistant texted me with two options. I had an appointment the next day! He covered my gray roots, freshened my color and gave me a cut that suits my wavy hair- in less than 1.5 hrs! Thank you, Nick! read more

I had been searching for a decent haircut ever since I moved to Santa Cruz from the city. After trying more than 6 different locations, I'm happy to finally have a consistently great and stylish haircut. My wife recommended that I give Nick a try because she's always had wonderful experiences. And between us, her hair style is more flattering since coming here. I'm also pretty sure my wife regrets that I didn't get a haircut from Nick before our wedding. She might have mentioned that once or twice when looking back at our photos. Lol To wrap up, I highly recommend The Stowaway. Wether you're a man looking for a tight fade, a woman who wants a trim and balayage, or vice versa - this is the place! read more

Wow. Just wow. I scheduled an appointment with Nick after losing my colorist of over 20 years. I searched high and low for someone who knew how to work with blondes. Nick absolutely CRUSHED it, the first time, and corrected some splotchiness from another new colorist I had tried before him. He is truly a color genius and gifted artist. Not to mention a great overall human. I am a loyal customer when I find the right fit and won't hesitate to book with Nick again and again. Don't look elsewhere - Stowaway Studios is your answer!! read more

So to begin: I have super thin damaged hair, and made the mistake of box dying it a month or so before my apt (and the box dye totally messed up my hair real bad). On that note: Nicks work is magic! He was super honest with me up front about how my hair could possibly turn out (due to the box dye), pricing, what he was going to do exactly, etc.! He kept me updated throughout the whole process and is soooo passionate about his work!! Results: perfection. I can't even describe how happy I am and how perfect my hair turned out!! Worth every penny and then some! I can't even believe someone was actually able to give me model status hair! Legit if you have thin hair like mine (the kind of thin where people can see your scalp if they are taller than you) then go see Nick! Recommend him 10000000%!!! He's a super cool person too, and has great music taste! Thanks again Nick!!! So stoked to have such an amazing artist/chemist/person/stylist to do my hair! (: read more

Stowaway Studio - Absolutely obsessed with how perfect it came out! - Hair Salons Near Me - Aptos, California

I have very fine hair that Nickolas cuts in all kinds of crazy layers that no other stylist could make happen before - I am a musician and artist and I like my hair choppy - Love the way he cuts my hair - best I have ever had and I moved from LA where I had the "best" available - I also want my hair blonde - which is my "natural" color - but with super fine hair the processing can be tough - I have had my hair look like straw before but Nickolas gets it spot on every time. My husband sees him too and he looks great. Nickolas is always open to ideas and enthusiastic about trying new things. He is also just a sweetheart of a person and would do anything to make your world better. I would not go to anyone else and recommend him highly! read more

This man knows hair!! My hair looks gorgeous healthy shiny color is perfect.. Nick is an exceptional artist and colorist. Forever fan and he's a must see for anyone asking.. I'm very lucky to have found him.. Thanks Nick! read more

Nick is the best! He is such amazing Balayage artist, always creating the most flawless, sun kissed, natural look that I just LOVE and cannot live without. His haircuts are perfection as well. He listens with care, and is always able to give me just what I ask for. Nick is the most talented, intuitive, personable stylist I have ever met. I have been going to him for years, and he is the only hair stylist that I trust. read more

Stowaway Studio - Hair Salons Near Me - Aptos, California

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Updating my review (Nick has always been a 5 for cut and color but this is for extensions)- Nick did an amazing job on my extensions. I have never thought about getting extensions before, but for my Wedding wanted long hair! If you're thinking about where to get extensions, GO HERE! He spent countless hours dying the hair to get it close to my hair color. I never expected or asked him to do that. It matched perfectly. He even showed me how to put them in. I seriously love them and wore them several times afterwards. Nick definitely goes the extra mile for his customers! Photos of my hair length and the extensions afterwards. You can't even tell it's not my real hair. read more

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One of the best hair experiences I've ever had. I absolutely love love love my hair!! Nick was amazing, first time coming to this salon and he definitely exceeded all my expectations. I showed him a photo of the style of how I wanted my hair, but he basically read my mind...the cut and color was everything I wanted and more. I really don't know if I'd trust anyone else with my hair after this. Highly highly recommend! read more

I have curly hair and was scared to do any type of color due to the possibility of damage. Nickolas is great! My hair has remained healthy, my curl pattern is still the same. Every time I go I leave extremely happy with beautifully colored and healthy hair! Definitely recommend, great customer service! read more

I can't explain how important was for me to get my hair done. I have been searching for a person to make a cut that will symbolize my strength as a woman and as a survivor. When I found this place I knew it was the one. Nick it's an amazing person that advises you before taking the decision to cut your hair. He gives you tips,styles and comments. In the entire time I was there in the room he made me feel so comfortable and secure for the cut that I was going for. He nailed the cut! I will definitely go back to Nick because I'm 100% surprised and happy for the new style he gave me. read more

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I got my first balayage from Nick back at Tonic half a year ago. Since I'd never colored my hair before and had just moved to Santa Cruz, I was skeptical about getting my hair done here. But I'm so glad I took a chance on Nick! I had a specific color and look in mind which he was able to help me achieve. The look gave my long, bland hair some life and made me feel like a completely different person! Since then, I've been heading to this new salon of his for everything from a trim to balayage coloring and hair mask treatment. I'd recommend making an appointment ahead of time - he's fully booked most of the time. read more

Stowaway Studio - Chestnut balayage on my long black hair - Hair Salons Near Me - Aptos, California

I have been going to Nick for eight years now and would never go anywhere else. This weekend I came in for a cut and color. I usually keep my hair long but due to a busy schedule I needed something that would take less time and still look fabulous for work. Well....he gave me the sexiest bob haircut. I have gotten so many compliments at work and it has been so easy for me to style. He also gave be the most luscious deep brown mahogany color. I am so happy with my new cut and color. If you are looking for a new sexy and easy style ask for the "Isabella Bob". read more

Wow!!! Why didn't I walk into this salon sooner?! Nick is AMAZING!! I decided to go from a redhead to platinum blonde back in July at another salon, darn! Wish I'd come here first!! But it's ok...cuz Nick SAVED my hair! Yay! And to think I was about to pull a "Britney" and shave the whole darn thing off! Glad I didn't! Nick fixed me up and has my hair coming back to life! Nick really is a Master Stylist! Looking forward to my next appointment! read more

Stowaway Studio - Love my grey to pink ombré!!! The blend is beyond amazing. - Hair Salons Near Me - Aptos, California

Today was my first time at the salon. I got my haircut from Nick, a coworker had referred me to this salon saying she had heard great things... No doubt Nick is very knowledgeable very professional and very personable. I absolutely love my hair and couldn't be happier. I would suggest to anyone to go and get a service done, you won't be disappointed!! worth every penny! read more

Stowaway Studio - Hair Salons Near Me - Aptos, California

Nick is amazing! I haven't had my hair done in over a year, and really had no idea what I wanted when it came down to it.. first thing nick did as soon as I sat down, is tell me SPOT ON what my hair type is, style preference might be, and ideal color treatment should be with a perfect plan to follow. Without question, he knocked my initial hair assessment out of the park. I was so impressed!! On top of his incredible knowledge and talent, he's a blast to hang out with and talk to! Suuuper personable guy! I'll without a doubt be going back to him! read more

Guys go to Nick!! He is absolutely the best! Experienced and talented. He knew exactly what I wanted and nailed it! I love my hair. It's so bouncy and healthy omg i'm in love with it! I had also cut the front of my hair on my own, big mistake, Nick fixed it Thank you so much Nick!! read more