Singapore's best hair salons 2017
Yes, it’s that time of the year again to share what we think are the Best Hair Salons of 2017 for haircuts, colours, perms and so on!
Reviews may be the most objective way of evaluating a salon, but it is not always the fairest way as the number of positive reviews also depends on the number of stylists and prices in the salon. A salon with one stylist, for example, is unlikely to be featured as compared to a salon with 10 stylists, even if she is very skilful. Hence, this year, we will be separating our awards into two:
1. Best Hair Salons according to Reviews
2. Best Hair Salons according to Editor’s Choice
Can you guess who they are?
Top 10 Hair Salons Based on Reviews
1. Chez Vous Hair Salon @ Ngee Ann City Takashimaya
Price: From $55 (Men), From $70 (Ladies)
With a whopping 114 reviews from January to September 2017 alone, Chez Vous Hair Salon is clearly the top choice for haircuts for Beauty Undercover readers. Given their distinguished stylists, many of whom are among the best in the industry, and exceptional customer service, we’re not surprised!
We hear that the stylists here go through very rigorous training and are only allowed to cut customers’ hair after lots of tests. That’s why they are able to cut all sorts of hairstyles well, be it pixie haircuts, bobs or even the more fashion-forward ones like asymmetrical cuts!
Even if you get a bad haircut elsewhere, Chez Vous is possibly the best place to go to salvage your hair as the Directors here are able to make use of their arsenal of hair techniques to save your hair. If you are not in a hurry, you can even apply for their Expertligent Fix You program where they might fix your damaged hair for FREE (not valid during peak periods e.g. December to February).
Service at Chez Vous is also among the best we’ve experienced, with a receptionist attending to you the moment you enter. The staff here are also very attentive to your needs and make sure that you are comfortable at all times. This level of skill and service offered at a price of below $100 for haircuts is possibly why Chez Vous remains the preferred hair salon for haircuts by Beauty Undercover agents!
2. LeeKaJa Korean Hair & Beauty Salon @ Mandarin Gallery
Price: From $60
In just one year, LeeKaJa has already catapulted itself into the position of Beauty Undercover Agents’ favourite Korean Salon. If you’ve been there, you’ll understand why. The salon leaves an unforgettable first impression with warm lights, vintage chairs and a beverage bar that will make you feel like you’re in a café. Within seconds of your arrival, someone will attend to you, offering you wine, smoothies or coffee while the salon manager comes over for a quick consultation. The salon manager is fluent in English so you will not have to worry about communication problems.
Some of the hairstylists here (Ted and Preston!) are so good-looking, you may even mistake them Koreanrean celebrities! But looks aside, the team seems to get only stronger and stronger with each new stylist that joins the team. This includes Caely and Jerry, local hairstylists who used to anchor a top Japanese salon outlet in Singapore as well as Gunhee, international hairstylist who previously worked with Guy Tang on hair colours as well as Beck, who previously cut and coloured hair for top Korean celebrities including Jay Park, Loco and other Korean artists.
A post shared by Beck Katira (@beck.bk) on Dec 16, 2016 at 3:21pm PST
Beck cutting Cha Cha Malone’s hair!
Starting at $60, prices are also reasonable for the quality of haircuts and service received here. Add the first timer Beauty Undercover exclusive promotion and you’ve got an irresistible Korean hair salon you must try!
3. Color Bar by Full House Salon @ Tampines Central
Price: From $16
Color Bar by Full House Salon may be best known for their beautiful and long-lasting hair colours, but regulars to Full House Salon will know that this is also a great place to come for good and affordable haircuts.
With prices ranging from $16-$25 for haircuts without a wash, this is possibly one of the cheapest rates you can get for haircuts by stylists who have attended training at Vidal Sassoon London.
Service and ambience may not be the best but you can be sure that the quality of haircuts here are well worth the value. They do a great job with male haircuts, too!
4. HARTS Salon @ Bugis Tan Quee Lan Suites
Price: From $35
Another new salon discovered by Beauty Undercover, HARTS is THE place to go for awesome hair colours. Founder Noel is a very talented Singaporean hairstylist who has won multiple awards as a hairdresser, including 1st runner-up for the recent L’Oreal Colour Trophy.
You’ll understand why we are so in love once you take a look at their hair works. Aside from colours though, their haircuts are a favourite among our agents as they are stylish and easy to maintain.
You’ll also enjoy their in-depth consultation where they will find out more about what you want instead of imposing their preferences on your hairstyle. Prices are very reasonable at $35, $40 and $45 for short, medium and long hair, respectively!
5. Pro Trim Korean Salon @ Jurong East JEM
Price: From $43
One of JEM’s most popular hair salons, Pro Trim Korean Salon has a strong team of Korean and local hairstylists. Here, you can find hairstylists who have founded their own salons before and even coloured the hair of Hillary Clinton!
While the Korean hairstylists here are very popular, the local hairstylists are not lagging behind. Local stylists such as Elva, Lisa and Karen are very popular for their cuts and perms.
Prices are also not very high at $43 for a wash, cut and blow.
6. Art Noise Japanese Hair Salon @ Holland Village
Price: $80
One of the most popular hair salons in Holland Village, Art Noise Japanese Hair Salon is known for their skilful hairstylists and great Japanese service. Here, you are welcomed very warmly the moment you enter. There is also a local translator who always helps with consultation. The place is always kept spick and span. They also use tissue paper to shield your face during a wash, give relaxing scalp massages, use carbonated water for hair washing and are extremely patient during hair consultations.
Art-Noise is also among the top Japanese hair salons who stand out for their service. They make sure they arrange the appointments so that each customer has sufficient 1-to-1 time, making the service here feel extremely personalised.
Still, we’re here for their cuts and not just their service. We have heard many positive reviews about how they can give the much-needed volume to limp hair with just a haircut.
We’re especially in love with their bobs, which gives the softer, natural feel, and their long layered cuts look just as good!
Prices here are a little higher than usual at $80 for wash + cut + blow. However, their other services e.g. scalp spa at $50 are especially affordable and an essential add-on to their signature cut!
7. No. 8 Hair Studio @ Chinese Garden Jurong East Ave 1
Price: $48
No. 8 Hair Studio may be a local hair salon but its ambience and service level closely resembles that of a Japanese salon. Although it is a little hard to find, the location offers ultimate privacy. It is staffed by two talented local stylists Jimmy and Kent, both of whom are popular hairstylists in Jurong. With the cosy chairs, a variety of teas, and the latest equipment, the salon is designed by both Jimmy and Kent to look more like a café than a salon.
While they are really popular for hair colours, many customers come to them for a face-framing haircut that promises to make them look slimmer and bring out the best of their features!
As you can see, they are not just popular among students, teachers and working professionals, you also have men and even children coming to them for daring cuts. With this level of service and skill, we find Jimmy and Kent a steal with haircuts + wash + blow at $48!
8. AVENTA Hair Salon @ City Hall Stamford Court
Price: $65
Next on our most well-reviewed hair salons for haircuts is AVENTA. Located close to City Hall MRT Station, AVENTA is one of Beauty Undercover’s most-loved Japanese hair salons. Prices here are reasonable (at $65 before any discounts) and the stylists are really good!
Just take a look at these photos to know what we mean!
Whether you want romantic, professional or edgy, the stylists are able to give haircuts that are on point.
Best of all, the price sets you back by only $65. They are, however, very popular so there are times you may have to wait even if you’ve made an appointment, so do keep that in mind.
9. Flamingo Hair Studio @ Tanjong Pagar Neil Rd
Price: From $90
Located at Tanjong Pagar, this salon is a calm hideaway from the bustling CBD crowd. Feel yourself relax as you walk in because it looks and feels just like a resort in the heart of town.
While they are very popular for their rebonding and keratin treatments, Flamingo is best known for the signature cuts by the highly competent Japanese team consisting of Ryu, Ayumi, Take and Ryo. Here, they focus on giving customers a cut that best fits their face shape and their lifestyle. As the Japanese stylists Ryu, Ayumi and Ryo are fluent in English, they are also adept at explaining why a specific hairstyle best suits you, something we appreciate.
This may also be why many customers put their faith in the stylists to transform their hair from long to short. Prices here are a little higher but their service level is also more personalised. Hence, we’re not surprised to find it a hit among working professionals in the CBD area.
10. Follicle Salon @ Ngee Ann City Takashimaya
Price: From $88
Follicle Salon may be best known for their scalp treatments but the experienced team of stylists here mean that their haircuts are also highly sought after. Winson, Edward and Amelia have a huge following of customers which include Marketing Directors (Agent AC is one of them), actresses and tai–tais who just can’t find the same level of skill, consideration and service elsewhere.
Customers who face thinning hair will love coming here as the stylists are able to create hairstyles that make the thinning hair less obvious. The area is also very discreet (since it is located on Level 8 of Ngee Ann City) and is perfect for that super effective scalp treatment we love to rave about.
Prices aren’t cheap here but it’s certainly worth it, as its regular customers would attest!
Top 10 Hair Salons Based on Editor’s Choice
Now that you’ve read about the top 10 hair salons based on reviews, here are the top 10 hair salons that our Chief Editor Agent G personally recommends. Customers to these salons don’t write as many reviews but these are the salons that leave a strong impression on Agent G due to the stylists’ excellent skill and service.
Read on if you trust in Agent G’s astute professional judgment!
Price: $120
Izumi Salon is not located in any shopping mall but in the SOHO section of The Central. While the outside looks like any office space, the door opens to an amazing view of the CBD area.
The view is matched by an equally awesome hairstylist, Izumi. Other than her hairdressing experience in both Japan and the US, she picked up haircutting techniques from international hair maestros that allow her to deal with customers of all hair textures with ease. Her arsenal of hairdressing skills which includes a unique combination of wet cuts (from Vidal Sassoon and Toni & Guy), dry cuts (John Sahag) and the Japanese R cut, together with her professionalism and conscientiousness makes her one of the best we’ve seen in the industry.
If you are someone who appreciates a high level of skill and artistry in hairdressing, we would highly recommend you to try Izumi, who is likely to take your hairdressing experience to the next level. Definitely one of the best haircut specialists we’ve seen in Singapore!
Price: From $60
A post shared by KEN HONG (@kenhong.sg) on Sep 17, 2017 at 11:07pm PDT
Have you ever seen Ken from 女人我最大? Well, he’s the founder of Evolve Salon and also the FIRST hairstylist from Singapore to be the International Hair Ambassador for a major haircare brand, Goldwell!
In just a few snips, he can transform someone’s looks from dull to refreshed! Yes, Ken is just so, so talented we can’t stop raving about him. Despite his status as a top hairstylist, we love how he remains down to earth and humble, making him one of our FAVOURITE hairstylists of all time.
His busy schedule, however, means that he is not always available for a haircut. Fortunately, Ken has built a strong team of hairstylists who seem to be following in his footsteps to greatness. Director Dylan Tung, for example, recently won the Goldwell Colour Zoom in Singapore and flew to Barcelona to represent Singapore in the Global Colour Zoom competition. Up and coming hair colour genius, Yuujin has also won a few awards of his own at the National Colour Zoom competition.
Although colours appear to be their strong suit, we love their stylistic graduated bobs and pixie hairstyles that make an impression with their clean and precise haircuts.
Price: From $129
Kenaris may be among the priciest hair salons in Orchard but its regular customers will tell you that their cuts are absolutely worth it.
If you’re hoping to go short, both Ken and Aris are perfect for the job as they can customise the hairstyle to your desired length and facial structure.
We sent Agent WT down for a cut after her wedding. Check out how much fresher and chic she looked after the cut!
While they are good with colours and perms as well, we think that the haircuts at Kenaris are its signature service as the stylists here are all very highly trained in cuts. Overall, one of our recommended top salons for haircuts!
Price: From $68
There are a number of salons in Orchard but Gene by Ginrich remain one of our favourites.
It’s not just the swanky design that got us hooked. The star stylists here, which include Derek, Dawn, Jamie and Catherine are known to be very strong in haircuts. Derek especially enjoys a very strong following among air stewardesses and working professionals who LOVE his bob haircuts.
For us though, the attraction lies beyond the haircuts and into the service we receive at Gene. It is clear that the staff here treat each other and customers like family. Hence, we feel well taken care of from the moment we enter till we leave. We especially love adding on the AVEDA scalp treatment when we come here for a cut because of the fantastic massage given by their junior stylists.
Price: From $60
There’s lots of things we like about The Bund, including its serene ambience and open concept.
However the largest attraction lies in its stylists, Ricky and Annie.
When talking about bob haircuts, there are few hairstylists as good as Ricky.
Just take a look at his haircuts to know what we mean.
Whether soft bob or assertive bob cuts, Ricky’s haircuts stand out for its unique personality and easy maintenance.
We hear that his cuts are also very sustainable and can stay in shape for a long time, a major reason why customers keep coming back!
Price: From $85
If a haircut to you is a fashion statement that should be worn your way, don’t miss a haircut by Eric. While he is perfectly capable of bob haircuts …
We think that he is best at customised haircuts like these:
We love how Eric is able to create haircuts you can’t get elsewhere because of his unique training with top haircut specialists in Croatia, Vidal Sassoon as well as Toni &Guy. Service here is also amazing as the tightly-knit team makes every effort to make your experience at Hairpage Underground a great one!
Price: From $80
You won’t see Rubik among top hair salons based on reviews because there are just two stylists here. However, customers who’ve tried Teru swear by his hairdressing skill because he’s just so good at giving haircuts that are easy to manage.
Teru may be a little quiet but his patience and incredible skill have earned him scores of customers who love how his haircut stays in shape for a long long time.
Definitely one of our top choices for haircuts in Singapore!
Price: From $100
The salon at Circular Rd may be a little small but boasts a team of skilled Japanese stylists popular for their professional cuts. The team of 6 stylists here are mostly conversational in English and have had international experience working in Japan, US, and even Spain for a period of time. This makes them familiar with many different hair types.
Whether you’re thinking about bob haircuts or shorter pixie cuts, there will be a stylist here who is good at that.
We would recommend you to try Yoshi and Rie who are best known for their cuts!
9. S.A.D’s Hair Design @ River Valley
Price: From $100
The salon exterior and even its founder Aki may look quirky but we’ve heard only good things from customers who’ve tried Aki for themselves.
His haircuts don’t just stay in place really well, it looks so good, it simply flows! Unlike typical Japanese stylists, he is able to keep your hair voluminous, which is why your hair feels really good when you run your hair through it. If you don’t mind his artistic temperament, we are confident that a haircut by Aki will positively surprise you to no end.
Price: From $100
One of the first few Japanese hair salons in Singapore, COVO has built a strong team of Japanese hairstylists who are especially strong in haircuts. Whether you’re thinking about shoulder length cuts or long layered cuts, the stylists can transform your hair significantly with a cut alone.
Don’t forget their signature treatment though. The COVO treatment requires just an add-on of $50 and your hair will be a lot more manageable in the weeks after.
Have you tried any of these salons?
Share your experience on BU.sg to be part of the decision making process for such articles!
