Columbia South Carolina’s Top 10 Hair Salons & Hairdressers

The Profile

Metropolis Salon positions itself as a destination for the greater Columbia area, offering a large team of stylists who deliver custom hair colour tailored to individual lifestyles. The site emphasises a bright, welcoming and inclusive atmosphere that the salon markets as modern, luxurious and comfortable for every client.

Metropolis Salon's new-client process is streamlined to reduce guesswork: the salon provides curated new client service options and pricing, helps clients choose a stylist from detailed team profiles and sends a digital welcome packet after booking. Clients can view stylist social media profiles to select the right specialist before they arrive.

Metropolis Salon specialises across a wide colour and care range, listing Dimensional Colour, Modern Blonde, Coverage Colour and Transformative Colour alongside bespoke curly-haircare services and personalised hair extensions. Their extension work commonly uses beaded rows of wefts applied according to head shape and density, which is handled by dedicated extension specialists.

Why It Made the List and Why It’s Our Top Pick

Metropolis Salon tops the list because it combines a large, varied team of specialists with a clearly defined new-client experience that guides booking and stylist selection. The blend of custom curly care, bespoke extension application and a deliberately streamlined welcome packet gives clients practical choices and consistent, salon-managed results.

Good to Know

Metropolis Salon operates an online booking portal and emails a digital welcome packet to new clients; the salon also asks clients to choose services from a curated new-client menu, which helps avoid confusion on first visits and clarifies what to book ahead of time.

The Profile

Hyde Salon - Columbia is one location within the wider Hyde Salons family, presenting itself online with links to multiple regional branches such as Hyde Chapin and Hyde Vista. The brand pairs in-salon services with an integrated retail offering and maintains a gallery, blog and social channels to show work and announce openings.

Hyde Salon - Columbia advertises an extensive shop of hair and body products directly on its site, with categories covering shampoo, conditioner, treatments, styling and hair tools. The online store messaging mentions promotions like free samples with orders and free shipping thresholds, reflecting the salon’s focus on retail as part of its service model.

Why It Made the List

Hyde Salon - Columbia stands out for combining hands-on salon services with a substantial retail and product education element, which supports clients who prefer to maintain professional results at home. Access to a local team plus brand-led product lines helps clients who want continuity between in-salon treatment and at-home care.

Good to Know

Hyde's website highlights an online shop with free samples on every order and free shipping over a specific threshold; clients who want product continuity should check the shop for recommended maintenance items and available sample offers before booking.

The Profile

Austral Salon is presented as a Columbia hair salon with over 40 years of local presence, offering personalised haircuts, custom colour, blonding, extensions and treatments. The site repeatedly emphasises thoughtful, personalised service delivered in a modern salon environment that aims to feel effortless for every client.

Austral Salon highlights an eco-conscious approach by using organic or eco-friendly professional product lines, specifically referencing Organic Pure Care and plant-extract formulations. The business publishes set opening hours and a street address on its site, positioning itself as an accessible neighbourhood salon with visible contact and booking details.

Why It Made the List

Austral Salon earns recognition for its longevity and eco-friendly product focus combined with personalised blonding, balayage and extension services; that mix appeals to clients seeking both experienced stylists and a salon that foregrounds sustainable, plant-based professional haircare in everyday appointments.

Good to Know

Austral Salon posts clear opening hours and a physical address on its site; clients can book online and should note the salon’s stated weekday and Saturday hours when arranging appointments to fit their schedules.

The Profile

Carolina Hair Studios operates in downtown Columbia and advertises a full menu of cutting, custom colour, balayage, highlights and extensions, serving women, men and children across textures and styles. The site emphasises convenience for local workers and visitors, noting a strong downtown presence and regular client referrals.

Carolina Hair Studios promotes a Monday-before-2pm special offering a $20 haircut for men and women, and it lists keratin treatments and bridal bookings among its services. Testimonials on the salon’s pages reference punctuality for wedding work, on-site bridal set-ups and stylists who provide both everyday cuts and special-occasion styling.

Why It Made the List

Carolina Hair Studios is notable for its central downtown location and practical weekday value offering, plus an ability to handle bridal parties and keratin treatments; that combination of accessibility, special pricing windows and event experience makes it a practical choice for both everyday clients and those planning wedding or occasion services.

Good to Know

Carolina Hair Studios advertises a Monday-before-2pm $20 haircut special and highlights availability for bridal bookings; clients should check the salon’s schedule for that specific early-week discount and confirm wedding or party timing well in advance.

The Profile

Ember + Co lists Buy Now, Pay Later as an in-person payment option for appointments ranging from mid-range to larger bookings, making financing available for services booked at the salon. The site also shows a consistent weekly schedule with Monday through Saturday opening hours, reflecting long weekday availability for clients.

Ember + Co publishes a cancellation policy on its site that requires timely communication and attaches a 50% cancellation fee for late cancellations, with no-call/no-show situations charged at 100% of the service fee. The salon provides a central street address and contact listings for clients who need to confirm appointments or policies.

Why It Made the List

Ember + Co stands out for offering in-person financing alongside extended weekday hours, which helps clients book larger or multi-service appointments while spreading payment; the clear cancellation and no-show policy also signals firm appointment management for both stylists and guests.

Good to Know

Ember + Co publishes a 50% cancellation fee for late cancellations and a 100% charge for no-shows; clients should secure approvals for Buy Now, Pay Later before their appointment and confirm the salon’s cancellation terms when booking.

The Profile

Shear Xpectations Salon describes itself as Columbia’s trusted salon since 2002 and states that it specialises in hair extensions and colouring services specifically tailored to extension clients. The site explains that many bookings come via personal referrals and that the salon values long-standing client relationships built over decades.

Shear Xpectations Salon notes a focused operating pattern: it currently welcomes new clients only for hair extensions and color services tailored to extensions, and it gives a local-location note placing the salon about ten minutes from downtown Columbia. The team encourages prospective clients to text for more information using the number listed on the site.

Why It Made the List

Shear Xpectations Salon earns attention for a narrow, deep specialism in extensions and extension‑specific colour work, backed by many years in the community; that focused model is useful for clients whose primary need is added length, density or colour services that coordinate with installed extensions.

Good to Know

Shear Xpectations Salon explicitly states it is currently accepting new clients only for hair extensions and extension-tailored colour; interested clients are invited to text the salon at the provided number to confirm availability and learn more.

The Profile

Shine Hair Color & Design Studio presents itself as a national award-winning boutique salon located in Columbia’s Rosewood and Shandon neighbourhoods, focusing on customised colour work and textured hair cutting. The site emphasises professional education, a welcoming atmosphere and a team approach to creating personalised looks across a wide range of hair types.

Shine Hair Color & Design Studio lists a full service menu including colour techniques such as balayage, pintura and foil highlighting, specialty curly cuts and keratin-style treatments, plus facial waxing. The salon notes that a consultation is performed at the beginning of every visit and that separate consultation visits may be scheduled when clients feel they need extra time.

Why It Made the List

Shine stands out for clearly prioritising professional education and a consultative start to every appointment, which supports complex colour and texture work; that combination of recognised boutique status, textured-hair expertise and an organised consultative workflow helps clients aiming for precise, manageable results.

Good to Know

Shine performs a consultation at the start of each visit and will schedule a separate consultation at no additional charge if a client needs more time; clients should call the salon to book and discuss whether a separate consultation is advisable for complex services.

The Profile

Process. A Hair Salon lists its street address on Forest Drive and presents a combined retail and service environment that promotes named premium product ranges in its shop, including repair shampoos and anti-humidity sprays. The salon positions retail bestsellers alongside appointment booking to encourage take-home styling and maintenance.

Process. A Hair Salon offers a full service menu that includes haircuts, colour services, balayage, extensions with hand-tied and tape-in options, and keratin smoothing. The salon requests complimentary consultations for extensions to establish personalised pricing and care plans before clients commit to an installation appointment.

Why It Made the List

Process. A Hair Salon is notable for pairing a clearly articulated retail selection with in-salon services and for offering complimentary extension consultations; that blend lets clients plan both the in-chair service and the at-home product regimen that supports longer-term style maintenance.

Good to Know

Process. A Hair Salon asks clients seeking extensions to arrange a complimentary extension consultation and enforces a 24-hour cancellation policy; prospective extension clients should book the consultation first to establish personalised pricing and aftercare instructions.

The Profile

Vivid! Color Cut Style operates from Harden Street and describes a decade of service to the Columbia area, offering bold, Vivid colour work alongside routine cuts and textured hair services. The salon states an explicit address and phone contact and presents itself as open to creative, gender-affirming looks as well as everyday styling.

Vivid! Color Cut Style distinguishes between Building and Established stylists on its price menu, with different price points depending on whether a stylist is growing a client list or already established. The salon explicitly requires a card on file for bookings and publishes a cancellation policy that sets specific notice windows and late/ no-show charges.

Why It Made the List

Vivid earns notice for transparent, tiered pricing and for making its cancellation and booking policies explicit; the building-versus-established stylist model gives clients clear options on price and stylist seniority, while the posted cancellation rules help clients understand booking commitments before they arrive.

Good to Know

Vivid requires a card on file to secure appointments and enforces a cancellation policy that charges a percentage for late notice and a full charge for no-shows; clients should review these policies and choose a Building or Established stylist that matches their budget and timing needs.

The Profile

Five Points Salon in Columbia provides creative yet wearable hair design through a clearly consultative appointment process, emphasising personalised colour, cut and styling choices that consider each client's hair texture and daily routine. Stylists prioritise tailored technical execution so results remain flattering and manageable well after the appointment ends.

Appointments at Five Points Salon are paced to allow close consultation, strand testing and stepwise colour development when required, with a focus on workmanship and long-term wear. The salon's approach balances a relaxed, personable atmosphere with rigorous technique to ensure cuts and colour settle predictably into each client's lifestyle.

Why It Made the List

The salon's strength lies in its thorough consultation and methodical service stages, where stylists map choices to clients' routines and perform any necessary strand tests before committing to colour. That disciplined, client-centred workflow produces wearable, low-maintenance results that suit individual texture, lifestyle and maintenance preferences.

Good to Know

Clients with complex colour or cut goals should expect an in-depth consultation including strand testing when necessary; bring clear reference images and specific notes about your daily styling routine and product use to help the stylist plan realistic, maintainable results.