Minneapolis’s Top 10 Beauty Salons & Beauty Professionals

The Profile

BRADLEY DOUGLAS SALON SPA operates in downtown Minneapolis and presents a broad full-service menu that spans barbering, specialty color, hair extensions, spa treatments, and professional makeup for weddings. The roster explicitly lists barbering cuts and beard grooming alongside bespoke color work and low-maintenance grow-out strategies.

The spa side runs alongside hair services, offering facials (Aveda Tulasara and iS Clinical among them), body exfoliation and massage, plus waxing and tinting. The salon emphasizes product partnerships with Aveda, Davines, Clean Enhanced Organics and All Nutrient Hair Color, which they position as conscious, lower-toxicity alternatives for regular clients.

Bradley Douglas has developed appointment options and prepaid Trios packages that bundle three visits for hair, skin or body services to encourage routine care and save on pricing. The business also publishes a clear new-client pathway and notes wedding and bridal packages, indicating a roster that accommodates both regular maintenance and special-occasion work.

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

Bradley Douglas tops this list because it merges wide technical scope, barbering, hand-painted color, extensions and bridal services, with a consistent spa offering and sustainability commitments. The Trios prepaid packages, downtown accessibility and curated product partnerships create a dependable, repeatable routine for clients seeking both technical skill and ongoing care.

Good to Know

New and returning clients can book by; the salon highlights Trios prepaid three-visit packages and a full new-client service pathway. Review details and guest notes also mention free parking at the back of the building, which helps with downtown visits.

The Profile

Gem Salon Spa occupies a bright, comfortable space on East Hennepin (1621 E Hennepin Ave) and positions itself around individualized service and self-care. The salon emphasizes personalized consultations, complimentary shampooing and styling with haircuts, and a team philosophy that highlights listening to clients and steady technical upkeep.

The business runs continuing education and in-salon classes to keep stylists current with trending techniques, and the team publicly promotes its artists as the core community. Practical notes on the site call out a west-side entrance by the GEM logo, and the salon offers a warm welcome that often includes tea or coffee for guests during appointments.

Why It Made the List

Gem stands out for combining everyday polish with a learning-minded team: clients benefit from stylists who invest in ongoing education and a calm, consultative appointment flow that emphasizes suitability and an easy-to-manage final result rather than overly fussy finishes.

Good to Know

Hours are listed Monday 10am–5pm, Tuesday through Friday 10am–7pm and Saturday 10am–4pm; use the west-side entrance by the GEM logo. If you prefer a particular artist, Gem’s site encourages booking with that stylist in advance to secure your preferred service window.

The Profile

The Beauty Lounge Minneapolis emphasizes wedding and editorial work, maintaining distinct wedding services, bridal packages and a commercial/editorial portfolio. The site organizes sections specifically for weddings, pricing and policies, and commercial work, signalling a strong operational focus on special-occasion styling and professional shoots.

Beyond bridal services, the salon publishes educational materials and a staff directory to connect clients with stylists experienced in both everyday cuts and event styling. Contact pathways are direct, with a named email for booking larger projects and wedding consultations, reflecting a practice used to coordinating multi-person bookings and trials.

Why It Made the List

The Beauty Lounge earns a place on this list for its clear wedding and editorial specialization: the salon integrates trials, dedicated bridal planning and a portfolio of commercial work, making it a reliable option for clients who need coordinated styling for events or photographic shoots.

Good to Know

For wedding and editorial inquiries, the salon directs prospective clients to contact; this direct email route is the practical first step for booking trials and multi-person party scheduling.

The Profile

Avant Hair & Cosmetics brings more than forty years of service to downtown Minneapolis, founded in the 1970s and still located close to its original neighborhood. The salon is an Aveda Concept Salon, which shapes product choice, in-salon education and the technical approach the team uses for color and cut.

History and technical training are central to Avant’s identity: the founders studied in London and Paris and evolved a combined cutting system influenced by Vidal Sassoon and continental methods. The salon also notes that roughly 45 percent of its haircutting business serves men, reflecting a strong mixed-gender client base and a foundational barbering background.

Why It Made the List

Avant’s long track record and its Aveda Concept Salon status distinguish it: decades of continuity, a technical lineage rooted in European training and visible investment in stylist education make Avant a dependable choice for clients who value precision cutting and refined color services.

Good to Know

Avant advertises a new-client gift and promotion on its site (a downloadable $10 new-client offer) and stocks Aveda products; prospective clients can expect Aveda-focused product recommendations and an emphasis on ongoing stylist education.

The Profile

Meraki Hair Lounge operates in Minneapolis with additional presence in St. Paul and frames itself as a space where beauty and wellness align. The salon explicitly describes Sunday use for guided-meditation clinics and youth workshops, demonstrating a community-minded program that extends salon hours into wellness programming.

The business is also built as a stylist-forward space and offers salon suites on rent, mentoring and an ethos that stylists should be able to operate as business owners. Locations are published for Minneapolis and St. Paul(N) and the site offers a named contact email for bookings and inquiries.

Why It Made the List

Meraki’s distinctive blend of salon services and scheduled wellness programming gives it a different practical appeal: clients seeking both hair services and a community-focused space that runs workshops and meditation clinics will find a steady commitment to empowerment alongside routine beauty work.

Good to Know

Meraki lists its Minneapolis address and a contact; Sunday workshops and guided-meditation clinics are part of the space’s programming, so check schedules if you want to attend community events as well as salon appointments.

The Profile

Honeycomb Salon sits on Nicollet Avenue(S) and advertises a welcoming, neighborhood-focused environment with a small-team roster. The site lists multiple stylists by name and maintains regular weekly hours that fit working schedules, creating an easy local pickup-and-go appointment pattern for community clients.

The salon also doubles as a local cultural spot: it hosts on-view artwork (for instance, works by Rachel Collier) and mentions Marigold, a non-alcoholic bottle shop, next door, details that position the salon within a small cluster of local businesses and a walkable street scene.

Why It Made the List

Honeycomb earns attention for its approachable neighborhood feel and practical hours: the salon focuses on straightforward technical work in a friendly setting while participating in local culture through rotating artwork and nearby independent retail neighbours.

Good to Know

Honeycomb publishes hours (Tuesday through Friday 10am–8pm, Saturday 9am–5pm) and a direct contact line at (612) 824-2662; the Nicollet location sits in a walkable stretch with small retail neighbors nearby.

The Profile

The Beauty Room, located on Chicago Avenue South is notable for its terrarium-like interior that includes an over ten-foot Norfolk Pine and more than two hundred Monsteras, creating a distinct, verdant salon atmosphere. This signature planting scheme is part of the salon’s welcoming, intimate presentation and client experience.

The salon is led by owner Mi Shaun Schmidt, who brings three decades of experience and has been recognized by Allure Magazine as one of the nation’s notable colorists. Services include a full hair menu with cuts, color, extensions and texture work and the team lists extended weekday hours that accommodate appointments before and after typical business hours.

Why It Made the List

The Beauty Room is singled out for pairing a strong technical pedigree in color with a singular, plant-forward interior: clients seeking experienced colorists in a calm, green environment will find the salon’s blend of atmosphere and senior-level talent particularly attractive.

Good to Know

The salon’s hours run Tuesday through Friday (9am–8pm) and Saturday (9am–5pm) S; if color expertise is your priority, ask about Mi Shaun’s team and available color services when booking to ensure the right specialist.

The Profile

MN NAF! advertises a broad technical menu covering blonding, vivid color, balayage, foil work, full bleaching with toner, corrective color, perms and multiple extension types including tape-in, I-tip, K-tip and sew-in wefts. The team also lists bridal styling, silk presses and waxing alongside makeup services, positioning itself as a multi-discipline studio.

The salon prominently states a gender-free pricing policy and emphasizes an explicitly inclusive atmosphere, using phrasing that highlights Minnesota culture with bold styling. Under new ownership in 2024 the business notes the owner shares the first name Jessica with the prior proprietor and the site presents a practical local address on Bloomington Avenue.

Why It Made the List

MN NAF! stands out for pairing adventurous color work and comprehensive extension options with an intentionally inclusive service model; that combination attracts clients who want both experimental fashion shades and a salon environment that removes gendered pricing barriers while offering bridal and special-occasion styling alongside routine maintenance services.

Good to Know

Hours are listed as Monday closed, Tuesday through Thursday 10: 00am–8: 00pm, Friday 10: 00am–6: 00pm and Saturday 9: 00am–3: 00pm; the salon lists its address and phone number 612‑333‑0170 and recommends consultations for major color changes or extension bookings.

The Profile

Pompadour bills itself as a modern lifestyle salon with locations in Minneapolis and Edina(S) and it emphasizes education and an approach driven by continual stylist development. The team lists a broad group of stylists and independent artists across both locations to cover diverse scheduling needs.

The salon presents itself as community-minded and creatively focused, combining an industrial-style interior with local artist collaborations and a team culture that highlights pets and personality. The site notes playful shop details, such as a bathroom reference to cats at the Minneapolis location, underscoring a relaxed, personality-forward atmosphere.

Why It Made the List

Pompadour’s commitment to stylist education and a multi-location model supports clients who want a consistently taught approach to cutting and color; the salon’s dual presence and visible team structure make it convenient for clients across south Minneapolis and Edina.

Good to Know

Pompadour publishes separate contact numbers for each location (Minneapolis 612‑822‑1250 and Edina 952‑600‑5086) and weekday/evening hours; check which location you’re booking and ask about your preferred stylist’s regular station when scheduling.

The Profile

Head To Toe is a woman-owned and operated full-service salon on Nicollet Avenue that covers trendy looks, bridal hair, men’s grooming and waxing. The team emphasizes ongoing education for its stylists and a client-focused approach designed to boost confidence and maintain current technique standards.

The salon notes an explicit product partnership with R+Co that supplies product referrals via an online link and supports the salon financially; services include cuts, color, bridal updos and treatment options, while the site also publishes a clear cancellation policy and guidance for bridal bookings.

Why It Made the List

Head To Toe’s combination of an inclusive, woman-owned structure and an active retail partnership with R+Co makes it a practical choice for clients who want modern styling backed by recommended at-home products and an established approach to bridal and everyday services.

Good to Know

Online booking is available and bridal updos require a consultation plus a trial session; product purchases through the salon’s R+Co referral link generate commission that the salon uses to support staff, according to the site.