Oakland’s Top 10 Hair Salons & Hairdressers

The Profile

Pony Studios Co occupies a staffed 4, 000-square-foot floor in Temescal and presents itself as a true full-service salon rather than a single-suite operation. The space includes an indoor lounge, outdoor seating, trained assistants, and a salon manager, reflecting a scale built to serve a broad client roster reliably.

Pony Studios Co runs a formal education programme alongside its salon work: Pony Education provides weekly, structured hands-on and theoretical training that every stylist attends. The collective model, hairdressers, colorists, and emerging stylists, keeps the team technically current and offers clients access to both seasoned talent and rising creatives under one roof.

Pony Studios Co is an award-winning local institution with five consecutive Best of Oakland wins from 2021 through 2025 and a reported 4.9 average rating across thousands of reviews. The salon has also raised community funds and been featured in national titles, which underlines its civic presence and influence beyond routine appointments.

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

Pony Studios Co tops this list because it combines high-volume, full-service capacity with a rigorous education arm and sustained local recognition; its 4, 000-square-foot staffed floor in Temescal, weekly in-house training, and five straight Best of Oakland awards create a technically strong and community-rooted destination for precision cuts, dimensional colour, and editorial finishes.

Good to Know

Pony Studios Co operates a talent roster you can browse and book directly, and because it runs in-house education and assistants the salon schedules appointments around named stylists; check the salon’s availability and pick a specific team member when you book to ensure the experience matches your needs.

The Profile

Azura Salon Oakland on Valdez Street positions itself as a combined hair and makeup studio that places individuality at the center of each appointment. The salon offers a range of salon and bridal services and specifically highlights hair plus makeup as a paired offering for clients preparing for events.

Azura Salon Oakland operates from a suite address and promotes a polished, consistent appointment style that suits clients who want reliable finish and event-ready looks. The business maintains a photo gallery and bridal portfolio online, reflecting its emphasis on visual planning and suitability for weddings and special occasions.

Why It Made the List

Azura Salon Oakland stands out for pairing hair and makeup services with a clear bridal and event focus; clients who want coordinated styling for weddings or formal shoots will find Azura’s combined offering and gallery-driven approach helpful when planning looks and ensuring cohesion between hair and makeup choices.

Good to Know

Azura Salon Oakland is located, Suite 203 and takes bookings online; for quick questions you can phone the studio directly which helps when arranging coordinated hair and makeup for wedding parties or multi-person bookings.

The Profile

Curl Story Salon operates on Piedmont Avenue and presents itself as a focused boutique for curl care and textured hair needs, with a street-level suite address, Suite D1. The salon lists a direct contact number and email for appointments, indicating a small-team, appointment-led setup.

Curl Story Salon’s public materials emphasize intentional service and personalized attention for curly and textured hair, with an emphasis on bookable appointments and a direct email and phone line for scheduling. The salon’s footprint and contact-focused approach suit clients who prefer concentrated, texture-specialist care in a neighborhood setting.

Why It Made the List

Curl Story Salon is notable in Oakland for offering curl-focused, boutique-style care on Piedmont Avenue where clients can expect a texture-first approach; the salon’s direct contact methods and suite location make it a sensible choice for curl treatments, styling and personalized maintenance planning.

Good to Know

Curl Story Salon lists both a mobile number and an email address for bookings and queries; prospective clients should contact (916) 914-4355 to confirm availability and discuss texture-specific needs before their appointment.

The Profile

Bleu Champu Salon traces its identity to a long history in the Bay Area and highlights a wide service menu covering everything from precision haircuts and color to braiding and non-surgical hair replacement. The salon’s public materials emphasise comprehensive technical services aimed at varied client needs.

Bleu Champu Salon promotes a full-suite of beauty and hair treatments, including makeup, microblading, and textured-hair services, which positions the business as a multi-disciplinary salon. The site notes decades of experience and carries a product shop alongside its in-salon treatments, reinforcing a broad-service model for clients seeking more than a single treatment.

Why It Made the List

Bleu Champu Salon’s strength lies in offering an unusually broad menu, precision cuts, corrective color, hair weaving, non-surgical hair replacement, and brow or makeup services, making it a go-to for clients who want one place to manage complicated color work, extensions, or beauty services under a single roof.

Good to Know

After requesting a booking at Bleu Champu Salon the business asks clients to call to confirm appointments at (510) 681-4247; this confirmation step helps coordinate more complex services such as hair weaving or corrective color that require extra planning.

The Profile

BIBO Salon on Broadway runs a personalized stylist-matching quiz called Find Your Dream Stylist that pairs clients with team members whose skills align with specific hair goals and daily routines; the salon presents itself as a team of empowered women focused on building client confidence and contributing to the Oakland community.

BIBO's service menu highlights a signature Calligraphy Cut using a special blade, comprehensive color work from root touch-ups to balayage, and a 'Blow In, Blow Out' philosophy that supports styling and targeted treatments across every hair texture; the salon is at 2509 Broadway and can be reached at 510-838-2426.

Why It Made the List

BIBO's matching quiz paired with technical focus on Calligraphy Cuts and blowouts gives clients a predictable, low-maintenance finish; combining intentional stylist selection with texture-specific blowout technique and targeted treatments helps maintain shape and manageability between visits for people seeking easy everyday styling and reliable results.

Good to Know

BIBO posts hours Wednesday through Friday 11am to 8pm and Saturday 10am to 6pm, closed Sunday through Tuesday; take the salon’s stylist-matching quiz before booking or to confirm appointment options and stylist availability.

The Profile

Hair by Maya operates from a suite-style setting and specialises in low-maintenance blondes, rich brunettes, and effortless haircuts tailored to natural texture and everyday routines. The website highlights modern, flattering cuts designed to grow out beautifully and fit clients who prefer manageable styling between visits.

Hair by Maya advertises premium, natural-looking hair extensions, specifically Brazilian invisible tape-ins, alongside customized balayage and lived-in highlighting techniques. The stylist’s portfolio and client notes emphasize personalized color blends that age into the hair without harsh lines, aiming for dimension and low upkeep over months.

Why It Made the List

Hair by Maya is notable for combining low-maintenance balayage and precision cuts with a clear extensions capability, Brazilian invisible tape-ins, making the suite a strong match for clients who want natural-looking length or fullness and color that requires minimal frequent adjustment.

Good to Know

Hair by Maya’s client notes and reviews indicate many clients return on a six-to-nine-month cadence for balayage maintenance; if you are considering tape-in extensions or a new color plan, mention lifestyle and revisit frequency when you book so Maya can plan appropriate service and timing.

The Profile

Joey Stevenson operates from a micro studio suite adjacent to a private residence near Mills College and promotes a highly personalised chair experience for queer, curly, and family-focused clients. The solo-stylist setup emphasizes listening, creative collaboration, and a safe, affirming appointment environment that many clients prefer.

Joey Stevenson’s materials list regular, consistent hours and a direct booking channel via email, which suits guests who want continuity with a single stylist. The small-scale location and focused clientele mean appointments are best arranged directly with Joey to ensure the intimate, attentive service the studio advertises.

Why It Made the List

Joey Stevenson’s value comes from an intimate micro-studio format combined with a clear specialty, working with queer clients, curls, and caregivers, so visitors seeking a single trusted stylist in a private space will find consistent, individualized attention and a strong fit for textured hair requirements.

Good to Know

Joey Stevenson posts regular hours Sunday through Thursday from 10am to 5pm and asks clients to contact for bookings; because the studio is a single-stylist micro suite near Mills College, early booking is advisable to secure preferred appointment times.

The Profile

Be Hair Salon on Piedmont Avenue is a Davines Concept Salon and a Green Circle Salons member that foregrounds sustainability in its day-to-day operations, recycling color waste, foils, gloves, and plastics through specialized recovery programs. The eco-focused practice sits alongside salon services rather than replacing technical skill.

Be Hair Salon highlights decades of practitioner experience and curly-hair specialism: the owner has more than 30 years of experience and the team includes a Level 2 DevaCurl Certified stylist and former Aveda haircutting coach. Services emphasise curly haircuts, dimensional balayage, gray blending, and extensions alongside Davines product support.

Why It Made the List

Be Hair Salon’s combination of certified curly expertise and an explicit environmental programme makes it distinct, clients looking for texture-aware cutting and color alongside Davines products and salon recycling will appreciate the technical credentials paired with clearly stated sustainability commitments.

Good to Know

Be Hair Salon recycles salon materials through Green Circle Salons programs and uses Davines products; the owner and senior stylists offer targeted services such as curly-specific cuts, grey-blending, and extensions, so mention texture and product preferences when you book to align service and product choices.

The Profile

FUTURE Vanity/Novelty on College Avenue frames itself as a boutique salon offering future-friendly haircare alongside skincare, waxing, lash lifts, and makeup. The business markets sustainable, organic, and toxic-free product choices and states Green Certification, positioning its services at the intersection of beauty and environmental concern.

FUTURE Vanity/Novelty requires complimentary consultations for new color clients and notes that longer corrective or creative color bookings may require a deposit to secure a stylist’s time. The salon also operates by appointment and maintains desk hours for product pickup and scheduling, which reflects a tailored approach to complex color work.

Why It Made the List

FUTURE Vanity/Novelty’s defining feature is its sustainability focus combined with appointment protocols for color work, complimentary consults for new color clients plus potential deposits for lengthy corrective or creative services, ensuring color sessions are planned, staffed, and resourced appropriately.

Good to Know

FUTURE Vanity/Novelty requires new color client consultations and may request a deposit for long corrective or creative appointments; the salon also enforces a cancellation policy and posts desk hours for product pickup, so check availability and consult requirements before booking.

The Profile

Native Studio Salon occupies a spacious private warehouse in historic West Oakland and functions as an independent stylist collective where licensed professionals operate their own businesses under one roof; the space emphasizes community-minded service across all hair textures and maintains a stylist directory with a central phone number listed for general inquiries.

Each artist at Native Studio maintains an independent schedule and service menu, so clients book directly with the stylist whose specialty aligns with their needs; the site lists stylists such as Selina, Valerie, Jasynn, Clarice and Alejandro, whose specialties range from natural-hair education and curly cutting to color and makeup services for families and teens.

Why It Made the List

Native Studio’s collective model concentrates a range of autonomous specialists in one West Oakland warehouse, offering clients direct access to diverse skills, from curly cutting and natural-hair education to color and makeup, while preserving each artist’s independent booking and pricing; that structure helps families and texture-focused clients match with the right practitioner.

Good to Know

Native Studio lists and recommends contacting individual stylists because each runs their own booking policies and schedules; check the stylist directory or for direct booking routes and specific appointment availability.