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The best hair salons in Singapore

Been home for too long? Check into the city’s top salons for a hair cut, scalp treatments, colouring services and blowouts for a fresh look

Written by
Time Out Singapore editors
,
Michelle Ng
&
Izza Sofia
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It's finally time to treat yourself and get a refresh. At these top hair salons in Singapore, your days of bad hair and the struggle against frizzy and flat locks can finally be put to rest. Whether it is bad decisions or the humidity and year-round summer, you don’t have to sweat about your hair not looking its best. Make a quick trip to one of these top hair salons in Singapore for a fix – whether you’re looking to achieve a sun-kissed balayage, treat your scalp or even go for the chop. These places are dedicated to one thing: making you look your best when we can finally start going out again.

RECOMMENDED: The best barbers and grooming shops for men in Singapore and the best local labels to get reusable face masks in Singapore

  • Health and beauty
  • Tampines

If you want a price tag that won’t break a bank but wish to leave the salon feeling really, really good about your hair, think Full House Salon. Walk into the salon and you feel like you’ve walked into a swanky bar, with alcohol bottles substituted with full-length mirrors and comfortable chairs of course. Located at the heart of Tampines, Full House Salon is known for its wide range of services – from trendy haircuts to colouring. Sure, you can get a sleek blowout, but why not let the professionals cut a textured lob or do a whimsical dye job (prices start from $120 to $200) in shades of purple, yellow and pink?

They also provide hair treatments (prices start from $168 to $208) suitable for any type of damaged strands, leaving your strands feeling luxurious and silky. They also offer hair products and tips on how to maintain healthy hair. In addition to haircuts and colour services, you can also book a manicure session with them. Classic normal manicure and pedicure will cost you $60, while gel manicure costs $140. They also offer embellishment, extension manicure, nail art and many more to jazz up your nails. 

Izza Sofia recommends the… Tokio Inkarami treatment and colouring service. Samantha, the owner of the salon) attended to my dry hair, and gave it a fresh dye job. The magic happens when she does the Tokio Inkarami treatment.

Truly like a facial for your hair, the treatment promises deeply rejuvenated strands. Addressing the damage caused by chemicals (eg. colouring) or heat styling tools, the ingredients in the hair mask (which includes keratins and vegetal extracts) penetrates on a molecular level to repair the dry strands. The results will last up to two months. Bonus: The treatment only takes 30 minutes, so you can pop in during your break and give your hair the pamper session it needs.

  • Health and beauty
  • Hair salons
  • River Valley

Time Out Singapore in partnership with Yann Beyrie Singapore

Want French-girl hair that looks effortlessly très chic? Let Yann Beyrie and his team do their magic. Conveniently located on level three of Wisma Atria, his eponymous salon is a sophisticated, concrete-washed haven for everything your tresses need. The three-year-old hair studio is helmed by the director himself, who has 15 years of experience under his belt – so you know you’re in good hands.

Every appointment starts with a complimentary consultation with the team to assess your hair condition, and possible style changes you’d want to make. Haircuts here start from $79 for an appointment with a stylist designer, and $59 for a wash and blow-dry; while hair colouring services start from $179 for a balayage and $288 for a full head colour change.

I walked in with absolutely no idea of what I want to do with my hair – but Yann and master colourist Anthony worked together to dream up a cut and colour that’s not too high maintenance, yet makes a huge difference in the way I look.

Dewi Nurjuwita recommends the…

Sunkissed balayage ($179) and Director’s Cut ($185). In the past, I’ve dyed my hair every colour from dark pink to green, and have also wrecked it through bleaching. My request was for something vibrant that would bring new life to my tired-looking hair. Anthony recommended a honey blonde hue that suits my olive skin tone without washing it out. The best part is that the style can be adapted to any hair colour and hair texture. The result is a beautiful balayage that gives me a healthy glow – like I’ve just spent a weekend under the sun in Bali. I was also given a 10-minute Renaissance treatment ($99) formulated with roucou oil to lock the colour in place while hydrating my locks. To pull the whole look together, Yann then skillfully snipped my hair into a lob (long bob) that gives an illusion of volume to my thin hair while framing my face.

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  • Health and beauty
  • Hair salons
  • Orchard

Built for the Instagram generation, Chez Vous: HideAway is tucked away on the 14th floor of Ngee Ann City behind a little yellow door. There are seven experiential zones throughout the salon, from the Re:Charge relaxation den decked out in leather massage chairs, red light scalp therapy machine and an oxygen bar overlooking a wall covered in flowers to the rose quartz private room, a pale pink cacoon for VIPs and guests looking for absolute privacy. The main salon is a minimalist black and white square illuminated by bright lights. There's a curious bathtub covered with plants as a centrepiece, a reference to the spas of Bali. After all, Chez Vous: Hideaway is a place for relaxation.

Nicole-Marie Ng recommends...

After welcoming me with a lemongrass and butterfly blue pea flower drink – just like checking in to a resort – I'm given a quick massage before my consultation begins. For $199, I get a haircut and one hair service, which could be anything from a hair treatment to a dye job. I opt for the Growth Factor Therapy as a treat for my flaky and dry scalp. The eight-step treatment cleanses the scalp by removing buildup with a high-frequency comb before I'm given a relaxing massage to thoroughly remove any impurities. Then, my scalp is renourished with an essence, masque and tonic before plasma and red laser are used to stimulate the scalp and encourage hair growth.

  • Health and beauty
  • City Hall

Make plans to resuscitate your damaged locks at Prep Luxe. Owners Jaclyn Soh, Jacqueline Chang and Yishi Lian believe looking well-groomed should be an everyday affair and launched the hair and makeup salon two years after they started the PREP brand in 2013.

Start with the two-step Olaplex hair restoration (from $120) that’s ideal for dyed or bleached hair, or try one of its signature blowouts (from $45), which comes with six style options including voluminous curls and a tousled, beachy ’do. The salon also offers complimentary blowouts with its full head colouring and highlights service, which go from $260.

Rebecca Liew recommends the… Olaplex Hair Restoration ($120-$130) and Prep Luxe blowout ($45-$55). The two-step Olaplex hair restoration’s famed for its ability to repair broken disulphide sulphur bonds in your locks – that means reversing the damage caused from colouring and bleaching by building up elasticity and shine. A bond multiplier was worked into my locks to replenish protein, followed by a 10-minute spritze of nano mist to boost absorption of the treatment and a scalp massage to unknot tension. Then, to finish off, my hair was given the classic Prep Luxe blowout and freshly curled and set. I left with shinier, voluminous hair devoid of frizz – and that healthy sheen remained for at least two weeks, with the help of daily hair masks.

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  • Health and beauty
  • Hair salons
  • Orchard

Korean salons here are aplenty, but LeeKaJa Beauty Salon isn’t just another run-of-the-mill, K-pop-blasting, beauty parlour. At first glance, the shop could easily be mistaken for a café with its rustic interior, featuring a barista counter that churns out fresh juice and coffee, and large leather seats that greet you at the entrance.

But step further into the store and you’ll find rows of salon chairs and brightly lit vanity mirrors. A basic cut here, which includes a wash and blow, starts from $50 for men and $60 for women. Although a new ‘do isn’t the only thing you’d want to leave the salon with – LeeKaJa also offers hair colouring (from $120), hair treatment (from $240), manicures (from $55/hand), pedicures (from $70/foot), eyelash extensions ($130) and make up (from $15) services to really complete that makeover. Most of its stylists are professionals from South Korea, so you can bet you'll be enjoying a truly authentic Korean beauty treatment. 

Sofiana Ramli recommends… LeeKaJa’s signature Cinderella treatment (from $300). Frizzy hair, begone. The salon’s signature treatment aims to make hair shinier, smoother and stronger so that you can have healthy looking locks for weeks. First, my hair was washed with a protein-rich, organic keratin shampoo, followed by a strengthening cream that was applied to my roots and then the ends of my hair. Once the cream has settled, my stylist, Jenny Kang, began blow-drying my hair to open up the cuticles before using a hot iron to allow the formula to penetrate through each strand. She continued to flat iron sections of my hair – so that the nutrients are locked in – before rinsing my hair in cold water to seal in the treatment. The two-hour long process is finished off with some styling and I walked out of the salon feeling like Cinderella myself. I was definitely impressed by how long the treatment lasted. Despite washing my hair daily, it remained sleek and glossy for weeks.

  • Health and beauty
  • City Hall

Raymond Eng and Anthony Chu started Black Hair Salon in 2000 and have built a base of loyal customers who rely on them for the perfect hairstyle. They've recently moved from their small studio in Bencoolen to a larger space at Capitol Piazza, complete with pendant lights and a sleek, clean design. They oversee a small but tight ship of experienced hair stylists who have been at the salon for years. Most of their clients come for colouring services – but not just for your typical shades of brown. The salon specialises in vibrant dyes in hues of purple, pink, blue and green, and these colours actually stay on your hair for a month instead of fading away after a couple of washes.

A basic cut starts from $40 for men and $48 for women, while creative colouring starts from $199 and includes bleaching. If you're concerned about the bleach drying out and damaging your hair, opt for an Olaplex pre-treatment ($40) or Olaplex full treatment ($120) to ensure that your hair is protected. Other treatments are also available, just ask your stylist for recommendations.



Nicole-Marie Ng recommends the...creative colouring service (from $199). I opted for purple and my stylist Anthony took into consideration my lifestyle and hair condition to choose the ideal shade for me. He recommended a cool-toned purple that would fade to an ashy brown and won't need constant touch-ups. Although I was initially sceptical on how long the colour would last, my vibrant purple hues remained for a good month.

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Salon Vim
  • Health and beauty
  • Orchard

Salon Vim is arguably one of the more recognisable names among millennials, thanks to the gaggle of ‘social media influencers’ who count themselves as clients. Established in 2009 by industry veterans Gary Chew, John Tham and Sue Liew, the salon opened its third and flagship outlet in Wisma Atria (the others are in Bugis and 313@Somerset). Furnished with leather seats, large mirrors – for selfies, we gather – and an elegant Parisian vibe, the new branch is decidedly more plush than its counterparts.

While it’s good to come with reference pictures of your dream ’do, we suggest you let the stylists take the lead. After all, Salon Vim is known for its innovative on-trend services such as hair contouring (from $280), which includes a contouring haircut, colour and highlights for a style and shade best suited to you. With the creative colouring treatment (from $225), on the other hand, stylists customise the intensity of the shade to suit your skin tone and preferences – here’s where you can go all-out and get that trendy rose gold or denim locks. Otherwise, basic colouring starts from $105 and a stylist’s cut ranges from $40 to $80.

Michelle Ng recommends the… Texture Smooth Double Hair Treatment (from $280). Developed by Salon Vim’s stylists, the treatment smoothens frizzy and unmanageable tresses in just 30 minutes – perfect for popping in and out during lunch. After cleansing and conditioning my hair, an anti-ageing serum infused with hydrolysed marine collagen and amino acids is applied, which the salon claims strengthens hair fibres from within.

Hair Inc
  • Health and beauty
  • Queenstown

Hair Inc’s relatively new to the game – its first outlet only opened in 2013 – yet the salon’s already known for its anti-frizz treatments and creative colouring services. Haircuts at the chain’s Holland Village branch range from $18 to $55 for men and $28 to $78 for women, with services such as ombre and balayage starting at $158 and bleaching at $138.

There are ten treatments here, including Silky Smooth (from $298) and the Olaplex 2-step Treatment (from $108). The latter uses the famed Tokio Inkarami system from Japan and contains six kinds of keratin and fullerene, whose claim is to stimulate hair growth and rebuild the condition of each strand by up to 140 percent, ensuring softer and more manageable manes for up to three months.

Rebecca Liew recommends the… The Creative Colour Full Head package (from $258). A shade tailored to your skin tone and requests – such as dusty lilac with ash blue undertones, the one I picked – is mixed with Olaplex to protect your hair from the chemicals present in the dye mixture.

Also try the Olaplex-2 Treatment with Hair Inc 3-step Treatment (from $78), which breathes life into dull, brittle locks. My stylist (ask for Kenneth Goh, the director) explains each step, from ‘priming’ the hair to incorporating a rich, leave-in conditioner that’s selected based on the condition of my tresses. The 150-minute-long process concludes with an express hair spa to seal the hair cuticles while the scalp’s massaged. It’s worth every bit of your time, because you’re rewarded with tangle-free and sleek hair.

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Number76
  • Health and beauty
  • Orchard

Number76’s a hotspot for ‘Instagram girls’ and their posses, who flock here to maintain their healthy and shiny tresses. So you can bet this salon’s got all the latest coiffure trends down pat – multi-coloured ombres, balayage highlights, asymmetrical bobs and all that jazz. Opened by Tokyoite hairstylist Daisuke Hamaguchi, Number76 exudes Japanese minimalism, from the salon’s airy space with its floor-to-ceiling windows, natural light flooding its interiors, to its oak vanities and furnishings. And for a boutique salon, the prices here are pretty reasonable. Cuts start at $56 while a simple hair colour touch-up begins at $82.

Sofiana Ramli recommends the… Ultrasonic Premium (from $118). If your mane’s anything but silky or soft, then this treatment’s the one to tame it – no heat necessary. This anti-frizz process is designed to revive and nourish damaged and lifeless hair by using an ice-cold (yep, not hot) flat iron, which vibrates at 37,000 beats per second to separate the protein, water and oil in hair treatments. Number76 claims this method ensures the nutrients from the treatment are sealed deep within your hair cuticles, locking in moisture. 

First in the three-step process: adding collagen. My hair ends are fed with the protein to strengthen them, followed by a spritz of moisture before rinsing it all off. The ultrasonic apparatus is used after every step to ensure all the good stuff’s absorbed by my hair. The session, which lasts no longer than an hour, continues with a hot towel scalp massage and finishes with a quick hair blow and styling.

TIGI Hair Salon
  • Health and beauty
  • Hair salons
  • Orchard

Voluminous, frizz-free, texturising: if your knowledge of hair products runs like a dictionary, you'd know Bed Head by TIGI — and with it, the cult UK hair label's namesake salon. Its 1,600-square-foot salon outlet in Singapore promises treatments and colouring services (from $100) that’ll work for each hair type, with a basic cut-and-wash starting from $40. But TIGI’s known for pushing experimental hair colours. Particularly popular is the TIGI Bed Head Colour Trip, which offers 12 semi-permanent, acidic shades that can be customised to achieve soft pastel hues or a vibrant head of hair. You’ll be in good hands as creative director Hidero Nakagami's has over 30 years' experience, so expect no less than sleek hair and colour that lasts for weeks.

Rebecca Liew recommends... 
The TIGI hair colouring service (from $70/bleach, and $100/colouring). After accessing the condition of my hair – it's been twice-bleached and had undergone several dye jobs in the past year – Hidero suggested a simple touch-up in ashy grey tones to neutralise the orangey wash of my bleached hair. To restore amino acid in my locks, bleach treatment containing keratin was first spritzed on as a primer. Then came the actual toning of the hair, before I was taken for a hair wash and head massage. After a quick blow-dry and trim, Hidero then ran a frizz control and straightener serum through my hair to achieve a sleeker ’do before finishing things off with some texturising powder balm. I left with visibly sleeker and softer hair done in a soft ash grey colour that's meant to last up to three weeks. 

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  • Health and beauty
  • City Hall

New to this 12-year-old brand’s stable is this swanky boutique that’s carved out into three key sections: The Suite, The Salon, and – just for the men – The Bunker. There’s also a work station with charging points, a ‘hair analysis’ area flanked by spotlights and three mirrors, a kids’ area with toys, and a pantry well stocked with coffee, tea, snacks and fruit. Haircuts by senior stylists start from $40 for adults and $35 for those under 16, and peak at $70 if you request for a principal stylist.

The brand’s 12 branches across the island each offers a different experience. If you’re looking for a premium ’do, there are two Kimage Prestige boutiques staffed by senior stylists – or, on the other end of the spectrum, cheap cuts (from $6) and colouring services (from $25) by students over at Kimage Hairdressing School. The catch? You’re not a customer but a hair model.

Rebecca Liew recommends the… Technical colour with balayage and ‘free-painted’ highlights ($150-$230, excluding bleaching). It adds dimension and creates the illusion of volume, which works especially well for finer locks such as mine. My resulting light lime ash with silver undertones are determined at the ‘hair analysis’ stage, during which swatches of colours are placed upon and swapped around each shoulder to suss out the perfect match for my complexion. Ask for the affable stylist Scarlett Zhu, whose ten years of experience certainly shows.

Team Salon
  • Health and beauty
  • Buona Vista

Enter this salon in The Star Vista and you’ll only see one thing lining the walls: Aveda. So you can expect nothing else other than the eco-friendly American hair care product to treat your tresses. Established more than three decades ago and now with six outlets in Singapore, Team Salon offers a range of services, from stylish cuts (from $45/male, $49/female) to organic colour retouch (from $115) to nourishing treatments (from $95). But what stands out most is the team of attentive and down-to-earth stylists that do more than just trim your ends. Request for a hair consultation and they’ll be more than happy to advise what works best for you.

Sofiana Ramli recommends the… Botanical Hair and Scalp Therapy (from $230). It begins with an intensive scalp diagnosis by a stylist before I’m treated to a tension-reducing neck and shoulder aromatherapy massage as soothing music strums in the background. The massage ‘opens up your chakras’, which better allows the essences of the treatment to infuse into my hair and scalp, or so the stylist tells me. A deep-cleansing shampoo ritual then removes any excess oil that accumulates on the hair cuticles, leaving a tingly and cool sensation on my scalp. That’s followed by a 15-minute ‘Nano Mist’ treatment – it’s meant to hydrate my locks before even more tonics and serums are added.

Other salons for a new 'do

  • Things to do
  • City Hall

The Osaka-originated salon has moved from its original two-person-staff shophouse near Outram Park to a bigger and more central location in Raffles Hotel Shopping Arcade. The salon's Origami-inspired three-dimensional walls are painted in stark white, with an occasional touch of neon green breaking the minimalism. A trip to this salon begins with a consultation on your face shape and what hairstyles will work for you. The highly personalised service is part of the brand experience. If you're a fan of simple, effortless and stylish haircuts the Japanese are known for, you'll find a home at Kizuki+LIM.

Mi the Salon
  • Health and beauty
  • Hair salons
  • River Valley

Deemed as the first ammonia-free hair salon in the city, this lifestyle concept salon extends beyond the regular haircut. Whether your new look consists of a fresh perm, a new colour or a blowout for that extra volume, simply book a consultation with its team of hair pros who will turn your new 'do into a work of art with the use industry-leading techniques. The salon also offers fashion items and lifestyle products to snap up, as well as other services such as nail care and beauty makeovers for the complete transformation.

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Picasso Hair Studio
  • Health and beauty
  • Hair salons
  • Rochor

If you think Haji Lane's cool and colourful, wait until you see the tresses that step out of this hair salon. Aptly named Picasso, the hair salon prides itself for giving customers an artistic hair makeover. And that's not all – its interiors goes hand-in-hand with its art-studio decor like mirrors on easels and vibrant wall murals. Thinking of switching up your hair colour? This is the place to achieve all your hair goals (including that pastel unicorn style you've been eyeing on). Its hair colouring services range from ombre colouring and highlight to lifting and balayage. Other services include haircuts, styling, perming, straightening and treatments at reasonable prices.

Blow + Bar
  • Health and beauty
  • Hair salons
  • Raffles Place

Sip on a glass of bubbly while you pamper your tresses at its cool digs in Boat Quay. Specialising in blowouts, the salon nestles itself in a swanky space that boasts eight seats, three hair wash beds, and a balcony that overlooks the bank of Singapore – perfect for that look-at-my-new-‘do Instagram shot. Decked out in its signature colours of red and white, this outlet's decor suits its hugely popular hen, birthday and wedding pretty party packages that’ll have you and a bunch of your closest girlfriends looking effortlessly coiffed while you’re having a riot of a time at the salon.

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Toni&Guy
  • Things to do
  • Marine Parade

This multi-award winning global favourite is a no-brainer when it comes to runway-ready tresses. The best bit? The city's Toni&Guy salons are strategically located in areas where convenience and access is key, giving customers the absolute urban retreat while reinventing their contemporary style. Expect the vibe to be raw and relaxed, with timber panelling and exposed brick interiors. Aside from offering the usual cut-colour-wash-blow dry services, you can also indulge in the System Professional treatments and colouring services using Wella products on the second floor. Then, head to the room next door for a manicure and pedicure to complete the whole pampering experience. 

Expat Hair Studio
  • Health and beauty
  • Marine Parade

As its name suggests, Expat Hair Studio specialises in styling Caucasian hair and caters mainly to expatriate clientele. Started by expats Jaclyn Douglas and Katherine Moss, Expat Hair Studio offers cuts for men, women and child, blowouts and even complete hair makeover to obtain the tress of your dreams. 

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