Top Salons in Raleigh NC
Top Salons in & Near Raleigh NC!
Hi all!
I hope that today is going well for you & that stumbling across this post will brighten it even more!
Maybe you were already on this site browsing, or maybe you found it by searching “Top Salon in Raleigh NC.” either way WELCOME & lets dive in!
Let me start of by saying my name is Jae, I live in Raleigh, North Carolina, I’m obsessed with Hello Kitty and Sanrio in general, I’m a Gemini (I know I knowwwwww). ANDDDDD I’m a connoisseur of all things hair.
With me being deep into the beauty industry and located in the Raleigh area, I’ve decided to compose a LIST of what I think to be the Top Salons In & Near Raleigh, North Carolina. This list in not in any particular order & ALL these salons are great & I have recommended many people to these local salons. These are the salons I’ve heard the best feedback about, seen the most satisfied clients come from, & seen the most recommendations for.
This list is truly from my experiences within the beauty industry and in Raleigh, NC.
ALFA JAE SALON
What kind of salon owner would I be if I didn’t start off with Alfa Jae Salon!?
Alfa Jae Salon is special because it is a one stop shop who really cares for their clients and their happiness. After all the slogan is “Always Look F*ck’n Awesome”. The salon has a pretty chill vibe but still strives to provide the highest quality experience and service to their guests. There will be some music to vibe to when you come in as well as drinks, snacks, coffee etc. for your enjoyment.The biggest attraction to Alfa Jae Salon is their talent with vivid colors but they also specialize in extreme or lived in blonding, multiple extension methods, edgy and modern haircuts, clipper cuts, color corrections & more. The salon offers a Stylist Match Guide to help you choose your perfect stylist as well as a “Which service is best for you?” quiz to help you book the correct appointment. Alfa Jae Salon is a huge advocate for racial equality, gender equality and LGBTQ rights in general. Inside Alfa Jae Salon there is a full body waxer (Beti), who specializes in sensitive skin and getting the hair removed quickly and as painlessly as possible. Moonlight Fine Arts is also located inside Alfa Jae Salon, owned by Krissy, she specialized piercings (no she will absolutely not use a gun), tattoo removal (without the use of a laser), & permanent makeup.
“At Alfa Jae Salon continuing education is extremely important to us, we have continuing education, and educational sessions each month for our stylists that our master stylist Jae either teaches or learns and participates with us. Over the past few years we have really dived into learning to care for natural and curly hair, & two of our stylists currently specialize in cutting and caring for curls and coils. We have always been color specialists and now we are branching out to learn even more color techniques for curly hair and different textures. Jae the owner is always throwing out new innovative ideas to keep our salon up to date and current with what’s in and on how to educate our clients so that they will be able to have beautiful hair in the salon and at home”
Alfa Jae Salon offers online booking as well as an online consultation form to ensure you are booking the correct appointment, and will reach out to you with any questions. The salon even accepts walk-ins for the newer stylists looking to grow their clientele. If you want to laugh, get a way for a while, relax, not talk, their are different stylists for all your different needs, you can even request a silent appointment or a “work from home appointment” where the salon will set you up so you can work from the salon. Want to learn more Click Here!
Alfa Jae Salon is currently hiring the following: a salon manager, commission stylists, & Alfa Apprentices. Apply Here!This salon and its dedication to inclusion, educations, & versatility is why I consider it one of the top salons in Raleigh, NC.
Prickly Pear Salon
2. PRICKLY PEAR SALON
I’ve known the owner of Prickly Pear Salon (Laura) for a while now, all the way back to when we both had our own salon suites. I’ve watched her salon grow into a beautiful, thriving focused salon. Her & her team know EXACTLY what the want to do and do not pretend to want to do other wise. I love how direct they are with their goals and strengths and how the kill it every day behind the chair. All the stylists there are amazing and have Laura to look up to which means they will only get better from here. This salon does not do clipper cuts, pixie/short cuts, or kids cuts, & they plan to keep it that way so they can focus on what they are truly passionate about: Lived-In Color. Here is an excerpt from their salon page.
”Prickly Pear Salon was established in 2017 when Laura branched out on her own to create a salon suite where clients could receive services while feeling right at home. She focused on creating a space where she could be her authentic self, encouraging her clients to do the same and to flourish and grow from the inside out.
Fast forward to 2021, Prickly Pear Salon grew into its first brick and mortar salon in the heart of Cary, North Carolina. Laura continues to create a welcoming environment while also living into her values of being a sustainable salon.
Our mission is to empower stylists and clients alike through high-quality salon services, education and sustainable salon practices so that we can have a positive impact on the world.”
Check out Prickly Pear’s website to see if you vibe with them, and request an appointment right away if you do, because they book weeks/months out.
This Salon and its ability to niche down and know exactly what it wants to focus on and be amazingly good at it is why I consider it one of the top salons in or near Raleigh, NC.
3.PINUP STUDIO
This salon is for the girlssss girlssss!
Similar to Prickly Pear, they dont do short hair or kids hair but they do love some blonding and extensions. They have a LARGE VARIETY of stylists to match your needs and a quiz you can take to figure out the stylist you’ll vibe with the best.
This salon has a theme & that’s right you guessed it PINK! If you’re a fan of Mean Girls or Barbie you may fit in perfectly at this salon.
They also have Pinup Bridal where they do all things wedding hair and make up. This salon has a fun upbeat vibe and a very involved owner who focuses on the education and growth of all the stylists on her team. She keeps her team motivated and up on the latest trends and has a reputation around Raleigh as a Bad A** Boss B*tch!
Here’s a quote from their salon page:
”At Pinup Studio we have created a judgement free zone for ALL women to come as they are. Knowing that as soon as they walk through our doors you will feel welcomed, heard and cared for. While in Pinup you should feel at home and pampered leaving you feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on the world like the bad ass woman that you are.
We have created a place filled with strong stylists who believe in giving back to our community and instilling confidence in every woman. Queen B said it best “Who run the world? GIRLS!””
This salon and its strong brand and dedication to the craft is why I consider it one of the top salons in or near Raleigh, NC.
Check out their website here to see if you vibe with them!
4. GEOMETRY CURLY HAIR STUDIO
This salon is the curl haven
Geometry is known for its curly hair knowledge and specialty and is dedicated to providing the best experience to curly/coily/wavy haired clients.
They offer curly education, curly cuts and styling. Geometry is owned by the lovely Andrea and she has hired a team of others who are striving to get to her level of curly knowledge and studying closely under her. You can tell Andrea is passionate and enjoys bringing curl knowledge to everybody and make naturally curly hair acceptable in every situation.
Here is a quote from Geometry’s website
”We have been led to believe that we should fight our natural hair texture to be worthy. Worthy of the compliments, the job, the roles, the partners, the camera time. Worthy of being donned with the good hair crown.
At Geometry, we call BS!! All curls are good. All hair is good hair.
That’s what we strive to instill into your head and heart here at Geometry Curly Hair. We are dedicated to empowering you to embrace everything good about your natural hair. After identifying your hair goals we will provide an easy-to-follow maintenance routine for you to wear and grow your natural hair. We will be with you every step of the way on this journey as you learn to fall in love with your natural curls!”
As someone who is still working on loving my own natural curls, the passion this salon shows and its commitment to education on hair types that are often overlooked and under-appreciated is why I consider this salon one of the top salons in or near Raleigh, NC.
Click Here to see if Geometry Curly Hair Studio is the salon for you and your hair type!
Instagram: @geometry.curlyhair.studio
There you have MY list for Top Salons In or Near Raleigh, NC. There are so many great salons that I’ve gotten to know and connect with but I decided to keep this list short and sweet. Comment below any salon in or near Raleigh, that you think I may have missed! I’d love to hear your opinions! See y’all (Yes I’m country) on the next one!!