It’s said you can spot a Texan woman by her flawlessly coiffed hair. It’s no surprise then that Austin comes packed with high-end salons, each ready to tease, color, and trim hair into a perfect blowout. But when entrusting your hair to a stylist, its important to find one who suits both your style and budget.
At Urban Betty, the stylists mix edgy looks with vintage touches to create retro-inspired ‘dos. The staff exclusively uses Bumble & Bumble and Pureology products to prep hair, allowing them to have the perfectly textured canvas for their chic cuts, subtle highlights, and smoothing keratin treatments. Their retro-hip attitude can be found throughout the salon’s shabby chic interior, with colorful rays streaming through the stained glass windows to highlight posters of pinup girl style icons and bubbly glasses of complimentary wine or beer. Their mix of down-homey charm and haute ‘50s style has helped them earn the title of The Austin Chronicle’s best of salons in both 2008 and 2010 and one of the best 200 salons in the nation by Salon Today magazine.
At nearby Jose Luis, internationally-lauded stylist Jose Buitron instructs all of his team in his signature method of cutting. He has honed his high-fashion European style over 30 years, and his works has earned him a spot in the Intercoiffure-Mondial group for the world’s best stylists. His cuts, which have been most famously seen in Parisian Armani runway shows, can be pared down for daily wear, and can be accented by inventive color treatments in the latest styles.
For clients who desire a natural approach, the stylists at Milk + Honey salon use Aveda, Wella, and sulfate-free DevaCurl products to shape and color hair. The salon, which has been named one of Elle’s Top 100 Salons, works to engage all the senses during treatments. Soft music plays as stylists gently caress and massage scalps during Aveda scalp therapy treatments or blowout sessions, creating a blissful experience enhanced by the salon’s soothing artwork. The stylists have become so trusted by their clients, they now have a full-time bridal coordinator on staff to help ease appointments for clients choosing the salon as the way they want to start their wedding day.
For a slightly edgier look without attempting disastrous cuts at home, the hip stylists at Method Hair can help add a unique flair to hair. Their alternative styles have been featured in Bust, won them acclaim in Elle’s top 100 salons, and helped them win Lucky Magazine’s favorite salon in Texas. Stylists are adept at everything from bright swirls of color in hair, fishtail braids for everyday wear, and funky cuts that show off clients’ style and features. When not lengthening hair for a boho style, they can chop away locks for chic pixie crops or frame faces in pin-up bangs for a rockabilly glam. Stylists are also adept at creating hip pompadours and styles for men, offering both sexes a chance to show off their style from their heads down.