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Your Guide to the Best Hairdressers in Sydney
Sydney's hair scene spans the full city, from award-winning colour specialists in the Eastern Suburbs to laid-back, sustainability-minded salons on the Northern Beaches.
The best hairdressers in Sydney include Headcase Hair in Paddington and Potts Point for hyper-tailored cuts, A.H. Surry Hills for seamless lived-in colour and Valonz in Paddington for editorial-grade balayage. On the Northern Beaches, The Mane Space in Manly brings more than 30 years on the Corso, while Jayne Wild’s Wild Life in Milsons Point has been a North Shore fixture since 1993.
This guide covers Sitchu’s top picks by area, with the full deep-dive for each neighbourhood linked below.
In This Guide:
Best Hairdressers in Inner City Sydney
From small, appointment-only studios to established salon names, the inner city has plenty of options for your next cut or colour. You’ll find specialists in everything from natural-looking balayage to polished blow-dries and styling for a special occasion.
Salon HER
Founded by renowned colour specialist and industry educator Michael Kelly, Salon HER delivers a full-service experience across colouring, cuts, styling and extensions, as well as restorative treatments designed to revive damaged hair and maintain colour and condition.
Suburb: Darlinghurst
Price Guide: $$
Best For: Colour, Extensions, Cut and style, Hair, Self-care
Headcase Hair
Headed up by John Pulitano and colour director Vincent Noble, Headcase Hair runs one of Sydney’s most talked-about salon experiences. The real draw is The Texture Edit, which is John’s hyper-tailored service that accounts for face shape, hair texture and colour to deliver a look designed entirely around you. There’s nothing else quite like it in the city.
Sitchu Tip: I recently had The Texture Edit with John and came away with a whole new appreciation for just how much thought can go into a haircut. Rather than jumping straight into what I wanted done, he took the time to ask questions, understand what I liked about my hair and what I didn’t, and look at the bigger picture of what would actually suit me. It was a much more considered process than just asking how much length you want off, and you really get a sense of the experience he brings to the chair. At $750 for the initial appointment, it’s definitely an investment, but you’re paying for John’s expertise and his ability to see things you might not have considered yourself. So if you’ve been thinking about a proper hair refresh, this is one worth saving for!
Suburb: Paddington & Potts Point
Price Guide: $$$
Best For: Hair, Blowout, Colour, Cut and style
Need To Know: The Texture Edit initial appointment is $750.
A.H. Surry Hills
This 400-square-metre Crown Street space is a go-to for seamless lived-in colour and blow dries that earn second glances. Celebrity and influencer clientele are regulars, but the team brings the same level of considered, personalised service to every single client.
Suburb: Surry Hills
Price Guide: $$
Best For: Colour, Cut and style, Blowout, Girls’ day
Christopher Hanna
For the full luxury experience, Christopher Hanna’s Bridge Street space pairs expert styling with an in-house bar, lounge and beauty services. It’s the inner city’s strongest option when an occasion demands everything to be exactly right.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$
Best For: Special occasion, Hair, Self-care, Gifting, Girls’ day
For more options, head to our full guide of best hairdressers in inner city Sydney.
Best Hairdressers in the Eastern Suburbs
The Eastern Suburbs is home to some of Sydney’s most sought-after hair salons, with experienced stylists, expert colourists and a few familiar names from the fashion world. Whether you’re after a big transformation or a cut that simply works, there’s plenty of talent to choose from.
Joh Bailey
Thirty-plus years in the industry and an address in the heart of Double Bay. Joh Bailey is the kind of institution that earns trust by consistently delivering, with a team whose work across colour, styling and treatments has been sought out by celebrities and fashion titles for decades. Book in advance.
Suburb: Double Bay
Price Guide: $$$
Best For: Colour, Cut and style, Blowout, Special occasion, Girls’ day
Need To Know: Bookings essential, book well in advance.
Valonz
Creative Director Renya Xydis has built a team whose hands are genuinely coveted, with editorial credits across Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Russh. Balayage, colour glaze, colour contouring, Olaplex treatments and extensions are all on the menu, delivered with a precision that’s hard to find elsewhere.
Suburb: Paddington
Price Guide: $$$
Best For: Colour, Extensions, Hair, Special occasion, Self-care
QUE Colour
Small but formidable. Founder and Colour Director Monique McMahon trained in Paris and Los Angeles before establishing QUE and the QUE Academy, her education platform for emerging colourists. The work here is personalised, technically rigorous and consistently excellent.
Suburb: Darlinghurst
Price Guide: $$
Best For: Colour, Hair, Self-care
For more options, head to our full guide of best hairdressers in Eastern Suburbs Sydney.
Best Hairdressers on the Northern Beaches
From fresh cuts to lived-in colour, the Northern Beaches has a strong line-up of salons that know their clientele and what works for them. Expect skilled local stylists, a relaxed approach and plenty of options for your next hair refresh.
The Mane Space
A Manly fixture for more than 30 years, The Mane Space has built a loyal following on the Northern Beaches for its skilled team and considered approach to hair. An award-winning salon and proud Sustainable Salons member, it offers everything from precision cuts and custom colour to keratin smoothing and hair repair treatments, with an experienced team on hand to help you find the right fit for your hair.
Sitchu Tip: Ask about the Kerasilk keratin treatment. I had it here and came out a convert, so it’s worth booking if frizz is your main concern.
Suburb: Manly
Price Guide: $$
Best For: Hair, Cut and style, Colour, Self-care
Studio Benicky
The Benicky twins have been doing quiet, consistent work out of Narrabeen since 2018, and the loyal following they’ve built is the best endorsement possible. Premium but unpretentious, with expert colour and considered cuts as standard.
Suburb: Narrabeen
Price Guide: $$
Best For: Colour, Cut and style, Hair, Self-care
Ampersand Salon
Sustainability and seriously good hair in equal measure. As a proud Sustainable Salons member, Ampersand recycles 95% of salon waste and uses organic and prescriptive products to ensure your hair leaves healthier than it arrived.
Suburb: Manly
Price Guide: $$
Best For: Hair, Cut and style, Colour, Self-care
For more options, head to our full guide of best hairdressers in Northern Beaches Sydney.
Best Hair Salons on the North Shore
The North Shore is home to some of Sydney’s most established hair salons, including award-winning stylists and specialists in colour. Whether you’re after a subtle refresh or a more dramatic change, there’s no shortage of expertise to choose from.
Polly and Stone
Led by British Hairdressing Award-winning stylists Polly and Stone, this salon feels more like a glamorous hotel lobby than your usual hairdresser. The standout is P&S Intima, a one-on-one appointment for specialist colour, while thoughtful extras like specialty coffee and T2 tea make the whole experience feel that little bit more special.
Suburb: Turramurra
Price Guide: $$
Best For: Colour, Cut and style, Hair, Special occasion, Self-care
Wild Life
Led by three-time Australian Hairdresser of the Year winner Jayne Wild, Wild Life has been a Milsons Point fixture since 1993. The harbour views and nearby coffee are lovely bonuses, but it’s the thoughtful details that make the experience stand out, from its purified water system to its commitment to more sustainable salon practices. Add an experienced team offering everything from precision cuts to bespoke colour, and you have a salon that makes a regular hair appointment feel like a treat.
Suburb: Milsons Point
Price Guide: $$
Best For: Colour, Cut and style, Hair, Special occasion, Self-care
Tribe Lifestyle
An Aveda salon with a thoughtful approach to both haircare and the planet, Tribe Lifestyle Chatswood brings a little extra to your regular salon visit. Alongside its skilled team and personalised cuts and colour, you can expect relaxing sensory touches, from an aroma massage to a cup of tea before your appointment. Aveda’s plant-derived haircare products are another drawcard, making this a lovely pick for anyone who wants a little more care and consideration built into their salon experience.
Suburb: Chatswood
Price Guide: $$
Best For: Colour, Cut and style, Hair
é Salon
A three-time Hair Expo Salon Team of the Year winner, é Salon is led by Emiliano Vitale and Lisa Muscat Vitale, both of whom bring serious industry credentials to the Wahroonga salon. With experience on the international fashion week circuit, the duo have built a reputation for creative direction, precision cutting and beautifully executed colour. Every appointment starts with a thorough consultation, ensuring your cut and colour are tailored to you before the scissors or colour bowl come out.
Suburb: Wahroonga
Price Guide: $$
Best For: Colour, Cut and style, Hair, Special occasion
Need To Know: Every appointment begins with a thorough consultation before cutting or colour.
For more options, head to our full guide of best hairdressers in North Shore Sydney.
FAQs
QUE Colour in Darlinghurst is one of Sydney’s most technically focused colour salons, with founder Monique McMahon having trained in Paris and Los Angeles before establishing QUE and the QUE Academy. Valonz in Paddington is another standout, with Creative Director Renya Xydis leading a team credited across Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Russh, and a menu spanning balayage, colour glaze and colour contouring. For lived-in colour, A.H. Surry Hills is a go-to, while on the North Shore, Polly and Stone in Turramurra offers P&S Intima, a one-on-one appointment for specialist colour.
Christopher Hanna on Bridge Street in the CBD is one of the strongest choices when an occasion demands everything to be exactly right, pairing expert styling with an in-house bar, lounge and beauty services. In Double Bay, Joh Bailey brings more than 30 years in the industry and a team sought out by celebrities and fashion titles, so book in advance. On the North Shore, Wild Life in Milsons Point and é Salon in Wahroonga both combine award-winning credentials with precision cutting and colour well suited to a special event.
Salon HER in Darlinghurst offers extensions as part of a full-service menu that also covers colouring, cuts, styling and restorative treatments, led by colour specialist and industry educator Michael Kelly. In Paddington, Valonz includes extensions alongside balayage, colour glaze, colour contouring and Olaplex treatments, delivered by a team with editorial credits across Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Russh. Extension results depend heavily on the skill of the stylist, so flag your hair type and current condition when enquiring, and allow time for a consultation before your appointment.
The Mane Space and Ampersand Salon, both in Manly, are Sustainable Salons members, with Ampersand recycling 95% of its salon waste and using organic and prescriptive products. In Chatswood, Tribe Lifestyle is an Aveda salon built around plant-derived haircare products, with sensory touches such as an aroma massage and a cup of tea before your appointment. Wild Life in Milsons Point has also committed to more sustainable salon practices and uses a purified water system, giving eco-conscious clients strong options across the Northern Beaches and North Shore.
Pricing at Sydney’s best hair salons varies depending on the stylist’s seniority, the service and the salon itself. At the premium end, Headcase Hair’s initial Texture Edit appointment with John Pulitano costs $750, reflecting a hyper-tailored service that accounts for face shape, hair texture and colour. Specialist colour services, such as balayage and colour contouring at Valonz in Paddington, generally cost more than a standard cut.
Most of Sydney’s leading hair salons work on a booking basis, particularly for colour and longer appointments. Joh Bailey in Double Bay is in consistent demand, so book well in advance. At é Salon in Wahroonga, every appointment begins with a thorough consultation before any cutting or colour, so allow extra time. Headcase Hair’s Texture Edit is a dedicated appointment with John Pulitano, and Polly and Stone in Turramurra offers P&S Intima, a one-on-one colour appointment. For anything beyond a basic cut, booking ahead is the safest approach.
Whether you’re after a full colour transformation in Paddington or a fresh cut close to home on the Northern Beaches, Sydney’s best hairdressers make it easy to find a salon that suits you. Once your hair is sorted, round out the pamper session with our pick of the best day spas in Sydney, or discover more of the city with our complete guide to living in Sydney.
