Ceron Hair Studio

Good for: Name recognition 

Eponymous master stylist Ceron is so renowned, he needs no surname. A disciple of high-fashion stylist Jean Saberny (Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Lacroix), he trained in Paris before moving to Houston in the ’90s. You’ll see his luxe, art-inspired tresses on runways, red carpets, and magazine covers alike—his celebrity-clientele roster includes Cindy Crawford, Lauren Hutton, and Vera Wang—but today Ceron is a star in his own right, especially around these parts.

Uptown Park & Memorial Green | @ceronhairstudio

Do or Dye

Good for: Natural-looking highlights

“No bad hair days” is the motto of this boutique salon whose clients swear by its colorists. Most are Vidal Sassoon–trained and specialize in crafting soft, lived-in highlights and much-hyped balayage (the hair-painting technique that results in graduated color), with plenty of dimension. The stylists here independently book their own appointments, so find the one who speaks your hair language—whether you want a textured bob, to go ashy-blond, or both—and get yourself on her waiting list.

Washington Corridor | @doordyetx

Studio a Salon

Good for: Curl care 

This bright and cozy West U spot is well-known for its color services, but its attention to curls also deserves a salute. You’ll find more corkscrew and coiled styles in Studio A’s gallery than in most other salons, where curls are mostly relegated to before-and-after shots of keratin treatments (though Studio A offers smoothing, too). Plus, there are perks for returning customers—“A-list” clients earn incentives with each cut, including gift cards, product discounts, and invite-only services.

West U | @studioasalon

Studio Eclipse

Good for: Vibrant color

We could watch Chelsea Haley’s captivating “color-melt” tutorials—in which painted-on hues are blended with roots for a seamless transition—all day long, so it follows that this salon owner and master colorist has developed something of a cult following (more than 15K and counting on Instagram). Houstonians flock to her Midtown salon for its specialty service: color, color, color. Here, you’ll find trendy rose-gold; blond so icy you’ll swear it could freeze; and pastel-hued, cotton-candy waves to make any mermaid jealous.

Midtown | @studio.eclipse

Maison Luisant

Good for: Face-flattering cuts

Whether it’s long layers, wispy bangs, or a choppy pixie, there’s a hairstyle to complement every face shape, and Trey Gillen will find it. The stylist of choice for several on-air personalities, Gillen is all about finding your angles—and working them—at this full-service salon and spa that means “Shimmering House” in French.

Highland Village | @maisonluisant 

Snobz of Houston

Good for: Natural hair

The premier salon for multicultural hair in The Woodlands, Snobz was originally born in Atlanta, where owner and stylist Nita Wooten trained with top beauty-industry names and honed her silk-press technique, a boon to Houstonians of all hair textures. Wooten is expert at loose, luscious waves and long, healthy locks. Of course, Snobz has also mastered Lemonade braids—what would a Houston salon be without Beyoncé’s influence?

The Woodlands | @snobzofhouston_woodlands

M Salon

Good for: Long locks

We’ve all been there: You sit down in the chair and beg your stylist to leave the length. “Just a trim,” you repeat like a Hail Mary; but somehow, half your hair ends up around your feet, and you’re holding in tears as you’re pulling out your credit card. This is not the case at M Salon, where the look book is chock-full of impossibly flowing manes just begging for a hair flip. Beachy waves and tousled, ombre-tinged locks—accomplished by gradually blending shades from light to dark—are par for the course here.

Galleria | @msalonhousston

Cutloose

Good for: Short tresses

Then again, maybe you do want a substantial chop, in which case you should pay a visit to this iconic salon, which has been in business for 35 years. Stationed in a 1920s carriage house on Westheimer, the space is sleek and edgy and serves up cuts to match—think blunt-edged bobs, trendy baby bangs, transformational pixies, and more than a few mohawks.

Montrose | @cutloosetx

Trademark Salon

Good for: Insta-worthy extensions

Trusted with the tresses of several of Houston’s most-followed fashion bloggers (like Dede Raad, above), Trademark lives by the credo of hair as a canvas for art. While the Vintage Park salon offers a full menu of services, it really shines in extensions. Natural Beaded Rows are the secret to full, thick, enviable locks—your followers will never be the wiser.

Champions | @trademarksalon

The Upper Hand

Good for: All-over color

When we say The Upper Hand’s color treatments look good enough to eat, we’re not lying: The three Houston-area locations regularly serve up bright, glossy color in every shade from deep mocha to creamy, vanilla-ice-blond. Before-and-after color corrections are a wonder to behold thanks to the talented hands of the salon’s ombre, sombre (subtle, smoky ombre), and balayage specialists.

Champions, River Oaks, Briarforest | @theupperhand