How to choose a hair salon or beauty institute

To choose a good hair salon, barber or beauty institute, check five things before you book: recent reviews, photos of real work, clear prices and durations, a specialty that matches what you want, and how easy it is to change or cancel. Ten minutes of checking saves you a haircut you will spend six weeks growing out.

1. Read recent reviews, including the bad ones

The star rating tells you less than the reviews themselves. A 4.7 from twelve reviews last month says more than a 4.9 from reviews written three years ago, when the team may have been different.

• Look for reviews that mention your service: a great barber is not automatically a great colourist.
• Read the negative reviews and, above all, the replies. A calm, specific answer is a good sign. Silence or a defensive reply is not.
• Be wary of dozens of short, identical five-star reviews posted in the same week.

On Vezeli, only clients who actually had an appointment can leave a review, so every review comes from a real visit.

2. Look at photos of real work

Stock photos tell you nothing. You want pictures of the salon’s own clients: haircuts, colour, nails, makeup, taken in the salon. Check the business profile and its Instagram. If you have curly hair, look for curls in the portfolio. If you want a blonde balayage, look for blondes.

3. Check prices and durations before you go

A salon that shows its prices online respects your time. Look at the full price of the service you want, not just “from” prices, and at the duration: a 20-minute colour is not the same service as a two-hour one. If something is unclear (long hair surcharge, toner, blow-dry), ask before the appointment, not at the till.

4. Pick a specialist for what matters to you

Many salons do everything, and do some of it better. For anything technical, such as colour correction, curly or afro hair, a bridal look, extensions or a precise fade, choose a professional who shows that specialty clearly. For a simple trim, proximity and availability matter more.

5. Look at the place itself

Cleanliness says a lot: clean tools, fresh towels, a tidy station. For nails, waxing or any treatment that touches the skin, hygiene is not a detail. If something feels off when you arrive, you are allowed to leave.

6. Check how easy it is to book, change and cancel

Can you see real free time slots? Will you get a confirmation and a reminder? Can you cancel without a phone call? A salon that makes this simple tends to be organised in the chair too. Here is how booking online works if you have never done it.

7. Use the first visit to test

Before trusting someone with a big change, start with something smaller: a trim, a blow-dry, a simple manicure. You will see how they listen, how they work and whether you feel comfortable.

When you sit down, explain what you want with photos: three you like and one you don’t. Avoid “do whatever you think”: it is the sentence behind most disappointments, because you probably had an idea in mind after all. A good professional asks questions back and tells you honestly if something will not work with your hair or skin.

Red flags

• No prices anywhere, and vague answers when you ask
• No photos of real clients
• Reviews that all look the same, or no recent reviews at all
• Pressure to add services you did not ask for
• No way to cancel except by calling during opening hours

Vezeli shows reviews from verified visits, real photos, full prices and durations, and live availability for every professional. Compare salons near you and book a time that suits you. Planning a colour? Start with balayage, highlights or ombré.