Chroma Salon

Kendall is the absolute best! I have got hair services from her for over 10 years, she’s been patient with all my many color transformations and so knowledgeable on how to keep my hair in the best health possible. On top of being a hair genius she is an extremely kind person, such a pleasure to be around. I love that she’s always up on the newest trends and techniques. If you are looking for a great stylist you can trust she’s the one.

I was in the area so I went to Chroma to see if Terri could fit me in. Luckily, she was free for a little while and gave me a haircut. First of all, I loved the vibe of the salon. It’s not a typical salon. She has cool art pieces hung up. Terri is a super sweet lady. She was very helpful. I’ve received compliments for my haircut. She has many years of experience and it is obvious. She is my new hair lady!

Terri Varela gave me the best cut and color I my life today! I wanted to change my hair and after box dying and all the damage from curling I was weary that it wouldn’t budge and I would be destined to live forever in hair hell. But her many years of experience shows in her work and I have the most glorious red that I had dreamed for and a beautifully shaped and styled new ‘do! On top of the amazing skills and service I was given the studio in Albany is clean, bright, warm and welcoming! I highly recommend you go to this salon if you are looking for an amazing hair experience!

I have been seeing Andrea for my hair for 25 years. My entire life. She is only person I trust. My mother has also been seeing her since the day I was born. Andrea is an amazing stylist. She knows what works with your hair type and face shape. I have very curly hair and she has always treated it with respect. In terms of coloring, she always give you a natural look that enhances your natural beauty. Chroma is a great salon that has abundance of parking. I can’t recommend her more.

I called Terri on a Friday. I was really upset after two bad haircuts and 4 terrible bleach sessions which turned my hair to yellow hay. The «color specialist» I had previously gone to had been trying a process called «Bali age» but somewhere she screwed up. I finally gave up on fixing it and began just letting it grow out. By the time I saw Terri my hair was half yellow and half dark blond. The contrast made it look half black and half yellow. Terri scheduled me a free consultation for the next day then an appt for the next day after that. Her idea was to dye my hair back to its natural color leaving blond highlights in the front. Then she cut it, not too short, just right. We talked about the shape of my face; what styles I could and could not wear. I had never been to such a knowledgable stylist. I am older but I like «edgy» clothes, hair etc. My hair looks Phenomenal!!! It’s kind off a layered bob with a different look to it. It sweeps to the side with bangs. I wear it so many ways! It’s perfect for me and my lifestyle. It’s such a wonderful cut. I don’t even hav to comb it. I can shake it or comb it with my hands. It FALLS into place. Terri is a 10!!! You won’t go wrong at Chroma!!!

Alden. Get Alden to do your color. Yes I followed him to Chroma from Bevel and I enjoy seeing him and like him so much I’m not objective anymore — But Wait! There’s more — Everytime — every single time — I get unsolicited compliments on my hair and people want to know where to go and this is where.

Alden is the best!!! He just spent 3 ½ hours perfecting my hair! I wanted some ombré highlights on the ends and it was the first time I have ever gotten color so I had a million questions and concerns which he expertly addressed. He painstakingly foiled every beautiful strand, using two different colors of blond which ended up blending in amazingly. Then a stellar layered and textured cut for which I have returned to him many times. Top it off with some magic spray gel, scrunch, dry, and voila! I couldn’t be happier.

I have pretty much hated every hair cut I’ve ever had in my life. I only knew what it meant to actually *like* a hair cut when I discovered Chroma Salon and Terri about 6 years ago when I was living in Berkeley for a year. I soon moved to San Francisco but kept coming back for more all these years even though it means a 1-​hour BART-​and-​walk ride from the city for me.
Terri does a great job. I think she has both a great eye and great technique. Also, she is fun and her salon is beautifully decorated, with interesting pieces from local artists that change every time I am there.

A couple of weeks after the keratin treatment, I went to Hawaii. Despite the serious humidity, I never had even a tiny bit of frizz. I wish this treatment had been available 25 years ago.

I have been going to Terri at Chroma Salon for over 8 years. She is truly an artist. She instinctively knows what cut and color will work specifically for me. She is also a master at hair care and product information. She also is a genius at styling. I will never be able to get my hair done by anyone els ever again. I am hooked on Terri at Chroma Salon! Take a look at her portfolio and you will see how fantastic she is!

I just got the best hair cut! Terri really spent the time to find out what would be best for me, and I had no idea when I walked in. It was way more expensive than an average cut but so worth it!

Best Haircut I ever had. Seriously! Very convenient location, easy parking, Terri is cool and friendly, and her price is reasonable.

Terri has cut my hair twice now, and I love her work. She takes her time to make sure she understands what you want, and then goes to work to make it happen. She has her opinions too and shares them. She’s kind and straightforward. The salon is pleasant and quiet, and Terri’s sweet gentleman poodle is there to greet and accompany. Thanks, Terri.

I had a groupon for a cut and style at Chroma Salon, and I have nothing but positive things to say about Terri’s professionalism, expertise, and service.
It’s apparent that Terri has dedicated herself wholly to the studio — she’s the owner, and gives each client her 100% attention (there’s only one at a time — you get the whole salon to yourself). Located in this cute spot on Solano ave, the salon is beautifully arranged (it looks like it comes straight out of apartment therapy or something similar) with this cute, bohemian-​chic-​meets-​anthropologies-​meets-​CB2 vibe. I think there’s even a jukebox somewhere in the kitchen! The icing on the cake is this most beautiful, giant poodle Ivan, who looks like a moving alabaster oriental rug. Possibly the most gorgeous dog I’ve seen.
Terri spent nearly 15 minutes going over what I wanted from my haircut, and it was very clear that the client’s preferences would supercede any «artistic inspirations» she might have had (i.e., no «let’s just try this mohawk cut because I think it’s just perfect for your facial structure). For example, I specified I was pretty attached to my long hair, and that I didn’t want it to be too short. She echoed this back to me, showed me how much she’d trim off and got my approval, and reassured me that the cut would literally only involve «baby steps» in terms of length removal. Reassuring!
The cut itself was fab, and Terri’s styling/​blow-​out is one of the best I’ve ever gotten. Seriously, my hair didn’t have that weighted-​down over-​product-​y feel produced sometimes by overzealous stylists, and it was so shiny — not a hint of frizz. I *actually* felt like a Pantene commercial. The blow-​out was so amazing, I actually scheduled another blowout a week later with Terri before a special formal event.
The best part about the cut was Terri’s extreme attention to client satisfaction. She taught me tips on how to dry my hair properly, and even mentioned that if I wanted to bring my tools in and practice, she would guide me — free of charge. In addition, she promises all clients that if they aren’t satisfied with any aspect of the cut 1 week post-​appointment, she’ll alter/​fine-​tune it for free. Who does that?
Terri is an experienced, highly professional and very talented hairdresser. Highly recommend checking her out if you want an excellent cut — and a blow-​out to die for.

We don’t patronize salons to meet great folks who can’t cut well, now do we?
Now, having to go over to Edo Salon in the City to correct all the amateur and incorrect ways that she did botch my rather simple, straight-​forward request…
Same impressions and would concur with many a reviewer who has taken the time to post. I am always uncomfortable with a stylist asking me to please pick out a photo of what I would like… If I’m the initiator of said process because I am the one seeking to be clear on a style, fine. But immed. I got some willies because I was musing, «So hey. like, ya can’t do it without a photo or something?»
Next: doggy gate to welcome one into the room (can’t quite call it a ‘salon’). Be prepared, if the weather permits, to step over a doggy gate to get into the place. I’m a pet lover, and own many myself… but to those who prefer not to be greeted by dog, or have dog hair on the chair while they are awaiting their appt. time – detracts from the salon experience, in my opinion.
She gave me bangs too!!! (something I did not desire, as did multiple other customers) Now, a few months after the visit, they are still growing out to blend with the rest of the strands… disappointing. She kept on cutting, and I’m too nice a gal.
I’m getting a very distinct feeling that her forte is in coloring, and not necessarily stellar with the shears. I must have scanned at least 10 reviews before braving to post one of the lowest ratings I’ve ever penned on Unilocal (also accounted for why I waited so long as well).
Still tipped $ 10, but I know that I won’t be returning… she’s in need of more experience before she can fly with her own accolade and salon, and I say this with lots of conviction!
*****PS ³⁄₁₃ Since this review was penned, I have been contacted by this unprofessional owner, who insinuated that I actually concocted this entire review and, essentially, lied about being her customer, because she has no record of me in her books. Please, unorganized lady — I have electronic proof that you redeemed your own Groupon, exact date and all. Appalling. The customer is always right?!? Not with her. :(

I got a very good haircut from Terri and I still have a coupon for another $ 40 cut with her… so why haven’t I been back?
I think it’s because the overall experience in the salon was such a turn-​off. There was hair on the floor from a previous client, a dog barking, and the smell of the chemical products was strong. I couldn’t relax and I kept wondering, is the large nude portrait behind me of the woman cutting my hair? Is it tactful to ask?

Teri was awesome. She listens and gives her suggestions. She definitley works with her clients and builds trust! Gives you good examples of why a style is good or not for you. Wish I had her talent with styling my hair afterwards though :-/​Will definitly return.

I find it very hard to find a hair stylist who I feel comfortable with. Most come across as being bored, don’t listen, or are just not interested in helping me find a cut that works (I guess cutting long hair is not interesting enough). Terri did an awesome job and I have the best haircut I’ve had in a long long time. I only style my long hair minimally and she gave me a cut that totally works for me. Thanks Terri!

I chose to try out Chroma because it was a Groupon deal and I read several Unilocal reviews that gave Teri a good or great review.
I, however, did not experience the same fabulousness that some other customers raved about…
Overall, it was a poor experience for me, because from the beginning, I felt like Teri shot down everything I had to say in the way of what I wanted, what kind of haircuts I’d had in the past, and how best to give me what I’d like to have done on that particular day.
I have VERY thick hair and it is customary for me to have it thinned out pretty dramatically with each haircut, to remove a large part of the bulkiness of my hair. (The thinning-​out is actually the best part of a haircut for me.) I asked Teri to do this, and she immediately informed me that the fact that other hairdressers had done that was «irresponsible hair-​cutting,» and not something that she would be doing for me. I didn’t really know what to say to that.
Additionally, she all but forced me to show her a picture of what I wanted — apparently me just telling her explicitly that I’d like a shaped trim, showing her where I’d like my hair to fall, didn’t work for her. The picture I finally found (after she hovered over me flipping through magazines feeling frustrated) was a good version of the style of cut I wanted, but I made a request about the length being LONGER than the picture.
Fast forward to the end of the haircut, when she turned me around in the chair, and my hair was significantly SHORTER than the picture, and no less bulky. Of course at that point, i couldn’t very well tell her to re-​attach my hair, so…
Disclaimer: I DO receive compliments (even now, two months later) on the cut itself, but I was not a happy customer, and would not recommend Teri to anyone I liked. I didn’t feel heard or respected as a customer.
Sometimes you really do get what you pay for, I suppose.

This is a confusing rating for me to give because Terri gave me a haircut that everyone loves and compliments me on which is pretty amazing. She has an amazing amount of talent and vision for hair and her salon is really awesomely decorated.
However, I was bummed out because she recommended that I get shorter layers on the top of my hair which I agreed to but it ended up a lot shorter overall than we had agreed upon. I guess I can understand how that could happen and everyone else did love my haircut but the problem here is that I didn’t LOVE it. I usually walk out of a haircut feeling like a million bucks but this time I was pretty unhappy with it for about two weeks!
She’s really cool and is a great stylist but just not for me I think. Maybe I play it too safe with my hair but thats just me!