The Specialists Salon

The BEST. Erica and Lulu have made me a bold blonde and I love it!
These gals know their stuff, helping me know how to care for colored hair; work with my natural curls; and style my hair for special events.
I really like their product lines and tips and techniques for styling. They offer special hair and make up services and I can’t wait to use them the next time I have a photo shoot or a special event.

I got a very basic wash, trim, and blow dry for $ 85. It was overpriced for such a simple type of hair trim. Other than that, Erica was skilled and very passionate about hair. They offer Aquage products. I would return if I wanted a more detailed hair cut or style.

I won a gift certificate here through a charity auction. Lucky for me, co-​owner Lulu is a specialist (yes, it’s true) in curly hair. I love the cut she gave me. I’ll be back!

Both Erica and Lulu have a keen and intuitive sense of what hairstyle would look good on you and fit your lifestyle. They are aware and good at making you look hip without overly trendy and clown-​like. They use top-​grade products and they custom tailor treatments for exactly the needs of your hair-​type. They are also super sweet, accessible and funny. They have a wide range of skills and can produce perfect results. LOVE THEM! And I have heard that they are the PERFECT hair and makeup team for weddings.

I made the decision to go see Lulu to cut my long curly hair a couple weeks ago. I’ve been getting my hair cut and colored by a childhood friend forever. It was time to branch out. I wanted someone who specialized in curly hair. After doing some research and careful consideration I chose this fabulous salon! I took BART and walked an easy few blocks. The salon is comfortable and has a great energy.
I had long layers grown out and was in desperate need of a curl specialist to do their magic. Lulu is it! She gave my hair a more rounded shape, Beyonce-​ish, then the v or u cut. I love it. The products she used smelled delicious too. I recommend my curly gals to let Lulu work her magic skills with your hair.

Erica is phenomenal! She did hair and makeup for my friend’s wedding and I loved her so much I made an appointment for a haircut with her a couple of weeks later! She is so easy going, professional, and efficient — and fun to talk to all the while! Highly recommend her services at the Specialists Salon if you’re looking for a great cut!

I purchased a Bloomspot deal months ago to have Erica Carr give me a hair style and makeup application for a party, and I was expecting she would do a great job, but I didn’t expect HOW great of a job she did!
She worked quickly, was extremely creative, and made me feel so special.
She gave me a wonderful authentic 1920s look (I was going to a 1920s themed fundraiser), and I brought some random feathers to put in my hair — she knew exactly what to do with them, she plopped them in, and they looked amazing all night.
The makeup she did was perfect. It was special and dramatic without being overly so, and she clearly knows her stuff. She educated me throughout the application so that I could attempt to replicate it on my own one day. She didn’t do anything that I couldn’t touch up myself throughout the night, and she completely transformed… wait, no, enhanced my looks and people were amazed when they saw my new look.
She is definitely my new go-​to gal for any special events hair & makeup — I can’t recommend her enough! She’s fun to talk to, has an incredibly interesting history in the industry, and the most warm and engaging way about her.
The salon is beautiful — clean, stylish, and not hectic or chaotic. Great location in the FiDi, and parking is close at the Portsmouth Square Garage if you’re driving.
Thank you Erica! You rock!

I followed Ivy here from Lab 1479 (and before that, Zip Zap). She’s seriously the best at giving me that blast of color/​brightness/​pizazz without making me feel like too many trends all bottled together in one package.
Friends and coworkers always rave about how pretty and touchable my strands are, and my hair always feels fresh! Hair is a very personal thing, and I wouldn’t let anyone else color it but Ivy.
The new space at The Specialists, teetering somewhere right in between the FiDi and Chinatown, embraces minimalist design. And there’s other staff, too, like Erica for make-​up and hair, and Lulu and Patrick for hair, too. Ivy also does cuts.