We asked, you answered: Melbourne’s best hairdressers revealed
Trying to find the top spot in Melbourne to have your locks transformed? The people have spoken, voting for our top 10 hairdressers. See where you can find them on our interactive map.
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Hair they are — Melbourne’s top 10 hairdressers, as chosen by you.
When Leader Community News and the Herald Sun put the call out for our readers to tell us their favourite snippers, it was not a cut-and-dry affair.
There were hundreds of nominations, and thousands of votes — to put it simply, we were blown away.
It’s clear from your comments that Melburnians have a real love affair with those to whom they trust their tresses.
And the relationship between client, cutter and colourist is so much more than just a business transaction.
Most of you didn’t even talk about the haircut or the style.
You talked about the person holding the scissors. How well they listen. How they make their customers feel special.
They are “kind”, “beautiful”, “amazing” — and you count them as friends and family.
They’ve helped you through breakups and been guests at your weddings. And, there is no questioning their passion, with the word cropping up consistently.
So — did your favourite hairdresser make the cut?
MORE: MELBOURNE’S TOP 10 HAIRDRESSERS IN THE NORTH
MELBOURNE’S TOP 10 HAIRDRESSERS IN THE EAST
MELBOURNE’S TOP 10 HAIRDRESSERS IN THE SOUTH
MELBOURNE’S TOP 10 HAIRDRESSERS IN THE WEST
10. KALEIGH CODREA HAIR STUDIO, CROYDON
211C Mount Dandenong Rd
Stylist Kaleigh Codrea is so popular, she’s booked out until nearly December.
The Kaleigh Codrea Hair Studio owner’s reputation is so good, most clients schedule four appointments in advance.
“I care so much about my clients and making sure they’re 100 per cent happy,” Codrea says.
“I love it, it doesn’t even feel like work — it’s my hobby.”
The 23-year-old opened the Croydon salon in March last year after renting a chair for two years, and together with second year apprentice Piper, makes it her mission to go “above and beyond”.
Her dream of her own space was helped to life by her supportive husband Andy, a carpenter who built the salon in three months.
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She says Melbourne’s east has a supportive hairdressers’ network, with many local salons recommending one another.
Codrea‘s weekends are filled with styling events and bridal parties — she is still taking bridal booking and says she feels privileged to be part of couples’ special days.
Client Kirsten says Codrea is a “hair perfectionist” who “takes the time to give your hair the attention and care it needs”.
And Rachael says: “My hairdresser is not just an exquisite talent. She is a beautiful, rare and caring gem.”
More: https://www.facebook.com/kaleighcodrea
9. CURIOUS BLONDE HAIR STUDIO, BAYSWATER
14 Station St
True to her salon’s name, Sarah Coburn is all about the blonde.
Coburn, who has had her Curious Blonde business for four and a half years, says it’s only been in the past few years she’s “knuckled down” and focused on the popular hue.
“I think my whole career I’ve attracted blonde clients because that’s what I’ve been really good at,” she says.
“I’d say 90 per cent of my clients are blonde foils or balayage.”
Coburn was renting a chair in Croydon before setting up in Bayswater at the start of the year.
“I wanted to grow a team and I wasn’t able to expand in the last salon I was at, and I guess I’m a bit of an entrepreneur,” she says.
“I’m totally in my element now and I don’t have anyone else bringing me down.”
She says the key to a good blonde dye job is all about how close the foils are to the scalp, and their angle — and it attracts clients to her business.
“I guess I’m a perfectionist with that,” she says.
“I think that makes people happy because it means they can get an extra week or two out of their blonde. And also doing a really good toner, because it’s something that people really care about, how long their blonde is going to last and not go golden.”
Customer Rach says she has the “healthiest and longest hair I have ever had”.
“First time in 10-plus years I’ve confidently worn hair out without extensions,” she says.
Julia says: “Sarah always gives realistic expectations and advice and has the most amazing skills at obtaining that perfect shade of blonde.”
More: https://www.facebook.com/curiousblonde/
8. SALON VOGUE HAIR, WERRIBEE
14 Watton St, Werribee
Pino Burrone is so conscious of fashion trends and looks, he renovates his salon every five years.
The “local boy”, who has been cutting hair for 30 years, grew up in Werribee, trained at a salon in Highpoint then opened Salon Vogue Hair in 1994.
He recently gutted the salon and gave it another revamp, this time adding a barber.
“When we renovated we realised that a lot of men want to have their hair cut at a barber shop — guys love it,” Burrone says.
He may love to change things up, but his clients are ever-loyal.
“It probably comes down to the passion of my staff members in the salon,” he says.
“I’m a local boy, I started the salon as a family salon. We’re pretty up there when it comes to very high-end fashion, and being fashion-forward with the looks that are coming through.
“I’ve got an established clientele that’s been with me for a long time, which is really really nice to have and to know that we’re appreciated.”
Burrone says the salon is a “one-stop-shop” where customers can get “everything done in one room”, including facials and nails.
Long-term customer Emma says her visits to Steph are “ are always greeted with a massive smile”, while Robyn sums up her stylist, Gillian, simply: “She is just amazing!”
More: https://www.facebook.com/salonvoguehair/
7. UNICORN MANES BY MYKEY, PRESTON
654 Plenty Rd
Mykey O’Halloran is colourful “24/7, 365 days a year”.
The owner of Unicorn Manes by Mykey has a reputation for his mind-blowing rainbow creations, and is your go-to if you’re looking for something a little out of the (hair dye) box.
O’Halloran spent five years in Brisbane, where he had just four clients who wanted rainbow hair. But, on moving to Melbourne, he found his niche — and demand is booming.
Incredibly, the 28-year-old wasn’t trained in his out-there colouring.
“I just threw myself into it, because people started asking for photos off Instagram and Pinterest,” he says.
“I learnt all the basics in hairdressing in two different salons I had worked at but they didn’t offer colours like what I do now. I just had to figure it out and go with the colour wheel rules.”
Three years ago, O’Halloran did a volunteer trip for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, raising $37,000 in honour of his late cousin Meaghan, who worked for the foundation and herself raised more than $2 million.
He was sponsored by creative hair colour specialists Manic Panic and slept on “150 tubs of colour” as he travelled across Australia and the US, turning volunteers’ hair into jaw-dropping rainbow styles which they shared on social media to raise money.
There was the likes of the Big Prawn, Big Pineapple, Big Mango, Big Orange, Nemo and Dory in Australia, while his US trip saw him turn his hand to burgers, pizzas, tacos and hot dogs.
In September, he will travel to New York to dye wigs at Ru Paul’s DragCon.
O’Halloran also cuts and does blonde foils and brunettes too — but most people visit him for big colour changes.
Each job takes anywhere between four to eight hours, depending on how much bleach is involved.
“I always tell people to bring snacks and be prepared to sit in the chair. Everyone gets a bit of a briefing before they come in,” he says.
“I think that by bringing out people’s true colours in unicorn form, I help people to love themself more, that’s why they enjoy being in the chair. Being our true selves, it feels good.”
O’Halloran’s “adorable” nan — who lives in a nursing home — even benefits from her grandson’s talents, sporting a rainbow ’do.
Client Anna says O’Halloran has “unparalleled creative flare, amazing use of colour and the personality to match”, while Amanda says he is “one of the most creative and diverse hairdressers in Australia”.
Rachel says he creates a salon where “anything is possible” while Nikki calls him her “hair wizard”.
More: https://www.facebook.com/unicornmanesbymykey/
6. LADY AND THE HAIR, MELTON (equal sixth)
22 Bakery Square
As a kid, Prue Tonkinson thought hairdressers were “just so cool” and she dreamt of being “just like that”.
Years on, Tonkinson is the proud owner of Lady and the Hair, and a boss of 13 stylists who specialise in blondes, balayage and extensions and have a “massive clientele”.
“We’re not like a normal salon, we’re super down to earth,” she says.
“We just want to make people laugh, we’re always dancing and carrying on, so it makes people feel more comfortable. I’ve just found over the years it makes people feel like it’s their home away from home.”
Tonkinson worked from home for seven years but outgrew the space two years ago and wanted to feel like she had a “real salon”.
Now, she has not one, but two — having just opened the Boston Barber Co, eight doors down. And she dreams of more locations.
Customer Susan says the salon is “hands down the best”.
“The atmosphere, attention to detail, combination toning, biscuits and lattes for rumbling bellies. Everything covered, every time,” she says.
Suzanne says Prue is a “true lady boss”, while Lucija says: “I think the most important thing a women can have, next to talent of course, is her hairdresser.”
And Alison says: “Prue makes you feel welcome and spoilt. It’s like catching up with a friend and leaving with great hair.”
More: http://www.ladyandthehair.com.au/
6. RARE EARTH HAIR, PRAHRAN (equal sixth)
184 Commercial Rd
Rare Earth Hair manager Jade Roworth says her job allows her to build such intricate relationships, she even went to one customer’s wedding as a friend.
That customer, Kylie, was one of many who nominated the Prahran salon.
“20 words is not enough, she meant that much to me, she came to my wedding as a friend,” Kylie says.
Roworth, who arrived in Australia from the UK six years ago, says the nature of colour work means many clients spend hours at a time in the chair, and develop strong bonds.
“I’d say all the time, a lot of us communicate quite personally with clients,” Roworth says.
The salon, owned by Donna White, has four other stylists, several of whom are from overseas, which helps the group to “broaden the horizons” and share “different experience from all over the world”.
Roworth believes it is the team’s closeness which customers appreciate.
“You can definitely pick up on atmosphere during a salon visit. The salon itself is super super relaxed,” she says.
Customer Erinn says Roworth’s skill is “unmatched”.
“She’s professional, passionate, incredibly knowledgeable and my hair is always so beautiful after seeing her,” Erinn says.
Amy says: “It starts off with welcome tea, lemon water and a welcome massage and ends with the best hair I have ever had.”
More: https://rareearthhair.com.au/
5. ZENITY HAIR SALON, CRANBOURNE EAST
42 Bradford Drive
Told of her nomination, Zenity Hair’s Amy Doyle says she is “blown away” and will “probably cry”.
“It’s amazing — I’m just a mum running my own home business,” Doyle says.
But she is so much more than “just a mum”. Doyle has been hairdressing for 20 years, and opened Zenity out of her garage eight years ago in between “popping out babies”.
“I was pregnant and we’d just bought a house and that was it, it was what am I going to do, how am I going to keep supporting my family,” she says.
She and her “amazing, supportive husband” Tye have three children: Charlie, 12, Max, 8 and Indie, 7.
She says she feels very lucky to do what she does every day, with stunning “rainbow colour work” her “big thing”.
Plenty of her customers dub her the “queen of colour”, with Vicki saying Doyle “brightens the life of anyone she comes in contact with, literally”.
Doyle believes she resonates with her clients because she’s “just a normal, everyday person”.
“What you see is what you get. People feel comfortable. And maybe because I’m probably a little bit good at what I do!” she laughs.
And many of the humble home hairdresser’s clients let slip on another of her generous gifts, revealing Doyle volunteers her time cutting hair for the homeless with local charity BK 2 Basics.
Roz says Doyle is the “whole package”.
“Talented, compassionate, funny and wise. Everyone is welcomed with a smile and a friendly greeting.”
More: https://www.facebook.com/ZenityHair/
4. LISSARA HAIR BOUTIQUE, DROMANA
3/277 Point Nepean Rd
Lissara Hair Boutique owner Melissa Kuster’s nomination as one of Melbourne’s best hairdressers means “a lot” to her — for a special reason.
Her son Max was born last December and immediately had to have open-heart surgery, taking her away from the freshly-opened salon.
“This means a lot more to me, to know that my staff still did a great job while I was off,” Kuster says.
Her son is now doing well, and he and big sister Lexi, three, are regular visitors to the salon, which their mum has run in Dromana for 10 months after relocating from Rosebud.
Kuster and staff Lucas Duman, Chanelle Mandile and Lily Neesham are colour specialists who treat everyone like family.
“Everyone is welcome, and nothing is off-limits in our salon and people can just be themselves,” she says.
“We call ourselves a little community rather than a salon — it’s a bit of a tribe.”
Kuster says she loves boosting her customers’ confidence.
“You can just change someone’s whole day by making them feel nice.
“I like having that personal touch with my clients. People have gone through breakups and divorces and they’re crying in the salon.”
Those touched by Kuster and her talented team are full of kind words, with Yasmin saying “each time it’s like catching up with old friends”.
Rhiannon says: “Such an amazing and talented hairdresser, has done wonders to my hair and boosted my self confidence.”
Molly gives extra-high praise: “If Mel was to move states I would travel just to see her to get my hair done!”
https://www.facebook.com/lissarahairboutique
3.HAIRMOVES, FRANKSTON
67 Wells St
Growing up in his native Mauritius, Deen Mos was drawn to Melbourne by TV ads spruiking the city’s fashion.
He started hairdressing with his dad at 18, did further training with his brother then made the move to Australia.
He initially worked in the city before relocating to Frankston to manage salons, where he promptly fell in love with the Peninsula and opened Hairmoves 16 years ago. A second salon in Chelsea opened last year.
“I wanted to have my own business because I wanted to provide the best,” Mos says.
“When I first opened people would say to me ‘you shouldn’t be here, you should be in the city’, but I said ‘I want my Frankston clients to have luxury’.”
Now with 21 years’ experience, Mos says his was the first salon on the Peninsula to have TVs with music channels playing.
“I had massage chairs at the basin and champagne flowing at night time for the ladies and beer for the guys,” he says.
Mos says he is a very hands-on owner who loves “creative cutting” and works Mondays to Saturdays, pulling plenty of 12 hour shifts.
Client Brodie says Deen and his team “are really at the leading edge of new styles and hair and colour technology”.
Jane says: “The team at Hairmoves are brilliant, great atmosphere, customer service and friendly.”
And Luke says: “Great conversation with a beer is always welcome, while getting a cut is like sitting with an old mate.”
More: https://www.hairmoves.com/
2. CAPELLI É BELLEZZA, FRANKSTON
53c Beach St
For many people, working at close quarters with family would be a big ask.
But for Capelli é Bellezza’s Maxi Dottori, mum Michelle and sister Tayla, their close-knit Italian family dynamic means a co-owned salon works perfectly.
The trio went into business together two and a half years ago, after plenty of family dinners spent dreaming about having their own salon.
“There was one day I was sick and tired of working for someone that wasn’t passionate and wasn’t going the way I wanted to go,” Dottori says.
“Even though it’s my mum and my sister, they’re more like my best friends rather than my family. All three of our minds are the exact same — we work so well together.”
The salon, which takes its name from the Italian “hair and beauty”, specialises in blonde hair, with the three owners themselves blonde.
“In the past when we weren’t hairdressers we’ve had some dodgy colours too,” Dottori says.
They pride themselves on making their customers feel as if they’re “walking into our home”, providing tea, coffee, hot chocolate and wine.
“I think we just do things a little bit differently. I think a lot of people don’t do that — it’s all about the money to them. I’d work for free if I could,” Dottori says.
Client Shaelli says: “They’re not just a hairdressing salon, they are a family. And treat everyone like they’ve known them forever.”
More: https://www.facebook.com/capelli.e.bellezza1/
1.KOMOTIS.J HAIRDRESSING SALON, RESERVOIR
22 Gellibrand Cres
It’s official — Jorge Gogonis and his Reservoir salon, Komotis.j, are the best in Melbourne.
The 25-year-old only went out on his own a year and a half ago, after building a loyal following at salons in Fairfield, Moonee Ponds and Richmond.
“It was a dream to open up a salon of my own — hopefully one of many,” Gogonis says.
“It’s just a huge passion of mine — I can’t see myself doing anything else.”
His clients, he says, “look after me, and I look after them”.
“ I love to treat them the way I love to be treated,” he says.
“I think they love me because I’m so real — there’s no crap. I just think I’m a real person, there’s no pretentiousness. I try to give them my very best and I think they can see that, they see how much I try.
Gogonis, who has six staff, loves doing “the whole service from start to finish”, but has a particular passion for “huge colour corrections”.
“Come in with horrible hair and I just transform it,” he laughs.
“I’m up for any challenge, really.”
His clients are unanimous in their feedback: they know they will leave Komotis.j feeling fabulous.
“Jorge is the only person I’ve ever trusted to say “you’re the expert” rather than showing endless photos for inspiration,” Chelsea says.
Raffaelle says: “When you see Jorge you don’t even need to tell him what you want, it’s like he can read minds.”
Cat says Gogonis “always knows what I want and like and nails it every time”.
Gogonis says his nomination “means the world to me, just finally to be recognised for something”.
“I just want to show the world I love my job,” he says.
“This is a dream.”