Artist Hair Salon — Local services in San Francisco

[Update] I recently got a regular perm done by Wilen. I love the result, easy to take and very dynamic. I got a lot of compliments for it.

I have been coming to wilen for haircut for one and half years. Before I learned about wilen and his hair salon from a customer review posted on a forum, I had tried at lest a doze of salons in the South Bay, often with price between $50 and $60 for a cut plus gratuity. I was never satisfied and always found myself frustrated with my hair after 3 weeks and had to go in again for a trim before it was more than 4 weeks since the last cut. I believed that no one can cut my hair that is on the thick side until I decided to drive into the city and give wilen a try.

Wilen is an artist. He knows how to cut my hair immediately when he saw me. At first, he told me that I will need a trim after 3 months, since he was adjusting from my current style and my hair was not long at that time. He was right. I was not bothered by hair for 3 months. And then it became 4 months and eventually it became 6 months. And my hair stays stylish and easy to take care, for the 6 months as it grows from rather shorty to long.

I was so glad that I have found wilen. Even I need to drive one hour each way for a haircut, it is totally worth it. And very cost effective considering how long one hair cut can last.

Posting it for those are looking for a hairstylist who truly...

Avoid this place at all costs. I rarely leave reviews, but travelers deserve a warning. I came in for a quick blowout before a long flight, and the hygiene standards were shocking. The brushes were visibly dirty with built-up hair. When I asked for a clean one, the stylist just rinsed it under the sink and insisted it was fine.

The “blowout” was basically a hair dryer blasting my scalp, followed by ripping through tangles with that same dirty brush. I left halfway through, grossed out and with half-dried hair.

There were no professional salon products in sight, just old drugstore bottles, and the whole setup felt unsafe and unsanitary. This place should not be...

Ditto on Heidi’s review. Wilen is an excellent stylist for women’s hair (with decades of experience!), especially if you’re keen on ensuring your hair is low maintenance.

Nowadays, I rarely reach for curling irons / straighteners / blow drying, do not use any special hair products, and prefer not needing anything extra to manage my hair. Keeping it simple with a hair tie or a claw clip. Wilen took care of that perfectly :) I loved the way my curtain bangs & layers turned out!

Pointers: Cut & wash came out to $65 + tip Def call ahead to book an appointment Bring reference photos of your ideal hair style Wilen speaks Mandarin,...