Bond Hair Bar - Hair Extensions Salon & Hair Loss Specialist — Local services in San Mateo

I am a woman in my early 50s with naturally curly blonde hair that has started thinning. Wanting to make an investment in myself, I decided to explore hair extensions and looked for salons in the San Francisco Bay Area. Bond Hair Bar in San Mateo appeared promising based on its website, and I booked a $100 consultation. Unfortunately, I did not seek a personal referral — a mistake I deeply regret.

At the consultation, I explained to Jill that my hair was thinning all over. Without examining my scalp or discussing options in detail, she immediately said I needed a “hair system” and brought out a rack of dark brown and red toppers. She placed the first one she grabbed on my head and said it was a perfect match and high quality. Trusting her expertise, I agreed to the $4,000 price. She never analyzed my hair loss or offered professional recommendations.

I returned a few days later for the installation. Jill dyed my unprocessed natural blonde hair a bright red to match the piece — a color that clashed badly with my skin tone. I told her I did not want the topper glued on so I could remove it, and she said she would sew in clips for about $125 (though I was never given an itemized receipt for anything).

The salon was chaotic; Jill was juggling several clients at once. She asked if I wanted to trim the piece to look more natural, which I agreed to, not realizing the topper was medical-grade — meant for people with significant hair loss — and would never blend naturally with my existing hair. She then trimmed the bangs but never asked for my consent before cutting my own natural hair underneath. When I got home, I discovered uneven, micro-short bangs in what had been shoulder-length hair. I was devastated.

To make matters worse, Jill didn’t style my hair before sending me home. The next day, I straightened and styled it myself and was horrified — it looked bulky and unnatural, with far too much volume on top. Even my daughter said it looked ridiculous. I called Jill, and she told me to come back so she could fix it.

At the next appointment, she cut the piece into a short bob, thinning it aggressively with shears. I later learned she had also thinned my natural hair, leaving it even more fragile and frizzy. Two of the sewn-in clips fell out after just two wears. My trusted longtime stylist was shocked at the damage, telling me the topper looked like something “off Amazon for $35” and refused to touch it. My natural hair is now uneven, chin-length with 2-inch bangs, and severely heat-damaged. Because of the thinning and frizz, I now have to blow-dry and straighten it daily — a nightmare for my naturally curly hair, especially in humid or foggy weather.

I reached out to Jill again with photos and videos documenting the damage. She dismissed my concerns, accused me of lying, and refused to make things right. Her only offer was to re-sew clips and re-dye the topper — something that wasn’t even possible due to the previous processing.

It will likely take 12–18 months for my hair to recover from the damage caused by this experience. I’m sharing my story so that others can avoid going through the same heartbreak and expense. Please do your research and seek personal referrals before trusting someone...

This review is long, long, long overdue. So let me start with the short version: GO SEE EMILY. If you are reading this, don't even hesitate. Emily is the absolute BEST at her craft, particularly if you are looking for a hairstylist who actually understands what it means to service someone struggling with any sort of hair issue. She is NOT your average stylist—she goes above and beyond and actually has the knowledge, tools and creativity to help you look and feel your absolute best.

Now here's the long version: I found Emily and Bond Hair Bar back in March—desperate for something to help me manage my trichtillomania. My issue has never been pulling out my hair from the follicle, but rather breaking off ends so badly that it resulted in severe, severe breakage on the crown of my head. I'm talking mullet-type breakage. At one point, it got so unmanageable that even after getting extensions in at another salon (before finding Emily), I broke the hair off the top of my head so badly that I was legitimately afraid I would no longer be able to hide my extension wefts. That's when I went searching for a solution and discovered Emily. I called her and had a wonderful 30 min conversation with her over the phone about my issues and needs. I was interested in her hair toppers, so she suggested I come in for a consultation. Within a few days, I was in Emily's chair being matched for a clip-in topper for the crown of my head. Within a week, I was back to pick up my perfectly color-matched topper (which even had a root melt to make it look super natural!). Throughout the whole process, Emily was kind, supportive and just made me feel so comfortable. Very few people know about my issue, and I had no problem opening up to Emily. She really normalized my experience and focused on solutions. Nearly two months later, I use my clip-in topper all the time and it's literally changed my life. It's been a huge asset alongside my regular therapy, giving me hope that I can and am overcoming. Not only do feel I super confident, but the topper serves as a protective barrier for my natural hair underneath, giving it the space it needs to actually grow. And I can very easily just clip it in, in the morning, and then pop it off at night before bed. I sometimes where a headband with it, though it looks natural with or without a headband. It's been a godsend and has actually helped me break free from this habit. I still barely can believe it. Thank you, Emily, for helping to...

I have been wearing Emily's extensions for the last six months and have been loving it! I keep getting compliments for my hair everywhere I go and feel gorgeous all the time! :)

I first got hair extensions when another hairstylist gave me a horrible, uneven haircut just a few days before my birthday. I hated my hair so much that I found myself crying while looking at the mirror! That's when I remembered about hair extensions and reached out to Emily. Emily was lovely and got me scheduled quickly, so I was able to get beautiful hair in time for my birthday! She gets everything scheduled through an app, which makes scheduling easy and seamless. You can tell she really cares about her business and pours her art into it because all the details are taken care of for you. After the extensions were installed, Emily gave me a little gift bag with Loma products for my hair and we also had a pleasant conversation about personal development and following one's passions. I left feeling gorgeous and shining from the inside and the outside!

The hair extensions weren't cheap but they do look gorgeous - they blend perfectly with my hair and, even six months later, feel soft and have no split ends.

It's super important how you take care of your hair after extensions, so I will share my routine with all of you: although typically you would only wash hair with extensions twice a week, I have gotten away with washing my extensions every day without them ever falling out! I did this by selecting very natural and delicate shampoos without sulfates or parabens - the one I use is by John Master's Organics. If your extensions are falling out, it is quite likely that you are using the wrong shampoos with chemicals that are dissolving the tape. I then follow the shampoo with a leave in hair conditioner, and also apply a hair mask at the tip of the extensions. Every morning, I use the Loma nourishing oil that Emily gave me for the tips of my extensions, which smells wonderful and makes my hair feel magically soft all day!

Anyway, I love my extensions so much that I'm getting them again this month! I'm a little scared that, by the time I take my extensions out, my hair will have thinned, as I will have been wearing the extensions for seven months by that point! I will definitely report back and let you all know what happens!

Hope this review is helpful for those of you who may be considering getting their extensions...