The Upper Hand Salon: River Oaks

Lauren (Laura) cut and highlighted my hair. I saw a lady in the salon and loved her haircut & color. I told her so and that woman was nice enough to show her hair to Lauren. Actually, I wanted my hair a little longer. Lauren said she would cut my hair so it would touch my shoulders. I am so disappointed in my color she did plus she cut my hair very short including my bangs, which I told her my hair is curly to be very careful cutting my bangs. I told her they were too short and she said they must have been too short to begin with because she only cut an 8th of an inch. I wanted light blond hair and she made it darker. A lot darker than the woman in the salon. I knew my hair couldn't handle any more color that day, so I paid the $265.00. I left on my 7 cruise and called today to see if she could lighten my hair. She said she would but would charge me at least $50.00 more dollars. I think she should repair the color at no charge. My hair is way too short, which she can't do anything about that & the color is dull and too dark with red. I got in the water one time and barely got my hair wet, so that can't be reason my color looks bad. I would never recommend this stylist to anyone! more

If you are looking for a red hair colorist, look no more. Trust me when I tell you, and I have looked everywhere, Kathy is the best! So get ready for the BEST RED EVER!! more

Trish is without a doubt the best stylist I have ever had. Behind her chair she is remarkable. Her style and energy are unmatched. I've been going to her for over two years now and she still manages to amaze me. She even managed to make me look good when she shaved my head. Also, everyone I have referred to her has been taken care of just like family. If you ever book at the Upper Hand you have to go to Trish, she's the best! more

The Upper Hand staff is very helpful and makes me feel welcomed very time I visit. Rachel, the owner, always greets me by name when she sees me in the shop. Cari is a fantastic colorist ( she can fix any color disaster created by less experienced hair stylists), her cuts are excellent and up to date, and her updos are chic and sexy. I look forward to my visits to the Upper Hand every time I go. more

John Rubio is such a talented hair stylist! He's given me great ideas for new looks and am always so happy with hair. I also had my wedding party get their hair done at The Upper Hand. They did an amazing job and even helped set up a sitting area for our food and wine. The only bad thing is that The Upper Hand is pricey but it's not that much different from other high end salons. It's worth it! more

John is my ""hair angel""! He's the best hair stylist in Houston...Cuts, Color, Blow outs...you will walk away from his chair feeling fabulous!!!! more

I really appreciate the personal attention and friendliness of Jennifer. Recently, I ran into another hair stylist whom I had known 10 years ago; she describes herself as an expert colorist and highly complimented Jennifer's great coloring tehcique and highlights. more

I moved to Houston 5 years ago from Atlanta, GA and went to many salons looking for a stylist who could do blonde highlights without looking too unnatural. After 3 years of looking, my search stopped with The Upper Hand. Mikey Daly is the best hair stylist that I have ever had. Not only does she make my hair look natural, but she also is a lot of fun and really cares about her clients. Also the owner Rachel remembered my name after my first visit to the salon and always greets me with a smile. I recommend The Upper Hand for anyone that wants to go relax at a salon with a great atmosphere and great people. more

Just looking for any more information about this place... more

Is Alex Hernandez . Alex is currently apprenticing with the Best Stylist in Houston, John Rubio. John is an excellent hairstylist with amazing talents which should be recognized. more

I currently live in Los Angeles, and have been living there for over year. While there are hundreds respectable boutiques and ritzy salons in LA, I scheduled a special trip to Houston...just to get my hair done by Trish at The Upper Hand. All 3 women in my family (who all who have VERY different tastes) choose Trish to do their hair: My sister, who has a more ""funky"", experimental style. My mom, who prefers a style that is easy to manage, fun. and age appropriate. And me, ultra conservative and unwilling to change. All three of us ALWAYS come out happy with the work that Trish has done. This fact serves as a tremendous testament to Trish's versatility, her willingness to LISTEN to her clients, and her flat-out talent. I highly recommend Trish at The Upper Hand! She is incredible! Pros: Incredible expertise, fun environment, free wine. :) more

I thought someone was going to tell me what style they thought would look best for my face shape etc. I do not think the haircut I got was worth 80.00. Pros: very expensive Cons: expensive more

I have always gone to Aveda Salons because I loved the way they trained their staff. A couple of the people from my Aveda Salon migrated over to the Upper Hand and I didn't know what to expect. When I walked in, I was so impressed with the atmosphere; WAY better than Aveda, if that's possible. The owner is very nice. You MUST get your eyebrows done by Lisa; she has rightfully earned the nickname ""The eyebrow Queen"" in Houston. She is enchanting, and does the most beautiful eyebrows without hurting you. Each one fits the person. And Jennifer Ridings is the best hair artist ever! I always go in looking like a sheepdog and come out looking like I should be a news anchor! Try this place out. You won't be disappointed! P. Vandervoort. Pros: Great Atmosphere, Professionals all the way! more

I am new to Houston and was looking for a salon. I am very picky when it comes to my hair and was considering going back to the State where I lived before to avoid changing hair salons. That would have been a total mistake. Pros: Great Stylists more

Jennifer Ridings is the BEST Hair Dresser ever! She is new to The Upper Hand, but if they're smart, they'll keep her around forever! I went in to the salon on my lunch break looking like a HOT MESS to get a hair cut... in one hour she had me walking out like Miss America! She cut my hair EXACTLY how I wanted and when I went back to work my co-workers couldn't believe the transformation! If you need a new look or to freshen up an old look, schedule an appointment with Jennifer ~ I promise you'll love how you look and feel!!! Pros: Friendly Enviroment, Clean, Relaxing, Professional more

I went to Mikey for the first time to get my light brown hair highlighted. I wanted a natural, well-blended color that looked like I had been in the sun. Lucky for me, she had the perfect colors in mind even though I didn't describe it well. I absolutely love my color, and I don't ever think that. Plus, my hair even feels healthier than it did before walking in to the upper hand. Thank you for my great new hair. I definitely found my colorist! Pros: Awesome highlights! Very cool stylist with great prices. more

I switched stylists and started going to Penny several months ago. I had been trying to get my hair back in shape for many months after a neglectful stylist left my highlights on too long under the dryer and ruined my hair. My hair was over bleached, dry, brittle and drab. The first thing that Penny recommended was the Keratin treatment. In one sitting my hair went from straw to silky and shiny! The treatment lasts about 4 months and is so worth the money! Next Penny recommended softer, less harsh blonde highlights. I love my hair now! I have finally found a stylist who knows how to do blondes! Pros: She listens! more

I look forward to going to this salon!! I usually dread getting my hair done, but Penny and the other stylists Pros: Beauty salon, very talented stylists more

I just had my first appointment with Jennifer for highlights and a haircut. A friend at work recommended her. She was awsome, she listened to what I wanted and made suggestions, we agreed on the end result and then she delivered. I scheduled my next appointment before leaving. She was great, up to date stylish etc., and my hair looks amazing. The whole place is really nice. Pros: great service Cons: can't think of any more

I read all the great reviews and decided to try this place. I went in for a routine highlight and cut. I was put with Penny i immediately asked her how long she had been doing hair and she told me she started in August but had done hair for a little bit before she had children. It took her over 3 hours to highlight my hair and she spent maybe 20 minutes cutting it. She was complaining about how long it was taking the entire time and i found it hard to hold a conversation with her. She totally botched my highlights and my hair turned out really ashy with huge clumpy uneven highlights. We both immediately noticed so she offered to fix it by putting a toner in.... the toner turned my hair orange!! I could tell she knew she rushed through my hair and she messed up. All she wanted to do was get out of there and go home. She kept reminding me what time it was and how her plans had been ruined. She was extremely rude and i will never go back. I would not recommend this place to a friend. Pros: Beautiful Salon Cons: Unexperienced & rude colorist more