BEST OF OTTAWA 2019: Barber Shops & Hair Salons

After over 20-years writing about life in Ottawa, we think we have
a pretty good idea of the best of what this city has to offer.
In this weekly summer series, we’ll share our picks with you – 
our top hotels, live music venues, local brews,
bands and more. Check, share and discuss
#OLMBest every week!

Hair Republic Beauty Lounge – 1093-1095 Bank St.

Hair Republic Beauty Lounge values quality and creativity, using strictly eco-friendly products. They often have a great selection of promotions and always offer a 20% off student discount on most hair services on Tuesdays. Good for the environment and your wallet! Their user-friendly online booking system also makes scheduling quick and easy when you’re pinched for time.

Texture Hair Salon – 293 Dalhousie St., Unit #101 & 1884 Merivale Rd., Unit #6

Texture Hair Salon is one of the most popular salons in the city, with locations both downtown and on Merivale. Their award-winning team of stylists and colourists are professional, top-notch and extremely friendly. Not to mention, the salons themselves are gorgeous, so it makes for a lovely atmosphere to give your hair some TLC. Besides cuts and colouring, they also offer face waxing, makeup, head massages and more.

Warren Chase Urban Retreat for Men – Hudson's Bay Rideau, 73 Rideau St. Second Floor

Warren Chase strives to transform pampering into something men shouldn’t be ashamed to enjoy. Their shop, located in the Bay at Rideau, really is a retreat with gorgeous masculine decor of dark wood, black leather and silver accents. The atmosphere is like a high-class man cave. The shop’s services include the usual barber shop selection like cuts and beard grooming, but also more luxurious services like massages, facials, body waxing and even a personal styling service.

BossArts Salon & Spa – 161 Laurier Ave. W.

Located in the Carleton Suite Hotel, this salon is ready for all your pampering needs! Whether you're in town for business and need a trim before your big conference, or an Ottawa local looking to treat yourself, BossArts will get the job done. Services include cuts for both men and women, curl maintenance, colour styling and much more. Complimentary drinks are also offered to all customers!

HeadQuarters – 115 Clarence St.

HeadQuarters is one of Ottawa’s most unique salons because not only do they house some of the city’s top hair stylists, but their beautiful location also doubles as a cafe and cocktail bar! The salon offers all the high-end salon services you expect such as cuts, perms, colouring and extensions, along with superb brunch, dinner and cocktail menus. The food is known to be top quality so while you’re waiting for your hair appointment, we recommend ordering a plate!

Kelly’s Barber + Beauty – 30 Marier Ave.

Kelly’s offers a home-y, but still modern, space to get all your hair and beauty needs done. From men’s grooming to gorgeous highlights and kids’ cuts, this spot offers it all. Decked out with a kids’ activity section and  flat screen TV with Netflix, you and the family are sure to stay entertained and comfortable during your appointment.

Curly Hair Designs – 275 Britannia Rd.

If you've got curly, coily or kinky hair, then you know how hard it is to find a stylist that specializes in your hair type. Curly Hair Designs is the place for you! Focusing on enhancing the hair’s natural texture, with twist outs, deep conditioning, trims and more, rest assured the team will treat your curls well. In addition, founder Paula Whitelocke spreads her expertise through her #CurlyTypesNTextures classes to teach others how to care for and style natural hair.

Khalil Barber Shop -1430 Prince of Wales Dr.

Awarded last year’s Top Choice Award for best barber shop in Ottawa, Khalil’s is a city staple. They are a straight up, traditional barbershop with no frills and are absolute experts at their craft. They take the art of hair cutting and shaving seriously and you can rest assured that you’ll get nothing but top notch results. Their prices start as low as $10 for a simple beard trim, so you don’t have to break the bank for quality.

Salon Rouge – 222 Dalhousie St.

Coining themselves as “Ottawa’s most prestigious salon,” Salon Rouge has won various rewards over the years recognizing their professionalism. They offer all the best hair services and treatments like perms, colour and highlighting, deep conditioning, Keratin, and even an innovative treatment called “hair botox!” With their easy-to-use website, you can book all your appointments and consultations online.

House of Barons – 481 Sussex Dr. & 348-B Preston St.

House of Barons has taken it upon themselves to preserve and honour the meticulous fine art of men’s grooming, doing so in new and innovative ways in vintage barber chairs. Their expert barbers offer traditional straight-razor cuts and are happy to educate customers on proper technique. Each of their two locations is designed to emulate and reference their respective individual environments, the Preston Street outpost featuring a funky mural of Andrea Pirlo.