Salon Kai

Caroline is a magician when it comes to hair. This was my first visit and in the service she provided me was amazing. Everywhere i go i get compliments on it. I will deffinately be going back. Shes made a loyal customer out of me

Nikki did my hair today and she was AMAZING! Other stylists never cut my hair right. I showed her a picture of what I wanted and she did it exactly like the picture. She was very sweet, very professional, and did an awesome job. I’ll never go to another salon again. Soooooo happy!

How is Niki not always booked?! She is amazing and from now on, my go-​to girl every 3 – 6 months if budget permits :)
I asked for layers down to the bra-​line, and asked if she could make my hair look as voluminous as possible. She recommended I go short for the first layers. Niki created the look I was going for… you know. the ones you see in the magazines of the models looking sultry with voluminous flowing layered hair… Yah I wanted to feel like that! There were so many times I asked other places and people to recreate that look on me, but none could deliver… until Niki! She even made it look easy, but now at home, I just can’t duplicate. She’s personable too! very friendly. Had great conversations with her! Go with Niki! You won’t be disappointed!

Took my daughter to get her 1^st hair cut here. The place is super hard to find … it is basically above Long’s Drugs. We did not have to wait before we were called back, which was super nice. The girl who cut my daughters hair was super nice but I seriously don’t really see where she cut her hair. I know a trim is a trim but her hair still isn’t even at the bottom.
I guess in a few months, I will once agin think about getting her hair cut and this time will make sure that it is actually cut.

Went in for a hair cut and got Nikki, she was great! Highly recommend

See Nikki! She is awesome and I always leave a happy camper! I’m always helped immediately and if it’s a holiday she gives out little B&B sanitizers as a mahalo. The cut was only $ 46 and I believe I read that they offer a student discount. I meant to ask if they offer military, but had to leave in a hurry. The price is so good though, you really don’t need much of a discount. I definitely recommend Nikki for quick, quality and professional service with a smile!

This review is overdue but I wanted to take time to say how wonderful Nikki is with my hair color!!! I just returned from living 6 yrs. in Seattle where I went to Vidal Sassoon’s. I have to say that Nikki does a better job than they ever did! My color is always exactly what I ask for. I never have to worry about walking out with fried, orange or damaged hair. I am so glad that I found her! Thank you Nikki!
I also wanted to add that her prices are unbelievably reasonable for the quality and wonderful service!

Wanted to cut my hair before I start my new job. Loved the way my hair turned out. Thinned it out so it’s a lot lighter and more manageable. The stylists here know what they are doing.
Only drawback is that the hair wash was not that enjoyable. There was no head support or cushion against the plastic wash tub so I had a bit of bruising on the back of my head the following day.

I’m gonna start off by saying that this is my first Unilocal review ever. I used Unilocal to find this place, and after going I felt so strongly about the service I received that I had to review them… that’s how good it was.
I’ve been going to the same stylist my entire life, but the past couple cuts I’ve gotten from her have left me really unhappy. Now that I live in town, I figured it was time to find a new stylist. I found Salon Kai on Unilocal and called on a Tuesday afternoon looking for an appointment the same day. I was willing to go to any stylist because my hair was looking more and more like a mullet everyday since my last cut, but I had my fingers crossed that Jen would be available because of her rave reviews on here. I got an appointment for 5:30 that same day with Jen and I’m so so so glad I did.
First of all, the shampoo and conditioning left me feeling like I needed a nap because it was so nice. She was talking to me the whole time but I was so relaxed that I don’t even remember my replies. I had pictures on my phone of what I wanted done, but Jen said she had just cut a girls hair that day with a problem similar to mine (a baby mullet) and so I let her do her thing. Somehow, it came out exactly like the pictures I had when she hadn’t even seen them! I have really really thick Asian hair, and she really worked with the texture and amount of what I had to give me a cut that suits both my hair type and personality.
I went in expecting to pay $ 45 from what I read on Unilocal,but she gave a college discount! It was only $ 25, but I tipped her at 50% because I was so pleased.
I’ve found a new hair stylist and I’m so so glad. Go see Jen! Your hair will thank you.

I was very apprehensive about getting my hair cut so short until I met JEN. She was very good at communicating with me in order to give me the hairstyle I had envisioned for myself. On top of looking at the picture I brought in she looked at my hair and gave me her professional opinion on whether that style would work or not. Luckily the cut I was hoping to get was do-​able. She made minor adjustments to get my hair as close to the example picture as possible, but she made sure I knew what she was planning to do (make my hair a little shorter than what was shown in the picture) beforehand. Jen assessed, washed, cut, dried, and styled my hair and I am happy to say that I am very please with how my hair turned out :) Jen is an awesome stylist! I highly recommend visiting her if you are in need of a cut!

Haaave you met Jenn?! I’ve been following Jenn around for the past decade (according to her precise memory). Why, you ask? Because Jenn is amazing. She’s super chill, super skilled and super responsive.
Even when I get too busy to spare 45 minutes for her every couple of months, and am waaaay overdue for a cut, she is always understanding and proceeds to make my hair look like I hadn’t been ignoring my date in the salon chair. There are certain things I like done when I go to her (cut in a v, thinned out, etc) and she NEVER ever forgets (even when I haven’t seen her in a while due to my schedule). She puts some kind of serum in my hair on the last leg of the journey which makes my hair feel so shiny and healthy that I can’t. stop. touching. it.
Jenn always inquires about the rest of my day and if I have something I’m going to later on, she styles my hair like a celeb! I always walk out of the salon feeling like paparazzi should be following me :)

Based on the stellar reviews, I decided to give this place a try. I don’t have a regular hair stylist since I haven’t really found one that I really like.
So I got to the salon, and I thought that it was pretty cute. The stylist washed my hair, and we talked briefly about what I wanted. She made a few cuts and then she proceeded to blow dry and straighten my hair. I started to feel a little disappointed about this place because I thought my hair looked almost the same as when I arrived… I was like… is this it? But then she started to cut the layers, and let me tell you, she took the greatest care in cutting the layers in my hair. It took a while since I have so much hair, but she was very meticulous, and the end result was the best haircut I’ve had since I got here. AND this great cut only cost around $ 45.00! I think that is very reasonable compared to other salons, which charge around $ 70 for haircuts that don’t even make you happy.
The reviews don’t lie! I got a great haircut, and I think I now have a salon that I will go to regularly! FINALLY!

I LOVE Salon Kai. I’ve tried other salons around Honolulu, but no place gets me like this salon. I usually go into this salon kind-​of knowing what I want, but they always take it a step further and make my hair so much more beautiful than I anticipated. My first experience with coloring my hair was with Caroline last year and she gave me an awesome ombré! She chose the perfect color for me; not too blonde, but light enough to be noticed and that is exactly what I wanted.
I went in for a cut and Niki gave me the volume I desperately needed.
There was none of this «Im gonna do this, this, and this to your layers! Itll look great!!» or «Yeah, its supposed to look like this» stuff I faced before. It was the layered look I wanted, came in for, and left with!
Found my first fav business in Oahu!

I was in need of a trim and found Salon Kai here on Unilocal.The reviews impressed me and I called immediately to schedule an appointment that day. It is great that this salon is open until 8pm. Great for those who work until 5pm and can barely get home before the sun sets.
Rose was a lovely hair stylist who was able to decipher what past haircuts my hair has gone through and clearly addressed the areas that needed to be fixed and showed me exactly what she was going to do. I am always a little timid of getting my hair cut because of the fear of getting too much cut off. Rose was very sure that I still had long hair afterwards like I specified.
Haircuts are $ 45. After tax and tip it comes out to about $ 55. This is the most expensive trim I have ever gotten and wish that there was a separate price for trims versus haircuts.
I was in and out under an hour. Slightly faster than what it takes to cut my hair usually. Made me worry about the quality of the cut but everything was still in good condition. Maybe not as layered as usual. I would wait for a solid haircut before coming back. Too expensive for just a trim but Rose was such a sweetheart I had to give her some love here on Unilocal

Jen RoCkS!
I was looking for a great, experienced stylist to desperately fix my 11 YO daughter’s hob (horribly cut bob) that a well-​intentioned student created. Maddie has had to wear her hair in a ponytail for the past 4 weeks because i was still searching…
I decided to trust reviews on Unilocal for Salon Kai. I called on Friday for a Saturday morning appointment. After the nice receptionist and i went back and forth trying to make it work for both of us, Jen called me and fit my daughter into her schedule.
The salon is nice — not too flashy but comfortable. Jen came to get Maddie for her appointment right on time, which i appreciate. She not only talked to me about what i wanted but also asked my daughter what she wanted to make sure she was going to like her cut too. Jen took her time cutting Maddie’s hair and did a FABULOUS job on her a-​line bob. She got 2 compliments before she even got into the car! My daughter loves her new sophisticated cut and her new hairstylist. :)
If you are looking for a hairstylist that is down-​to-​earth, very experienced and affordable (only $ 24 for a kids cut!) — Jen’s your girl!

I called in Friday spur of the moment to schedule an appointment to get my hair done. When was the last time I cut my hair? Anyway, it had to be done. The hair had to go. Making an appointment was really easy. The woman who answered the phone was helpful and polite. I managed to snag an appointment for later that afternoon.
Just so you know, Salon Kai is located in Manoa Marketplace — right above the bakery. So you just take the stairs at the end and it’s the first shop on the left. Easy enough, and plenty of parking!
I arrived at the shop and was surprised. It was larger than I had though (but still had that cozy feel to it). It was clean, and the décor was really cute. It was very fun and vibrant. Niki was actually waiting for me to come in so I was able to get started right away! (Hooray for that!) She asked what I wanted and I honestly had no idea. I just told her I wanted a bunch of it off, and asked for her suggestions (hey — last minute cut, remember?). She was more than helpful and advised against going shorter than shoulder length because of my hairtype (totally agreed). She had valuable input and we decided pretty quickly on the length and layers.
She washed my hair and there was some small talk which was really nice. Not super awkward, which is always a plus. The cut itself was fast, and I was happy with it when she was done! I gave her a very generous tip which brought my total to $ 55 (the tip was just under 10), so the cut price is very reasonable. I’m so happy with my new hair and how light it is! Although I’ve only seen Niki, all the other stylists in the salon seemed very capable and did a fantastic job on the other customers in there! You’re in good hands at Salon Kai!

CAROLINE FTW!
She is awesome. I’ve seen her twice already for my highlights and she always recommends only the very best. I have dark hair and I originally wanted to go really light. She understood where I was coming from but only recommended the healthiest way to go which was to take it in steps and to do it using highlights to achieve a lighter look without having to color all my hair blonde. I loved the outcome both times I went! As for the price, I think it’s super reasonable considering my hair length and the two colors of highlights she used.
She’s also really easy to talk to. I’ve never really had a regular hair stylist and I’m glad that I found my way to Caroline because I know I’m in good hands now. Plus, I’m amazed that even if I’ve seen her just once before, she still remembered me when I made my second appointment :)
The salon itself is really nice too. Doesn’t get too loud or crowded.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!
Well, I love the girl who cut my hair — JEN!
In my 20 years on this earth (which I know is not much… but just saying), I have never ever been completely, 100% satisfied and even ecstatic about my hair cut — and its price! I have very thick hair — VERY. I have had stylists tell me it was impossible to cut my hair a certain way that I had wanted because of this. But with Jen, it was possible!!! She did wonders with my hair. She cut it so beautifully. She thinned it out which makes my poor head feel so much better these days. I asked for a lot of layers and to still keep as much length as possible. She did the job! I also wanted to try bangs again, for the first time since my 1^st grade days. I got the blunt, straight-​across bangs that fall right at/​under the eyebrows, and she nailed it!!! I love my new bangs :)
She also gives free bang trims… WALK-​IN free bang trims. Can I get an amen!
I am still so stoked about my hair cut. I am ONLY going back to Jen, from now until forever! She is awesome. She has been cutting hair for 9 years and she is great at it! Super cool, nice to talk to, and oh I can’t leave out the nice head massage during the shampoo! If you want a stylist who actually knows what she is doing — I recommend Jen. I haven’t tried the other stylists at Salon Kai, but I am sure they are awesome too! This review is mostly for Jen, though, who now has my heart in the world of hair-​styling.
The price was just about right if not actually lower than what I would expect for a haircut as excellent as the one I received. Including the generous tip I gave her, my total was about $ 50.
I would DEFINITELY recommend Salon Kai — and Jen to be more specific. If you have thick hair and are picky about your cut, call Salon Kai and ask for Jen!!!

One of the things I love doing is finding a new salon and getting a hair cut. I found SK on Unilocal.This warm and inviting salon had quite a number of happy reviewers, so I thought I’d give them a shot. In the morning, I called to make a same day appointment, and the woman who answered said she’d call back, but didn’t. I then called later in the afternoon and was able to get in the next day. My hair was getting on my nerves, but one more day wouldn’t hurt.
It’s a little tricky finding SK if you are not familiar with the area. I knew the shopping center it was in, so just finding it was the challenge. It was raining pretty heavy, and of course, it was in the last area I walked through. The girl who greeted me was very nice, and as I sat there waiting, I was able to get a feel for the place. Great creative energy! My appointment was with Jenny.
I’m not sure if my request was a little weird. When I do this, I tell the stylist that he/​she can cut my hair anyway they want, but that it has to be short and somewhat conservative, but something I can make hip and funky on the weekends. But she cut my hair so that I could spike it up on the top. I also liked the shampoo after the cut to get rid of all the small loose hairs. We had a nice conversation about my visit here to surprise my parents. I was also able to see the fun camaraderie between the other stylists.
I really liked the vibe of Salon Kai. My friends and family liked my new look, and some even said I looked like I lost weight (I love when that happens! Thanks Jenny!). If and when I return, and in need of a cut, I will definitely book an appointment with Jenny. But I’m sure anyone you decide on would be equally talented.

*NOTE* I’ve amended my original review. Still glowing, just amended!
Salon Kai is located above Fendu (the French bakery). You can’t really see it from the street, so look for the stairwell in between Longs and Fendu and when you reach the top of the stairs, it’s located on your immediate left. If you have trouble climbing up the stairs, there’s an elevator located near the bank and Hanaki. It does put you on the other side of the shopping center (closer to the Thai restaurant), but at least the walk from there is flat.
I’d like to point out that Sandi, the owner, did a really great job decorating the salon. As another Unilocaler mentioned, it’s really cute – very chic and yet down to earth. I think it’s the perfect size for her stylists. It’s intimate without being overcrowded and everyone is really sweet. When I came in, it seemed like everyone (stylists and customers alike) were really enjoying themselves.
I’ve been seeing Caroline for almost five years now. Before her, I bounced around from salon to salon in DC, Seattle, Hawaii and feeling pretty «meh» about my hair. Supercuts, Macy’s, high end salons, you name it… I went and I was underwhelmed. But now, I won’t let anyone else touch my hair. Caroline made me realize how good it feels to take care of myself. A great haircut can be transformative, seriously.
As always, Caroline does a fantastic job with my hair. I brought in a few pictures because I wanted something new and she was able to execute the cut perfectly. She’s easy to talk to, professional, and does consistent quality work. I highly recommend her or any of the other stylists there. Everyone will take care of you.
Parking is not a problem since Salon Kai is at Manoa Marketplace and there’s a dedicated lot. It does get pretty crowded during lunch time, but if you’re patient, you’ll be able to snag a parking spot from one of the old ladies leaving Longs Drugs.