Hairdoo Voodoo

I’ve been going to Hairdoo Voodoo for 15 years, and I wouldn’t trust my hair to anyone but the owner, Margaret.
Her Scottish/​Irish upbringing, unyielding desire for aesthetic perfection, and her choice in staff – Yorque, Michelle, Silvie, Karen, and the others through the years – is perfection. The salon is peaceful. The staff are like my family, and I trust Margaret for the master colorist and stylist she is.
Countless times people have asked me where I got my hair cut, and many of my friends, current and past, go to Hairdoo Voodoo because of Margaret’s and Yorque’s talents. I have been there with people who fly in from NYC and DC and LA
Brief backstory: Margaret got her chops in London, mentored by the best, cut and styled for fashion shows in Milan, the UK, etc. The salon has all original art made by friends, it’s spotless, and it would be my pleasure to recommend Margaret, my stylist and friend, to anyone.

I’ve been through many hairdressers in this town and elsewhere, and no one has been able to cut mine like Margaret has. I have very fine hair with natural wavy curls, and a round face. She listened to my general preference and then made suggestions of her own based on the shape of my face, and how we needed to accent my eyes. I gave her my full trust, as she obviously knew what she was doing (after 30+years doing hair, and a traditional apprenticeship in Europe). She cut the main shape and then free-​hand sculpted my mane with incredible skill. My hair came out wonderfully lifted in just the right places with fun textured bits and playful curls around the side of my cheeks. Now when I get out of bed in the morning, my hair still looks fabulous!
I have found my hairdresser in SF after 2 years of searching and many failed haircuts!
I also liked her take on the world, this city, her dedication to «clean» products and her wonderful Scottish accent. She took her time and we had lovely conversation that felt truly genuine. Definitely my go-​to gal for hair from now on! Thank you, Margaret!

I have to agree with some comments about Margaret, she did a great job. I have been here before too but the person who did my hair before was not that great but I did go back and this time Margaret did an excellent job. I will go back only if Margaret is around. I got so many compliments for my new hair style.

I made an appointment at Hairdoo Voodoo hoping someone could repair my woefully damaged mane. I was seen by Yorque on a Saturday.
He looked at my hair, and after much consideration he informed me that I could either spend a great deal of money attempting to repair basically irreparable hair, or I could go the adventurous rout and cut off some length. I admit, I hemmed and hawed enough to convince him that I wasn’t ready to take any kind of plunge immediately, so he set up an appointment for the following Saturday. He gave me a special shampoo and conditioner to use in the mean time to «prepare my hair» for his handiwork.
Giving me a week to think over my options was the smartest thing he could have done, because by the time the next Saturday rolled around I was excited about my choice to cut off my hair and had a slew of photos to show him. After we discussed the photos and he got a good sense of where I wanted to go, he handed me the scissors and told me to symbolically let go of my hair by cutting off the first chunk myself. It was a liberating and exhilarating way to begin my appointment!
Yorque really has a way with people, and with hair. He made sure to cut my hair in its natural state of waviness, telling me, «I know with this cut you’re going to want to straighten it, but I want your hair to look amazing even when you don’t style it at all». Genius! He also understood perfectly the look I was going for and how to make it suit me best, without telling me what I needed to do, but by listening to me.
After my cut, and after he lightened my color and added nice touches of atomic pink to my new do, I was astounded.
Yorque did what no stylist has EVER done. He listened, he watched my every reaction, he asked me questions, and he delivered exactly what was in my imagination. He never took advantage of my horrible hair situation to squeeze money out of me, and I felt like he was always honest.
I’ll be going back to Yorque.

This hair salon is the best. Yorque and margret were so amazing. I went in with waist length hair ready to chop it all off and with yorque’s skill and attention to my personality I left with everything I could have ever wanted. A unique haircut that was different from all the pictures I brought yet suited my face perfectly and fits my personality to a T. I couldn’t be happier. I even bought some dye to do when I got home. Such a great atmosphere and an amazing hairdresser. GO HERE!

Until meeting Margaret, I’d been changing stylists at least once a year in a search for someone who can style curly hair. If you’ve got curls, Margaret is your girl.
Her haircuts are masterful. After a haircut from Margaret, I wake up each day with bedhead that looks like I have just stepped off a movie set where I was filming some steamy bedroom scene. Yes, I could roll out of bed and go get coffee without doing a thing to my hair.
When I first started seeing her, years ago, my long hair was pretty damaged from frequent dyeing. Margaret got me on track to healthy hair with some deep treatments and conditioner recommendations. The products she carries are amazing. I’ve never felt any sales pressure from Margaret or Yorque, like is common in so many other salons. In fact, she has discouraged me from buying things that weren’t needed for my hair type.
I’ve had Margaret color my hair once, and the color was fantastic. But I like to change color all the time and I am a cheapsake so I normally do it myself. Margaret is very sweet about it, never pressures me to have professional dye jobs, and does her best to keep the damage I’ve inflicted in check. :-)
A year ago, I asked Margaret to chop off my nearly waist length locks and to take a razor to the back of my head. I was a bit apprehensive. Maybe she was too. The results were fantastic, though, and I’ve had constant compliments on my hair as she’s taken me through a range of short styles in the past year.
Obviously, I can’t say enough nice things of Margaret and Hairdoo Voodoo. (I can’t believe I hadn’t already written a review!)

I have been visiting Margaret and Yorque for a few years now. I must emphasize that I will NOT let anybody else do work on my hair besides Margaret and Yorque. They provide a priceless experience every time I visit. They stand behind the quality of their work and they treat their craft as a true art that includes hair. I get compliments on my hair all the time. Results that are nothing short of true Hairdoo Voodoo happening to my hair. Go see Margaret and Yorque and experience the quality for yourself!- You won’t be disappointed!

Margaret is my hair saver!
My hair is really dried out from the over bleaching that was done, I was about to just chop it off. But, I went to see Margaret first for a hair consult. She gave me hope.
So she made suggestions and we went for it… She gave me a trim a color great products and some instructions on how to treat it… I must say that it is working. My hair is getting better, it is a work in progress but, I can already tell it will be saved!
When you go there, you may be surprised of the location and when you first walk in. The pictures below are not updated. I believe those pics are from their previous location.
The place they are at now is just a room they rent out in like an apartment building… very small… the 2 times I have gone. As I walked over to the 3^rd floor I was a bit worried… then I walk in and its a room and there are poeple sitting waiting and some people getting their hair done… They obviously do great work because they are always busy.
She works there with her husband/​boyfriend. They are both very nice and very knowledgable about everything, great conversationalists!
I will be going back no doubt, I dont care if they work in a smaller place than they are now, I will be back!

I believe that true beautician genius is a dying art. Yorque’s hair savvy is a testament to those who «get» hair. He has an eye for hair that I have only seen in one other beautician in SF (but she moved to Australia many years ago) — and believe me, I have been to many.
My sister and I have been seeing Yorque for years now. And my sister and I joked that we don’t have to see Yorque all too often because he cuts hair so well, the stages of your hair grow-​out are each different and interesting. It takes a while for your hair to show signs that it needs a new cut.
And then I started thinking that maybe beautician’s are being trained to cut hair so it grows nicely for the first couple of months, but then suddenly turns on them (kind of like all those appliances you buy that are disposable and need to be replaced just 1 year and 1 day after the product warranty). Just so the beautician can get you back to their salon sooner.
Yorque is unique to his trade, with true artistic hair flair, always great conversation, ahhhh — did you say head massage?, perfectionist.
Their new studio is slightly difficult to find — make sure you get a good description of where it is on 18^th and Treat. And there is a garage as well if you can’t find parking on the street.
Enjoy watching an artist in action perform on your head!

Searching for a new stylist makes me anxious. I prefer to find someone with a good eye & understanding of my hair, & stick with her/​him for years. A visiting friend went to HV & had color by Margaret & cut by Yorque. It looked great, & several months later she still loved the result. So when my hair finally drove me crazy, I called & booked an appointment for a cut with Yorque the next day.
I have fine, straivy (not straight, not wavy, but precisely straivy) hair, which was almost to my waist, & 4-​month-​old bangs that I’d been pinning under to hide for 3 months. Damaged ends from a lot of color processing (some pro & some DIY). I used to get my long hair layered, but a previous stylist had overthinned it, so I’d got discouraged & grown out the layers. But it didn’t look nice without layers, either.
I didn’t know how to express what I wanted, but mentioned I wanted to keep as much length as was healthy. Also some layering to make it fall nicer, but could it please be subtle & gradual? And some way for the bangs to blend gracefully in with the rest, & a little more deliberate framing around my face. Hm, I guess I could express what I wanted, just wasn’t sure someone else could understand exactly what I meant.
Yorque shampooed & deep conditioned my hair, then blow-​dried it & did a dry cut. At one point, he had me stand up & bend my head over while he cut into my hair. At first, he styled it very lightly, then he showed me a few different options (like how the sides could now be down & framing my face, or tucked behind my ears), then did a more polished style, explaining as he did so.
It looked great fresh from the chair. But the true test is letting it air dry: my preference, but not always the way it looks best (depending almost entirely on cut). This cut passes the test with flying colors! It’s one of those magical cuts that really requires no styling & almost no product; my hair falls just right, looking well groomed & proportioned. It’s now 4 weeks later, & I’m in love with this cut.
I have a fair amount of premature silver, which necessitates constant self-​color touch-​ups. This is usually a source of shame in the chair, but Yorque was most gracious & understanding (& amazingly down-​to-​earth!). He complimented me on what I’d done well, & gave me tips to improve. When I mentioned my dream of eventually cropping it all & starting fresh with my natural silver, he said that whenever I was ready, both the cut & natural color would be liberating & beautiful. He also mentioned that Margaret & he have been blending fun colors into naturally silver hair (apparently a «new» technique now getting press) for years. I’m really excited about having natural hair with a lil badass attitude thrown in (ya know, whenever I’m ready).
I took my time deciding where to take my hair in SF, & am very pleased I went to HV.
My current profile photo shows Yorque’s great work; it was taken about 3 weeks after the cut, after washing & airdrying, almost no product (just a few drops of serum).

I moved to the city nearly three years ago. I always had long hair and never minded much whether the cut was «great» or not, as long as I didn’t have to pay too much. I moved into this neighborhood and due to convenience, I checked this place out.
I had my appointment with Yorque, the hair «pruner» and yes, he’s like an Edward Scissorhands! I had received many «East Coast» cuts up until then but I was craving a San Fran look when I went to him… About seven inches of hair later and a much edgier, versatile cut, and voila! Every time I styled my hair differently everyone thought I got a new cut… He’s genius! He’s also done color on my hair and has gotten great results (a few cobalt blue streaks for a while, then switched over to red for a bit. Now I’m back to my dark brown all over)
Margaret is a real sweetheart and what’s great about the place is that once you’re in, you’re always welcomed by them. They’re interesting to be around (as in, more than just «chit chat» without much substance) and don’t be intimidated when Yorque pulls out his triple scissors in hand to cut!

After hearing about my friend’s fabulous experience with Margaret, I finally decided to take the plunge– and let her cut all my hair off…
I had a WONDERFUL experience here. Yorque walked me through the salon, and then chatted me up while shampooing and conditioning my hair. After which, he had the pleasure of hacking off a good 5″ straight off the bottom of my hair to get me ready for Margaret’s skilled hands.
I literally sat down and told her to «fix me» — and fix me she did. I got a totally great cut, great conversation, great music, and all at a totally reasonable price. I could not have been more thrilled.
This is my new favorite salon!

I’ve been going to Hairdoo Voodoo for at least 10 years, probably longer. Margaret, the owner, has taken me through so many styles — from several years of long, glossy black (striking AND healthy, hard to do), to all-​over pink, to streaks of wacky color, and to basic brown for job hunting. She can really do it all. What’s more, the cuts she gives grow out really well so you don’t need to return every 6 weeks.
It’s also a blast sitting in the shop, which always has the most amazing flower arrangements and a nice cozy atmosphere. It is fun and friendly to go to Hairdoo Voodoo, not pretentious.
I agree with the other reviewers who call Margaret a visionary and a true artist. She really takes you and your style into consideration and always gives a cut that is great-​looking, and on the cool/​unique side of trendy.

Margaret is a visionary and a true artist. I tell her what I want my hair to look like, and she exceeds my expectations every time, giving me a haircut and color I couldn’t have ever envisioned. I trust her if she has a vision or different idea for my cut or color, and am never disappointed. The salon has warm tones, great feng shui, and interesting music (not to mention great conversation). Every client who comes in talks to Margaret like an old friend. The prices are a steal considering how great you look when you leave.

Best haircut I’ve ever gotten.
Margaret spent a lot of time cutting my hair to a style that was very flattering. I didn’t really know what I wanted, but she was able to show me how my hair should be cut to make my very fine and straight hair have volume and motion.
I also had my hair dyed purple while I was there. She is the master of funky colors. She took a lot of time explaining the best way to maintain the color. I don’t live in the area, so she gave me lots of instructions on what to do in the meantime until I can get back to her in a few months. I’ve never had a stylist as willing to spend the time to explain these things in detail before.
I’m spoiled now and I plan on going back to Margaret every time I can make it to San Francisco.

I feel like I have cheated on the stylist that I have been going to for the last 6 years… but I have found a new love! I can’t get over how Margaret sculpted my overgrown hair-​farm (9 months since my last cut) into the style I have been searching for my entire life. She gave me exactly what I have always yeared for but have never quite achieved… It sounds a bit mellow dramatic, but hey, your hair is your identity. I can’t wait to go back for color!!!

I have been going to Margaret for 13 years, and I have to say hands down she is the best stylist I have ever gone to. She was the first person I let color my hair and we have been coloring it ever since! I have thin hair and Margaret has managed to make it look thicker and fuller than it ever has by any one else. I definitely think that the product eufora that she uses and that I also use at home has made a huge difference. I am definitely one of her more conservative clients, but let me tell you no matter what kind of hair style you are looking for Margaret will do it even better then you hoped for. When you go to her put your hair in her hands and you will leave a very happy person!

I’ve never had a stylist pay so much attention to my complexion and bone structure. Margaret examined every angle to make sure the cut would fit me. She had me standing up and even bending forward to my knees so that she could reach every last hair.
She knows how to re-​create styles from the 1930s and other decades. Her skills and personal attention are tops, without the snooty attitude found in so many other salons.
There are intelligent things to read in addition to the usual magazines.
Hairdoo Voodoo uses Eufora hair products that are biodegradable and organic. They don’t contain plasticizing chemicals, unlike so many other products advertised as green and natural.
I arrived after having left my phone on a bus. Margaret was kind enough that she immediately handed me phones and the number for MUNI so I could try to locate my handset.
After 4+ years in SF, I might just have found a salon finally to settle on, happily.

I’ve been going to Hairdoo Voodoo for many years. I’ve seen a few different stylists there. I used to see Michelle, then she moved away, and I’ve seen Margaret many times. I have a friend from NYC who always gets her hair done by Yorque whenever she is in SF.
if you are into having fun rockstar color done, I have to recommend Margaret. she is amazing and will even mix different colors of Manic Panic (or the brand of your choice) dyes like paint to achieve the effect you’re after. getting your hair cut and colored by Margaret takes a long time, because of her attention to detail, but conversation is choice (her Scottish accent is awesome), and the magazines are plentiful.
i wouldn’t recommend this place for the more conservative, but i have seen a lot of people in there getting more ‘normal’ haircuts when i’ve been in there getting fauxhawks or pink streaks.
here are some cuts of mine done by folks at Hairdoo Voodoo:

I have been visiting Hairdoo Voodoo for over 4 years now to get my hair color fix. Margaret, the owner, is a genius and a goddess of all things follicle. My helmet has been blonde, black, brown, blonde, red, blonde, magenta and blonde again — and somehow she has managed to do it without all of my hair falling out. She is a perfectionist — taking time to get to know you (and your hair) so you’re sure to leave satisfied. This quality comes at a [not too terrible] price, and usually takes a bit longer than the average cut and color — a remarkable value.
If you aren’t into Tom Waits, or the random remix of German war propaganda, they will happily play Marilyn Monroe or some Argentinian tango tunes upon request.