Whether you want to do natural-looking blonde highlights or go all out to achieve a platinum blonde look, there are plenty of hairdressers in Singapore that specialise in popular trends including balayage and ombre hair colouring. As we all know, the right tone is the really important part – we don’t want to look washed out. Read on for our reviews on some of the top hair salons that specialise in blonde highlights.
Where to go for blonde highlights in Singapore
Chez Vous Hideaway
“Tucked away behind a bright yellow door in an office tower, Chez Vous Hideaway is a very different hair salon experience. The WhatsApp message that confirms your booking suggests you arrive 15 minutes before your appointment; when you do, you relax in a massage chair in a flower-filled anteroom to the main salon. The next massage is with a hairbrush-type machine that stimulates your scalp, then another one while your hair is being washed. I felt very spoiled!
I went in to have my blonde highlights adjusted as they had gone very bronze. Associate Director Eddy very politely told me that my hair was quite damaged. He wanted to bring the colour closer to my natural shade, with very light highlights remaining for contrast. He used a chopping technique to give body and removed the damaged ends without losing too much length as well. Eddy advised not to blow dry my hair but to enjoy the natural curl instead.
We went for the nude hair colour design, a neutral and natural looking tone that’s neither warm nor cool. It’s super flattering, low maintenance, and highlights the features better, while giving the hair a healthier look. According to the team, not all colour correction should involve bleaching. Rather, counteracting and balancing pigments using hair colours can do the hair more good!
Some salons in Singapore make me feel like I end up with a cut and colour similar to everyone else, but this is a fresh take on blonde highlights to me, and the cut is very manageable. The final look isn’t hard to replicate at home either. I am already looking forward to my next massage!”
– Danielle Rossetti
“This salon is a welcome respite from bustling Orchard Road. I can see why they’ve called it a ‘Hideaway’! Stepping inside feels more like walking into a luxurious members’ club than a salon!
Before my appointment, I’m taken into their lounge area and given 10 minutes to unwind in a massage chair; it’s a glorious way to relax and get into the mood for some serious hair pampering. This is my first time in a while getting blonde highlights; like many, I’ve had my fair share of horror stories. Knowing Chez Vous’ reputation, I came open-minded and deferred to the expertise of Caucasian hair colourist Shawn for recommendations. I liked that, despite being unprompted, he asked specific questions about my hair condition – how I usually wore my hair, for example, and previous colours I’ve had in the past. We settled on a trim to add shape and body, and for colour a blend of multiple shades of lighter blonde and ashy cooler tones.
After an initial hair wash and head massage, cut and dry, all in, it took Shawn and a wonderful assistant an hour and a half to meticulously foil all of my hair; they really went strand by strand with the placement. After washing out the foils, they also applied a deep conditioning mask to hydrate and strengthen my dry, curly locks. The final result after drying and styling really blew my mind. This is the first time I’ve had blonde highlights that seamlessly blend into my own hair. It looks so natural yet striking with incredible dimension — like my hair had been dipped in gold. The cost may be on the higher side, but for the finish, level of care and expertise the colourists have in handling different hair types, I can firmly say it’s 100 percent worth it.”
– Susannah Jaffer, reader
Chez Vous Hideaway
Ngee Ann City Tower, #14-04
391B Orchard Road
6219 3558 | chezvoushair.com/hideaway
Trimmings
“Over the past few years, Trimmings has become my go-to pampering spot for all things beauty – hair, nails, massages, and facials. It always feels like I’m entering a secret hideout where I can relax and leave everything to the experts here! My highlights from months ago were growing out and it was high time for a touch-up.
Hair artist Benson from Trimmings Tudor Court has done an excellent job with my hair before, so I knew I was in good hands. We decided on a natural, sun-kissed balayage look to suit my dark brown locks. I settled into my seat and sipped on my green tea while Benson started to work on the highlights. It’s a tedious hour-long process of hand-painting bleach into sectioned streaks of hair. Olaplex treatment is mixed into the dye, which helps to condition the hair and combat potential damage caused by the harsh bleaching process.
After three hours of waiting and washing, plus an indulgent scalp massage, blowdry and style, my new hair emerges brighter and refreshed. I’m in love with it! The brown and blonde highlights blend in seamlessly with my natural hair; this means I won’t have to return for a touch-up until much later. This low maintenance hairstyle looks even more amazing when it’s styled wavy. I’ll definitely try recreating the curls for a special night out!”
– Anthia Chng
“The Dempsey Hill area is always a delight to visit – especially if it includes stop at Trimmings Salon & Spa. Founded in 2008, this army barrack turned pamper retreat has gained a loyal following with expats and locals alike – and it’s no wonder. Simply put, they deliver the results!
My consultation started well before I walked through the door, with my stylist Ray asking for some pictures of my current hair and my desired outcome. After five months of lockdown negligence, my hair was in a sorry state. I was keen for a fresh look to break the monotony and start afresh. We agreed on highlights and a gentle balayage effect to channel happy summer vibes.
With a refreshing ginger tea in hand, Ray sets to work on turning my holiday hair dream into reality. Using the foilyage technique of combining traditional foils and the balayage painting technique, Ray leaves the colour develop, checking it meticulously throughout. My hair is then washed and left to rest in the basin with the first phase of Olaplex 2 treatment. From there, a toner is used to counter any brassy undertones, followed by a sensational back massage whilst the second phase of Olaplex 6 treatment sets in. Finally, a quick dry and some dinner-ready curls and I’m a new me – I love the final result!”
– Leanda Rathmell
Trimmings
75B Loewen Road | 6471 1922
123 Tanglin Road | 9710 6415
trimmings.com.sg
Chez Vous (main outlet)
“I recently realised that I’ve had 40 years of getting blonde highlights! Over that time, it’s often been stressful getting the right shade, and it can take while to find a hairstylist you’re comfortable with, especially for colouring services. In the past, I have had some shockers – purple and orange shockers! But the hair salon scene in Singapore has come on leaps and bounds over the past 10 years and I’ve found a few that I’m comfortable with.
It’s just in time for me to tackle another challenge – finding someone who can blend white, grey, blonde and muddy brown! This is my current combination and although I don’t mind a bit of grey or white, I do mind this patchy thing going on. I went to the main Chez Vous salon, which has remarkably been around nearly as long as Expat Living has, to see Chief Director Serene Tan. I explained to her that I needed a merge. As I have my hair up most of the time in the heat, the underneath and back bits need to look good, and tie in the with the front, which is pretty white. But at the same time, I didn’t want my hair to be completely white.
Serene has over 25 years of experience (12 years at Chez Vous!), so I felt comfortable with her. She was really quick on the foils, which was nice, and understood that my hair takes a while for the colour to set in. We chose a toner that we felt would be in between the extremes of colour. It will be a bit grey for the first few weeks, but lighten up with time.
I’m very happy with the results as it looks really natural. I think any ‘grow out’ will be natural looking too, which is always good.”
– Rebecca Bisset
“It’s not often I can walk out of a hair salon completely satisfied with the results, but Chez Vous scored a perfect 10. I was met by Serene, a very calm and practiced stylist. She started by asking me about my complete hair history, including questions on how I usually style my hair and how often I use heat-styling devices. (I use a hair straightener two to three times a week.)
My last salon visit was more than six months ago. I wanted to remove the yellow tones and lighten up my hair all over, while keeping the look natural and low maintenance. Serene suggested we start with hand-painted highlights to emulate a natural sun-kissed look, gradually getting denser at the end to build up colour. A toner was needed to remove the old yellow tones, followed by a protein treatment to protect my hair from long-term heat damage, and a cut to neaten up the ends.
Serene spent almost an hour applying the colour all over. She also explained that she added a protein treatment into the colour itself to strengthen my hair as I frequently style with heat, and bleach can be too damaging. This was in addition to the toner and treatment mask for my hair during the washing phase. A lot of care was put into the colour application; I couldn’t see a single obvious line or streak. When I parted my hair in different ways or held it up or down, the colour was the same all over – light strands invisibly woven into my natural colour. The treatment also worked wonders as my hair felt super soft and smooth.
Another highlight was the care taken during the wash, shampoo and treatment. Often a scalp massage at most salons is only two to three minutes (we all know that’s never long enough) but the Chez Vous team took at least 10 minutes, which I appreciated. The ambience in the salon was very inviting and the staff were all very kind and polite, offering me drinks and snacks multiple times. I’d definitely recommend Chez Vous to my friends for a relaxing salon experience with guaranteed results. Thank you again to Serene for revitalising my hair with these lovely blonde highlights!”
– Linda Taylor, reader
Chez Vous (main outlet)
#05-05 Ngee Ann City Podium, 391 Orchard Road
6732 9388 | chezvoushair.com
Hera
“I keep thinking that I will let my grey hair win and age gracefully, but the grey and dark blonde strands at the top and back of my head look very dull, unlike the white and light hair at the front, which I quite like. So I gave in, again, and went to Hera at Tanglin to see if they could match the shade of the hair around my face.
My stylist Jen Lee has done the best job! The highlights are really skinny so the result is subtle; they blend in well and I love the final look. My hair was lovely and shiny afterwards. Hera uses Kevin Murphy and Olaplex products, both of which I know work very well on my hair. The colour is the right shade, with neither grey nor yellow coming through. I found that Jen had listened to me and let the product stay on long enough to make sure the colour was lifted properly, too. It’s important that hairdressers understand that you know your hair – especially when you’re as old as me!
Jen also gave me a trim and did a great ‘block cut’, which my curly hair needs. I’m very happy all round!”
– Rebecca Bisset
Hera Hair Beauty
#03-08A Tanglin Mall, 163 Tanglin Road
6732 1206 | herabeauty.sg
Kelture
“Kelture Aveda Lifestyle Spa Salon has been my Singapore salon for the last 14 years. I always recommend my family and friends (even when they are visiting from overseas!) to my favourite colourist, William. He’s always there to welcome me with a big smile, and he’s always excited to work his magic on my hair!
William has a great understanding of my personal style, both in the office and in the kitchen. He is always able to express that creatively in his colouring techniques. Over the years we have dabbled with some different styles and brighter looks.
Recently, William sensed that I needed something fresh and darker. After all these years, he has earned my trust; so I left it in his hands and told him to go for whatever he wanted. The latest treatment, colour and cut, where William used the Aveda Invati line, gave me a bouncy, voluminous and full look – better than ever before! The colour is perfect. The mix of lowlights and highlights adds dimension to my hair, making it look thick, fun and sophisticated at the same time! The cut feels lightweight so I can enjoy wearing it down on those hot days, too. The quality of the Aveda products used by the experienced and professional William guarantees a happy face and confident spirit every time I walk out of Kelture.”
– Laura Ryan, reader
Kelture
290 Orchard Road #05-07 Paragon
6735 6468 | kelture.com.sg
Leekaja
“For me, a trip to the hairdresser means much more than a haircut and a freshening up of my faux blonde locks. I look for a salon that offers good vibes and chill time; after all, I want to feel as good as my new blonde hair makes me look after four hours in a salon. If you’re after the full salon experience, with someone you can trust to get your blonde right, call Leekaja. The zen started from the moment I walked into Leekaja, which is very easily accessible through the Mandarin Orchard.
I couldn’t miss the salon – it’s a botanical sanctuary; the definition of an ‘urban jungle’ with rows of vibrant green plants in place to greet me on arrival, along with a friendly receptionist. She guided me through the Instagrammable city jungle, lined with exposed concrete and wood, to meet my hairdresser, Jun. I’m certainly no hair expert, so I found his consultative and open approach very helpful in drawing out exactly what I wanted to achieve. We decided on a half head of highlights and a toner to create a brighter, fresher and easy-to-maintain blonde.
The health of my hair also needed some attention, so Jun used a curated set of Korean and Japanese hair masques with restorative agents. The products would help to repair and rebuild my hair after my highlights and toner are washed clean with a fragrant lemongrass shampoo and scalp massage. By masque three, I was in pure zen; I was reclined on a leather chair listening to modern jazz in front of a flashing neon sign reading, ‘Believe me, if I looked this good, it wouldn’t be an accident.’ Awoken by the hums of a Sinatra cover, I headed back to my chair for the cut. We decided on a long bob, with light layering around the front. The styling was quick and easy, but it was the best styling I’ve had in a Singapore salon.
I loved the look. I’ve been an expat in the Middle East and Asia for almost 10 years and I’ve had my fair share of ‘hairmares’ trying to get the perfect blonde. To find Leekaja – a trendy salon that has good vibes, does blonde well and styles just right – is a win.”
– Katie, reader
Leekaja Beauty Salon
#03-13 Mandarin Gallery, 333A Orchard Road
8133 0818 | booking@leekaja.sg
leekaja.sg
Art-Noise
All the way from Tokyo, popular Japanese hair salon Art-Noise launched its first overseas offshoot in Holland Village in 2014. The cosy salon features a team of experienced hairstylists, as well as an extensive hair treatment and head spa menu. Most of the products used at the salon are formulated in Japan with a non-damaging blend of ingredients.
For colouring services like balayage and blonde highlights, the salon uses Japanese brands Shiseido or Arimino. The hairstylists are experienced in various colouring techniques such as ombre, highlighting, lowlighting, root stretching, hand painting, double application and tinting. This means that results are completely tailored to your request. Also, as an international salon group, many of the hairstylists have had experience working in Singapore, Japan and Melbourne.
Art-Noise
38A Lorong Mambong (Holland Village)
6463 3651 | art-noise.sg
Here’s more on hair and beauty salons in Singapore
Anthia Chng
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