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Head Designs
Head Designs

Head Designs

Hair salon in Oakland, CA

Rated 4.8 out of 5 (36 on Google Maps) (opens in a new tab) Closed now

Head Designs is owned and run by Sheila Head, who founded the salon and has worked in the hair industry for 46 years according to the salon's own description. The salon describes its owner as an award-winning veteran cosmetologist and says it won several local honors, including a Mike McPherson Pillar Oakland Indie Award in 2012-2013 and recognition at the 2013 Madame C.J. Walker awards.

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About

Head Designs is owned and run by Sheila Head, who founded the salon and has worked in the hair industry for 46 years according to the salon's own description. The salon describes its owner as an award-winning veteran cosmetologist and says it won several local honors, including a Mike McPherson Pillar Oakland Indie Award in 2012-2013 and recognition at the 2013 Madame C.J. Walker awards.

The salon's history includes HIV awareness and education work in the 1990s, which was covered in an Oakland Tribune article, and a 1996 stint teaching and training at the Kenya School of Hairdressing in Nairobi. Today it also supports local cosmetology graduates who want to own a salon through an entrepreneur incubation program, sells small batches of homemade products from aspiring local business owners during the holiday season, hosts the Garden of Information health and wellness event for the community, and has long supported the Women's Cancer Resource Center.

A visit usually starts with a consultation, which can be held in the salon or over Zoom; the salon recommends Zoom. Consultations are prepaid, and clients fill out a questionnaire beforehand so the stylist can talk through their goals, photos of looks they like, and the products they currently use. Appointments are booked through the salon's Square system and can be reserved with a debit card, credit card, or PayPal.

Services are grouped by type, from color and relaxer work to texturizing, body waves, and a range of haircut series that bundle several visits at a lower combined price. Haircuts and trims are charged at the same rate, and most shaping is done in fractions of an inch. The salon also sells its own Head Design line of styling products for curly, wavy, coily, and kinky hair, along with herbal hair teas for scalp use.

Consultations come first so that goals, reference photos, and current products can be discussed before any service is booked.

Specials & promotions

  • Haircut series with $45 savings

    $275

    Use within 8 months. Designed for 2-3 month haircuts/trims.

    On their website as of Oct 30, 2026 · Where we saw it

  • Three haircuts for $225

    $225

    Expires after 7 months. Designed for every 8 weeks maintenance.

    On their website as of Oct 30, 2026 · Where we saw it

  • Texture series for $330

    $330

    2 haircuts and a 2nd phase texturizer.

    On their website as of Oct 30, 2026 · Where we saw it

  • Color and haircut series for $310

    $310

    2 color services and 2 haircuts.

    On their website as of Oct 30, 2026 · Where we saw it

Services

Final prices may vary.

Consultations and a haircut series for clients who want a set of visits at a lower combined price, plus a herbal conditioner series.

  • Micro Fiber Gloves $10
  • Beard Trim $25
  • Consultation must prepay to be confirmed $30
  • Deep Herbal conditioner deep steam treatment $45
  • Demi color 4-wk no lift/ gray coverage $90
  • Relaxer retouch 6-8wk previous relaxer $95
  • Vero retouch 4-8wks( root )only Grey coverage $100
  • Highlights (HALF HEAD) above the ear (WITHIN 4MOS FROM IST HIGHLIGHT) $125
  • Loc maintenace $165
  • 1st texerizer no prior text/natural hair $175
  • 1st phase vero color never had color/ changing overall color/ have'nt had color in 3months or more. $185
  • RT/set or blD $190
  • 1st phase relaxer no previous relaxer/ or not in the last 9-10wks $205
  • Body Wave put waves or curls into straight or curly hair $205
  • Color Correction correcting unwanted color from home treatment \ from another salon or stylist $250
  • Color & haircut series 2 colors/2cuts $340
  • Texture package 2hc &2tex $360
  • 1of OF SERIES Price at booking
  • 2of2 OF SERIES Price at booking
  • 3of3 OF SERIES(RENEW) Price at booking
  • Consultation $30
  • Hair Cuts Series $275

Demi and vero color, highlights, decolorizing in phases, and color correction for unwanted color from home treatments or another salon.

  • Demi color 4-wk $90
  • Decolorizer 2nd phase or short hair $95
  • Vero retouch $100
  • Highlights half head $125
  • 1st phase vero color $185
  • Decolorizer 1st phase $185
  • Highlights full head $225
  • Color Correction $250
  • Demi Color $85
  • Vero Color $170
  • Demi Color (temporary) $85
  • Highlights $190

Relaxer retouches, texturizing in phases, and body waves that add body and curl pattern for hair types 1 through 4.

  • 2nd Phase Relaxer Retouch $80
  • 2nd Phase Texturizer $80
  • Body Waves Half Head $105
  • 1st Phase Texturizer $135
  • Relaxer Retouch w/set BD $145
  • Body Waves $160
  • Deep Herbal conditioner $45
  • Herbal conditioner series (3) $130
  • Loc maintenance $165
  • Curl Reconstruction $185

Bundled packages of haircuts, color with haircuts, and texture services for natural hair at a reduced price.

  • Hair Cut Series(3) $225
  • Color & Hair Cut Series $310
  • Texture Series $330
  • Haircut series (3 haircuts) $290
  • Color & haircut series (2 and 2) $340
  • 1 of of series Price at booking
  • 2 of 2 of series Price at booking
  • 3 of 3 of series (renew) Price at booking

Relaxer retouches and first-phase relaxers, timed to how recently hair was last relaxed.

  • Relaxer retouch $95
  • 1st phase relaxer $205

Roller sets, flat ironing, blowouts with a set, and special occasion styling for updos, proms, weddings, and finger waves.

  • Roller Set $90
  • Special Occasions Styling $90
  • Flat Iron $95
  • RT/set or bID $190

Texturizers, body waves, and texture packages that combine haircuts with texturizing treatments.

  • Texterizer $95
  • 1st texterizer $175
  • Body Wave $205
  • Texture package $360
  • Consultation (prepaid, Zoom) $30
  • Hair Cuts $100
  • Roller Sets $65+
  • Flat Ironing/ Sliking $75+

Photos

  • Gray-haired man with trimmed beard, haircut result
  • Side view of gray-haired man after a haircut
  • Gray-haired bearded man smiling, haircut result
  • Smiling woman with a short pixie cut
  • Side profile of woman with a textured pixie cut
  • Back view of textured pixie cut with undercut
  • Creative undercut design on client's head, back view
  • Side view of short curly cut on client
  • Smiling client with short curly cut and glasses
  • Side view of a curly bob cut on a client
  • Side profile of a curly cut with defined curls
  • Front view of a client's curly shoulder-length cut

Meet the team

Team members listed on their website. Individual roles, credentials, and current employment have not been independently verified.headdesigns.com (opens in a new tab)

Highlights
  • Herbal scalp and hair treatments made from a custom blend of fresh and dried herbs
  • Body waves for hair types 1 and 2, with a Wave Nuveo treatment for hair types 3 and 4
  • Haircut, color, and texture series priced below booking each service separately
  • Prepaid consultations held in the salon or by Zoom, with a questionnaire beforehand
  • Head Design product line for curly, wavy, coily, and kinky hair
  • Community programs including entrepreneur incubation for local cosmetology graduates
Good for
  • Curly, wavy, coily, and kinky hair
  • Relaxed or previously relaxed hair
  • Clients planning a color change or a first consultation before a major service
  • Gray coverage between salon visits
  • Locs and loc maintenance
  • Special occasions such as proms, weddings, and updos
  • Clients who want a series of visits at a set price
Treats
  • Gray coverage
  • Unwanted color from home treatments or another salon
  • Changing from straight to curly or curly to straight
  • Relaxer maintenance
  • Scalp care
  • Loc upkeep
  • Texture and curl definition
Techniques
  • Demi color
  • Vero color
  • Decolorizing in two phases
  • Highlights
  • Color correction
  • Relaxers and relaxer retouch
  • Texturizing in two phases
  • Body waves
  • Wave Nuveo treatment
  • Curl reconstruction

Products & treatments

  • Head Design styling foam, shampoo, conditioner, and styling gel for curly, wavy, coily, and kinky hair
  • Herbal hair teas for scalp infusion
  • Shampoo, conditioner, and comb bundles
  • Argan oil gel
  • Sisal basket and brass necklace

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