Best Hair Salons and Barbers in Essex 2026

Finding a "your" hairdresser in Essex takes trial and error most people would rather skip. Here's the honest 2026 shortlist across every town, broken down by what you actually want done.

Best salons for colour

Chelmsford

• Rush Chelmsford — great for cut and blow-dry, chain-quality colour.

• Julie Marie Hair, Springfield — colour specialist, especially balayage.

• Toni & Guy Chelmsford — reliable premium option.

Colchester

• Andrew Barton at Ellisons — colour educator's home salon. Book weeks ahead.

• Bourne Hair Salon — under-radar. Excellent for blondes.

Brentwood

• Errol Douglas Hair Brentwood — award-winning colour team.

• Chic Boutique — high-end colour, small chair count = personal service.

Southend

• Charlie Miller Salon — colour specialist, blondes especially.

• Jax Hair Southend — up-and-coming, TikTok-famous.

Best for men's cuts and grooming

Traditional Turkish barbers

• Sam's Barbers, Chelmsford — cut, cut-throat shave, hot towel. Whole ritual £22.

• Kings Barbers, Colchester — best cut-throat shave in North Essex.

• Ali Baba Barbers, Southend — walk-in only, worth the wait.

Modern/skin-fade specialists

• Fable Barbers, Chelmsford — best skin fade in the county.

• Barber & Parlour, Brentwood — premium men's grooming, £35 cuts.

• Ollie's, Colchester — student-friendly prices, excellent barbers.

Kids' cuts

• Snip & Play, Chelmsford — cars-and-toys chairs, £15 kids' cut.

• Little Cuts, Brentwood — patient with the anxious ones.

Best for special occasions (weddings, prom, events)

Chelmsford

• The Hair Loft, Great Baddow — bridal packages, on-site available.

• Emily Rae Hair & Makeup — mobile, wedding specialist.

Colchester

• Charlotte Marie Bridal — mobile, books up 6 months ahead.

South Essex

• The Wedding Hair Company — mobile across South Essex.

Best value under £40

• Supercuts — Chelmsford, Basildon, Southend. Cut and blow-dry from £24.

• Rush Express — smaller versions of Rush, cut from £28.

• Training academies — Colchester Institute and USP College run supervised days at £15-25.

Booking tips that matter

• Saturdays book up 4+ weeks ahead at any premium salon. Book your next appointment before you leave.

• Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the quietest — best for a proper consultation.

• Consultations are usually free. Take one before a big colour change.

• Ask for a strand test before high-lift colours. Any decent colourist offers this.

Find your local salon

Our hair salons directory and barbers directory list every registered stylist in Essex — filter by town, service, and price bracket.

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