The Parkside Salon

Where to begin! How about a list?!
— Rick Hoo can do incredible things with hair. He can fix whatever hair color mess you or another stylist has made, he can give you immaculate extensions, and he’ll give you the haircut YOU ask for.
— Rick is a Master Colorist, the only one in Hawaii. At first, I didn’t know what that was and doubted its measure. But it’s a real thing and it’s impressive.
— That being said, he is no doubt a master at color!
— He is warm, welcoming, accommodating, and likeable. Who doesn’t want that in a stylist?
— Rick uses products that are the least harmful on your hair, but are still effective. He’s not just a hair stylist, Rick has a background in chemistry and attends seminars on the mainland dedicated to understanding the chemical makeup of particular hair products.
Rick is in high demand, there is no doubt about that. If you ever decide to go see him, you’ll definitely keeping coming back :)

I found Rick by accident while reading a magazine at another hair salon. In the back it had a listing of Master Colorists and in Hawaii… he is it. the only one. I didn’t really give much thought to it again… until I had a hair debacle. A salon that I went to in Waipahu ended up messing my hair cuticles up to the point I couldn’t pull a comb through it. I was trying to get my hair color corrected and this is what I was left with. Given that my hair length was down to my waist, I was in trouble since the hair couldn’t be brushed. What I did brush broke apart in pieces… in all my years I’ve never seen anything like it! In desperation I called Rick, tried to explain my situation and got an appointment.
That was almost a year ago. Granted I had to cut my hair… as Rick says… you can fix some mistakes, but the damage is done. I’m trying to grow my hair back out, but I only go to Rick on the island. Not only is he an expert, he knows all the science behind this stuff! Never knew hair could be so complicated until I had my own personal disaster.
I normally rave and Unilocal about something I love immediately but I was trying to keep Rick a bit of a secret. He has TOO many clients as it is and I hate to fight for his time. Still, this review is long overdue and I have to give him props for bringing my hair back to life… Now if I can just get it to keep growing faster so my husband stops saying I look like a boy, we’ll be set!

This was THE best appointment I’ve ever had! Rick took his time analyzing my hair as well as listening to my vision for my brand new look. He is extremely knowledgeable and gave me the perfect color! This was the first time that my scalp didn’t sting during a chemical process, and my hair looks and feels healthy and vibrant… and it looks awesome! I will definitely be back!

I have been going to Rick since I was 5 years old (17 years of my life!) and he always does an amazing job. He actually did my very first haircut as my mom wanted to see how long my hair would grow, I’ve been going to him ever since. He’s done my hair for all my high school events (several winterballs and proms) and also did my highlights and dye. He is the only Master Colorist on the island and the only one I trust to color my hair as I know the products he uses are safe. I’ve let several other people color my hair before and it never turned out the way I wanted it. I can always trust Rick to do a superior job! He always explains what color will look better on me, and he’s always up on the latest trends which is very helpful.
He’s a very genuine and professional guy. He his very busy so expect to wait a couple weeks before you can get an appointment! He used to run his salon out in Kaimuki and now runs it out of his house in Makiki Heights. It’s very comfortable with a nice view of the trees. Sometimes his dogs are there as well. They’re the cutest and very friendly! I recommend parking on the street as his driveway is very steep and it’s hard to park.
If you ever are looking for a colorist, or want to try something new on your hair, I’d go to Rick! I love all his work!

Yes he’s good. I don’t want to say much else as Rick I has enough clients/​exposure. He’s been in the game for a long time and yes he is the only Master Colorist on the island. It’s a special credential that he has to renew every year, so Rick is always up to date on the latest techniques, trends and more importantly, chemicals being used in coloring. He was so fast with my color correction! He knows what he’s doing. And Rick is so nice too, I got along with him right away. He listens to what you want but also gives his professional opinion to whether if it will or will not work etc
That said, Rick is a one man salon that he run his out of his house in a studio workshop, up in nice Makiki Heights. The studio is not done being remodeled tho as it’s apparent with some exposed wires and areas, but really that doesn’t take away from his services. Going there I now understood why other reviews said it was like «being at a retreat» and «a diamond in the rough». So if you’re looking for a slick, modern or busy salon, you’re not gonna get it here. It’s just you, Rick and the trees. It’s very comfortable, clean and serene.
If you do end up seeing Rick, my suggestion is don’t park in the driveway! It’s super steep and hard to turn around/​back out. Park on the street and walk down.
Also another thing is Rick doesn’t accept tips! He said it’s something true professionals don’t ask for… but no wonder people are always bringing him things! (a lady brought him food when he was working on me =)

I highly recommend this very skilled colorist. His salon is comfortable and comforting, and his work is extraordinary.

Rick Hoo is an amazing master of color. He takes care and pride in his clients and work. Highly recommend Rick for his level of expertise and customer service. I first discovered Rick on Unilocal looking for a colorist and I am very pleased with his work. Relocated out of state but scheduling an appointment as soon as I return!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my new cut and color by Rick Hoo! Rick is the most professional and knowledgable hair colorist I’ve seen (and I’ve been to hundreds of salons)! I’m so glad to have finally found my hair guru after trying many different salons only to be disappointed and broke after! Rick is so proficient and inexpensive considering the time and high end products that are used. I can’t wait to go back! Thanks so much Rick!

Rick is very good! I never knew all those other color specialist I’ve been to were never technically licensed master colorists. I learned Rick is the only one on the island. I was very impressed with the technique he used to color and highlight my hair. In the past, they would color then highlight my hair which took forever. He did both at the same time! Genius! The color and highlight came out perfect; Just how I wanted it! The added bonus was how soft and fragrant (citrus) my hair was. He charged way less then what I’ve paid for in the past. A day later when I washed my hair there was no run off.

OMG, Rick is the BEST! I went to Rick back in the 70’s when I was in college. I always remembered that he made me look beautiful with the best cut of my life. Whenever I would look at photos, I would think about his talent. By the way, this is the first time I am reviewing on Unilocal because I wanted to RAVE about RICK WOO!
WOO HOO! (ok, sorry about that… i couldn’t help myself)
Back to my hair and review. Well, a co-​worker mentioned Rick and I decided that I needed a change. I wasn’t feeling beautiful anymore… I needed to color often and my hair was looking tired. I was worried I would have to wait for a while to get an appointment but he was so accommodating and I found out that he is a MASTER COLORIST … the only one on this island and he educates other stylists on the mainland and other countries about the chemistry of hair color. He confirmed my studies and fears regarding hair dye and explained how bad it really was for us… I eat organic, and avoid artificial color and harsh ingredients in my food and make up… but knowing how bad hair dye was… I couldn’t help it because i NEEDED to color very OFTEN… I am so happy that I can now color and not worry because I leave it in his expert hands.
Not only is Rick an expert on hair… but he is the «renaissance man»: a person who has wide interests and is expert in many areas. Each time I get my hair done, I learn something new from him. And he does serve the best tea from Taiwan!
I used to always hold my breath when I went to other salons as they sprayed all the hair spray and used different products and chemicals on people next to me and on my hair. I am so happy that Rick’s place has clean air, and no smell of chemicals. He keeps things simple and I always leave feeling BEAUTIFUL again!
So glad that I found Rick again… he always makes me feel like a good friend! You will love him and so will your hair! If you want to go to the best… go to Rick! After all… YOU DESERVE IT!!!

Rick IS a MASTER COLORIST. Having gone to more than a few colorists in the past, I can really tell the difference. It is not an easy task to add low lights, while retaining some grey (but not too much!), all the while, aiming for a totally natural look, with a result that asks, «Does she or doesn’t she??» Ha! The result was validated when a girl in her 20’s told me that she was going to let her hair grey like mine when hers came in! Rick also uses superior products, because two weeks later, my hair feels well-​conditioned and looks shiny. Besides doing your hair, he is eager to educate you on hair products and processes, and you leave his place a more informed consumer, which is empowering.
I also found his hair studio to be a very peaceful retreat without all the pretentious glitz of some places. Rick doesn’t just go through the motion of asking you what you want. He does his job well because he truly listens to your concerns and addresses them.

I’m almost thirty and I have been seeing Rick my whole life. All my major haircuts were courtesy of Rick — my pixie cut in freshman year, my prom and winterball hair. And even though I live on the mainland now, I always get a haircut when I come back to see my family. I even turned down an offer from the airline for 600 flight credit and a first class ticket the next day, because I had an appointment with Rick the next day and I was worried if I cancelled I wouldn’t be able to reschedule during my visit.
I also wouldn’t trust anyone else to color my hair. He always makes it look nice and natural. He care’s about keeping your hair healthy. I also like how he doesn’t push his products on you. Though I should probably look into it, as my hair is so soft and nice smelling after.
Rick also talks to you to make your hairstyle fits your lifestyle. He knows I’m real low maintenance with my hair, so he won’t give me something that I need to play with for an hour to look good.

I think I found my diamond in the rough. I’m very impressed and happy with my experience and service here at Parkside Salon.
Definitely the one of many salons that is reviewed right for what it really is. Rick did an excellent job cutting my hair. He took his time, explained everything, washed and shampooed my hair before and after the cut, heck he even showed me a hair follicle underneath a microscope. Apparently he studies hair to the degree to have an analysis done of why the hair is the way it is (i.e., why it’s breaking etc). That’s called passion.
Very professional, very polite and might I add very accomodating. With my busy schedule, haircuts are not really a part of my dictionary & Rick was nice enough to squeeze me into his schedule. Further, he also touched up on my mom’s hair cut which was a wrecked mess from another salon cut a day before.
I felt totally at ease here without any of that fake hair stylist talk just to get through the hair cut. Only real talk here. No big books from the 1980s of retro hair cuts and wild wedding and prom updos. Just Rick, his salon and his great cutting powers.
My next hair cut? Here at Parkside Salon. If/​when I color my hair this will be the go to place for me.
*Feeling Refreshed!*

Rick is the man! SUPER nice, Super fun to talk with. He goes WAY above and beyond to help his customers and always gives a sharp and good-​looking cut. No frills, all business, he’ll always shoot with you straight and let you know how it is. He’s one of the few truly talented and legitimate stylists around, especially in Hawaii. Although I just use Rick for cuts, many of the women I know have had their hair colored with him and they really love it — apparently, that’s his specialty! I can’t highly recommend Rick more.

I look forward to see Rick every couple of months for my hair cut! Rick is warm, friendly and honest. It’s always such a relaxing and welcoming experience to see him in his private location at the Parkside Salon in Makiki! What I love the most about him is that he educates his clients about how the beauty industry puts harmful chemicals in most hair products and he is VERY knowledgeable about this topic. He is well known for being an EXCELLENT colorist although I haven’t done any color with him yet as my hair is still recovering from a case of very damaging highlights done by an unexperienced colorist. I learned my lesson and from now on I only trust Rick with my hair!!!

I recently discovered Rick Hoo, I have visited him 3 times. He is the most helpful colorist I have ever visited. He explains carefully everything he is going to do and he listened to what I wanted. He is friendly and caring and so welcoming. He helped choose the right auburn hair color for my very fair complexion. And I like my new haircut too!
And he is helping me transition from coloring my hair to embracing my natural (now gray) color and I feel that I am in great hands.
You can not go wrong visiting Rick at the Parkside Salon!

Rick Hoo (owner) is very knowledgeable, talented and creative as a hairstylist/​colorist as he constantly keeps abreast on current trends and styles, as well as safe and/​or dangerous chemicals that are currently being used in the industry. As a person who is very health conscious, I was very hesitant about coloring/​highlighting
my hair because I heard how unsafe hair coloring chemicals can be. But, Rick, who is the only nationally certified colorist in Hawaii, uses only the most safest chemicals.
My friends are always complimenting my hair, asking me what shade of brown did my hairstylist apply to my hair… He knows just the right shade to apply to your hair to give you a natural but rich look. I would highly recommend Parkside Salon!

Just went to Rick today and he is everything fellow Unilocal reviewers have said, amazing!
Here’s my story: I was looking for a hair colorist because I was tired of my hair looking so crappy from box color. So I looked on Unilocal for salons specializing in coloring. I stumbled upon Parkside Salon, with a complete 5 star rating but only 14 reviews! I thought to myself, «every review is glowing with five stars and raving about Rick Hoo but there are only fourteen» I decided that the quantity of reviews did not matter, but the quality and so I took a chance and called Rick for a consultation.
He was completely straight up with me about the pink highlights I wanted. He cautioned me on how much damage it would do to my hair, and honestly I am glad he told me because I don’t want to purposely damage my hair to the point of disintegration! We ended up doing light highlights and turning my hair into something more «fall appropriate» and I could not have asked for anything better! I love love love it and he is to thank for it.
Rick is completely well versed in many subjects, like travel, politics, and ESPECIALLY HAIR. He knows things I wouldn’t have IMAGINED about hair and styling hair and whats in and whats out. He is the REAL DEAL and no one can dispute that. Just check out ABCH, the american hair something or rather that certifies colorists and accredits those who do hair on a legit level and can be trusted to be HONEST and CAPABLE of coloring your hair without using terrible chemicals mainstream «hair stylists» do.
Go to him. Just do it. Look no further. If you don’t like it, that’s too bad, because he’s the only colorist/​stylist that is NOT ripping you off. seriously.

I went to Rick’s when I visited Hawaii eight years ago from a friend’s recommendation, and I’ve been going there ever since. Rick knows exactly how to personalize cuts and colors according to your hair, and he’s amazing at what he does. Coloring isn’t just artsy fartsy for him — he knows the chemicals and the science behind it all, so you can trust that whatever he’s doing isn’t going to damage your hair. His highlights are especially amazing, and I always get compliments. :)
He also has the cutest dogs to cuddle with while you’re waiting, which is a definite plus for me!

Want to get your hair colored without ruining the natural state and beauty of what you have? Rick Hoo has been my stylist and colors for several years now and he is the best out of all the places I have been and the people I have gone to!
His knowledge with color is what first initially got my attention as one of the compliments I always get is how healthy my hair is. I wanted to color my hair, but not at the risk of ruining it. I have been coloring my hair regularly for a few years now and my hair is still as healthy as it was before in its natural color.
The compliments I get are endless and I always tell them about Rick Hoo with the Parkside Salon. Just as he always says and completely adheres to, he is, «always ethical, always professional!»