Hair Cut & Color Design by Carleen Sanchez

Carleen and her stylin’ team always deliver. An expert colorist, Carleen consults with me upon arrival as to my desired cut-​and-​color design. Then I sit back with a cocktail and let the magic happen. The ambiance, favors, and complimentary beauty treatments keep me sated as the main course (my customized color) marinates. A shampoo and massage later, I am pampered with sparkly add-​ons and a goodie bag gift. When all is done, Carleen dishes out a catwalk look that lasts for months. From soup to nuts, this salon experience is the most decadent.

Thanks Carleen for the wonderful appointment! My mini vacay to Reno is not complete without a visit to Carleen. I don’t cut my hair often and usually wait til I have Rapunzel length hair when I see her. Booking an appointment with her is easy but beware. she is normally booked out months in advance and I consider myself lucky if I can score a last minute opening with her (she updates her Facebook often with these openings).
Her studio is super easy to get to (very close to GSR). She always asks in advance your hair inspiration and will talk you through it before she works her magic. She makes you feel at home. drinks, snacks, free wifi, coloring books (for adults), beauty bar and much more.
Another thing I awesomely appreciate is that. I am not a very social talker and she and her staff make it super comfortable for me here.

Carleen is amazing! She treats her clients so well and pampers them from start to finish! She is really a curl genius and does amazing work on her clients!

Carleen and her staff are amazing! I have been going there regularly for a year now and my visits have never been disappointing. I came to Carleen for her reputation for red hair coloring, which I found on Unilocal,I found so much more! Not only did I get the red coloring I was seeking but Carleen asked me if she could do a ‘curl discovery’ on me during my first visit. I HAVE CURLY HAIR and I never knew it. Using common products had produced straight hair with a slight frizz, that I had endlessly battled. With Carleen’s vast curl knowledge and her staff teaching me something new (for curly hair) every time I visit, I have curly hair now… a dream I have always had since I was a young girl. The right products and the perfect hairdresser has made me a naturally curly girl at last, plus a strikingly, stunning red-​head!!!

This review is WAY overdue.
Carleen has been working her magic on my thick head of hair for 8 years. She has literally done everything on me – mermaid hair to my waist, pixie cuts and everywhere in between. My favorite thing about Carleen is that she is fearless when it comes to hair. In the earlier years, we did a lot of experimenting. Trying new things out — seeing what would happen, and lo’ and behold, now she is the best hairdresser in Reno. It has truly been an awesome experience to watch her grow and be in her chair along the way.
Carleen is incredibly warm and welcoming. She puts heart and soul into her work, and it shows. My hair is always beautiful, radiant and healthy. Carleen is well educated and well versed in what she does. She will give you lessons on how to keep your hair glowing during the Carleen-​less days/​weeks/​months ahead. Every time, without fail for the past 8 years, I have left her chair more than satisfied and completely blown away by her talent.
I am so happy she is getting the recognition she deserves.

I was never satisfied going to a salon, but this time before doing a walk in at a random salon I decided to do my research. This is when I found Carleen & booked an appointment. I also had no idea there were stylists that specialized in curly hair. Carleen is very talented & treats her guests with the best costumer service. I believe I finally found my long term hairstylist & I would recommend her to anyone. She’s amazing!

If you live anywhere near this lady and have curly hair do yourself a favor and make an appointment! I live on the east coast and waited until she was an educator at a curly hair artistry event I attended to have her cut mine. So worth the wait!!! I love my hair! Carleen is the best!!!

i love my curls for the first time in my life! Who would have thought I could have these beautiful curls without frizz? Carleen and her team are amazing. It is a whole new wonderful kind of experience. My cut and color are amazing and everytime I go in I learn something new about caring for my curls. So besides having awesome hair, the experience is fun and relaxing. Great hand massages, cocktails, snacks, and fun pins of the month. If you have curly or wavy hair this is the place to go.

Oh my gosh! I had so much fun with Carleen and her two beautiful assistants today. I walked in looking like a fluffy-​headed crazy cat lady, and walked out looking like a bohemian goddess. Carleen and her team make the experience fun, interactive, and educational. They show you how to care for and style your hair, and have you practice while you’re there so they can give you pointers on what you’re doing right/​wrong. Not only do you get clearly written directions to take home so you can remember how to style your new beautiful curly hair, but you also get free little gifts, and a wonderful hand and scalp massage! Never have I ever had a hair salon experience like this one. I have already rebooked for color and I’m so excited for that!

Wow! I’m 55 yrs old and have been struggling with my hair all my life. In the last 10 yrs have gone through several medical problems that has thinned and changed the texture of my curly hair making it even more difficult. Carleen is the 1^st hair stylist who has really helped me! Not only a great cut & color, but she really explored my hair and what I want, showed me step by step how to use the products she recommended and had me practice the styling while there. Her salon is fun & uplifting and her clients all love her. I am so happy with my hair & can’t wait to go back! I read one review that complained about the prices but I have gotten less satisfaction from stylist in Reno who costs more. Other stylists claim to understand curly hair but Carleen really knows it and lives it! Thanks Carleen!

This review is long over due. Carlene has been cutting and coloring my hair for about 2 years, and she is amazing! Carlene is a true artist, and my hair actually gets better every time I see her. Before going to her for the first time my blonde hair was brassy and unhealthy with a horrible cut. Now I have beautiful, healthy color, and long thick curls. I am so happy I found Carlene. I look forward to every visit, and for the first time I LOVE my hair. Thank you thank you thank you!

I feel blessed to finally find a stylist that appreciates my thick, curly hair. Carleen and her assistants are wonderful. They work very well together, and explain everything. Carleen is very conscientious and wants you to get what you want, not what she thinks is best.
I went in for a cut that would emphasize my curl, and color. I got that and so much more. I even had a lesson on how to wash and apply products to make the most of my natural curl, and to keep it healthy. (oh, and did I mention the amazing hand massage)?
This was the best experience I’ve ever had at a salon. I left there feeling wonderful about myself and my curls.

Gosh, does Carleen really need another 5 star review? Probably not, but here it is anyway! I have very curly hair that isn’t easy to cut or highlight well. I live in Truckee (CA) and when I first moved here I got a very expensive (very) and very crappy haircut and highlight from someone here in town. Then I did my research and found Carleen!
3 awesome cuts and some beautiful balayage highlights later, I wouldn’t go anywhere else.
People: Why would you go anywhere else? This woman attends more training than I do, and I’m a lawyer. She is the most educated stylist I’ve ever seen. I wish everyone invested the care and love in their career that Carleen does (myself included!) Plus, she’s warm and low key.
On top of all of this, I learn something every time I go in about how to better care for and style my hair. Probably because Carleen has learned something new every time I go in.

I’ve been going to Carleen for cut and color for nearly 2.5 years, and my haircut and color is the best ever. She works hard to understand what her guests want, help them understand whether a certain cut or color will look like they imagine, and checks in at each visit to see if anything needs to change. She is phenomenal at managing color, and uses products that not only preserve but (I think) enhance the health of my hair. She also did my hair at my wedding — and that of my bridesmaids — and again exceeded my expectations! She’s a true artist, a genuinely nice person, and a true gem of a find!

Carleen Sanchez in just a few months you have transformed my over bleached, raggedy, frizz ball head into a glorious mane of blonde curls! Not only is the result amazing, the complete Carleen experience is second to none. A lovely, fun studio, with refreshments, presents, hair sparkles, photo shoot, wonderful staff and clientele, make a day in chair seem like a night on the town with your best friends! I love you Carleen for making us curly girls feel beautiful! Lily Crabtree

I had been bouncing around Reno hairstylists for a couple of years before I decided to do my own hair. It wasn’t HORRIBLE or anything, but three years and imminent wedding pictures later… I wanted help.
Enter Carleen. After twenty-​plus layers of chocolate brown box dye (read: not at all cute and almost black), she had me nearly J-​Lo bronde after seeing her twice. Which is fantastic in itself, but… my favorite parts? My hair feels awesome, and I’m super excited to see her in a few days.
Carleen pays attention to hair health, which as an obsessive and totally irresponsible dyer means a lot to me. She’s also SUPER smart, funny, and cool to be around.
Bottom line: A client’s dream. I’m so psyched to see her this week that it should probably be a little weird. Call her, right now.

All you curl girls deserve kudos! Great team effort! Carleen you always make your guests feel so welcome and comfortable! I really enjoyed my experience in your new home studio! It is beautiful! Whether I’m at Pearle or your home studio, You make me feel beautiful! Your assistants are so attentive!
I love all the little added touches that you offer! It’s an experience unlike any other I have EVER had! I love that you cater to us «curly girls». To have a stylist that truly «gets it» is priceless! I appreciate it and I appreciate you! Thanks Carleen & Loni Jean! You made me look and feel beautiful! I went strait to my studio after my hair appointment and got Sooo many compliments! Thank You Thank You Thank You!

I needed to pump up the red in my hair (because really if you have a fiery personality… shouldn’t your color match??) After doing way to much research… I went to Unilocal because it never steers me wrong! As usual Unilocal was spot on!
I was greeted by Lonnie one of Carleen’s assistants and she started to prep me for my session. By prep I mean give me a big glass of Chardonnay and then proceeded to work on my hair.
Carleen came over and we started to discuss the goals for my visit and what kind of color I wanted to have at the end of the visit. I gave her pictures and she nailed the color on the head! It was my red hair… with some vavoom added! She cut the dead-​ends off gave me long bangs… and I left with rockin hair.
The hair is obviously the most important end-​game of the experience, but I have to tell you the experience is worth just as much. Cocktails, snacks, scalp massages, hand massages. lavender scented hot towels. I mean it was an experience.
I would recommend Carleen to anyone… she is passionate about her work and she is crazy talented! But book soon because she is almost booked solid for the rest of 2014.

How do I get reviews deleted that I did NOT write? I got hacked… is there anyone who can help me? Please

After having difficultly booking a much needed haircut with my stylist I was forced to seek other options when my admittedly difficult schedule was impossible to mesh with hers. I had been stalking Carleen’s portfolio for the better part of a year and loved her work.
The long:
It was a little difficult to squeeze on as a new client, but after a little chatting (and some pleading on my end) I was booked! It had been almost a year since my last cut since I decided to forgo any cuts or color while pregnant. My hair and my emotions were a postpartum mess. Taking this into consideration Carleen tried to talk me out of my demand to drastically chop off all my long hair. She gave me a lovely layered cut to help volumize what hair was left from the post partum shedding. I think this was the first non-​essential time I had spent away from my baby so I bet I was a frazzled mess. She was calm and joyful and her assistant gave me a glorious quick massage on my hands as Carleen tended to my hair. What a treat. She also gives free tinsel sparklies, which are a fun and generous bonus. The tinsel isn’t really my everyday style, but they are fun and she has about a hundred colors so she can make them subtle or very attention grabbing.
Now a few months later I was still hellbent on chopping off my hair and Carleen ensured that it wasn’t a traumatic experience. We donated the cut off length to locks of love, which is always appreciated. She encourages feedback and wants her clients to be happy. She even called me a few days after to see how my dramatic hair change was settling and if I needed any complimentary tweaking.
I actually brought my husband in to get his hair cut too. He has never had much luck with stylists/​barbers because he has extremely thick, coarse, wavy hair that is difficult to style or cut. His last few stylists were intimidated and tried whacking away at it but it always looked awful so I started cutting it myself. I’m not trained by any means but at least I didn’t charge him money to make him look awful. I shared some of this history with Carleen and she offered to teach me how to cut it. She gave me some awesome tips and I was impressed that she valued customer satisfaction over making money. She taught me how to do it myself, even though it meant I wouldn’t be paying her every 6 wks for his cuts too (which are much quicker than mine, so it would have been an easy source of revenue for her).
The short:
excellent knowledgeable stylist with tons of training and education. It is true that she isn’t cheap, so if a $ 65 haircut isn’t within your range she probably isn’t the stylist for you. Is $ 65 for a haircut high? In Reno? Yes, yes it is. Is $ 65 too high for her level of skill and training? No, it is reasonable, but I do understand the sticker shock. Still, the last time I had more than a foot of hair cut off I think I spent $ 30 and it was traumatic enough I didn’t do it again for almost 10yrs. The $$ I spent for Carleen to do it was worth it in that I didn’t regret having it chopped off for a minute compared to the months of agonizing I did for the cheapo chop.
Take a look at her portfolio. Her work speaks for itself.