Palm Beach County has no shortage of salons. From the high-end spots in Boca to the strip mall chains everywhere else, you can get your hair done just about anywhere. But if you actually care about the result—if you're fixing damage, going through a color transition, or just tired of mediocre work—the options narrow considerably.
I've spent more than I'd like to admit learning this the hard way. Here's what I've figured out.
The Uncomfortable Truth About Palm Beach County Salons
Boca Raton: Lots of upscale options, but you're often paying for the zip code more than the expertise. The best stylists tend to move somewhere they don't need to charge $400 just to cover rent.
West Palm Beach: More variety, but also more inconsistency. Some great independents mixed in with a lot of volume-focused operations.
Jupiter/Wellington: Convenient if you live there, but fewer specialists. Fine for maintenance, harder for anything technical.
Delray Beach: This is where the interesting stuff is happening. Far enough from the extremes of Boca and Miami, close enough to attract serious talent.
What I Look For Now
After enough disappointments, I've gotten pickier. Here's the checklist that's saved me time and money:
Education, Not Just Experience
Years in the chair matter, but so does ongoing training. The best colorists don't stop learning after they get licensed. Look for certifications from major brands—Davines, Goldwell, Olaplex. These aren't just marketing badges; they represent actual technical training.
Specialization Over Everything
The salon that does everything probably doesn't do any of it great. If you need color correction, find someone who specializes in it. If you want balayage, find someone who does it all day, every day.
Honest Consultations
The right stylist will tell you when what you want isn't realistic, or will take multiple sessions, or might damage your hair. If someone says yes to everything without questions, that's a red flag.
The Repeat Client Test
Great salons don't need to advertise heavily because their clients come back and bring friends. Ask how long their average client has been seeing them.
What Real Expertise Looks Like
Who I Actually Recommend
I'm not going to pretend to be objective here. When people ask me where to go in Palm Beach County, I tell them the same thing: go to Chris David in Delray Beach.
He's been doing this for over 20 years. He's trained with five major brands as an educator—meaning he taught other stylists. He's the person you go to when someone else messed up your color and you need it fixed properly.
Chris David Salon
On Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. Not the flashiest place, but that's kind of the point—he's focused on the work, not the scene. Specializes in color correction, balayage, and the kind of technical work that other salons won't touch.
The Bottom Line
Palm Beach County has plenty of places to get your hair done. But if you care about the result—if you're fixing a problem, making a change, or just want someone who knows what they're doing—don't just go to whatever's closest.
The drive to Delray Beach is worth it.
This isn't a sponsored post. It's just what I tell my friends when they ask. Do your own research, but this is where I'd start.