The Best Hair Salon In Sydney (IMHO)
If you’re in Sydney and you want to get your hair done, there’s only one name you need to know: Ash Croker.
It’s not a stretch to say Ash is one of the best colourists in the country. Seriously, she is Just That Good. There’s literally no-one else I would trust with my tresses, and I’m not the only one.
Super-influencer and beauty entrepreneur Elle Ferguson is just one of Ash’s many star clients (and biggest fans), along with Aussie singers Jessica Mauboy and Starley, and athleisurewear queens Claire Tregoning (P.E Nation co-founder/creative director) and Deb Symond (Mode Sportif founder).
(Instagram/@thesalon_ashcroker)
I first met the bubbly blonde more than 10 years ago when she was an apprentice at another Sydney salon. She took me from (natural) brunette to platinum blonde like a pro, even though back then she’d only been in the game for a few years (ahem, natural talent).
Ash then got me back to brunette as I was preparing to take off on a five-month trip around Europe (because backpacker me couldn’t afford decent blonde upkeep on the road, and there was no way I was attempting a bleach job solo).
When I got back from my trip, Ash was gone from the salon – and I was devastated. I had a few disaster appointments with local places near my house before finally tracking her down on Facebook.
Fast-forward around a decade of great hair, and Ash has opened her own salon – The Salon By Ash Croker – which just celebrated its first birthday.
A visit to the chic pink space in Sydney’s Bronte is more like a day spent hanging with friends: the chilled tunes provide the perfect soundtrack as you recline in one of the comfy leather chairs dotted around the light-filled salon, sipping coffee (or tea… or rosé…) and taking in the fresh, greenery-filled surrounds.
It’s low-key luxe in its finest form, and the bespoke, personalised service on offer comes with a healthy serve of on-point banter. (And kisses from salon pup Iggy – the cutest!)
The Salon’s ethos is based around hair that not only looks amazing, but shines with health – part of the reason Ash is the CØR.color ambassador for Original & Mineral, a range free from nasties like ammonia, parabens, sulphates and phlatates, which means healthier, nourished post-colour locks. (PS. If you want a Brazilian blowout, you won’t find one here – they damage the shit your hair and Ash refuses to perform services that aren’t good for the health of your mane.)
There’s also no-one else to see if you’re a lazy blonde… which I have to confess, I am. I know I’m meant to get my hair touched up every 6-8 weeks, but I’ll often realise that months have past and I’m in need of a refresh.
In fact, I can go (and have gone) up to 6 months between salon visits (obviously not preferable, but sometimes these thing happen and they’re out of our control – like, say, a global pandemic). But even with too long between appointments, my colour manages to look great the whole damn time – Ash gets an A++ for wearability.
That’s part of her magic touch: you leave the salon with amazing hair and you just keep having great strands every day until you see her again. (And trust me, you will want to see her again!)