Metamorphosis

I had another hair appointment with Lori on Friday, and I look and feel great! She listened to my concerns about my hair, offered practical suggestions, and gave me a new look that I absolutely love. Her salon is clean and welcoming, and it feels simultaneously comfortable and special. Her confidence and professionalism inspire trust, and her bright spirit gives me a lift each time I go in. Lori stays current on trends and styles as well as on new procedures and products. If you are looking for a stylist you can count on, Lori is your new stylist.
Street parking is generally pretty easy to find, but there is a large multi-​story lot around the corner if you get stuck.

Thank you, Lori.
Finally a stylist who can explain the difference between a shag and a bob. Incredibly that is rare among hairstylists these days. I have had several years of shags that should have been bobs. I’m getting too old for this. Or better said, I’m getting too ripe.
Thanks for touching up my hair. You made sense with actual measurements of my hair, instead of simply blindly cutting. (SHE ACTUALLY TOOK OUT A RULER! How refreshing is that! 10 inches at the whirl! thats my goal!) I can see that you understand hair.
I really appreciate your time and generosity. I will see you in December! :-)

DO NOT PURCHASE ANY PROMOTIONAL DEALS FROM THIS SALON — OWNER WILL STEAL YOUR MONEY!
I prepaid $ 125.00 for a highlight with Lori. First I tried to make an appt. and she is closed for remodel. I finally make an appt and was late — she told me, «I bill at $ 100.00 an hour so there is nothing I can do for you» I was shocked! I couldn’t believe she was literally going to take my $ 125.00 for ZERO service rendered. SHE DID! She literally STOLE $ 125.00! This should not be legal and Lori is an embarrassment to women business owners since she obviously has no clue about customer service. She was too incompetent to call and remind me about my appt that I wrote down at 3:30 and she says was 2:30. Most professional salons would reschedule — not Lori, she decided to take my money and again, no service rendered. Unbelievable! I would NEVER go to her for this new laser — she is NOT medically trained and if she screws up — YOU will pay the price!

Lori has been coloring my hair for the past 5 years. She’s honest, funny, and knows how to make you feel like million bucks. Every time I get my hair done. people notice. She’s an artist and knows her craft. A true professional in every sense. I love going to her.

Lori is the best! She is all about servicing the client. Her goal is to provide you a memorable experience. Hair cut, color, facial, etc. It’s not about her, its all about you! Very had to find these days… You won’t be disappointed.

I am proud to refer my friends and family the services of Lori. I rely on Lori to maintain my hair and have since 2007. She does so much more than hair so its a one stop shop. I look forward so my appointments. Always feel and look much better when she’s done.

Lori is an amazing stylist. She has great ideas and great technique. She takes her time when doing your hair so you get the full treatment and never feel rushed. I always love my new look after she gets done with me. I’ve been through my fair share of hair stylists, but I’m not going anywhere anytime soon!

I don’t even know where to start expressing how much I love this salon and Lori!
Lori has been caring for my hair for at least 5 years now. I have difficult hair and she knows exactly what I can and cannot get away with when it comes to styles AND she takes the time to explain it to me. Sometimes I just get a cut, sometimes a cut and color or highlights. I even had her give me extensions a while back. No one has ever given me highlights as beautiful and natural looking. Lori is a master colorist, so she knows her sh*t frontwards and backwards so I trust her implicitly and I am never disappointed. I always get compliments after seeing her!
The salon is beautiful, clean, and classy. I am always offered fresh lemon water or tea. Lori is always upbeat and has a great sense of humor! I always look forward to our talks! Thanks, Lori, you’re awesome!

Wanted to update my review 8 months later to say that, not only am I still thrilled with Lori as a stylist, but to also say what a great professional she is. Lori is very responsive and accommodating to all her clients. She welcomes us into her salon and provides exceptional customized service.
She is truly interested in the customers perspective and seeks to meet everyone’s needs
I highly recommend Lori to anyone who truly wants exceptional hair styling and color services!

I must agree with all the other positive reviewers here. The salon is a mini oasis tucked into a charming Victorian building across from Alameda City Hall. Walk in and you’re instantly soothed by the peaceful surroundings. Lorie is a Master colorist and a highly skilled stylist who really listens! I’ll definitely be returning for more superior hair care!

Lori is a wonderful hair stylist — she’s warm, bright and you always end up with an amazing cut & color! I keep going back because she really does do a good job. I’ve never been disappointed.
I asked for highlifts the first time and was happy, but she knew instantly that I had kind of hoped to go blonder (but was scared of the bleach!), so the next time she used a ‘gentle bleach’ for my highlights and they look totally amazing — the perfect color and my hair has never looked so shiny and healthy! She really is an amazing colorist!
Plus on top of all of that, she’s a total laugh and great to chat to. Highly recommend.

Lori is AMAZING! Not only is she incredibly talented but she has a brilliant personality that makes you feel instantly comfortable. She is open, honest and knowledgeable about her profession. I have been searching for a new stylist in Alameda and have had a few botch jobs, so finding Lori has been a dream come true.
I also finally got the courage to get extensions after seeing hers and asking her no less than 100 questions. They look amazing, I feel amazing and I finally have the hair I have always wanted (even if its not all mine, hehe). Yay for metamorphosis — it will truly change you… for the better of course ;-)

I got the highlight, shampoo and cut deal from Living Social with Lori, and I absolutely loved it. I also came back from dinner with my girlfriends, and they could not stop complimenting the hair.
I felt very comfortable and so welcome, especially since this was my very first experience getting highlights. Lori offered me tea to drink, and she made sure to take the time to talk about what I wanted. When I wasn’t sure, she gave great suggestions; she’s got a great eye for what looks good!
Make sure you find street parking and not the small lot. I found a 2 hour meter for my appointment, which was just enough. The space is extremely clean and beautiful, and there are butterflies everywhere!
Lori is an awesome person to chat with and obviously very talented. I highly recommend her.

I just went to Lori yesterday to get my hair highlighted and cut. I absolutely love my new hair!
Lori was great to chat with all while she was doing my hair. She is really down to earth and helps make your hair beautiful. We talked about doing my hair a couple different ways and she really explained how the cuts would look on me.
Already I have gotten a lot of compliments on how great the color and cut look.
I will definitely be going back to her in the future and recommend that you do too!
The salon itself was very clean and a decorated nicely.
She also offers some spa services as well.

Lori, who owns Metamorphosis, is just a gem! She does your hair the way YOU want it. She goes out of her way to make you look your best. Her salon is immaculate, beautifully decorated, warm, and cozy. She is fun and inspiring. I highly recommend this beauty salon in downtown Alameda.
Merrilee Trost, Alameda

Great salon, like a little spa! A real gem. And Lori Olson, the owner, is a gem too. Always great fun to talk with while she is melting away your stress during a facial, or melting away your inches with a body wrap (took off 6″ with my first wrap — really!!). My hair always looks fabulous too, thanks to her great highlights and cuts.
I’ve referred several other family members to Lori and they are regulars now too! She never disappoints and you will feel great every time you are at Metamorphosis!

Lori has been styling my hair for over a year. I have brown hair and getting color that does not fade to orange or go too dark is really hard. Lori has mastered it. I also get lots of compliments on my cut. The salon is peaceful. She is efficient with time so I do not spend 3 or 4 hours getting cut and color. I highly recommend Metamorphosis.

If the way your hair looks is important to you — and it probably is if you are reading this review — then you know that not all hairstylists are created equal, and that once you find The One you simply don’t want to see anyone else.
That’s how I feel about Lori Olson, the owner of Metamorphosis in Alameda.
Some hairstylists only know how to cut hair a certain way, and that’s what they do, regardless of how it looks on the customer. In contrast, after consulting with you, Lori styles your hair to make you look your best. When I leave the salon, I feel attractive. When I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I love the fact that my hair looks cute on me. And, just as important, it’s been styled in a way that I can do myself after that. She simply has an eye for style. And you know that it’s true when people stop you to ask who does your hair.
She is also a Board Certified Master Colorist, one of the first to earn that credential in the state of California. She’s an artist with hair color.
I can’t end this review without mentioning what a darling little salon she has created, done in soothing colors and butterflies. And one more thing — she is a delight to be around. I can walk in feeling low and grumpy, and being around her never fails to cheer up my outlook. I walk out feeling uplifted and transformed.