Elvi The Salon — Edge Hill
hair salon · 5.0★ across 65 reviews
**Elvi The Salon** brings 16 years of industry expertise to Edge Hill, having evolved from Hair By Darna-Lee in early 2021. Strong on colour specialist, kids, bridal.
Cairns · Queensland
Best Hairdressers in Cairns (2026)
Cairns is the highest-humidity hair market in Australia, and the local stylists know it cold. Every senior Cairns stylist has a tested keratin-treatment protocol, a preferred smoothing product line, and an opinion about which colour formulas hold under year-round 70%+ humidity. The Esplanade and Shields Street/Lake Street precinct host the established CBD studios. Edge Hill and Cairns North lean boutique. Smithfield, Trinity Beach, Palm Cove and the northern beaches run more resort-luxury — strong destination-wedding bridal work, premium balayage on coloured hair. The tourist economy means most CBD operators speak some Japanese, Mandarin and Korean; multilingual front-of-house is unusually common. Pricing: $70-110 women's cut, $30-50 barber. Wet-season bookings (Dec-Apr) tighten up — bridal work dominates and tourist demand spikes. Dry-season walk-in availability is solid.
Hair Salon
Elvi The Salon
Edge Hill, QLD 4870
5.0(65)
Colour SpecialistKidsBridal Hair
Unisex
ManCove
Palm Cove, QLD 4879
5.0(53)
BarberMens CutsMobile
Hair Salon
Effigy Hair
Westcourt, QLD 4870
5.0(52)
Curly HairColour SpecialistMens CutsKeratin
Hair Salon
Reds Hair & Co.
Edge Hill, QLD 4870
5.0(51)
Colour SpecialistKidsMobile
Hair Salon
Savvy Hair & Make-Up
Parramatta Park, QLD 4870
5.0(48)
Colour Specialist
Hair Salon
Salon Therapy
Manunda, QLD 4870
5.0(40)
Curly HairColour SpecialistKidsJapanese
Hair Salon
ICONIQ
Westcourt, QLD 4870
5.0(25)
Colour Specialist
Barber
Globalcutz Barbershop Cairns
Manunda, QLD 4870
5.0(24)
BarberKidsWalk-ins welcome
Hair Salon
CK Hair & Makeup
Edge Hill, QLD 4870
5.0(19)
Colour SpecialistBridal HairMobile
Hair Salon
BASK Salon
Manunda, QLD 4870
5.0(18)
BalayageColour SpecialistMens Cuts
Unisex
Berry Lane Hair Pty Ltd
Manunda, QLD 4870
4.9(394)
BalayageColour SpecialistExtensionsKids
Hair Salon
Beachfront Hair
Palm Cove, QLD 4879
4.9(168)
Unisex
Razorbacks Mens Cuts
Westcourt, QLD 4870
4.9(120)
BarberKidsMens Cuts
Hair Salon
Blondelicious
Palm Cove, QLD 4879
4.9(98)
ExtensionsMens Cuts
Hair Salon
Chiko's Hair
Smithfield, QLD 4878
4.9(33)
Colour SpecialistKidsWalk-ins welcome
Hair Salon
Total Hair Studio-Blonde Colour Specialist
Manunda, QLD 4870
4.9(29)
BalayageColour SpecialistBridal HairMens Cuts
Barber
Kenzo Barbers
Westcourt, QLD 4870
4.8(336)
BarberKidsWalk-ins welcome
Hair Salon
Hair Boutique (Formerly Pulse Hair)
Edge Hill, QLD 4870
4.8(300)
BalayageColour SpecialistKids
Hair Salon
Snipz Hair Studio
Edge Hill, QLD 4870
4.8(26)
Colour SpecialistExtensionsMens CutsWalk-ins welcome
Hair Salon
Kulur Co.
Edge Hill, QLD 4870
4.7(49)
KidsBlow Dry
Notes from the field
Who we’d send a friend to in Cairns
Picks from the top of Cairns’s 20-strong list of hand-verified hair professionals on findme.hair. Listings are ranked by Google rating and review depth, never paid placement.
ManCove — Palm Cove
unisex salon · 5.0★ across 53 reviews
ManCove brings professional barbering to the relaxed beachside setting of Palm Cove, where skilled barber Patrice has created something special in this tropical Queensland location. Strong on barber, mens, mobile.
Effigy Hair — Westcourt
hair salon · 5.0★ across 52 reviews
**Effigy Hair** brings 25 years of award-winning expertise to Westcourt, where Master Stylist and Salon Director Yvette Thompson has built Cairns' leading premium hair studio since 1999. Strong on curly hair, colour specialist, mens.
Reds Hair & Co. — Edge Hill
hair salon · 5.0★ across 51 reviews
**Reds Hair & Co.** brings over 25 years of bespoke hairdressing expertise to Edge Hill, continuing the legacy established by founders Lee and Heather Cohen since 1995. Strong on colour specialist, kids, mobile.
Savvy Hair & Make-Up — Parramatta Park
hair salon · 5.0★ across 48 reviews
Savvy Hair & Make-Up brings over two decades of expertise to Parramatta Park, establishing itself as one of Cairns' most respected salons through a commitment to exceptional service and creativity. Strong on colour specialist.
How to find the best hairdresser in Cairns
Finding the right hairdresser in Cairnsstarts with knowing what you need. Whether you’re after a precision cut, balayage, keratin treatment, or a classic barber fade, Cairns has specialists in every category.
What to look for
- Google reviews — check recent reviews, not just the overall rating
- Specialisation — curly hair, colour correction, and extensions all require specialist skills
- Online booking — salons with online booking tend to be better organised
- Location — factor in parking, public transport, and opening hours
- Consultations — the best salons offer free consultations before major changes
Tools of the trade
One way to judge a salon’s quality is by looking at their tools. The best hairdressers in Cairns use professional-grade hairdressing scissors made from Japanese steel, and keep them professionally sharpened. Sharp, high-quality scissors reduce split ends and give cleaner, more precise results.
Cairns by the numbers
We currently list 20 top-rated salons and barbers across Cairns. 15 hair salons and 2 barber shops made our curated list based on verified reviews, consistency, and local reputation.
Popular suburbs for hair services
The most popular suburbs for hair salons in Cairns include Cairns, Cairns North, Edge Hill, Parramatta Park, Manunda. Each suburb has its own character — from boutique studios to high-volume salons.
Browse Cairns suburbs
Looking for a barber instead?
Our best barbers in Cairns guide covers traditional barbershops, fade specialists, and beard work in the same area.