Hair Salons in Waco: A Baylor Student's Complete Guide
Finding a good hair salon in a new city takes real research. If you just arrived at Baylor from out of state — or even from another Texas city — you don't have your hometown stylist, your high school recommendation network, or much local knowledge yet. This guide cuts through the noise: the best hair salons in Waco, organized by what you actually need, from a quick blowout before Family Weekend to a full color correction that won't destroy your budget.
Best Hair Salons in Waco: Quick Overview
Here's how the top Waco hair salons break down by specialty:
- 202 Beauty Lounge — Best for highlights, bleach-and-tone, color correction
- On The Avenue — Best blowout bar and occasion styling
- Hippie Chic Salon — Best balayage and lived-in color (appointment-only, Baylor-owned)
- Salon Asylum — Best premium full-service experience
- Champions Salon and Barber — Best for walk-ins, combined cut-and-color for women and men
- Salons by JC — Best if you want to browse individual stylists at different price points
Color Work: Where Baylor Students Go for Highlights and Balayage
202 Beauty Lounge
The most-talked-about hair salon in Waco for color is 202 Beauty Lounge (215 S 2nd St, Suite 103, downtown Waco). It ranks at the top for bleach-and-tone work, highlights, and color correction, and books primarily through Instagram. Hours: Mon 9am–5pm, Tue–Fri 9am–9pm, Sat 9am–6pm, Sun closed.
Plan at least a week out for color appointments — often two weeks during busy stretches like move-in season or before Family Weekend. Price range: highlights typically start at $90–150+ depending on technique and hair length; color correction is priced after a consultation. Distance from 19Eleven Apartments on S 8th Street: about 2 miles north, a 10-minute drive downtown.
Hippie Chic Salon
Hippie Chic Salon (314 Crescent Rd) has a natural connection to Baylor — owner Casie Cargill is a Baylor University graduate who has won multiple "Best of Waco Hair Stylist" awards. The salon specializes in lived-in blonde, balayage, and corrective color, and it's appointment-only.
Hours: Mon 9am–4pm, Tue–Thu 9am–7pm, Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 9am–4pm. If you want a color service from someone who genuinely understands the Baylor community, this is the place.
Blowouts and Occasion Styling
On The Avenue Salon and Blowout Bar
For blowouts, updos, and special-occasion styling, On The Avenue (711 Austin Ave, below Edison Lofts in downtown Waco) is the clear choice. Hours: Mon 9am–7pm, Tue–Fri 8am–8:30pm, Sat 9am–5pm. They also offer lash services and skin treatments, making it a one-stop shop when you need to look polished for a big weekend.
Price range: blowouts run $45–80 depending on hair length and style. For Family Weekend or graduation, book at least two weeks ahead — those dates fill fast. The Austin Ave location is about 2 miles from 19Eleven, a straight drive north.
Full-Service Salons for Cuts and Color
Salon Asylum
Salon Asylum operates at two Waco locations — 1020 Franklin Avenue and 1221 Hewitt Drive — and is a Kerastase-exclusive salon known for thorough consultations and premium hair treatments including Brazilian Blowouts. Hours: Mon–Sat 8am–8pm.
If you're looking for a consistent stylist you can build a relationship with over your four years at Baylor, Salon Asylum is worth the higher price point. The quality of consultation here means fewer surprises after you leave the chair.
Champions Salon and Barber
Champions Salon and Barber (721 Austin Ave, across from the Waco Hippodrome) does something most hair salons don't: it serves both women and men under one roof. Hours: Tue–Thu 10am–7pm, Fri 10am–6pm, Sat 9am–4pm (closed Mon). Walk-ins are welcome.
This is genuinely useful if you have a roommate or partner who needs a barber while you get a color or cut — both done in the same spot, same trip. If you're looking at Waco barber options at the same time, Champions bridges both needs.
Budget Options and Natural Hair Specialists
Salons by JC
Salons by JC (Central Texas Marketplace, off I-35, about 5 miles from 19Eleven) runs on an independent suite model: multiple stylists rent individual suites under one roof. Prices vary by stylist, which means you can find quality work at a lower price point if you do a little upfront research. Browse their booking platform, look at each stylist's portfolio, and read reviews before committing.
This setup rewards students who are willing to vet their stylist in advance rather than just walking into a traditional salon.
Natural Hair and Braiding
For 3c–4c curls, protective styles, or braiding, Waco has dedicated specialists. BraidupbyK and Beautee Braids are the most-recommended options for natural hair braiding services. Both are best found via Google or Instagram for current booking and availability, since hours and scheduling shift frequently for independent stylists.
Student Tips for Waco Hair Salons
Book ahead — especially for color. A basic trim might get worked in with a few days' notice, but highlights, balayage, or any color service takes dedicated chair time. Build in at least one week for color; two to three weeks if you're timing it for a formal, parents weekend, or graduation.
Timing before events. Don't get a blowout the morning of the event — freshly styled hair settles overnight and looks better the second day. Schedule for the day before so you arrive at the event with hair that's relaxed into its shape.
Ask about Baylor discounts. Some Waco businesses participate in Baylor's Perks Program. Ask at booking whether student discounts apply. Check baylor.edu/waco/discounts for the current list.
Waco hair salon price guide:
| Service | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Women's trim/cut | $30–60 |
| Blowout/styling | $40–80 |
| Partial highlights | $75–120 |
| Full highlights | $100–180+ |
| Balayage | $120–200+ |
| Keratin treatment | $150–300+ |
| Color correction | Consultation-based |
If you have roommates at 19Eleven splitting a 4-bedroom, there's a real opportunity to coordinate appointments and share rides downtown — a quick Uber to Austin Ave for four people runs $8–12 split four ways, far cheaper than driving and parking separately.
Find Your Waco Routine
Hair salons are one of those things you figure out one semester at a time. Once you've found your go-to stylist, Waco stops feeling like a city you're new to.
While you're getting settled, explore what else your neighborhood has to offer — from downtown dining to weekend activities — and check out date night ideas when you want to put all that fresh styling to use.
If you're still looking for the right apartment for your time at Baylor, tour 19Eleven Apartments on S 8th Street. We're half a mile from campus, loft-style with exposed beams and polished concrete floors, and our residents know Waco well enough to have real recommendations — for hair salons and everything else. Browse our floor plans or apply today.
