Growing up, when my mom finally let me touch up my eyebrows, I was always cautioned to tell the “eyebrow lady” to clean stray hairs without changing the shape of my already thick brows.
The beauty standard back home wanted them full and bushy.
This expectation isn’t universal, so it can be hard to communicate to beauty practitioners what you want when they’re already halfway through threading your eyebrows off. That’s why culturally competent care makes all the difference when navigating your grooming needs. There’s a comfort in shared understanding.
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It’s important to have your hair cut by someone who understands your hair type, or have your nails done by someone who just gets your artistic hopes and dreams.
That’s why we’re highlighting a few beauty services across Toronto that are owned and operated by racialized people…because it really is that serious
Hair
Passionate Hands 24/7 Braiding Salon
This Black-owned salon is open 24 hours, seven days a week and situated close to the Eaton Centre. It’s an accessible stop for people with busy schedules and caters to Black hair.
- Location: 66 Gerrard St. E., Toronto, ON, M5B 2M2
- Services offered: Braiding, cornrows, silk press, twists, wig installation and more
📸: Aia Jaber/THE GREEN LINE.
The 4.5 star hair salon is praised by reviewers for its professional and polite service. On Reddit, users recommend the place as a cheap, good Asian salon to have your hair cut. Plastered on the windows of the salon are Asian models and animal symbolism.
- Location: 938 Gerrard St. E., Toronto, ON M4M 1Z2
- Services offered: Hair cuts, colouring, hair extensions and more
📸: Aia Jaber/THE GREEN LINE.
This gender-neutral hair studio is queer, women and immigrant-owned.
- Location: 392 College St., Toronto, ON, M5T 1S7 and 827 College St., Toronto, ON M6G 1C9
- Services offered: barbering, hairstyling, colouring
- Location: 392 College St., Toronto, ON, M5T 1S7 and 827 College St., Toronto, ON M6G 1C9
- Services offered: barbering, hairstyling, colouring
Hair removal/brows
This mother-daughter duo is BIPOC, women and LGBTQ-owned. Its dedication to an inclusive environment is at the forefront of its salon.
- Location: 120-302 Carlaw Ave., Toronto, ON, M4M 3L1
- Services offered: waxing, threading, brows and more
Situated in Little India, this beauty salon just moved a few stores down the street. It has cheap services and has offered Diwali specials in the past.
- Location: 1602 Gerrard St. E., Toronto, ON, M4L 2A5
- Services offered: threading, waxing, haircuts, facials, massages, mehndi and more.
Nails
Advertised as the best nail salon in all of Koreatown, this affordable nail salon has intricate artwork.
- Location: 633A Bloor St. W, Toronto, ON, M6G 1K8
- Services offered: lashes, facials, massages, nail care, nail art and nail extensions
With no website, the salon’s Instagram page uses both Korean and English communication to reach its audience. The owner hosts nail art classes — teaching others how to do the work. On TikTok, customers call this the best Korean nail salon in the city.
- Location: 4893A Yonge St 2nd floor, North York, ON M2N 5N4
- Services: nail classes, nail art and more
Got a few more that we’ve missed? Send us your recommendations in a message, so we can continue to share the wealth of knowledge with other Torontonians across the city.
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