I Can Confirm Emily Ratajkowski's Go-To Hair Colorist Is the Best in NYC (2024)

Whether you're considering coloring your hair a rich auburn (one of the biggest 2024 hair trends), refreshing your blonde, or going for a soft pink or peach, you'll need a talented hair colorist to fine-tune the perfect shade and tone. Picking your inspiration picture is the easy part. But finding the best hair colorist for the job? That can be overwhelming—especially if you live in New York City.

"In New York, people are always looking to make a statement," shares hair transformation specialist Lucille Javier, who works at the genius-colorist-studded Mark Ryan Salon in Manhattan. In a way, that level of experimentation has attracted hundreds of talented individuals to the city. But, on the other hand, your "best hair colorists New York" search might turn out a few too many results.

Fear not: we've gathered the best of the best right here for you, all vetted by Marie Claire editors and members of NYC's it-crowd. Keep reading to discover the best hair colorists in New York City.

Jenna Perry, Jenna Perry Hair

There is no world in which this list wouldn't include Jenna Perry. Beloved by a host of (quite famous) cool girls including Emily Ratajkowski, Tommy Dorfman, and Bella Hadid, Perry works out of her namesake salon, Jenna Perry Hair Studio, in SoHo and the East Village. The inventor of "hot girl hair," Perry is a balayage master who can tackle an all-over color if that's more your jam (no, I can't stop thinking about Hadid's dark gloss from December 2023). Beauty Editor Samantha Holender also swears by Perry's skills for tinted gloss in between bleaches. "Jenna can find the perfect blonde-brown shade to flatter my skin tone—my hair always looks incredibly natural after she's glazed it."

Address: 347 W Broadway, New York, NY

Color consultations available online.

Lucille Javier, Mark Ryan Salon

"Color was always something I've innately been drawn to. Whenever I’d draw something, I'd be so excited to color in the lines," shares Javier, the go-to stylist of Marie Claire's Fashion E-Commerce editor Julia Marzovilla. Specializing in color corrections, double processes, creative color, and free-hand painting, the artist built much of her business on transformations other colorists might peg as too "difficult."

She isn't afraid of thick strands or time-consuming transformations. "I’m Filipino and Mexican and I found that, over the years of doing hair and in some of the places I've worked, I had to seek out people who could do people of color’s hair," she shares. "A lot of people say no to thick, dark hair—it can take eight to 10 hours for some clients—but I sort of geek out and really enjoy the process."

Address: 135 West 20th Street, New York, NY

Book online or call 212-675-3600.

Patrick Wellington, Wellington Hair Spa

With over 20 years of experience in the hair industry, Wellington Hair Salon founder Patrick Wellington prides himself on techniques that are both personalized and flawless. Specializing in natural and textured hair, his objective is to create "hair that glows with inner health"—an excellent outlook for a colorist, as we all know bleach can wreak havoc on your precious strands.

Address: 119 West 23rd Street, New York, NY

Call 212-206-7962 to book.

Gloria Bonilla, Sally Hershberger Salons

I miss the days when Caroline Calloway shared every aspect of her life on the internet, mostly because I'm so enchanted by her style. Luckily, she's still down to offer some insight—if you know when to catch her. "I'm literally at Sally Hershberger right now," the Scammer writer shared when I reached out about her favorite colorist. You MUST ask for Gloria Bonilla."

And what exactly does Miss Calloway ask her stylist for? “Imagine I’m a brunette surfer. I live on the beach. I’m in the sun every day. I’m swimming. I’m in the ocean. I’m pursuing my passion for surfing. But wait, plot twist: I’m a brunette surfer in a movie. This is a MOVIE. I’m a brunette surfer in a movie. So, imagine a natural brunette who’s living on the beach, but then add a pinch of Hollywood magic on top of that so it really pops on camera.”

Address: 25 W 26th St 2nd floor, New York, NY

Call 212-206-8700 to book.

Emaly Baum, Beauty Supply New York

Beauty Supply owner Emaly Baum can make you a blonde, but she's also great with brunettes and redheads. The mastermind behind Jennifer Lawrence's softer-than-soft light strands that we loved so much in 2023 and Scarlett Johansson's blonde from her 2020 Marie Claire cover, Baum (who often goes by Emaly B professionally) specializes in everything from dramatic transformations to subtle natural highlights—although, as you've probably guessed, her blondes are perhaps the most famous.

Address: 237 Centre St. 2nd Floor, New York, NY

Call 646-899-3650 or email info@beautysupplynewyork.com to book.

Aura Friedman, Suite Caroline Salon

Aura Friedman is famous for her color wizardry—she showed Javier how to do double processes when she worked at Sally Hershberger.—and she has quite the famous client list to show for it. Tessa Thompson, Hari Nef, and Selma Blair are a few of the names filling her books. "Aura’s approach to color is inspired by haute couture, a variety of musical genres, and influenced by her artisanal training. She strives for understated elegance, making color choices for clients not just by skin tone and eye color, but by personality and personal style," reads her official bio. "Aura achieves an authentic feel by emulating the variations in tone and highlight of nature and natural hair, even with the most dramatic colors."

Address: 65 Greene St #2F, New York, NY

Call 212-431-4400 for appointments and consultations.

Kimberly Cannon, Mark Ryan Salon

Marie Claire contributor Katherine J. Igoe first met Kimberly Cannon "approximately one million years ago" when she was first living in New York and needed an inexpensive highlight. "She and I bonded immediately, not just because she's amazing, but also because she's just an incredible person to be around. Since then, she's only gotten more amazing as a colorist. It's no wonder she's now considered one of the best in the biz," shares the writer. "She somehow has given me the softest, lightest, most dimensional blonde of my life—and it grows out amazingly. She did my wedding highlights. That's how much I love her."

Address: 135 W 20th St Suite 400, New York, NY

Call 212-675-3600 to book.

Elizabeth Hiserodt, Cutler Salon

A local color icon for 20-plus years, Elizabeth Hiserodt is the person "Die Hot With a Vengeance" (my most anticipated book of 2024!) author and beauty expert, Sable Yong trusts for her precious and always funky locks. The duo have collaborated on an impressive array of shades (blue!), tones (blue-gray!), and surprising platinum piece placements. "I love my colorist! She’s been coloring my hair since 2015 and always does a bang-up job, even when navigating the fraught state of my chemically traumatized hair," says the writer.

Address: 465 W Broadway, New York, NY

Call 212-308-3838 for consultations and appointments.

Michelle Hong, The Team

The former founder of Brush NYC and a senior colorist and educator at Fekkai, Michelle Hong currently owns NYC The Team hair salon. With over 20 years of industry experience, she lends her talents to various celebrities and local tastemakers (seriously, she's done chef Daniel Boulud's hair), including content creator Kelsey Barberio. "Michelle is exceptional with color. She’s the kind of stylist that can recommend a look that’s even better than what you dreamed up in your head," notes Barberio. "She just gets it!"

Address: 135 5th Ave FL 7, New York, NY

Call 929-884-5202 for consultations and appointments.