Who we are…
Hello! I’m Onika, owner of Marmalade Salon. With 30 years behind the chair, I’m still just as passionate about helping each person who sits in my chair feel like the very best version of themselves.
My love of hair and fashion began in my teens, when I worked as a hair model. I fell in love with the creativity and energy backstage at hair shows and decided to be a part of it! Three decades later, what I love most is being able to meet and connect with people from all walks of life. I believe everyone deserves to feel beautiful, confident, and cared for.
I specialize in natural-looking highlights, curly hair of all types, and effortless long layers. My approach is to create hair that feels like you—beautiful, flattering, and easy to live with. I believe a great haircut should work with your lifestyle and celebrate your natural texture rather than fight against it.
When I’m not at the salon, you’ll most likely find me enjoying nature with my two doggies, catching live music or theater, trying out new restaurants, vintage shopping, or curled up with a good novel.
Nora was born and raised in the East Bay and has been a stylist in the Bay Area since 2012.
Specializing in natural, blended highlights, hand painted balayage, curly hair, razor cuts and dry cuts, she caters to her diverse clientele’s needs according to their lifestyle, face shape, hair texture and gender identity.
Nora spent two years apprenticing in cutting and coloring at a well known salon in SF, where she later went on to lead the internal education program. After 5 years there, she started her own small business and has been an independent hair stylist since 2017.
Nora is passionate about ongoing education and has taken many courses over the years from various educators and companies including Pony education, R&Co, Oribe and is a Cutitkinky tight curl cutting alumni. She is now offering cutting and color classes for stylists in class settings and one on one workshops.
She welcomes clients with all hair types and strives to create gender and identity affirming styles.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Andy moved to the Bay Area in 2016. They come from a visual arts background with a degree in fine arts, having exhibited their queer-inspired paintings in galleries around New York City, New Jersey and Delaware in the early 2010s. In 2018, Andy shifted their creative outlet to hair, inspired by the transformative power of a great haircut. Andy’s work ranges from edgy to effortless, working with people of all genders seeking hairstyles that embrace natural textures and growth patterns as well as identity and lifestyle.
Andy works with all lengths from skin fades to long shags, but specializes in short to mid-length hair. Skilled with clippers, shears and razor, they utilize several tools and techniques to achieve unique and individually tailored looks that grow out well and leave clients with more good hair days. With a passion for learning, Andy continually seeks out educational opportunities and has completed hands on courses in both barbering and hairstyling with world-renowned educators Josh Lamonaca, Charlie Gray, Pony Education and Aveda.
Born and raised in the Bay, Casey is a non binary haircut specialist with over 10 years of experience. Casey has learned and worked under several mentors. The most recent and influential being, Corinna Hernandez, owner and main educator of Pony Salon in Oakland.
Specializing in suitable and versatile haircuts for all hair types and genders, Casey's chair is a welcoming space. While a significant presence in the Queer and artistic communities, Casey's services extend an open invitation to anyone seeking a personalized and collaborative approach to their style. Whether reviving your current style or creating a new look Casey really tries to explore the specific needs and desires for everyone while creating a long lasting sustainable shape.
Beyond the razor and comb, Casey weaves a narrative of self-expression, ensuring each cut is not just an artful creation but a reflection of individual identity.
Born and raised in Oakland, Stevie started her hair journey at a young age. Getting through beauty school while still attending high school. After completing her program, she studied Fashion Marketing at a Fine Arts University in San Francisco. She decided to circle back to her true and most authentic passion of doing hair.
Stevie spent 2 years doing a specialized cutting apprenticeship at a well-known salon in the east bay. After studying the basic foundations of cutting, being trained in both precision cutting as well as creative cutting with razor she decided to become an independent hair artist. Stevie is passionate about growing in her craft and hair education and is constantly taking classes to grow in her career.
She is dedicated to creating a safe space for people of all sexualities, genders, races and identities. All hair textures are welcome.
Outside of work she loves to be a homebody cuddling with her dogs, cooking authentic Mexican recipes or making music with husband.
Liz Jones
(she/her)
Liz grew up in Los Angeles California and moved to the San Francisco Bay area where she graduated Cosmetology school in 1999.
She completed an apprenticeship and began her career at the famed Architects & Heroes Salon in San Francisco, and has since worked at a variety of top salons, notably Moxie Parlour, and Harper Paige.
Liz has worked behind the chair for the last 25 years as a color specialist, has expertise in foil highlighting, balayage/ hair painting, bleach and tone blondes, creative color and grey blending techniques.
Liz is deeply inspired by soft sun-kissed hair from early childhood, California surf culture, Japanese anime, 90’s pop culture and make up artistry. When she’s not working you can find her spending time outdoors with her rescue French Bulldog Maggie.
Mel Garman
(she/her)
Mel is born and raised in the bay area and has over 10 years of hairstyling experience. She crafts personalized haircuts utilizing razor techniques and precision shear cutting. These haircuts are customized and designed to highlight and encourage client's individual texture and style.
Mel has also developed a specialty and passion for cutting and styling curly hair and gender affirming hair. She draws inspiration from her interest in art and music and hair in film.
Outside of the salon she spends time singing in a band, playing with clay, and fishing. She has a passion for dog rescue and has been working and volunteering for the past five years. She has a 15 yr old chihuahua named Skippy, who also happens to have great hair.
Nicole is a hair industry veteran with 25+ years of experience. Starting out as a thrift store loving teen, a record bin hunter, and all around fashion misfit, she finally found that her art could be best expressed through hair. Nicole has spend over half of her career as a color educator and mentor, and is currently a member of the Innersense Global Artists team. She specializes in cutting curly and wavy hair as well as vivid color, balayage, blonding, and soft lived-in color. Nicole has spent years thinking about color theory; the how and why of colors that just look “right” on a client’s face. When you are in her chair, you can expect a thoughtful discussion about what hair color best suits you, your hair type, and your lifestyle. She believes in the importance of collaboration when it comes to your hair and making art together.
When not in the salon, you can find Nicole at a live music show, riding her bike around Alameda, camping with her partner, traveling to teach for Innersense, or planning her next big international adventure.
Victoria has been styling hair since 2006, working at trend-setting salons in Dallas, TX and San Francisco, CA. Since 2023 she has worked exclusively in Oakland, where she appreciates the East Bay’s creative energy and progressive culture.
She’s passionate about creating flattering, easy to maintain hairstyles that fit seamlessly into her clients’ everyday lives. Whether it’s working with curls, waves or straight textures, Victoria brings a balance of precision and organic technique to every cut. Her laid-back demeanor creates a comfortable space for clients to openly discuss their hair goals. Always growing in her craft, she takes classes each year with celebrity stylists to keep her skills sharp and her creativity inspired.
When she’s not behind the chair, you can find Victoria spending time with her family and indulging her passions for fashion, architecture, travel and music.
Soso Darling
(they/them)
sosodoeshair@gmail.com
Soso Darling began their career at the age of 18 by enrolling at a cosmetology school in San Francisco's Financial District after leaving the small town for the big city. Licensed at 19 years old in 2018, Soso began their apprenticeship at the esteemed Harper Paige - formerly located in Union Square. There, Soso studied under San Francisco legendary colorists such as Katie Casey, Marie Warden, Timmory Johnson, Liz Jones, and Jodi Ninomiya.
As the industry changed through the pandemic, Soso decided to expand their horizons and began working at the world renowned Edo Salon in the Lower Haight in 2022. Beginning as a color specialist, the razor cutting demonstrated by the entire team at Edo inspired Soso to pick up a razor and fall in love with haircutting.
Soso’s style inspiration spans soft and romantic 1960s blondes, shags, and French bobs all the way to charged and cohesively chaotic 1980s creative color, mullets, and BIG volume. They specialize in razor cutting, intensive blonding, and creative color.
Soso loves to meet your inspiration with their expertise to create bespoke hair for all.
Deeply involved in their community, Soso holds true to their values and takes pride in creating a safe space for each individual in their chair. They are happy to provide accommodations for you to ensure that you are comfortable and feel heard during your experience.
Emily has been doing hair since 2016 and her love for the craft only continues to grow. With a foundation in precision cutting and straight razor education, she takes a tailored approach to every client, listening to your hair goals and crafting a haircut that truly works for you.
Emily is all about creating a comfortable, no-pressure experience. Whether you want to chat or sit back and be taken care of, she's happy either way. Her aesthetic leans toward styles that feel lived-in and natural, the kind that look perfectly undone and make you feel like yourself.
When she's not behind the chair, you'll find Emily tending to her backyard garden, studying horticulture, and exploring the outdoors or just cozy at home with her cats. She’s looking forward to connecting with you and assisting you on your hair journey!
Hannah’s love for aesthetics, the arts and working with her hands immediately drew her to the hairstylist world. While she began her hair career in her hometown of Santa Cruz, in 2009 a desire to hone her craft led her to pursue an apprenticeship at a prestigious salon in San Francisco where she chose to specialize in cutting and styling.
While Hannah draws much of her inspiration from music and travel, she is most inspired by people themselves, with their distinctive traits and incongruities. She loves working with silhouettes, lines, shading and dimension to flatter the bone structure and features of the individual. Being classically trained, she is capable of strong geometric shapes, softer textured looks and everything in between. And Hannah is of the belief that good hair shouldn’t require much time or effort. She will often work with her clients to simplify and streamline their beauty routines, finding easy ways to coax natural hair into being its best self instead of demanding it to be something it’s not. Whether you’re growing your hair out and only want some minor reshaping or you’re itching for a big transformation, Hannah is ready to help you find those good hair days.