Upper38

Walk-ins welcome or book an appointment now 01752 228422

logo
Menu

About Us

You are here: Home > About Us

A MULTI-AWARD WINNING SALON!

From 2018-2024 ThreebestRated Plymouth Hair Salons; 2024 SME Awards Most Trusted Hair & Nail Salon-Plymouth;  2023 SME Hair Salon of Year-Plymouth; 2022 Corporate Livewire Prestige Awards Hair Salon of the Year. 

APPROACH

We don’t believe “one style fits all”  so we take the time to LISTEN to you, and then work with you to tailor the right look.   Attention to detail is key to our team –  we know the importance of the right grade of fade, that your highlights go right to the root, that when you say take an inch off, you mean an inch.   We also know how to put clients “at ease” and create a welcoming environment.  For us, it’s simple, YOU ARE THE CLIENT and we VALUE YOU.  But don’t take our word for it, check out what our clients say below on Google/Facebook – or visit our Facebook page.

Excellent4.8★★★★★ Based on 406 reviews from review us onSerena CurtisSerena Curtis ★★★★★ Got my hair cut today with Hannah and am really happy with the results, just what I wanted! Thank you 🙂Zay GyiZay Gyi ★★★★★ Today is the first time having my hair cut at Upper 38. I had great experience there. Eda has my hair done to get the style I wanted.Diluted TeaDiluted Tea ★★★★★ Wonderful atmosphere and very skilled employees. Marie cut my hair and I'm super happy with the results!Leanne LuscombeLeanne Luscombe ★★★★★ Cannot fault this wonderful place - I very very rarely get my hair cut and today was the first time in over 5 years. The lovely manager (I didn’t quite catch their name!) was extremely welcoming & empathetic when I explained I get ridiculously nervous having my hair cut, and the wonderful person she allocated to cut my hair made me feel completely at ease. I felt listened to and comfortable and not overly panicked at all. Little things from being made a cup of coffee to small talk with staff make ALL the difference to nervous customers. The entire atmosphere in there is just calm and welcoming, not at all overwhelming for someone who is out of their comfort zone. This is the only place I will go for hair things. Thanks so much to both the manager and Lewis 🙂Lucy CrescentLucy Crescent ★★★★★ I got my hair cut here a while ago and they did a great job. I got very anxious and freaked out and they were very good about it. Definitely the nicest hairdresser I've been to - sorry for being a difficult customerRuby WattsRuby Watts ★★★★★ I’ve had my hair done at Upper38 twice now and both experiences have been great. Eda has cut my hair both times, she is an absolute angel and does an amazing job. The hospitality there is fantastic and they do a brilliant job at making you feel comfortable and relaxed. I can’t wait to come back again soon! 🙂HonieHonie ★★★★★ Eda did a perfect job! She’s a proper perfectionist and delivered an incredible service. Couldn’t recommend more.Ryan WinfieldRyan Winfield ★★★★★ Great experience all round. Welcomed with a coffee. Grant catered to my needs, was very chatty and made me feel welcome. Would 100% recommendNathan SNathan S ★★★★★ It was my first time visiting Upper 38, but the atmosphere was very welcoming and polite — my stylist Grant was great conversation and made the experience very enjoyable! I will definitely be coming back to this place, I've never been to a more friendly hairdressers in Plymouth. Thank you to all who work here!Carla WickhamCarla Wickham ★★★★★ I visited for the first time yesterday. Eda did my hair, and for the first time in probably 20 years I didn't leave a hair salon disappointed. Thank you 😊 also thank you to Pauline who chatted whilst I waited.Diana Alexandra GutaDiana Alexandra Guta ★★★★★ Lovely place with friendly staff. My stylist Eda is simply magical. Thank you for taking care of my hair, I will be coming back again for sure.Response from the ownerThank you so much Diana xx Lesley Chapman.GreigLesley Chapman.Greig ★★★★★ I have been a customer at Upper 38 for 4 years and can honestly say what a fabulous and welcoming place it is. I especially have to give my stylist Eda an awesome thumbs up. I have fine hair that needs a decent stylist who know how to cut this type of hair which she has been doing for over a year now. I get so many compliments from others and I feel so confident and fabulous knowing I’ve got a trendy cut that is well structured and suits me. Thank you Eda for being fabulous!Response from the ownerThank you Lesley, much appreciated- see you on my return xx Sophie GallagherSophie Gallagher ★★★★★ This is the second time I’ve been to upper 38 and I’m just as happy as I was last time, if not more! Erin looked after me today, she was wonderful to talk to made me feel very comfortable and was very professional. I was told she was a junior member of the team prior to my appointment, I have no issue with it as we all start somewhere, but Erin was brilliant! She worked so well with my hair (it’s naturally very curly so not always the easiest to tame) and continually checked that I was happy with everything as we went on. I am so happy with the results and I’m also impressed Erin managed to create the perfect effect I wanted!Thank you so much!Response from the ownerThank you - glad you enjoyed the visits x Rj FajutraoRj Fajutrao ★★★★★ They were really friendly and hospitable. I would 10/10 would recommend againResponse from the ownerThank you so much xx finnfinn ★★★★★ Response from the ownerThank you x Courtney BeereCourtney Beere ★★★★★ I didn’t really know what I wanted, just that I was really unhappy with my hair. The stylist worked with my hair (I have a strong cowlick) to create a look that sits very nicely and looks great. Would recommend 🙂Response from the ownerGlad you loved it. Thank you x Shivani BorkarShivani Borkar ★★★★★ I got Hannah to re-style my hair. She did washing, cutting and blow drying for me. I showed her my reference photos and she completely understood what style I was going for. My hair turned out amazing! She knew what she was doing, really professional. I’m not good with talking so she was leading the conversation and giving me space as well which was really nice.Response from the ownerVery much appreciated. Thank you x Zoe DixZoe Dix ★★★★★ Lovely service. Very happy with how my hair turned out as well!BrettBrett ★★★★★ Best Salon by far in PlymouthSo great to find an LGBTQ+ friendly space where you can feel comfortableAmazingly friendly staff and atmosphereMy stylist, Eda, is just fantastic and helped get me looking good for Plymouth Pride!Every time i go, i see happy customers, i’ll never go anywhere else.Ben HeyBen Hey ★★★★★ Grant gave me a really good haircut was very happy with itMason MarchantMason Marchant ★★★★★ Service was amazing, been there 4 times now and they never disappoint me!Gillian DevitoGillian Devito ★★★★★ I had my hair cut and blowdried today by Eda. What a lovely woman, very friendly she cut my hair so well I love it! She styled it beautifully and paid so much care and attention.It was a great overall experience, booking was so easy and the email/text confirmation was really useful. I hadn't found a hairdresser in Plymouth yet but feel I have now.Colour next and some treatments as it's a fab all round salon thanks ladies 😊Response from the ownerthank you Gillian, very much appreciated and I will ensure Eda sees such a lovely review xx Lewis MilburnLewis Milburn ★★★★★ I’ve been going to Upper 38 for just under 2 years, everyone is always so welcoming and friendly. I usually go around once a month for a trim with Grant and he always does a brilliant job - I also had my second perm done today with Amanda and I absolutely love it! Everyone there is amazing and always takes the time to talk about the style you want and answer any questions. Amazing service would highly recommend!Cleo HendersonCleo Henderson ★★★★★ This is a review very long overdue! I’ve been visiting Upper 38 for about two years for routine cuts, from when my hair was a very short pixie cut to now growing it out. I usually see Amanda, who is always a pleasure to chat with, very talented and knowledgeable, and always has me leaving feeling amazing about my hair. I often had people tell me how difficult it was to grow out their short cuts and how much they hated it, and I can’t empathise because I have never left Upper 38 not loving how I look! I’ve also attended appointments with some of the other hairdressers on occasion and they have consistently impressed as well. I most recently attended an appointment with Eda, who was attentive, skilled, and very sweet! Every welcome and phone call is warm and friendly, and the prices are very reasonable.js_loader
Excellent4.9★★★★★ Based on 515 reviews from review us onAlex ScarlettAlex Scarlett ★★★★★ Walked in to Upper 38 and was made very welcome by Grant who proceeded to give me a great skin fade and hair cut. He listened to me and did as I asked whilst also using his knowledge to fit my ideas with my head shape. He clearly takes great pride in his work and put a lot of time and effort into giving me a great hair cut. He was friendly and flexible around my plans during the day. For £15 student price (£17 otherwise) it was an absolute bargain too. Best hair cut on Mutley plain by a long way. Thank you!Georgia MuersGeorgia Muers ★★★★★ Incredible experience with Amanda. I came in with an absolute mess on my head, faded red box dye that had been bleached over with a lot of banding. Amanda worked absolute miracles as I not only did a massive chop to donate what I could to the Little Princess Trust, but also fixed the colour more than I knew was even possible with my hair history. She’s given me such a gorgeous colour with some really cool highlights around my face. On top of that, with such thick hair I was always terrified of going short for fear of looking like a triangle because it just poofs up, but she’s given me such a beautiful shape to prevent that from happening. I cannot recommend enough and will 100% be back again. 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻Hayley IrisHayley Iris ★★★★★ Hannah was great. She fit me in last minute, listened to what I needed and delivered despite my being a bit vague.

I hadn’t had my hair cut in a couple of years, and it was ratty and full of split ends. When it gets brushed it was a fluffy mess. 20 mins sat in Hannah’s chair; and it looks and feels so much healthier.

10/10 would recommendRebecca WalshRebecca Walsh ★★★★★ The happiest I’ve been with a haircut in years! Eda did a great job and the salon is lovely and friendly!Kerrie JoblingKerrie Jobling ★★★★★ Eda fixed my hair when the roots were so over grown and it had all different tones and colours going through it. She gave it a really good cut and her technique for highlights is 10/10. Cannot recommend enough, everyone is friendly and nothing is too much trouble.Shannon McFaddenShannon McFadden ★★★★★ Had my first hair appointment at this salon yesterday morning and will definitely be returning in the future! Eda did a wonderful job with my hair and I couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out. I also had an eyebrow wax done by Autumn and it's safe to say my brows have never looked better. Amazing service!Amy ProllAmy Proll ★★★★★ AMAZING! Walked out with my dream hair in one appointment! Amanda was incredible, can’t recommend enough!David ShulDavid Shul ★★★★★ My wife's review (Emma S):
I had my hair cut and highlighted a week last Thursday, and I cannot really convey how delighted I am with the result. Eda is unlike any other hairdresser I have ever been to. Because of her unique training she uses different techniques that are not "one size fits all", and tailors the highlights individually each time. In all my years of having my hair done, I have never seen such expertise and care to get it exactly right. She is just amazing. It does take a little longer than a normal appointment, but it is completely worth the wait, the highlights are beautiful, and because of the unique way she does them the regrowth doesn't show that quickly and I only need to re-book after 3 months. I have been coming to have my hair done by Eda now for nearly a year and I can honestly say that each time I leave I feel like a princess. She is just on a different level from all the other hairdressers I have been going to, and I never want to go anywhere else 🙂Talis SpiritTalis Spirit ★★★★★ Lewis gave me a stunning and gorgeous dimensional copper balayage, taking the time to make sure that I got exactly what I wanted.

Would 10000% recommend Upper38 for those looking for a professional and fabulous result! All the staff are so friendly!Haider JafriHaider Jafri ★★★★★ Big thank you to the Upper38 team, especially Grant. I usually have a lot of issues with getting my hair cut or trimmed. Grant made me feel comfortable, took his time, exuded confidence and made sure everything matched what I was asking for. 100% coming back here for next time.James WillisJames Willis ★★★★★ Had my hair cut by grant, the only barber I will go to! Quality cut and a nice environment in there, would recommend anyone to goTina HaleTina Hale ★★★★★ Loved this place - everyone was so friendly and loved my hair. Can't recommend enoughHelga PinnHelga Pinn ★★★★★ Professional and attention to detail. Great first experience. Kat really understood my hair and what I wanted. Thank you Upper 38. I’ll be back.Cally EPCally EP ★★★★★ I had a cut and balayage done with the lovely Amanda and I am delighted with the results! I am very low maintenance and never know what I want but Amanda was very helpful with suggestions and asking the right questions and made me feel really at ease and understood my style! She was also very kind and accommodated squeezing me in before my holiday, I didn't catch her name but the receptionist was also really lovely!Catherine AnsellCatherine Ansell ★★★★★ Very reasonably priced for an excellent service! Love the tips I get given on how to style my hair!Liam DungateLiam Dungate ★★★★★ Brilliant hair salon, having the ability to book slots makes it so much easier to work around. The stylists are beyond professional and are always quick to update me on appointment changes and updates. Its incredibly fair priced and I've never had an issue with them. Forever recommended!!!!!!Gaynor DoltonGaynor Dolton ★★★★★ Just had a fabulous cut and blow dry from Amanda @Upper38. She also gave me loads of great advice and has made me feel like a million dollars. Thank you 😊Sarah CurtinSarah Curtin ★★★★★ Great service and amazing cut by Amanda.
She also does a good job and the staff are super
Friendly and the price is very reasonable. Would definitely recommend.Liz Jane RaperLiz Jane Raper ★★★★★ Highly recommend Upper38, literally everyone was just so lovely from booking the appointment to everyone in between. It’s such a chilled out salon, so relaxing and nothing felt like a chore, they were so attentive and I couldn’t have wished for a better finish, it was exactly as I had pictured in my mind.Natalecia FordNatalecia Ford ★★★★★ Cody was amazing, I would recommend her to anyone needing intimate waxing. She is very professional and gentle. The staff are friendly too.Kara NobleKara Noble ★★★★★ Wonderfully friendly salon. Amanda does my hair, I imagine I’m not the easiest client, she is always so kind and patient and most importantly so skilled and talented.Isabelle MilesIsabelle Miles ★★★★★ I came in for a dry cut and Eda did my hair beautifully and curled it. She always makes my hair look so beautiful and I leave feeling great about it. I couldn’t recommend her highly enough. She is a brilliant hair dresserJack TuckerJack Tucker ★★★★★ I had an amazing perm experience today at Upper38! Incredibly skilled and attentive. She listened to my preferences and executed the perm with precision. The result? Stunning, natural-looking curls that have garnered compliments from everyone. The salon's welcoming atmosphere and attention to customer comfort made the experience even more enjoyable. I'm beyond satisfied and will definitely be returning to Upper38 for future hairstyling needs. Highly recommended! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Nadia SibunruangNadia Sibunruang ★★★★★ First time going to Upper38 and would 100% recommend. They are all so lovely in there and I had Lewis who was amazing. He did my hair perfectly and I couldn’t be happier with it. Will definitely be going back! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Lucia LuciaLucia Lucia ★★★★★ Thank you to Eda! I love my hair results! I came in with a hint of blue, and a mess of very out grown balayage hair! She has worked miracles, and I am just so happy. She has great attention to detail and is lovely, and highly recommend Eda's service to anyone. The rest of Upper 38 staff were also lovely. Thank you so much xjs_loader

The Team

Pauline - Owner & Manager

Hi, I’m Pauline, Manager and Owner of Upper 38.

A key part of my role is to ensure that all our staff work with each client to understand exactly what they want, and then deliver exactly that at affordable prices. Having recently moved to our newly refurbished salon in January 2022, we had an opportunity to create a cool and contemporary environment (check out our lie-down backwash units) whilst retaining our friendly and relaxed approach.

 

Grant (Barber)

Hi – my name is Grant and, I have been working at Upper 38 since 2023, but I have been barbering for over 5 years. I love working in a busy salon, chatting with clients, kids or adults alike.  I am more than happy to deliver traditional, classic barber styles, with clippers and scissors, or fades, or, as we have recently seen, mid-length, edgier styling with mohawks and mullets.  I also provide wet-shaving services.

Amanda - STYLIST AND BARBER

Hi – I am Amanda and I joined Upper 38 last year, having returned to the UK from New Zealand. I have over 38 years experience in gents and ladies hairdressing – I know, “this cannot be true I hear you say!” I have always loved being a hairdresser, best job in the world, and I love bringing my cutting, colouring and perming skills to our lovely new salon on Mutley Plain. I am also a competitive open water swimmer, hoping to do the World Masters in 2025.

Hannah (stylist)

Hi – I am Hannah and I have been working at Upper 38 since early 2024.   I have been hairdressing for over 20 years.  Apart from enjoying the company of colleagues and clients alike at Upper38, I love the fact that a lot of our clients want the latest on-trend cuts and colours, including the recent resurgence of the perm.  I love helping people to feel better about themselves.   

Eda - STYLIST AND BARBER

Hi – my name is Eda (short for Zinaida) and I am from Ukraine, having recently arrived in the UK in June 2022. I cover all areas of hairdressing and love doing colours having worked with most of the major global brands. As with UK clients, Ukrainians want the latest “cutting edge” techniques and methods, and I love delivering those requirements. I love Plymouth and feel very welcomed, both in the salon and in the city.

Kat - STYLIST AND BARBER

Hello – I am Kat, a local girl,  and have been working in the hairdressing industry for over 20 years, having joined Upper 38 in January 2023. I love all areas of hairdressing including ladies and gents hair, and offer perming, colouring and cutting. I have 2 teenagers, one of whom is hoping to compete at the next Olympics, so a lot of time is spent travelling to London and internationally.

Gemma - BEAUTICIAN

Hi – I am Gemma and I have worked as a beautician for over 10 years, not only at Upper38 but also in Cyprus. I am also a qualified Beauty Trainer. I offer all areas of beauty including acrylic nails, lash extensions and lashlifts, and waxing. I have a very lively 2 year old, so spare time is really only a concept to me!

Marie - STYLIST AND BARBER

Hi – I am Marie and I have been working at Upper38 since 2019.  I love the variety of clients I get to work with at Upper38, delivering  balayage and creative colouring, and cuts and styling, for all genders.   If you come to our salon, you’ll also get to meet my dog Bonnie who works with me! 

BONNIE - Meet and Greet Dept

Hello – I’m Bonnie and I work as part of the team responsible for hospitality.  My job role appears to be asking you to throw a little ball for me, checking if you want to stroke me, and trying to eat a variety of the various plants on offer to me in the salon.  

DIANE - SALON MANAGER

Hi – along with Pauline, I run the reception area and salon generally. It’s a busy position but I very much enjoy the multi-tasking element of my job, and interaction with clients and staff alike.

ERIN - JUNIOR STYLIST AND BEAUTICIAN

Hi – I’m Erin, and I have recently joined Upper38 as their Junior Stylist and Beautician.  I am qualified to Level 2 in Hairdressing, currently studying the Advanced level 3.  I am also qualified in Nails and Waxing.  I love the variety of work I can undertake at Upper38, and am learning a lot from each of the staff.