Questions & Answers

Where is Arc Hair Studio?

7151 Victoria Drive, Vancouver, BC V5P 3Y9 — about a 6-minute drive from River District, or an 8-minute ride along the walking path. Guests also travel from Metrotown, Brentwood, Burnaby and Richmond.

Is there parking?

Yes. Parking in front of the studio, plus free street parking nearby.

What are your hours?

Tuesday to Saturday, 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM. Closed Sunday and Monday.

What if I am running late?

We understand that traffic and the unexpected happen. Because we work by appointment, a late start can affect the guest after you, so please try not to be more than 15 minutes late. Beyond that, your service may need to be limited.

For perm and colour appointments, if the next guest arrives on time we may look after them first and finish your service afterwards, so you may finish later than planned.

If you are more than 30 minutes late, we may not be able to do your service that day, depending on the schedule. Thank you for understanding.

Do I need an appointment? Do you take walk-ins?

We work by appointment, so walk-ins are not possible — every guest has the chair for as long as the service needs. Same-day times do open up when someone cancels or a slot is still free, so check the booking page for live availability.

What is your cancellation policy? Do I need a deposit?

Chemical services — perms and colour — hold two hours or more of the day for you, so we ask for a $50 deposit to confirm them. You can send it by e-transfer to archairstudio@look-at.ca (please put your name and appointment date in the message), or save a card as a cancellation hold instead, using the secure Square link below — it verifies your phone number and takes a minute. Please let us know which you prefer in the note when you book. Appointments without a deposit may not be confirmed.

Your payment information is safe. It is encrypted and stored securely by Square, our payment provider — we never see or store your card number. Your card is only charged if an appointment is missed or cancelled outside the policy below. Protecting your information matters to us, which is why we leave it with a trusted payment provider rather than holding it ourselves.

The time we set aside for you may be a time someone else was hoping for. We value your time, and we are grateful when you value ours.

If your plans change, please let us know more than 72 hours before your appointment — there is no charge, and your deposit is refunded in full. Within 72 hours, or for a no-show, a $50 fee applies and the deposit is not refunded.

You can change or cancel an appointment yourself under My Booking on the booking page.

Save a card with SquareOpens Square, our payment system. Please use the same phone number as your booking.

How much do your services cost?

Every service and its price is listed on the Services page. Prices can vary with the length and condition of your hair, so if you are unsure, text us what you have in mind — a photo helps — and we will confirm before you book.

I am not sure what to book. Can I ask first?

Yes. You can book a Consultation — a short sit-down to look at your hair and talk through what is realistic before anything is decided. It suits big changes, colour corrections, or when you are not sure what to ask for.

If you already have a style in mind, or you are open to our suggestions and happy for us to recommend a colour or a perm, please tell us so in your message and book the chemical service itself. That is what holds the time for you, so the service can be done on the same day.

A Consultation on its own holds only about 10 minutes. If that is all that is booked, we will not be able to do a service that day — we would rather you know that before you come in.

You are also welcome to text us a photo of your hair and the look you want, and we will point you to the right service.

How do memberships and packages work?

Hair Treatments and Scalp Spa sessions can be bought as a package — the more sessions in it, the less each visit costs. For the Scalp Spa that is 25% off three sessions, 30% off five, and 35% off ten.

To use a session, book a single Hair Treatment or Scalp Spa. A price shows while you book, but the visit is charged at zero.

What services do you offer?

Cuts, all-over colour, highlights, balayage and ombré, bleaching and toning, Korean perms (digital, setting and cold), straightening perms, down perms, hair treatments, scalp care, braided extensions and wedding hair.

Is a shampoo included with a haircut?

Our haircut is focused on the cut itself. A shampoo and a basic dry are included when the cut needs them for the best result, and may be skipped when a dry cut suits your hair better.

It helps to arrive with clean hair, styled the way you usually wear it. Seeing how your hair naturally falls, and how you style it day to day, lets us shape a cut that works in your everyday routine.

If a shampoo is not needed but you would like one, and the washing and drying take significantly longer than the cut itself, it is treated as an additional service and charged accordingly. We always go over this with you in the consultation before we begin.

What age is the Kids Cut for?

The Kids Cut and Kids Perm are for children up to 12 — before the teenage years. Once your child is a teenager, please book a Men’s or Women’s service instead.

What is a K-Perm?

K-Perm is short for Korean-style perm. Rather than a strong, obvious wave, it is a soft, natural curl shaped to your face and what you need — styled, without looking styled.

The technique follows the design: a cold perm or a heat perm. At Arc you can have the machine perms used in Korea, digital and setting. Both are heat perms; which one is used depends on the shape of the wave and your hair. We will recommend the technique that suits you best and explain it during your visit.

Allow about two and a half hours.

What is a Design Perm, and how is it different from a K-Perm?

A Design Perm is planned around your hair in the same way as a K-Perm, but some styles need two techniques combined.

Curly hair is one example: the frizzy sections are straightened so they sit calmly, and a wave is added where volume is wanted. Another is a root volume perm with a wave that connects below it. Whenever more than one technique goes into the finished style, it is a Design Perm — and we will suggest the one that gives you the best result.

Allow about three and a half hours; it can take longer depending on your hair.

What are your perms like? Which one should I book?

Our perms are Korean perms, shaped to look natural rather than curled — a beach wave when wet, springy when dry. Digital and setting perms are both heat perms; which one suits your hair is your stylist’s call, so there is nothing to choose between when you book. Bring photos if you have them — the wave you want decides the technique.

A K-Perm takes about two and a half hours, a Design Perm about three and a half, and a Men’s Perm about an hour and a half. A Kids Perm is a gentle perm for children up to 12.

What is a K-Straightening Perm?

Straight hair that still has volume. It is not pressed flat against the head — the frizz goes, the shine comes back, and the shape stays. It suits curly or frizzy hair you want smooth without losing all its lift.

Allow about three hours; it can take longer depending on your hair.

What is a Down Perm?

It settles the sides when the cut is right but the hair above the ears will not lie down. It takes about 30 minutes and can be booked on its own, or added to a cut to finish it properly.

What can colour without bleach do, and how long does it take?

Colour (No Bleach) gives even colour from root to tip — grey coverage, warm browns, and muted browns depending on the melanin you already have. Dye alone can only lift so far, and the lighter it goes the more yellow and damage come with it, so we recommend up to level 8. Anything lighter needs bleach.

It takes about an hour and a half, and can run a little longer depending on your hair.

Root touch-ups are for colour that was done at Arc. If your colour was done elsewhere, please book the full colour service so there is enough time to see what your hair needs.

Do balayage, highlights and ash or pastel shades need bleach? How long do they take?

Yes. Anything that opens a gap between light and dark — balayage, ombré, highlights, a full bleach — gets there with bleach. Ash, pastel and vivid shades need the natural melanin taken out first; on Asian hair, ash will not appear without it.

Balayage and ombré take four to six hours depending on your hair. Highlights take about three and a half hours, and a full bleach about four.

Not sure which to book? Text us a photo of your hair now and the colour you want, and we will tell you.

What does a toner do?

It is a refresh for hair that was lightened here and has since faded — toner puts the tone back where it has washed out, for blonde or lightened hair that has gone brassy, yellow or dull.

Toner only goes darker, never lighter — about one or two tones. It cannot even out patchy colour either: where balayage or ombré has grown uneven, a Colour Correction or a fresh Balayage • Ombré does more. It works best within three months of your lightening, takes about an hour, and your stylist checks what is possible before starting.

What is the Hair Treatment?

A four-step intensive: moisture, protein, oil balance, then a coating step. The last step lays a film over the cuticle, which holds the treatment longer and shields the hair from what the day throws at it. It takes about 45 minutes.

What happens in a Scalp Spa?

Chloe is a certified trichologist. Your scalp is read with proper equipment first, and the session is built from what it shows.

Usually that means analysis, pre-cleanse and exfoliation, shampoo, a hydrating pack, massage, rinse, a leave-in moisturiser, a targeted essence where needed, then dry and recheck. The steps change with your scalp. It takes about 45 minutes.

What kind of hair extensions do you do?

Braided extensions — no glue anywhere — with 100% human hair sourced from Korea. The hair is ordered in for you, so please book well ahead; a rush order may add express shipping. Allow about two and a half hours.

Do you do wedding hair?

Yes, and we would love to be part of your wedding morning. Please book well ahead — text us your date and what you have in mind, and we will get back to you.

Are you hiring assistants?

Yes — part-time and full-time positions are both available.

To apply, please send your resume, including your experience and education history, along with your Instagram account. You can apply online, or email archairstudio@look-at.ca.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in Canada.

Apply online

Are you hiring hairstylists?

Yes, we are currently hiring licensed hairstylists.

If you would like to apply, please send your resume and a portfolio or Instagram account — online, or by email to archairstudio@look-at.ca. We would also like to learn more about your hairstyling background: your licence, any certifications you hold, and the education or training you have completed.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in Canada. We would be glad to review your application — thank you.

Apply online