Braids that hold their shape, styled by Awa herself
№ 01African hair braiding by Awa · San Diego
A working San Diego salon where cuts, color, and braiding styles are handled by the person whose name is on the door.
Opening times
- Mon–Thu 10 AM – 5 PM
- Fri 9 AM – 6 PM
- Sat 9 AM – 7 PM
- Sun 9 AM – 4 PM
- Appointments booked directly with Awa
- Owner works every chair, every visit
- Reviewed for fast, precise braiding
- Serving neighborhoods across San Diego
The real thing
Photos from Daru Salam African Hair Braiding by Awa’s Google Business Profile
№ 03 · Styles
What we do
Braids
01Braiding styles done start to finish by Awa, built to hold their shape and grow out cleanly over the weeks that follow.
Cuts & styling
02Cuts shaped to how your hair actually falls, finished into a style you can recreate at home.
Color & highlights
03Full color or highlights, mixed and applied with the end result discussed before anything goes on your hair.
Balayage
04Hand-painted highlights placed for a soft, grown-out look rather than a hard line of regrowth.
Blowouts
05A finished, styled blowout for days you want your hair to look done without a full appointment.
Special-occasion styling
06Updos and event styling for weddings, photos, and nights you want your hair handled by someone else.
Not sure what to ask for? Call — we’ll talk it through.
Call to bookOne stylist, start to finish
The person who consults with you is the same person who does the work, every visit.
Consultation before the comb
Style, color, and shape are talked through before any cutting, coloring, or braiding starts.
Built to grow out clean
Braids and cuts are done with the weeks after the appointment in mind, not just the day of.
One stylist, one chair, and a room built for real work
Daru Salam sits in a converted retail space with ceramic tile underfoot and stained wood cabinetry along the wall — a working room, not a showroom, and it stays that way because it's used every day. Awa runs the chair herself, from a consultation about what you actually want to the finished style. Clients have described the pace as fast without cutting corners, and the result as hair they're glad to leave with. Whether you're booking a braiding style, a cut, or color, you're booking time with the person doing the work.
How a first appointment runs
(619) 265-1201Say the style you want
Call or message with the style, the length and the size — a photo helps — so the right amount of time gets set aside.
Come ready
Ask how your hair should be prepped, and whether hair for extensions is included or yours to bring.
Nothing is a surprise
Size, parting and length are checked with you as it goes, not revealed at the end.
Leave knowing how to keep it
Ask how to care for your scalp and when the style should come out. That's part of the visit, not an extra.
Before your appointment
Four things worth knowing — whoever braids your hair
True of any braider, this one included. A good appointment starts with a conversation about your hair.
Tension shouldn't hurt
Braids that pull hard at the edges can damage the hairline. Say so if it's too tight — a good braider adjusts.
Bring the photo
A picture of the style, the size and the length beats any description of it.
Ask about the time
Some styles take hours. Knowing roughly how long up front makes the day easier to plan.
Know when to take it down
Leaving a style in too long can mat or break the hair. Ask how many weeks this one is meant to last.
Booking clients from Point Loma to Bay Park
Find us in San Diego, CA. Ask about a time.
good to know
- Do you do braiding styles, or just cuts and color?
- Braiding is a core part of the work here, done by Awa herself alongside cuts, color, and styling. Bring the style you're picturing and it gets talked through before she starts.
- Can I bring a photo of the style I want?
- Yes. A photo helps line up expectations before anything begins, whether it's a braiding pattern, a color, or a cut. If you don't have one, describing what you want and what your hair usually does works just as well.
- How do I get an appointment?
- Appointments are booked directly, and it's worth calling ahead rather than walking in, since Awa handles each appointment herself. Reach out and you'll get a straight answer on timing.
- Opening times
- Open daily