SF Boring Essentials Guide
So you just moved here! Here's my comprehensive guide of my go-to businesses from hairstylists, to in-network dentists, to plumbers, to jewelers
Moving generally is really hard, but one of the worst things (imo) is leaving your favorite people. Saying goodbye to your coffee bodega man, your favorite dermatologist who was in-network for your insurance, leaving your plumber who gives your reasonable pricing.
Finding good people who do good work in a new city can genuinely take YEARS. And it profoundly affects your experience. This list encompasses people from hairstylists, to plumbers, to dentists. I was born here and I’ve lived in SF for 16 years so this list has come through much trial and error. Obviously nothing on here is sponsored and I’ve tried to include some of my friend’s trusted people as well to give options!
This is a generally boring guide, but sometimes I find those to be the most helpful. If you’re looking for any people specifically feel free to comment and I’ll add!
Cosmetic
Hair Colorist (Blonde Specialty)
Garrett has been doing my hair for 3 years now. He does really good buttery natural blondes at great prices!
Andre Mateus at Population Salon
📍The Mission
Andre does a lot of my friend’s hair and is also fantastic. He does great balayage and lived-in cool toned blondes.
Extensions
📍Los Altos
Clair isn’t in the city but she is the absolute best for extensions. She does micro k-tips that really don’t damage your hair. She does a lot of the Bay Area influencer girls. I have not found anyone in SF that I would go to over her!
Blowouts/ Styling
📍West Portal
San Francisco doesn’t have DryBar or any chain blowout salons. Bloom is a local blow dry bar that’s basically like DryBar. Blowouts typically cost around $70 and they’re great!
📍FiDi
Cinta is one of the bigger salons in SF, they almost always have appointments and are great for blowouts, event styling, etc. Arvin is my favorite for event UpDo’s.
Facialists
📍Pacific Heights
Isabelle is SF’s celebrity facialist. She’s the best of the best. She does intense facials with peels, hydrafacialing, deep exfoliation & extractions and more. You leave feeling like a new woman.
📍Marina
Skin Ritual does a great lunchtime facial, and is a bit easier to get an appointment. It’s nice for some hydration, extractions, or a light peel.
Laser Services
📍Castro
This is my go-to for laser hair removal. They have new lasers with the cold blast so it’s not painful. Their pricing is really good especially if you buy a package and it’s decently easy to get an appointment.
📍Union Square
They’re great for skin laser treatments. They also do laser hair removal. I’ve gone for laser acne treatments and they’re great! Brie is the best.
Nails
📍Marina & Jackson Square
Zorina is the best Russian Manicure salon in SF, they do great detail-oriented work
📍Russian Hill
DAT also does Russian manicures and pedicures, it’s my favorite pedicure place and the vibes are great!
Botox/Cosmetic Injectibles
📍Nob Hill
Dr.Usha is the best plastic surgeon in SF; she runs a fantastic team that does filler, botox, and pretty much anything you could want. They’re all certified PAs or NPs, so it’s super safe and good work. It's pricey but worth it!
📍Noe Valley
Brittany also does great filler and botox. She has a very conservative touch and goes for a super natural look.
Medical
Dermatologist
Dr. Dans at San Francisco Dermatology
📍FiDi
Dr.Dans is a good in-network dermatologist. He prescribes retinol, spiro, etc. Will remove moles same day, do skin cancer screenings. He’s nice, professional, and will listen to any concerns. Removing a mole costs about $500 if it’s not covered by insurance.
Dentist
Dr. Leyli Shirvani at My Dentist
📍Sutter Medical Building
DDS. Shirvani is a great dentist and accepts my insurance! She doesn’t push unnecessary procedures or fillings, is super professional, and has a primarily female practice! My copay is usually $50 and she fitted me for a nightgaurd/retainer and it was very reasonably priced.
📍Cow Hollow
This is my husband’s dentist. It’s an all-female practice. He is super scared of the dentist and they make
Primary Care Practitioner
📍All over SF
Tbh I don’t really go to a primary care physician. I just use One Medical whenever I have an issue. They’re generally great. You can usually get an appt within a few days, they’ll sign off on health forms, give vaccines, prescribe antibiotics/renew prescriptions. I’ve never had an issue and recommend it!
Home Services
Plumber
This company is a good local SF plumbing company. I’ve had them come for clogged drains/pipes and faucet installation. They do quality work at a fair price. They often have same-day availability, which is great for plumbing emergencies. It costs about $400 to snake a drain.
General Contractor
(510)-703-1095
Gonzalo is a godsend. He is phenomenal in a world of contractors who will charge you an arm and a leg for a project to be behind schedule and done poorly. He does very quality work for fair prices, he usually charges about $700 for a full day’s work and can fix pretty much anything. He does electrical, plumbing, and more. He did our entire bathroom reno himself. I can’t recommend it enough!
Housekeeping
Marilu and her team are the best! Finding a good housekeeper is hard. She is super prompt and does consistent quality work for great prices. She has an amazing female team that I feel super safe in my house with.
Mobile Car Detailer
There aren’t that many easily accessible good car washes in SF so my husband and I like to have a mobile detailer come to use. Art of Car Detailing is the best because you can leave your car parked somewhere and he’ll do a full detail. We do it 2x a month while my husband is at work. He costs around $150 for a detail, which feels like great pricing.
Jeweler
Yadav is the absolute best in everything from repairs to engagement rings, wedding bands, and custom work. They are top-tier. They are super bespoke and have very fair diamond pricing. Their work/quality guarantee is unmatched. If you need anything jewelry-related, they’re where I go for everything!
Literally cannot thank you enough for this!!
Absolutely love this, we need more things like this