Our Team
Our Team
We're a husband-and-wife team who opened a salon because we thought getting your hair done should be easy and actually enjoyable. Here's our story.
Hey, We're Jeff & Nada
Founder & Stylist
Jeff grew up in Southern California surfing, skating, and going to punk shows. He picked up his first pair of shears in 1997 and found the thing he was actually good at. Nada joined the same salon in 2003, they started dating a few years later, and the rest is pretty much history. After over a decade working side by side as booth renters, they opened Matson & Co. in 2017 because they wanted a place that felt like them—relaxed, no attitude, and really focused on doing great work.
Between them, they've done somewhere around 20,000 haircuts, color jobs, and transformations. But the part they're most proud of isn't a number, it’s the team. The six stylists at Matson & Co. are people Jeff and Nada worked alongside for years before inviting them to join. Everyone here is a specialist, everyone genuinely likes each other, and everyone cares more about making you happy than upselling you on something you don't need.
Our Vibe
Professional and sweet. That's how our clients describe us, and honestly, that's the best compliment we could get. We take your hair seriously without taking ourselves too seriously. Walk in, relax, tell us what you want, and we'll make it happen.
Who Comes Here
Everyone. People who've been coming to us for 15 years and people who found us on Reddit yesterday. Clients from Santa Barbara, Montecito, Carpinteria, Santa Ynez, and even San Luis Obispo. People with curly hair who've never had a good salon experience. First-timers who are nervous. Regulars who feel like family.
What's Different Here
Every stylist has a specialty. Jeff does blonding and SMP. Nada does extensions and fine hair. Erin does curly hair. Victoria does organic color. Nancy does color. Ariel does extensions and smoothing. You get matched with the person who's best at the thing you need. That's it. No guessing.
Walk In Relaxed. Leave Happy. Come Back Often.
The People Behind the Chairs
The Team
Jeff Matson
Owner & Stylist | Blonding & SMP
Been at this since '97. Surfer. Skater. Punk rock kid turned master blonder. If you want to go blonde or you're dealing with thinning hair, Jeff's your guy.
Nada Matson
Owner & Stylist | Extensions, Fine Hair & Color
Nada is the extension whisperer—especially for fine and thin hair. If someone else told you extensions won't work, come talk to Nada before you give up.
Nancy Garza
Stylist | Hair Color
Nancy does color that looks like it grew out of your head. Natural, dimensional, and perfectly matched to your skin tone. She's been doing this for years and it shows.
Ariel Tamar
Stylist | Extensions & Smoothing Treatments
Want length and volume? Tired of fighting frizz? Ariel does both. Her smoothing treatments cut styling time in half, and her extensions blend seamlessly.
Victoria McHone
Stylist | Organic Color
If you want beautiful color without the harsh chemicals, Victoria's your person. She specializes in organic color that's gentler on your hair and the planet.
Erin Olson
Stylist | Curly Hair
Curly hair: this is your stylist. Erin is trained specifically to cut, shape, and style curls, coils, and waves. No straightening first. No generic approach. Just someone who actually gets your texture.
Your Neighborhood Hair Salon on the Central Coast
Looking for the best hair salon in Santa Barbara? Matson & Co. is a boutique studio on State Street with over 20 years of combined experience. We specialize in precision haircuts that grow out beautifully, custom color and highlighting, balayage, curly hair care, hair extensions for fine and thin hair, smoothing treatments, and scalp micropigmentation.
Our clients describe us as “professional and sweet”—and that’s exactly what we’re going for. We keep our prices reasonable, our chairs unhurried, and our stylists trained with the best companies in the country. Whether you’re in Santa Barbara, Montecito, Summerland, Carpinteria, Goleta, Santa Ynez, or San Luis Obispo, you’re welcome here.
Not sure what you need? Book a consultation—it’s free for extensions and SMP. For everything else, just book and we’ll talk it through when you arrive.
What Our Neighbors Come In For
Santa Barbara:
Everything. Cuts, color, highlights, extensions, curly hair, SMP—we’re right on State Street, so you can grab a coffee and walk over. Street parking is easy.
Montecito:
Our Montecito regulars love the blonding work and extensions. Natural, sun-kissed, effortless—that’s kind of our thing.
Santa Ynez & Solvang:
Worth the trip through the pass. Wine country clients who’ve been with Jeff and Nada for over a decade and wouldn’t go anywhere else.
Summerland & Carpinteria:
A quick 101 drive for haircuts and color that actually grow out well. Some of our longest clients come from down the coast.
Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers.
Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime. If you’re feeling ready, go ahead and apply.
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Since 2017. But Jeff's been cutting hair since 1997 and Nada since 2003, so the experience goes back a lot further than the sign on the door.
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One hundred percent. A lot of our clients found us on Google or Reddit and were nervous about trying somewhere new. We get it. We'll take good care of you, explain everything before we do it, and make sure you're happy before you leave.
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Absolutely. Curly, straight, fine, thick, wavy, coily. Every stylist has a specialty, so we match you with the person who knows your hair type best.
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For extensions and SMP, we offer free consultations. For other services, you're welcome to book a consultation, or just come in for a simple service and see how it goes.
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Professional and sweet comes up a lot. So does my hair has never looked this good and I'm never going anywhere else. We're not the type to brag, but our Google reviews kind of do it for us.
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Yes. Erin Olson specializes in curly hair and is trained to cut and style curls without straightening them first. If you've had bad experiences at other salons, you owe it to yourself to try Erin.