A Santa Cruz native with more than 20 years of experience behind the chair, Whitney Matthews has built her career around one simple philosophy: exceptional hair should feel as good as it looks.

As the owner of Vice Studio, Whitney brings decades of hands-on experience, technical knowledge, and an intuitive eye for creating hair that complements each client individually. Her work spans precision cutting, dimensional color, highlights, extensions, and polished, wearable styles designed to grow out beautifully and fit naturally into her clients’ lives.

Whitney has earned a loyal following throughout the Santa Cruz and Capitola area for her expertise in both hair color and extensions, as well as her ability to understand exactly what a client is looking for—even when they aren’t quite sure how to describe it themselves.

Her approach is personal and detail-driven. Every appointment begins with listening: understanding the client’s hair, lifestyle, maintenance preferences, and long-term goals before creating a look that feels intentional rather than overdone.

Over the years, Whitney and VICE have been recognized within the local community for hairstyling, hair extensions, and independently owned beauty services. Today, that experience continues at Vice Studio, where Whitney combines established technique with a modern perspective on color, cutting, extensions, and healthy hair.

For Whitney, great hair has never been about following every trend. It is about knowing which techniques to use, when to use them, and creating something that feels unmistakably right for the person wearing it.