About Our Houston Hair Salons

Our History

The Upper Hand operates three Houston hair salons.  Founded in 1996, The Upper Hand salons are Houston’s premiere beauty destinations.  Both Click2Houston and CitySearch have named The Upper Hand as one of Houston’s best hair salons.  In addition, Hey, Hey Gorgeous recently named our salons to its list of the best hair salons in the world.

Press

Lucky, Envy, Us Weekly and Natural Solutions magazines have all featured The Upper Hand. Nationally recognized beauty expert Rachel Gower founded the company with her husband, Brian Williard.  Ms. Gower has appeared on Houston’s ABC, NBC and CBS local news affiliates.   The Houston Chronicle, Total Body, Us Weekly and Elle magazines have also quoted her.

Ms. Gower also hosted Girl Talk, a weekly talk radio program and appeared on the “Roula and Ryan” morning radio show.   A frequent guest on NBC’s highly rated television show “Houston Life”, Ms. Gower has also written a monthly column for Envy Magazine.   She also acted as a Beauty Consultant on Entercom’s nationally syndicated talk show “Your Time with Kim Iverson”.

TV and Awards

In addition, Rachel has appeared on Houston’s 55, ABC13 and the Live Well Network’s Mirror Mirror.  In total, The Upper Hand has been featured on television more than 150 times.  Her salons have also won Elle Magazine’s Top Hair Salon award an unprecedented five times. A loving mother of twin girls, Rachel spends much of her free time raising money for CIS, a national drop out prevention program.  In addition, she serves on the  San Jacinto South’s Cosmetology Program and on Trees of Hope advisory boards.  Rachel’s first beauty book, “Forty for Forty” is due to hit book shelves in Fall of 2017.

The Upper Hand salons are full service hair salons featuring haircuts, hair color and highlights.  The Upper Hand stylists also specialize in keratin treatments, balayage, ombre and hair extensions. We made our reputation one client at a time.  Give us a call.  You will be glad you did.