Hair help?

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

I need some hair help (on a humid day like today, I need it REALLY BAD).

My stylist, who I love and eventually want to go back to, broke both arms over the weekend in a rollerblading accident and is out of commission for an unspecified amount of time. The man can't even eat unassisted right now, so I feel incredibly bad asking for hair recommendations, but I'm starting to be seriously shaggy.

For personal reasons I do not want to go to the salon he works/worked for to any of the other stylists there.

I'd rather the location be in Somerville or Cambridge, and they must be excellent with fine straight hair. I strongly prefer cuts with a razor to cuts with just scissors. Don't care about male, female, gay, straight, trans, so long as they can make my hair look awesome.

Any suggestions? Please? Also thank you.

Comments

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

Personally, I go to Anne Marie's Barbershop on Holland St.

But as to stylists, I've heard great things about Gino's and Diego in Harvard Square and Judy Jetson and Floyd's Barber on Mass Ave near Porter.

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

it's not in somerville or cambridge, but i always recommend sara at liquid. she was coming to my apt to cut my hair before she finished school and got hired there. she and i both have very thin hair and she always makes it look great. she cuts the hair a little while it's wet and then more when it's dry which i think helps make the difference. i know others will agree she's great if you don't find someone closer to you :)

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Where is this?

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

oops!

it's on tremont street in boston.

http://www.liquidhairstudios.com/Home.html
(their website is...uh...nothing i'd necessarily do, but there you go, lol. also, something to note if you go, you can pay by credit card but you must tip in cash.)

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

I *think* I have another friend who used to go there before she moved--thanks! that's worth checking out.

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

Sara is good, Jason (from Liquid) ended up here http://www.yelp.com/biz/escape-salon-and-spa-boston with several others from Liquid (really bad falling out)

Judy Jetson, to combine posts, sucks. Salon Luna in porter is also good - almost any stylist there.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

The reviews of that place sound amazing. Though, if I wanted to pick a more inconvenient place than Newbury to get my hair cut, it would be the South End. (or maybe JP or something.)

But the reviews sound awesome.

[hahathor.livejournal.com]

FWIW, I've always been pleased with my cuts from Judy Jetson. I usually go to Damon, but I needed a quick fix while he was on vacation & got Danielle instead, and loved what she did. FWIW, I have very curly hair, and get both cut & color and have been pleased with both.

I'm curious to know what horrible experiences others have had at Judy's.

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

I must admit that my experiences were from years ago, but I also rolled in that a lot of my friends tried there a few times and left, angry and annoyed. Anyway for me, I went there for about a year. My cuts were ok but I always felt treated like I was in a place that was hipper than thou. On the last cut, I mentioned I wanted to grow my hair out (I had shorter hair at the time) and when I left the place not only was my hair *much* shorter than when I came in, but it looked like a bowl was put over my head and my hair was cut around it. I really didn't care for the haircut. In fact I was really unhappy and I let them know it - but I was treated like I had no sense of style. The only thing I remember about the stylist was that she had a lambchop sock puppet - I've blocked out the rest.

From my friends, the main comments include rude service, overpriced haircuts (for what you get), lack of attention and just in general not a good experience. Now obviously times change and I'm sure JJ couldn't maintain that level of terrible service and survive, however it really does appear that they pissed off a ton of people over the years. In fact, I don't think I know anyone who goes to JJ.

For that area Salon Luna across the street is night and day better. DHR (used to go, but I don't think they really got my hair - but they do great work on my friends) and Plan B (where I currently go) are both insanely good.

[findingthegirl.livejournal.com]

I don't have any suggestions for the Somerville/Cambridge area as my go-to hair person is in the South End, but I've heard terrible things about Judy Jetson. I had a crappy experience with Floyd's. They charge you 20 bucks for drying your hair. Luckily I paid the extra cash or I would not have seen the uneven bangs the stylist gave me. Also, they pull out an electric vibrator at the end of all cuts and massage your back. It was creepy.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Duly noted!

[fangirl715.livejournal.com]

I and several of my friends have always been happy with Dana at M Salon on Mass. Ave. near Porter Sq....unless he's the one who broke his arms, in which case I need to offer my sympathies and see if I can do anything for him.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

No, mine was working on Newbury. That sounds pretty convenient, thanks for the rec!

[teko.livejournal.com]

Definitely second Dana at M Salon. I started going there when Salon CU's waiting list became two or three weeks, and he's great. And sassy!

[narya.livejournal.com]

Yeah, seconded, though I have pretty much the opposite of fine straight hair.

[fangirl715.livejournal.com]

Me, too, and my friends as well--Dana's quite well known for being able to work wonders w/naturally curly hair (I found him through the raves he got at naturallycurly.com), but I'm guessing that he's good with hair, period...plus, he's a total sweetheart.

[canongrrl.livejournal.com]

plan B salon in Harvard (next to the camera shop and above the comic shop) is very, very good. fwiw I have crazy curly hair. The owner is who I go to and he's awesome

[abilouise.livejournal.com]

Susan, the owner of Salon Novita is kind of kooky, but has only ever done good things to my thick wavy hair, and is right on Mass Ave between Porter and Davis-ish.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Lauren at Pyara in Harvard Square is very good (though I have thick, wavy hair, so I may not be the best test audience here).

[rui]

Seconding plan b in Harvard--it's a nice shop, they're very friendly, and I've gotten two good haircuts there. Plus they'll consult with you beforehand if you want to.

[yagagriswold.livejournal.com]

Not sure about razor cuts, but my fine hair loves Salon Cu, especially Summer and Carlo.

[ethanfield.livejournal.com]

I also go to Salon Cu in Ball Square; I still go there even though I've moved out of that neighborhood. Carlo is great and is a lot of fun to chat with.

To all the Judy Jetson comments above: I've heard from multiple people that it all depends on who you get there. I've also heard that they (or at least one of them) specialize in a particular kind of look, and if it's not 'your' look, you'll be disappointed. Neither of those are reasons to go or not to go, it's just what I've heard.

[alphacygni]

I'm another devotee of Salon CU, which I first found through a previous davis_square conversation on this topic. I see Umberto, and he's a whiz with my very thin, fine, straight hair. As a bonus, their prices are really good value for the quality you get, and it's an excellent excuse to get out to Ball Square and remember that there's good food and stores there.