Originally went to Fringe. They gave me so- so cuts, but nothing really wowed me. I decided to go to Aspara because they seemed like the same type of place... only Aspara was a whole lot cheaper. Boy was I wrong. The environment is completely different. No one is snobbish, and they don't chat you up exhaustively if you don't want to talk, which is a big deal for me. I hate going into a salon nervous about the long conversation I'm going to have with my hairdresser. Mo is my stylist, and she helped me go from long hair to a pixie cut. I had never gone that short before, so I was scared, but I was in good hands. She gave me an amazing cut and I've had no more than two inches of hair for almost a year now and I love it. Wouldn't trust anyone else with my hair. Mo knows what she's doing. :) read more

8+ years of great hairdos from these fabulous women!

I was travelling and booked an appointment based on Yelp reviews. It was excellent! Mary and Brie are really talented and can handle many different hair types. Brie did a great job on my color and cut and she had never seen me before! I was extremely impressed. Mary and Brie are also very friendly and so easy to talk to. It is just so great to have such a wonderful experience. just wish I could have put the salon in my suitcase :) read more

I found Apsara and met Mary, the owner, as soon as I moved to Philly a year ago, and I'm a dedicated customer. Mary is knowledgeable and personable. I'm always delighted with my cuts, and when I sent my curly-haired husband over to see her, he came back with the best haircut he's ever had! read more

I went here by a friends referral who sees Mary regularly. I couldn't book with Mary, so I went with another stylist, Enkeleda. I got a so-so haircut that wasn't what I asked for, so I went back for a free redo and ended up with literally the worst haircut I've ever had. My layers are uneven and messy, which has left my hair scraggly and I look like I have two different hair cuts on either side of my head (I posted pictures). I went for a third time to speak with Mary, the owner. She wouldn't take the time to speak to me, let alone look at the awful job her stylist did. She sent the receptionist to tell me the only option was to have Enkeleda cut my hair again or I would have to pay full price for another cut with a different stylist. I told him there was no way I was letting that woman near my hair again. The receptionist wouldn't budge. Mary was ten feet away, heard the whole thing and clearly did not care. She actually snickered at me when I walked out frustrated with this response. A quality salon owner would have offered to fix it herself or offered a refund. read more

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I've been going to Mary since before she had Apsara and wouldn't trust anyone else with my hair. She's THE BEST! I can tell her what I'm kind of thinking, or show her a bad picture and she can do exactly what was in my mind. When I don't know what I want she talks to me about it and is able to nail it. Everyone there is also super nice, which is a bonus, and it's afforable - especially compared to the center city spots. I should also mention I have really thick bushy hair and Mary knows just how to thin it (without dreaded thinning shears!) and has given me the gorgeous hair I've always wanted. A shout out to Bree and Enkeleda, who cut my husband and my son's hair, and to Michael for making it easy to schedule. The whole gang is Ap-sara-mazing!!! read more

Mary did an excellent job with my hair! She took the time to listen to what I was looking for and came up with a great idea on the spot. The salon was inviting and posh, and the staff were all very attentive. I will definitely be going back! read more

After recently moving back to Philly, I was in search of a good and reasonably priced hair salon. I tried a few places in Center City but they didn't listen to what I asked for. Apsara was such a pleasant experience, Mary actually listened carefully and asked questions to find out how I wanted my hair to be cut. She also has very reasonable prices and the salon is a very relaxing place with nice colors and decorations. She even added some magazines to the salon's collection that I had requested! read more

I went to the same hair stylist from 6th grade through the end of college. I tried a different salon earlier this year, which I liked but eventually came to realize that it was a little too chichi for my tastes. While walking with my roommate on Christmas II (AKA Free Comic Book Day), I passed by Apsara Cutting Edge. What the hell, I figured. I needed a cut pretty badly, the prices for cuts and waxes looked reasonable, and it was within walking distance of my apartment. I think I owe Mo a beer, because my hair looks amazing. I've never had a haircut where I thought, "Holy shit!" at the end of it. (Not in a positive way, anyway.) I wanted something a bit shorter and different, but not super drastic since I have a Real Person Job and I'm starting law school in the fall. Instead of giving me the usual spiel about how my hair is thin so there's not much to do with it that'll give it body, Mo took a different approach with my usual layers. Instead of putting short layers around my face, she put them in the back. And I've definitely never had a salon experience where I was able to discuss RuPaul's Drag Race and the finer points of living in punk houses. Everyone was really nice and fun; unlike at other salons, I didn't feel judged for rocking my usual punk scumbag with a job look. Also, I was able to get my eyebrows waxed without getting my skin ripped off or leaving the salon with only the tiniest hint of eyebrows. I like my brows to be cleaned up rather than waxed off, and Mo delivered spectacularly. The best part about the whole experience: I was able to recreate my fresh out of the salon look perfectly, which has never happened before. I don't like spending tons of time on my hair, and other stylists have claimed that I can replicate their look with minimal work. They are filthy, filthy liars. But with my current cut, I took a shower, put on some product, blow-dried, and spent a few minutes going over my hair with my crappy old flat iron. And you know what? I look AWESOME. I grabbed a few referral cards to hand out to my friends, because I am going to be gushing about my hair for a while. read more

After hair appointments I usually run home to wash out the product and restyle but today I ran home... to write this review!!! Nei was amazing. She did exactly what I asked her to and my cut turned out better than I ever could have expected!! We chatted about food mostly (which was fun) but I felt no pressure to conversate. I hate having stylists that don't concentrate when they're cutting. She was the perfect balance. I have fine Asian hair and I've had a difficult time finding a stylist that I trust in Philly. I won't be going anywhere else and I even trust her enough now after this first cut to experiment with some color. (I have committment issues.) Right before I left she let me know that she was being promoted to Senior Stylist (well deserved) in a few weeks and that her prices were going to go up a little. I appreciated being told this little tidbit, what's worse than going back to the same person and wondering why they're more expensive than the last time! The salon is small but decorated tastefully with some Asian influenced art, red walls, and the friendly receptionist gave me a fix of my beloved Diet Coke so I was all jacked up with happiness and Zen! Love this place, can't wait for my next haircut... read more

Ever since i was a little girl i have always had unruly hair. Curls, frizz, waves, thickness all adding up to my frustration through the years. Ive had bad haircuts, ok haircuts, and "pretty decent" ones too. However, the one thing that was missing was that "i love it" hair cut. I decided to venture out to Aspara based on Yelp reviews. (thanks guys you really helped me out). I know I wanted shorter hair (perhaps even drastically shorter) but wasn't sure if i could do short (round face, crazy hair). Enter Mary. Sweet, friendly, and great at what she does. We did a little intro to talk about what i wanted, looked through some pictures of ideas and went over what i would be comfortable with. In the end, most of the hair was chopped off, i ended up getting a choppy layered cut that was definitely short! I never thought that i could look good with such a short do'. well, i was wrong. Mary re-assured me that the style would look good and she was absolutely right. I waited a few days to write the review because i wanted to see if i really loved the hair cut a few days later. I still love it. Its cute, trendy, and fits perfectly. I will surely be back to this friendly, lovely salon and to my new stylist Mary. read more

I had been stalking this place for a while and finally pulled the trigger when I needed to get my hair cut, and I didn't want to spend the $80 to get a trim from my regular stylist. Mary did a great job with the consult and cut. She took a good look at my strugglinggggggg hair (broken, battered blonde) and gave me suggestions and options on the best cut. She did a great job and didn't get scissor happy like most hair stylists do when you say "i just need a trim". She did such a great job that when I told my boyfriend he needed a good haircut, he didn't kick and scream like he usually does. He is a tough cookie when it comes to hair because he has that half Jew curl. He has that wavy, funky, out of control weird ass curl all throughout his hair which seems to scare the dickens off of most hair stylists. Mary took time to check out his mop, made him show her a picture of what he wanted, and then made it happen. He got TONS of compliments a week or so after he got his cut (usually he can't really manage to keep up the way the girls style it but apparently her little mini lesson made an impact) from his friends which was really shocking. Most dudes don't do that. I would highly recommend this place especially if you have curly hair. read more

Let me just say that I am in LOVE with Apsara Cutting Edge. I had gone for years and years settling for whatever cut I got after asking for what I WANTED. About a year ago, I gave up. I let my hair grow out a little and did a little research, looking for a salon. The reviews on Yelp for Apsara were awesome and the prices looked great, so I called and made an appointment. I showed up for my appointment, with Mo. She's incredible. I've never met a stylist that has taken such care and time to understand what I wanted and what would work best for me. She told me what she would be doing, sat me down to have my hair washed (which was awesome, the girl washing my hair, I believe her name was Nai, massaged my scalp while conditioning, very nice), sat me back in the chair and cut my hair the way I asked, told me what product she would be putting in my hair, explained what would be best for my hair, SHOWED me how to blow dry my hair to get the most out of my cut, and styled me. She even told me how often I should get a maintenance cut for the style I got. I literally walked home with a smile on my face. I have never loved a haircut so much. I feel so gorgeous and I will absolutely be going back. HIGHLY recommended. read more

I will add to the Yelp love for Apsara. I tried out the salon because it had such insanely good reviews, and it didn't disappoint. Brie has now cut my hair twice (the first time rescuing a horrendous cut I had gotten in a rural town in China with a significant language barrier) and done a great job. Miraculously, it's not difficult to get an appointment, it's not overly expensive for the caliber of the cuts, and everyone there's just really nice. At your initial appointment they have you fill out a survey so that they get a sense of what you like, what your hair habits are, etc. That kind of attention to detail and what the client wants really stands out! read more

If five starts equates to "As good as it gets!", then expresses my sentiments about Aspara exactly. I have been getting my hair colored since I was 16 or so, and I've really never felt more comfortable with my stylist, Nei. She has ALL of the qualities you'd hope for in stylist. I have naturally dirty blonde hair and have always gotten highlights. Nei led me into the world of double process, bringing me all the way to pure, solid blonde and I LOVE IT. I am writing this review only today, but she has been doing this for almost two years now. I started out not knowing what I wanted and she gradually eased me into the double process (all while being open about price and listening to my comfortable price range) Each time I come back she some how translates my inarticulate feedback and improves how my hair looks each time. This last appointment she asked if i wanted to take a risk and try a new combination for my color. I trust her so fully that I didn't even have the knots in my stomach that I remember having at salons previously. And of course, the results were better than ever. Competence and hilarious conversation is what you will get from Nei! The salon as a whole is a wonderful environment; once during an appointment in the Fall I was welcomed with a pumpkin beer. Kat at the front desk is sweet and never fails to call to remind me about my appointments. Mary, the owner, runs a real quality place that I truly look forward to going to every 6-8 weeks. read more

I have been going to Apsara for a couple of years and see Enkeleda. She is very detail-oriented and always does such a great on my cut and highlights. Everyone at Apsara is very friendly and talented. I definitely recommend. read more

Enkeleda was beyond amazing! She was meticulous, talented, and absolutely made sure my hair looked gorgeous! On top of that, she's incredibly kind, and really goes above and beyond to make sure you love your haircut. I literally have never had a better haircut in my life. If it gives you any idea how great this place is, I have never written a yelp review before -- this place was so exceptional it merited a glowing review! read more

I scheduled an appointment here and made it out in the freezing, pouring rain to show up. Whoever was being served was taking extra-long, or they were short on staff, or both, or something, because the receptionist promptly denied me, sopping wet, and told me to come back another day -- the first sign I should have looked elsewhere. Still, I noticed that the salon was warm but modern, comfortable but trendy, and all in all, kempt and quaintly-styled, so I gave them the benefit of the doubt and turned up for a second appointment. I filled out some questionnaire, which was ultimately useless (and you'll see why below), and was offered a drink while I waited. I do not remember which stylist I was assigned, since I was just in desperate need of a haircut, but unfortunately, I would soon learn that a disaster would have been avoided if I had done it myself. In any case, all I remember about her was that she had (dyed?) black hair, had either taken classes at or dropped out of Temple, and (I think) was the available junior stylist. Either way, more clues that I had made a mistake began piling up right off the bat once I sat down. The first thing I noticed was that my stylist was a veritable butterfingers, dropping her razor at least three times during my cut. She apologized and reached for new blades on each occasion, but having clumsy hands operate a razor at the nape of one's neck is a worrying experience to say the least. Next was how she "layered" my haircut, namely by digging the razor into the roots above my forehead and cleaving out very bizarrely shaped chunks of hair. Before it was done, she styled it with a very wet, weak pomade even though I told her I always used matte wax. But it was the end result that truly left me shocked. For one thing, the entire haircut lasted about five minutes, which gives a decent idea of how much attention to detail was put into it. For another, it looked nothing like how I described I wanted it to be either in person or on the questionnaire, and I had even showed her a photograph for reference. It did, however, look terrible, and I fear for my stylist's future in hairdressing if she is unable to tell when a style looks bad, when it does not fit a client, and when it's nowhere near what the client clearly asked for. In fact, it was easily the worst haircut I had ever had, and because of the stylist's poor attempt to "layer" my hair, it took about eight months before the damage was finally reparable and I no longer had strange strands of hair at incongruent lengths ruining every subsequent haircut. Needless to say, I never went back. It was cheap, but... well, you know the old adage. read more

What actually prompted me to write this review was that since Apsara, I've had a better experience elsewhere. I first went here in 2009. It was the worst haircutting experience of my life. In fact, it made me stay at home and cut my own hair for 3 years, and I felt like I did a better job. Only recently have I ventured out to try a different salon, which I have- and in comparison to that one, it makes me realize how bad the experience at Apsara was. I don't know if the woman who cut my hair even works here anymore. I had long wavy hair at the time- wanted about 2 inches off. The stylist did not seem to take into account the texture of my hair or what might look flattering with the shape of my face. Instead, she cut my hair according to how she styled her own. She colored it with a rinse that ended up looking brassier than the sample she hesitantly showed me (her demeanor should have been a red flag right then), washed it, blew it dry, FLAT IRONED it, and then trimmed maybe a half inch off. Although she was sweet, she seemed to lack confidence about what she was doing. Because she didn't take into account how my hair actually is, it looked drab, flat and just sagged. I felt like I got ripped off, and the last thing I wanted to do was return or confront them about the experience. At the time, my husband was overseas in Iraq, and when he saw me on the webcam, he said, "I thought you said you were going to get your hair done." It looked longer and saggier because she had flat-ironed it. Wow. On a positive note, I did like the "Zen" theme that the salon had adopted, and their decor was very soothing. However, the atmosphere could not persevere or eradicate the rest of what was a truly unprofessional experience. I finally, FINALLY went to a differerent salon this past weekend and had an AMAZING experience, far superior to the inferior one I had at Apsara years ago that I STILL think about with disgust. It was a waste of money. You know it's got to be pretty bad if you're willing to cut your own hair for three years. read more

I love this place! I have found it to be very down to earth and with a very cool, more natural sensibility. Mary recently cut my hair-- I have never had a better cut. She had amazing ideas and took so much time and care. My hair is curly and I really recommend her for that. read more

I was excited to try this salon for the first time, however after they started my appointment a half hour late, it took 2.5 hours just to foil my hair. I do not have exceptionally long or think hair. From there I was not given the cut I wanted at all, despite bringing pictures and describing the look I want, and now it is too short to get fixed anywhere else - I will just have to wait for it to grow. The color is also off, much much more gold/brassy than I asked for. After spending well over 4 hours in the salon for highlights and haircut - I did not have any more patience to ask for them to fix the color and my hair is now to short to fix the cut. I will be taking my business elsewhere. The staff is very nice and personable, and I appreciated the last minute appointment - but I did not have a good experience and would not reccomend. read more

It took me forever to find a hair salon that I fell in love with since moving to Philly, and this place is amazing!! Nei is my stylist and she is phenomenal! Every time I visit I know my hair will look perfect. She knows what will work with your frame, and is good at helping you to venture out of your safety zone (I am very bad at that - same hairstyle for years until I met Nei) ...this place is fun, all the employees are super friendly, and Nei is fantastic! Seriously, if you're looking for a stylist, you just found one. You're search ends here! read more

I love Apsara! I've been coming for years and have had cuts from both Brie, who recently left, and Mo. I also know many people who get their hair cut by Mary. Everyone there is very friendly and unpretentious, and I have always been happy with my hair. read more

after my regular hair stylist left her salon to have a baby, i was left to my usual standby to cut my hair, myself. needless to say, i needed to find a professional replacement. mary came highly recommended by a friend. i can finally put my scissors down & leave the cutting to the trained hands of mary. she was friendly, attentive, & spent time talking about my long term goals...growing out my bangs. apsara is a wonderful replacement to my hairstylist that i had a hard time replacing. i'm hooked & would suggest this salon to anyone that wants a sharp haircut without having to pay rittenhouse / old city costs! read more

Mo is gone, and I was not as happy with my experience the last time I went. It was okay, but just okay, and I've moved on to a more convenient location to my work. If Apsara is easy, totally go! But I'm not going out of my way for it anymore. read more

I just had my hair colored by Enkeleda at Apsara, and it's probably my favorite dye job that I've ever had! She totally nailed the color I was going for despite the fact that I think I was a bit confusing in my attempt to convey what I wanted. She was also super sweet--an all around awesome addition to this already awesome salon! read more

Mary and her team at Apsara are artists - and not just at hair, but at hospitality. When you walk in, you're greeting by a chorus of friendly hellos, offered a drink (last night I went in after a long day of work and there was a glass of red wine in my hand before I knew it), and ushered right to a chair. There's an amazing head massage that comes with the hair wash, and as if that all wasn't enough, they do a great job on the hair too. read more

Mo is great! I have always had long hair and always got the same haircut. It was time to change it up a bit. Was a little bit skeptical about the change but I figure I go to the best (even if it is in South Philly). I came out with a great cut and a great experience! Definitely recommend this place! read more

I used to go here a few years ago and finally made it back. Love it here. I've had my hair done by both Mary and Brie, and they are both great. I really like my haircut, but I especially like the atmosphere and service. And, if I didn't like the haircut, Mary told me I have a week to try it out and come back to have it fixed if I don't love it. Everyone who works here is very professional, friendly and polite - and that doesn't happen in many salons. I will refer everyone I know. read more

I really like apsara it's my new salon my hairstylist is roneece I been knowing her for years and I just recently got color in my hair it's been awhile since I had color so I was a little nervous but roneece was patient with me explain the whole process step by step made me feel comfortable and I fell in love with my color and the whole staff was very nice and friendly great experience read more

I would like to say that I just had an amazing experience here! The whole staff was friendly and professional. The place was clean and cute! My hair dresser was Mary. She was very personable and made me feel very comfortable! She talked to me about my hair before the cut about what I wanted out of it and what she thought was best. No one was pressuring me to purchase hair products like some places do which I also really appreciate. I have been searching for a hair dresser that I trust and gives me a haircut that I can actually tell and feel a difference. Hair looks great! I am defiantly going back to her for all my hair needs! read more

This is the worst haircut I have ever had. Appallingly bad. My bangs look (according to people who have seen this mess) like 1.) Hitler's mustache 2.) A Post-It note slapped on my forehead 3.) A three-year-old who cut her own hair. They are too short, too heavy, and too thick. I returned after 24 hours to have this 'fixed'. A few apathetic snips did nothing. It looks just as bad. They are so short that they stick out at a 90 degree angle. What can you do when too much was cut off? Wait for it to grow and look ridiculous with bangs plastered to my face with a heavy styling product (as recommended and done by the stylist) - literally pulled to one side and mashed into a flat, disjointed flap of hair which looks like a misshapen fabric swatch stuck to my skin - which is just great when you have a wedding to attend in 7 days. I was advised to 'train' my hair to grow in the other direction by pulling it to the side with a bobby pin and holding it in place with hairspray. I expect a stylist to cut my hair to suit the way it grows. I do not expect to be told to train my hair to suit the bad cut I have been given. Being charged for something that will look better after it has had a month to grow out is absurd. Being forced to bow out of a family wedding because you do not wish to humiliate yourself by appearing in front a large group of people (or be withing 50 miles of a photographer) with a weird slab of hair stuck to your face is more absurd. I am thoroughly disgusted. The two star rating is because the color is fine. I'd give the cut negative 5 stars if that were an option. This was my fourth or fifth visit to this salon and stylist. She is a very pleasant person, but I will be looking elsewhere for my next cut. read more