Kat. My hero. I've been seeing her for various cut, color, bleach, and "I don't know, just shave that part off" appointments for 2+ years, and when she moved to Proper, I moved with her. The new space is bright and open, and the crew staffing the chairs is a good one. As to Kat herself, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone more passionate about hair. She has a story about everything from her shears to her dye choice. I honestly can't express how awesome this girl is. And here's how I know it's not just me: //// THE COMPLIMENTS \\\\ In Portland, in Los Angeles, in San Francisco ... I actually ended up having to ask for more of her cards so I could hand them out. I will probably run out before my next appointment. So yeah. Go to Kat. Get your hair cut. Feel nice feelings about yourself. I promise it's a good time. read more

Any place that ends up in conversation about who the receptionist will sleep with next is never too bad. I was guided here by all the rave reviews, and although I kind of agree with some of the better ratings, I think it ended up hurting my resulting haircut. They actually are pretty good at givng you a haircut that they think matches your personality, but when I first meet someone, I don't tell them my life story, so I think they thought I was a reserved asian chick that wanted something conservative. 2nd offense was that I had brought in a picture of exactly what I wanted and what I ended up with was no where close to the picture. 3rd offense was I even asked if she should be cutting it at an angle because the back was supposed to be shorter (like the picture), but she said no this will be better because it will all grow in evenly. I didn't care if it did or not, I wanted my desired haircut! After the whole thing, I hated the haircut. She basically gave me an entirely different haircut. My bf said he liked it, but that's his job. It was the first time I think I missed LA. My last haircut was perfect, required no maintenance, looked great even if I rolled out of bed, and only cost $20 because it was my 1st cut with them. Now it's just a big pouf-ball w/ bangs & all for $65. Props for interesting convo, friendliness of employees, a trendy space, & a good attempt, but I think I will skip off to elsewhere next time. read more

I am pretty crazy when it comes to my hair cuts. I am extremely picky!! Galen does a great job with my thick wavy hair. The way she cuts it makes my wave wavier, hair is lighter, bouncier ... just better! She really listens to what I want and does it! read more

Proper Salon & Showroom - Waiting - Hair Salons Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Wow. OK, I did not want to write this, and it has been a week in the making. But, wow. I had been to see Galen 3 times so far. Cut, bang trim, cut. I went back for the next bang trim. Appointment at 11:45. I get there at 11:43. She is washing someones hair. A few minutes later they come back over to her chair, which is right up front. She acknowledges me- shooting over a lovely smile. I proceed to sit there for the next 25 minutes reading a magazine. Finally I got up and told the girl at the counter that I had somewhere I had to be and would try to come back that afternoon to get the bang trim. Never went back. Will find a new place. She was talented and did a good job on my hair. But what is up with letting me sit there for nearly 30 minutes past my appointment time without even explaining to me why it was being delayed? My time is valuable to me. And it sucks because I liked her!! Arrgh!! So unprofessional. read more

First let me just say that we loved the cut and color. I wanted to surprise and treat my girl to a new cut and color. I'd seen this beautiful woman with a great cut at a downtown food cart. She told me that Galen at Burnside Proper did her hair, and that it ran around $110 before tip. When I made the appointment, I reconfirmed the cost, and was told the cut was $50 and the color ran around$50 to $60. And even asked if there were any discounts for first time(remember this point) customers. I had to work at the time of her appointment, so I gave her my credit card and sent her on her way. When I saw the cut I was very please and so was she. But she had this look on her face like something wasn't right. She told me that it cost $185 with tip. That's about $40 to $50 more than I expected. When I called and spoke to the owner or manager I was told that the cut was $50 but that Galen charges $50 per hr. for coloring. That was a new one to both of us. No compensation either for my girl letting Galen stop cutting her hair, so she can cut somebody else's hair. I find out after I had already called, that while she was waiting for Galen to finish that impromptu cut, she was told they don't take credit cards. So with a half done hairdo she was to walk to the bank and take out cash from her account. Remember I said I was treating her and that I let them know she was a new client. Do they expect everybody to walk around with $200 cash and who carries a check book anymore? It would have been nice if they told me that when I made the appointment. At $160 for a cut and color, plus a $25 tip I felt I got taken. And so did my girl. read more

So I write this review because AndrewC also goes to a salon to get his haircut, must be an Andrew thing. To put it right out there, I HATE GETTING MY HAIRCUT. Twice, in my short life, I have had to come home from the Barber and shave my head. Shit was that bad. I usually wait as long as I can. And that point occurs when my GF tells me to get it chopped, or about every two months. Donna personally looked at and cut every strand of hair on my head. By hand. No buzzers, razors, nothing. Scissors and fingers only. The only way hair should be cut. We chatted like it was 1990 and we were on AOL. The cut lasted about an hour but it felt like a short brb. Easy breezy beautiful. I swear all it will take is $50 and an hour with Donna. You'll be over all of those bad haircut memories and you'll be on the Andrew train. read more

I get my hair cut about once a year. I let it grow until all of a sudden one day I can't take it anymore, then do furious research on the internet and call around until I find a place that will give me a same day appointment. Then I walk away either hating it because it's too short, or disappointed because it's not different enough. This time around my research pointed me to Frenchy. I was skeptical - she's a hairdresser named Frenchy. But she got me in same day off I went. Instead of the over the top, annoying, tattooed girl I expected I met a calm, thoughtful expert. I didn't know what I wanted beyond shorter and low maintenance. For some reason this normally scares hairdressers and they end up essentially trimming because they're afraid to disappoint. But Frenchy played with my hair for a few minutes to see how it fell naturally and suggested a real style. I let her do her thing, and for once walked away from a haircut happy. For weeks I was getting complements on my hair. Taking off a star because it's cash only, which is fine, except she didn't tell me when I scheduled. I ended up having to walk to the nearest atm to pay for it. read more

Hope, Change, Progress... Twila gives new perspective on the dead cells purging from my head. I've fallen in love with my hair, something I never thought was possible. My Hair Background: Frequented my share of Bishops', Rudy's, & Dosha's. Notable ONETIME experience as a Rusk hair model (Onetime because they cut all my hair and left me with questionable sideburns... you know the ones belonging to Chinese men in Kung Foo movies and to make matters worse, it was all in MAGENTA.) I'm not complaining about the aforementioned businesses, yet I want so much to express to you that there is a DIFFERENCE. I consider myself a plane Jane, an indecisive one at that. How am I supposed to know what style will frame my face. I don't have time to look through magazines for inspiration, nor do I have the common sense to know what looks good... so in comes Twila... a hair stylist! You think they are common but I assure you, this is not the case with the evidence in my Mom's hair. Have you heard of a french poodle? Anyway, Twila's extremely personable and extremely focused, taking the time to trim strand by strand until your hair looks hot. You'd think she's onset for carpal tunnel with the attention she commits. The proof is in the pudding though, so this is my testimony: I went in for a cut and the following week, I had my braces removed. In the 3-week time frame from when I had my hair cut, my "new do" was the only thing anyone noticed and complimented on... that is of course until I mentioned the missing metal from my mouth. My mouth was a freaking disco ball and my awesome hair still won! I guarantee Twila's haircuts will change your life. They've changed mine. read more

I went here after Frenchi started working here and she is amazing! I no longer go to her because we now live on the other side of town, but she's awesome. I have hair that people seem to have no clue what to do with: stylists usually just lump me in with the generic "Asian hair" category and try to do the same styles they do on all Asians but let me tell you, my hair doesn't fit that generic category and therefore the styles they try usually end up looking dumb on me. But Frenchi got it. Right away. You know how it sometimes takes a while for a stylist to get to know your hair? She just got it, and it was fabulous. No matter what style I was going for, she made it look great. And she's super super nice to boot. read more

Galen is the BOMB! Burnside Proper ROCKS! Galen is one of the sweetest human beings you will ever meet and incredibly undeniably talented. I love her smile, I love her quirky style and I love her wonderful laid back attitude. I have great hair, not because I was born with it, but because Galen makes it so. I get complimented all the time and it feels GOOD! She cuts my hair dry, then will wash and dry after if I want... that way there are no too short bangs, my cowlicks always work with the cut, and you can get in and out quickly, and still have insanely hot hair. She NEVER over styles, and best of all, I can (almost) replicate what she does in the salon with not much fuss or time... and I hate having a great style that never works when I try to do it. She does great hair, but for real people. The salon - an ever changing art project, with great natural lighting and even better vibe. I come early so I can check out the latest installment, wishlist the cool jewelry she sells, and soak up the mellow ambiance. I am a loyal and unwavering fan (almost fanatic!). :) read more

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, I walked one mile from home to get a haircut. To the Burnside Proper, I went. I walked passed by it twice before I realized they don't really have any sign except Burnside Proper name on the door. It tucked in between a vintage clothing store and a convenient store. Virginia was my hairstylist. She asked me what I wanted and I got what I wanted! My hair is shorter, stylish, and my head is lighter! She did an uber duber awesome job with her Sccazors (Scissors + Razor combo). It totally worth the $45. They only accept cash and checks, but it's totally worth the trip to ATM. Thanks, Virginia, for making my hair look fab! read more

I've been to Burnside Proper once and in one fell swoop got a really great haircut from Frenchy (she cleaned up my trying-to-grow-out bob really gracefully and i look preeeeetty again) and a really painless, friendly wax from Rema. I'll definitely be coming to both these women again for all my hair removal needs!!!! I highly recommend both Frenchy and Rema. They don't take credit cards though, which is kind of a hassle, so be sure to come prepared. read more

I wanted to update my review of Proper since the stylist I loved working with left the salon (very very sad!) 2 stars for poor customer service and completely missing what I asked for. The style at least was good, but not what I was going for. I don't get my hair cut too often because of hair cut anxiety--too many meh or bad haircuts thanks to people who don't really understand wavy/curly hair (and probably too my lack of hair expertise, but it's a stylist's job to educate and help!). So I was bummed when I learned that my former stylist left the salon, but glad that they could recommend a new stylist, Twila. Well, at first I felt confident when we started talking about what I was looking for. I stated several times that I wanted a trim and was growing my formerly asymmetrical cut out for my upcoming wedding. She agreed to a trim, but somehow I lost four inches. Yes, I should have spoken up at some point; it can be hard to tell how short curly hair will turn out to be, but this was waaaay too much taken off--definitely NOT a trim. At no point did she recommend taking more off or say that she would have to cut more length to even out my hair (the asymmetry was almost gone at this point). So she didn't get what I was saying somehow, and I didn't speak up. During my appointment, I felt that her customer service was poor: she interrupted me to talk with other staff at the salon about personal things several times, joking and laughing with them. Overall she seemed out of it and not very professional. This is such a contrast to my former experience with a different stylist at Proper. I think you can strike a better balance of a hip salon and professional service, and this wasn't it. read more

I have curly unmanageable hair with varying textures of straight, ringlet curls, and also just a lot of frizz. I always have a heck of time getting a good haircut and finding someone that I trust. Being new to the area I googled and yelped salons that specialize in curly hair. Through the website: www.naturallycurly.com/curlsalons I came across Proper Salon. I then read the reviews on yelp and nervously booked an appointment. I spoke with Frenchie who said that she herself has curly hair and knows what it is like to cut and maintain curly hair. I went in recently on a cold gray drizzly day to get my hair cut. I explained to Frenchie how I always get my haircut by having it straightened and then layered. She pointed out that I have different textures and that it would be best to cut it dry. This is something that I haven't done since high school. She has been cutting hair for 12 years and I loved how laid back she was. She instilled a sense of calm in me which is not usually something that I feel when I get my haircut. I trusted her and she shaped my scraggly frizzy mess into a nice shape and recommended Moroccan Oil Hydrating Shampoo & Conditioner for my dry hair. I absolutely love the cut and the products work really well with my hair type. I am so happy and satisfied with my cut that I actually look forward to my next haircut with Frenchie. read more

Nicole Bacon has a real passion and calling for hair. I have a mess of curls for hair and had never really loved any hair cut I had received. That was until Nicole cut each curl and worked her magic. First hair cut in twenty some years that I actually loved!! Love the salon atmospher!! Amazing experience all around! read more

This place is LUSH, FRESH AND FANTASTIC in every possible way. My favorite stylist is Frenchi but they are all good. I love supporting a true Portland business. This salon has everything to inspire a hedonistic day dream!! Plants, beautiful and talented people, art, music, complimentary beverages and chocolates! read more

About a week ago I told a girl on an elevator that I liked her haircut. She explained that Galen at Burnside Proper is the *only* person she lets touch it. I was intrigued and having moved to the Portland area only a month ago I was looking for a new stylist so I raced back to my desk at work and called that same day. A few days later I was sipping champagne while Galen artfully chipped and snipped at my think and wavy hair. I'm left with one of the most manageable haircuts I've ever had. It dries faster, weighs less and she brought out the wave even more. read more

Galen is the best! I tried several others for a couple years because of schedule or proximity but I'm so happy I went back today cause she understands what I want and made my hair beautiful again. She loves what she does and it shows. read more

This place really lives up to all that you've read ... or at least Rema does! Note that they do not accept cards gotta have cash, & maybe they do checks not sure. Location sucks in my opinion plus it's hard to find, the price for waxing seemed about average, but Rema was WAY above what you even hope for! Totally worth the hassle of hitting the ATM, finding the place, & having to find parking. read more

I have been going to Burnside Proper for about three years, and I have never once had a bad cut or color from Galen. She even trekked out to my wedding site (over an hour away) and did the most beautiful job on my hair for an insanely reasonable price. She is the best stylist I've ever had - counting the overpriced cuts I got at top salons in New York. My latest cut has gotten so many raves that I may just stick with it, even though I can't seem to settle on a style for more than 6 months. Galen takes all of this in stride - it doesn't phase her at all that it's never just a simple trim for me. It must have taken two and a half hours for my latest transformation, ending well past 8pm, but she took great pains to ensure that it was perfect, not rushing me out the door or anxiously looking at the clock. My husband has gotten amazing cuts from Joe, Frenchi and Kara, so I can honestly say that this salon is as good as it gets! Whether you walk in with a very specific image of what you want or you have absolutely no clue and just need a change, you are sure to be pleased with the result. The new space is gorgeous - a vast improvement from their E. Burnside digs. Go there, now. You won't be disappointed! read more

WAXTASTIC! Rema is the house wax-master at The Proper (formerly Burnside Proper) and she is the master of all hair removal. She is gentle but swift, warm but sassy, and pampering but thorough. I have had her do my bikini, legs, and brows, and the results are always smooth and perfectly shaped. She uses nice products that are soothing and don't sting or leave unsightly marks. Also, her prices are really reasonable, and she's never made me wait for my appointment. I was referred by a friend, and have since referred multiple satisfied ladies to her. The location can be a little hard to spot on your first go-round, but it's a pretty big space, so you'll get there easily enough. Also, be prepared because they don't take credit or debit cards. I've had to cross the street to US Bank a couple of times to get the monies, but it's never been a problem. So get your hairy self over to Rema at The Proper! She'll clean you up right good. Oh, and P.S. Rema is also an uber-talented make-up artist, if you happen to need one for your big day or a photo shoot or something. read more

This review is mostly for Mychal who has relocated for reasons of convenience, but I will say that the salon itself was a lovely environment, and all the other people there seemed like really nice folk :) But yes, Mychal...at last, I found my new hair wizard! If you look at my reviews, you'll see that I had an amazing lady in California...but that's a bit far to drive for a cut, so I tried to find a replacement in PDX. Mychal was my fourth attempt, and she knocked my socks off. She "gets" me!! My personality once again shows in my hair! :D :D :D Even more, her attitude towards life is a great match for mine (no awkward chair-chat). I'm a big introvert, but I find I can relax and be chattier than normal with Mychal. Oh, and her head massages are so good that I almost forget where I am by the end. Edit: For any wavy/curly heads out there, I am a type 2a hair that likes to eck as much of the wave out of my hair as I can. I like my look to be, mmmm...impishly disheveled? Like I hacked my hair off with a knife, and like there ought to be some leaves caught in there somewhere. So the more wave and more different lengths, the better. read more

My last hair cut was five months ago; I was long past due for a trim. My hair felt like a lifeless, blah pile of nothingness on my head. After spending many, many days at home, because of Arctic Blast 2008, I needed to get out of the house and get a hair cut, for an overall self-enhancement booster. After reading all the glowing reviews of Burnside Proper on Yelp, I called and managed to squeeze into a 5 pm appointment with Galen, because someone had canceled. Galen was friendly, approachable, and relaxed. She did an awesome job, giving me a refreshing lift by renewing my bangs and trimming my ends. She laughs easily and is very low pressure. I don't spend the money on haircuts very often, but today it was totally worth it. With my stylish new cut, I feel ready for 2009! read more

When you have naturally curly hair, it's important to find a stylist that you can trust. Mychal is that lady. Before I found her, I had been wearing my hair the same way, long and safe, for almost a decade. She convinced me to put my hair in her hands. She gave me a classic but very sexy bob with heavy bangs. I get compliments from strangers all the time. Before she starts she listens to what you want and asks a lot of questions. I have also brought my boyfriend in as she also does fantastic men's cuts! Very highly recommend Mychal!! read more

Joe is THE BEST hair stylist ever! Proper salon offers an inviting cozy atmosphere and easy street parking. :-)

Everything is amazing about The Proper, especially Joe!!! He is hands down the best stylist in Portland, whom I have been seeing for many years. Twila, Galen and all of The Proper crew are so talented, true experts and super cool. They carry Kevin Murphy products here, giant plus. Plus, they have a giant mural of The Golden Girls portraits painted on sparkly carpet. Totally fabulous!!! read more

I was referred to the Proper by a coworker with fabulous hair. I was looking for someone who would turn my lame curls into something low maintenance but flattering. Galen cut my hair dry, which was brilliant since every time I've gotten my hair cut elsewhere, they cut it wet then end up straightening it at the end of the session. She didn't force awkward conversation, she just methodically snipped away and made sure it was even. My curls fell right into place effortlessly, now my hair is edgy but simple. Exactly what I wanted, and I hardly had to say anything. There is nothing negative that I could say about my experience at Burnside Proper. I will absolutely keep coming back! read more

As a person who isn't much of a small talker I was delighted with Frenchy (sp?) who did not try to force me into some awkward conversation. She just calmly cuts my hair and it always turns out looking great. I never have much of an idea of what I want, I always tell her "just something that looks good with my face" and for the past 2 years it always comes out great. She also has picked great colors for highlights/lowlights for me. I will never go anywhere else again. Also, Rema is awesome with waxing my eyebrows. They look great everytime. I have never been to anyone as good at waxing as her and will definately keep coming back. read more

Have had Ash do my hair color 2 times now at Proper and she is totally talented! Even though she just officially finished school she has been doing hair for at least 10 yrs and knows her stuff!! She's a hair artist and I've seen her cuts too. She's got a great creative sense and also a good listener for what you want. I just don't get haircuts or I would have her do that as well. I highly recommend Ash for your hair needs! Just a reminder: it's a CASH ONLY salon! read more

Dear Frenchie, the hair cut is not looking good, it does not compliment me and i left a message for you but haven't heard yet, what should i do? read more

You know your friend who always has the hook up on the bestest coolest everything in town? Well, when I called mine up looking for a haircut, she got sooooo excited telling me about Galen that I knew I was in for total supreme awesomeness... Conveniently located in that funnily up-and-coming pocket on lower Burnside, Burnside Proper is all high ceilings, natural light, old wood floors, and great huge mirrors propped along the walls. Umm, effortlessly cool? Exactly! Really cute accessories for your new look to browse up front, too. Galen likes to cut your hair dry, especially the first time around, so she can get to know the lay of your locks and all. She wants your 'do to look good once you get it home, you know? I so approve. We started chatting about what I might like to happen and she just casually started snipping and we were off! There was no forced salon-y gossip and we spent a bunch of time in comfy silence- I'm not that into yammering with hair falling in my face. Plus, not only did she not get all disdainful about my OMG-I'm-turning-almost-30 emergency home bleach job, she gave me chill pointers on how I could do it better next time or touch up my roots and when I asked her, gave me a couple of options with estimates for how she could help me grow it out gracefully. I think she even complimented me on the funny coppery color it turned instead of blonde. I HATE it the most when hairdressers give me shit for DIY! Next up was a shampoo in the back, with some kind of yummy organic products and scalp massaging! Then she blew it dry with a diffuser and cut some more. And introduced me to my new favourite product for long hair- Liquid wax! Citrusy! Organic! Love it! Anyway, my hair was instant-compliments awesome, minus awkward salon-fresh feeling or stinky hairspray. All for just $45! Oh, Galen also does hair for all the staff at Holocene and at the big Portland fashion shows and stuff, cool, right? And she's totally chill and cute. P.S. My boy roomie came home the other day looking super cute as a result of a visit to Burnside Proper! I can't remember who cut his hair. Something French-sounding maybe. (actually, her name is Frenchie) UPDATE!!! During my most recent haircut from Galen, my friends were kicking it next door at Ron Tom's, and when I made my entrance to rejoin them, our (super cute) bar tender fondled my lovely locks, told me I looked hot and gave me a top-shelf martini on him. That's my kind of haircut!!!!!! read more

I've gotten this incredibly uncomfortable feeling everytime I've moved to a new city, that I will never again be able to find a stylist as good as my last one in the new town. I was SO loyal to my LA stylist, that I was convinced no one could ever cut and color my hair as well. That is, until I read a review in the Willamette Weekly "Best of Portland" user-rated reviews, that Burnside Proper was INCREDIBLE. Since I left that first day after getting the most amazing haircut and color EVER, I've gotten my hair done by Galen ever since, at least a dozen times. What amazes me about the way Galen cuts hair is that she is able to reinvent the wheel every time and come up with equally amazing looks each time my hair is cut. It never gets boring. I am completely comfortable giving her absolutely no direction with how I want my haircut, and it turns out great every time. Always something new, always something current. I also have found out friends of mine have been going to Joe for years, I think it may be harder to get an appointment with him, but one week when I was back in Portland again and needed my haircut, Joe took over with Galen out of town, and he was AMAZING as well. Can't say enough good things about the staff, the service, and the skills of the folks at BP. Go get your haircut! read more

The glowing reviews on this site about burnside and Frenchi actually made me worry- the reviewers were so happy, so ecstatic about their hair, i suspected some sort of Frenchi-friend campaign. But everything good and beautiful said about her is true. She is the stylist that everyone dreams about. The kind where I bring horridly uncool starting material- namely myself, no idea of what I want, and a what seems a hopeless haircut, and she turns it magically into hair that is a bazillion times awesomer than anything i could have thought of or found in a magazine. She transformed my third-grade teacher/i-cut-my-own-hair-in-the-dark-with blunt-scissors-look i had going into hipster punk or japanese high fashion- i choose the latter version. the big test came today when i woke up after the cut- and holy lord of all that is good- it was cuter after sleeping on it than it was when i walked out of bp!! i am in love- with my hair and with that little lady who made it. yay yay yay read more

I love Frenchi. I have followed her around town for years. There is no one else that seems to get my hair right. She rocks! And is a cutie. read more

This review is for Anna Daberkian, the esthetician at Proper Salon. She threaded my eyebrows and did an incredible job. She is gentle with the threading and a lovely gal. Highly recommend her! She created a beautiful shape and arch. Very happy with her service!!! read more

I wouldn't trust my locks to anyone but Galen. I've requested extremes from her: light, dark, curly, straight, short, long, etc. and she can handle it all! Most importantly, she brings an artist's eye to the craft of hair, so if you don't know exactly what you want, you can speak in metaphorical terms and she is sure to get it. From Philly to NYC to Tokyo to Portland, this is the best salon I've ever been to, and one of the more affordable. read more

I love Galen (and Joe). I've been getting my hair done by Galen since before she and Joe moved to this location. She is a true artist. I like to play with my hair and she is very good at interpreting what I want. read more

I had been seeing Chai who moved to The Proper from Bliss Salon & Spa. I now feel that after all I have experienced with her this needs to be said. In a nutshell: I had hair dye spilled on a new Coach purse and ruined. I had hair dye spilled on a shirt I was wearing and ruined. I also had a piece of my hair chopped off at the top of my head so it stuck up straight and I had to use a bobby pin for two months to pin it down until it grew out. Her response to this was " You can use a little pomade to paste it down". She made lighthearted jokes about it in my presence. I left in tears but did not have the nerve to tell her how I really felt for a few days. I had to suggest over the phone that I should not have had to pay for that haircut. I did not feel comfortable speaking up about my concerns as she always made every unfortunate event that took place out to be no big deal. Her lack of common courtesy as a business professional is evident and she never made any attempt to compensate me under any circumstance without me asking. Two weeks ago I finally decided at the urging of a family member to call her back about a haircut that I disliked. I requested to come back only three days later to have an adjustment made to the cut. She seemed to be very disinterested in my feelings over the haircut I was unhappy with and made me feel bad for not liking the cut. What person who cut's hair for a living can't handle someone respectfully expressing their unhappiness over a haircut ? Of course my hair would still take months to grow out to become anything close to what I requested so what did speaking up accomplish ? The end result is a letter in the mail from Chai that reads: Unfortunatley I am uncomfortable doing your hair and therefore think we are no longer a good fit for each other. I thank you for your past business. Sincerely Chai No one should have to endure this kind of treatment by their stylist. Everyone should be able to speak up if they are unhappy with the results of a haircut or an experience at a hair salon. Take your money and self worth to someone who will truly care about you and your HAIR ! read more

It took me years to find a salon in Portland that consistently gave me a good haircut and didn't just marvel over the thick and unruly nature of my hair. And while Gwen at Burnside initally remarked, "You have so much hair!" she managed to decipher how to rectify the situation and give me a cute haircut. My biggest complaint about hair salons is their lack of vision; I feel that I generally just get a shorter version of whatever I walk in with. Gwen at Burnside Proper, on the other hand, sent me out the door was something new and cute. Burnside Proper is on the cool stretch of Burnside shared with Hattie's and the Doug Fir, and asthetically it sets the level of hipness set by its neighbors. While I am partial to Gwen's shears, it looks like the other stylists at Burnside Proper are equally adept. read more

if you have hair and need it cut, go here. this is a collective of some of the most talented stylists in portland (if not all of oregon.) their local fame can make it difficult to procure an appointment --especially with joe v--but the wait is more than worth it. not only is the salon itself an ever-changing multiuse art space, the service you receive is so top notch you might never be the same. i'm not exaggerating. joe is the only person i will let touch my unruly curls. he understands hair in a way few do, and will give you a progressive cut that works with your lifestyle. his head massage is to die for, he's funny and he smells good. oh, and he's cute as a button. i have NEVER been less than thrilled with a cut he has given me, even after 8 years as his client. it's telling to me that i hand out more of HIS business cards than i do my own--i get stopped and complimented all the time about my cut and color. in short: go here. be amazed. you will not regret it! read more