Forget about it. !!! Apryl is a decent hairdresser, However she charges me over one hundred for the cut. I leave her a $25.00 dollar tip on top of that. The problem is she posts her email on the site. I had a question about my hair style and she never emailed me back. Perfect example of a low quality person who doesn't give a shit anymore. The funny thing I would have paid to tweek the cut. I'm gone!!!! Her customer service is not worth it. She probably thins I was looking for a redo. NEXT!!!!! Another south end hairdresser with attitude. You're not that good Darling. See YA read more

Hello....If you are unhappy with your present hair style.....so much so that find yourself always wearing a baseball cap, do yourself a BIG favor and make an appointment at Pure....Jenny created the coolest short pixie cut that is so easy to maintain because of the styling tips she gave me. Jenny definitely is in the right profession, I know we have all gone to stylists who definitely did NOT choose the right career.....but Jenny will talk with you, ask you what your thoughts are for your cut, ask if you low maintenance relative to hair products and routines.....she was sincerely interested in wanting to provide not only a cool, easy to style haircut, but she wanted to create a relaxed and comfortable experience.......she was wonderful!! The salon is very clean and bright, and easy to find......my advice.....start your New Year with a New Hair Cut....and if you want to receive a purely exceptional hair style.... make an appointment with Jenny at Pure Hair Design!! read more

Cancellation policy is AWFUL! My daughter was a client of here when she lived with us for a year and loved the salon. Moved to NYC an made an appointment to have her hair done when she got in over the Christmas break. Weather hit and her flight was cancelled hence she couldn't make her appointment. Although the stylist tried to do everything to reschedule, my daughter ended up getting sick so they charge you a complete haircut for cancellation. I completely understand you have to have a cancellation policy, but $100 is insane. They wouldn't allow me to take the cut as I live here and she has to fly back so couldn't make another one. I know almost every business allows for one "oops" so to have to pay this two days after Christmas shows the lack of empathy. Wouldn't recommend if you have ever needed to cancel an appointment. Rate was insanely high and flexibility of transfer non negotiable. Too bad because my daughter did love the stylist and recommended I try, but will not with policy's that aren't flexible under extenuating circumstance. read more

pure hair design a salon that is clean and appealing. I've been getting cuts for many years with Jason Holmes who is absolutely extraordinary in his artistry as a stylist. Quality read more

Completely the best! I have been going for over 12 years. They recommend color and cut as well as easily follow direction for you. Love it! read more

I found Apryl by accident. I was looking for a coppola keratin express treatment and went to a pricey salon for an expensive consultation. The man I spoke with there basically told me my hair would never do what I wanted it to do and that I should adjust my expectations. I am so glad I continued looking and found Apryl. Not only did she give me EXACTLY what I wanted, but I have been back to her since, and because she listens and gives such a great cut, I have a style I love and can make look the way I want on my own. The salon is cute and clean, and she is so fast that I am out of there in no time. Highly recommended! read more

Apryl is best owner in the world. no one know more about hair than her. I will always go back to her.

Angela was great. She greeted me when I walked in, hung my coat up, and listened to what type of haircut I was going for. She made some small talk which came naturally. I needed a few inches off with some layers/angles. Overall she did a great job and I look forward to seeing her for highlights soon. As for COVID- the place was clean, everyone wore masks, and respected others needs. read more

Pure Hair Design - Blow Dry/Out Services Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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UPDATE: Yes, I'm still traveling thousands of miles to see Jenny Kisiel at Pure Hair Design and she's still making me look good even when I feel like a mess. A true artist who knows her stuff! read more

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Thank you Frank for a wonderful haircut and a great conversation. He listened to exactly what I wanted and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. The business is also COVID-compliant. Happy to have found my new neighborhood salon! read more

Pure Hair Design - Haircut by Frank - Blow Dry/Out Services Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

April and the team at Pure are beyond amazing, I have gone to april for over 8 years and i can't say enough, I highly reccomend this salon!! I live in the South End and have always changed hairdressers and after meeting April i never missed 6 weeks , She is a creative genius when it comes to hari read more

Very disappointed. After reading such rave reviews, I was excited to try a new hair salon in Boston and made an appointment with Peabo. It started off fine, I arrived 10 minutes early and waited for him to finished the appointment before me. He was very friendly, showed me to my seat and introduced himself. As we began talking through what I wanted, another woman came in and said she needed an up do. Peabo let me know he had to "do a quick up do" and "would be back in a minute." It was clear she was having photos taken or some important milestone so I was patient. Unfortunately, an hour later I was still sitting there. No one spoke to me, no one apologized and no one bothered to communicated how much additional time it would be. I felt an hour was plenty of time to be patient and I was clearly a lower priority, despite having called to make an appointment. Sadly, as I let Peabo know I would be leaving, there was little apology or concern. I was really looking forward to finding a salon in Boston, but I would prefer one that valued me and my time. ------------------ Updating with the below response as I just don't think this was respectful in the least and hope it's helpful for others looking to find a salon. To clarify, I called "via phone" to ask for the next available appointment. The woman who answered was very kind and asked if I could show up in two hours. I did not ask to be squeezed in. I was not in a rush. read more

Pure Hair Design - Response to my review: - Blow Dry/Out Services Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

As the rebellious daughter of a conservative hairdresser, the more "edgy" I wanted to appear for the first 20-something years of my life, the more "Paula Abdul" my hair got. I had always wanted a fun, shaggy, colorful style to compliment my eccentric eyeglasses (and personality?) and thankfully, Frank Mulone became my hair savior. After moving from New York to Boston, I needed to lock in an artist who knew color (I'm talking shades of GREEN! type-a' color) and who wasn't afraid to give a funky cut. Through friends I was reminded that Frank was their go-to guy and has remained mine for well over a year now. He's always been fantastic at abstracting the image I have for my newest "look" and amplifying it. My cuts have been stylish but also practical when growing out. The atmosphere in the shop is always fun (especially with Jason around!) and he uses products that both my boyfriend and I now have in our bathroom. The days of my hair tameness have ended and now I can finally walk out of Pure Hair Design feelin' awesome with a cool and unique look. read more

Pure Hair Design - Thumbs up, Frank Mulone! My green locks rock! (@ Pure Hair Design) - Blow Dry/Out Services Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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This review is about Lily. I had always gone to the same woman to do my hair from my first haircut until I moved to Boston (even going home on breaks during college to go back to her). I went to Lily for a color correction and she completely transformed the brassy, awful reddish color that the other salon gave me into the perfect shade of blonde. When I thought it was a little too dark, she immediately got me some highlights for around my face and made it absolutely perfect. She's also been helping me to grow out my thin, damaged hair using a combination of split end treatments, express blowouts, and trims, but never pushes services on me I can't afford. She is super flexible if I have to change the date/time and always so friendly. I've followed her through change of salons and I recommend her to everyone looking for a new stylist! Coming to Lily takes all the anxiety out of getting my hair done - I know she'll get it exactly right every time! read more

Shout out to Peabo Frank peabo.did.that - Peabo does it EVERY TIME! By far the best stylist I've been to in my life. His level of skill and professionalism, combined with his creativity and passion, make for an experience that is reassuring, fun, and energizing. He connects with people on a human level and brings such enthusiasm, warmth, and joy to the process of getting a new or updated hairdo. At my last appointment, I felt like Peabo truly understood my priorities and also helped me take a bit of a risk to go for something bold. I am SO glad I did-- because it's not just about a haircut, it's about how we feel in our own skin and how we express ourselves. Cutting curly hair requires a unique skill set, and you can trust Peabo to make your hair dreams come true! Thank you, Peabo! read more

At first, I thought I got a great curly cut, but then when I got home, I realize that all of my layers were cut mismatched. My bangs are not even on either side, with one side being completely straight. ... She added layers, but didn't blend them, so It looks like I have a mullet in the front. altogether. In fact, she took off 12 inches from some of my layers, which I hadn't noticed, because I was asked to take my glasses off during the Haircut. I asked for my hair to be brushing my shoulders, but the smallest layer she gave me is literally 2 inches long. I have no idea what curly girl would want that. I'm completely upset, I've been crying for two days. I have extremely curly hair, and it'll take at least five months for my hair to look presentable. I would never recommend to get a curly haircut here. Or, if you do, be extremely careful, and do not consent to taking your glasses off!! I'll never be going back read more

This review is for Peabo Frank. I have had tons of awful haircuts in the past, and was feeing pretty discouraged until I found Peabo. He is a curl WIZARD. Not only did he reawaken my lifeless curls, but he taught me everything I needed to know about keeping them looking amazing on my own. From the minute I met Peabo, he made me feel comfortable and fabulous all at once. He's personable, responsive, and his prices are very reasonable for the city. I went back today for a balayage and discovered that he is also a master colorist. He is a true artist and it shows by the attention to detail he gave to both my cut and color. Go get your curls done right!! read more

I dyed my hair back in February 2017 and I'm just getting to writing a review because of how FURIOUS I am. Back in February, I went in to see Derek to get my hair colored. This was my first time here and the reviews were decent so I went. My hair came out blotchy AND streaky but after a while I let it go, because this is what happens when you try out new places sometimes. My hair was also very dry after, but I didn't think much of it. Fast forward to 7/29/2017, and I'm getting my hair colored at a different salon. They asked me if I had ever had my hair bleached, and I said no, because I had never done it. My hair is very thin and bleach would dry it out. 2 hours later, they revealed my hair at the new salon and it was green!! My hair stylist was as shocked as I was. He then let me know that my hair would not have turned green unless I had bleached it previously...which is when I realized...DEREK had placed bleach in my color back in February and NEVER TOLD ME.... Don't trust them with your hair here. I did and I will live to regret it...... read more

I scheduled an appointment with Peabo and he did an amazing job. Though my appointment needed to be rescheduled a couple times, it was well worth the wait. I couldn't have trusted a better stylist with my big chop and I couldn't be happier with my hair. I'm definitely coming back read more

Pure Hair Design - Blow Dry/Out Services Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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If you're looking for a salon that listens to what you want, and will guide to to the right solution to make you as beautiful as possible, RUN, DON'T WALK, to Pure! I have been going to Pure Hair, and specifically Apryl, for almost 15 years. They have become more than a salon, they are friends. Apryl has made my hair look gorgeous with her talent with color, and she now straightens it, and I've never looked more beautiful. She's also going to do my hair for my wedding! She's a gem! There is no better, and I've been to a lot! read more

Very Reasonably priced for high quality of work. I had root touch up, highlights and over all color with hair cut and blow out for under $200 Frank walked me through the entire process before starting, and explained throughout the process why and what he was doing. The color and cut were exactly what I had hoped for. The atmosphere was calm and laid back, and location is very accessible. ( I walked but noticed lots of street parking nearby). I came here after finding the salon via the Joico salon locator. It's honestly the best product for intense hair color out there IMO. Tracy who helped me book my appointment worked to find me the best stylist/colorist to match my style. Frank who helped me knows his product well. I was very impressed with his choice of pallet for mixing up a custom color look. I was so apprehensive walking into another salon I was unfamiliar with after having such a bad experience the last time. So glad I found this place! Next time I'm in Boston, I'll be booking an apt. read more

I met Shan at a fellow Yelper's wedding and, not even knowing where he worked, thought he was a really nice and extremely funny person. I am not sure what happened, since I was tipping back the wine, but somehow I got his card and found it in my wallet the next morning. I was told I asked for it and wasn't given it because of my hair's dire state. That made me feel better ;p So I checked out his reviews on Yelp and was impressed. I made an appointment and was SO nervous because A) I have the worst luck with stylists and B) I cut and colored my own hair and wasn't sure anyone could fix it. Shan really listened to what I wanted and I don't know what the hell he did, but the end result (using the foiling technique) was awesome. My The result was a medium brown with the original "lighter color" I had left as the faux highlights. I think he named it "fauxlight".....I loved it! He then cut my hair styled it and I left feeling like a million buxs! PLUS, his prices are on point! He also gave me advice on maintenance and I am on the "Low-poo" system. Ask him about it....but first you MUST make an appointment. read more

I can't believe I keep forgetting to give this salon the awesome review it deserves... I have been going here since I got a terrible haircut at a salon down the street from Pure that will remain unnamed. Seriously, there was a chunk of hair on my head that was half as long as the rest for no apparent reason. It was sad. I was sad. So anyways, my hair has looked the best it ever has since Jenny started coloring and cutting it. I have very difficult, extremely thick and curly hair that most stylists don't understand and just try to chop off. Jenny gave me a haircut so that I can actually wear my hair curly (gasp!) and it doesn't look like I've been struck by lightning. My hair now looks great, every day. She also recommended the Deva Curl system, which I was hesitant about at the beginning, but after using it for several months, I can now say really does work for curly hair. My hair color is also the best it's ever been. Jenny really does a great job choosing the color that works best for your complexion. She talked me into more lowlights the last time I visited and I absolutely love the way my hair looks now. Pure itself is a great salon, apart from Jenny's awesome-ness. I love how chill it is; i.e. no snobby hairdressers that make you feel distinctly underdressed and fugly when you come in to get your hair cut. Jenny and Shan are both really funny and make you feel at home, and the other hairdressers, whom I've met only briefly, were very nice as well. Check this place out! I promise, you will not be disappointed. :) read more

I can't tell you how disappointed I have been with this place. For some strange reason, I kept going back to see Jenny (the owner), even though each time I did, I walked out feeling like I'd been robbed. She's sweet enough, that's not the issue - but she definitely does not listen or pay attention. I know she gets good reviews from others, so I don't want to trash her, but quite frankly I expected a lot more than what she gave me. Especially for the price. Each time I've gone in, I've had very specific instructions ("I would like this particular color" - "Please only cut this much off" - "Please give me full bangs" - etc.). Never once has she done what I've requested, and most of the time she didn't even come close. On my most recent (and final) trip to her, I wanted to completely change my haircolor and get a cut that would bring some nice shape to my hair. I had been really excited about this ahead of time, and told my coworkers to expect a "different me" when I came into work the next morning. Well, over $200 later, I walked into work and EVERYONE asked me the same thing: "I thought you were getting your hair done yesterday? It doesn't look any different." That's right. The color was basically the same. I basically had wanted a complete color change - only got a few hard-to-identify highlights. My "haircut" consisted of about 3 snips with the shears. It was simply just a few dead ends removed, but no change to the shape like I had asked for. She didn't even get the color to my roots, so I looked like I was *overdue* for color as I was leaving the salon. Even my husband's reaction was, "What the hell happened? I thought you were getting your hair colored and cut. It doesn't look any different than when you went in, and I can see your roots. It looks terrible!" To top it off, the place was so crowded that I had to sit in a small plastic chair in the back corner because the salon chairs were all full. She had an assistant do half her color work on my head. I was left with my head hanging upside down in the sink while the toner set (pretty painful to have your neck arched backwards like that for 15 minutes), and there was no hot water - icy cold each time I was rinsed. Oh - and Jenny got into a fight with one of her staff and walked out in a huff - while I was sitting there with my head full of foils. I didn't even know if she was going to come back at first... it was VERY uncomfortable and unprofessional. And all to the tune of $250. For that kind of money, I really would expect far more than I got. This place is like having your hair done in someone's basement. No thanks, Jenny. I'm heading across the street to Liquid from now on. read more

Katy is my homegirl. I followed her from Liquid many moons ago, and we're in a long term hairelationship - 8 years! She's seen me through long hair to short by my ear hair (up to... not ear hair... ewww), times I've donated my hair, and when I've dyed my hair (blonde - red - copper, etc, but not all at the same time). She's your go to if you're looking for: - someone to deal with your curly hair, wavy hair, or middler hair like I have - someone to talk with you as you go from long to short - some crazy color (she teaches color classes, so obvs she's trustworthy) - someone to do highlights, ombre, or balayage You should check out her Instagram / FB for pictures (just look up Hair by Katy Brown) to see different styles. I've never gotten a bad cut from Katy, and she has an awesome aesthetic. Whether I describe a cut and color to her or send her some Pinterest pictures, she's always on point. Highly recommend! As far as the salon goes, it's in a great spot. You can make a day of it and walk around the South End after. It's a little bit of a walk... but you could hoof it over from: the Broadway stop (red line), the Tufts Medical Center stop (orange line), or the Arlington T stop (green). If you're lazy pants like I can be sometimes, it's only a few minutes from the Silver line East Berkeley stop (and you can go to Myers+Chang after like I always do). Everyone at the salon is super nice and I don't mind chatting with folks at the front, shampooing, or the other stylists. Also, they usually have some quality jams going. Do it. Go to Pure! read more

OK. So I like the color I got the first time at Pure. I went back to Apryl for a cut, and some freshening up of my highlights. Since she used several colors last time, I explained what I wanted to her. She seemed to understand. After I got the color, it was pretty, but it wasn't what I had asked for. Now I'm stuck with a color that's a little too light to last more than 3 weeks without a touch-up. :-( The cut was ok. I had a photo of something I wanted, rather than try to explain it. It was a pretty basic, longer bob, but it didn't turn out exactly like I had hoped. More like an above the shoulder blunt cut. I was hoping for a little more life. I've got to go somewhere soon, to get the color updated as the roots grow out a little too starkly, and hopefully some added life to the cut. I'm debating heading back to DC to see my former stylist when I lived there. That's a haul to go to get a decent hair cut when I live in a major city. I'm just not sure I'm going to find someone I love here. read more

I really hate to give a five-star business a two-star review, especially when I know that they read these. I might get flack for this and not "speaking up" but to me, when I tell an stylist what I want, I should get it the first time around even if they think it is going to look "bad" or whatever. I had been looking for a new salon since I was unhappy with how my last cut turned out with my old stylist. So I stumbled upon Pure via yelp and who can blame me - it has fantastic reviews!! I emailed them to set up an appointment and Shan emailed me back almost immediately recommending Angela. She then called me and we set up an appointment that really fit my schedule. When I got there, she was running a little behind, which was fine - I had to make some calls. When I finally got to sit in the chair though, she told me she had mixed up and only scheduled me for a cut when I wanted a cut/highlight. With only enough time to do one, I opted for the highlight. I should have brought a picture, but forgot one. I have dark hair and in the summers get very light blond highlights. To some, it may not be the best looking but I like it. When I tell her I want to go really light, she says it won't look natural and insisted I would like how she would do it. I agreed, knowing that they are supposedly experts in coloring. However, it has been a month since I got the highlights and I've been using color depositing shampoo and still, hardly anyone can even tell I have highlights. Yes, they look more "natural," but they're not at all what I wanted. So when she finished she told me she had pushed back her next appointment and would be able to fit me in for a cut. I was ecstatic!! I even told her the reason for needing a new stylist and I was very very specific about what I wanted - a fairly sharp front angled cut but with length (not bob). What I got was a fairly straight blunt cut that if I didn't insist she put in layers at the bottom would have looked like when my mom cut my hair straight across when I was 10. I don't want to criticize the skill - I definitely think Angela's skill is worthy of more than two stars - probably a 3/4 star. However, I need to give the two stars because I was very upset at not being listened to. I'm all for giving suggestions if I go in and tell you to give me a great haircut. But if I go in and specifically ask you for something, you should respect my opinion. If I look awful afterwards, I have nobody to blame but myself. The price is about what you'd expect in Boston. Definitely less than newbury. read more

I've been going here for 2+ years and Jennifer Goodine is amazing! I have dark and greying late 30's hair and her blonde foils are so natural looking. She really takes time to get to know what style you like, how you like your hair to blend, how you wear it daily, and strategically places highlights so you notice it everyday. Jennifer is a pro! And this salon is a laid back, un-pretentious spot that's sorely needed in Boston where snooty Newburyport street reigns in over-priced glory. Check them out. read more

Terribly uneven haircut by Maria. My hair is fine and thick (meaning that the individual strands are fine, and that there are a lot of them). My hair is straight and shiny, and it's short. When you cut fine, thick, straight, shiny hair into a short haircut, every single little snip in the hair is visible. My hair type is completely unforgiving: if a stylist is undertrained, it shows. When separating sections of my hair for cutting, Maria's sections varied in size and shape and were imprecise. I thought she was just "feeling" my hair to get a sense of the texture, but, no, sure enough, those combfuls were what she went ahead and cut. Maria did not draw straight lines with the tip of the comb to create sections for cutting, the way that every other stylist I've been to does. She just kind of "scooped up" sections of hair with her comb. Maria started on one side of my head and worked her way around in a ring, without stopping to check and ensure both sides were even. My haircut came out completely uneven. The pieces in front of my ears differed in length by nearly an inch. When I draw them out sideways from my head, you can see they are cut completely differently on both sides. Maria left little chunks of hair missing all over my head. One in the back was so obvious that it looked like she had cut a piece of gum out of my hair. And the ends were so uneven and frayed-looking that as soon as I got home, I looked in the mirror and thought to myself "It looks like I need a haircut!" The haircut Maria gave me doesn't "fall" properly, and I have to use a lot of product to get my hair to do what it does by itself when it's cut well. I will say this: the overall shape of what I was asking for was spot-on, exactly what I was asking for. I imagine that if Maria was working on someone with a bit of a wave to their hair, that her poor technique and shoddy finish work would not be obvious, and the overall shape would look good enough as it is. When cutting very straight hair, you just can't get away with that; her mistakes show. Maria seems like a genuinely nice person, but she is completely unskilled at cutting straight hair. Stay away! (And if you have any recommendations for someone with skills, please send them to me!) read more

This review is specifically for Derek, whom I followed from Liquid Hair up the street. Derek is a GODSEND for curly, unruly hair. After a lifetime of bad haircuts, and a desperate stretch where I even took the bus to NYC to Devachan.. I found Derek, right here in Boston, and I will follow him anywhere. He listens. He does what you ask and is honest about what will look good. He will be super experimental and funky, or conservative if you want that. He GETS curly hair (and has a ton of it himself). If anything comes out wonky, he fixes it right away. He's down with my no-sulfate-shampoo regime. He's interesting to talk to, smart, chill, and weird, but weird in an awesome way, not in a "please stop touching my hair" way. Derek rules! My hair is thick, wiry, dry, and super-wavy, with random outposts of straightness and curl. Strangers stop me on the street to compliment my haircut! And you know, that's how I found Derek: I asked people with similar hair and awesome haircuts where to go, and two out of three of them said "Derek." Now that's advertising. The salon itself is nice, quiet, nondescript, and friendly. They have lemonade and wine and water. I have no complaints. For those that drive, I hear there is parking. Oh, and Derek is good with straight hair, too, and his coloring work is awesome. I know because some of my friends are now converts. Give him a try! read more

This is a great little gem of a hair salon. It's small with three stations, but they are filled by really talented people who take hair to the level of art. I got my hair cut by Shan, who I know outside of the realm of hair, and decided to make an appointment with him because of his perfectionism. It was a great choice on my part, and I will be back for highlights and low lights very soon, and future hair cuts. About the salon: like I said, really small, but very well designed. The colors are calming and everyone is together and it has that old beauty shop fun experience, that a lot of places don't have. There's lots of chatting, and good music. If you'd like to listen to T. Rex and Vampire Weekend while getting your hair done, then this is the place for you. Also, there's an abundance of beverages, and you feel really at home, even as a first time client. About my service: Though Shan sees my hair often, he took the time in the salon to really understand the texture of my hair, how it would fall, and gave me a cut after much deliberated thought on his part to what cut would work best for me. By the time I walked out, I had one awesome haircut, and one that I can manage to make lovely without too much work on my behalf. LOVELY. I will be back in the future, and if you need a haircut, go see Shan for 20% off for new clients. read more

So I am the type of person a hairdresser generally dislikes. My hair is very long, extremely thick and wavy. I roll out of bed, wash my hair, put it in a pony tail, and go. I don't like "styles" per se and my hair rarely takes less than an hour to blow out. In other words, a picky, unfashionable customer with difficult hair. I also get a haircut MAYBE once or twice a year. Generally my experiences have ranged in the realm of "Why don't you do something with it?" "Layers would look awesome" "So you are going to cut it". I am in my thirties and am holding onto this long hair until I start looking scary wearing it like this. I am generally hesitant about salons because of the above, so after reading some reviews here, I decided to check this place out. I am very happy I did. First and foremost, this isn't a "you are not good enough to be here salon" or a "come on, dork, why are you even bothering" kind of place. Jenny was very friendly and listened to everything I asked for and subsequently gave me a great cut. In addition, I wanted to add some color to my hair to even out some sun bleaching. She did it flawlessly. (By the way, it was also in the 90s that day and humid. Generally in this type of weather I start to resemble a coconut, but my hair stayed smooth and very shiny.) This is not an inexpensive place, but the quality of the work and their friendliness makes it worth the slightly higher price tag. read more

I've been to Shan a few times and he's done a great job. I'm a guy who likes to have my hair a bit lighter than it is by default and he puts up up with my insecurities about it being too blond. Great haircut too! Price is much better than a Newbury salon AND the service and product is better than anything I was able to get there -- and there is none of the Newbury St attitude. read more

Years ago, when Derek was still at Liquid, I wrote about how he'd been cutting my hair since 2004 (you can read that review here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/liquid-hair-studios-boston?hrid=aAUgLYAv9leHJNX6100j_w). It's now 2015, and Derek is *still* cutting my hair. Derek was my stylist when I lived in Boston the first time, and when I moved to California (really; I was back that often), and ever since I moved back to Boston three years ago. He did my hair when I looked like a rockstar, and when I looked like an anime character; he still does my hair now that I aim to look more like a 30-something professional during the week and an anime-rockstar-artist-type on the weekends. Here's the real testament to Derek's hair genius, though: Thanks to some major health problems, my hair is falling out--and has been since June. If you've never lost a crapton of hair in a short period of time, let me tell you: rapid hair loss will fuck up even a really great haircut. You will experience surprising dismay; you will discover a depth of vanity that you never knew you possessed; you will buy a lot of hats. And you will wear those hats. Constantly. Even in the summer. (You will wonder whether you should just shave your head, until you remember that your head is not very symmetrical.) And yet, while I can't tell you how he does it, Derek somehow manages to work even with the ragged remains of what used to be my hair. The color is deep and vibrant, and what's still there looks shiny & healthy. I've relinquished any and all input toward the creative direction of the cutting parts, and opted simply for "oh god make me not look terrible"--which he does. And the cuts last until I come in again for coloring, even though my hair falls out more than it grows out. In short, there's probably a small handful of people out there who can make you look good when you present them with great raw material--but it takes someone special to make you look good when you're not even sure you want to leave the house. I'm super-grateful Derek is doing my hair now, and I *cannot wait* until enough of it grows back for a really rockin' celebratory style. read more

I have been going to the same person for over 6 years. Then I moved! So one day I was scrambling to find a place and found Shan! He is awesome! Every haircut is cute and different I love them all! I have very short pixie hair and he always cuts it so cute! Well priced, easy location, very friendly! Love it! Update: Went back home for a week, family agreed that they liked my hair more than when I was going to guy back home. He knows his stuff! read more

I have curly hair. VERY curly hair. I went to Shan to get this "DeVa" cut everyone on yelp was raving about. Shan rattled on through the whole cut about best practices for curly hair. Having lived with mine my whole life, I was open to a few tips, but he wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise. With the right haircut, I have a pretty good handle on how to make my hair do its thing to the best of its ability. Unfortunately, his "DeVa" cut did not help matters. Let me explain: The idea of DeVa is to cut each curl individually to maintain "the integrity of the curl." To Shan, this means pulling APART each curl, commenting on its "curl integrity" (or lack thereof), **pulling it outward from your scalp so it is taught to the point of being painful, strand by strand.** This HURT, ladies. The way eyebrow plucking does, only on your head, and about 50x more hairs at once. I didn't ask him to stop because I thought this method was going to do such wonders to my curls that it was worth the discomfort. I was wrong. It seemed to me that he cut my hair without considering how it would frame my face. I asked for an angled front, I got almost chin-length chunky bang-type things up front, and short pieces sticking out on top of head with no rhyme or reason. I ended up with that A-shape curly hair that I specifically asked not to leave with. He then put a few clips at the roots and stuck me under the dryer until it was damp (it was winter out). I left looking like a drowned rat. Flat curls, close to my head, and my hair was all greasy from this product he swears by that he doused my hair in that made it sticky to the touch, like rubber cement. I thought it might just need some time to relax. Well, the appointment happened in February. It is now August, and my hair STILL doesn't sit right. It gets huge at the ends and flat at the top. He has offered to have me come back in to fix it, but since he didn't listen the first time, I am not interested in giving it another go knowing there are other stylists in the city who might be more open to hearing me out. I SHOULD NOTE: It is not frizzy, he did that right, but there is no shape to it. This is especially noticeable when I straighten my hair (which I have only done one time since the cut). There are no defined layers, so the ends just fall wherever they want and frizz up and look messy. Needless to say, I won't be going back. read more

Derek from Liquid has found his new home at Pure. It's such a nice, calming salon. And even though he's more famous for curly hair, he does great things with my super straight hair. In the summer, I can wash and go in the mornings. Which is perfect for me because I'm not the kind of person who likes to fuss with her hair. read more

This place is near my office and I ended up there on a day when I desperately needed a haircut and my regular stylist had no room. For the most part I have easy to cut fine, straight hair, although still working through a bad cut from over a year ago. I am a working mom with a long commute to Beantown now, so I spend little time with my hair. When I met Frank, I told him straight out that spending 5 minutes on my hair is a generous hair morning. He went to work cleaning up my hair. I liked the end result as it seemed easy for me to do on my own. Because even if I decided to give my hair some time in the morning, I lack the talent to do anything with it. For several weeks it worked fine for me. Then the back started to grow out faster than the sides and I started to feel like I had the makings of a not so cute mullet... So, I went back to Frank and told him I needed my go-to bob style haircut back, which meant cutting off a fair bit of hair. I was a tad nervous about this but trusted that we shared a vision. He absolutely got it and when I left I felt like me again, no need for a constant hair band and no more makings of a mullet... So, I am going two-for-two with Frank and recommend you go to Pure and ask for him too. read more

Since moving to Boston, I've been scared to death of letting anyone besides my old stylist touch my hair. I have extremely long Lindsey Lohan'esque hair (eww, but it's true), which I can imagine is a pain in the butt to highlight. I chose Pure based on the rave reviews on Yelp, and it was a great experience. Angela did a great job with my highlights. I was incredibly vague about what I wanted done, but that didn't stop her from doing a great job. I had insane roots, and I don't see any sign of them anymore. Most importantly, the color still looks great, even after a few days of styling my hair on my own. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

Yelp to the rescue (again) - my now former stylist gave me one good haircut, one ok haircut, and one haircut that made my head resemble a triangle, so needless to say, it was time to make a change. Pure's high ratings and close proximity to work as well as my increasing frustration with looking like a Muppet were enough to get me over there. I took the first opening that they had and was lucky enough to end up with Maria. She had a pretty good idea of what my hair needed (layers to balance out my gigantic ball of poof) before I even said anything, and listened to my request for some highlights to cover my persistent grays. Despite my probably inarticulate request, Maria was able to mix together the color I wanted and explain to me exactly how hair coloring works (which is interesting to me because I am a nerd). The color came out exactly how I had pictured it, and the cut put some shape back into my hair and shows off my new golden highlights. I am absolutely thrilled with my color and cut, almost a week later! Maria, as well as everyone who works at Pure, is genuinely nice and listened to what I wanted. The banter around the salon was hilarious, and I got the sense that everyone liked working there. The price was extremely reasonable, and there is no hard sell at the end of the visit to buy products. I have been recommending Maria and Pure to everyone I know! read more