Best Hair Salon in Halifax, MA | Kimberly Messing Hair Design

Looking for a colorist near Halifax, MA who can take you noticeably lighter without wrecking your hair in the process? That specific problem, safe, dimensional blonding done right, is the specialty Laura Blaikie built her chair around at Kimberly Messing Hair Design, a nine-specialist salon on Washington Street in Braintree that clients throughout Halifax and the wider South Shore have been driving to for years.

Full-Service Salon on Washington Street, Braintree | Serving Halifax and the South Shore Since 1986

Laura's Approach to Blonding, and Why Halifax Clients Book Her Specifically

Going lighter is one of the more technically demanding things a colorist can attempt, and it's also one of the easiest services to get wrong. Push the lift too hard in one sitting and the hair remembers it for a year. Skip the bond-building step and you end up with color that looks fine walking out the door and brittle three washes later. Laura Blaikie has built her entire practice around avoiding both outcomes. Every lightening service she performs runs through Olaplex and K18 along the way, not as an upsell tacked onto the ticket but as a standard part of how she works, because she'd rather slow the process down than hand a client hair that can't hold up to daily life afterward.

What makes her blonding read as expensive rather than obviously bleached comes down to placement. Laura blends foil and hand-painting depending on what a client's base color and growth pattern actually call for, which is a different decision every time. A natural level-6 brunette wanting a soft, buttery blonde needs a completely different roadmap than someone lifting out of box-color buildup, and Laura treats those as two different jobs rather than one formula applied twice. The result grows out without the harsh demarcation line that sends people back to the salon every three weeks in a panic.

Laura isn't the only reason people make the drive from Halifax, though. She works inside a full team of specialists, in cutting, correction, curl, texture, and extensions, and the salon itself has been a fixture on Washington Street in Braintree since 1986. If your goal is a careful, well-planned lightening service that still looks like you in six months, that's the introduction worth having before you book anywhere else.

Address: 533 Washington Street, Braintree, MA 02184

Phone: 781-817-5077

Email: hello@kimberlymessinghairdesign.com

Hours

  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
  • Wednesday: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
  • Thursday: 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
  • Friday: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
  • Saturday: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
  • Sunday: Closed

Book Your Appointment Now

Why Clients From Halifax Choose This Salon Over Something Closer to Home

Halifax doesn't have its own strip of hair salons the way some South Shore towns do, so most people here are already used to driving somewhere for a good haircut or color appointment. The question isn't really "should I leave town," it's "which drive is worth it," and here's the honest case for this one.

A Specialist for Nearly Every Hair Problem, Not a Generalist Covering All of Them

Walk through the team roster and you'll notice nobody's job description is simply "does hair." Laura owns blonding. Jackie owns precision cutting and curly dry-cutting. Maureen owns foiling and balayage. Janet owns correction. Alicia owns DevaCurl-method curl work. Emma owns fashion color and modern shapes. Judy owns blowouts and event styling. Kat owns texture and updos. Kim, who's run the place since 1986, oversees extensions and mentors the whole floor. Booking here means getting matched to whoever's actually built a career around your specific hair problem.

Real Consultations, Not a Five-Minute Formality

Every new appointment opens with an unhurried conversation about your hair's history, what's realistic in one visit versus several, and what upkeep will actually look like. Nobody gets rushed into the shampoo bowl before that conversation happens.

One Stylist, Undivided Attention

There's no juggling three heads of foils at once here. Your stylist works on you and only you for the length of your appointment, which changes both the pace of the visit and the precision of the result.

Consistency That's Held for Decades

The salon opened in 1986 and has stayed on Washington Street ever since. That kind of longevity in a service business doesn't happen by accident. It happens because the work keeps bringing people back, year after year.

Practical Scheduling for People Who Work

Evening hours run Tuesday through Thursday, with Thursday open until 8:00 pm, plus Saturday availability, so a weekday job doesn't have to mean choosing between your hair and your paycheck.

The Full Menu: Cuts, Color, Alternative Hair, Extensions, and Finishing Services

Every service below is handled by a stylist who specializes in it, and every appointment starts with an actual conversation about your hair and your life, not a rushed once-over.

Hair Cut

  • Barber's Cut — $35
  • Kid's Cut — $35
  • Haircut, Short — $44
  • Haircut, Medium — $66
  • Haircut, Long — $88
  • Haircut, Extra-Long — $110
  • Shampoo and Cut — $50
  • Shampoo, Cut, and Blowdry — $60
  • Shampoo and Blowdry — $35
  • Perm — $105

See the full haircut menu

Hair Color

  • Single Process Color — $75
  • Double Process Color — $120
  • Partial Foil — $148
  • Full Foil — $185
  • Balayage — $220
  • Custom Foil (add-on) — $22
  • Color Balance — $37
  • Up-Do — $100

See the full color menu

Alternative Hair and Toppers

Priced after consultation

Jackie leads every fitting in this category. Sessions are private, patient, and built entirely around what a client actually needs, whether that's covering thinning at the crown or replacing volume lost to a medical condition or life event.

Learn more about alternative hair and toppers

Hair Extensions

Priced after consultation

Kim leads all extension work herself, starting with a full assessment of your natural hair before recommending method, length, or volume. The goal is always extensions that read as your own hair, not an obvious add-on.

Learn more about hair extensions

Tinting and Waxing

  • Eyebrow Wax — $20
  • Brow Tint — $20
  • Lip and Chin Wax — $25

Learn more about tinting and waxing

Meet Your Style Team

Laura Blaikie — Blonding Specialist

Laura's chair is where careful, dimensional lightening happens, foil and hand-painting combined depending on what your hair actually calls for, with Olaplex and K18 protecting bond structure through every step.

Kim Messing — Owner and Master Colorist

Kim opened the salon in 1986 and has spent 38-plus years refining custom color formulation, extension work, and mentoring everyone who's come up through the salon since.

Jackie Shaughnessy — Senior Stylist, Cutting and Curly Hair

Thirty-eight years of cutting experience, with a specific gift for dry-cutting curly hair curl by curl, plus color and topper consultations.

Maureen Lamie — Master Stylist, Foiling and Balayage

Twenty-five-plus years building dimensional color, known for foil placement that other stylists study.

Janet Layden — Color Correction Specialist

The stylist to see when a previous color service didn't go as planned, along with strong dimensional and lived-in color work.

Alicia Hayward — DevaCurl Certified Curl Specialist

Certified directly through DevaCurl, working with curly, wavy, and coily textures that most cuts fight against instead of working with.

Emma Browning — Contemporary Cuts and Vivid Color

Modern shapes and fashion color using Pulp Riot, for clients chasing whatever's newest.

Judy — Senior Stylist, Blowout Specialist

Twenty-five-plus years of styling experience, the go-to for polished blowouts and event-ready hair, plus strong cutting work.

Kat — Texture and Updo Specialist

Salon assistant and the team's go-to for braids, updos, and intricate styling, with a growing reputation for brunette color.

What Visiting This Salon Is Actually Like

Kimberly Messing Hair Design sits at 533 Washington Street in Braintree, not in Halifax itself, so it's worth being upfront about that. What draws Halifax clients across town is the specific combination of specialists and the calm, unhurried way appointments run here, not proximity.

Once you're in the chair, the pace is different from what a lot of people expect from a hair appointment. Consultations aren't rushed past. Your stylist asks real questions, listens to the actual answers, and builds a plan around what you said rather than steering you toward whatever's fastest for the schedule. Regulars describe the same feeling: walking in a little frazzled and walking out both looking better and feeling like someone actually paid attention.

The South Shore itself shapes a lot of what happens in the chair, regardless of which town a client's coming from. Coastal humidity, hard water, and four genuine New England seasons all leave marks on hair, and every stylist here factors that in rather than treating each appointment as if it's happening in a climate-controlled vacuum.

What Our Clients Are Saying

★★★★★ Lori Murphy — Verified Google review — "I'm so very happy with the cut & color. Kim recommended Alicia to me. She was very careful to discuss & understand all of my hair needs before the process and during as I hadn't had my hair cut in a long time and was nervous. I felt so right at home ( only way better!) I..."

★★★★★ Maura Patricia Daniel — Verified Google review — "Love this salon! Everyone is so kind and caring. From the moment I walked in, the staff took care of my needs. I felt like family! And my hair looks soooo great!"

★★★★★ Anne Marie Donnelly — Verified Google review — "Nicest hair shop!! Absolutely love my hair stylist Jackie❤️. She’s always spot on with my color and hair.!"

Read more reviews on Google

The Team Behind the Chair: Nine Specialists, Nearly Two Centuries of Combined Experience

Add up the years on this team and you get well past 180 combined years in the industry, spread across nine people who each chose a lane and stayed in it long enough to actually master it. Here's a closer look at who you'd be working with.

Laura Blaikie, Blonding Specialist

Laura lives in the space between "highlights" and full blonding transformation, and the difference in her results comes down to strategy as much as skill. She reads a client's skin tone, natural level, and hair history before deciding whether foil, hand-painting, or a blend of both will get to the target color with the least stress on the hair. Every lightening service she does runs through Olaplex and K18 as standard practice, not an optional add-on, because bond protection during lift is what determines whether the result still looks healthy six months out. Clients moving from a natural dark base into noticeably lighter territory tend to land in her chair specifically, since that's the exact transition where a rushed or under-protected process does the most damage.

Kim Messing, Owner and Master Colorist

Kim opened this salon's doors in 1986 and has spent well over three decades since then studying how color actually behaves on real hair rather than relying on a preset formula for every client. She's a board-certified colorist, a credential that requires ongoing testing across formulation, correction, and theory, and one that relatively few working stylists in Massachusetts maintain for as long as she has. She's also Hot Heads certified for tape-in extensions, a skill she applies constantly with clients managing thinning, postpartum shedding, or simple density loss who want length and fullness without a drastic cut. Kim keeps training with Goldwell, Redken, Keratin Complex, and Olaplex year over year, and every stylist currently on staff has trained under her guidance at some point, which is a large part of why the quality holds steady no matter whose chair you land in.

Jackie Shaughnessy, Senior Stylist and Cutting Specialist

Jackie has been cutting hair for 38 years, and clients book her specifically because her cuts hold their shape well past the usual six-week mark. Her particular specialty is curly hair, cut dry and section by section so each curl's individual behavior gets accounted for instead of guessed at while the hair is stretched wet. She also takes color clients and leads consultations for alternative hair and toppers, so a lot of clients end up seeing her for more than one reason.

Maureen Lamie, Master Stylist and Foiling Specialist

With more than 25 years in the industry, Maureen has built a reputation specifically around foiling and balayage, the kind of dimensional color work where placement decisions made before the first foil goes in end up mattering more than the formula itself. She maps a client's face shape and natural growth pattern first, then builds the color plan around it, which is why her highlight work tends to grow out gracefully instead of looking dated after two months.

Janet Layden, Color Correction Specialist

Janet is who other stylists, not just clients, call when a color service has gone sideways somewhere else. Correction work demands real command of lift levels, toners, fillers, and bonding chemistry, and Janet has spent her career getting comfortable with exactly that kind of technical problem-solving. She also does strong dimensional, lived-in color for clients who aren't fixing a mistake but simply want depth and movement rather than one flat shade.

Alicia Hayward, DevaCurl Certified Curl Specialist

Alicia trained directly with the DevaCurl team and has spent years since applying that method to curly, wavy, and coily hair. A lot of her clients arrive with a history of cuts that fought their natural texture instead of working with it. Alicia cuts dry, curl by curl, after a real conversation about how a client actually wears their hair day to day, not just how it looks freshly styled in the chair.

Emma Browning, Contemporary Cuts and Vivid Color

Emma brings the newest technique on the floor, current shapes, and fashion color done with Pulp Riot and other professional vivid lines built to hold their tone rather than fade out within two washes. Clients bringing in a saved photo of a trending cut or color tend to end up with Emma, since staying current is where she puts her energy.

Judy, Senior Stylist and Blowout Specialist

Judy has more than 25 years of styling behind her and is the person to book for a blowout that needs to survive a long night, a wedding, or a big event. Her technique covers everything from soft waves to more classic, structured styling, and she's also a strong cutter for clients who want a polished, low-maintenance shape.

Kat, Texture and Updo Specialist

Kat handles the styling work that goes beyond a standard blowout: braids, updos, twists, and intricate event hair built to hold through hours of dancing. She's also a salon assistant who keeps appointments running smoothly, and she's steadily building her own following for color work with brunette clients.

See the full service menu and pricing.

What's on the Retail Wall

Every product sold here is something the team actually uses in the chair, recommended with an explanation of how and why to use it at home, not just placed on a shelf to fill space.

K18

Peptide-based bond repair used throughout chemical services and recommended as an at-home treatment for anyone with lightened or otherwise processed hair.

Goldwell

A primary color line in the salon, paired with take-home care built to extend color vibrancy and manage everyday maintenance.

Redken

Performance styling and bond-focused care, a go-to recommendation for clients who want dependable, technical results between visits.

Keratin Complex

Supports the salon's smoothing services, with sulfate-free at-home products built to stretch the life of a keratin treatment.

Olaplex

Bond-building technology used in-service and sent home with clients to maintain the structural work done in the chair.

Also Carried

Soma, Zenagen, Tri Design, Living Proof, Aluram, Design Me, Amika, Pureology, Milk_shake, Hot Like Me, Revitalash, ECRU New York, FHI Heat, Wahl, and Jon Renau round out the retail selection, covering everything from thinning-hair support to protective styling tools to professional wig and topper lines.

The Philosophy Behind How Appointments Actually Run

A lot of salons stay profitable by keeping several color services processing at once and rotating one stylist between multiple chairs. That model works for the business and rarely works for the client sitting under foils wondering when someone's coming back. This salon runs differently on purpose.

Every client works with a single stylist for the full length of their appointment, start to finish, with no double-booking and no handoffs to whoever's available. That undivided attention is a big part of why the finished work tends to be more precise, and it's also just a more pleasant way to spend an hour or two.

Consultations here are meant to be honest, even when the honest answer isn't the one a client walked in hoping for. If a requested color would compromise hair that's already fragile, or a cut wouldn't suit someone's face shape or lifestyle, that gets said out loud before anything happens, not discovered afterward. The point of every appointment is a result both the client and the stylist are genuinely happy with, and that standard hasn't shifted since the salon opened in 1986.

Why South Shore Hair Behaves the Way It Does

Massachusetts' South Shore isn't a neutral backdrop for hair care. Coastal air, mineral-heavy water, and a real four-season climate all interact with hair chemistry in specific, predictable ways, and every consultation here takes that into account rather than treating your hair like it exists in a vacuum.

Hard Water and Mineral Buildup

Much of the region runs on water with a high mineral content, calcium, iron, and magnesium in particular, and over time those minerals deposit onto the hair shaft. The visible effects show up as dullness, brassy undertones in lightened hair, color that fades faster than it should, and shampoo that seems to stop lathering the way it used to. A chelating treatment paired with the right take-home products can reverse a lot of that buildup.

Humidity and Frizz

Warm-weather humidity works its way into the hair shaft and lifts the cuticle, which is exactly what triggers frizz, even in clients who don't normally deal with it. The fix usually combines a cut designed to work with that moisture instead of against it, anti-humidity styling products, and, for some clients, a keratin smoothing service to change the frizz pattern at its source.

Salt Air and Coastal Exposure

Living near or spending regular time along the coast means more salt exposure, which pulls moisture out of hair and can leave color looking flat or slightly gray-toned. Clients who spend a lot of time near the water generally need a stronger moisture routine and a shampoo formulated to remove salt residue without stripping color out along with it.

Winter Damage

Cold outdoor air combined with dry indoor heat is a rough combination for hair, showing up as static, breakage from hats and scarves, and general dryness that wasn't there in October. Home-care recommendations shift every fall specifically to get ahead of it before it becomes a bigger problem.

Adjusting Color With the Seasons

The same shade can read completely differently depending on the time of year. A bright, cool blonde that feels perfect in July can look washed out under gray winter light, and plenty of clients shift toward deeper, warmer tones as autumn arrives. This part of the South Shore sits near Massachusetts' cranberry-growing country, and there's something fitting about clients leaning into deep russets and warm autumn color around the same time those bogs turn crimson each fall, though that's simply a seasonal mood, not a rule anyone follows literally.

What Actually Happens During a Free Consultation

Every new client is offered a free consultation before any service is booked or charged. It usually takes 20 to 30 minutes and functions as a real planning conversation, not a sales pitch.

  • Hair history — what chemical services, if any, have been done before, and how your hair responded.
  • Current condition — an honest assessment of health, porosity, and what your hair can realistically handle right now.
  • Daily routine — how often you wash, what products you already use, and how much time you actually spend styling.
  • Lifestyle — workouts, swimming, sun exposure, and anything else that affects how hair holds up day to day.
  • Visual references — photos of what you're going for, and just as importantly, photos of what you want to avoid.
  • A realistic outcome — what's achievable in one appointment versus what needs to happen over multiple visits.
  • Cost and timing — clear numbers before you commit to anything, with no surprises when you check out.
  • A maintenance plan — what upkeep will actually look like between now and your next appointment.

Plenty of clients say this single conversation gave them more clarity than years of quick check-ins at other salons.

Serving Halifax From Our Home on Washington Street

Halifax is a quiet, mostly residential South Shore town, and it doesn't come with its own dense commercial strip the way some neighboring communities do. That's part of why so many Halifax residents already look outward, toward Braintree, for the services they want done right rather than done nearby.

The town sits within Massachusetts' broader cranberry-growing region, part of the bog country that stretches across this section of the South Shore, a detail more true of the surrounding area generally than of Halifax alone, but real local character all the same. Beyond that, Halifax carries the same seasonal rhythm as the rest of the South Shore: humid summers, crisp falls, cold winters, and unpredictable springs, each one asking something slightly different of your hair.

What matters more than geography here is honesty about the arrangement. This salon is located in Braintree, not Halifax, and clients coming from Halifax are choosing to travel because of the team and the way appointments are run, not because it's the closest option on a map. That's a trade a lot of people here have decided is worth making.

Is the Trip From Halifax Worth Making?

It's a fair question, and it comes up in nearly every first consultation with a new Halifax client. The honest answer: for the right service, yes. What you're getting isn't a marginally better version of a nearby salon, it's access to nine stylists who each specialize rather than generalize, a colorist trained specifically in careful blonding, an owner with decades of correction experience, and a structure built around one stylist giving you full attention rather than splitting focus across multiple clients at once.

Logistically, it's straightforward once you're here: free on-site parking, no meters or garages to deal with, evening hours three days a week, and Saturday appointments for anyone who can't easily get away on a weekday.

What Clients Actually Book Most

Color leads the list by a wide margin, especially blonding, balayage, and correction work. Between Laura's lightening expertise, Maureen's foiling, Janet's correction skill, and Kim's overall formulation experience, that's four different specialists covering color from four different angles.

Cutting comes in close behind. Curly-textured clients specifically seek out Alicia and Jackie for their dry-cutting methods. Clients wanting a clean, classic shape tend to land with Jackie or Judy, while anyone chasing a current, trend-driven cut usually books with Emma.

Extensions, alternative hair, and event styling round out the rest of the calendar. Kim's tape-in work draws clients dealing with thinning or postpartum hair loss, Jackie's topper consultations serve clients navigating more significant hair loss with discretion, and Judy and Kat stay busy with weddings, proms, and other events where hair needs to hold up under pressure for hours at a time.

Why It Pays to Stick With One Stylist

The value of a consistent stylist relationship builds slowly and then becomes obvious. Your first visit establishes a baseline. By your third or fourth, your stylist has a working sense of how your hair lifts, how it holds tone, how fast it grows, and how it tends to react to different seasons. That kind of familiarity doesn't come from switching salons every time a coupon shows up somewhere else.

Clients who commit to the same stylist here for a year or more consistently report better, more predictable results than clients bouncing between providers, simply because each appointment builds on the last instead of starting from zero. That's the reasoning behind booking your next visit before you leave: color clients typically return every 4 to 6 weeks, balayage and highlight clients every 8 to 12, cuts every 6 to 8, and treatments on a quarterly basis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this salon actually located in Halifax?

No. The salon is at 533 Washington Street in Braintree. Plenty of Halifax residents make the trip specifically for the specialist team and the way appointments are structured.

What makes this the right salon for Halifax clients specifically?

A nine-person team where every stylist has a distinct specialty, a colorist devoted specifically to blonding, an owner with decades of color-correction experience, and a policy of one stylist per client with full attention for the whole appointment.

How much does a haircut cost?

Barber's Cut and Kid's Cut are both $35. Short is $44, medium $66, long $88, and extra-long $110. Shampoo and Cut is $50, Shampoo/Cut/Blowdry is $60, and Shampoo and Blowdry alone is $35. Perms start at $105.

What does color cost?

Single Process is $75, Double Process is $120, Partial Foil is $148, Full Foil is $185, and Balayage is $220. Custom Foil add-ons are $22, Color Balance is $37, and an Up-Do runs $100.

Can I get extensions here?

Yes, Kim personally handles every extension consultation and installation, always starting with a full assessment before recommending a method.

Do you handle alternative hair and toppers?

Yes, Jackie leads those consultations, priced individually after assessment and handled with full discretion.

Is there a curly hair specialist?

Two, actually: Jackie and Alicia both cut curly hair dry, curl by curl, and Alicia is DevaCurl certified specifically for that texture.

What do waxing and tinting services cost?

Eyebrow Wax is $20, Brow Tint is $20, and Lip and Chin Wax is $25.

How do I book an appointment?

Book online any time or call 781-817-5077 during business hours. Booking ahead is smart for color, extensions, and curly hair services.

What are your hours?

Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 to 7. Thursday, 9 to 8. Friday and Saturday, 9 to 4. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Extended FAQ: The Deeper Questions

How long does color actually last before it needs a refresh?

Single-process color and root touch-ups typically need attention every 4 to 6 weeks. Highlights hold for about 8 to 12 weeks before regrowth becomes noticeable. Balayage stretches further, usually 12 to 16 weeks, because the grow-out is designed to be soft. Vivid and fashion colors fade the fastest, generally within 4 to 8 weeks.

Will lightening my hair damage it?

Not when it's done properly and paced correctly. That's exactly why Olaplex and K18 are used in every lightening service here rather than treated as optional extras. Most damage people associate with going blonde actually comes from rushing the process or skipping bond protection, not from lightening itself.

How long should I plan for a color appointment?

Single process runs about 90 minutes to 2 hours. A root touch-up is closer to 75 to 90 minutes. Partial foils take 2 to 2.5 hours, full foils 2.5 to 3.5 hours, and balayage similarly 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Color correction can run 4 to 8 hours and is sometimes split across two visits.

Should I get balayage or traditional highlights?

Highlights, done with foil, tend to give a brighter, more defined result with a firmer regrowth line. Balayage is hand-painted for a softer, more gradual grow-out. Many clients end up combining the two. A free consultation is the fastest way to figure out which suits your hair and how much upkeep you're realistically willing to commit to.

What can I do to keep my color from fading quickly?

Use a sulfate-free shampoo, stretch washes to every 2 to 3 days instead of daily, finish rinses with cool water, always use heat protectant before styling tools, add a UV-protective leave-in during summer, rinse with clean water before swimming, and use a monthly clarifying treatment if you're dealing with hard water buildup.

What does a full color transformation cost?

It depends entirely on your starting color, your target color, and your hair's length and density, which is why pricing for a bigger transformation is always confirmed after a free consultation rather than quoted blind.

How do I know which stylist is right for me?

A free consultation is really the fastest path to an answer. The team will match you based on what your hair actually needs, whether that's Laura for blonding, Janet for correction, Alicia for curl work, or Kim for extensions, rather than just whoever happens to have an open slot.

What happens if I'm not happy with the result?

Say something before you leave, or call as soon as you notice. There's almost always a path to adjusting a color that's too warm, too light, or too dark, or reshaping a cut that missed the mark. Nobody's meant to walk out unhappy without at least raising it.

Can I bring a friend or family member with me?

Yes, plenty of clients book alongside a sister, mother, or friend, and overlapping appointment times can usually be arranged with a little advance notice.

Do you work with clients experiencing medical hair loss?

Yes. Kim personally handles wig and topper consultations for clients dealing with medical hair loss, with discretion built into the process from start to finish.

Do you sell gift cards?

Yes, in any amount, purchasable online or in person, and they don't expire.

What payment methods do you accept?

Cash, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, debit cards, and gift cards.

What's your cancellation policy?

Please give 24 hours notice. Same-day cancellations and no-shows are charged 50% of the scheduled service cost.

Is tipping expected?

It's not required but genuinely appreciated. Standard practice tends to run 18 to 22%, and tips can be given in cash, added to a card payment, or sent via Venmo.

Do you take walk-ins?

The salon runs primarily by appointment, though same-day openings do come up occasionally. A quick call to 781-817-5077 will tell you if anything's available.

What if I'm running late?

Call ahead as soon as you know. Past about 15 minutes, your stylist may need to shorten the planned service or move you to a later slot depending on how the day's booked.

Are kids welcome at appointments?

Yes, as long as they're seated and supervised. A child getting their own service should still come with an accompanying adult.

Can you handle wedding-day hair?

Yes, with advance booking. Trial runs happen in-salon ahead of time, and day-of styling is typically arranged at your venue or hotel.

How do I book my very first appointment?

Book online, or call 781-817-5077. For a first visit, calling is often easier since it lets you talk through what you're looking for and get matched to the right specialist before anything's on the calendar.

Booking, Hours, and What to Expect on Your First Visit

Book online through our booking portal or call 781-817-5077 during business hours.

Hours

Tuesday: 9:00am–7:00pm | Wednesday: 9:00am–7:00pm | Thursday: 9:00am–8:00pm | Friday: 9:00am–4:00pm | Saturday: 9:00am–4:00pm | Sunday & Monday: Closed

What to Bring

Reference photos of what you want, ideally clear and well-lit, plus photos of results you want to avoid, which are often even more useful. A rundown of what you currently use on your hair helps too, along with any questions you've been sitting on.

What to Wear

Something you won't mind getting a little damp, since color services involve water. Skip white or light-colored tops if you can. Capes and towels are provided, but it never hurts to plan ahead.

Time to Plan For

A cut and style generally runs 60 to 90 minutes. Single process with a cut is closer to 2 to 2.5 hours. Highlights or balayage paired with a cut usually run 3 to 4 hours. Color correction is variable and sometimes split across more than one visit.

Parking

There's a free lot on-site, no meters and no garage to navigate.

Check-In

You'll be greeted at the front desk, and your stylist will come find you within a few minutes. Consultations begin right away, before anything touches your hair.

Also Serving Nearby Communities

Looking for the right stylist somewhere closer to you? Visit our pages built for other towns near Braintree:

Explore Our Specialty Services

Ready for Hair That Actually Holds Up?

Careful, dimensional blonding from Laura. Color correction from Janet when something's gone wrong elsewhere. Extensions and decades of formulation expertise from Kim. Curl work from two different specialists who both cut dry, curl by curl. That's the team waiting on Washington Street, built for exactly the kind of thoughtful, unhurried appointment that's harder to find than it should be.

Halifax clients have been making the trip to Braintree for this specific reason: a full team of specialists and a philosophy that puts one stylist's full attention on one client at a time, no exceptions. We've held down Washington Street since 1986, and that isn't changing.

Book Your Appointment Now | Call 781-817-5077