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

If you've been searching Needham for a salon that treats a consultation as more than a formality before the cape goes on, Kimberly Messing Hair Design is worth the trip east. We're a straightforward drive from Needham over to our studio at 533 Washington Street in Braintree, and once you're in the chair, you'll notice the difference immediately: nine specialists, one stylist per client from start to finish, and a founder who still works the floor after nearly four decades. This isn't a chain with rotating staff and a script. It's a single address that's stayed put since 1986, built by a woman who never stopped training.

Voted Best Salon in Braintree | 38+ Years on Washington Street

Kim Messing, Still Behind the Chair After Almost Forty Years

Kim opened this salon in 1986 with one core belief: a great haircut or color result starts with actually listening, not with a stylist deciding what you need before you've finished a sentence. Board certification as a colorist is rare — fewer than 5% of working colorists ever complete it — and Kim earned hers, then kept going, training regularly with Goldwell, Redken, Keratin Complex, and Olaplex so her formulation knowledge doesn't calcify around whatever she learned in the 1990s. She's also Hot Heads certified for tape-in extensions, a niche skill she's refined across thousands of applications for clients dealing with thinning, postpartum shedding, and general density loss.

What that means day to day is simple: every stylist on our floor has trained with Kim or under her direct supervision, so the standard she set on day one still holds no matter whose chair you end up in. Clients who've been with her for ten, twenty, or thirty-plus years will tell you the same thing in different words — that she still shows up, still mentors, and still personally handles the hardest color corrections and extension consultations that come through the door. That kind of continuity is unusual in this industry, where ownership often means stepping back from the actual work. Kim never has.

Kimberly Messing Hair Design
533 Washington Street, Braintree, MA 02184
Phone: 781-817-5077
Email: hello@kimberlymessinghairdesign.com

Hours
Monday: Closed
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: Closed

Book your appointment online

Why Needham Clients Choose Washington Street

Needham has no shortage of salons of its own, so a client driving over has to have a real reason. We've heard the same three reasons often enough from Needham clients that they're worth spelling out directly.

A specialist for every discipline, not a generalist covering for whoever's out. Janet Layden built her whole career around color correction — box-dye disasters, banding, tones that won't lift. Alicia Hayward is DevaCurl certified, one of a small number of stylists on the South Shore with that training. Maureen Lamie has spent 25-plus years mastering foil placement, mapping face shape and growth pattern before she ever opens a foil packet. When you book here, you're matched to the person who has actually gone deep in what your hair needs, not whichever stylist happens to have an open slot that afternoon. Most neighborhood salons run on one strong stylist and a rotating bench of newer hires; this one runs on nine specialists who each picked a lane and went deep in it.

An honest, unhurried consultation before anything touches your hair. We don't reach for the cape while you're still describing what you want. Every new client gets a real, sit-down conversation about hair history, current condition, daily routine, and what's actually realistic given your hair's starting point, and that conversation is free. People routinely tell us the consultation alone gave them more clarity than years of appointments elsewhere.

An eco-conscious way of running the business. Kim built waste reduction and thoughtful product use into daily operations here, not just into a page on the website. It shapes decisions about how the salon buys, stores, and uses product day to day. If that matters to you when you're choosing where your money goes, it should factor in.

The Full Menu

Every service on this list is handled by someone who specializes in it, and every appointment opens with an actual conversation about your goals, your routine, and what your hair can realistically do.

Hair Cut — see full details

  • Barber's Cut / Kid's Cut — $35, clean, simple, and low-maintenance.
  • Short Haircut — $44, precise shaping for cropped lengths.
  • Medium Haircut — $66, shape and movement with real versatility.
  • Long Haircut — $88, structure and layering that holds as it grows.
  • Extra-Long Haircut — $110, length-conscious trimming and shaping.
  • Shampoo and Cut — $50, a refresh that leaves hair more manageable.
  • Shampoo, Cut, and Blowdry — $60, walk out styled and ready.
  • Shampoo and Blowdry — $35, no cutting involved.
  • Perm — $105, lasting texture and body.

Hair Color — see full details

Color here isn't a fixed formula pulled off a shelf. It's built around your skin tone, your hair's history, and how you actually live, with New England's seasonal swings factored in so results hold through both summer humidity and winter dryness.

  • Single Process Color — $75, rich, even color with depth.
  • Double Process Color — $120, a bigger transformation: lift, then tone.
  • Partial Foil — $148, dimension where you want it most.
  • Full Foil — $185, bold, multi-dimensional color throughout.
  • Balayage — $220, hand-painted color that grows out gracefully.
  • Custom Foil Add-On — $22, targeted brightness placed with intention.
  • Color Balance — $37, correction for fading or unevenness.
  • Up-Do — $100, long-lasting styling for events.

Alternative Hair and Toppers (priced upon consultation) — Jackie Shaughnessy leads private, unhurried consultations and expert fittings for clients navigating thinning or volume loss, handled with full discretion. Learn more.

Hair Extensions (priced upon consultation) — Kim personally handles extension work, matching and applying for length and volume that reads as natural. Clients travel from across the region specifically for this. Learn more.

Tinting and Waxing — see full details

  • Eyebrow Wax — $20, shaped to flatter your features.
  • Brow Tint — $20, fuller-looking arches without daily makeup.
  • Lip/Chin Wax — $25, gentle waxing with smooth results.

Meet Your Style Team

Kim Messing — Owner and master colorist, 38+ years behind the chair, opened the salon in 1986.

Jackie Shaughnessy — Senior stylist and curly-hair cutting specialist, 38 years of experience, also leads topper and color-correction consultations.

Maureen Lamie — Master stylist, foiling and balayage specialist, 25+ years.

Janet Layden — Color correction specialist and dimensional colorist.

Laura Blaikie — Blonding specialist using Olaplex and K18 through every lightening service.

Alicia Hayward — DevaCurl certified curl specialist.

Emma Browning — Contemporary cuts and vivid fashion color using Pulp Riot.

Judy — Senior stylist and blowout specialist, 25+ years.

Kat — Texture and updo specialist, also building a following in dimensional brunette color.

What It's Actually Like to Visit

We're upfront about geography: this salon is located in Braintree, not Needham. For a lot of our Needham clients that's a non-issue, since it's a comfortable, straightforward drive from that side of the region, and plenty of people who've made the trip once keep making it because the alternative — hopping between generalist stylists closer to home — hasn't given them the consistency they were after. We don't invent exact drive times or claim landmarks we don't actually sit near. What we can tell you honestly is that clients treat the drive as worthwhile once they've experienced the difference between a rushed, volume-driven salon visit and one where the stylist actually has time for you.

Once you're through the door, the appointment itself feels different. Consultations aren't rushed, nobody's double-booked into someone else's color processing time, and your stylist stays with you from the first conversation through the final blowdry. This has been the operating model since 1986, not a recent rebrand undertaken to chase a trend. Clients who've been coming for a decade or more will tell you the pace hasn't changed even as the team has grown to nine specialists, and that consistency is exactly what keeps people coming back rather than shopping around every time they need an appointment.

What Our Clients Are Saying

Real, verified Google reviews from Kimberly Messing Hair Design clients.

★★★★★ Lynne R — "Super easy to book online and was lucky to get a same day appointment too. I had never been to this hair salon, everyone was welcoming and the place was very comfortable. My appointment was with Janet, who was friendly and listened to my babbling lol. She gave me a wonderful..." (Verified Google review)

★★★★★ Pam DeClerico — "Alycia was fabulous-showed her a picture & she did it perfectly! Very friendly, warm and very detailed.. I'm coming back for sure. So happy I found a new hairdresser" (Verified Google review)

★★★★★ Maura Patricia Daniel — "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!" (Verified Google review)

Read more reviews on Google

The Full Team Behind Your Hair: Nine Specialists, 180+ Combined Years

Most salons run on one or two strong stylists and a rotation of newer talent filling out the rest of the floor. This one is built differently: every chair belongs to a specialist with real depth in one specific discipline, not a generalist filling in for whoever's out.

Kim Messing, Owner and Master Colorist — Kim has spent 38-plus years learning how pigment behaves on real hair rather than textbook hair, and her board certification puts her among a small group of Massachusetts colorists who've completed that level of formal testing across formulation, theory, correction, and continuing education. She mixes color from scratch rather than pulling a preset formula, weighing underlying tone, porosity, water quality, and how a client actually lives between appointments. Her Hot Heads extension certification, refined across thousands of applications, draws clients dealing with thinning or density loss specifically to her chair. Her color-correction work pulls clients in from well outside Braintree; when another salon's color goes sideways, Kim is often who gets the call. She still mentors every stylist on the floor and keeps up ongoing education with Goldwell, Redken, and Keratin Complex.

Jackie Shaughnessy, Senior Stylist and Cutting Specialist — Thirty-eight years in, Jackie's cuts are built to grow out cleanly for eight to ten weeks rather than falling apart after three. Every section gets full attention; nothing is approximated. Her specialty is curly hair cut dry, curl by curl, which corrects for the years many curly clients spend getting cut wet and ending up with a shape that collapses the moment their curl pattern reasserts itself.

Maureen Lamie, Master Stylist and Foiling Specialist — With 25-plus years focused on foiling and balayage, Maureen maps face shape and growth pattern before a single foil goes in, which is the real difference between highlights that flatter and highlights that simply sit there. Her hand-painted balayage technique is built to avoid a harsh regrowth line, and she also handles complex highlight work on hair with multiple prior color histories.

Janet Layden, Color Correction Specialist — Janet is who gets booked when a color has gone sideways somewhere else: box-dye disasters, uneven highlights, banding from years of root touch-ups, tones that won't lift. Color correction demands real technical fluency in lift levels, fillers, toners, and bonding agents, and it's the discipline she's built her entire career around. Her dimensional work is just as strong when nothing needs correcting at all, building depth through layered tones rather than a flat single shade. One of our own Needham clients specifically called out how well Janet listened during a first visit — friendly, attentive, and generous with her time — and that's a fairly typical description of how she works.

Laura Blaikie, Blonding Specialist — There's a real difference between a stylist who can do highlights and a specialist who lives in blonding, and Laura is firmly in the second category. Her work is bright, dimensional, and lived-in, built to flatter skin tone and grow out well, using a mix of foil and hand-painting to avoid a stripey or brassy look. She runs Olaplex and K18 through every lightening service to protect the hair's internal bond structure.

Alicia Hayward, DevaCurl Certified Curl Specialist — One of the few DevaCurl-certified stylists on our team, trained directly with the DevaCurl organization, Alicia cuts curly, wavy, and coily hair dry, curl by curl, after a real conversation about pattern and daily routine. A Needham client recently praised exactly this kind of precision: she brought in a photo, and Alicia matched it exactly, calling the whole experience warm, friendly, and detailed. If your curly hair history is a string of disappointing salon visits, Alicia tends to be the fix.

Emma Browning, Contemporary Cuts and Vivid Color — Emma brings the newest technical energy on the team, from textured shags and French bobs to butterfly layers, cut with a technical foundation underneath so the shape actually wears well. She also handles vivid and fashion color using Pulp Riot, a professional line built for longer-lasting color than typical fast-fading vivids.

Judy, Senior Stylist and Blowout Specialist — Twenty-five-plus years of styling experience, fluent in pin curls, finger waves, French twists, and voluminous event waves. Judy is booked ahead of weddings and galas specifically because her work holds up under pressure. Her cutting is just as in demand, especially with clients who want a polished, intentional shape that doesn't require daily styling effort.

Kat, Texture and Updo Specialist — Kat handles the styling that needs more than a curling iron: braids, updos, intricate twists, half-up looks, and ponytails engineered to survive a full night of dancing. She's also steadily building her own client base in dimensional brunette color, and clients consistently mention how genuinely warm the whole experience feels with her.

The Products We Trust and Sell

Our retail wall carries products from more than two dozen professional brands, and every one earns its shelf space because the team actually uses it in the chair and stands behind it. Nothing gets stocked just to fill space, and every purchase comes with a real explanation of how to use it at home.

K18 rebuilds the hair shaft's internal structure at a peptide level rather than just coating over damage, and it runs through nearly every chemical service we perform. Clients who add the at-home leave-in mask typically see a real jump in shine and manageability within four to six washes.

Goldwell anchors much of our color work, backed at home by Color Revive for fading color, Kerasilk for smoothing, and Dualsenses for daily maintenance across hair types. Redken's All Soft, Color Extend Magnetics, and Acidic Bonding Concentrate lines are retail staples for anyone with damaged or color-treated hair. Keratin Complex supports our smoothing services with sulfate-free take-home care, plus styling products built specifically for smoothed hair. Olaplex remains the most dependable at-home bond builder available, used in-service and recommended as the No. 3 hair perfector between visits, with No. 4 and 5 shampoo and conditioner maintaining the bond work done in the chair.

Beyond those five, we carry Soma, Zenagen for thinning hair, Tri Design for styling, Living Proof for frizz control, Aluram for clean beauty, Design Me for performance styling, Amika for color care, Pureology for color-treated hair, Milk_shake for moisture, Hot Like Me for thermal protection, Revitalash for lash growth, ECRU New York for protective styling, FHI Heat for tools, Wahl for clipper work, and Jon Renau for wigs and toppers. Every product comes with personal guidance from your stylist, not just a shelf tag.

Our Philosophy: One Stylist, Full Attention, No Exceptions

Most salons run on volume: tight booking, double-booked color processing, multiple chairs per stylist, clients moved through quickly. It's efficient for the business and exhausting for everyone in the chair. This one doesn't run that way.

Your stylist works on you, and only you, from the first consultation through the final blowdry. No double-booking. No handing color processing off to an assistant who doesn't know your name. Whatever's happening to your hair is happening with someone's full attention. Clients consistently point to this as the biggest reason they keep coming back: the calm, the real conversation, the sense of being a person instead of a slot on a schedule.

Honest consultation is part of the deal. If something you're asking for won't look good on you, you'll hear that. If your hair needs some health restored before it can handle the cut you want, you'll hear that too. The finished result has to be something both you and your stylist are proud of, and if it isn't, it gets fixed. That's been the standard since 1986.

The Hair Science Behind What We Do

Hair reacts to its environment, and New England's climate, hard water, humidity swings, and rough winters all leave a mark. Most stylists treat environment as an afterthought. Every consultation here builds it in from the start.

Hard Water Mineral Buildup

Local water carries calcium, iron, and magnesium that deposit onto the hair shaft over time, showing up as dullness, brassiness in lightened hair, flat texture, and color that fades faster than it should. If any of that sounds familiar, hard water is the likely culprit, and there are specific chelating treatments and take-home products built to reverse it.

Humidity and Frizz Management

Summers here bring humidity that swells the hair cuticle and disrupts its outer layer, and even clients who've never dealt with frizz before notice it during the peak months. The fix is a combination of a cut built to work with humidity instead of against it, the right anti-humidity and sealing products, and in some cases a keratin smoothing service to reduce the frizz pattern directly.

Winter Damage

Winters bring cold air, dry indoor heat, and hats and scarves that all cause real damage, from breakage due to friction to dryness from heating systems to static from cold, dry air. We shift home-care recommendations every fall to get ahead of it before it shows up in the mirror.

Seasonal Color Strategy

Color reads differently depending on the season. A bright blonde that feels sharp and cool in winter can look gorgeous by July, and a deep, rich brunette that feels heavy in summer can feel elegant and warm by December. Plenty of clients adjust tone twice a year to match the season, and it's a conversation every stylist here is ready to have.

What a Free Consultation Actually Covers

Every new client gets a free consultation before the first service, no charge and no obligation to book. It typically runs 20 to 30 minutes and it's a working conversation, not a sales pitch.

  • Hair history. What chemicals have touched your hair, when, and how it responded.
  • Current condition. An honest read on health, integrity, and porosity, and what your hair can handle.
  • Daily routine. Wash frequency, products, styling tools, and how much time you actually spend on your hair.
  • Lifestyle factors. Workouts, sun exposure, work environment, sleep.
  • Visual reference. Photos of what you want and, just as useful, what you don't.
  • Realistic outcome. What's achievable in one visit versus what needs multiple sessions.
  • Cost and time. Clear numbers upfront, no surprises at checkout.
  • Maintenance plan. What it actually takes to keep the result looking right between visits.

People routinely say the consultation alone gives them more clarity than years of appointments elsewhere. It's treated as the foundation the rest of the relationship gets built on.

Serving Needham and the Surrounding Region

Needham is a quiet, family-oriented town with the kind of tree-lined residential streets that make it a genuinely nice place to live, and plenty of its residents commute into Boston or work locally while still wanting a salon relationship that isn't rushed. We're not going to name landmarks or neighborhoods here we haven't earned the right to claim specifically — that's not how we operate, and it's not something a legitimate local business page should do. What we do know, from the Needham clients who've made this their salon, is why they end up on Washington Street: they want a true specialist for their specific hair concern rather than a generalist's best guess, and they're willing to make the drive to get one. That's a decision plenty of Needham residents have already made, and it's one we take seriously every time someone from that side of the region walks in the door.

Is the Drive From Needham Worth It?

It's the question every new client asks before booking, and the honest answer is yes, for specific reasons. Plenty of salons sit closer to home. What's different here is board-certified color expertise, nine specialists instead of one or two generalists, and a model built around undivided attention per client. Retention here runs high, and clients who book once tend to stay for years, sometimes decades. The logistics are easy too: free parking, evening hours Tuesday through Thursday, and Saturday availability for anyone working a standard week who can't get to a salon during typical business hours.

What Clients Book Us for Most

Color leads the list, especially correction work with Janet, blonding with Laura, and foiling and balayage with Maureen. Between Kim's board-certified formulation and those three specialists, that's four dedicated color professionals under one roof. Cutting is close behind: curly-haired clients specifically seek out Alicia for her DevaCurl certification and dry-cutting method, clients wanting classic, polished shapes book Jackie, and clients chasing on-trend cuts book Emma. Extensions, treatments, and topper consultations round out the rest, with Kim's tape-in work drawing clients from across the wider region, particularly for fine hair and density loss, while Jon Renau toppers serve clients navigating thinning or medical hair loss.

Building a Relationship With Your Stylist Over Time

The value of this kind of salon compounds. The first visit sets a baseline. By the second, your stylist starts learning your hair specifically. By the fifth or sixth, they understand it the way they'd understand a close friend's habits: how it lifts, how it deposits, how it grows, how it ages between visits. That depth doesn't happen through one-off appointments or hopping between stylists.

Clients who commit to one stylist for a year consistently see better results than clients who shop around, because the work builds on itself. That's why booking your next appointment before you leave is standard practice here: color clients typically return every 4-6 weeks, highlights and balayage every 8-12, cuts every 6-8, and treatments quarterly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes this the right salon for Needham clients specifically?
A board-certified owner, nine true specialists rather than generalists, and an honest, unhurried consultation process that most clients say they haven't found closer to home.

What do haircuts cost?
Barber's Cut and Kid's Cut start at $35. Short cuts start at $44, medium at $66, long at $88, extra-long at $110. Shampoo and Cut starts at $50, Shampoo/Cut/Blowdry at $60, Shampoo and Blowdry at $35. Perms start at $105.

What does hair color cost?
Single Process starts at $75, Double Process at $120, Partial Foil at $148, Full Foil at $185, Balayage at $220. Custom Foil add-ons start at $22, Color Balance at $37, Up-Do at $100.

Do you do hair extensions?
Yes, Kim personally handles extension work with a full consultation before any installation.

Is there a curly hair specialist on staff?
Yes, Alicia Hayward is DevaCurl certified, and Jackie Shaughnessy also specializes in dry, curl-by-curl cutting.

What do tinting and waxing services cost?
Eyebrow Wax starts at $20, Brow Tinting at $20, Lip and Chin Waxing at $25.

How do I book?
Book online any time, or call 781-817-5077. Booking ahead is smart for color, extensions, and curly hair work, and Thursday evenings until 8:00 pm cover later time slots.

What are the salon hours?
Tuesday and Wednesday 9-7, Thursday 9-8, Friday and Saturday 9-4, closed Sunday and Monday. Saturdays fill fast.

Do you work with every hair type?
Yes: fine, thick, curly, color-treated, all of it.

Extended FAQ: Deeper Questions

How long does color last?
Single process and root touch-ups typically need a refresh every 4-6 weeks. Highlights hold 8-12 weeks before regrowth is obvious. Balayage stretches 12-16 weeks since the regrowth is intentionally soft. Vivid and fashion colors fade fastest, usually 4-8 weeks.

Will color damage my hair?
Done correctly, no. Single process is the gentlest chemical service and rarely causes damage. Lightening services are more demanding, which is why Olaplex and K18 are used in every one.

How long does a color appointment take?
Single process: 90 minutes to 2 hours. Root touch-up: 75-90 minutes. Partial foils: 2 to 2.5 hours. Full foils: 2.5 to 3.5. Balayage: 2.5 to 3.5. Color correction: 4-8 hours, sometimes split across visits.

Balayage or highlights, which is right for me?
Highlights are foiled for maximum lift and a brighter, more defined pattern. Balayage is hand-painted for a softer, more lived-in look with easier regrowth. A free consultation is the fastest way to figure out which fits your hair.

How do I keep color from fading?
Sulfate-free shampoo, washing every 2-3 days instead of daily, a cold final rinse, heat protectant before hot tools, a UV-protective leave-in, and a monthly clarifying treatment if your water's hard.

What does a full color transformation cost?
It depends on your starting color, target color, and hair length, and it's always quoted after a free consultation, never as a surprise at checkout.

How do I find the right stylist?
A free consultation is the fastest way. We'll match you to whoever's strengths fit your goals based on what you need rather than who happens to have an opening.

What if I don't like the result?
Say so. There's a plan for adjusting almost anything: color too dark, too light, too warm; a cut that needs reshaping; a style that missed the mark.

Can I bring someone with me?
Yes, plenty of clients book alongside a sister, mother, daughter, or friend, and overlapping appointments can usually be arranged.

Do you serve clients dealing with medical hair loss?
Yes, Kim handles Jon Renau wig and topper consultations personally, with discretion.

Gift cards?
Available in any amount, online or in-salon, and they never expire.

Payment methods?
Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Discover, debit, and gift cards.

Cancellation policy?
24 hours notice, please. Same-day cancellations and no-shows are charged 50% of the service cost.

Tipping?
Not required, always appreciated. Standard practice runs 18-22%.

Walk-ins?
The salon runs by appointment, though same-day slots occasionally open up. Call 781-817-5077 to check.

Wedding day services?
Yes, with advance booking. Trials happen in-salon; day-of styling typically happens at the venue or hotel.

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

Book online at our portal or by calling 781-817-5077 during business hours.

Day Hours
Monday Closed
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 Closed

What to Bring

Photos of what you want, ideally with clear lighting and angles, and photos of what you don't want, which are often more useful. A list of your current products. Questions. Come ready for a real conversation.

What to Wear

Something you don't mind getting slightly damp; color services involve water and occasional splashes. Skip white shirts. Capes and towels are provided, but a stain-resistant top never hurts.

Time to Plan For

Cut and style: 60-90 minutes. Single process and cut: 2-2.5 hours. Highlights and cut: 3-4. Balayage and cut: 3-4. Color correction: variable, sometimes split across sessions. Time commitment gets confirmed at booking.

Parking

Free lot at the salon, no meters, no garage.

Check-In

You'll be greeted at the desk and your stylist will find you within a few minutes. Consultations start right away.

Also Serving Nearby Communities

Our Braintree page covers our home base directly: Best Salon Near Braintree, MA. We also serve clients from several neighboring communities:

Our Specialty Services

Your Best Hair Is Waiting

Color built to survive a New England summer, extensions that finally give you the length you've wanted, curly hair care that actually gets it right, and a team that listens before anyone picks up a brush. That's the case for Kimberly Messing Hair Design on Washington Street.

Kim built this place for people tired of feeling unheard in the chair, and for anyone who knows great hair starts with a stylist who genuinely cares. We've been on Washington Street for over 38 years, and we're not going anywhere.

Book Your Appointment Now | Call 781-817-5077