Best Hair Salon in Pembroke, MA | Kimberly Messing Hair Design
Some of the best haircuts and color corrections we've ever done at Kimberly Messing Hair Design walked in the door after a forty-minute drive from Pembroke. Clients tell us the trip down Route 3 is worth it because they'd rather book one appointment they trust than three appointments closer to home that didn't work out. That's the honest version of why this page exists.
Voted Best Salon in Braintree | 38+ Years on Washington Street
An owner who built a career on paying attention
Kim Messing opened her salon on Washington Street in 1986, back when a stylist's reputation traveled by word of mouth and stayed there for decades if you did the work right. She's a board-certified, master colorist who has spent close to four decades correcting other people's color mistakes, training under Goldwell, Redken, Keratin Complex, and Olaplex educators, and quietly building a team she trusts enough to put her name behind. She's also Hot Heads certified for tape-in extensions, which sounds like a small credential until you're the client whose extensions actually stay put through a Massachusetts winter.
What Kim is known for inside the industry isn't flash. It's precision under pressure — the color correction that another salon gave up on, the highlight pattern that needed to be unpicked and rebuilt without frying the hair further. She still mentors every stylist on her team personally, which is part of why the same nine names keep showing up on this page year after year. People don't leave this shop. That continuity is rare in this business, and it's the reason clients from towns well outside Braintree keep finding their way back.There's a practical side to that longevity, too. A salon that's been in one building for close to four decades has worked through every kind of client relationship — the person who comes in every five weeks without fail, and the person who shows up once a year, slightly apologetic, after putting it off longer than they meant to. Kim built the culture here so both of those clients get treated the same way: with a real conversation first, not a rushed once-over. When a stylist has been doing this for decades, they stop needing to prove anything and start just doing the work in front of them.
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
Why Pembroke clients keep making the trip
Pembroke doesn't have a shortage of hair salons. What it has a shortage of, based on the clients who tell us this directly, is a salon where you can get color correction, curly-hair cutting, extensions, and topper consultations under one roof from people who've actually specialized in each one. Here's what tends to bring Pembroke clients across the town line:
- Nine specialists, not one generalist stretched thin. Our team splits into real specialties — foiling and balayage, curly and textured cutting, color correction, blonding, extensions, updos — so you're matched to whoever is actually best at your specific hair, not whoever happens to be free.
- An operation that treats product waste and chemical exposure seriously. We measure color rather than mixing by eyeball, we recycle what can be recycled, and we choose product lines with cleaner formulations where the performance holds up. It's not a marketing angle, it's just how the shop runs.
- A consultation room, not a rushed chair-side chat. Every new client — and especially every client who's had a bad experience elsewhere — gets time to actually talk through their hair before a single tool comes out. Nobody is trying to squeeze you into a fifteen-minute slot.
The full menu, if you want to see everything
We keep our pricing visible because guessing is stressful, and stressful is the opposite of what a salon visit should be.
Hair Cut
- Barber's / Kid's Cut — $35. A straightforward cut for kids and simple men's styles.
- Short Cut — $44. For hair at or above the chin.
- Medium Cut — $66. Shoulder-length and mid-length shaping.
- Long Cut — $88. Below-shoulder length, more time and more layers to plan.
- Extra-Long Cut — $110. Waist-length and beyond, cut to preserve length while keeping shape.
- Shampoo & Cut — $50. Cut with a wash built in, no style finish.
- Shampoo, Cut & Blowdry — $60. The full finished look, wash to dry.
- Shampoo & Blowdry — $35. A wash-and-style with no cut involved.
- Perm — $105. Texture and body added chemically, still offered for the clients who love it.
- See the complete breakdown on our haircut services page.
Hair Color
- Single Process — $75. One all-over color application.
- Double Process — $120. Two chemical steps, typically for major lightening or correction.
- Partial Foil — $148. Foils placed through the top and face-framing sections.
- Full Foil — $185. Foils placed throughout the entire head.
- Balayage — $220. Hand-painted, freehand lightening for a graduated, sun-kissed result.
- Custom Foil Add-On — $22. Extra dimension added to any existing color service.
- Color Balance — $37. A toning or glossing step to correct or refresh existing color.
- Up-Do — $100. Styled hair for events, listed here because color clients often book it same-day.
- Full detail at our hair color services page.
Alternative Hair and Toppers
Priced individually after a private consultation with Jackie, who leads this side of the business. Toppers, integration pieces, and alternative hair solutions are never one-size-fits-all, so we don't price them that way either. Learn more on our alternative hair and toppers page.
Hair Extensions
Also consultation-priced, led by Kim herself given her Hot Heads certification. Extension pricing depends on method, hair quality, and how much length or density you're adding. Details are on our hair extensions page.
Tinting and Waxing
- Eyebrow Wax — $20
- Brow Tint — $20
- Lip/Chin Wax — $25
More on our tinting and waxing page.
Meet your style team
Alicia Hayward is one of the only DevaCurl certified curl specialists on the South Shore, and she cuts curly, wavy, and coily hair dry, curl by curl, so nothing gets shaped based on a guess about how it'll dry later.
Kim Messing is the owner, a master colorist, and has run this salon since 1986. She's Hot Heads certified for extensions and trains continuously with Goldwell, Redken, Keratin Complex, and Olaplex.
Jackie Shaughnessy has been cutting hair for 38 years and specializes in curly-hair cutting done dry, curl by curl. She also handles color and alternative-hair consultations.
Maureen Lamie is a master stylist and our foiling and balayage specialist, with more than 25 years mapping face shape and growth pattern before she ever opens a foil.
Janet Layden is our color correction specialist — the person you want if a box dye, a botched highlight, or visible banding needs to be fixed properly, not just covered up.
Laura Blaikie specializes in bright, lived-in blonding using a combination of foil and hand-painting, running Olaplex and K18 through every lightening service she does.
Emma Browning handles contemporary cutting — textured shags, French bobs, butterfly layers — and also does vivid and fashion color work using Pulp Riot.
Judy has 25-plus years of experience and is our blowout specialist, known for pin curls, finger waves, French twists, and bridal or event hair, alongside polished, low-maintenance everyday cuts.
Kat is our texture and updo specialist — braids, updos, twists, and ponytails built to survive a full night out — and is also building a following in dimensional brunette color.
What it's actually like to visit us from Pembroke
Let's be straightforward about it: we are not in Pembroke. Kimberly Messing Hair Design is located at 533 Washington Street in Braintree, and Pembroke clients make a real, deliberate drive to see us. It's a straightforward trip down from Pembroke, and for the clients who've been coming for years, it's become a built-in part of the rhythm of getting their hair done — a little bit of drive time that turns into thinking time before you sit in the chair.
What clients find when they get here is a salon that's been doing this in the same building long enough that the systems work. Nearly four decades in one location means we've seen every kind of hair emergency and every kind of seasonal hair complaint the South Shore can produce — and we'll get into some of that hair science shortly, because how your hair behaves in a Massachusetts winter versus a Massachusetts August is genuinely different, and it should inform how you're colored and cut.
There's also something to be said for what doesn't happen here. You won't get shuffled between three different people during one appointment, and you won't be asked to explain your hair history twice because nobody wrote it down the first time. The building itself is unglamorous in the best way — it's a working salon, not a showroom — and most of the energy goes into the actual service rather than the atmosphere around it. For a lot of Pembroke clients who've been burned by flashier salons that didn't deliver, that's exactly the trade they're looking to make.
What Our Clients Are Saying
★★★★★ michelle merlino — "Best Colorist and Stylist from Boston to the Cape. I drive up from Cape Cod to see Kim. She is that good. I am normally gray in 6 weeks anywhere I've gone in the past, but not with Kim. She does her magic. She is also great in discussing what is good for my hair in regards to..." (Verified Google review)
★★★★★ Lori Murphy — "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..." (Verified Google review)
★★★★★ Danielle Salvinski — "Im so glad I found this salon. I wish I could give more stars! Props to the owner for having such an amazing team!" (Verified Google review)
Those first two reviews say something worth sitting with if you're driving in from Pembroke and haven't been to a new salon in a while. One client makes a drive from Cape Cod — genuinely further than Pembroke — specifically because gray coverage and color longevity that failed everywhere else finally worked with Kim. The other had gone so long between haircuts that she walked in nervous, and what she remembers isn't the cut itself, it's that Alicia took the time to actually talk her through it first, before and during. If the gap between visits or the distance to get here is what's been holding you back, those two reviews describe exactly the experience we try to build around that hesitation.
The full team behind your hair
Alicia Hayward trained specifically in DevaCurl's curl-cutting method and is one of the few stylists anywhere on the South Shore certified in it. She cuts curly, wavy, and coily textures completely dry, curl by curl, because cutting curls wet and hoping they land right when they dry is how most curly clients end up with uneven shape in the first place. Clients who've been told for years that their curls are "hard to work with" tend to end up in her chair specifically.
Kim Messing has run this salon since 1986 and is a board-certified master colorist with 38-plus years of hands-on color experience, much of it spent on correction work that other salons couldn't finish. She's Hot Heads certified for tape-in extensions and continues formal training with Goldwell, Redken, Keratin Complex, and Olaplex educators, which is also how she keeps the rest of the team current.
Jackie Shaughnessy has 38 years behind the chair and built a specific reputation for curly-hair cutting, working dry, section by section, curl by curl. She also leads alternative-hair and topper consultations and handles color work for clients who come to her specifically.
Maureen Lamie is a master stylist with more than 25 years of foiling and balayage experience. Before she places a single foil, she maps the client's face shape and natural growth pattern, which is why her highlight work tends to grow out in a way that still looks intentional months later rather than needing an immediate touch-up.
Janet Layden built her specialty on the hardest color appointments there are: box-dye disasters, highlights gone wrong, and the visible banding that happens when regrowth isn't blended properly over time. She's also strong in dimensional, layered tone work for clients who aren't in crisis but want more depth than a flat single-process color gives.
Laura Blaikie focuses on bright, lived-in blonding — the kind that looks sun-grown rather than salon-fresh — using a mix of foil placement and hand-painting depending on the head. She runs Olaplex and K18 through every lightening service, which matters more the blonder and more frequent the service gets.
Emma Browning specializes in contemporary cutting: textured shags, French bobs, and butterfly layers are her regular territory, and she also does vivid and fashion color using Pulp Riot for clients who want color that doesn't try to look natural.
Judy has more than 25 years in the industry and built her name on blowout artistry — pin curls, finger waves, French twists, and full bridal and event styling — but she's equally in demand for polished, easy, low-maintenance cuts for clients who just want their hair to behave every day.
Kat handles texture and updos: braids, twists, ponytails, and styles built specifically to hold through a wedding reception or a night out, not just look good for the first hour. She's also steadily building a following for dimensional brunette color and plays a key role keeping the floor running smoothly day to day.
Products we trust and actually sell
K18 goes into every chemical service in this building, not just the ones marketed around it. It's a peptide bond-repair treatment that works at a molecular level to rebuild hair that's been through lightening, coloring, or heat damage, and we use it as a standard step rather than an upsell.
Goldwell is a core color line here and also supplies our home-care recommendations — Color Revive, Kerasilk, and Dualsenses — depending on whether a client needs color protection, smoothing, or general maintenance.
Redken shows up across several categories: All Soft for dry or coarse textures, Color Extend Magnetics to hold color vibrancy between visits, and Acidic Bonding Concentrate as another layer of internal strength for chemically treated hair.
Keratin Complex handles our smoothing services and backs them up with a sulfate-free home-care line, which matters because sulfates strip a smoothing treatment faster than almost anything else you could put on it.
Olaplex rounds out the bond-building side of things with No.3 as an at-home perfector and the No.4 and No.5 shampoo and conditioner for daily maintenance between salon visits.
Beyond those five, we also carry and recommend Soma, Zenagen for thinning hair, Tri Design, Living Proof, Aluram, Design Me, Amika, Pureology, Milk_shake, Hot Like Me, Revitalash, ECRU New York, FHI Heat, Wahl, and Jon Renau for wigs and toppers. If a client asks what we'd actually use ourselves, this list is it.
Our philosophy on how a salon should actually run
You work with one stylist, start to finish. We don't double-book, which means the person doing your hair isn't also halfway through someone else's foil when you need their attention. And if something you're asking for isn't going to look good on your hair — texture, condition, prior color, whatever the reason — you'll hear that honestly in the consultation, before any chemical touches your head, not after.
A deeper look at what's actually happening to your hair
Hard water and mineral buildup
Much of the South Shore deals with hard water, and the minerals in it — calcium, iron, magnesium — coat the hair shaft over time. That buildup is a major, underrated cause of dull, brassy, or fading color, especially on blondes and lightened hair, because minerals sit on the cuticle and block light reflection while also grabbing onto warm tones.
Humidity and frizz
New England summers bring humidity that swells the hair cuticle and disrupts smooth cuticle lay, which is what frizz actually is at a structural level. The right cut, the right smoothing product, and the right at-home routine change how much a humid day affects your hair.
Salt air and coastal dryness
Being this close to the coast means salt air is a real factor, not just a summer-vacation cliché. Salt pulls moisture out of the hair shaft, which compounds dryness that's already a problem for color-treated or fine hair.
Winter breakage and static
Cold air outside and dry heat inside strip moisture from hair all winter long, which shows up as static, breakage, and a scalp that suddenly feels tight and irritated. It's the season we adjust home-care recommendations the most.
Seasonal color strategy
A bright, high-contrast blonde reads completely differently under winter light than it does in July sun, and a deep brunette that feels elegant in December can feel heavy and hot by midsummer. We talk through seasonal adjustments with color clients rather than repeating the same formula appointment after appointment regardless of the calendar.
What a free consultation actually covers
Every new client gets 20 to 30 minutes with a stylist before anything happens to your hair. That time covers:
- Your hair history — past color, chemical services, and anything that's been done to it recently
- The current condition of your hair, checked honestly rather than assumed
- Your daily routine and how much time you actually spend styling
- Your lifestyle — work, exercise, swimming, how much upkeep you realistically want
- Visual references, so we're both picturing the same result
- A realistic conversation about what outcome is achievable given your starting point
- Cost and time expectations, laid out clearly before you commit
- A maintenance plan for what it takes to keep the result looking right
Part of the South Shore, even from a town over
Pembroke has that quieter, more residential character that a lot of the South Shore shares — less bustle than the immediate Boston suburbs, more of a small-town rhythm to the year. We don't pretend to know Pembroke street by street, and we're not going to name landmarks we haven't actually confirmed. What we do know is that plenty of Pembroke residents already treat Braintree as a natural stop for things they can't get closer to home, and for a lot of clients, this salon has become one of those stops. It's less about geography and more about deciding a relationship with a stylist is worth maintaining, even across a town line or two.
Is the drive from Pembroke actually worth it?
Honestly — for most of our regular Pembroke clients, yes, and the reason usually isn't the drive itself, it's what waits on the other end of it. If you've had a color correction fail elsewhere, or you've got curly hair that keeps getting cut wrong, or you just haven't found a stylist you fully trust, an extra chunk of time in the car tends to matter less than getting it right the first time.
Logistically, it's simple. There's parking right at the Washington Street location, and because we're open into the evening on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, plus a full Saturday, you're not forced to burn a weekday off just to make the trip. A lot of Pembroke clients build their appointment around an evening slot or a Saturday morning specifically so the drive doesn't compete with a workday.
What clients book most
Color work leads the list by a wide margin — Maureen's foiling and balayage, Janet's correction appointments, and Laura's blonding services fill up fastest, which tells you where the demand really sits. On the cutting side, Alicia's curly-hair appointments and Jackie's dry-cutting slots are consistently the hardest to get on short notice. Extensions and topper consultations round out the rest, usually booked by clients who've already had a first conversation with Kim or Jackie about what's realistic for their hair and budget.
Building a long-term relationship with your stylist
Hair maintenance has a rhythm, and once you know yours, appointments stop feeling like a scramble. Single-process color generally needs a refresh every 4 to 6 weeks to keep roots and tone consistent. Highlights and balayage stretch further, typically 8 to 12 weeks between visits, since the whole point of those techniques is a softer regrowth line. Cuts hold their shape for about 6 to 8 weeks depending on length and how fast your hair grows. Bond-building and smoothing treatments are usually a quarterly commitment rather than a monthly one. None of this is a hard rule — it's a starting point your stylist adjusts once they know your actual hair.
Frequently Asked Questions
What actually makes this salon different from others near Pembroke?
Specialization. Nine stylists each built a specific skill — curly cutting, color correction, blonding, extensions, updos — rather than one team trying to be equally good at everything.
How much does a haircut cost?
Cuts range from $35 for a barber's or kid's cut up to $110 for extra-long hair, with shampoo, blowdry, and perm services priced separately. Full pricing is on our cut page.
How much does color cost?
Single process starts at $75, with foils, balayage, and double process ranging up to $220 depending on technique. See the full list on our color page.
Do you do hair extensions?
Yes, led by Kim, who's Hot Heads certified. Pricing is set after a consultation since it depends on method and hair volume. Details are on our extensions page.
Do you work with toppers or alternative hair?
Yes, led by Jackie, and also consultation-priced. Visit our alternative hair and toppers page for more.
Is there a curly-hair specialist on staff?
Two, in fact — Alicia Hayward is DevaCurl certified, and Jackie Shaughnessy has 38 years of experience cutting curls dry, curl by curl.
What do tinting and waxing services cost?
Eyebrow wax and brow tint are each $20, and lip or chin wax is $25.
How do I book an appointment?
Book online, call 781-817-5077, or email hello@kimberlymessinghairdesign.com.
What are your hours?
Tuesday through Thursday 9am to 7 or 8pm, Friday and Saturday 9am to 4pm, closed Sunday and Monday.
Do you work with every hair type?
Yes — straight, wavy, curly, coily, fine, thick, chemically treated, and natural. That's part of why the team is built around specialists rather than one generalized approach.
Extended FAQ
How long does color typically last?
Single-process color usually needs refreshing every 4 to 6 weeks; highlights and balayage last 8 to 12 weeks before the regrowth line needs attention.
Will color damage my hair?
Not when it's done properly with bond-building products. K18 goes into every chemical service, and Olaplex is used throughout lightening work specifically to protect internal hair structure.
How long should I plan for a color appointment?
It depends heavily on the service — a single process is faster than a full foil or balayage, which can take a couple of hours including processing time. Your stylist will give you a specific window during your consultation.
What's the actual difference between balayage and highlights?
Highlights use foil to create more uniform, structured lightening. Balayage is hand-painted freehand, which produces a softer, more graduated result that tends to grow out with less visible regrowth line.
How do I keep my color from fading between visits?
Color-safe shampoo, limiting hot tool heat, and using color-specific products like Redken Color Extend Magnetics or Goldwell Color Revive all extend vibrancy. Hard water is also a factor worth discussing with your stylist.
What would a full transformation — cut, color, and treatment — cost?
It depends entirely on the combination of services, but most clients doing a full color and cut transformation land somewhere in the $150–$300 range before extensions or toppers, which are priced separately.
How do I know which stylist is right for me?
Tell us what you're trying to solve — curly hair, color correction, extensions, a fresh cut — and we'll match you with the specialist who handles that most. You can also call and ask directly.
What happens if I don't love the result?
Say so before you leave the chair. Every service starts with an honest consultation specifically so surprises are rare, but if something's off, we want the chance to adjust it while you're still here.
Can I bring someone with me to my appointment?
Generally yes, especially for a first visit or a big change like a color correction, though we'd ask that you keep it to one guest so the space stays comfortable for other clients.
Do you work with clients experiencing medical hair loss?
Yes. Jackie leads alternative-hair and topper consultations, and we carry Zenagen specifically for thinning hair, along with Jon Renau pieces for wigs and toppers.
Do you sell gift cards?
Yes, available for any service or dollar amount — reach out by phone or email to arrange one.
Do you accept walk-ins?
We're primarily appointment-based given how our one-stylist, no-double-booking model works, but call ahead and we'll always try to fit you in if there's an opening.
Booking, Hours, and What to Expect
| 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 |
For your first visit, plan to arrive about 10 minutes early to fill out a brief consultation form if you haven't already done so online. Wear whatever you're comfortable in — we provide capes and coverups for anything messy — though if you're getting a dramatic color change, avoid white or light-colored tops just in case. Plan for the full appointment window your stylist gives you rather than rushing in on a tight schedule; color and consultation appointments especially benefit from unhurried time. Parking is available directly at the Washington Street location, and check-in is simple — just let the front desk know you've arrived and your stylist will come get you.
Also Serving Nearby Communities
We welcome clients from all over the South Shore, including our pilot location page for Braintree, where the salon is actually located, as well as clients traveling from Plymouth, Randolph, Holbrook, and Bridgewater.
Our Specialty Services
If you're driving in from Pembroke for the first time, or coming back after a long gap the way Lori did, the first step is just getting a consultation on the books — everything else gets figured out once we actually see your hair in person. Book your appointment online or call us directly at 781-817-5077. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram if you want to see the work before you commit to the drive.