Best Hair Salon in Scituate, MA | Kimberly Messing Hair Design
There's a particular kind of hair damage that only happens near a lighthouse. Salt air rolling in off the water, wind that never really stops, and a climate that swings from July humidity to January ice: Scituate's coastline is beautiful and it is genuinely hard on hair. Kimberly Messing Hair Design, located in Braintree at 533 Washington Street, has spent nearly four decades learning how to work with New England's coastal conditions instead of pretending they don't exist, and clients on the South Shore's Irish Riviera have been making the short drive over for color that actually survives the salt air.
Serving Scituate, MA | 38+ Years of Coastal-Aware Hair Care
A Studio in Braintree, Built With Coastal Towns Like Scituate in Mind
Kim Messing opened this salon in 1986, long before "climate-aware color" was something anyone put on a website. What she noticed early, working with clients who lived near the water, was that the same formula that held beautifully on a client from ten miles inland would fade fast, dull out, or turn brassy on someone who spent weekends walking the beach in Scituate or Humarock. That observation shaped how the whole team approaches hair now, coastal exposure included as a standard part of every consultation, not an afterthought brought up only when something's already gone wrong.
The salon itself sits in Braintree, not Scituate. That distinction matters because it's honest: this isn't a shop pretending to be local to a town it isn't. It's a short drive from the South Shore's coastal communities to Washington Street, and the clients who make that drive from Scituate do it because of what happens once they're in the chair, not because of proximity.
Phone: 781-817-5077
Email: hello@kimberlymessinghairdesign.com
Address: 533 Washington Street, Braintree, MA 02184
Salon Hours
- Monday - Closed
- Tue: 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
- Wed: 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
- Thu: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
- Fri: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
- Sat: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
- Sunday - Closed
Why Coastal Hair Behaves Differently, and What We Do About It
Before getting into services or pricing, it's worth explaining why a Scituate client's hair needs a slightly different plan than a client who lives further from the water. This is the piece most salons skip, and it's the piece that determines whether your color still looks good in week six or has already gone flat and dull.
Salt Air and Coastal Exposure
Living or spending regular time near the water means near-constant low-level salt exposure, whether or not you ever set foot in the ocean. Salt in the air pulls moisture out of the hair shaft, and over weeks that shows up as color that looks dull or slightly gray-toned rather than vibrant, along with hair that feels drier and more brittle to the touch than it should for its age and history. The fix isn't complicated, but it does need to be deliberate: a richer moisture routine than someone inland would need, leave-ins with UV protection since sun and salt compound each other, and a clarifying shampoo formulated to lift salt residue without also stripping the color underneath it.
Hard Water Mineral Buildup
Separately from salt air, the water itself across most of the South Shore runs hard, meaning it carries dissolved calcium, iron, and magnesium that deposit onto hair shaft after shaft with every shower. Over time that buildup dulls shine, makes lightened hair look brassier than it was mixed to be, flattens texture, and quietly shortens how long color lasts between visits. A lot of clients assume their shampoo stopped working when really it's mineral film sitting on top of the hair. A chelating treatment periodically, paired with the right at-home products, reverses it.
Humidity and Frizz
New England summers get humid enough to disrupt the hair cuticle and trigger frizz even in people who've never dealt with it before, and that effect only intensifies near the coast where moisture in the air is heavier and more constant. Managing it well means a cut that's designed to behave in humidity rather than fight it, anti-humidity styling products used consistently, and for some clients a keratin smoothing service that changes the frizz pattern at the source instead of just masking it appointment to appointment.
Winter Damage
Winters bring their own set of problems: dry indoor heat that pulls moisture from hair the same way summer sun does, cold outdoor air that leads to static and breakage, and wool hats and scarves that create friction damage most people never connect to their headwear. Home care recommendations shift every fall specifically to get ahead of this before it starts, rather than trying to repair it in March.
Seasonal Color Strategy
Color that looks perfect in July light can feel wrong by December, and the reverse is just as true. Warm, sun-kissed tones that flatter a summer tan can read as flat or overly gold once the season shifts, while deeper, cooler tones that feel elegant in winter can feel heavy once the beach season starts again. Plenty of clients here adjust their color twice a year for exactly this reason, and every stylist is used to having that conversation without treating it as an upsell.
What Makes This the Right Salon for the Drive From Scituate
- A specialist for coastal-resistant color. Maureen Lamie has spent 25-plus years perfecting foiling and balayage that's built to hold its dimension against exactly the salt-air and hard-water conditions Scituate clients deal with.
- Nine specialists, not one generalist. Every chair belongs to someone who went deep in a specific discipline, from color correction to curly cutting to blonding, so you're matched to the right person rather than whoever's free.
- A board-certified colorist running the shop. Kim Messing holds a certification fewer than 5% of working colorists ever pursue, and she's been refining her formulation approach for 38-plus years.
- Real, unhurried consultations. Every new client gets a genuine 20 to 30 minute conversation before anything happens to their hair, with coastal exposure and lifestyle factored in from the start.
- One stylist, full attention, every visit. No double-booking, no handing your color processing off to whoever's nearby. Your stylist is focused on you and only you.
Services and Pricing at Kimberly Messing Hair Design
Every service below is handled by a specialist in that exact discipline, and every appointment opens with a real conversation about your hair's history, your routine, and how your environment, coastal or otherwise, factors into what will actually work.
Hair Cut
Barber's Cut — $35. Clean, low-maintenance, no fuss.
Kid's Cut — $35. Patient, gentle, handled at a kid's pace.
Haircut (Short) — $44. Precise shaping that's easy to maintain.
Haircut (Medium) — $66. Movement and versatility built in.
Haircut (Long) — $88. Length-preserving shape and trim.
Haircut (Extra-Long) — $110. Careful work to protect length while cleaning up ends.
Shampoo and Cut — $50. A refresh that leaves hair easier to manage.
Shampoo, Cut, and Blowdry — $60. Cut and styled, ready to walk out the door.
Shampoo and Blowdry — $35. Smooth and frizz-controlled without touching a heat tool at home.
Perm — $105. Lasting texture and body.
Hair Color
Coastal exposure and New England's seasonal swings are both built into how color gets formulated here, not treated as separate problems to solve later.
Single Process Color — $75. Even, rich, full coverage.
Double Process Color — $120. A bigger shift: lift first, then tone.
Partial Foil — $148. Targeted dimension.
Full Foil — $185. Multi-dimensional color throughout.
Balayage — $220. Hand-painted color that grows out gracefully, one of the most requested services in the salon.
Custom Foil — add $22. A focused brightness boost.
Color Balance — $37. Correction for tone that's faded or gone uneven.
Up-Do — $100. Event-ready styling built to last the night.
Alternative Hair and Toppers
Priced After Consultation
Jackie Shaughnessy leads this work, with private, unrushed consultations for clients dealing with thinning or volume changes. Every fitting is built around the individual, handled with the discretion it deserves.
Learn More About Alternative Hair and Toppers
Hair Extensions
Requires Consultation
Kim handles extension work personally, starting with a full assessment of your hair's health and your goals before anything's applied. Clients travel across the South Shore for length and volume that reads as genuinely natural.
Learn More About Hair Extensions
Tinting and Waxing
Eyebrow Wax — $20. Shaped to suit your features.
Brow Tint — $20. Fuller-looking brows without daily makeup.
Lip/Chin Wax — $25. Quick, precise, and gentle.
Learn More About Tinting and Waxing
Meet the Team, Starting With Our Coastal Color Specialist
Maureen Lamie — Master Stylist, Foiling and Balayage Specialist
25+ Years Foiling, Balayage, Color That Holds Up Near the Water
Maureen is who most Scituate clients end up with, because her specialty, dimensional foiling and balayage engineered to grow out gracefully, is exactly what coastal hair needs to look intentional rather than faded between visits.
Kim Messing — Owner and Master Colorist
38+ Years, Opened 1986 Board-Certified, Extensions, Hot Heads Certified
Kim built this salon on the idea that every client deserves a real conversation before anything happens to their hair, and she still mentors every stylist on the floor.
Jackie Shaughnessy — Senior Stylist and Cutting Specialist
38 Years Curly Cutting, Color, Toppers
Jackie's precision cutting and her dry-cutting method for curly hair make her one of the most requested stylists on the team.
Janet Layden — Color Correction Specialist
Color Correction, Dimensional Tone
Janet is the one clients call when a color has gone wrong somewhere else and needs an expert to actually fix it.
Laura Blaikie — Blonding Specialist
Blonding, Olaplex and K18 Protection
Laura lives in blonding specifically, using bond-building products through every lightening service to keep the hair's structure intact.
Alicia Hayward — DevaCurl Certified Curl Specialist
Curly, Wavy, and Coily Hair
Alicia trained directly with the DevaCurl team and cuts curl-by-curl for clients who've never had their pattern properly understood before.
Emma Browning — Contemporary Cuts and Vivid Color
Trend Cutting, Fashion Color
Emma brings the newest cutting trends and vivid color technique to the floor, using Pulp Riot for color built to last.
Judy — Senior Stylist and Blowout Specialist
25+ Years Blowouts, Classic Styling, Precision Cuts
Judy is the one booked ahead of weddings and galas, known for blowouts that hold up under pressure all night.
Kat — Texture and Updo Specialist
Braids, Updos, Event Styling
Kat handles the styling that needs more than a curling iron and keeps the salon floor running smoothly for every client who walks in.
What Actually Happens When You Visit
Clients coming from Scituate often ask what to expect before making the drive, so here's the honest version. You'll be greeted at the desk within a minute or two of arriving, and your stylist will bring you back for a real consultation before any water touches your hair. That conversation covers your goals, but it also covers things a lot of salons skip: how much sun and salt exposure you get, whether you swim regularly, how your hair has responded to past color, and what your actual daily routine looks like once you're back home in Scituate rather than sitting in a salon chair.
From there, the pace stays unhurried. Nobody's rushing you toward a decision, and if something you're picturing won't work well with your hair's history or texture, you'll hear that honestly before it becomes a problem. The goal every time is a result you and your stylist are both genuinely happy with, not just a service completed on schedule.
What Our Clients Are Saying
Real, verified Google reviews from Kimberly Messing Hair Design clients.
★★★★★ Lisa Kelley — “1st visit to Salon. Alicia could not have been any nicer. I was making drastic changes and she totally Deserves the 5 star review! Kim the owner even introduced herself ! What a pleasant surprise. It's definitely worth giving them a try” (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)
★★★★★ Anne Marie Donnelly — “Nicest hair shop!! Absolutely love my hair stylist Jackie❤️. She's always spot on with my color and hair.!” (Verified Google review)
The Full Team, in Depth: Nine Specialists Working as One
A quick bio only tells you so much. Here's a fuller look at the nine people behind every appointment, starting again with the specialist most relevant to anyone dealing with coastal hair.
Maureen Lamie, Master Stylist and Foiling Specialist
Maureen has spent more than 25 years building a reputation for foil work and balayage that other stylists actually travel to study. What sets her apart isn't just technical skill with a foil, it's the planning that happens before a single one goes in: mapping face shape, natural growth pattern, and how a client actually lives, salt air, sun exposure, swimming habits and all, so the placement holds up rather than growing out patchy or fading unevenly within weeks.
Her balayage is entirely hand-painted, a technique built specifically to avoid the harsh, obvious regrowth line that comes from careless application, which matters even more for coastal clients since salt and sun both accelerate how visible regrowth becomes. Maureen is also the one who takes on the most complicated highlight work, hair with several prior color histories layered on top of each other, where a less experienced colorist would struggle to predict how the strands will lift. For Scituate clients specifically, she's become something of a go-to, because she treats the coastal environment as a variable in the formula rather than something to address only after the color's already faded.
Kim Messing, Owner and Master Colorist
Kim opened the salon's doors in 1986 and has spent 38-plus years since then studying how pigment actually behaves on real hair rather than the idealized version in a textbook. She's board-certified, a designation that requires advanced testing across formulation, color theory, correction technique, and continuing education, and one that fewer than 5% of working colorists in the field ever pursue. Where a lot of colorists reach for a preset formula off a chart, Kim builds hers from scratch every time, factoring in underlying tone, hair porosity, local water quality, and how a client actually lives day to day.
She's also Hot Heads certified for tape-in extensions, a skill refined across thousands of applications, most often for clients dealing with thinning, postpartum shedding, or age-related density loss. Her color-correction work draws clients from well beyond Braintree's borders. When another salon's color has gone sideways, Kim is frequently who gets the call. She also mentors every stylist on the floor, which is part of why the standard holds steady no matter whose chair you end up in.
Jackie Shaughnessy, Senior Stylist and Cutting Specialist
Jackie has been cutting hair for 38 years, and clients routinely book her months in advance because her work grows out cleanly for eight to ten weeks instead of losing its shape after three. She trained in classical cutting technique and treats every section of hair with full attention rather than rushing through the parts that are harder to see.
Her specialty within cutting is curly hair. Plenty of curly clients arrive with a history of being cut wet, which produces shapes that look fine in the chair and then collapse the second the curl pattern springs back afterward. Jackie cuts dry, curl by curl, working with how each strand actually moves rather than against it, so what you see in the mirror is what you'll actually be wearing home.
Janet Layden, Color Correction Specialist
Janet handles the appointments other stylists sometimes hesitate to take on: box-dye disasters, uneven highlights that won't lift correctly, banding built up from years of root touch-ups. Color correction demands real technical fluency across lift levels, fillers, toners, and bonding chemistry, and Janet has spent her career going deep specifically in that discipline.
Her dimensional color work outside of correction is just as strong, built from layered tones rather than one flat shade, the kind of depth clients notice without always being able to explain exactly why it looks so good.
Laura Blaikie, Blonding Specialist
There's a real gap between a stylist who's capable of doing highlights and a specialist who's built a career specifically around blonding, and Laura sits firmly in the second category. Her work leans bright and lived-in, mixing foil technique with hand-painting to avoid the stripey or brassy result that comes from a less deliberate approach.
Clients making a significant jump from naturally dark hair to blonde tend to book Laura specifically, because she knows how to lift the hair safely. Olaplex and K18 are used through every one of her lightening services to protect the internal bond structure along the way, which matters especially for coastal clients whose hair is already dealing with salt exposure on top of the chemical process.
Alicia Hayward, DevaCurl Certified Curl Specialist
Alicia trained directly with the DevaCurl team and is one of a small number of certified curl specialists on the South Shore. Years into applying that training, she works with curly, wavy, and coily hair that a lot of other stylists still cut against the grain of, flattening texture instead of working with it.
If your curly-hair history is a string of appointments that never quite landed, Alicia is usually the fix. She cuts dry, curl by curl, after an honest conversation about your pattern, your routine, and what you're actually hoping to wear day to day, humidity and salt air included.
Emma Browning, Contemporary Cuts and Vivid Color
Emma brings the freshest cutting technique on the team: textured shags, French bobs, butterfly layers, and whatever's currently trending on a client's saved Pinterest board, all cut with a solid technical foundation underneath so the shape actually holds its wear over time.
She also handles vivid and fashion color, everything from soft pastels to bold pink, using Pulp Riot and other professional fashion lines formulated to hold their vibrancy rather than fading out within a couple of washes the way lower-grade vivids often do.
Judy, Senior Stylist and Blowout Specialist
Judy has styled hair for 25-plus years and is the resident blowout expert, fluent in everything from pin curls and finger waves to voluminous, runway-style waves. She's the stylist most often booked ahead of weddings and formal events, where hair needs to hold up under pressure for hours, not just look good for the first photo.
Her cutting work is equally in demand, particularly among clients who want a polished, professional shape that doesn't require heavy daily styling to look intentional.
Kat, Texture and Updo Specialist
Kat handles the styling work that goes beyond a curling iron: braids, updos, intricate twists, and ponytails built to survive an entire night of dancing without falling apart. Brides, event clients, and anyone needing hair that can handle humidity and hugging both book Kat specifically.
She's also building her own following for color work, especially with brunette clients chasing dimensional, polished results, and clients consistently mention how warm and unhurried the whole experience feels with her.
See our full service menu and pricing.
The Products Behind the Results
The retail wall carries more than 200 products across 28 professional brands, every one of them something the team genuinely uses in the chair, not shelf-filler carrying a familiar logo.
K18: Peptide Repair Technology
K18's peptide formula rebuilds the internal structure of the hair shaft instead of simply coating over existing damage, and it's used across every chemical service in the salon. Clients with bleached or otherwise processed hair who add the take-home leave-in mask typically notice a real jump in shine and manageability within four to six washes.
Goldwell: Color and Care Foundations
One of the salon's primary color lines, backed by take-home care built to match: Color Revive for fading tone between visits, Kerasilk for smoothing and protection, and Dualsenses for everyday maintenance across hair types.
Redken: Performance Styling
All Soft, Color Extend Magnetics, and Acidic Bonding Concentrate anchor the retail shelf here for clients who want dependable, technical everyday performance, especially those managing dryness from coastal exposure.
Keratin Complex: Smoothing Specialists
The full line supports the salon's keratin smoothing services, and anyone who's had a treatment should be maintaining it at home with the sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner built specifically to extend it.
Olaplex: Bond Building
Still one of the most reliable at-home bond builders available, used in-service and recommended as the Number 3 Hair Perfector for maintenance between visits, alongside the Number 4 and 5 shampoo and conditioner.
Other Key Brands
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.
Our Philosophy: Undivided Attention, No Exceptions
A lot of salons run on volume: tight scheduling, color processing handed off to whoever's around, multiple chairs managed by one stylist at once. It keeps the business efficient. It also means clients often feel like they're being processed rather than cared for.
That's not how this salon operates. Your stylist works with you, and only you, from the first consultation through the final blowdry. No double-booking, no color left in someone else's hands halfway through. Whatever's happening to your hair happens with someone's complete attention on it.
Honesty is part of the deal too. If a look you're picturing won't translate well onto your hair's texture or history, you'll be told that directly, along with what will actually work instead. That standard has held since 1986, and it's the same whether you're driving in from down the street or from Scituate.
What a Free Consultation Actually Covers
Every new client gets a free consultation before any service begins, no charge and no obligation to book afterward. It typically runs 20 to 30 minutes and functions as a real working conversation.
- Hair history. What chemical processes your hair has been through, when, and how it responded.
- Current condition. An honest assessment of health, integrity, and porosity, and what it can realistically handle.
- Daily routine. How often you wash, what products you use, and how much time you actually spend styling.
- Lifestyle factors. Swimming, sun exposure, salt air, work environment, sleep, and anything else affecting your hair day to day.
- Visual reference. Photos of what you want, and photos of what you specifically want to avoid.
- Realistic outcome. What's achievable in a single visit versus what will need multiple sessions.
- Cost and time. Clear numbers before anything begins, no surprises at checkout.
- Maintenance plan. What it actually takes to keep the result looking right between visits, given your specific environment.
Clients regularly say this conversation alone gives them more clarity than years of appointments elsewhere. It's the foundation the rest of the relationship gets built on.
Scituate: The Irish Riviera and Its South Shore Character
Scituate has built its identity around the water. Scituate Light has stood watch over the harbor for generations, and the town's strong Irish-American heritage has earned it the nickname "the Irish Riviera," a nod to a coastline and a community character that residents take real pride in. It's the kind of town where the ocean isn't scenery, it's a daily fact of life, which is exactly why hair care built around coastal exposure matters so much for people who live there.
Alongside that coastal identity sits the broader rhythm of the South Shore and New England's four real seasons, each one asking something different of hair and color. Kimberly Messing Hair Design is in Braintree, a short drive from Scituate's own Washington Street-adjacent stretch of the South Shore, and the clients who make that drive tend to be the ones who've already tried a closer option and wanted something built around how their hair actually lives near the coast.
Is the Drive From Scituate Worth It?
It's a fair question, and the honest answer is yes, for specific reasons rather than just a sales pitch. There are salons closer to home. What's different here is a board-certified colorist running the shop, a specialist in coastal-resistant foiling and balayage in Maureen, and a structure built around undivided attention rather than volume. Client retention runs high, and the people who book once tend to keep coming back for years.
The practical side is easy too: free parking, evening hours Tuesday through Thursday, and Saturday availability for anyone working a standard week, so the drive doesn't have to compete with your schedule.
What Clients Book Us for Most
Color leads, especially balayage, foiling, and correction. Between Maureen's foiling expertise, Kim's formulation background, Janet's correction skill, and Laura's blonding work, that's four specialists under one roof focused on color alone.
Cutting comes in close behind. Curly-haired clients specifically seek out Alicia for her DevaCurl training and dry-cutting method, while clients wanting a classic, polished shape tend to book Jackie, and those chasing something trend-forward book Emma. Anyone with an event on the calendar books Judy or Kat.
Extensions and alternative hair make up the rest. Kim's tape-in work draws clients dealing with fine hair, postpartum shedding, or density loss, while Jon Renau toppers serve clients navigating thinning or medical hair loss with discretion.
Building a Relationship With Your Stylist Over Time
The value of a salon like this compounds the longer you stay with one stylist. The first visit sets a baseline. By the second or third, your stylist has started learning your hair's specific quirks. By the fifth or sixth, they understand how it lifts, how it deposits tone, and how it changes across seasons, the kind of familiarity that doesn't come from hopping between salons or stylists.
That's why booking your next appointment before you leave is standard practice here. Color clients typically return every 4 to 6 weeks, highlights and balayage every 8 to 12, cuts every 6 to 8, and treatments on a quarterly basis. For coastal clients specifically, that rhythm sometimes shifts a little tighter in peak summer, when salt and sun exposure are working hardest against the color.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Kimberly Messing Hair Design the best choice for Scituate clients?
A board-certified colorist as owner, a dedicated foiling and balayage specialist in Maureen Lamie whose work is built to hold up against salt air and hard water, and a team of nine specialists rather than generalists. Nearly four decades on Washington Street back it up.
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 after a full consultation. Clients travel across the South Shore for this specifically.
What about alternative hair and toppers?
Jackie leads those consultations and fittings, priced individually after assessment and handled with full discretion.
Is there a curly hair specialist on staff?
Yes, Alicia, who is DevaCurl certified, and Jackie also cuts curly hair dry as part of her specialty. Both are strong starting points if a curl pattern has never been properly understood before.
What do tinting and waxing services cost?
Eyebrow Waxing 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.
What are the salon hours?
Tuesday and Wednesday 9-7, Thursday 9-8, Friday and Saturday 9-4, closed Sunday and Monday.
Do you work with every hair type?
Yes: fine, thick, curly, color-treated, and everything shaped by coastal exposure. Every client should leave feeling genuinely understood.
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. Coastal exposure can shorten these windows slightly, which is part of why the right at-home routine matters more near the water.
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. Damage tends to show up in clients who bounce between salons or push too far in one sitting.
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, your maintenance tolerance, and your exposure to sun and salt.
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, rinsing with fresh water before and after swimming, and a monthly clarifying treatment if your water's hard or you spend a lot of time near the coast.
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. The team matches you to whoever's strengths fit your goals, whether that's Maureen for coastal-resistant color, Janet for correction, or Laura for ongoing blonding.
What if I don't like the result?
Say so. There's a plan for adjusting almost anything, whether color needs to shift, a cut needs reshaping, or a style missed the mark. Nobody should leave unhappy without saying something.
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 and private parking available if preferred.
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%, accepted in cash, on card, or via Venmo.
Walk-ins?
The salon runs by appointment, though same-day slots occasionally open. Call 781-817-5077 to check.
Running late?
Call ahead. Past 15 minutes, your stylist may need to shorten the service or reschedule depending on the day's schedule.
Kids at appointments?
Welcome, as long as they stay seated and supervised. Kids with their own appointment need an accompanying adult.
Wedding day services?
Yes, with advance booking. Trials happen in-salon; day-of styling typically happens at the venue or hotel.
How do I book my first visit?
Online, or by calling 781-817-5077, ideally by phone for a first visit so you can be matched with the right specialist before booking.
Booking, Hours, and What to Expect on Your First Visit
Book online at our portal or by calling 781-817-5077 during business hours.
Hours of Operation
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
Photos of what you want, ideally with clear lighting, and photos of what you don't want, which are often more useful. A list of your current products, plus notes on your routine near the water if that's relevant. 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.
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
Looking for a top-rated salon near you? Visit our dedicated pages for other South Shore towns:
- Best Salon Near Braintree, MA
- Best Salon Near Cohasset, MA
- Best Salon Near Marshfield, MA
- Best Salon Near Norwell, MA
- Best Salon Near Hanover, MA
Our Specialty Services
- Hair Color Services
- Precision Haircuts
- Hair Extensions
- Tinting and Waxing
- Alternative Hair and Toppers
- Meet Our Stylists
Your Hair, Built to Handle the Coast
Color that survives salt air instead of fading against it, a curly hair approach that finally gets it right, and a team that treats your environment as part of the formula, not an afterthought. That's the case for making the drive from Scituate to Kimberly Messing Hair Design on Washington Street.
Kim built this place for people tired of color that can't handle real life near the ocean, and for anyone who knows a great result starts with a stylist who actually listens first. We've been on Washington Street for over 38 years, serving Scituate and the rest of the South Shore, and we're not going anywhere.
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