Best Hair Salon in Whitman, MA | Kimberly Messing Hair Design
Whitman is the true birthplace of the chocolate chip cookie, invented at the Toll House Inn when Ruth Wakefield improvised with a broken-up chocolate bar — and we like to think great hair color comes from the same kind of hands-on, no-shortcuts thinking. Kimberly Messing Hair Design has held down 533 Washington Street in Braintree since 1986, and clients from Whitman make the drive over for a team of nine specialists led by a board-certified master colorist who still personally handles the hardest color work that comes through the door.
Voted Best Salon in Braintree | 38+ Years on Washington Street
An Owner Who Still Mixes Color From Scratch
Kim Messing opened this salon in 1986 with a simple conviction: a haircut or color service should start with an actual conversation, not a guess. She's a board-certified colorist, a credential fewer than 5% of working colorists ever complete, and one of her own clients put it about as directly as anyone could when she wrote that she drives up from Cape Cod just to see Kim, because "she is that good" — normally gray-out in six weeks everywhere else, but not with Kim's formulation work. That's not a marketing line we wrote; it's a real client describing a real pattern she noticed across years of appointments elsewhere.
Kim still trains regularly with Goldwell, Redken, Keratin Complex, and Olaplex, and she's Hot Heads certified for tape-in extensions, refined across thousands of applications. Every stylist on our floor trained with Kim or under her direct supervision, so the standard she set on day one holds no matter whose chair you end up in.
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 Whitman Clients Make the Trip
Here's what Whitman clients tell us most often about why they chose Washington Street over something closer to home.
Real specialists, not one stylist doing everything. Janet Layden built her career on color correction. Alicia Hayward is DevaCurl certified. Michelle, one of our longtime out-of-town clients, describes Kim as the best colorist "from Boston to the Cape," and that kind of specialization runs through the whole team, not just the owner's chair. When you book here, you're matched to whoever actually specializes in what your hair needs.
A genuinely unhurried consultation. Every new client gets a real conversation before anything happens with scissors or color: hair history, current condition, daily routine, and what's realistic given your hair's starting point. It's free, and it's not a sales pitch.
An eco-conscious way of doing business. Kim has built real attention to environmental impact into daily operations, not just into a page on the website. It shapes how the salon buys, stores, and uses product.
Services at Kimberly Messing Hair Design
Every service on this menu is handled by someone who specializes in it, and every appointment opens with a real conversation about what you want, how you live, and what your hair can realistically do.
Hair Cut — see full details
- Barber's Cut / Kid's Cut — $35, clean and low-maintenance.
- Short Haircut — $44, precise shaping for cropped lengths.
- Medium Haircut — $66, shape and movement without sacrificing versatility.
- Long Haircut — $88, structure that holds as length grows.
- Extra-Long Haircut — $110, built to preserve length while cleaning up ends.
- Shampoo and Cut — $50, a refresh that leaves hair more manageable.
- Shampoo, Cut, and Blowdry — $60, full finish, styled and ready.
- Shampoo and Blowdry — $35, no cutting.
- Perm — $105, lasting texture and volume.
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 from the start.
- Single Process Color — $75, rich, even color with depth.
- Double Process Color — $120, lift and tone for a bigger transformation.
- 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 faded or uneven tone.
- 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, with full discretion throughout. Learn more.
Hair Extensions (priced upon consultation) — Kim personally handles extension work, matching and applying for length and volume that reads as natural rather than obviously added. Learn more.
Tinting and Waxing — see full details
- Eyebrow Wax — $20
- Brow Tint — $20
- Lip/Chin Wax — $25
Meet Your Style Team
Kim Messing — Owner and master colorist, 38+ years, opened the salon in 1986.
Jackie Shaughnessy — Senior stylist, curly-hair cutting specialist, 38 years, also leads topper consultations.
Maureen Lamie — Master stylist, foiling and balayage specialist, 25+ years.
Janet Layden — Color correction specialist and dimensional colorist.
Laura Blaikie — Blonding specialist, uses Olaplex and K18 through every lightening service.
Alicia Hayward — DevaCurl certified curl specialist.
Emma Browning — Contemporary cuts and vivid fashion color, uses Pulp Riot.
Judy — Senior stylist and blowout specialist, 25+ years.
Kat — Texture and updo specialist, salon assistant.
What It's Actually Like to Visit From Whitman
We're upfront about geography: this salon is in Braintree, not Whitman. It's a genuine drive, and we're not going to invent a specific number of minutes that doesn't hold up depending on which road you take. What we can tell you honestly is that clients who've made the trip say it stopped feeling like a big deal after the first visit, because the appointment itself is different from what a lot of closer options offer. One of our longest-standing clients drives up from Cape Cod for exactly this reason, so a trip from Whitman is, by comparison, a modest ask.
Once you're here, the pace changes. We don't rush consultations, and we don't double-book you into someone else's color processing time. Your stylist stays with you from the first conversation through the final blowdry. This has been the operating model since 1986, not something adopted recently to chase a trend.
We've also noticed that clients coming from a genuine distance, Whitman included, tend to plan their visit differently than someone who lives five minutes away. A lot of our Whitman clients book a longer, combined appointment rather than splitting a cut and a color across two separate trips, and they tell us when booking that they'd rather set aside a full afternoon and get more done in one visit. If that's how you'd rather approach it, mention it when you book and we'll build the appointment around a longer block of time from the start.
What Our Clients Are Saying
Real, verified Google reviews from Kimberly Messing Hair Design clients.
★★★★★ 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)
★★★★★ 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)
★★★★★ Christine Conti — "Excellent customer service! Everyone is so friendly! SHOUT OUT to ALICIA Who's been doing my hair for a while now! SHE'S THE BEST!! Thank you! See you all again in 8 weeks!" (Verified Google review)
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.
Kim Messing, Owner and Master Colorist — Kim opened this salon in 1986 and has spent 38-plus years studying how pigment actually behaves on real hair, not textbook hair. 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 lifestyle. One client's description of her work says it plainly: normally gray-out within six weeks anywhere else, but not after a Kim Messing formulation. Her Hot Heads extension certification draws clients dealing with thinning or density loss specifically to her chair.
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 instead of falling apart after three. 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 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. 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. Color correction demands real technical fluency in lift levels, fillers, toners, and bonding agents, and it's the discipline she's built her career around. One of our clients specifically praised how well Janet listened during a first visit, calling her friendly and generous with her time even as the client admits she was "babbling."
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, using a mix of foil and hand-painting with Olaplex and K18 running through every lightening service.
Alicia Hayward, DevaCurl Certified Curl Specialist — Alicia is one of the few DevaCurl-certified stylists on our team, trained directly with the DevaCurl organization, applying that technique to curly, wavy, and coily hair that most stylists cut against the grain of. One client has been seeing her "for a while now" and calls her simply "the best," which is a fairly typical way clients describe her work.
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, and she handles vivid and fashion color using Pulp Riot, formulated for longer-lasting results than typical fast-fading vivids.
Judy, Senior Stylist and Blowout Specialist — Twenty-five-plus years of styling experience, fluent in pin curls, finger waves, and voluminous event waves. Judy is booked ahead of weddings and galas because her work holds up under pressure.
Kat, Texture and Updo Specialist — Kat handles braids, updos, and intricate twists engineered to survive a full night of dancing, and she's steadily building her own following in dimensional brunette color.
The Products We Trust and Sell
Our retail wall carries products from more than two dozen professional brands, each one something the team actually uses in the chair and stands behind.
K18 rebuilds the hair shaft's internal structure at a peptide level and runs through nearly every chemical service we perform. Goldwell anchors much of our color work, backed at home by Color Revive, Kerasilk, and Dualsenses. Redken's All Soft, Color Extend Magnetics, and Acidic Bonding Concentrate lines are staples for damaged or color-treated hair. Keratin Complex supports our smoothing services with sulfate-free take-home care. Olaplex remains the most dependable at-home bond builder, used in-service and recommended between visits.
Beyond those five, we carry 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. Every product comes with real guidance from your stylist, not 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. 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 your hair, you'll hear that before we start, not after. 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 is hard, and over time it deposits calcium, iron, and magnesium onto the hair shaft, showing up as dullness, brassiness in lightened hair, flat texture, and color that fades faster than it should. There are specific chelating treatments and take-home products built to reverse it, which is often the missing piece for clients whose color "just doesn't hold" no matter what they try.
Humidity and Frizz Management
Summers bring humidity that swells the hair cuticle, and even clients who've never dealt with frizz before notice it during peak months. The fix is a combination of a cut built to work with humidity, sealing products, and in some cases a keratin smoothing service.
Winter Damage
Winters bring cold air, dry indoor heat, and hats and scarves that all cause real damage — breakage from friction, dryness from heating systems, static from cold air. Home care recommendations shift every fall to get ahead of it.
Seasonal Color Strategy
Color reads differently depending on the season. Bright blondes that feel harsh in winter can look gorgeous in summer light, and rich brunettes that feel heavy in July can feel elegant by December. Plenty of clients adjust tone twice a year, 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.
- Daily routine. Wash frequency, products, and styling habits.
- Lifestyle factors. Exercise, sun exposure, work environment, sleep.
- Visual reference. Photos of what you want and what you don't.
- Realistic outcome. What's achievable in one visit versus multiple.
- Cost and time. Clear numbers upfront, no surprises at checkout.
- Maintenance plan. What upkeep actually looks like between visits.
People routinely say the consultation alone gives them more clarity than years of appointments elsewhere.
Part of the Whitman Story
Whitman holds a genuinely distinctive piece of food history: the chocolate chip cookie was invented there, at the Toll House Inn, when Ruth Wakefield substituted a broken-up chocolate bar into a butter cookie recipe expecting it to melt smoothly into the dough. It didn't, the chocolate held its shape, and an entire category of dessert was born by accident. It's the kind of detail that makes a small town memorable well beyond its size, and it's a fact we're happy to bring up with our Whitman clients, because it says something true about how good things actually happen: not from a rigid formula followed exactly as written, but from someone paying close attention and adjusting in real time when something doesn't go as expected. That's a fair description of how Kim approaches a difficult color correction, too. No two heads of hair respond to a formula exactly the same way, and a stylist who follows the textbook recipe without adjusting for what's actually happening on that specific head of hair is going to miss the mark the same way a rigid version of that original cookie recipe would have if Ruth Wakefield hadn't noticed something was different and worked with it instead of against it.
Beyond the cookie history, Whitman is a smaller, close-knit South Shore town, and we've found that news about a good stylist tends to travel fast in a community that size. Several of our longer-standing Whitman clients came to us through a direct recommendation from a neighbor or a coworker rather than through advertising, which tells us something about how word-of-mouth still works in towns where people actually know each other.
Is the Drive From Whitman Worth It?
It's a fair question, and the honest answer is yes, for specific reasons rather than vague ones. Board-certified color expertise, nine specialists instead of one or two generalists, and a model built around undivided attention per client are genuinely hard to find within a short radius of anywhere. One of our clients makes the drive up from Cape Cod specifically for Kim's color work, which puts the trip from Whitman in perspective. Retention here runs high, and clients who book once tend to stay for years. Free parking, evening hours Tuesday through Thursday, and Saturday availability round out the practical case.
What Clients Book Most
Color leads the list, especially the kind of complex formulation work Kim is known for, along with correction work with Janet and blonding with Laura. Cutting is close behind — curly-haired clients specifically seek out Alicia for her DevaCurl certification and dry-cutting method, and clients wanting classic, polished shapes book Jackie. Extensions, treatments, and alternative hair round out the rest, with Kim's tape-in work drawing clients from across the wider region.
Among our Whitman clients specifically, gray coverage and root maintenance make up a larger share of bookings than we see from some other towns, which tracks with the kind of long-tenure client relationships this salon tends to build. A client who's been with Kim for years and describes staying gray-free far longer than she used to elsewhere is a good example of exactly the pattern we see repeated across our Whitman client base: once someone finds a formulation that actually works for their hair, they stop shopping around.
Building a Relationship With Your Stylist Over Time
The value of this kind of salon compounds. The first visit sets a baseline. By the fifth or sixth, your stylist understands your hair's habits the way they'd understand a close friend's — how it lifts, how it deposits, how it grows, how it ages between visits. One client's description of years with Kim, going gray far more slowly than she did at other salons, is exactly the kind of long-term result this approach is built to produce. 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 Kimberly Messing Hair Design worth the drive from Whitman?
Nearly four decades on Washington Street, a board-certified color specialist as owner, and a team where every stylist specializes rather than generalizes.
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. 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.
Do you do hair extensions?
Yes, Kim personally handles extension work with a full consultation before any installation.
What about alternative hair and toppers?
Jackie leads those consultations and fittings, priced individually after assessment, handled with full discretion.
Is there a curly hair specialist on staff?
Yes, Alicia Hayward is DevaCurl certified, and Jackie also cuts curly hair dry, curl by curl.
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.
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, 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. Balayage stretches 12-16 weeks. Vivid colors fade fastest, usually 4-8 weeks.
Will color damage my hair?
Done correctly, no. 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. Full foils: 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Balayage: 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Color correction: 4-8 hours, sometimes split across visits.
Balayage or highlights, which is right for me?
Highlights are foiled for maximum lift. Balayage is hand-painted for a softer, lived-in look with easier regrowth. A free consultation is the fastest way to decide.
How do I keep color from fading?
Sulfate-free shampoo, washing every 2-3 days instead of daily, a cold final rinse, heat protectant, 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.
How do I find the right stylist?
A free consultation is the fastest way. We match you based on what you need, not who happens to have an opening.
What if I don't like the result?
Say so. There's a plan for adjusting almost anything, and 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.
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%.
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.
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.
Time to Plan For
Cut and style: 60-90 minutes. Single process and cut: 2-2.5 hours. Highlights and cut: 3-4 hours. Balayage and cut: 3-4 hours. 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
Our Braintree page covers our home base directly: Best Salon Near Braintree, MA. We also serve clients from several neighboring communities:
- Best Salon Near Bridgewater, MA
- Best Salon Near Brockton, MA
- Best Salon Near Randolph, MA
- Best Salon Near Holbrook, MA
Our Specialty Services
- Hair Color Services
- Precision Haircuts
- Hair Extensions
- Tinting and Waxing
- Alternative Hair and Toppers
- Meet Our Stylists
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, and it's why clients from Whitman keep making the drive.
We've been here for over 38 years, and we're not going anywhere.