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Pure Hair Design
Category: Beauty and Spas Hair Salons Hair Salons [Edit]
425 Harrison Ave(between Paul Sullivan Way & Berkeley St)
Boston, MA 02118
Neighborhood: South End
(617) 482-1222
- Nearest Transit:
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E Berkeley St @ Harrison Ave (11, 9)
Washington St @ E Berkeley St (191, SL4, SL5)
E Berkeley St @ Washington St (11, 9)
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 11 am - 8 pm
Fri 10 am - 6 pm
Sat 9 am - 5 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Good for Kids:
- No
- By Appointment Only:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Heather L. said: "I can't say enough about Billy and Erik. At first I was hesitant at leaving the salon I had gone to for 10+ years, then my first visit to Will Charles Salon confirmed it was the best salon decision I've made in a long time! Both…" read more »
43 reviews for Pure Hair Design
43 reviews in English
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Review from Calli C.
11/15/2010
Having finally found a hair stylist that I like and go back to more than once, I was devastated when I heard that Katy had left Liquid. Thankfully, she didn't go far and moved to Pure Hair Salon, which is at its new location on Harrison St. I never went the old location but this location has a lot of natural light, high ceiling, and bright pops of color. Apparently the space used to be an art gallery so that may account for some of it. It is a little small but it didn't seem cramped; all the stylists had their own chair and mirror area so they didn't get in each other's way.
As for Katy, what else can I say? She is awesome as usual and gave me exactly what I wanted, even when I was horrible at actually verbalizing what I wanted. She knows what flatters people, and she clearly is at a pro at this. Pure specializes in cutting curly hair, and while I was getting my hair cut there were two curly heads getting cut and one getting highlights, so I guess this is the place to be.
The location is a bit ehh- I had some trouble getting there, because I'm a natural at getting lost, and also because it isn't that big. Pure is located right across from the Pine Street Inn, so that might make some people a bit uncomfortable, but a few of the men standing in line had some really nice things to say about my new haircut. The only other negative about Pure was their front desk. I had called about a week and a half in advance to make my appointment, and I never received a confirmation reminder the day before. Maybe Pure doesn't do that, but it takes a second and I know as a customer I really appreciate it, as it shows they are on top of their scheduling. Also, when I was checking out, the girl at the front desk seemed really distracted and disinterested. She could learn a thing or two from the friendly guys across the street at the Inn! -
Review from Devon M.
Updated - 7/1/2011
Shan is starting his own salon at the old location on Tremont Street, so I'll be following him there. The salon space is still lovely, though!
Listed in: Stars of track and field are…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/3/2008
This is a great little gem of a hair salon. It's small with three stations, but they are filled by… Read more »
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Review from Jackie R.
Boston, MA
6/15/2011
Tried this place probably 4-5 times. Didn't always have the same stylist and the cuts up until the last one were ok. The last cut I had, the stylist used a razor. I had never had my cut hair w/ a razor before but figured it would be fine. I have fine hair and using a razor thinned out my hair even more. I will not be going back. I will keep looking for someone I can trust with my hair...
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Review from Tricia C.
Boston, MA
7/23/2010
I went to Pure Hair Design based on a recommendation from a co-worker. It has been a lifelong battle to find a stylist who understands my "Julianna Margulies" hair texture.
Well Yelpers... the heavens parted, the angels began to sing and Shan was born to save us from bad hair!!! He gave me great tips about minimal/no shampooing and how to not disturb the curl pattern.
This cut is amazing! Shan picked up every dry curly tendril and snipped it and then evaluated how it fell into place. If he didn't like where it fell, he snipped it again to give me a great shape. See the new picture in my Yelp profile. I left the salon with a very workable, fun and finished style that I enjoyed for the rest of the day (a very rare treat for us curly girls).
I was so thrilled afterwards I hugged him booked my next appointment! I also bought the DeVa conditioner and gel - I LOVE it! Thank you Shan! You are amazing!!! -
Review from Madhumitha N.
Manhattan, NY
1/22/2011
I have been going to Pure Hair design salon for past 2 and half years. This place is good, not too fancy and they charge what most of the salons charge in Boston area.
Hair cut was decent, never had a problem. The service is good, Agie the stylist is my fav and she is really good. -
Review from ThePainfulTruth X.
Boston, MA
9/3/2010
Terribly uneven haircut by Maria.
My hair is fine and thick (meaning that the individual strands are fine, and that there are a lot of them). My hair is straight and shiny, and it's short. When you cut fine, thick, straight, shiny hair into a short haircut, every single little snip in the hair is visible. My hair type is completely unforgiving: if a stylist is undertrained, it shows.
When separating sections of my hair for cutting, Maria's sections varied in size and shape and were imprecise. I thought she was just "feeling" my hair to get a sense of the texture, but, no, sure enough, those combfuls were what she went ahead and cut. Maria did not draw straight lines with the tip of the comb to create sections for cutting, the way that every other stylist I've been to does. She just kind of "scooped up" sections of hair with her comb. Maria started on one side of my head and worked her way around in a ring, without stopping to check and ensure both sides were even.
My haircut came out completely uneven. The pieces in front of my ears differed in length by nearly an inch. When I draw them out sideways from my head, you can see they are cut completely differently on both sides. Maria left little chunks of hair missing all over my head. One in the back was so obvious that it looked like she had cut a piece of gum out of my hair. And the ends were so uneven and frayed-looking that as soon as I got home, I looked in the mirror and thought to myself "It looks like I need a haircut!" The haircut Maria gave me doesn't "fall" properly, and I have to use a lot of product to get my hair to do what it does by itself when it's cut well.
I will say this: the overall shape of what I was asking for was spot-on, exactly what I was asking for. I imagine that if Maria was working on someone with a bit of a wave to their hair, that her poor technique and shoddy finish work would not be obvious, and the overall shape would look good enough as it is. When cutting very straight hair, you just can't get away with that; her mistakes show.
Maria seems like a genuinely nice person, but she is completely unskilled at cutting straight hair. Stay away! (And if you have any recommendations for someone with skills, please send them to me!) -
Review from Cara P.
Cambridge, MA
11/26/2008
I met Shan at a fellow Yelper's wedding and, not even knowing where he worked, thought he was a really nice and extremely funny person. I am not sure what happened, since I was tipping back the wine, but somehow I got his card and found it in my wallet the next morning. I was told I asked for it and wasn't given it because of my hair's dire state. That made me feel better ;p
So I checked out his reviews on Yelp and was impressed. I made an appointment and was SO nervous because A) I have the worst luck with stylists and B) I cut and colored my own hair and wasn't sure anyone could fix it.
Shan really listened to what I wanted and I don't know what the hell he did, but the end result (using the foiling technique) was awesome. My The result was a medium brown with the original "lighter color" I had left as the faux highlights. I think he named it "fauxlight".....I loved it!
He then cut my hair styled it and I left feeling like a million buxs! PLUS, his prices are on point! He also gave me advice on maintenance and I am on the "Low-poo" system. Ask him about it....but first you MUST make an appointment. -
Review from Beth A.
Washington, DC
3/5/2009
I can't believe I keep forgetting to give this salon the awesome review it deserves... I have been going here since I got a terrible haircut at a salon down the street from Pure that will remain unnamed. Seriously, there was a chunk of hair on my head that was half as long as the rest for no apparent reason. It was sad. I was sad.
So anyways, my hair has looked the best it ever has since Jenny started coloring and cutting it. I have very difficult, extremely thick and curly hair that most stylists don't understand and just try to chop off. Jenny gave me a haircut so that I can actually wear my hair curly (gasp!) and it doesn't look like I've been struck by lightning. My hair now looks great, every day. She also recommended the Deva Curl system, which I was hesitant about at the beginning, but after using it for several months, I can now say really does work for curly hair.
My hair color is also the best it's ever been. Jenny really does a great job choosing the color that works best for your complexion. She talked me into more lowlights the last time I visited and I absolutely love the way my hair looks now.
Pure itself is a great salon, apart from Jenny's awesome-ness. I love how chill it is; i.e. no snobby hairdressers that make you feel distinctly underdressed and fugly when you come in to get your hair cut. Jenny and Shan are both really funny and make you feel at home, and the other hairdressers, whom I've met only briefly, were very nice as well.
Check this place out! I promise, you will not be disappointed. :) -
Review from Karen G.
Newtonville, MA
11/13/2009
I can't tell you how disappointed I have been with this place. For some strange reason, I kept going back to see Jenny (the owner), even though each time I did, I walked out feeling like I'd been robbed. She's sweet enough, that's not the issue - but she definitely does not listen or pay attention. I know she gets good reviews from others, so I don't want to trash her, but quite frankly I expected a lot more than what she gave me. Especially for the price. Each time I've gone in, I've had very specific instructions ("I would like this particular color" - "Please only cut this much off" - "Please give me full bangs" - etc.). Never once has she done what I've requested, and most of the time she didn't even come close.
On my most recent (and final) trip to her, I wanted to completely change my haircolor and get a cut that would bring some nice shape to my hair. I had been really excited about this ahead of time, and told my coworkers to expect a "different me" when I came into work the next morning.
Well, over $200 later, I walked into work and EVERYONE asked me the same thing: "I thought you were getting your hair done yesterday? It doesn't look any different." That's right. The color was basically the same. I basically had wanted a complete color change - only got a few hard-to-identify highlights. My "haircut" consisted of about 3 snips with the shears. It was simply just a few dead ends removed, but no change to the shape like I had asked for. She didn't even get the color to my roots, so I looked like I was *overdue* for color as I was leaving the salon. Even my husband's reaction was, "What the hell happened? I thought you were getting your hair colored and cut. It doesn't look any different than when you went in, and I can see your roots. It looks terrible!"
To top it off, the place was so crowded that I had to sit in a small plastic chair in the back corner because the salon chairs were all full. She had an assistant do half her color work on my head. I was left with my head hanging upside down in the sink while the toner set (pretty painful to have your neck arched backwards like that for 15 minutes), and there was no hot water - icy cold each time I was rinsed. Oh - and Jenny got into a fight with one of her staff and walked out in a huff - while I was sitting there with my head full of foils. I didn't even know if she was going to come back at first... it was VERY uncomfortable and unprofessional.
And all to the tune of $250. For that kind of money, I really would expect far more than I got. This place is like having your hair done in someone's basement.
No thanks, Jenny. I'm heading across the street to Liquid from now on. -
Review from Jen L.
Arlington, MA
8/21/2008
So I am the type of person a hairdresser generally dislikes. My hair is very long, extremely thick and wavy. I roll out of bed, wash my hair, put it in a pony tail, and go. I don't like "styles" per se and my hair rarely takes less than an hour to blow out. In other words, a picky, unfashionable customer with difficult hair.
I also get a haircut MAYBE once or twice a year.
Generally my experiences have ranged in the realm of "Why don't you do something with it?" "Layers would look awesome" "So you are going to cut it". I am in my thirties and am holding onto this long hair until I start looking scary wearing it like this.
I am generally hesitant about salons because of the above, so after reading some reviews here, I decided to check this place out.
I am very happy I did. First and foremost, this isn't a "you are not good enough to be here salon" or a "come on, dork, why are you even bothering" kind of place. Jenny was very friendly and listened to everything I asked for and subsequently gave me a great cut. In addition, I wanted to add some color to my hair to even out some sun bleaching. She did it flawlessly. (By the way, it was also in the 90s that day and humid. Generally in this type of weather I start to resemble a coconut, but my hair stayed smooth and very shiny.)
This is not an inexpensive place, but the quality of the work and their friendliness makes it worth the slightly higher price tag. -
Review from Misha L.
Atlanta, GA
8/13/2008
I found Shan after he "sculpted" my girlfriend's hair to perfection. I knew immediately after walking in that I was in for a good show: I could sense him immediately and expertly appraising my head, face, and style. He takes pride in his work, and I ended up with the best haircut I've ever had!
For the fellas: I didn't think about going here in the first place as I figured it mostly catered to the ladies. No worries, Shan can take any type, and gave me a haircut perfectly suited to me that is adaptable from business meetings to a rowdy night out. Thanks Shan! -
Review from Cecilia C.
San Francisco, CA
8/24/2009
I have curly hair. VERY curly hair.
I went to Shan to get this "DeVa" cut everyone on yelp was raving about.
Shan rattled on through the whole cut about best practices for curly hair. Having lived with mine my whole life, I was open to a few tips, but he wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise. With the right haircut, I have a pretty good handle on how to make my hair do its thing to the best of its ability. Unfortunately, his "DeVa" cut did not help matters. Let me explain:
The idea of DeVa is to cut each curl individually to maintain "the integrity of the curl." To Shan, this means pulling APART each curl, commenting on its "curl integrity" (or lack thereof), **pulling it outward from your scalp so it is taught to the point of being painful, strand by strand.** This HURT, ladies. The way eyebrow plucking does, only on your head, and about 50x more hairs at once. I didn't ask him to stop because a) it was too early for confrontation, b) I didn't want to question his authority or that of fellow curly-haired yelpers, and c) I thought this method was going to do such wonders to my curls that it was worth the discomfort. I was wrong.
It seemed to me that he cut my hair without considering how it would frame my face. I asked for an angled front, I got almost chin-length chunky bang-type things up front, and short pieces sticking out on top of head with no rhyme or reason. I ended up with that A-shape curly hair that I specifically asked not to leave with.
He then put a few clips at the roots and stuck me under the dryer until it was damp (it was winter out). I left looking like a drowned rat. Flat curls, close to my head, and my hair was all greasy from this product he swears by that he doused my hair in that made it sticky to the touch, like rubber cement.
I thought it might just need some time to relax. Well, the appointment happened in February. It is now August, and my hair STILL doesn't sit right. It gets huge at the ends and flat at the top. He has offered to have me come back in to fix it, but since he didn't listen the first time, I am not interested in giving it another go knowing there are other stylists in the city who might be more open to hearing me out.
I SHOULD NOTE: It is not frizzy, he did that right, but there is no shape to it. This is especially noticeable when I straighten my hair (which I have only done one time since the cut). There are no defined layers, so the ends just fall wherever they want and frizz up and look messy.
Needless to say, I won't be going back. -
Review from Liz H.
Boston, MA
7/29/2009
I really hate to give a five-star business a two-star review, especially when I know that they read these. I might get flack for this and not "speaking up" but to me, when I tell an stylist what I want, I should get it the first time around even if they think it is going to look "bad" or whatever.
I had been looking for a new salon since I was unhappy with how my last cut turned out with my old stylist. So I stumbled upon Pure via yelp and who can blame me - it has fantastic reviews!! I emailed them to set up an appointment and Shan emailed me back almost immediately recommending Angela. She then called me and we set up an appointment that really fit my schedule.
When I got there, she was running a little behind, which was fine - I had to make some calls. When I finally got to sit in the chair though, she told me she had mixed up and only scheduled me for a cut when I wanted a cut/highlight. With only enough time to do one, I opted for the highlight. I should have brought a picture, but forgot one. I have dark hair and in the summers get very light blond highlights. To some, it may not be the best looking but I like it. When I tell her I want to go really light, she says it won't look natural and insisted I would like how she would do it. I agreed, knowing that they are supposedly experts in coloring. However, it has been a month since I got the highlights and I've been using color depositing shampoo and still, hardly anyone can even tell I have highlights. Yes, they look more "natural," but they're not at all what I wanted.
So when she finished she told me she had pushed back her next appointment and would be able to fit me in for a cut. I was ecstatic!! I even told her the reason for needing a new stylist and I was very very specific about what I wanted - a fairly sharp front angled cut but with length (not bob). What I got was a fairly straight blunt cut that if I didn't insist she put in layers at the bottom would have looked like when my mom cut my hair straight across when I was 10.
I don't want to criticize the skill - I definitely think Angela's skill is worthy of more than two stars - probably a 3/4 star. However, I need to give the two stars because I was very upset at not being listened to. I'm all for giving suggestions if I go in and tell you to give me a great haircut. But if I go in and specifically ask you for something, you should respect my opinion. If I look awful afterwards, I have nobody to blame but myself.
The price is about what you'd expect in Boston. Definitely less than newbury. -
Review from Asia B.
Alexandria, VA
Updated - 9/14/2009
OK. So I like the color I got the first time at Pure. I went back to Apryl for a cut, and some freshening up of my highlights. Since she used several colors last time, I explained what I wanted to her. She seemed to understand. After I got the color, it was pretty, but it wasn't what I had asked for. Now I'm stuck with a color that's a little too light to last more than 3 weeks without a touch-up. :-(
The cut was ok. I had a photo of something I wanted, rather than try to explain it. It was a pretty basic, longer bob, but it didn't turn out exactly like I had hoped. More like an above the shoulder blunt cut. I was hoping for a little more life.
I've got to go somewhere soon, to get the color updated as the roots grow out a little too starkly, and hopefully some added life to the cut. I'm debating heading back to DC to see my former stylist when I lived there. That's a haul to go to get a decent hair cut when I live in a major city. I'm just not sure I'm going to find someone I love here.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/9/2009
I just moved to the area, and needed to find a stylist. I followed the other yelpers here, and… Read more »
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Review from Jill F.
2/20/2009
I have been going to the same person for over 6 years. Then I moved! So one day I was scrambling to find a place and found Shan! He is awesome! Every haircut is cute and different I love them all! I have very short pixie hair and he always cuts it so cute!
Well priced, easy location, very friendly! Love it!
Update: Went back home for a week, family agreed that they liked my hair more than when I was going to guy back home.
He knows his stuff! -
Review from Colleen H.
South End, Boston, MA
3/31/2011
Okay...to make a long story short, my absolutely fabulous hairdresser left me for the sunshine down south. Sad, I know. Especially with this hair. So I did some research and landed on Miss Katy at Pure.
I had some baggage going on with my hair (old color...old highlights covered up by more color....you know, baggage) and i scheduled an appointment on a Saturday because I wanted my hair to feel like spring. And right now, darkish brown hair feels like winter. So I brought in a carmelly brown picture (think J-Lo or VBeckham with long locks). Katy's eyes almost bulged, and she advised me that this is something to work towards, but I should keep my hair integrity in mind. And she was right... I really worked her hard to get this hair lightened...I was definitely there longer than the average person, but I knew she wasn't going to let me leave until she was satisfied with my color. And my god, I can't tell you how many compliments I am getting! It's DEFINITELY a change, just like I wanted -- but at the same time it goes really well with my coloring. And people are noticing my eyes more? Anyway, after the color she snipped away shaping this mop into something wonderful. (My hair was a bit heavy and uneven in the back, she fixed that up just fine) I would absolutely recommend Katy to anyone -- for curls or color! Thanks Katy!! -
Review from Vera S.
Brighton, MA
10/22/2008
I LOVED my haircut from Shan. He was awesome - took time before the cut to talk about my hair with me, and really listened to what I had to say. He even took time to show me some styling techniques that were pretty cool to learn about .
Anyway, my cut was great. I have had a series of terrible haircuts, and did my research before going to Shan. He gave me exactly what I asked for, and added some really nice shape to my cut. No one has been able to give me the sweepy bangs I have wanted, but Shan did them perfectly.
Normally when I go in for a haircut, I pretend to like it, and then go home and restyle it myself. But today, I loved it even more every time I looked in the mirror.
I'll definitely be going back. Excellent! -
Review from Sara H.
Brookline, MA
4/27/2009
Since moving to Boston, I've been scared to death of letting anyone besides my old stylist touch my hair. I have extremely long Lindsey Lohan'esque hair (eww, but it's true), which I can imagine is a pain in the butt to highlight.
I chose Pure based on the rave reviews on Yelp, and it was a great experience. Angela did a great job with my highlights. I was incredibly vague about what I wanted done, but that didn't stop her from doing a great job. I had insane roots, and I don't see any sign of them anymore. Most importantly, the color still looks great, even after a few days of styling my hair on my own.
I'll definitely be coming back! -
Review from Jen F.
Newton, MA
8/17/2009
Yelp to the rescue (again) - my now former stylist gave me one good haircut, one ok haircut, and one haircut that made my head resemble a triangle, so needless to say, it was time to make a change. Pure's high ratings and close proximity to work as well as my increasing frustration with looking like a Muppet were enough to get me over there.
I took the first opening that they had and was lucky enough to end up with Maria. She had a pretty good idea of what my hair needed (layers to balance out my gigantic ball of poof) before I even said anything, and listened to my request for some highlights to cover my persistent grays. Despite my probably inarticulate request, Maria was able to mix together the color I wanted and explain to me exactly how hair coloring works (which is interesting to me because I am a nerd). The color came out exactly how I had pictured it, and the cut put some shape back into my hair and shows off my new golden highlights. I am absolutely thrilled with my color and cut, almost a week later!
Maria, as well as everyone who works at Pure, is genuinely nice and listened to what I wanted. The banter around the salon was hilarious, and I got the sense that everyone liked working there. The price was extremely reasonable, and there is no hard sell at the end of the visit to buy products. I have been recommending Maria and Pure to everyone I know! -
Review from Sarah E.
Malden, MA
9/28/2011
Unfortunately this place has gone downhill. I LOVED Maria, but she recently left. I saw a new stylist who was very nice, but cut my hair pretty unevenly. However, my biggest complaint is with reception. My last 3 appointments have been screwed up- the first I scheduled by online form on their website and when I arrived my stylist wasn't even in that day and they had no record of my request (even though I could show them my confirmation email!) I vowed not to use the online form again, but my stylist said to try again, it was a one-off. Nope...next time, same thing happened but luckily my stylist was around so I just had to wait a while. The third time, I made the appointment over the phone and YET AGAIN they had no record of me and I just got lucky that my stylist was there and available. Finally I recently called to make an appointment, left a voicemail, and they never called me back. Pure clearly doesn't need my business anymore, which is too bad. Because I really need a haircut.
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Review from Allen A.
Chicago, IL
7/28/2009
I was quite reluctant to entrust my hair in a strangers' hands as I've had the same stylist for the past three years. Moving to Boston, however, means starting fresh and finding new places to render as favorites.
I must've scoured yelp reviews for about two weeks before finally settling on Pure, and I'm glad I did the research!
I was lucky to have had Maria cut my hair, and I cannot rave enough about how fantastic a job she did. She asked a lot of questions about how I liked it cut, which is more than I can say for design divas who, rather than give you what you want, give you what they *think* you want. Maria is just as attentive, meticulous, funny and charming as my previous stylist, which made my transition even easier.
I have now found a place to get my regular haircuts! Success on the first attempt! -
Review from Ellie W.
8/21/2009
My coworker just got a cut and color from Pure and is raving about it. Apparently, she's been going to a stylist on Newbury Street for a few years and he never gives her the blonde highlights and color she asks for.
As she put it, "I felt like a fake designer purse--from afar it looks ok and what you think it is, but close up, it's noticably fake, and anybody who knows hair could tell I wasn't really blonde and my highlights were bad".
She is extremely happy with her cut and color here, so I may give it a try if my stylist is out of town (I'm extremely loyal!). -
Review from Julie C.
Boston, MA
6/19/2007
Jenny is so great, she does the BEST color and great layered fun cuts. It's always a treat to go to Pure Hair Design!
Needed to update my review - note Jenny got a fabulous mention in Allure Magazine for best color - see? Told you so! : ) -
Review from Corinna A.
Watertown, MA
6/30/2009
Angela was great with the color (partial highlight), but I wasn't crazy about the cut, which ended up looking worse and worse as it grew out. The layers are choppy and my hair pretty much looks terrible unless I spend a lot of time styling it. Also, I didn't find it to be at all reasonably priced.
The salon itself is pretty nice, and the service and everything else was great, however. -
Review from ellen s.
Braintree, MA
Updated - 8/10/2011
I'm updating my review, it's 3 months+ since my deva cut at pure. After a couple of trims to the length at a different salon, my hip curly style and curls are coming back. When I see pictures of that cut, I'm a little horrified as to how choppy and layered it was. I was just told by another hairdresser that when you see hands coming up, it means they are layering..when they are kept low, they are just trimming... I was layered big time and I should have noticed. I would not recommend going to this salon unless you were very emphatic about your layers not getting cut too short which I thought I had done..on second thought maybe try someplace else. It's fine to add long layers if it's long but to layer chin length hair is not.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/20/2011
I don't want to name names because she was so nice and spent a lot of time on me and on my curly… Read more »
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Review from erica w.
Boston, MA
12/29/2010
I really want to keep going to this salon, but I just don't think I will.
First, the location is a bit off the beaten path, and across from the Pine Street Inn. I've never felt unsafe, but it's not my favorite place to walk at night.
Second, the last time I was there I waited for 35 mins before getting my haircut. I checked in with reception, saw the receptionist tell my stylist, and then was ignored. When I finally asked if I had the appointment time confused, my stylist came over and said that she had not seen me sitting in the waiting room...at this point, the woman with the appointment after me was waiting as well. I don't like feeling like my stylist is rushing to get me done because she is backed up...
Third, I've had to go back and have my stylist fix my hair because it was uneven. She was very nice about the situation, but still, it was a pain to leave work during the day for this.
Any of these things alone would not make me change salons. However, the unfortunate combination has me looking somewhere else... -
Review from Blair H.
7/9/2008
Shan is like one of those secrets you want to keep to yourself.
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Review from JEM C.
Malden, MA
Updated - 9/7/2008
Prices vary every time we go in (for the same service. Make sure to ask before hand if you are cost conscience.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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3/27/2008
I have had years and years of bad hair cuts and I am now glad to annouce that those days are long… Read more »
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Review from Kris K.
Saint Louis, MO
6/17/2007
Even though he abandoned me and moved to Boston, I will send out a rave review about Shan's hair work. He can do it all, cut, color, style. He's always up on the latest styles and techiniques. Hair cuts now that he's gone, are just, well, hair cuts. I miss my monthly "Shan Experience". Boston doesn't know what it has just gotten.
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Review from Jaclyn N.
Orlando, FL
12/17/2007
I had a pretty questionable Newbury Street experience for my last haircut and so I went to the South End this time, because I'm slowly figuring out that everything is better in the South End, and I was really happy I found Pure. Shan cut and colored my hair and he was really great to talk to and he did a great job on my hair, too.... and the other girl working and all of the other people that came in and out while I was there were really fun as well. The place is small but cute, it's not pretentious, has great music and is not disgustingly expensive. I will definitely go back!!
Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from alison j.
Boston, MA
3/4/2009
I went to see Angela at Pure on the recommendation of my boyfriend who had recently gone to her for a cut. I have been hairdresser hopping for a few years in Boston, mostly finding people I am satisfied with, but not blown away by, going to them for a few appointments, and then switching again. I was starting to think that maybe it wasn't the fault of the various stylists I had been to that I didn't love them, maybe it was my super fine blah hair that I hated, when Angela cut my hair. The slightly angled chin length bob she gave me was the first haircut I've really liked in probably the last four years, and the highlights she gave me were not stripey at all (salons love to give me tiger stripey highlights). Angela was very friendly and the Tremont Street location is covenient. Pure is a little pricey, but not bad compared to Newbury Street. I will definitely go back.
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Review from Cecilia H.
Suffolk, MA
12/6/2009
Liz, I'm with you... I don't like giving bad reviews to 5 star places but I had a bad experience in this salon too. I have curly hair and so I naturally felt like Pure Design would be a great place for me, since they advertise their expertise with curly hair so fervently. When I had walked in (after having made an appointment) I was ignored for an uncomfortable period of time, which made me feel uncertain about my choice right away. Eventually Maria came out and she cut my hair; she was probably the nicest person there.
Unfortunately, despite a great conversation with Maria, I was feeling uneasy about the cut... their method is to cut the hair dry and curl by curl. To say the least, the results were disastrous. I waited two weeks to see if my hair would take some shape but it never did and actually, the tips of my hair became scraggily. I would not reccommend this place to anyone who has curly hair like me (thick, very curly, long). I regretted spending so much money for such a bad experience. -
Review from Monique D.
Boston, MA
9/6/2008
After my last hairdresser (the one I've had for 6+ years) gave me a mullet, I wanted to find somebody new. I found Pure Hair Design on Yelp, and I'm so glad I went. Shan gave me an ADORABLE angular bob, and I love it! I brought my mother and her work partner, and they got their hair done too. He did such an amazing job on all of us. He's also a total sweetheart, and he has a wonderful personality. I will definitely go back, and all three of us were thrilled to have found such a talented and friendly stylist like Shan. He made us all feel fabulous and sexy. He works magic with his shears. He's probably one of the best hairstylists I've ever encountered. It was a great experience for all of us. We couldn't have been happier. Thanks Shan!
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Review from Kate B.
Chestnut Hill, MA
7/16/2008
I agree with Blair. Shan didn't cut my hair... he sculpted it!! I am urging all my friends to ditch their hair-stylists and go to him. He is such a sweetheart!
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Review from Lis P.
Los Angeles, CA
7/2/2007
Shan Casey is actually better than my stylist was in LA - I'm thrilled and will be using his talents every time I need my roots done! The salon is super tight and cute, and being located in the South End is such a treat to be away from the genrified vibe of Newbury and Charles Street - hooray for St. Louis fashion transplants - we love Shan!
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Review from Audra K.
San Antonio, TX
6/24/2007
Shan is the best stylist I have ever had; he is a rare genius with cut and color. He turned my damaged, botched color job into gorgeous healthy hair. I have never gotten so many compliments on my hair or questions about where I got it styled as I did when I was one of his clients. He always took his time, listened to my ideas, and came up with ways to change my look so I never got bored.
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Review from Amanda S.
New York, NY
1/3/2009
I found Pure Hair Design to be very reasonably priced, more so than any hair salons on Newbury St or in the Financial District. Pure is not at all pretentious--there are only 3 stations and there's no receptionist or front desk area. Both Jenny (the co-owner) and Shan were incredibly friendly. I am very happy with my cut and color--nothing too crazy, but they turned out nicely. :) Shan was also very helpful with tips to style and take care of my hair. Even though I was the last customer of the day, I didn't feel at all rushed. In fact, he took the time to talk to me and was very precise and thorough. Highly recommended!
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Review from Stacie J.
Jamaica Plain, MA
5/6/2009
I see Maria at Pure and she is by far the best stylist that I have been to. I have super curly hair that I straighten every day. It's sad, I know. Eventually Maria will convince me to go curly as I know they are curly haired experts. Anyway, my long and thick hair has never looked better. The hair cuts are superb and the highlights are magical. She was even able to give me bangs for awhile that fell perfectly above my eyebrows even on the humid, rainy days in Boston. Pure stylists are worth every penny.
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Review from Meg B.
Boston, MA
2/17/2010
I had an awful experience at Pure. The person before me came in on the wrong day, and they chose to cut her hair anyway, which meant that I had to wait well over an hour. I was barely acknowledged and felt very awkward in such a tiny space. I made my appointment because the salon had such good reviews for curly hair on this site, but, the method of cutting each curl individually really made my hair look strange and uneven. After I wet my hair the next day and let it dry, I had several large chunks of hair that had not been cut at all and hung down 1-2 inches below the rest of my hair. I will not be going back to this place.
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Review from Erin W.
Washington, DC
7/13/2007
For the second time in a row, my normal hairstylist in Cambridge was on vacation when I needed a haircut. Frustrated, I headed to Yelp to seek out someone new. Pure Hair Design had the best reviews, and I was craving a visit to the South End, so I made an appointment with Michael Craven. WHAT A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE!!!! Michael is the most charming, warm and talented hairstylist I've ever encountered. He gave me such an incredible haircut. It's exactly what I've always wanted, but have never been able to articulate to any previous hairstylist. When I walked out of the salon I felt absolutely gorgeous, the way you want to feel after any haircut. I've gotten so many compliments from friends and co-workers, and I've recommended Michael to them all. He's wonderful, and I can't wait to go back and visit him again.
Comment from Jenny K. of Pure Hair Design 6/9/2009
Michael Craven is no longer employed at this location. More »
