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Salon Luna
Rating Details »
Category: Hair Salons [Edit]
Neighborhood: Porter Square1878 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02140
(617) 492-7792
- Nearest Transit:
-
Porter (Red)
- Hours:
Mon. 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Tue. 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Wed-Thu. 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- By Appointment Only:
- No
67 reviews for Salon Luna
I came to Salon Luna after a salon in Boston seriously screwed up my hair. I'm naturally a dark brunette, and on a whim, wanted to go platinum blonde. Turned out a horrible orange color.
I went to Salon Luna a week later, and made an appointment for the same day with Mari. She was really friendly and knew exactly what I wanted to do. My hair looks SO much better now. I've already scheduled my next appointment.
The salon itself is really nice -- clean, well lit, lots of magazines, and complimentary coffee and brownies. The stylists all seemed very nice but were chatting a lot -- just a warning for those that want peace, but I didn't mind it at all.
Dario is the WORST hairdresser in Cambridge (perhaps the entire North East). DO NOT see him. He cannot cut hair, does not understand what clients want (as you can see from other reviews below) and is a total arrogant a**hole. If I could personally give him a negative star rating I would.
Salon Luna is a cute, fun salon which I have been seeing Tracy at for the past year. Tracy is great. I decided that I wanted to cut my long, beautiful hair into a short, fun, curly bob but as my hair is straight I needed a perm... I called to schedule my cut and perm only to find out that Dario is the only hairdresser at Salon Luna who does perms. As Tracy is great I agreed to see him assuming they must all be great. Bad assumption #1.
When I arrived for my cut and perm Dario walked around me in circles eyeing my hair critically before speaking. He then delved into a 20 minute lecture about all of the reasons why I should not perm my hair and the failure of a person I would become if I did so. Being already slightly nervous about the perm I allowed myself to be persuaded and decided to go with just a bob assuming it would still be what I wanted. Bad assumption #2.
I showed him two picture of exactly what I wanted. I assumed he would cut my hair in the style of the pictures. Bad assumption #3. My hair looks NOTHING like those two pictures. He began chopping away and my anxiety levels started rising frantically. Not only did he "intentionally", as he put it, cut one side shorter than the other in the front and only layer one side (who does that??) he also cut it unevenly in the back. Not the intentional choppy kind of uneven, but rather the "I had my hair cut by a two year old" kind of uneven. Oh and at the beginning of the cut he parted my hair and asked if that was where I usually part it, I responded that I actually prefer it a little further to the side, he re-parted it, made a face and said "well that isn't your REAL part, we'll cut it from where I had it" and re-parted it as before! I hate you, Dario.
Save your hair, your tears and your money. Don't see Dario. In fact, try A. Quinn salon instead.
If only I had read the Yelp reviews first!...
A haircut at Salon Luna is the smartest money I ever spend on myself.
I have been going to the owner, Tony, off-and-on for five years and have never gotten a better haircut anywhere. He always gives me hair that makes me look and feel great. Tony takes the time to really figure out what you want, asking lots of questions as he goes and "translating" what you say into hairstylist lingo (which is great for people like me who don't know how to clearly describe the hair I envision). On the other hand, if you just ask him to do something that he thinks would look good, it always ends up great!
After a hiatus from Salon Luna due to a move away from the Boston area, I am now planning to go back to visit every few months and get my hair cut there. I just can't find anyone as great as Tony. And YES--the cut really does last a long time!
I live in the Fenway and I commute to Salon Luna because getting a cut or color by Mari Jo is totally worth it.
If you're scouting for a new place or stylist, don't hesitate.
I have been a client of Dario's at Luna for many years and I can honestly say that I have never been disappointed with my haircut. In fact, I often leave the salon hoping that he will do the same cut/technique the next time I visit. He always does! After every cut I seem to say, "This is the best yet!"
I live outside of Boston so Salon Luna's location is not very convenient for me. Still.......I would never go anywhere else!
If you go, ask for Dario!
My haircut is so good that:
(1) My extremely negative mom actually admits that she likes it, and
(2) everyone else continually comments about how they like my new color (I haven't colored it in well over 6 months).
Maureen is the best! Worth every penny! She makes me turn heads.
I have been a Luna customer for over 2 years now. My stylist used to be Ashley (boo-hoo, she moved to California). I have always had a highlighted blond hair, and I wanted to go dramatically different-from girlie to punk. Ashley suggested that might look good on me. I called to book with her, but found out that she's gone, and I booked with the new girl, Devon. She was really well prepared, she asked me what I wanted, and then showed me hair magazines that had similar cuts and styles ( I'm European, and she even had European-style magazines on hand). We decided together on a look, and I loved the fact that she put her own spin on the idea that Ashley originally gave me. Well, I went so wild, that even the salon owner stayed late, watching her do it, as he had never done such a hair style before. I went platinum silver blond on the top half of my hair, and dark chocolate brown on the bottom. To our surprise, while waiting for my color to take, I found out that Drew Barrymore had the same style (reading a magazine, December issue)! I loved my new edgy-but-long cut, and the unusual color. It is really cool, cause when I put it in a ponytail I am completely blond, and when it's down it is half-and-half.
I highly recommend going to see Devon, because if she can do this, she can do anything.
Also, even after 3 rounds of bleaching my hair still has the same texture-it is soft, silky and nice, not burned at all.
Guys stop me in the street to ask me about my hair, because it draws a lot of attention, and that's exactly what I was going for. Who cares if it is to their personal taste-the bottom line is-it is perfectly done. One person even asked me if they know me from TV, lol.
Such sad news, Ashley has moved away! WHY oh WHY!!! I'm not sure i'll ever get over this bad news.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/28/2008
Ashley is awesome. She did an awesome job on my hair when it was long and then gave me a really… Read more »
Comment from Meg R. of
Salon Luna
12/1/2009
We miss Ashley too, but she's living her California dream!…
More »
Best salon ever ! Friendly, great short haircuts (me) and excellent cut for my 10 year old son . Tracy was great the other day when he was weeping because he did not want his shoulder length hair touched. She jollied him into the chair and gave him a cut that we both loved !
I went to this salon twice and had Diane do my hair. My first experience was great. Everyone was very friendly and I really liked Diane's approach. I had blond highlights but wanted something different, so Diane convinced me to be daring and she put together this reddish highlights color that I absolutely loved and got so many compliments on. I was very happy with my experience and decided to go back there again once the highlights started to grow out...
Well this time I was fairly offended. Everyone was still nice but even though they had a file on me that Diane was looking at, she insisted that I must have seen someone else because she didn't remember me. I insisted that I was positive it was her, I even used her card to book my appointment!
So then she asked me what I wanted and I said I just wanted the same color as before. That's the great thing about going to the same place, right? They just write down the formula and you get the same color every time that you already know you like. But she said she forgot to write down the formula so she would have to make it up again. Well this time the color was completely different. It was okay but I didnt like it nearly as much as the color from the first time. Also, the haircuts weren't anything special for the prices they charge so I will not go back there again.
I recently got a cut from Andy and I can't express how pleased I am. Andy took the time to explain my cut in such a way that I was confident from the start that I was in good hands. I was a little nervous because it was my first time with him, but I plan to return to him next time because he was able to give me a cut that was both stylish and easy to take care of.
Andy is friendly and courteous and avoids the hard sell when it comes to product. In fact, he even encouraged me to adjust my hair washing and brush routine to help my dry hair before buying a bunch of anti-frizz serums.
The rest of the staff is very friendly as well and the salon was quite neat and clean. A great place and a great stylist.
My appointment was for an early Saturday afternoon. That morning it was rescheduled, because "there was a conflict" and they needed to push my slot earlier. No problem, I said, I'll rush over as soon as I could, and when I did, they saw me in right away, followed by a bit of confusion.
Dario was to be my hair dresser, they said. Then this man walked by and mumbled, not loud enough so that I knew to follow him, which I was supposed to in order to get my hair washed. There was also some pointing of "put your coat here" and handing of robe to me while my hands were full -- a blur of transactions.
During the wash he asked what I wanted for a hair cut, and I realized that this was Dario. At this point in my life I had one professional hair cut, ever, previously. For that cut, I pointed my head toward Leon, he went to town, and I went home happy. So I figured that the same trick would do fine.
Dario must have asked me 5 times what I wanted for a cut while he lathered. I covered the basics:
1. Be low maintenance
2. Be able to tie it back so it's not in my face, and
3. I have lots of hair so poofy = goofy.
He seemed to really want more details, but I had no idea. No magazines were offered, either, which was puzzling. The view from the chair was pretty sweet, though.
He went to cut. We chitchatted. I asked him questions about his favorite haircuts in the 20+ years that he worked as a professional. He said,
"I love to take an average soccer mom hair cut and spice it up."
Excellent. Spice is good.
Dario cut a bit more. At some point I noticed that he was not layering, not one bit. I said,
"Uh..maybe I could have some shorter pieces here? Frame the face, maybe?"
"We'll go with this, and if you don't like it, we'll fix it."
Oh ok. No problem.
Done. Dario wandered off to cut another head of hair. Some girl came to dry my hair. I asked about her experience, she said that she only works there during the winter, and during the warm seasons she works on a cruise. Fun stuff, I said, trying to be pleasant but getting really tired of making all the effort. Then she burnt my neck. Ow.
Done drying. Dario returned. I had a bob. I looked like Goomba. I expressed my concerns. He panicked a little.
"It's very nice; just add some products in it, the poof is not a problem. You look good."
Girl chimed in on the side, "Yes, it's very pretty. You look very nice."
Product applied, and by this point I just want to get the hell out 'cause I knew they weren't going to fix it. So this is what I blurted out:
"I just feel like I got a soccer mom haircut."
Dario got *really* flustered and they both rambled on for another 2 minutes before I just sort of got up and squeezed my way out of the the chair, paid (and tipped 20%, because I'm like that), and ran away.
So let's recap:
1. Be low maintenance. Nope: "just add some products in it,"
3. I have lots of hair so poofy = goofy. I looked like Goomba.
+ OW
= 2 Stars.
I faithfully followed Tracey when she moved to Salon Luna a few months ago. She is honestly one of the best stylists I've ever encountered. I never know what I want, or how to explain it, and Tracey manages to work with "Can you just make it look cool?" And she does, always! She's also always good for fantastic conversation while you're in the chair.
The rest of the staff (at least the ones I've met) are always friendly and polite, and the atmosphere is generally nice. Also, parking isn't usually terrible on the street - or maybe I've just lucked out.
A cut runs about $50, which is more than I'd like to pay but seems to be the going rate for a good cut these days.
I can't speak for the other stylists, but I'd definitely recommend giving Tracey a try. Tell her Jillian sent you!
When I first moved to Porter Square, I set out on my mission of finding a hair salon by trying all of the local ones. Salon Luna is by far the best in this area, and I'd actually argue that it's a better value than most of the places in the Back Bay. I just get a cut and style, and it's $55 for a great cut and a great experience.
The entire staff is friendly and warmly welcomes you when you walk up the stairs. I see Dario, who always listens to what I want and fully talks out the look I'm going for before starting to cut. When I first had him, I had long hair and now it's chin-length, and he's great at both. I love his technique for cutting and styling hair - he's very deliberate and precise. He takes time to show you how to style your hair on your own and really understands what women want.
A few additional perks are the complimentary brownies and variety of coffee/tea, the cleanliness of the entire salon and the relaxing atmosphere. I love it here!
I've been a customer of Salon Luna for as far back as I can remember. Betty (a chick from Somerville) was the owner and she used to cut my hair. Then she sold the salon and I moved to Jen, because Betty assured me Jen could handle my thick, curly, frizzy, mind of it's own hair. And boy was she right!
As the owner of a curly mop, I've suffered through many bad haircuts by people who claim to know curly hair. Since Jen is a fellow curly top, she totally gets what my hair needs and gives me that each and every time. Instead of watching what she does, I grab a stack of People Magazine, and browse while we chat and she does her thing. I never worry about how the cut or color will turn out, because they are always fabulous.
When I got married in the fall of 2007, I hired Jen to do my hair. We did an experimental run through to make sure we knew what would and wouldn't work and she gave a me a fabulous look for the wedding. I could not have been happier.
While she was recently out on maternity leave, her hubbie Andy cut and colored my hair. I always enjoy spending time with Andy and he did a fantastic job on my hair. The cut lasted nearly 3 months.
I am a tough customer when it comes to my hair and I can't recommend these two enough. Once you've been a customer at Salon Luna for even a little while, they treat you like family. I love how relaxed and cute I feel everytime I walk out of there!
Reasonable cuts for reasonable prices. Nice enough staff. (Don't tell, but I park across the street in the Porter Square lot!). I saw Tracey once and Maureen twice. They're both very good.
A friend has been recommending Salon Luna to me for months and months, but I am terrible about not making appointments in advance ... so my options are usually limited to whoever can see me that same day.
I was skeptical that such a popular salon would have a last-minute opening, but I gave Luna a long-shot call a couple of weeks ago when I needed a cut and color right before going out of town. To my delight, they were able to take me later that day (a Friday).
I arrived about 30 minutes early and was plied with a good selection of magazines *and* free coffee/tea and mini-brownies while I waited. The receptionist was helpful and friendly, in spite of the hustle and bustle of early evening, and the waiting areas were comfortable and mercifully free of loud music.
Lauren, my stylist, greeted me personally in the waiting room. She listened carefully as I told her what I wanted, and she was able to translate my hodge-podge description into the best color/cut I've ever had. She knew how to go beyond what I said I wanted to give me what I really needed to get the look I was after.
For example, I initially asked for an all-over color and then a foil. (My concern was losing depth with a simple all-over color.) She recommended an all-over demi color that adds color without masking the natural color variation of my hair. Voila! The final result was perfect ... the color my hair was as a kid.
Of course, all of this was discussed and agreed to ahead of time. Lauren was totally respectful of my wishes. Her manner was knowledgeable and confident without being cocky or pushy. She made suggestions and explained her reasoning, but I never felt pressured or talked down to.
In fact, I lobbed off 4 inches of length that my previous stylist had been pressing me to cut for the last year. Lauren explained that it would look more modern and still be very long, which resonated more than my previous stylist's stubborn insistence: "You need to cut 4 or 5 inches. It's way too long." In the end, both were right ... it looks much better now ... but Lauren's knack for interpolation got me to take the leap.
All in all, it was a terrific experience. When I got up to leave, I was actually filled with the desire to give my stylist a big hug. That's a first.
N.B. My hair is very long, very thick, and alternately very wavy/very curly ... a challenging combo.
I started going the Salon Luna after having terrible experience at Super Cuts. It was Sept 2007 and since then I love the place. Toni is the best and Maureen is great too !! MY sister used to go there since 2002 and always spoke highly about this place...
I really wanted to like this place because everyone was so friendly and the location is great. The salon itself is clean and has big windows that give the place a lot of natural light. When I explained what I wanted by showing pictures, Maureen really took the time to understand what I wanted.
Unfortunately, the cut I got wasn't so great. I had explained that what I liked about the picture I brought was that it was precise, but one side ended up being longer and a lot choppier than the other, and there were a bunch of stray hairs that I had to cut when I got home.
My husband introduced me to Salon Luna about 3 months after we first started dating. He got his hair cut with the former owner, Ephrain, and I decided to get my (then) long hair cut with Tony. Since that day, I've been hooked!
Now Tony owns the salon and has made it even better. Both my husband and I get our hair cuts with Tony. He's a wonderful person and an even better hair artist. I had short hair when I was a teenager, and I really liked it, but finding someone I trusted enough to give me a good short cut was not easy. Tony brought me back to short hair, and I've never loved my hair more! I get compliments almost weekly from random strangers about how great my haircut is. I even got a compliment on my haircut right after I finished hot yoga!! The haircuts also grow out really well--most of the time when I think I'm ready for a haircut, the other clients in the salon wonder why I'm there. I owe it all to Tony, who has such great vision and talent.
Tony also gives fabulous men's haircuts. I think it takes much more accuracy and attention to get a man's cut right, and Tony gets it perfect every single time with my husband's hair. I'm amazed at the consistency in the cuts--it's never too short or too long.
Tony's vision and warmth is also reflected in the great staff he's put together. The receptionists are exceptionally friendly and they make coming to Salon Luna a real treat. The other hair stylists are all friendly and fun and bring a lively spirit to the Salon. It's a place that you look forward to going every six weeks because people remember you and there's a warm sense of community.
I think the prices are about right for what you get. And I think the quality is much higher at Salon Luna than any place you'd go downtown. I also think that Salon Luna has an extremely clean, comfortable, and inviting atmosphere, something I find most places lack.
After seeing the work of all of the stylists at Salon Luna, I would not hesitate going to any one of them. But lucky me, I still get to go to Tony every time.
This place is awesome. Newburry street quality with a porter square feel. Not pretentious, everyone warm and friendly; plus they have brownie bites! YUM.
I have been going here for 2 years. Ashley is my hair stylist (full disclousure: she is my friend, too) and she is really great. Her color skills are unbelieveable and she always knows the best style and length for your face.
The prices are expensive. I usually pay about $150 for a cut/color. But this is a situation where you get what you pay for. If you want a quality haircut then you have to shell out the bucks. If not, then why are you looking on yelp anyways?
If you are on the younger side and want a stylist with great skills, I would definitely go to Ashley.
I hate getting haircuts. I love getting haircuts at Salon Luna.
Here's why:
- I get my haircut by Ashley
- The people are really nice & the experience polished
- They have brownies
- They care about service
Taking it to the next level is all about the small touches. I've been to fancy salons on newbury by myself and with old girlfriends. I've seen jaw dropping prices at Salons in London where my mom and sister go. Salon Luna is not barbershop prices, but I won't go anywhere else in Boston, ever again. I love this place.
I was visiting friends in this area and decided to give Salon Luna a try because of all the good reviews. I'd definitely go back again. It's just as sunny and relaxing as everyone says. I actually saw two people... Diane and Maureen. I've been trying to grow my hair but wanted some bangs or face-framing layers to add some of the spunk of my former short haircuts. Diane listened when I said I wanted to keep the length, and she gave me a trim, a few layers and some nice side-sweeping bangs. Unfortunately when I left I realized they hung too long and kept falling in my eyes. Not her fault, because I really liked them when I left.
Here's where I made the wrong decision: the next day was a Sunday and I live far away so I didn't have the option of going back for a bang trim. I went to Supercuts and they butchered my pretty-but-too-long bangs. When the well-meaning but unskilled woman who worked there asked "how does that look" I said "great!" realizing that I'd better quit while I was ahead. Now I know why I pay for a good haircut.
I went back to Luna the next day despite the 2 hour drive (yes I'm crazy, but it seemed like the right choice) and they fixed it up for free. Diane wasn't there so Maureen took over and I couldn't be happier. She empathized with my treacherous Supercut and agreed "they're your bangs, they're right there on your face so they need to look good." She made them look really edgy and awesome in a way most places I've been to can't really deliver.
Now all is well, the bangs look good with hair up or down, and I'd recommend both Diane and Maureen. The cut was about 50 bucks, not including the 8 dollar Supercut and the gas money.
I moved to the Cambridge area from the Midwest in February. The first thing I wanted to do was cut and dye my hair, a new look for a new city. I found Salon Luna on Yelp and chose it due to the 5 minute walk from my house.
The moment I walked in I felt completely comfortable and helped myself to the brownies and coffee. I was scheduled to be with Diane. I am not very particular when it comes to my hair, and always trust the hairdresser to do what they think would look best with my facial features, shape and coloring. I explained to Diane that I was in a new city and was ready to mix it up from my longer brown hair.
The end result was incredible. The best hair cut and color I have ever had in my entire life. My natural hair color is blond, but at the time of my appointment with Salon Luna I had it dyed brown. Diane cut my hair into this amazingly trendy, choppy short cut with these fantastic swoop bangs. I've never felt so sexy. She dyed it a beautiful auburn/red color that let some of my natural gold hair show through.
I honestly have never loved a cut and dye as much as I loved that one. It was trendy, unique, sexy and bold. I have gotten tons of positive comments on both the cut and color and have since been back three times for cuts and colors.
I think the staff is amazing and friendly and three of my friends who I recommended the place to have all given like reviews of loving the staff and cuts they receive. Definitely give it a try, and just my personal opinion, but leaving a lot of the look up to the hair dresser has always returned the best results for me.
Comments I've Received About My Haircut From My Well-Intentioned Friends:
"Wow. It's, uh, really different."
"I hate it when my hair does that mushroom thing, too."
"Your hairstylist has an extraordinarily unique definition of the phrase 'just a trim.'"
"Let me trim it for you next time. Isn't it hard doing it yourself?"
"Did you get a haircut yet?"
"Your face looks like it's lost weight. Your chin is pointier."
"I'd hit that. WITH A CAR."
"I gave your mom a haircut last night. BOOYEAH."
"You look smarter than you used to...kind of."
"I always thought you could pull off a hipster mullet. Now I know."
"Jesus christ, you finally colored your roots!"
"Why are you tying it back all of the time? Oh."
"It's cute."
---
Four stars for my highlights (Ashley did a good job making them look natural, but they're the most subtle highlights I've ever gotten), negative-two-stars for not just giving me a trim like I asked and instead feathering the hell out of my hair and giving me an entirely new hairstyle that I don't much like. It's unfortunate that something so small as a hairstyle has such an effect on your confidence, but there it is.
I'll admit that I should have gone back to give them a chance to remedy the situation (and I honestly think they would have, which is why I add an extra star), but that would have involved cutting my hair shorter than I was comfortable with and I was already pretty devastated with how it looked.
Oh well, can't always win.
**Edit - After 30 days of shampooing only every other day with color safe shampoo, the "permanent" jet black color I got has faded to brown with spots of dark brown and black. My nephew says I have cheetah hair, which I guess could be cool but was not what I was going for. Permanent = less than 30 days? Really? It's either Goldwell or Salon Luna, but either way my hair is not great.
The most I've ever paid for one of the most underwhelming haircuts I've ever gotten. Matthew was very nice, but didn't really cut my hair at all and didn't know how to style my bangs so they don't have a massive part. I know nothing about styling hair and I do this every day - it's not that hard. I got my first ever salon color so that took up most of the appointment. Still, I'm paying a lot for a haircut so I deserve more than 10 minutes under the scissors. I told him I was trying to grow my hair out and wanted some layers around the bottom for some body/variety. After his speed cut, I left with fewer layers than I walked in with. My hair is now pretty much all one length
I was impatient and my regular stylist at the salon across the street was booked - it was really my own fault for cheating on him I guess. I will not be unfaithful again!
I've had one of the best haircuts of my life at this salon.
Mind you, here's my haircutting style:
1. I TRUST my stylist. It's their job to cut hair, so 90% of the time, they know more than I do. I just whip out kid scissors and cut big chunks when my hair looks crappy. (I have a lot, so it's not so noticeable.)
2. I love having someone who has ideas for how to cut my hair. I go in with a general example like "60s girl-group style, but not so manicured" and they go with that theme and create something awesome.
3. I have LOTS of hair and it's thick and wavy and has a mind of its own, so I love stylists who take their time, explain what they're doing, and give me tips on how to make it look awesome after I get home.
So, with this in mind, I have to say that Desiree is my new favorite. She's artistic and kind and has fabulous ideas. Plus, we chatted about music (turns out she loves 60s girl-groups too!) and oodles of things, which made it fun to be there.
I've also had a cut from Dario, who fit me in right at the last minute before I was going away for the weekend, and he also did a great job.
The front desk assistants are incredibly nice--- it's actually pleasant to make an appointment with them, as they really try and find you the right spot. They called me one day when I had a late appt. scheduled to see if I wanted to come earlier due to a couple of cancellations. This is going above and beyond and I appreciate it so much.
The price is more than I'm used to paying, but it's so worth it. Between Desiree, the other staff, and the awesome location close to my house, it's the best.
That said, Salon Luna's my spot. I love it.
Salon Luna is the only hair salon I've ever had a complaint about, and it's a big one. I went to see Dario and I essentially asked for three things.
1. Bold highlights. Platinum blonde and dark red. Chunky. I said "I don't want people to say 'your hair looks nice', I want people to say 'Oh my God! NICE HIGHLIGHTS!!!!'".
2. When asked how long I wanted my haircut, I pointed at the middle of my neck and said "anything longer than this". But I added that
3. The hair right around my face needs to be a bit shorter.
Guess what I got? Well, there isn't a single hair on my head that reaches the middle of my neck. Except for the hair around my face, which he barely touched...and I hate to say it, but one chunk of hair on the right side of my face is almost a half inch shorter than the hair on the left side. ???? Hunh?? And no one even noticed that I had highlights done. I guess you could see the highlights if you looked for them, but they were pretty much like the highlights I already had in my hair.
That was not the worst part, however. When I went to talk to the people at the front desk, the guy contradicted everything I said. In his opinion, my highlights were "bold" and my cut was long and my two sides were evenly cut. Again, hunh?? They asked me to come back and have the highlights redone. When I was paying my $145 (NINETY-FIVE DOLLARS for the highlight alone) I did not leave a tip (for the first time in my life). The woman at the desk actually said to me, "Don't worry, we don't keep lists of people like you." Well let me say that is a shame, because if you did, you would know that I always tip $10 on a $35 cut, $20 on a $70 highlight, and it goes up from there. I'm pretty surprised that they have survived in the customer service industry for as long as they have (2 years). What a thing to say!
I did go back to have my highlights redone. When asked what I wanted, I said "the whitest, brightest platinum blonde in broad stripes". I walked away an hour later looking pretty much the same as the first time.
I only even went to this salon because of reviews on Yelp. Hopefully this will deter other innocent people like me.
After reading all the Yelp reviews I decided to give Salon Luna a shot, and boy am I glad I did.
The receptionist was warm and friendly showing me where to hang my coat and offering me fresh brewed coffee and a brownie. Even though I didn't take advantage of the snacks being offered them was a treat. The big windows let in tons of natural light, giving the space a clean open feel.
Tracy consulted with me before shampooing my hair, then gave me one of the best hair cuts (trim and layers) that I've had in a while. She was friendly and chatted with me about a variety of topics (including the terrifying show Dr. 90210 . . . like roadkill we both had trouble tearing our eyes away). The cut cost $50 which is more than I'd like to pay, but very reasonable for considering my experience. I would recommend Salon Luna and Tracy to a friend or a stranger.
10/31 Hair UPDATE!
I got my hair colored here yesterday and I left my hair fate in the hands of Desiree' to do pretty much what she wanted because I was so happy with my past cut, and that was totally the right decision. She set me up with foil highlights and then toned the rest of my hair and it looks fantastic......very naturally blond and just 100% fantastic. If I were to try to describe the perfect blond to a colorist, and I've seen a good number, she hit the nail on the head and I didn't even need to explain-she went for the cool blond tones and made my hair look fantastic. And she's funny-who doesn't love jokes about Hillary Duff's giant horse teeth?
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I went here last night and got my hair cut by Desiree' Catalano. I made an appointment via a Craigslist ad she had posted, and figured I would give it a shot because I hadn't had a really great haircut in a while and was looking for a new stylist. She definitely exceeded my expectations and was awesome. First off, the salon is right across from the Porter T stop above Bruegger's Bagels. Super convenient. Next, it's a really pretty salon, with two rooms to wait or to sit while you're getting your hair colored. They had a great selection of current mags with lots of coffee, tea, and brownies to snack on while you wait. The salon is all hardwood floors and was really spotlessly clean.
So more about hair.....Desiree washed my hair and massaged my scalp, and it felt awesome, and after wards, wrapped my hair neatly in a towel versus being cold with a towel flopping around. That's much appreciated. She helped me through conversation decide what was going to be done to my hair and was very helpful is giving me pointers to what I can do to make my hair more healthy, which we decided to focus on. She put a ton of layers into my hair, blew it out, flat ironed it, and cleaned it up even more, and when I was done my hair looked awesome. It still looks awesome and I slept on it last night. Another great thing is that the atmosphere that was created was very casual and we talked about Wes Anderson movies, and then music we liked, which was fun. It was very enjoyable, and it was nice seeing a stylist who was into some of the same things as I was, entertainment wise.
I will definitely be back again for another visit, and next time possibly for color.
Thanks, Desiree!
I went to Salon Luna based on these pretty decent reviews. However I did not have a good experience. I dont know if I got stuck with the hairdresser that no body wants... but my hairdresser REEKED of cigarettes, which is a complete no no for me. The haircut she gave me was a little shorter than I would like after confirming with her several times what length I wanted.. but hair grows. What was annoying is that everyone said I smelled like cigarettes when I got back! (I hadn't told them about my smoking hairdresser until after I had gotten the comments).
Sad, but I probably won't be returning there.
I waited until at least a few visits before writing a review. The location is idea, the staff is really friendly, the reception area is way to small and I was bumped in to numerous times when getting on a robe and then again when trying to pay both times. They really should redesign their space.
My hairdresser is Dario and I have received great cuts from him. He listens and the cuts have not been rushed....great quality and great price.
A while back, I desperately needed a haircut.
I used Yelp to find a salon near me, and Salon Luna was close by and had some good reviews.
I called and scheduled an appointment for later that same day. (Which surprised me, but maybe it was a slow day for them.)
My impression of the salon was basically, above average. Most of the staff were friendly and I was in and out of there in about an hour.
They also did a great job on my hair and were reasonably priced, compared to other salons between Porter and Harvard Sq.
This place rocks! Everyone from the receptionist to the stylists are friendly and it comes through in what they do. I moved here from another large city, and it took me years and 11 stylists/salons to find someone who I can trust.
There's no need to look any further. Salon Luna is the only place to go.
This is a fabulous salon. You heard me, fabulous. The prices are reasonable but I still feel pampered while I sit and wait, drinking tea with splenda and eating mini brownies. The tea selection alone is exciting.
Tony, the owner, is super nice and always takes his time and gives me a good haircut. I have a lot of hair and most places give up on drying it and give me a half-assed blowout, and usually a half-assed haircut to boot. Tony also always explains what he's doing, which I really appreciate.
I have been to many, many salons and this is the only one that has inspired me to keep coming back with consistently good, friendly service and great haircuts.
The location right in Porter Sq can't be beat.
I went to Salon Luna after reading several great reviews here on yelp. I had long wavy, very thick hair. It was beginning to feel like a mop on top of my head so I was very excited to get it cut and shaped. I had spent basically a year and a half growing it out since I had donated it on a whim to locks of love. I had received trims but had never gotten any great length cut off since I donated it. I was scheduled to see Dario. The receptionist, the salon, and my stylist were all very nice. However I don't think Dario really understands what "I want to keep my length" means. When he asked what I wanted I replied by letting him know I wanted it to loose some of the weight and have it shaped but keep its length. He asked if I wouldn't mind going above the shoulders. I told him that I would be okay with just below the shoulders and pointed to the area with my hands. Anyway, I left with my hair barely grazing my shoulders when blown out. Keep in mind I wear my hair wazy/curly majority of the time, also one of the main reasons for getting it cut, so when worn like this it is even shorter! I tried to fight my tears for awhile, insisting my hair needed the five inch cut to be healthy and also insisting that he knew what he was doing yada yada. But when I got home the flood gates opened.
Bottom line: Nice stylists, nice salon, be VERY specific about what you want, too expensive for what you get
I've been going to Salon Luna for over 5 years. I love this place. I won't lie, I am a color/highlight/do something different with my hair but make me look somewhat professional junkie and Jen gets it. She will hide a fun red stripe of hair in the right place so I can bring it out on the weekends and tuck it back for work. Her colors are always awesome and I have run the gamet from bright blonde, to the aforementioned red, to brunette and back again about 6 times. Cuts are great too. She listens to what I want, I can bring in pictures and she makes it happen. She's also honest and will tell me that no, I am not Posh Spice and not to do that to myself.
To sum it up, I love Salon Luna and its cast of characters!
I went to Salon Luna for a haircut and a partial foil. Andy was my stylist, and did a terrific job! I brought in three different pictures of similar haircuts and he managed to interpret them into a great cut that works on me. I have lived in the Boston/Cambridge area for almost ten years now, since my freshman year of college, and he is the ONLY stylist I've found who can both cut and color hair well! I've had good haircuts here and there, and paid widely varying amounts for each in the process (Dellaria, Judy Jetson, Aveda in Harvard Square, Acote on Newbury, and some other place that got 'Best of Boston' near BU), but this is the ONLY place I've ever been fully satisfied with the color. Whenever I've gotten foils before, I come out with some form of stripy yellow hair. Always. My hair is straight, fine, and light brown- should be easy, right? Apparently not, and Andy is the only one who's gotten the foils right. The highlights look natural and beautiful, and he did the foils paper thin even though I was his last appointment of the day and all he probably wanted to do on that Saturday evening was go home and relax. He was pleasant the entire time- I'm not exactly a talker and the conversation was easy and non-forced the whole time- just don't get him started on politics! For the cut, I was going to go for full-on bangs that tapered down the sides, kind of like Zooey Deschanel in 'Yes Man'- I got more of a long side-bang instead, and it looks great- he played it 'safe rather than sorry, and you can always go shorter.' This, I realized, was true. Plus, he said if I wanted a bang-change in the week following the cut, that I could call and schedule a free touch-up! No need though- it looks really good and I think when I return in a couple months I'll get the full-on bangs. So many haircuts, so little time on Earth to try them all out... nice to FINALLY find a stylist who is multi-talented and whom I can trust with my hair! As for the price, it was exactly what Salon Luna's pricing list said on the their website. I'm not rich and it was a bit expensive for me, but I knew that before making the appointment, so I've got no right to complain about that. I've also paid much more and gotten less than thrilling results from other salons in the past... in this case, paying for talent such as Andy's was totally worth it for the beautiful end results, and I'll definitely go back.
I tried Salon Luna based on the reviews, and it's ok. It's not great, I haven't found my new stylist, but I did get a good cut for a good price (45).
I came in with pics of exactly how I wanted my hair, and while Liz did a decent job, I ended up looking like this (http://imdb.com/galler...)
instead of what I asked for (http://imdb.com/galler...). The longer, wispy layers were completely missing. I also couldn't get her to talk to me more than a sentence at a time. I like to chat with my stylist, I want the tips & tricks, or at least some gossip. No luck.
For the price, its not bad, and I would go back to Salon Luna but wait until I got a recommendation on a specific stylist. The Porter Sq location is so much more convenient than trekking to Newbury St, its less snooty than your Harvard Sq institution, and it's got a great open layout with lots of sunshine streaming in. And I like that they sell Bumble & Bumble products, while pricey in general, it was still $5 cheaper than I've seen online.
Jen cut my hair and gave it a cute, trendy look for $50. The people are all friendly, and the decor is cool and hipster-esque. You can often get a same-day appointment (and I love that since I never plan ahead). It is a good "next-step-up" from the $20 haircuts I used to get.
