Sage Salon

Yikes. I decided after years of having decent but not spectacular haircuts that I wanted an awesome upgrade. I wanted a truly breathtaking haircut and perfectly groomed brows from an excellent, professional salon. I spent time asking around, studying websites, and landed on Sage Salon. I was fully expecting a gorgeous Manhattan-​esque salon with otherworldy pampering and amazing stylists. Not quite. I could only afford a junior stylist (still $ 70) and while she did a lovely job, she barely spoke to me and behaved like she was carrying out a chore. She also asked me what products I used on my hair, and when I told her how much I loved Aveda and used it every day, she rolled her eyes and went on a rant about how only the products THEY carry are good for hair and Aveda is total crap. If I was using dime store shampoo I might have believed her, but she just came off as haughty and defensive. Then came the brows. Oh boy. First off, the shampoo girl did my brows. Shampoo girl! And it was a $ 30 wax! And instead of relaxing on a waxing table, I was taken back to a shampoo bowl and proceeded to have my head pulled and twisted in every way imaginable, despite my protests, so the shampoo girl could get my head under her light. The only reason I didn’t get up and walk out is that I was too young to have the confidence to stand up for myself. For a couple of days after this experience I felt like I had whiplash and had a hard time moving my neck. After my brows were waxed into pencil-​thin arches that didn’t come close to flattering my eye and face shape, I was jostled over to the check-​out desk and removed from around $ 125 of my money. Oh, and the ambience? This wannabe European-​chic salon looks like the cheap lot in a suburban strip center, there’s no division between the waiting area and the salon area, and it’s far too small. Just don’t, people. Be nice to yourselves.

I liked this little salon although it was a bit pricey for such a teeny tiny place with uncomfortable shampoo chairs. I was happy with the color I got (although it wasn’t perfect, color almost never is…) and the cut was OK, even though she took too much off. It will grow back. Maybe it needed it. My hair is long and curly and I never change the style. If I let it grow and grow forever it will look like fried crap. So a good cut is good once in a while. The lady who cut it was super nice and I felt comfortable with her cutting my hair even though I was gripping the sides of my chair the whole time while silently praying. I will go back and ask for the same people next time. This is saying a lot for me because I have fired about 10 hairdressers in the Austin area (give or take a few – I have lost count. The ones I didn’t fire actually ran off to Houston or Vegas… I just have that effect on hairdressers, I guess).
It was wonderful that they offered me something to drink and they didn’t push products. They just did their thing.

A colleague recommended Sage, and, since I was in search of a new stylist, I thought I’d give it a try. I splurged and booked an appointment with the then «master stylist,» Rafael. He was the first to cut my very long hair and gave me a great short cut that I’ve stuck with.
The rest of the staff was relatively friendly, but sometimes got carried away in personal conversations. I found the owner (who is actually venezuelan, i believe) to be engaging, but the overall experience wasn’t wholly impressive.
I tried to book an updo with Rafael 2 months or so in advance, but he allegedly had an engagement already. They set me up with Jenni, who did a fine job, but after several appointments with «Rafie,» he failed to recognize me when I came in. I was sad to call and find that Rafael had left Sage to pursue his acting career, but not devastated.
I found another salon and now have a stylist that remembers my name.

Hated this place, hated the owner (Eastern European Eva Gabor wannabe), hated the attitude of Sasha (she’s no longer there now), and Sasha came highly recommended! I felt like I went to Sally Beauty Supply for a haircut. AWFUL experience! OVERPRICED. Sasha gave me the worst haircut I’ve ever had and manhandled me like she was a meatpacker. Bad chairside manner-​argumentative even! This place is crappy and their stylists are lame beyond reason. The interior is literally like the backroom of an HEB. Do not go here, sisters and brothers.

Sasha, who came highly recommended, did a pretty decent job giving me a nice shorter, layered cut, but she did an awful job hacking up my bangs. I had to ask her to fix several sections before it began to look acceptable.
My husband came in for his haircut the day of our wedding, and the guy who cut his hair did a fantastic job. His hair never looked better, and he got lots and lots of compliments on it.