Nest Salon

So happy to discover Nest Salon in Downtown Crossing, right near my office! I had a single process color and a haircut from Ja’coall and love both. The salon itself is cozy and welcoming and Ja’coall seems down-​to-​earth and easy to talk to. Ja’coall took her time and even gave me a fantastic blow out. The salon uses environment-​friendly products from Italy. I highly recommend this salon.

Nest Salon is great. I got a single process color + blow dry from Ja’coall. The color is beautiful and i have been getting many compliments on how shiny my hair looks all day. But even better, Ja’coall uses sustainable eco-​friendly vegan and gluten free products. She’s an environmentally and ethically responsible business owner and I will be widely recommending the place.
PLUS: The color is ammonia free. Do yourself, your hair, and the environment a favor — go to Nest!

MARTHA!!! Martha has been cutting and coloring my hair for a year or so. I have followed her to Nest because I wouldn’t dare go to anyone else (I tried and she has been mending my hair back to health since). Nest is AWESOME, convenient from work downtown and on the weekends. Adorable décor, cute, and cozy.

I have really thick, curly hair that is hard to deal with, so I searched for a hairdresser that was good with thick, curly hair, and found Jacoall based on the recommendations here. I brought a couple of pictures of hair that I wanted to copy, which I had specifically picked out because they were for thick hair. She said she could make it work, but she’d have to take out some of «the bulk» in my hair, which I agreed to it. Unfortunately the result was not what I asked for. It is about the same length, but it’s very finely layered, very thin, and tapers at the end. The only way I can style it is to straighten it with the ends flipped under, which is not at all what I wanted. I understand that not every cut will work with my hair, but I expect to be told of any differences ahead of time. I would have gone with something different if I had known how it would turn out.
I did like her as a person, and it’s partly my fault for trusting her without asking enough questions. But ultimately it’s not what I asked for and she should not have made such a big change without discussing it with me. I’m really unhappy with the result and it seems like it’s going to take 6+ months to grow out.
If you come here, make sure she takes the time to understand exactly what you want. I think she was excited at the chance to make a big change with my hair, and did what she likes rather than taking the time to understand what I like.

Jacoall is the best stylist! She will take the time to get to know you and your preferences. She had nailed down my color, terrific place, amazing location and prices. You will love the experience!

I discovered Nest through Gilt City. Janet gave me one of the best haircuts I’ve ever had. And I realize that at 6pm I was her last client, yet she didn’t make me feel rushed or anything. I was a little put off when I went to tip at the end of the appt and they had no bills to break a $ 20. If this is your business and you know it is a tipping business, I would always have some cash on hand. This whole interaction made me so uncomfortable that I just left her the $ 20 and now I doubt I will rebook with them. Kinda ruined my birthday treat to myself.

I originally discovered Nest through a deal they had on Groupon a while back and have been going ever since. My go-​to stylist is Janet, and she never disappoints with how to cut and style my hair. I’ve grown pretty used to stylists who usually throw client suggestions out the window and do whatever they want to your head (usually to bad, bad results) but this isn’t the case with Janet! She always takes into consideration what I want or whatever look I’m going for and while cutting always checks in with me to see if I like what she’s done, what can be changed, and more.
My favorite part of visiting Nest — other than looking supa dupa fly (yes that is a Missy Elliot reference) when I leave — is the pre-​cut shampoo. Janet always throws in a little extra head massage which is absolutely to die for!
The only downside (and it’s very, very minor) to Nest is how small the salon is. There are only 4 chairs in the entire space, so I’m sure that makes walk-​ins are almost nearly impossible. That being said, make sure to book your appointments online.

I’ve been there last week and had my doubts when she started cutting my hair, I just had asked for a trim. She asked me if I wanted layers. I say yes. Now my hair is really short. A good 5 inches less. And no layers. I don’t like it. This was confirmed by my girlfriends. I look like a boring bree van de kamp. Be careful. At least if you go with a gilt city voucher.
The salon is very small and has a good style. But I won’t go back.

I have been to Nest twice now, and I can’t say enough great things about the Salon. I first had my hair cut by the owner, Ja’coall, and the second haircut with Martha. Both cuts were great and everyone who works there is so nice!
The salon is cozy, inviting, and SO adorable. The décor is great, and they have great natural products. Both Ja’coall and Martha were funny and great to talk to, and I really enjoyed getting to know them. It’s also a huge bonus that you can book online or with their app. PLUS you can grab a taco at Pedro’s next door — you won’t regret it.

You know, you’ve got to take Unilocal reviews with a grain of sand. I used Unilocal to find Nest and though there were good and bad reviews, I got a sense that Nest would have what I wanted in a hair salon. I like nice people who do a good job and don’t make me feel bad about being so low maintenance when it comes to my hair.
Janet gave me a wash cut and blow dry. She listened to what I wanted and why and also answered questions I had about balayage which Ive been thinking about doing for awhile. She was quick, gave me exactly what we had talked about and, amazingly made my hair look thicker than it is with a really nice blow dry job.
She was friendly and I look forward to going back to see her.
And! Nest is VERY reasonably priced. Plus, they give a 20% discount to first time customers which is a very nice perk.

This place is great. The stylists are super friendly, and they do excellent work. I will definitely be coming back!

I never know what to do with my hair (usually long and straight), and as a result I usually end up with the same pretty un-​interesting cut most places (totally my own fault), but not here! After sitting down I revealed my lack of time and energy to do anything with my hair on a regular basis and she transformed my head into a very flattering and extremely manageable look that was finally something different from the same hair cut I’ve had over and over again for the last who knows how many years. Definitely recommend going here for a great mid-​priced hair cut!

I went here today for my first hair cut in 10 years. I’ve always been incredibly picky about doing my own hair… But I’ve worn extensions for so long, my already thin hair became so dry and damaged I couldn’t even run my fingers through it without feeling it break. Finally I decided I needed a change. Oh my god! Ja’Coall is amazing! I literally watched as she brought my dull un-​styled hair back to life! Not only did she spend a solid 15 minutes talking to me about what I wanted but she also worked with me on planning the best long term game plan for making my hair healthier down the road. I’ve been so in love with my hair since I’ve left Nest this afternoon I haven’t stopped smiling.

Over the winter I simply gave up on my hair since my dome was constantly covered by a hat. Bam the sun comes out and I resort to a pony tail. Finally I realized that I needed professional help and received it at Nest. Jacoall is the owner and her co-​stylist Caleb have been in the biz 20 years but are still keeping it fresh and vibrant. Very down to earth, comfortable cute salon in the «new» downtown crossing… Meaning what used to be rather run down area is up and coming with serious retail and condo development and more upscale chic bars and restaurants near by. Check out my before and after pics!!!

I’m really sad to write a negative review, since the other reviews here are so fantastic. The salon itself is beautifully laid out, despite its size, and the stylists are very friendly.
It was difficult for me to make the appointment, because there is no receptionist to answer phones, so appointments can only be scheduled when stylists are free. I work until 5, so I scheduled the initial appointment for 5:15. I got an appointment confirmation on Google calendar… for 4:30. I was a bit surprised by this, since I had written down 5:15, but fortunately I work a flexible schedule and was able to leave early.
When I arrived at the salon, there were no employees or customers. It was completely empty except for a man wearing headphones, who didn’t indicate whether he was an employee or not. He informed me that my appointment had been cancelled, and showed me a text message on his phone from the stylist, which read «If the 4:30 shows up, tell her there was a scheduling mistake.» Why would I not show up? I had an appointment confirmed on Google calendar. I understand things happen, but why did no one call me to cancel the appointment? I left work for nothing. This man said «I’m sure she’ll take something off of your next appointment when you reschedule.» Not much help, since I came in on a Groupon.
It took me a few weeks to reschedule, because 1) I was pretty unhappy, and 2) I once again couldn’t get ahold of anyone to schedule an appointment for several days. I finally made an appointment for 6:00 on a Friday night. When I arrived at the salon, the stylist seemed confused to see me. She was very friendly and offered me a water, but then informed me my appointment had been schedule for 6:30. Again, all of these problems could be solved with a receptionist.
When I did get into the chair, the consultation was… short. The stylist referred to my hair as a «rat’s nest,» which I didn’t appreciate, but whatever. To be fair, I should have spoken up more during the appointment, but I’m a relatively quiet person. Although she dry-​cut my hair, the cut seemed essentially like what I wanted, so I was pleased. And then she took me to wash my hair.
Now, I had scheduled the appointment as a cut and single-​process color, and I’m sure I booked it that way, because whomever I spoke with on the phone asked if I was looking for highlights or single process. The wash with no color was a big red flag, but after the surprise dry-​cut, I wasn’t sure if maybe they used a different type of color. Then we got to the chair and she asked how I wanted my hair styled. I mentioned I was supposed to have a color, and she seemed surprised and annoyed. Although essentially polite, the stylist made several passive-​aggressive comments about how I should’ve mentioned it sooner. I agree, I should have, but I wasn’t expecting yet another appointment error.
My hair was colored, although I had gone in with the intention of going red, and instead had to settle for my previous color due to time constraints. Fortunately, the color looks amazing, which is why I have the salon two stars instead of one.
When I got home, I found several pieces of hair that were uneven, and one long one right in the front which looked to have been missed altogether. No spot-​checking? My roommate had to give me a few quick trims.
Again: beautiful salon, mostly friendly staff… but would benefit HIGHLY from a receptionist.

Honestly, it pains me to write a less than stellar review for this place because I was really hoping to join the ranks with another 5-​star review. Ah, well.
I was really looking forward to getting a haircut because my hair had been growing out for awhile and the length was starting to drive me crazy. In browsing deals on Groupon, I immediately jumped on this place especially after seeing all the great reviews. My initial scheduled appointment was rescheduled the morning of due to a sudden family emergency. Although I was bummed to have to postpone the promised freedom from my dead mop of hair (ugh, gross, I know), life happens, I understood, it was fine. When my rescheduled appointment finally rolled around, I was a little nervous with anticipation but also excited. Walking into the salon, it was as cute and cozy as I had imagined from the pictures. Ja’coall herself was prompt, friendly, and laidback without any pretentiousness. She asked what my thoughts were, gave her input, and started cutting my dry hair. As another reviewer had mentioned this in her review, I was not taken aback by this. We chatted amicably while she snipped away. Within 10 minutes, the haircut was pronounced done and I was asked whether I wanted a wash and blow dry. I was a little confused at first because I thought it would naturally follow the haircut but then wasn’t sure if the Groupon excluded it (it is included btw). Ja’coall took her time with the wash and the scalp massage felt good. After the wash, now that my hair was wet, I expected the cut to be cleaned up as necessary. But Ja’coall simply asked where I wanted my part, whether I wanted some product, and then began drying my hair on high heat. Steam was coming out of the dryer and the heat felt uncomfortable at some points with the tips of the round brush burning the top of my ear when it got too close a couple of times. When all was said and done, I was left with a fresh new ‘do and was out of the salon in less than half an hour.
It was only afterwards that b. pointed out to me that the left side of my hair was noticeably longer than my right. b. also found one super long strand of hair that hadn’t even been cut at all. Granted, it was partially my own fault for not looking at my own hair closely enough before leaving. But with such a simple and straightforward cut, I guess I just expected a little more attention to the details. Otherwise, I enjoyed the experience so the third star is really for the salon’s cozy vibe, Ja’coall’s friendliness, and her admirable commitment to organic products.

Amazing little salon! Th people, the product, the atmosphere, location and services are all on-​point. Janet have me exactly what I asked for and an awesome scalp massage with my wash…
Perfect place to get a much-​needed cut and spend a Saturday morning! I highly recommend.
This product line is unbelievable and you probably can’t find it anywhere else in Boston.

Ja’coall is truly amazing. The instant I walked in I felt welcomed and at ease. The salon is very intimate and cozy. Tucked in a neat street with cute shops and restaurants. I had a cut and color done, it turned out exactly as I wanted. Soooo much healthier. And the color is beautiful. She took one look at the picture I showed her and immediately started putting into action exactly what I wanted. Whether you can get a groupon here or not I would recommend to go. You will be pleasantly surprised. :)

I found Nest Salon via a Living Social promotion, so I really wasn’t sure what to expect. What a lovely experience! The shop is small and beautifully laid out to feel intimate rather than cramped. Jacoal, the owner, chatted with me for a few minutes about my goals for growing out my hair and how best to deal with my okay-​but-​not-​great selfie color. She then grabbed the scissors and dry cut my hair into exactly what I had pictured (but ineffectively described) in what seemed like no time. She then mixed my color, a beautiful rich deep red and applied it. After letting me marinate and washing my hair (sooo relaxing), she blew out the adorable cut with no product at all, and it was gorgeous. She’s amazing!
A couple of very cool details — Jacoal is passionate about sustainability and ethical products, so the hair care line she carries is vegan, organic, and packaged in food-​grade plastic so you can reuse them for your lunch if you like. The shop is decorated with salvaged and repurposed pieces and has a very peaceful and friendly vibe. Both Jacoal and Janet are super nice and friendly. I will definitely be back!

Amazing spot! I walked in to Nest not knowing what to expect as I am a man and normally go to the barber shop. The staff was awesome! I sat down in the chair unsure of what I wanted to do and they suggested a few things and we went from there. I would definitely be going back and would recommend Nest to both men and women.