Phil’s Hair Design

Just went here for the first time today and got a hair cut from Phil herself. I loved what she did with my hair — she was very patient, listened carefully to what I wanted even though it took me a while to explain my wishes. She took her time and gave me a great cut; I have short hair and it’s not always easy to find good stylists. I’m really happy with the job she did and am excited to have found a new salon. If you’re in Brighton, go to Phil’s!

I just moved to the area from NYC and am very wary of going to new stylists because I have very fine hair and can be very picky about cut and color. After reading reviews on Unilocal I decided to try Phil’s and was incredibly impressed.
Maureen did an amazing job with my cut and color! I wanted something really specific for color and she took the time to discuss options, look at photos, make recommendations, consult other stylists at the salon, etc. She did my color and I wasn’t 100% satisfied because I wanted to achieve a very specific look. She patiently helped me make adjustments (twice!) and it came out absolutely fantastic in the end. The cut also looked great. She was able to take off exactly the right amount and gave me nice long layers too. I couldn’t be happier about my experience at the salon and with Maureen, specifically. I will most definitely be back!

I went to Phil’s 2 times. First time Maureen cut my hair and I looooved it. I wanted full bangs just like Emma Thurman in the pulp fiction! :D I got lots of compliments on my hair and it was great for 5 – 6 months!!! The next time I went there Laura cut my hair. I wanted a short bob and she did magic! I loved my haircut and everybody asked me where I cut it! I am so happy that after getting many bad haircuts and tears I finally found Phil’s and I think I will be going there for the time I live in Boston. All the staff are friendly and amazing and they all assure you that if you don’t like anything about your hair you can always go back and they will change it free of charge.

I have been going to Laura for my hair cut for a little over a year now. I have long curls and when cut incorrectly I look like Diana Ross, needless to say my haircut is VITAL. She always listens to what I ask for and shows me before the scissors even come close to my hair.
The rest of the staff is friendly and for a $ 48 dollar haircut, I come out of there looking like I just got a $ 150 dollar haircut. I can’t vouch for any other services, since I only have my hair cut there, but I’ve seen plenty of people with color looking fabulous!
I never have trouble getting an appointment and they accept tips on credit cards which is always helpful. I highly recommend Laura or any of the other ladies at Phil’s!

I went to Phil’s for a haircut because it got great reviews on Unilocal,and those reviews don’t lie. Ruthie cut my hair and she did a phenomenal job! She really cared about what she was doing and had great advice when it came to how much I should cut off, if I should get layers or angles, etc. Plus, she’s a total sweetheart! The salon doesn’t look like much, but they give a wonderful haircut that’s also affordable. Overall, fantastic experience and would definitely recommend!

I’ve been going to Maureen at Phil’s for about a year and a half, and haven’t been disappointed. I love the atmosphere in Phil’s all the stylists are friendly and I always seem to pick up some good neighborhood news!
Maureen is great she really understands my hair, which I think is a little tricky, and she is patient and always offers that I come back in if something isn’t working. I get my haircut and a partial foil highlight and recommend Phil’s to anyone in the area for a great style at reasonable prices.

Phil’s (short for Philomena, the Irish owner) is simple. It’s not the frou frou salon where you’re paying $$$ to get offered a chai tea and sit in a pretentious environment being judged on wearing a sweatshirt. It’s a salon where your money goes to a great haircut, friendly staff in a normal, barber shop environment.
But most importantly, the hair cut. I have THIN and fine hair (at 23, eh) and every other hair salon has messed it up by insisting they know how to do layers on thin hair. Well, it never works. I’m so relieved to have found a place that will cut my hair accordingly and blow drying to look better than I could have imagined.
Maureen’s my favorite but everyone else is just as good.
I’m never going anywhere else. They’ll usually fit you in when you need it the price is right!

Laura cut and colored my hair exactly the way I wanted it! She took the little direction I gave her and gave me an amazing cut and the perfect color. I love it!

I started going to Phil’s three years ago after searching for a reasonably priced hair salon in the allston-​brighton area for 3 years. I’m not terribly picky about my hair but was never wowed by any of the places that were recommended to me. After reading the Unilocal reviews, I decided to give Phil’s a shot and the rest is history. Since I’ve started going to Phil’s I’ve seen 3 – 4 different stylists (I am a more panicked, I have an event tomorrow and need whoever is available rather than a thoughtfully plan in advance kinda girl) and have never once been disappointed in my hair cut. The woman are great at their job — they actually LISTEN to what you want but can also give solid opinions if you ask for them. The service is super friendly with affordable prices to boot. On top of that, on street parking is easy to find.

I’m not exaggerating when I say I got the BEST HAIR CUT OF MY LIFE at Phil’s Hair Design.
I had Maureen work her magic on me. She really knows what she’s doing when it comes to cutting and styling curly-​wavy hair. I came to her after getting a terrible haircut that thinned out and eventually damaged my hair altogether and she was able to shape it and reconstruct the body of my hair after my first visit.
Maureen really takes her time and finds the right products for you to use. Also she is incredibly sweet and makes great conversation! I constantly get compliments on my hair ever since I’ve been going to see Maureen at Phil’s.
I would definitely recommend anyone with curly hair, or any hair type to this salon. The quality is great and the prices are very reasonable. So nice to have such a little gem in Oak Square!

I went here after reading all the amazing reviews on Unilocal,and I wasn’t disappointed. I had Ruthie work on my hair after years of VERY blonde highlights, and she was diligent and took a ton of time in helping me tone down to a more natural color. She even offered for me to come back in before leaving for vacation (3 days later) if I was still not happy. I loved the cut she gave me as well, with very little direction from me.
The environment is clean, relaxed and down to earth, a refreshing change after going to an über snobby salon in the Financial District for over a year. I’ll definitely be going back!

I went yesterday to see Laura to get really bad highlights fixed. I called Phil’s Monday night when they were closed so distraught and left a message. They called me back as soon as they were open on Tuesday morning and said I could come in right after I was done work.
I got really bad highlights at another salon. My hair is naturally dark brown and my hair was like white and bleached on the top, just awful. I walked in and Laura took the time to fully examine my hair, talk to me about the process, gave me multiple options and her expert opinion on what was best. She did not rush or try to push anything on me. It took from 4:45 — 7:00 to complete the fix of my hair and she took her time. When I left the salon, I was so happy and still am. The toner and low lights brought my hair back to a natural and healthy look. I am sooo happy after being so upset at how bad my hair was from another salon. I will definitely be coming back here. Its a hidden gem in Brighton! Definitely recommend for color.

Phil’s is wonderful, and their staff is great. I have never left unhappy. I have been coming on and off for years, usually on but sometimes if I didn’t have an appointment and they couldn’t squeeze me in I would try somewhere else; they can be very busy!
I have had several of their hairdressers and always been pleased. They are down to earth and professional and experienced! If you’re a woman who lives in Brighton, it’s a must try.

Im a little skeptical when it comes to hair salons. I find most of them preticious and over priced. Phils was nothing like that from the moment I walked in there they treated me like i was a regular. Not only did I get a new do. I didnt break the bank. Highly recommened.

I’m new to the area and didn’t bring the color information from my previous stylist. I called Phil’s the day after Christmas and left a message saying I wanted to get my hair cut and colored. I got a call back from Maureen and she was able to take me the following day. She suggested a great color and gave me a beautiful cut. She said if I wasn’t happy with the color, to call her back and she’d fix it.
I’m very happy with the color, and the cut! I am looking forward to going back and will certainly recommend Maureen to anyone looking for a place to go in the area.

Go to Ruthie. She knows her stuff and will cut your hair the way you want it while still giving you great input and advice on what will look good.
She’s the only hairdresser that I trust will always give me a good haircut. She is also quick, which I like, as I don’t really enjoy getting my haircut like I would if i was getting my nails done.
P. S. make an appointment as she has a limited schedule!

Great experience, great haircut.
She stayed open late to accommodate me, which I REALLY appreciated, and I walked out with a fabulous new haircut, 1000 times better than the one I had. She knew exactly what my hair needed, and she is friendly. I would definitely recommend.

Ruthie is the best hair dresser! Finally, after spending 18 months looking for someone who knew how to cut short hair, I found Ruthie. I’ve been using Unilocal to try out different hair salons. And this time it paid off!
She was friendly and got me in right away. But, most importantly, she knew exactly how to cut my hair. She is talented! Highly recommended!

Given my relatively bad experiences with haircuts in Boston I was immediately skeptical of a salon getting so many 5 star reviews, but also intrigued as my cute pixie cut had long since degenerated into a horrendous half-​bob. I got an appointment with Arlene, and was very impressed with how she explained everything to me, listened to my requests, gave feedback, and worked with me the whole time. She also made me feel comfortable by saying «if it turns out you totally hate your bangs (or whatever), come in next time and we’ll try something different.»
For the first time, I want to go back for a next time! Arlene was very nice, I got a haircut that is super cute, even a day later after I washed it and styled it with my fingers (I’m too low maintenance to even use a comb). To me, that is the ultimate test of a good haircut, if not even I can screw it up. Also, the price was not to be beat. I mentioned Unilocal and got 10% off for my first time, but I think the price for a wash/​cut/​dry is about 40 $ which is definitely not bad for living inside the Boston Price Inflationary Zone.

So I was long overdue for a haircut, try almost a year (that’s a lot for chicks!). I called this place based on Unilocal reviews, and mentioned the name I had read about — but that person was on vacation. Regardless, the woman on the phone said «I can take you tomorrow!». I was really surprised that she could book so quickly.
My appointment was with Ruthie, and she was an absolute doll. She’s very keen on what’s «in» in hair fashion, and can do anything from a crazy modern cut to the simple and traditional.
Before we started, she asked questions and made sure she understood the style I was requesting. She asked specific questions about the bangs and the ends and the layers… all the little things to make a cut perfect. It’s really great to have a stylist take the extra time to make sure you’ll get something that’ll make you happy.
Now, here’s where my personal bonus points come in. The story is, I’ve never gone to a hair salon without having my piercings tugged on (eyebrow, ear, you name it) by a pick, comb, or clip. I usually give ample warning, only to get a comb tugging through 5 minutes later. So I warn Ruthie about all my piercings, and hope for the best. How did it go? Amazing. No pulls at all. Ruthie gets the extra points for paying extra special attention to all my piercings and not latching a single one throughout the entire session. At the end of the cut, she pushed her hair behind her ear to show me that she had about 7 rings going down her cartilage and gave a wink. Hurrah! It’s the little things.
edit: she’s amazing with color!