The Salon

I got my hair trimmed again last week by Brianne, 6 months after the first time… once again, an excellent job, exactly what I asked for, plus she gave me really good advice (but didn’t try to push anything on me I didn’t want!).
But news flash: The Salon is closing! Fans of Brianne can find her at a new salon:
Bella Union
142 Fillmore Street
SF, CA 94 117
415−861−0142

The Salon has a great vibe, very personal service, and solid (but not cheap) prices. I love Brittany who will be gone until at least mid-​March. She always keeps the conversation flowing and she’s very sweet.
Here are my nitty-​gritty details…
I found The Salon because I decided I needed a cut right before a trip out east. I had 1 day’s notice that I wanted a cut. So, I called around to a lot of places and The Salon was the first one to call me back with an opening! I saw Brittany (sp?) who is an awesome young stylist. So, the appointment started out a little late because I was the first appointment of the morning and Brittany’s bike had a flat.
But, she took the time to apologize for her lateness, opened up the salon, talked to me about the history of my hair for 15 minutes. Then she gave me a great cut that got compliments at work. It was definitely affordable, though the products were pretty pricey (but they always are… and they worked really well!) We scheduled another appointment for 4 months later with a plan for highlights. She called me to remind me and got to the salon early this morning.
Then we had another consult about my hair and decided to dye it for the first time. Here’s hoping this gets good reviews too, but I for one think it looks great!
Cost: $ 150 for a cut and color

Talk about terrible bangs.
I had the Asian-​girl bowl haircut when I was a kid. I went freestyle as an awkward pre-​teen, opting for an awful tuft of side-​parted bangs to match my damaged, too-​long hair pulled back into a frumpy ponytail most days. Not unlike the recently fringed Jessica T., I swore them off forever because of the trauma.
But as of yesterday afternoon, Tara now comes with fringe. And? I’ve never loved a haircut more, thanks largely to the tip-​top work of Brittany at The Salon.
My stick-​straight hair doesn’t allow for much texture, but I actually have some body now. I didn’t bring a picture in, and just generally described what I wanted. She asked questions during this process (important!), without charging forward with her assumptions about what I wanted (you know what happens when you assume). She was fun to talk to, and you could tell she loves what she does.
This salon (I’ve been once before) always has rockin’ music playing from their characteristic jukebox. Add some funky artwork on the walls, and you can pretty much guarantee you won’t get a mall haircut or a mall experience.
$ 75 (tip included), an excellent price for a quality girl’s haircut. And free bang trims! I highly recommend this little spot.

I was recommended The Salon by an acquaintance when I asked her who did her hair (she has great hair, see the picture!)
I saw Brianne and asked her to give me the cut I’d always wanted, a 20s-​ish bob with straight bangs that other hairstylists always talked me out of because I have a cowlick at my forehead. She showed me how to tame the cowlick and cut my hair so well that it pretty much falls into place just from drying. She said bang trims are free, and gave me a card for a «buy 3, get 1 free» deal, which I’d never heard of for hair before! I’ve gotten a ton of compliments so far and am very happy with it.

Found this spot on Unilocal — searching for «haircut» and «curly». Brittany is very cool and definitely knows what she is doing overall. My cut looks good. $ 60 price tag was a little steep. Used to pay $ 38 in DC for a great doo. My hair is really hard to cut, but it looks a little unkempt (not in a fun, tousled way), too fast.
My biggest proxy for a good cut is what others say unsolicitedly (not a word, I know). Nobody has said a thing.

My opinion of The Salon has changed completely.
Hilary contacted me over Unilocal when she saw my less-​than-​favorable review. She apologized for my disappointing experience and offered to make it up to me. I was struck by her professionalism and sincerity. I decided to try my luck with The Salon again. I booked with Hilary for August 6.
And wow. A cut with Hilary made a HUGE difference. To be completely honest, I’m not totally IN LOVE with my new look (unlike many Unilocal loyalists of The Salon), but it is much better than the cut I received in June. Plus, Hilary gave me some great advice about low key hair maintenance. She taught me a lot about my hair type and gave me great dye ideas for the future.
Hilary is a woman who knows her stuff. I’m completely convinced that she’s capable of giving me the haircut of my dreams. Instead of just saying «do whatever you want,» I think I just need to bring more ideas to the table next time. And yes — there will be a next time.

I hadn’t had my hair cut in a looooong time and had been going to the same person for years and years who recently switched careers, so I was nervous about trying a new stylist. I heard about The Salon through word of mouth, but finally decided to come here because I had a special dinner coming up and it has very strong reviews.
Brittany instantly made me feel at ease and like she knew what she was doing with my hair — because I certainly don’t. Not only did she give me an amazing, fast haircut, but noted some issues with my hair and gave me some very good advice on how to deal with them. She’s cool, personable, professional and very good at what she does. She also did a great job on my man’s hair — which is curly so can be tricky for some stylists — and we were able to get consecutive Saturday appointments on fairly short notice.

I’ve gone to The Salon about four or five times to get my hair cut, and the first couple times I really liked my haircut. It was nothing spectacular, but to be fair, I don’t color my hair or like to do anything super artsy with it, so I don’t think I was the best canvass for Brittany. The third star is because she is a super cool person, fun to talk to, and always made me feel at ease while getting my hair cut.
However, since I don’t do anything too involved with my hair, 60 bucks for cleaning up some simple layers seems excessive. I was very tempted to give it two because of a fiasco with an updo I tried to get at The Salon for a special event, which ended up with them not charging me because it was so terrible, so I definitely don’t recommend it for that.
So… I am still in search of a reasonably priced place to get a good haircut in San Fran.

The Salon has made me loyal. More specifically, finding Brittany at The Salon has made me loyal. Before I would philander, letting anyone available cut my low-​maintenance, stick-​straight, virgin hair.
Brittany gave me my bangs. Those fabulous, post-​break-​up bangs, a la Reese post-​Ryan, right before it seemed everyone started cutting bangs.
Every haircut she gives me is great. I give her a general idea and then trust her to make it work. I love it, my friends love it, random strangers on the street love it. Not only that, it’s wash, blow dry, and go. (I wouldn’t be able to handle anything requiring more maintenance anyway.)
I must also confess, in all my haircutting philandering I had never found someone that I like talking with as much as Brittany. This keeps me loyal – few things are more awkward than that uncomfortable silence while getting your hair cut.
She also trims my bangs every couple weeks for free, and I won’t let anyone else do it but her, not even myself.
Finding salons, like relationships, is about finding what works for you, and I’ve found what works for me – in salons, at least.

I’m a Unilocal-​review virgin, but my experience at The Salon inspired me to join Unilocal just so I could rave about Brittany.
Brittany was my first «real» stylist since maybe sophomore year of high school (and I’m 26 now). I had friends who were experimental with my hair (in a bad way) and some friends who were talented with scissors. And then there was multiple trips to various cheap chain salons. And finally there was Brittany…
She not only made me feel comfortable on my first visit, but encouraged me to be more daring with my hair each subsequent visit. I have loved my hair each and every time I’ve had it cut at The Salon by Brittany (a grand total of three times).
I have to move away to LA this fall for grad school, but I plan on using my trips up here to reconnect with friends AND visit Brittany at The Salon.
disclaimer: this is not the place you want to go if you just want a trim. if you want a trim, fine– stay with your friends or cheap-​cuts-​R-​us and save some money. if you want someone you can trust to take your 1998 jennifer aniston hair cut and morph it into a short-​femme-​y bob that is cute and daring (well for me)… call and ask for brittany!

Hilary is my hair hero!
The location is stellar, the environment is hip, the conversation is amazing and the hair is nothing less than perfection always. Two huge thumbs up!

I decided on a whim to get my hair cut, and after doing my research the next morning, I called The Salon. They were able to get me in that afternoon with Brittany. When I got there, I told her my idea for what I wanted my hair to look like and what my hair habits are. After listening to me, she recommended layers that I wasn’t sure if I’d be into and, kindly, nixed my bangs idea. Even though I was a little hesitant about the layers, she explained them further to me and I decided I trusted her enough to go with. Midway through I mentioned that I kind of like 70s style hair, and she said that’s exactly what she was giving me. I ended up with the haircut I’ve always wanted and never knew how to ask for.
Brittany’s great — nice, down to earth, and understood what I wanted and what would work with my face and hair. She’s reasonably priced at $ 55 before tip, and she’s currently doing a deal where after 3 haircuts, the fourth is free. The Salon in general is a cool, friendly place pretty close to 16^th Street BART. I’m definitely heading back and recommending it to all my friends.

The Salon is the shiz.
They returned my phone call within 10 minutes to schedule appointments for my boyfriend and I, and both at the same time, which was sweet.
Brittany and Brianna were available: a cut and color for me, a cut for him. The ladies were hip AND nice AND super-​cute, and they made our haircut experience relaxed and pleasant. It was a vortex of the universe.
Anyway. Brittany cut my hair, and we were really comfortable with each other, so I felt good about trusting her judgment. She was knowledgeable in terms of the best color and cut for my face shape, hair type and skin undertones. Baby, now my hair looks so good.
My boyfriend got the best cut of his life, I swear. Brianna did an amazing job and really listened to what he wanted (even though he’s awkward around new people).
You should go there. I know I’m going back.

Warning: ASIAN ladies, this place is not for you!!!
I should have learned my lesson, but all the rave reviews somehow caused temporary amnesia… costing me a $ 72 haircut, that would have been twice as good at a Japanese hair salon.
Sorry, but spending LESS than half an hour on someone who has as much hair as me, is only going to result in a boxy, unfinished haircut. Extremely UNsexy. I mean, I am not picky, but c’mon…if I was going to take scissors and hack straight across the bottom of my hair, and then maybe touch it up a wee bit at the ends, I could get my little sister to do it for free.
Sorry, this place might be good for white women with curly hair or whatever, but as an Asian female, I can NOT recommend! Briann… seems like a nice person, and maybe I should have said something, but it wasn’t until I got home that I realized how awful it looked in the back. Once again: Asian hair takes way more time and effort. A once-​over is NOT enough!
So instead I am posthumously Unilocaling my displeasure. It was my first-​and-​last Salon Visit! :-(
***** EDIT, ⁸⁄₂₀₀₈ ******
I haven’t been active on Unilocal in awhile, so here’s my update:
1. The owner, Hillary, contacted me after my Unilocal review, which I was very touched by… but when I emailed her back a detailed email of my concerns asking for her opinion, along with my phone #… NO RESPONSE.
2. As Hillary never responded to my email, I went to fix my haircut at the Paul Mitchell Institute since I didn’t have the $$ to spend on a whole new cut. The PM Instructor used my «The Salon» haircut to teach his student (my hairdresser) about bad haircuts. NO joke, check it out:
Sorry, The Salon. I wish you luck, anyway.

I enjoy myself here. I followed my favorite hair person to this place and have not regretted it. I generally go when i can afford a haircut or feel impending hair doom. Every time I go, I get compliments on y hair for days after, so something must be working. I have thick asian hair, so being able to get it to do anything other than pouf is impressive.
besides, there’s a functioning jukebox.

Brittany did a great job on my hair. I wanted something new and different, she cut off about 4 inches and in her words did some f*&%ed up layers. I love it and everyone compliments me on it. There was a 20% off coupon in the SF Weekly so it was only $ 40-​which means she’s normally $ 50, which is about the cheapest I’ve been able to find in this city.
The salon itself is also cool, small, looks like rotating art on the walls, good music picked by the stylists, not Muzak. I went on a Sunday when Brittany is the only one working, so it was just her and I in there. Great time to go and get all your gossip out of your system.

I was in a bind and needed a new haircut before Monday. I trusted the Unilocal reviews and booked an appointment here.
The haircut was good and they gave me a cool new style but they charged me $ 60 for a men’s haircut? Yikes.
Good but I will barely spend half that. Thanks anyway.

I hate having to do this: writing a kick ass review for a hairstylist especially because my last one was so popular on Unilocal that when I called it was a one month wait.
You know, it’s a total love and hate relationship with Unilocal.
However, who am I to keep this gem of a woman all to myself? Today, I went to Jillian and I have to say that this is the first time I have ever really been pleased with a stylist. She went step by step and asked me before she did anything how I was liking it. She even used the word «we» as in «we can decide later whether or not those bangs work» and «We did a good job on your hair today.»
Are you kidding? All I did was sit there and nodded as she sliced away at my hair (while listening to some damn good music).
So, I guess, thank you Unilocal for making my last stylist so popular I can no longer get an appointment and for leading me to Jillian. That being said, if there is a one-​month waiting period for Jillian as well, I will kick your ass… okay, I won’t, I still love you.

after waiting what seemed like an eternity to do something with my hair, my friend told me about the salon. I made an appt pronto and voila Im good as new.
it was to the point where I had to apologize to the stylist, Jillian, about the mess she was looking at (and hopefully about to fix for me). she asked me many questions to get an idea about how on earth I had arrived in this state (yellow hair, roots, mullet-​y cut) and then offered some suggestions. since I’m not one of those people who goes to a salon with a itemized checklist of what I want them to do, she did most of the planning. and I LOVE the result! a little more than I was planning on spending, but overall worth it and decidedly reasonable.
also cool, local art displayed and a fashionable juke full of swanky older tunes.

** UPDATE **
After not being able to get an appointment with Theresa at her new place until after the new year, I punted and made an appointment with Brianna. «Does she do thick hair?» I asked. She did.
I brought two pictures with me. I found her work very precise. She asked me questions about my everyday styling (air dry), cut some layers in, gave me my bangs and put me under the dryer to mimic what the hair would like like air dried. She totally got the style I was after, wasn’t too chatty, and so efficient – I was in and out in an hour. And not too expensive either – $ 60 for a cut. So happy with the ‘do and it keeps getting better and better as I grow into the cut. I think I’ve just found my new favorite stylist. See my pic for her handiwork.
** older review **
My new favorite salon, and I’ve tried them all: Di Pietro, Cowboys & Angels (if you go, see Jacob – he’s a freakin PRO), Grasshopper, Wak Shack, Tom’s on Cortland… I like this place: affordable, friendly, great music, no attitude. I’m sold.