Square Root Salon

Square Root Salon and Irene rock!!! I had not let a stylist touch my hair in 10+ years! I was either disgusted, disappointed or disheartened in how previous stylists cut/​trimmed my hair, they did not listen and basically did what they wanted to do. So, I have been cutting/​trimming my own hair… not the best job but at least with results I could live with! I have long, salt & pepper hair and like the look but have been dreaming of some changes for a long time. I saw a post on Facebook of someone who had a similar cut/​highlights I wanted and she had them done at Square Root. After seeing all the reviews here in Unilocal,I called and inquired about Irene and set up an appointment… boy am I ever ecstatic that I did! First off, she is very sweet, professional and personable. I showed her the pic and we discussed my goals and she made suggestions as to cut/​trim and highlights. She is very knowledgeable and her experience/​credentials have you just sitting back in your chair content that she is gonna «hook a sista up!» I was so pleased with the results I really can’t put it into words that would do Irene justice! Just know that she is phenomenal and you will not be disappointed! The salon is warm and chic… all the staff were attentive and helpful. I was also impressed with how they have junior stylists «shadowing» the senior stylists, allowing for experience/​techniques to be imparted. I can’t wait for my next appointment!

My stylist was Meredith and she was amazing! She took me from long golden brown hair to a cute short a line cut and a beautiful purple color full of dimension. She was fantastic, very personable and walked me through everything she was doing. The salon itself is gorgeous and the shampoo sinks are so comfortable. Highly recommend this place and Meredith!

Not thrilled. I said I was trying to grow my hair longer and wanted to continue with layers. Got what I would expect from a ten dollar haircut place. My hair isn’t ruined. It’s not a total disaster, but I didn’t get any style at all — just the ends trimmed. My Level 2 stylist had no flair, no originality. My hair does not look like it has a fresh cut, so I feel like it was a waste of time to go here.

Love Frances! She does a great job of listening to what I want, asks a lot of questions about my current routine, and spends a good amount of time teaching me how to style appropriately. Scalp and shoulder massage to start off the appointment are never a bad thing either. Highly recommend her!

This is an update from my last review. the hair color only lasted 6 weeks. when I went back to complain she said we had agreed to use a temporary color but I was not aware of that. regardless I had her put in a permanent color and just like the first time it looked great but just like the first time it fell out in 6 weeks. I have never had a permanent color fall out before. she can make it look the way I want it too but only if I continue to go back and pay to have it redone every six weeks which I am totally not willing to do. now my hair looks even lighter than it did when I began so I wish I hadn’t went to start with

Today makes our 6^th visit to Square Root. The last 2 have been for my 15 y.o. daughter to get her hair cut/​colored. Our stylist is Mel. On our first visit a few weeks ago we came in for a big haircut change. My daughter wanted the left side of her hair cut/​shaved. Mel gave us her expert opinion on what to do. It came out really cute. Today we’re adding color. So far so good! Square Root is clean, modern, bright, and fun! The staff and stylists are all really friendly and accommodating. The owners are usually here and are working as hard as everyone else, but also take the time to say hi and check in on you. I highly recommend Square Root!

I had an excellent experience here! I would highly recommend Square Root if you are looking for a new place.

I got an excellent haircut from Amy. She, and all the staff I interacted with were warm and professional. Great haircut, and a great cup of coffee– I will be back.

Amy did it again! I’m sitting here, tossing my head back and forth, watching my perfectly colored red hair shine in the light, thinking, why the heck did I wait 5 months to get this touched up? I’m definitely going to be back more often. I like my hair like this and I like the way it makes me feel — pretty and energetic and ready to meet the world head on. It’s amazing the confidence that comes with a little pampering.

So I have been a customer at square root salon for awhile now, and I am always happy to go in and get my hair done. I have incredibly hard hair to work with, and every time I have gone to any other place my hair always gets cut or dyed in a horrific way. My hairstylist is Frances and she is spectacular. She always works with my hair, and she is never afraid to try something new. I love how much passion she has for her job, and how she is always trying to get me to love my hair. She takes her time and really works to give me something I will love. I am not someone who knows anything about hair, but I love how she is always trying to teach me and get me to love my hair.
This girl is so incredibly talented and she works so hard at her job. I am not the type to know what I want so I like to let her work her magic on me and I always leave satisfied. Today I wanted something different and a little more risky than I would normally go for, and Frances made my hair look amazing. It is nice to go to a place that takes such pride in what they do and they always keep up with the latest techniques. This is a place that promotes education amongst their stylists, and I love that. Frances is a spectacular stylist and she knows what she is doing and she knows how to work with thick, coarse hair like mine and make it beautiful. I am so grateful to have an awesome stylist like her! She has a loyal client for life. Thank you Frances!

This place is so awesome on the inside and everyone is friendly! I decided to cut off my long locks and I’m so glad I chose this place to have it done! Merrick gave me exactly what I wanted and kept me informed throughout the haircut. I would recommend this place to everyone!

I found this salon on Unilocal and was very nervous to get my hair dyed again. My last stylist couldn’t get my hair blonde. It was a weird looking strawberry color that other people liked, but I hated. I went back to him a few times to try to get it fixed, but I think he got tired of me because he just dyed it back brown (unevenly at that). So I spent a lot of money to have poorly done brown hair. After that I decided I was done with salons and let it be for over a year and a half. It eventually faded to a nice blonde color, but I had that very distinct line between the blonde hair and my natural light brown hair.
I called the salon without a specific stylist in mind but told them what I wanted done and they set me up with Magan. She listened to what I wanted and told me how to take better care of my hair (I’m guilty of everyday washing and never getting it trimmed Lol). She gave me one of my favorite hair cuts ever! She cut it around my usual part so it’s balanced and took off enough to be healthy but not enough that I feel like it’s too short. As for the dye job, she did a great job evening out the blonde/​brown line and she did too good a job of bringing out the blonde (I think I over sold his much I disliked the strawberry Lol). After a little toning down, it looks GREAT. It looks pretty natural (as natural as dyed hair can look anyway). She’s a great stylist and an overall good person ;) Thanks Magan!
— Suzy

What an amazing salon right in the heart of ABQ! I found this salon only by chance because I wasn’t able to get an app with two other salons recommend by friends. Thanks to Unilocal I read the raving reviews and gave them a try. Thankfully they were able to get me in for color/​hi lights appointment the same week!
I had Magan for my color fixer upper job and she was purely amazing! Very knowledgeable and explained the details of the process and each product she uses, what it’s for and what it does. I loved that she communicated every process and so courteous to let me know when other team member were to be involved in consultation or rinsing etc.
The whole team got the customer service down! From the moment I walked in, they were very welcoming and offered me coffee/​water/​tea, everyone I saw were very friendly. I loved the décor and the set up. The salon is a converted warehouse like building with no ceiling. Red and black all around; love the white umbrellas as one huge light shade in the middle, loooooong cable with old school microphone looking a ambient lights in front of each station, large scale art pieces on two walls, the chairs (even the shampoo station chairs) were comfy. The center of the salon has a row of products that’s acts as a divider between the stations and waiting area. I liked that the products weren’t overwhelming because it was displayed simply and very clean.
In the very beginning they started with all the «additions» to tell services with this for $ 20 and that for another $ 10 and immediately my red flag went up like I was at a sleazy nail salon but come to find out they were just clearly communicating each product they recommend and that they’re for and how it benefits me. (Just include those in the whole service cost especially if «most clients do it»… just my opinion) other than that though, my whole experience was SOOOOOO pleasant and I enjoyed being there, period. Starting from making appointment, they were courteous and explained how to get here and what’s around (sushi restaurant next door is a big plus). Even though I sat the the chair for about 4 hours for my long hair repair job from previous torturous job it went through because of Magan’s excellent communication throughout the process, able to have «real» and lively conversations throughout, her courtesy and care. I was blown away by her strive for perfection in every detail. She «fixed» the color once after it was done by toning it down once and offered to do it again if I prefer; she even fixed my butcher job I got from El Cheapo salon (Supercuts) the other day just because of her search for perfection in her creation. LOVE. Where can you get that kind of service? She finished it off by styling it as if I was going out to a fabulous dinner date… (I went to church, people!!)
This truly amazing experience fell on my lap by chance only because of two other snooty salon didn’t wanna get me in the next two weeks let alone two days and how thankful Magan was available for me!!! They price according to the stylist’s «levels» and I believe she’s level 2 but I don’t care what level they want to call her… she’s a to notch amazing colorist/​stylist in my book! She truly cares what YOU think in the end and I was HAPPYHAPPYHAPPY!
Go see Magan! Go to Square Root Salon!!!
P. S. Check out my picture. You’ll see

I’m going to stick my neck out, here, and state that the vast majority of women who get their hair did at modern salons spend way too much money on what amounts to a temporary hair high. For one or two days, a week at most, they flaunt an artisan ‘do, but sooner or later the entire thing deflates, as does the ego of the girl who just dropped a Benjamin plus tip. A lot of the salon game is smoke and mirrors, honestly. Many so-​called professional stylists never learn how to wield a pair of scissors.
Square Root elevates the everyday, and it all flows from their core philosophy of mutual education and artistry. The owners, all life-​long Burqueños, offer trainings and classes regularly, where guest artists teach local stylists the modern industry trade. Naturally, that flows into the business as a whole. When you sit down for your first visit, the focus of your consultation won’t really center on what you want your hair to look like one week from now; they’re looking at something much more long-​term, something you can stick with and modify ever-​so-​slightly as time goes by.
I’m stating all of this because I’ve watched it happen to good friends. Yeah, I’ve gotten a couple of cuts for big occasions, I really liked the experiences, but my hair grows way too fast to justify the price, I’m better suited for a barber. But if you’re seriously contemplating a shop that delivers a sustained vision of style in the long run, you need to check out this terribly hip joint. I’ve watched many women completely transform their concept of what a good haircut should look and feel like, and maintain a permanent ego boost.

The five stars is for Irene and Irene only. I had experience with another square root stylist that I don’t want to name do to my planned frequency to the place. I really don’t want death stares.
Back to Irene she is the friendliest stylist ever. She listen to my concerns and we came up with a game plan together to getting me to light balayage since i have dark hair. I loved that she never said we can’t do that or that won’t look good. The experience was nice she is easy to talk to but you also don’t have awkward silence. Her customer service was stellar always asking if I needed anything or if I was ok.
We started with balayage caramel highlights and I can’t stop staring at how pretty they came out! She was unfortunately out of time so she couldn’t fix the bad cut her coworker gave me.
I will be back and back again for Irene and she’s the only reason I am giving this place 5 stars instead of my planned 1 star. Her coworkers should learn from her she is an asset to the salon.

After having had dreadlocks (and nice ones, according to 99 percent of the comments i received on them) for many years, it was finally time for a change. I happened to be in Albuquerque for a meeting, so I dropped in to Square Root for a consultation. (I had read all the reviews here on Unilocal,so I decided that I would give the salon a try.)
The owner was there doing some handy-​man stuff, so I got to talk with him for a good 15 minutes. It was pretty obvious that I was nervous about such a drastic hairstyle change, but he was very reassuring, looking at the example photos I brought in and determining whether certain types of hairstyles could work for me. He recommended that I work with Amy, and so I set an appointment the following week.
You guys. Amy was AWESOME. She was fine with me setting up my GoPro camera to take time-​lapse photos of the whole dreadlock removal process and she even took a few of her own photos as well. Everybody in the place was stunned that I was removing my dreadlocks, but you know what? My head was so much lighter and more comfortable after my stunning, funky, short haircut from Amy that I haven’t even missed the dreads. Folks in my little world have been nothing but complimentary to my new hairstyle. I love it.
So, to recap: I parted with some 13-​year-​old dreadlocks, got quite literally the BEST haircut I’ve had in my whole life while having a nice chat with Amy and the various other stylists there, and will now probably be a customer of Square Root for life. Can’t recommend them any more highly than that, right?

Being the owner of a head of super thin/​fine naturally curly/​wavy hair has caused me more than a little hair drama over the years. Before coming to Square Root I’d been to a variety of different stylists (even had a Deva Cut for my bday a couple years ago), and while none of them were bad, I never felt like any of them understood, and could work with my hair my hair like David does. As a stylist and co-​owner of Square Root, I think it would be safe to say that, when it comes to hair, David knows his stuff.
Having just gotten a haircut that I was reasonably happy with a week or two before attending a Unilocal event at Square Root, I wasn’t really in the market for a new stylist at the moment, but sitting down and talking to David about my hair for a few minutes as part of the event changed my perspective. Even during that short conversation/​consultation, I really felt he listened to what I had to say, had ideas for what to do with my hair in order to get it to where I would be happy with it, and would work with me so I could continue to be happy even between cuts after those ideas were implemented. Because of that conversation, I scheduled an appointment with him for my next cut.
The day of my appointment finally arrived, and after taking time to make sure he knew what sort of look I wanted, and discussing his plan to get me those results, David got started. Knowing that my curly hair would be shorter dry than it would be wet, he trimmed it before washing to make sure the length was right, then washed and styled it, confirming again before styling how I wanted to look when he was done.
I was beyond thrilled with the results, and I don’t think my hair has ever looked better than it has since I started seeing David. I’ve even had my hair highlighted, and colored there, and loved those results as well. David, and the rest of the staff at Square Root are amazing people who truly care about their clientele.
In fact, I like Square Root so much, I’ve also started bringing my (10 year old) daughter to get her hair done there too. It costs a little more than I would typically pay for a child’s haircut, but her stylist (Megan) is also excellent, the results are worth it, and since my daughter enjoys going there as well, the minor price difference doesn’t feel like such a disparity that I would need to go back to taking her someplace else for a cheaper cut.
Is Square Root «expensive»? For most of us that answer is probably yes. I know for me it costs a little more than 2x what I used to pay to have my hair cut. But, because David does what he does, I’m able to go longer in between cuts making it a little more economically feasible. Now obviously that approach doesn’t work for everyone, so know there’s also the option of going with one of their less experienced (but still excellent as well as closely supervised and assisted) stylists at a discounted rate. See, Square Root is about more than just making $$ for doing people’s hair. They’re also about helping mentor the next generation of stylists, and giving back to their community. As their motto goes, it’s all about bringing «beauty to the people».

This review is desperately long overdue.
Perfection.
That’s what this place feels like to me.
Before going to the Runway With Scissors Unilocal event in 2013, I didn’t have a regular hair stylist here in Albuquerque. It had been three years since I had moved here, and two times I had my long hair trimmed across the bottom, the person cut it crooked. Two different stylists.
But now I do a permanent hair stylist. I’ve been going to Mel for almost two years. She impressed me during the ‘Scissors Unilocal event. Then a fellow Unilocaler recommended her. So, I made an appointment with her.
Mel has been fantastic. When it comes to hair, I’m more conventional and don’t want anything more than a nice even trim along the bottom. This is probably boring for hair stylists, but Mel hasn’t shown it. She’s always friendly and has a positive attitude.
A couple of months ago, we started talking about coloring my hair. Having turned 50, I wanted to add some excitement to my life. Covering grey isn’t an issue yet. People ask if I color my hair, but before a couple of months ago, the truthful answer was, «No.» I was envisioning a darker golden brown, but Mel upped the ante, thinking red. We found a great blend to create a golden red, which looks relatively natural. Mel did an amazing job. This is by far the best coloring job I’ve had. There haven’t been many. Perhaps ten times over three decades.
The fact that almost every time I come in to get my hair done, Mel has been promoted to a new level says it all. She’s a hard worker, sensitive to her clients needs and wants, and passionate about great hair. If she is available to take on new clients, get yourself signed up with her.
Last year I needed someone to put my hair up for a singing gig. I have no hairdo creating skills. Mel wasn’t working the day I needed it, so I went with the recommended person. This was Iesha. Most likely I’ve mangled the spelling of her name, and apologize. Iesha is a wild woman who enjoys dramatic coloring and fantastical hairstyles. I’ve seen several of her creations. She lives firmly outside of the box. She did a super job creating my updo and understood my need to keep it more on the conventional side. I commend her abilities.
The staff at Square Root is friendly and welcoming. Check them out.

This is my absolute favorite salon. They have done an amazing job on my hair the past several times I have gone. My hairdresser is Aisha and I would not pick anyone better. She is so friendly and is very talkative.
The first time I went there I had very long hair. I told her I wanted something completely different but I had no idea what. I just wanted different. She knew exactly what to do. She asked questions about me like what I do for fun for work, etc. she then pulled out her iPad and showed me pictures of the hairstyle she thought would look good on me. It was a long bob with blonde subtle highlights. I agreed and wow! It looks amazing! She cut off 20 inches of my hair. She did an amazing job and I will not let anyone touch my hair besides square root salon.

I’ve only gotten a hair cut here once so I’m saving the last star, if earned, for later. The salon is surprisingly huge but I’ve been living in NYC for the last year so maybe my barometer is off a bit. They have different levels of stylists/​barbers here. I don’t need anything special so I didn’t go for the most experienced.
I got my hair cut by Merrick. He is very friendly but also knows when to not talk. He took his time on my hair. He made sure the length was what I was looking for. Overall he did a good job on my head.
Oh yeah, they give a shoulder and head massage before starting your cut. Pretty awesome. I rode my bike here with my backpack full of books so that was a nice bonus.
The shop is clean and well kept. The receptionists are very friendly and accommodating. If you’re looking for a solid hair cut that won’t get F’ed up come here. Mine cut was only $ 30. Cash tip only!!!