The Loft Salon & Day Spa

Stella is a legitimate hair magician! The first time I went to her was to fix and all-​over color done at at another salon that had gone terribly wrong. Not only does she know how to fix/​color hair but she is super cool and knows what she’s talking about. She has a great way of teaching me what’s happening to my hair every step of the way. I love having her as my stylist!
Overall, this place is amazing. I’ve had nothing but great experiences here; staff are knowledgable and friendly, owner is personable, ambience is comfortable, and the pricing is fair. I would definitely recommend the Loft; it’s totally worth every penny.

Such a hidden gem! If I could give more then 5 stars I absolutely would for this place. Everyone who works here was beyond helpful and kind from the moment I booked my appointment. I had to cancel because it was raining and was afraid to because I was coming in with a Gilt voucher and it expired that day. Unlike other salons that would have charged me or not allowed me to use it, they were so courteous and allowed me to change my appointment! When I arrived everyone was so nice and accommodating.

LOVE the Loft. I’ve had my hair cut and colored (full highlights) by Nicole twice now and I couldn’t be happier. I had started doing my own hair coloring (blonde) from a box and Nicole was able to turn it into a beautiful soft healthy looking blonde. Love the bangs she gave me too! Everyone there is nice. Location is convenient. Prices are very fair. Salon is clean and cool. Very happy to have found this salon when I moved from NY.

I came by last Friday for an appt, & although there was an error in the scheduling the owner, Michael, made some adjustments & personally took care of me. He even did special highlights & pink tips which I’ve been getting heaps of compliments on. For an experience which could have gone so poorly given the appt conflict I found the staff was extremely nice & it turned out to be one of the best hair salon experiences to date. Thanks especially to Michael for the color & Rachel for the great hair cut. Will be coming back!

I’ve been going to The Loft as a client of Donna Hamilton’s for about 5 years now, so this review is LONG overdue. The entire staff seems to be very talented and are all fun and friendly. The owner, Michael, once kindly offered my father his reserved parking spot as he was leaving. I wasn’t even around so it wasn’t just a favor for a client, just purely an act of kindness. I first went to The Loft to see Donna for corrective color when I had gone blonde, as she was rated the Best in Boston. I learned quickly how she earned that title, she did an incredible job of working with my color to make it perfectly complement my skin tone and over time restore the health of my hair. She thoughtfully considers how her cut and color will make you look your best and makes sure you feel absolutely comfortable with what she’ll be doing. I’ve since gone back to my natural brown that she highlights with balayage beautifully. Since having Donna’s artistry on my tresses, I’ve had countless complements and even strangers stopping me to ask where I get my hair done. Recently, I was lucky enough to have her do my hair for my wedding. What a huge gift it was to have 100% faith that my hair would be an absolute 10 on such a special day because I have the city’s best dedicated to making it perfect. And it was, of course! If you’re considering The Loft, I highly recommend it! But make sure you leave appointments available for me with Donna, my very favorite! :)

I read some flattering reviews of Olivia’s work with blondes on Unilocal and, in search of a new stylist, booked an appointment. I’m naturally a cool-​toned brunette and have been getting blonde highlights for the past five-​ish years, always in the «golden, sun kissed» variety which quickly turn to the «brassy, yellow-​y, fugly» variety. I was desperate for that ashy, sandy blonde that seems to be totally unattainable for everyone who isn’t blessed with Scandinavian genes and unlimited summer vacation time. Armed with an entire album of screenshotted-​from-​Instagram images on my phone, I walked into The Loft (which is small, but not in a cramped way, and in a fantastic location) thinking, «Obviously these people are legitimate models with professional photographers who have been photoshopped into oblivion, so my hair will never look like this, but hey at least here’s a jumping-​off point.»
Now seems like a good time to mention that at one point I looked around and there were 6 other blondes in the salon with amazing color (several of which I’m still not sure if they were natural blondes or not — a testament to the skill level going on here). Also, everyone was laughing and chatting and actually having fun with each other. A+ for vibes. Moving on…
Okay, so I showed Olivia like a billion pictures of the hair color I was dreaming of, described it a little more just in case the billion pictures didn’t do the trick, and she immediately understood me and seemed super confident that she could get the job done. After some foils, a lovely shampoo, condition, and quick toner, she unwrapped the towel from my head and I literally said out loud, «Oh my god I’m obsessed with it already.»
My new hair, after a brief two-​ish hours, was beyond. Yellow, warm, streaky highlights transformed into baby-​fine, beige, pale blonde perfection. After coloring my hair for several years, I’ve been through this process more than a few times, and have genuinely never been so thrilled with the end result. My hair looks like every image on the Pinterest board of my blonde dreams. And let’s not downplay the cut either! Admittedly, I wasn’t after as dramatic of a change, only wanting for a few inches off, but it was everything I asked for — and the blowout was perfect (still touching my hair three days later because it feels like silk…).
This has been way too long, so here’s the condensed version: If you’re blonde, do not pass go, do not collect $ 200, go directly to Olivia. The end.

I bought a gilt deal and had a haircut/​blow dry with Olivia today. She was really friendly, but the cut was just so-​so. She barely cut anything off. A touch off the length and some angles. I don’t think she touched any of my layers. There was barely any hair on the floor. She didn’t offer a mirror so I couldn’t check if the back was even. Sad to say no one noticed or commented on the cut or style. It was ok with the gilt deal, but I would’ve been very disappointed if I spent the full salon price.

THIS REVIEW IS FOR GIRLS WHO LOVE THEIR BLONDE HAIR!!! I moved to a new city, and as with any big move, comes the big headache of finding a new stylist! It’s a big problem that could end perfectly well or horribly bad. I came here because I found out that Olivia was a blonde specialist. This was a big deal for me, as I feel like in Boston, there aren’t as many blonde specialists (or as many blonde girls) as there are in other parts of the country. Before coming in, I reached out to my stylist who took care of me in DC, and got the formula that she used on me when she highlighted my hair. After meeting Olivia, I explained to her how nervous I was about this — but she was able to put me at ease. After she took a look at the formula, she knew the type of blonde I liked — which made me feel even better. She worked quickly, which is a plus. The whole time I was nervous, because I wanted to see the end result. Well, luckily, when she was done, my blonde looked amazing! The lowlights were done perfectly. I was a little blonder than I was when I came in, but I really liked the color and was very pleased with the results. She gets blonde and that is a big deal. I recommend her if you’re looking for a stylist who knows her blondes (and also appreciates long hair). After my first visit, I can at this point say that I will be going back and seeing her again.

I’d been seeing a colorist at Escape Aveda salon, in the Pru, since moving to Cambridge nine months before; and noticed that my hair was getting darker and darker; unnaturally dark, so much so that the ends had a weird purple cast at the ends. And also that my hair, which is curly, was getting drier and drier, frizzier and frizzier. I asked my stylist – whose a friend of our family, so I felt a bit locked in to her (and really liked her, personally) – to go lighter and she said, «Sure!» But I kept getting darker. So, finally, I decided to go see Michael Albor, in part because he’s constantly rated the best colorist in Boston for brunettes, and in part because a friend of mine, who works in fashion, told me he was great and many of her stylist friends see him.
He was super-​lovely, from the start, and actually came in early on a Saturday to meet me – as he suspected it might be a big job. It was, indeed, a big job. He appears to know everything about color: the chemistry of it, the differences between color lines, the ways in which different colors effect different types of hair. And he explained that Aveda color is terrible for curly hair, that it dries it out, and overly saturates the hair, which is why my hair kept getting darker and darker.
That first day, I was at the salon for something like four or five hours. He removed tons of color from my hair, added highlights, glossed, toned, gave me some sort of ultra-​deep conditioning treatment, and got my hair closer to it’s normal medium-​ish brown color. He’s a really, really nice guy, and fun to talk to, and the others at the salon seem nice, too. I saw some really fantastic color jobs (one blonde, in particular) being done, and also some great blow-​outs.
When it came time to style my hair, though, he explained that I needed a product with really strong hold, like a gel or «elixir,» and he proceeded to run some sticky stuff through my hair and… make me look like an extra from an Eighties teen movie. No exaggeration. I left with completely frizzed out, sticky, crunchy, horror show hair. I tried not to freak out, but – no lie – the woman at the front desk could not even meet my eye; that’s how bad it was. As it happened, I was meeting my husband, my kids, and my in-​laws at the science museum, and then for dinner. On my way there, I stopped for coffee, went into the bathroom to take another look at my hair and it was even more awful than I thought. I grabbed a bunch of bobby pins and stuck it up into a bun, but it STILL looked awful.
A week-​plus later, I went back for him to further fine tune things, and this time I asked if he could blow it out after coloring it. He did indeed make the color better and the blow out was okay (an assistant did it; not him). Very, very ultra-​straight and conservative.
So, despite Michael’s doing a pretty great job at making my hair normal again, I’ve not been back. Why? It’s strange. Sometimes a salon is just not for you. For me, well, I love that hour or two at the salon each month, when I get to sit and read magazines, and relax. And The Loft is just not conducive to that sort of experience. It’s very, very loud and hectic, with Michael and the other stylists loudly gossiping; and Michael is the sort stylist who talks nonstop. I think I just want a little more quiet, a little more luxury. Maybe I’m used to New York salons, which have a very different feel?
But also I like to leave a salon feeling like I look fantastic and that just wasn’t the case here. Both times, I left wanting to go home and wash my hair to make it look better.
So, in short: A good place for color correction. A good place, I think, for color in general. Maybe not the greatest place for curly hair? And maybe not a place for anyone who wants to relax and be pampered?

I bought a Gilt City deal for this salon because it was such a good deal and there were great reviews — I was not disappointed. Olivia cut my hair and she was amazing. She did it so quickly and effortlessly. I left the salon happier with my hair than I have been in years (if ever). I will 100% be returning back to see Olivia. She listened to exactly what I wanted and I’m thrilled.

I absolutely love the Loft, especially Stella! I managed to get an appointment with her my very first visit and have been a loyal client ever since. I was going to G2O who completely ruined and annihilated my hair. Stella brought it back to life and it’s the best it has ever looked in my 10 years of coloring and different cuts. She is an expert at cuts and color and I recommend her to everyone I know. Plus, she’s a really cool chick who is super easy to talk to and get along with. I couldn’t be happier!

Purchased a Gilt voucher for a full foil and haircut. Should have known that you get what you pay for. I was hesitant to write this review because my stylist was nice but the highlights I received were absolutely awful. I asked for purplish red highlights (leaning towards more red). Instead I received red tiger highlights all over my dark hair. They were not at all natural looking and were reminiscent of highlights from the 90s. She mentioned that I could return to tone my hair to my desired color, but at that point I just wanted to get out of there. She also had no idea on how to cut Asian hair and chopped at the ends with thinning shears. (Actually, she was so enthusiastically clipping at the ends with thinning shears that she cut herself…-.-) I ended up dying my entire head that same day at another salon to cover up the highlights. Maybe things would have been different if I had mentioned that I am a brunette but every salon should have a minimal level of training on all types of hair. I have learned my lesson and will probably stick my usual salon and not be tempted by specials on the Internet.

Found Michael on the Internet while searching for makeovers in Boston.
I’m thrilled. He delivered more than I expected. He was sensitive to some special concerns I had. He is the only hair stylist who ever told me how to care for my scalp to address some of those concerns. He delivered a great looking style, with just a touch of color, and true hair care on top of it. Glad I went and will be returning!

In one visit Stella removed permanent black from my hair and made it a gorgeous mocha color. My hair looks so much healthier. I also had a blow out by Olivia. My hair is long and curly. Olivia is the first person to do this perfectly and in good time. Most stylist are too overwhelmed with the amount of hair I have and are freaking out the entire time.

Admittedly — I’m annoyingly meticulous about my foil highlights. I’ve been to a million salons but keep coming back to Nicole at The Loft. She’s awesome at color and cuts, and she’s a sweet smiling face even when I’m being a control freak.

I took all the girls in my bridal party here for wedding day styles. All the stylists did amazing jobs. I still receive compliments on how gorgeous everyone looked. Michael and his team are the absolute best!

I originally decided to go to this salon about two years ago because I noticed that it was selected as the «Best of Boston» for brunette hair color and I was brunette at the time. My first appointment at the salon was with Manuela and I have been with her ever since. She did a beautiful job with my brunette hair and successfully transitioned me to blonde about a year ago — she has a truly incredibly eye for color. I’m really picky about color and the shade of blonde she selected for me is perfect — and since it’s the closest any stylist has gotten me to my natural hair color, it’s really easy to maintain. Additionally, I get tons of compliments on my hair, which I never really have before.
Manuela’s prices recently went up, but I still think that, considering it’s a Newbury Street salon, they’re pretty reasonable. I paid the same or more when I lived in smaller markets (like Orlando), so for a salon on Newbury Street in Boston, I can’t complain.

I found this to be an unpretentious, attractive salon, with friendly, skilled stylists. I went in with a special from an ad, but will definitely be back on my own. Nicole was terrific and did a great job on my hair.

I went here two weeks ago to get my highlights re-​touched. I wanted to «tone down» my blonde but still pretty much keep what was going on. I showed my stylist 5 different pictures of what I was looking for — I have (HAD) light brown hair with some blonde/​lighter brown highlights. — the hairdresser assured me that by just putting toner in my hair it would keep my highlights but tone down the blonde. I said sure thing. She showed me a color and i told her I thought it was too dark but she assured me that it just looks dark, and since she is a stylist, I trusted her — Well she dyed my hair BLACK. So that was kind of brutal. THEN I had a severe allergic reaction to the BLACK hair dye — which I have never used before! I spent the next week in the ER and in and out of doctors offices. The Loft Salon did not seem all that concerned, I was in contact with them over 6 times — they were able to give me the ingredients list of the dye so that I could show my allergist but they did not once offer me a refund (I spent close to $ 200 for this plus I am now looking forward to my medical bills) or seem to understand the severity of the situation.
I know it is not the stylist’s fault that I had an allergic reaction, but
1) I did not ask for my hair to be dyed black (apparently the darker the dye the worse the reaction)
2) She did not perform a patch test.
After writing the company an email showing pictures of my ordeal and informing them of my disappointment, the owner called and offered a refund, of which I have still not received. So, if you are considering this salon I would suggest you turn around immediately, and if you do go in, do not have your hair done by stylist Olivia O’Leary.

Sam did my highlights and cut and was the first person who I feel compelled to go back to in Boston. She was so easy to talk to and I have never relieved more compliments on the color. Sam did an awesome job of really making it natural looking. I’m going back for round 2 next week and am hoping this is a long term relationship :).