Blackstones

SHELLEY IS THE TRUTH!
What a wonderful feeling to know I now have a hairdresser who finally gets my hair. Believe me when I say this: My head is difficult to cut.
I’m African American and Puerto Rican with a big bush of natural curls. I’ve gone to so many hairdressers who dove into my hair and didn’t know how to cut it. I’d wet it or pick it out later only to find peaks and valleys everywhere. Shelley cut my hair differently. She cut according to my natural curl pattern. It was tedious work but she took her time with it. I can tell she knows natural hair and I now tell everyone who comments on my curls to go to her because she’s the real deal.
That’s it. I’m never going to anyone else. Thanks Blackstones.

There is no one better than Joey Silvestera. He is always genuinely polite, professional and incredibly talented with a pair of scissors! I went to him last night for a BIG hair change– I wanted to go from very long brown layers to a layered short blonde bob. He studied the picture I gave him of the cut, discussed the pros and cons of the cut with me, made sure I was completely comfortable with everything and then he gave me the best freaking haircut I’ve ever had in my life. It was even better than the photo I gave him and fit my face perfectly– I was beyond thrilled! Afterwards, his staff taught me how to style is and then Joey recommended a colorist in house. He even emailed her after hours to make sure she understood what I was going for, which was so nice of him to go out of his way to communicate. Joey comes with a 5 star recommendation from me and that actually might be too low! If you want a really, really good haircut– Blackstones and Joey is your answer. I can’t wait to do the color tomorrow!

I got my hair cut by Justin and he’s nothing short of genius. My hair is unruly and difficult to tame, but none of this got in the way. He listened to my concerns, completed the cut masterfully and in the end I was left with a super fresh cut. I’ve gotten loads of comments today; I will most certainly be back.

Was sent here on a reservation and was extremely disappointed. I had one colorist and then one hairdresser. They were very attentive while they spoke with me so I was led to think that this was going to be a great experience but I was wrong. The color of my highlights were so dull you can’t even tell they were done, usually they last 6 months but after 2 months my hair is already back to the way it was.
As they were processing the color they made me move to three different sinks and about two different people washed my hair and everyone expected a tip! Then when it was finally time for the haircut the lady cut my hair way shorter than I asked and practically gave me bangs. The whole process took 3 hours which was ridiculous. Its so over priced as well and the staff is not friendly whatsoever.

Brooke Birbee is the best colorist for blondes downtown. That’s all. It’s not cheap but she is just brilliant. Tones to perfection. Every time

When you have curly hair, you quickly learn to dread haircut appointments. Most people don’t know how to cut curly hair, and you can’t get the same kind of cuts and your hair almost always looks the same unless you cut a drastic amount. And when you finally find a stylist who doesn’t give you a pyramid cut or have you coming home in tears, you dread having to find someone new when you can no longer see that person. I found Blackstones randomly through an article that mentioned their haircare line. On a whim, I decided to call and find out if they had anyone good with curly hair. I was recommended to Maura, and told they were putting in extra time on the calendar for a consultation.
When I got to the salon, I realized this was the cool, retro looking salon next to McSorley’s that I’d walked by more than once. Maura was immediately friendly and helpful, and excused my, «I actually have no idea what I want to do with my hair, it just hasn’t been looking good,» and talked me through 2 options. One was continue to grow my hair out and make it look better as it did, and the other was to give me the angled bob I had originally wanted when I cut my hair short, but hadn’t been able to achieve, I thought, because my hair was curly. I decided that hair grows back, it looked cute when she held my hair in place for me to see, and that I would go big or go home.
Then she cut my hair. Three times. Once wet, once dry and straight, once dry and curly. She took so much care with cutting my hair just exactly, it felt like I was a topiary, and I was okay with that. The entire process took 2 hours. And I walked out looking fabulous. So good, in fact, that a coworker commented the next day that my hair looked so good, it looked like it was 2 weeks after my cut, and had time to grow back in.
Confession time: Half the reason I have stylists blow my hair out when I have it cut, besides for the novelty, is that most stylists, even the ones who can cut my hair, can never style it so that it looks normal. I usually wind up having to wash it when I get home and restyle it. The last stylist who taught me anything about doing my hair that I didn’t already know or have to learn myself showed me how to twist the curls around my finger for more definition and a groomed look. That was 10 years ago. Until Maura showed me how to go in with a curling iron and perfect the inevitably straggly curls that just didn’t want to curl right or got blown frizzy from the diffuser. It was revelatory. The whole experience was so good, I actually wrote a review about it. (That says a lot.)
So if you have curly hair, don’t think, just go to Maura.

i think i’ve finally found the hair salon for me in this city — i left on saturday knowing i’ll be back.
blackstones is like a well tuned guitar. everyone in there had such a smooth groove to the way they handled customers and the atmosphere was equal parts relaxing & intriguing. something about the vibe of the place was real laid back but i had no doubt i was in skilled hands (my stylist was hannah, who i see other reviewers have also noted). and listening to leo kottke play through the speakers near the end of my hair cut was amaze.

Two words: Jamie Cook. If you want a haircut perfectly suited to your style and personality, and done with a precision normally devoted to bonsai tree pruning, well, Jamie is the hair guru for you.
Often when I go to see Jamie I don’t have a clue what I want to do with my coif but her ideas are immediate and spot-​on and I always walk out feeling not only good but like myself.
All the stylists and colorists are sweethearts and the space is inviting.

I LOVE Blackstones! The atmosphere is chill, everyone is friendly, no one tries to sell you products, and most importantly, I always love my hair.
I’ve been going to Christie for faux-​redhead-​fabulousness for the last few years and will not let anyone else touch my color again :) She always gets exactly what I’m going for and nails it. Also, even if I haven’t been there for awhile, she always remembers what we last talked about, and is awesome.
For cuts, I love going to Justin. My hair is pretty fine, but I have a lot of it — he really understands how to work with it to take the weight out while giving it shape and volume. He listens when I ask for something specific, but also has great suggestions to change things up. AND he’s super nice.
At $ 110/​cut and $ 120/​color, it’s not the cheapest in the city, but it’s pretty reasonable. Completely worth the money for rockstars like Christie and Justin :)

Usually I leave a hair salon feeling just okay about my cut and then subpar when I try to style it myself a few days later. This is the first time in a long time that I remember leaving absolutely loving my haircut, and as an added bonus it’s also been easy to style at home too!
I had my appointment with Jamie who gave me a razor cut. This technique seemed to make all the difference in how my hair laid. No more blunt ends or «blended» layers. If you want someone who knows what they’re doing and is versed in the latest hair cutting trends and techniques definitely pay Jamie a visit.

I’ve been wanting to cut my hair this short for the past year but worried bc every stylist in nyc never gave me what I want. Until I met Molly! she’s very well educated on hair and styling, she knows exactly what I wanted. I didn’t have to wait, I was done in 30 mins. She was friendly and understanding.
I usually don’t like products, nor do I like to blow dry or straighten my hair. Every time i would say that to a stylist they would insist on blow drying bc it’s part of making sure the cut is even. Molly was the first to not have a problem with my choice, and made sure if I felt something was off after (due to no blow drying in the process) I would come in for a quick touch up.
I also got a first time discount which was great!
Highly recommend this place

Justin is very talented! My curly hair has never felt so bouncy! Can’t say enough good things! The whole staff was very friendly and the salon is stunning as well. I highly recommend Blackstones!

I stumbled upon Blackstones after reading review from another salon, Whittemore House. I’ve been Whittemore once before, but decided to try Blackstones this time because of the awesome reviews. I read all the reviews on here and then went on to their website to get a feel… Decided to go with Jaime. LOVE LOVE LOVE her! She just got me and what I wanted. That’s all I’ve ever wanted from my hairstylist! She is a beautiful soul and amazing hairstylist. You must book an appointment with her!

I discovered Black Stones through a gilt city voucher. It worked out well since the salon is close to my apartment.
I have my hair trimmed every eight weeks. It’s super long and as they say, «the more you cut it, the faster it grows.» This is true!
I was greeted by a big smile from the receptionist. She grabbed me a beverage of my choice and got my stylist Lexi for me.
The décor is crazy cool as its in an old taxidermist office! It has a very rustic vibe housing a few antiques. I couldn’t stop looking at all the nic nacs on the shelves.
I had the most exhilarating wash with my fav living proof products. What a spectacular scalp massage!
After my wash, I was taken to Lexi’s chair. I asked her to only trim the ends as I’m growing my hair out. I also like long layers. She did exactly as I had asked! She wasn’t rushed and took her time to make my cut perfect.
I first discovered Black Stones about a year ago. I’ve been seeing Lexi ever since and will continue to visit every eight weeks to keep up my healthy hair routine! Thanks Lexi!

I will never go anywhere else to get my hair done ever again. I repeat. I will NEVER go anywhere else to get my hair done EVER again. Blackstones is absolutely amazing!!! Right from the get-​go, everyone makes you feel at ease, and the vibe is so laid back and relaxed. You know you’ll be in good hands from the second you walk in the door.
Christie is my hair’s tattooed fairy godmother. She’s a gem! She’s super cool, really listens to you, and is absolute artist with scissors and color. I made the mistake of going to a different salon in a spur of the moment decision to go blonde, and ended up a bleachy brassy mess. Christie didn’t just fix it; She transformed it. It was basically magic.
So if you want to look amazing go to Blackstones. I seriously recommend you see Christie because the woman is a GENIUS, but honestly every stylist in there is fantastic.
Everyone who goes in comes out looking so. damn. good!

My hair has never looked better. Ever. Hannah is as talented as they get, and I’m so glad to have found her (via Unilocal reviews no less). I have naturally wavy hair, and Hannah knows just the way to bring out the best of it. She even taught me how to style my hair, and now getting ready has never been easier or faster. I really appreciate that she takes the time to examine my hair, listens to my needs and makes suggestions based on what she knows will effectively work. This was especially crucial while I grew out my bangs.
The Blackstones atmosphere is really laid back. I feel like I’m in a curiosities shop because the décor is so eccentric. They offer drinks during your appointment. The head massages during shampoos are heavenly. Cash tips only. Everyone I’ve encountered has been extremely kind and accommodating, even when I was running very late for my last appointment (thanks, F train).
After trying a few different salons and calling around to others (#bye pretentious upscale spots), I’m so glad to have found a place where I feel comfortable and a stylist who truly knows the craft.

I went into Blackstones to get a cut from the lovely Jamie and met the lovely Carla Naya Rombauer. I’m getting married in April and wanted to «brighten» my natural red hair. By «brighten,» I mean that I didn’t really know what I wanted. I was actually a bit nervous about doing any sort of partial painting… The last time I colored my hair was in undergrad and it wasn’t what you’d call «natural.» Carla kindly and patiently listened to my vague requests and transformed them into something that could actually be done. And done beautifully.
Carla listened and led me to where I wanted to go. She seemed to know what I wanted, even though I had a hard time describing what it was. I may not have known, but she sure did! From the start, I really trusted her. After chatting and reviewing some pics, we decided on a partial paint/​highlight and a gloss. We wanted to add pieces of lighter blond/​gold and pump-​up my natural red. I was excited and knew I was in good hands.
Carla is meticulous. She wants your color to be exactly what you want. She’s friendly, honest, attentive, and down to earth. The process was super comfortable. In the end, I looked in the mirror felt fantastic. The color was exactly what I wanted: natural, bright, sparkly. I felt like super-​me! I could not have been happier. I’ve received so many compliments. Carla is the best, I could not recommend her more highly. I can’t wait to go back!

I’m not a big review writer, nor do I want to spread the word too much so that appointments are more difficult to make here :), but I just felt like I had to share my wonderful experience at Blackstones. I had Brooke bring me back to bright buttery blonde (yaay). She was super efficient, analyzed my entire head and then gave me the results I was hoping for, while also being a total PLEASURE to chat with. I will Definitely be coming back to her regularly.
Then Maura did a wonderful cut — extreme attention to detail moving slowly & mindfully — listed to what I wanted, help tone down some odd grown out bangs, and gave me a fabulous cut that still makes my hair look just as long (only very healthy now). I am so happy with both. I always aim for variations of the same cut and color, so I’d say I have a large enough sample size of hair experiences to really identify good people & experiences. I can’t wait to come back here. I am also completely leaving out the wonderful atmosphere. I had a deer & a bear oversee my haircut from the wall, which was just the icing on the cake. Thank you guys!

I just moved to the city and was worried about getting a haircut by a new hairdresser, but after reading amazing reviews of Blackstones, I just had to try it.
First off– the environment was SO cool. Very relaxed, laid back, and just all around interesting. My hairdresser, Hannah, was so sweet and knew EXACTLY what I wanted (I have really long, somewhat coarse hair) and just wanted to clean up the edges and have more body. Not only that, the woman who washed my hair gave me an awesome hair mask that she left in for 5 minutes to help my dry damaged hair (for free)!! They also both gave me tips on how to keep my hair healthy in the winter and just in general and were both so fun to hang with.
Hannah & company did an amazing job and I will DEFINITELY be returning.

My stylist was Pooja who came highly recommended by a girlfriend who has fabulous hair. She’s amazing and is extremely knowledgable about Afro texture kinky/​curly/​coily hair. I just relocated from Los Angeles and needed a new stylist and a good haircut. Pooja asked a lot of questions regarding my regimen, product uses, and how I style my hair. My hair is on the fine side and prone to breakage. She knew exactly how to care for it. I’m so happy that I’ve found Pooja. I walked out of the the salon and people were complimenting me on my hair all day. She’s an expert and know how to handle ALL hair types so whether you have straight, curly, wavy, or kinky hair, definitely see her, you won’t regret it.