Note: I'm updating this review; I initially wrote it in January '08 (I think), and I'm now updating in September '08, after having had a total of three haircuts.
INITIAL REVIEW (Jan. '08):
I spent a considerable amount of time researching stylists/studios that are good with wavy/curly hair, and I'm so happy with my decision to go to James Joseph Studio and get a cut with a senior stylist.
First of all, the stylist seemed like a genuinely nice person, which is just a bonus given her styling expertise. When it came time for the cut, she asked a lot of questions about my hair and how I usually treat it. Though she sort of apologized for asking so many questions (it really wasn't that many), I was glad she was so concerned with giving me a cut suited to ME, and not just assuming my hair was like everyone else's. It was really evident that she knows hair -- knows how it works, knows how to treat it, etc. AND here's the great thing: I can do it myself!
All in all, I got a fantastic haircut from an excellent stylist.
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UPDATE (Sept. '08):
The prices seem to be steadily rising at James Joseph Studio -- my first cut was $60, a few months later it was $70, and a few months later it was $75. While paradoxically, it seems that the subsequent cuts weren't quite as great as the first one -- the one that was the least expensive! I felt I received a lot of attention on my first visit, which was really great, but on subsequent visits I felt less attention was paid. I don't expect a stylist to remember everything about my particular hair type, but I do feel I was kind of given a more generic, less tailored cut on the second and third visits. I'm not sure yet whether I'll return for a fourth visit; I'm considering seeking out someplace new.
Pros: convenient location on Newbury, great haircut on first visit
Cons: rising prices, quality of initial haircut not matched on subsequent visits
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