I’ve been in Boston about 11 years, and I still love the feeling of walking up and down Newbury St. and exploring old favorites and new finds. I’d stroll, shop, dine with friends and family, and get in some style/people watching in and grab a treat or a coffee while I went along. I checked out several-time Best of Boston winner Salon Eva Michelle at the invitation of the Newbury Street League, and LOVED it. I’m dishing more about my experience below, but I do think I’ve found my new salon home in Boston. Readers, if you’re in Boston, Salon Eva Michelle is giving you a chance to try them out too: mention me and use the promo code BlueBoots20 for 20% off of your first time service there. Now, let’s get to the story and I’ll show you how my experience went :).

I also used to get my hair cut on Newbury Street, but once my stylist moved to Rhode Island, I was left in the lurch and have been hopping around for the last few years. Newbury Street League invited me to explore a new-to-me salon and while I jumped at the opportunity because, well, my hair needed some major love, there’s a B I G reason as to why I was nervous about trying a new salon.

My last hair cut was over a year ago (yes, I ran a poll over on my Instagram stories to see how often you thought I got my hair cut, and some of you – bless you – thought I still got trims every 3 months).

Why so long? My last cut left me in tears – I won’t say where, because accidents happen sometimes, but it was the most expensive cut I’d ever gotten, and the stylist lobbed off 6 inches when I wanted a trim – she had a head cold and I discovered after it was too late that she couldn’t hear me properly (I opened my eyes, and the length was gone from one side – at that point, what could I do? The other side had to go too). After my cut, I had to put on a brave face and go to an important networking event, all the while not feeling like myself.

So, while I was excited for some hair TLC, you can understand if I was a little raw from the last experience. A busy 2017-2018 year with work left me with little time to schedule hair appointments, and I was still reeling from the most recent experience, so I just ignored my hair. The week before my appointment at Salon Eva Michelle, I noticed split ends, and I was glad I had made time to take care of my ‘do.

I arrived for my cut and met Tina, my stylist. I instantly liked her – we had a lot to talk about. She asked me what I wanted to do with my hair, and I told her what I usually wanted: shorter length for summer, a couple inches below the shoulder, with the ability to still put my hair up, with movement and interest, and I like to bring out my natural waves. No bangs – I’ve learned bangs are too high-maintenance for my current lifestyle.

She said she understood completely, we made a plan, and she kept me involved with what she was going to do. I told her that I hadn’t gotten a cut in over a year, and explained why, and she made sure I was totally comfortable and we were clear with the style both beforehand and as we went. It was wonderful, and I felt at ease. Tina is a low-maintenance gal herself (a perfect match, right?) and recognized the kind of cut and style I needed to fit my lifestyle, and did it.

The best part of a haircut is a tie between the shampooing and head massage and the way one feels after a great style blow out. Gareth washed my hair and I was relaxed: it was a great way to start. Plus, he was fun to chat with!

Salon Eva Michelle - Boston, MA - Newbury Street League - BlueBootsGo — I’m digging this head-scarf look inspiration – what do you think??

Tina cut my hair wet to establish length, then fine-tuned it dry with detailing to keep the look soft. Finally, she styled with a light Oribe dry texturizing spray. I was worried about fragrance from styling products – not usually a concern, but sometimes I get headaches if there are too many fragrances. It was no problem to change from her usual styling and she was very considerate as she styled to make sure that I was fine. She didn’t need to use a lot of product because my medium-textured hair held up well.

The result was a cut I love that made me feel like ME again.

Here’s the BEFORE

and AFTER.

Tina calls the style, “Modern, lived in hair” and I love it!

I also got to meet Michelle (one half of the salon owners, Eva and Michelle) and she was really nice! I found out that they have an extensive training program for new stylists and assistants that takes 2-3 years, and they train the stylists themselves on Tuesdays. The fact that the owners are present and engaged in quality education really says a lot about the kind of business they run.

So, if you’re looking for a new spot, I recommend trying out Salon Eva Michelle. I had a great time, and felt listened to and like a different person walking out (hey, BlueBoots, where have you been? I missed you!) Boston friends, don’t forget, you can save 20% just by saying I referred you and giving them my code BlueBoots20 :-).

While I was invited to try Salon Eva Michelle for a complimentary service, my opinions here are my own, so thank you for reading and letting me share my experience with you – I hope it helps you if you’re looking for a new salon home!

Also, while I don’t color my hair, I’ll note that Tina often does color for her clients, so if you need a colorist, you can chat with her. Thank you to Newbury Street League for introducing us – check out their site and social media (IG, Facebook, Twitter) for updates on latest happenings on Newbury Street!