Salon Monet

I regret having to leave this review, however, I need to ensure that I am honest about what’s happened to my hair. I have been all natural since 2014, and for the past decade, I would get the occasional silk press from different stylists back home - and when washed, my hair would revert back to the coily texture. I recently moved to Boston and was looking for a stylist and tried Salon Monet. Although they are very nice and cordial, my hair, which I have kept healthy and trimmed for years, started to fall out in chunks a week later. I asked for a silk press, and somehow, when I had it washed again by a new stylist, they told me that my hair was now permanently straight, as if someone put a perm in it. My hair is now permanently straight, after years of commitment to preserving it, and of course it’s falling out in chunks. I’m not 100% sure of what all was put in my hair at Salon Monet, but I am sure that my hair is now permanently straight and no longer thick, healthy, or naturally curly anymore 😞. It just doesn’t make any sense why my hair texture is GONE and my edges are thin after just one appointment here. If you have African American hair (natural) I would recommend being very careful about asking for a silk press here. Maybe it means something else up here - but where I’m from, we LOVE our natural hair. It feels like I was robbed of it after a decade of being perm-free.

I gave two stars because both the salon and Shelly were nice. However I think more description is needed under the services. I booked a wash and go with Shelly. In every other salon I’ve been to and in natural hair videos, a wash and go means washing and detangling the hair, then using some type of curl defining cream or gel to define the curls, and then either sitting under the dryer or using a diffuser to let the curls set. Shelly did none of that, and there seemed to be some miscommunication or lack of understanding around a wash and go. After my wash and cut, Shelly asked if I wanted to wear my hair out. I was confused because I’ve never booked a wash and go that literally meant wash and go. I kept trying to describe a wash and go, and asked her to use some type of curl defining cream. Shelly stated that she put leave in conditioner but then said she could add some curling cream. I then thought we were on the same page but she proceeded to just add a bit of curling cream to my hair, no attempts to define my curls, twisted it into 4 big chunks and then untwisted it and set me under the dryer for 10 minutes (I asked to go under dryer). I basically paid $90 for her to wash and cut my hair, no styling. I ended up doing a twist out (twisting and sitting under my dryer) on my hair when I got home. The trim itself became more of a haircut. Luckily I’m not too concerned about length as it will grow back. However, Shelly asked how much hair I’d liked trimmed and we agreed on an inch. After washing my hair, the detangling was a bit rough. I have pretty thick natural hair, and a lot of single strand knots due to needing a trim, which I explained. She detangled as she trimmed, using a brush and kind of yanking through my hair. It ended up being more like 3 inches of hair cut rather than an inch as she went back in and cut a bit more after the initial trim. Overall I would not go back for any type of natural hair styling service. I’d maybe go back for braids as I had a great experience with Josette last year when she did my knotless braids.

Salon Monet, located on Newbury Street in Boston, stands out as an exceptional hair salon renowned for its expertise in African American and curly hair. But their mastery doesn’t stop there; they cater to all hair types with equal excellence. The owner, Shellee Mendes and the stylists at Salon Monet have an extensive understanding of different hair types and are adept at recommending styles and treatments that work best for each individual. Salon Monet combines this outstanding service with great prices, making it a favorite choice among Boston locals and visitors alike. Whether you’re looking for a simple cut, color transformation, or specialized treatment, Salon Monet comes highly recommended for its quality and affordability.

Update: why do you argue with everyone who leaves you a bad review and try to discredit them? I just saw her response but it wouldn't let me reply. I got charged $400 it was $500 with the tip. I requested no additional services and it's dishonest of you to say that. You wanted me come back because I left several shades different than what I requested and I didn't because you would've argued again. Please don't lie on here because you the price you told me at the beginning was what was on your website, what you charged me was way more. Wouldn't recommend shellee. Showed her what I wanted and got something else. She told me to come back and then was really argumentative and back and forth with me because it just wasnt what I asked for. Now I'm stuck with hair that I paid $500 for and have to either go back to her to maybe get it right and fix it or go to someone new and pay more. Really dissatisfied. Her website also showed one price but in reality she charged me way more than what she told me at first.

Very pleased with my service. Shellee is talented & thoughtful. She really cares about the health of my hair. My color and styling looked so good my family thought I had a wig on, lol.This was my second visit here and I am so happy with my hair. ❤️

I have no malicious intent in posting this review but I do hope to help future clients make decisions that are best for them and help the salon be its best. I visited this salon for the first time in November of 2023. I made an appointment for a silk press, My hair was cleansed and conditioned quickly, I was then placed under a blow dryer, my hair was not combed/or brushed and I believe my hair only dried for about 30 -35 mins. A hot comb was taken to my hair without a detangling or brushing or a check to see if my hair was dry. Then my hair was straightened with a flat iron. When I left the salon my hair did not feel or look like it had been straightened, it felt dry, and although it had body, it looked like it was blown out style with minimal smoothing. My hair reverted back within a day, which is not typical for my hair,even when I flat iron it at home during the summer months. I am not sure if there was a miscommunication, but I showed a photo of something I would like, and in the photo the hair had body, perhaps I should have clarified that I still wanted a silk press(that's on me). My hair is natural with no chemical treatments, and it is generally healthy. I noticed that my hair had breakage in the crown portion of my hair( which for me is the most fragile section of my hair and takes the longest to dry). I have waited a couple of months to observe if this breakage was happening because of something I was doing or something else that may have been going on with my hair. Unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion that the breakage likely( "likely" because there is really no way to know with 100% confidence) took place after the hot comb was applied to partially wet hair. I am not sure if she was in a rush that day, but I was so disappointed by my experience and by the care my hair recieved. I am certain folks have had a great experience with this salon, and maybe the rush of the holidays could be to blame, but I had chosen this salon because I was told that the health of the hair was of the utmost importance. That was not what I experienced. I have given this review one star rather than none at all because the stylists and the receptionist were all very welcoming and kind.

I went in for a trim and came out with an extremely short uneven cut; about 10 inches of curly hair cut down to 2.5 inches. (While this is an estimate, I have pictures that evidence the extreme difference in length and unevenness of the August 24 "trim".) The negativity of experience was exacerbated by the stylist not being on time, doing something short of a real shampooing, and not cleaning my neckline after giving me an extremely short cut. While your response doesn’t reflect the actual experience, I won’t refute all the inaccuracies. However, I must add that my hair was visibly uneven. I have and will decide whether to post pictures. What I’ve noticed from other bad reviews is you find a way to make it sound good without addressing the real issues or owning your mistakes.