Tomoko Shima

After having looked during three years for a good hair stylist in the UES, I finally had an excellent haircut! It was done by Mimi! She was wonderful and she went beyond my expectations, adjusting my request so that the cut can adjust to the features of my face. Wonderful! Thank you so much!

EDIT: I updated my review from 2 to 4 stars due to the kindness and professionalism of Tomoko, who offered to redo my haircut. I really appreciated how she kept me super informed throughout the cut, explaining what she was going to do and why, so that I was aware. She did a great job fixing the haircut, and I'm much happier with it now! -- Unfortunately I didn’t read the reviews on this place before I booked my head spa, cut and color with Mig. He was friendly but the cut was regrettably just bad. The "long layers" he cut me were completely uneven, but because of the blowout I couldn’t tell until I got home. You can tell how choppy the "layers" are in the picture. The head spa also was pretty mid, basically an overpriced shampoo & wash..

I'm very picky when it comes to hair cuts. Due to some not to great experiences I just trim my hair myself, and once ever couple years ill get a regretable cut at a salon. My mom had been seeing Mara for a while and convinced me to let her cut my hair... and omg it was the best haircut I have had in many years!! She listened to exactly what I wanted (lots of blended layers on my very wavy hair) and it came out perfectly, so much so I went back to her for my second and third cut. She will be the only person cutting my hair For the foreseeable future, totally worth the 90 minute commute!

I’ve been returning to see Tomoko at her salon for my Step- Bone Haircut for several years now because of the perfection of the cut. Tomoko is highly skilled and knows the best cut for your hair type, length and what styles best fit with your face shape. She also offers a scalp treatment and headspa, which is the most relaxing thing you can do. There’s also the option to examine your scalp if it’s your first time there. The place is small but so serene. The products the salon uses are top of the line -many of which are flown in from Japan. If you drive, there’s typically street parking if you can spend a few minutes looking before your appointment.

I’ve been going here for several years for my twice a year step bone cut, and I love this place! The quality of both the service and the haircut is very good and consistent. I only need to go twice a year because my hair shape stays even after months without a haircut. Tomoko is very professional and I can tell that she put a lot of care to the entire process — from the shampooing to the drying — more than several other hairdressers that I tried out in NYC before I found her. She is also very friendly and kind, which is a rare find for services in NYC. Thank you, Tomoko — keep it up!

I booked the new designer's cut (guess his name was Mig) and it was the worst experience ever. He dropped the scissors and brushes every minutes, not organized at all. Spent almost an hour for the blowdry, doesnt know how to use a dryer for the blowdry. My hair was uneven, i went different hair salon and the designer was so surprised and asked if I paid for this haircut. (Please see attached photo for how uneven it was. I straightened my hair to see the unevenness) I wonder if the owner hired him after watching him do any haircut. So disappointed.

I absolutely love Tomoko shima salon! The headspa plus a blowout and style is my go-to way to relax and look great before a special event and I’ve had lovely headspa experiences with many different stylists at the salon. I highly recommend Tomoko and Grace for keratin treatments! The vegan smoothing treatment makes my hair look great and doesn’t have terrible fumes or toxic ingredients like other straightening treatments. They are true experts and help me customize it to keep my curls but lose the frizz! My hair looks so much better and healthier since I’ve been a client of Tomoko shima! I highly recommend them for beautiful hair and happier, healthier scalps!