*Curly hair review* Fringe is curl heaven! I always wear my hair curly and I HATE it when I go to a salon and get my hair cut and the stylist insists on blow drying my hair straight! It's like they don't want to acknowledge that my hair is curly! But Fringe is not one of those salons. Lauren listened to exactly what I wanted an gave me all kinds of tips to care for my curls! I had the best experience and my curls were treated with the utmost respect! It's well worth the trip to Salem from Boston. read more

It is always a pleasure to go to Fringe. I have recently relocated from Brookline to Marblehead and was planning on going back to Brookline for my hair, but then my wonderful stylist left the business so it just made sense to find someone in my new neighborhood. I asked around (mostly fellow curly haired friends) and every one of them recommended Fringe. Best suggestion ever. I started off going to Kathleen who is lovely, did a great job, listened to what I wanted and gave me a few great haircuts...and then went out on maternity leave. I was going to need a few cuts in her absence, so made an appointment with Lauren. She also killed it. Both are attentive, sweet and talented. I never wait, never feel rushed and always feel way better when I leave than I do when I arrived. Today, after spilling my 1,000 reasons for feeling stressed, Lauren gave me an extra long and extra wonderful head massage and even pulled Ruth in for a hand massage at the same time. It was delightful. And my haircut? Excellent. I've been using Deva products even prior to going to Fringe, but Lauren has taught me some tricks and helped me figure out just which products I should use including the how and when. I cannot recommend Lauren or Kathleen highly enough. And, not for nothing, when Kathleen returned and I was heading to Lauren's chair I did not feel at all awkward...and I credit Kathleen with being so professional. A great salon, plenty of parking, fairly priced, talented stylists. Win win win. read more

Fringe is an incredible place. When it was less than 3 weeks before my wedding and I was scrambling to find a place for my sisters and I to get our hair done after someone else canceled, Fringe came to the rescue. The space alone is enough to make me want to go back...it's so cool! Everyone was so accommodating and friendly, too. Kathleen worked with me on the front end figuring out a price that would still work within my budget and John and Desaray did an AMAZING job working with each of us to get whatever desired look we were after, which definitely varied (some wanted up, some down; my sisters have straight hair but I have curly...) I had a family heirloom for a head piece that required some creativity to work out, but John made me look/feel like a queen while still keeping my natural curls and making me feel authentic to who I am. Thank you so very much! I wholeheartedly recommend Fringe Salon. read more

I had never heard of a "dry" cut and was a little nervous but what perfectionists they are. After my cut I got my color done and when I left I had an incredible new hairdo. The entire staff are awesome and so helpful catering to your needs. You know the feeling when your hair looks great but when you do it yourself it's not at all how they did it? Well 2 weeks after I had it done it looks the same as when I walked out. Awesome isn't a good enough to describe my experience or the staff read more

I almost never write reviews here on yelp but after the amazing hair color that I got at Fringe last week, I decided I needed to do so. Let me start off first by saying that I've been having my hair dyed black for years, and decided a few months ago that I desperately needed a change. I wanted to go copper (color of a penny) and when I consulted with John (who has been doing an awesome job cutting my hair for years) and he told that I may not be able to get it to exactly the color red that I wanted in fear that it would destroy my hair, I was a little bummed out, but totally understood. Well, not wanting me to walk out without being totally happy with the color that I wanted, John and his assistant spent hours doting over my hair, making sure that it did not get fried in the process of lifting the color out. So, about four hours later, after tediously working on my hair, I was SO stoked to see that my hair had come out exactly the color that I wanted! Totally did not expect to see that!! I was beyond thrilled, and still am. I have gotten tons of compliments on my hair from friends and co-workers. :) I don't know why some people comment on here saying that they mostly cater to curly hair, because it isn't true. Over the years, I have had many different style haircuts and have always been beyong satisfied with all of them. If you haven't already, you should totally go check this place out!! read more

I have been a client of Fringe for several years. My color is very specific and requires a decent amount of maintenance and they nail it every time! I'm a big fan of the staff--Lauren, Kathleen and Adriana are always helpful, friendly and accommodating especially when i need to squeeze in a last minute appointment for photo shoots and performances etc. If you live on the North Shore and are looking for a new hairdresser I highly recommend any of the ladies at Fringe (and the owner John is fabulous too of course!!!) These guys are superstars! read more

I had been struggling to find a new salon after my former stylist moved and came upon Fringe. When I called they were very accommodating and I was able to make an appointment right away. My stylist was Vanessa, and she was fantastic. I had not had a good cut in months and I was looking for something different. I wanted some direction, and she asked lots of questions so I could get the right cut for my hair type. Vanessa is a great stylist and I have already scheduled my next appointment. read more

Kudos to this fantastic and funky North Shore Salon! They pay homage to the curly-haired culture. The friendly and accommodating staff encourage you to embrace and enhance that crazy mop on your head through proper care and product use...and, of course a great cut by expert stylist John. There were also quite a few clients with straight hair - so regardless of your style, head over to Fringe Salon for a great hair experience. read more

Have been to this salon twice. Both times I have got my haircut by John. The first time the cut is more expensive, but John gave me a break. The second time is cheaper. The first time I went in I chopped off a good amount of hair. My hair was past my shoulders and I cut it to right under my chin. I have never gone so short but I wanted a change and it looked really cute curly ( I have curly hair !) As the cut grew out I still enjoyed the look, I actually liked how it look better. He took a lot of time cutting my hair and did a dry method, which is useful because you get to see how short he is going and you can be a part of the experience. I have not colored here, but I am willing to try. He seems artistic and good with color. Price is spendy, but you have to pay to get a good cut, and if you get John you don't necessarily have to tip because he is the owner. read more

I really like Fringe, Adrianna does a great job cutting my difficult curly hair. The only thing that is making this a 4 star review is the time it takes for a cut- I have longish hair and it takes about 2 hours for a cut. Every time I've been in for a cut I notice they schedule another cut for my stylist to start while I'm under the hair drying hood. I end up abandoned under the hood while another cut happens, then they finish me up when they bring the other person to the hood. It's hard for me to find the time for a Fringe appointment, but it is worth it when I do. read more

I had a pretty awful experience at Fringe. I decided to try Fringe after a co worker recommended the salon. I had my hair cut and styled and was overall happy with the result. The next time I needed a cut, I did not hesitate to book with Fringe again. This time I was looking for the same cut and also some coloring (ombre). Upon booking the appointment, I specifically asked for an experienced color stylst who had done ombre color and was confident she could do it well on my dark brown hair. I was reassured that the specific stylist was very experienced. Ugh, they were SO wrong. After nearly 4 hours, I left with spotty, uneven, over-processed color that looked like chunky home highlights. It was so bad, that when I got home my husband said it looked so awful and cheap. I was so disappointed. The next day, I went to work and all my collegues said how horrible the color was. I quickly called the salon and explained I was not happy. They invited me to come in that evening to get it "fixed." When I arrived, the owner was there to look over the color. Instead of being apologetic, he praised the color and asked me if I "knew the meaning of ombre." I showed him the missed spots (I looked like a cheetah) and the orange/bleach marks. He immediately gave me attitude and said he thought it "looked fine." I told him that I wasn't being picky, that others had agreed it looked nothing like ombre, but he brushed me off. The stylist seemed sorry and worked really hard to try to correct the color, but it took forever and I was there until 11pm. I was grateful that she was so willing to fix it, but I was frustrated that it had to be fixed in the first place. The owner left before she was even finished and never came over to check the progress of the new color. They also never offered to refund me my money, which at over $200 for the cut and color, you'd think they'd have better customer service. In the end, the ombre never looked professional and I couldn't wait for my hair to grow out so I could cut off the color. I will never go back to Fringe and do not recommend it to anyone. This salon thinks they are competing with the Boston Salon market, but they are all just amateurs. read more

I have been going here for close to a year, it's a game changer. John is an artist! He gives me a fantastic dry cut every time. The team in the shop is friendly and responsive. I wouldn't say it is cheap, but you get what you pay for...I rather pay a few extra bucks to have the best cut I can get. I was referred here by colleagues and would recommend this shop to anyone!! read more

Made a last minute appointment and they were able to take me. I got there and they were very attentive to me. You could tell they like to make you have a nice, relaxing, pampered experience. My stylist was Mariah and she was super sweet, and really easy to talk to! I just went in for a cut and told her I trusted her judgement. It came out beautifully and I was really happy with it, even though the price was a little steep (45). Will definitely return for my next cut! read more

I went to Fringe and saw Adriana for about two years. It was an average salon and an average hair cut and was the same price as what I used to spend on Newbury Street. But I continued to go there because Adriana was nice and the salon was close by and I have straight, shoulder length hair - pretty basic. The last time I went there, Northshore Magazine was in the process of choosing their "Best of North Shore" small businesses. I am a big fan of BONS and go out of my way to vote for truly exceptional businesses (as fellow Yelpers, I'm sure whoever's reading this knows where I'm coming from). Anyway, Fringe had a laptop set up and after every client was finished, the stylists shuffled their clients over to the laptop and insisted they vote for Fringe (it wasn't merely a check box to vote, you actually had to write something). I declined to vote, saying I didn't have time, but they kept pushing it. I still refused, said I'd vote at home, but the whole situation was seriously off-putting. And the fact was, I didn't want to vote! I think they're far from exceptional and I wasn't going to do it. Well, a few months later, the magazine came out and guess who was named "Reader's Choice BONS"? Yep, you got it. It's dishonest, but I'm sure they'll be getting lots of new clients as result of this. I, however, will never return. read more

To start I'll say that I'm a curly girl with a long history of bad haircuts and feeling like a poodle. Never in my life have I left a salon without having to go home wash and restyle my hair just to see what the cut actually looked like-until now! Kathleen from Fringe not only sat with me and made me feel heard, but gave me an amazing dry cut based on how I style, what I was looking for, and my personality! She explained each and every step along the way and I can recreate her styling at home with no issues at all! The salon is beautiful, pristinely clean, and has a soothing mellow vibe. The entire staff is friendly and sweet, and a wash and cut includes a hand massage, scalp massage and lip gloss touch up. Sure the price is higher but not at all unreasonable and worth every single penny. Couldn't be happier, I'll definitely be back. read more

i've just had a haircut by adriana at fringe salon, and honestly, this has been the best salon experience i have had outside of boston. as soon as you arrive, you are greeted by the hip staff and clientele at fringe. the receptionist is quick to assist you with a smock, and have you seated while waiting for your stylist. the shop's owner, john, graciously and excitedly greets you, and takes a look at your style of hair, deciding along with your stylist, what cut would suit you. all of this preparation and examination is well worth it. adriana took the time to understand my hair type, as well as my daily routine. she asked what type of cut i would like, and whether there was anything in particular i would like to keep or have go. at the end of an hour experience, including a dry cut, a wash, and a wet cut, i was extremely happy with the intricate details of my pixie cut. i will not hesitate to return to fringe. what wonderful, fun service. read more

So, I normally dont ask anybody to help me with anything and like to do everything myself, but...I needed help with this one. This salon stands out from the many that I have experienced bringing my clients to. I entered only to inquire about the possibilities and left "all fixed" like I hadnt experienced 10 years of intense stress and 29 years of sadness. The owner, John, saw me reading the "menu" and greeted me immediately, knowing exactly what to do with my mess. I didnt feel like a french friend potato when I left. I felt like I used to before life took its toll. They pamper you like you are in a spa and make you feel like you are the only customer in the place:) I just went in for an estimate of the damages and came out with a brand new car! (so to speak). A really nice girl named Jen offered a hand treatment massage for my cracked, rough peely hands. I was offered something to drink and if I would like something to read while I waited for magic to take place. These people are kind, talented and very professional. They know what people want and need without communication. Scarey, .... but true ! Great place, unique and highly recommended. read more

I just moved to the area and chose Fringe based on all the positive reviews on Yelp. I needed an appointment ASAP and they were able to find once for me a few days later with a "junior stylist." The atmosphere is pretty run down and disorganized and the cut I got was okay, although I had a burned scalp that hurt for days from the unsuccessful blowout after the cut and have to style my hair to hide the longer-length pieces that were missed in the bangs. read more

I am 62 years old...and this is the FIRST time in my life I have found a hair stylist that has made me love my curly hair.....John is fabulous....what a gift to my self esteem......I am an author and workshop leader....I am in front of people all the time...feeling confident about my appearance is a must......THANK YOU JOHN..... read more

I wanted to love Fringe. Looks cool. Kinda funky. Nice enough. But in the end, I think they are a little to hung up on how great they think they are and lack the critical components of customer service and skill. Back to Newbury Street! read more

Fringe Salem is the best salon I've ever been to, and I've been to a lot. As a curly girl I have tried several stylists and methods, but John is by far the best. Adriana is also extremely talented and everyone who leaves their appointment leaves looking good. read more

A friend of mine told me about John at Fringe. Her curly hair looked great when he started styling it. My old stylist wanted me to blow my curls out and flat iron it, and it just didn't work, plus it was damaging my hair. I could never make it look like her blowouts. John taught me how to take care of my curls naturally and gave me a great cut that's effortless to care for. Now strangers come up to me to tell me how great my hair looks. I wish I had found him years ago. I would recommend him to anyone with curly hair. He also did a great job correcting my color. If you have curly hair, get in to Fringe. read more

Not bad but I don't think they do a lot of men's cuts. Cool place, great service, just not the best place for a men's cut. Too bad I can't find a barber shop run like this place. read more

John, owner of Fringe Salon, has been my stylist for the past 6 years. He cut my hair at various Boston salons and always talked about opening his own place to do things his way. He accomplished his goal by opening his hip "industrial chic" salon on Pickering Wharf in Salem. It really is a bit of Newbury St. in Salem but without the attitude. John and his staff are friendly and welcoming and take the time to talk to you about your hair. While John has lots of expertise in curly hair, he can do it all and he is doing a great job in recruiting other talented stylists to the shop. There is a nice selection of products available for sale but you're not pushed to buy. I recommend you try it out and if you're going to be a regular, ask about the Fringe Benefits card, which entitles you to a free service after purchasing ten. read more

What an arrogant, unprofessional person John is. I went to this salon to get feather extensions on thursday june 9th, he says he would guarante them for a week, I paid 50 dollars, tipped 10, all was well, the very next morning they fell out, went back tuesday to have put back in, i re-tipped, they fell out again the next day, i asked for a partial refund, he refused, but advised he would come in early today saturday and he would fix them, He told me to be there at 830, i was, he wasnt. he strolls in at 9, throws 25 dollars in my face and walked away, i asked if that meant he wasnt fixing them, he says, i dont want to deal with it, your done.......really???? I was beside myself. I didnt get a, sorry I'm late, I didnt get an explanation, just a portion of what i paid literally thrown at me like I was a peasant,. I wouldnt recommend anyone going there, not if they have an self respect. read more

Lauren Lombardi has been doing my hair for years; I have extremely curly thick hair and she is the only person who has ever been able to style and color it to my liking. When I decide to lighten it every now and again she does it with ease and somehow makes it look natural. She is also extremely fast and efficient when it comes to blow drying my hair. If you have curly dark hair and your looking for a change, she is your woman!! read more

I have been going to Adrianna for years now :) Both my young daughters have now had their haircuts with her and her skills never cease to please me. I love Fringe and loooooooove Adrianna. I also really like the Deva products used here. My most recent haircut has been complimented so many times and is so easy to style that I had to come back and review them again! read more

Fun vibe, great location. Got a brow wax and brow tint from Laurie, and loved it. Will be going back for other waxing needs.

This place was great...when I made the appointment, they asked me what kind of hair I had in order to prepare. The girl who cut my hair was wonderful...asked what kind of products I usually used, and taught me how to better care for my curly hair. The place had a great vibe and was playing good music the whole time I was there. The only problem I had was that, on the website, haircuts are listed as "$25 and up". When I checked out, I found out that the $25 really only referred to guys' haircuts. My cut, because I'm a girl and had curly hair, ended up being $50. Wonderful wonderful place, but a little pricey for me...I don't know if I'd go back unless I was doing another drastic cut like I did today. (I got about 10 inches cut off!) read more

Kathleen was awesome!! I just went for the first time, and was pleasantly surprised that they were cutting my hair dry. It makes so much sense. She did a killer job. I highly recommend! read more

My new favorite place, great work, affordable, friendly. I am always nervous getting my hair done, so many past bad experiences but this place was awesome, loved it !!! Highly recommend. read more

I came to Fringe excited and feeling pretty confident that I would have a good experience. They have a number of very positive Yelp reviews. Their pictures on their FB page looks great! I saw a woman leave as I entered and her hair looked great! My own experience was so frustrating. My stylist seemed like she was in a bad mood or something- she didn't talk to me much other than to try to sell me a bunch of their products throughout my time there. It does take awhile to cut and highlight hair, but I was there for over 3 hours, and it was REALLY expensive for a junior stylist (about $70-$80 more than I have paid at other, excellent salons). The cut was decent, but the color was really, really disappointing. I asked for highlights to brighten up my dark blonde hair, and got color that was the exact shade of the dark part of my roots (basically I paid a LOT of money for my hair to look exactly like it does naturally). When the stylist knew that I wasn't satisfied, she proceeded to gaslight me- she told me my ends were too bright from previous highlights (they are not), that maybe if I stood in different lighting I would like my hair, and she stood there staring at me like I was crazy. She offered to "fix it" but she never acknowledged that my hair was darker rather than brighter- instead she tried to make me feel wrong about my own hair. When the owner knew that I was unhappy his comment was that my hair looked good. That's not the appropriate response to disappointed customer. This whole experience just felt icky. read more

I found this place purely by accident while walking along the wharf and shopping when I saw the Deva-Curl brand in the window. I had ordered it online for my delicately curly hair, loved it, but never knew there was a place nearby that carried it. Lured in by the product, I found out that the salon had John, who was Deva-trained and specialized in curly hair, so I made an appointment. My first experience there was not a disappointment! John made my hair look great and he helped to coax out the curl in the middle of February! That haircut lasted me nearly a year before the split ends started. I went back the end of December and John cut my hair again, this time giving it a little more shape (and 'banglets) and once again made my hair look amazing. I cannot recommend this salon enough! The prices are excellent and the Staff is friendly and energetic. read more

Oh my god, I'm in LOVE with this salon! I've never been to a salon that was so friendly, warm and welcoming. I am also a curly girl and John did an amazing job cutting my hair. He is like an artist and I love that he dry cuts your hair. Adrianna did an awesome job styling my hair. She took her time explaining how to use the products and how to use clips to make my hair fuller at the top. I will definitely be back there, no doubt about it! I highly recommend! :) read more

Had a great cut there on Saturday - a dry cut (which I was a little worried about at first becuase on TV shows about hair they always talk about how these are hard to do). Great atmosphere, nice staff. My cut looks great the next day, too - which is a bonus. read more

I had been to Fringe three times since March, and I can't say enough about my experiences with Adriana there. The first time I was in, I told her I wanted bangs but wasn't sure. She suggested that since I was still apprehensive, that she do a cut without a bang, and once I learned the techniques of dealing with curly hair (all of which are amazingly helpful and have made my hair look awesome!) I could get a better idea of how bangs would look. A few weeks later, I ended up deciding to go for it, so I went back and she cut them for free, telling me anytime I needed a trim, just stop by and she'd do them free of charge. She's just a sweetheart and makes every visit enjoyable. Nobody at the salon has ever tried to sell me anything; they tell me what products they're using, but don't make me feel like I need them. I've also never ever been asked to write a good yelp review for them, which I see some people have written. Some people complain about the price, and while it is more than I personally have ever paid for a cut, it's much better than Boston salons in price and in service. read more

I have had my hair cut a few times by Lauren now, and every time she has done a great job both of cutting and styling my hair as well as making me feel right at home. I have never been good at describing what I want my hair to look like, but she did a great job last time of taking my obscure ramblings and translating them into exactly the look I was going for. I hope this place is around for as long as I am in Salem. read more

I am so happy that I read a great facebook post from a friend recommending Fringe Salon. I really wanted to find a place that was local but had the qualities of a Newbury Street salon. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. John was creative and meticulous. What a team! John asked me what I was looking for and when I said that I was open he went to town. I received a fabulous trendy haircut and color. It has been three weeks and I still receive compliments on my new look. read more

John at Fringe is a master at creating style out of curly hair. Not only does he cut curly hair properly (dry cut) but he has the vision to style it. As anyone with curly hair will know, it's almost impossible to impose a mainstream style on curls. John has a great sense of shape and line. The remaining staff and stylists are always lovely and cheerful. Fringe is a great experience; no reason to go to Boston. read more

Ok - it's been two months since my cut/style with John and have followed the recommendations he and staff provided. The results are in and they're beyond anything I'd ever hoped for -- it's unbelievable. The condition of my hair has never been better and I've found my own way with my how to best manage things. It's the first time in my life I actually LOVE my hair and think it's the best - it actually looks like one of those part wave/part straight/part curly styles I know can be time consuming and cost a few bucks. I feel lucky! If you've hated your hair and want a way out, I definitely say you should go to Fringe. read more