Laura is one of the rudest people I've met. I simply went in to ask about her services as I am new to the area and she had such negative energy, I felt unsettled. I spoke to a few of her neighbors and they felt the same way. Take your business to someone who is pleasant and can at least fake a smile. Shocked if she stays in business with her demeanor or lack of. read more

I'm extremely extremely disappointed with the "haircut" Olivia gave me. She clearly doesn't understand that hair comes in different textures. she spoke as if she understood my hair but was very wrong. I showed her an inspiration photo she barely looked at. 30 min for haircut and blow dry. Outcome was a disaster! 45 minutes she spent trying to fix the asymmetry she created by not following the instructions I gave for the haircut. It is so unflattering and flat. The back of the bang was cut shorter than the front! It does not do anything for my hair shape. I've never seen anyone so lazy with a blowout. I mentioned 4x I needed more body so she went flatter. She continued to do the opposite of what I asked. I refused to pay and did not tip her. I walked out in tears. I ended up having another salon fix this giant mistake. read more

Laura Braunstein - Inspiration (not a haircut from this salon) - Hair Salons Near Me - New York, New York

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Great spot! I highly recommend Tracey! She was thorough, efficient, and a great listener. I felt she heard what I wanted and really listened. It's also a great price for the result. read more

My stylist was a no-show at 11am on a Saturday. Received email confirmation on the appt. After waiting 30 min, I called twice and emailed. No one called me back to explain or apologize. As a working mom, it's really hard to find the time to color my hair. This was a huge disappointment and rude. read more

I wanted to go from long hair to a bob and needed a really good hairdresser. A friend recommended me Laura. I choose her and I am beyond pleased with the result. (The hair studio isn't particularly pretty, but it's the quality of the hair dresser that counts). read more

Laura Braunstein - Hair Salons Near Me - New York, New York

Friendly, tiny neighborhood place. I went for single color and asked for recommendations because - usually - colorists have a much better understanding of what needs to be done and what result is realistic. Instead of getting the brass out of my blonds, I'm now two tones darker (brassy) - absolutely not what we discussed. I have no idea how she would have been able to do single color anyway - the next customer showed up when they started washing my hair - which was a painful experience. Unfortunately, the lovely lady who washed the hair had stiletto-shaped nails, scraping my neck throughout the process. All together - not a pleasant experience. read more

I went to Laura Braunstein Hair Studio to have a single process hair color (just the roots) and a hair blowout with Olivia. I was expecting to pay $120 for both services as advertised online. However to my surprise I was charged $167.20. This sudden and significant price hike is Fraud. It appears to be a case of price gouging. read more

Laura was great! I received an excellent men's haircut, and she takes safety during COVID very seriously. This is absolutely going to be my go to for haircuts in the future. read more

I have had two very unpleasant encounters with this studio. Months ago, I went in and had a fine haircut. I went to pay (I was assured it was $65 on the phone) and they rang me up for $85. I asked them about the difference and they told me "oh, the stylist charges both amounts but we've already swiped your card and can't give you a refund. What??? I was upset but could do nothing about the situation. Today after booking an appointment online, I called to ask if I could come early. The staff couldn't find my name and told me that their online system "is weird" and that stylist isn't even there today. I asked if I could see another one but everyone else chared well over what I expected (and booked) to pay. This is their way to trick people into booking for a cheaper appointment and making them pay more once on site. I asked to cancel and went elsewhere. They will not be seeing me again. I encourage anyone to avoid a haircut here and find another salon, preferably more honest and upfront with their clientele. read more

Really unimpressed with this place. It felt more like a factory that I wasn't really welcome in. Not very friendly, chatty and super judgmental. And I hate my haircut and will have to drop another $100 to go have someone else do it properly. All around bad experience. I'd recommend looking elsewhere. read more

Lies and incompetence from start to finish. First I went for a regular single process/pull-through. I told Gizelle I wanted medium brown. She made it dark brown but said it would lighten. It didn't. When my roots were showing I saw Olivia, and she said she would match the roots with the rest. She left me sitting too long and the roots are a completely different shade. I emailed the salon and they said they would get back to me to schedule a color correction. They didn't; I had to call and email repeatedly. Then they told me I couldn't come in that Sunday. I checked their schedule, and there were available appointments. I asked them again to help me out. I spoke with Tracy, who said they would color correct my whole head, even though during our conversation she kept trying to put words in my mouth. When I came in, she said they would only color correct the roots. I said that wasn't what she said on the phone, and she said I was rude and they weren't going to do anything. So: incompetence? Check. Dishonesty? Check. Rudeness? I guess it's the pot calling the kettle black. read more

I recently moved to New York and was looking for a great hair salon- luckily I found it quickly with Laura Braunstein! I googled something along the lines of, "best hair salons in the UWS," and found this salon. Booking was easy, prices are competitive (especially by NY standards), and they specialize in blonde hair (but I'm sure they're great at all things hair). I've seen Dena and Tracey- both women were friendly, professional, and left me feeling great. The photo attached to this review is my hair by Tracey. Tracey really listened to what I wanted - I personally don't like warm blonde tones on myself and wanted to be much lighter. She hit it out of the park! I would suggest that if you book online for a color and would like a trim as well- be sure to book a color and trim. These women are very busy so need to plan time. I'm happy to have found this salon and will continue going! read more

Laura Braunstein - Hair Salons Near Me - New York, New York

Horrible highlights. The ends of my hair burned completely. Bad customer service. Doesn't deserve even one star. I wanted to get more dimensional balayage highlight and at the end I got what you see in the photo. Flat ugly yellow color in the bottom and dark on the top with brassy highlights on the top front of my hair. My hair is completely ruined. Called to complain and get a refund but Laura said I already bought the ticket!!!!!! No refunds!!! Wow unbelievable. Never going back there again. And even is she refunded the money it doesn't cover the damage she did to my hair. read more

Laura Braunstein - Balayage highlights!!!!! Lol - Hair Salons Near Me - New York, New York

This is the only salon I'll visit in the city!! I have been a loyal customer for three years and I won't go anywhere else. Their stylists always have the best advice for color and cuts. It's hard to find stylists who understand how to highlight/dye blonde hair well but every time I have gone (even visiting different stylists) it has been flawless!! I love getting to relax in their fun atmosphere with a glass of complimentary wine (what could be better?). I leave every time so happy, with my hair looking better than I could have imagined. Definitely recommend for blondes!!! read more

A-MA-ZING! really really really! Open late, specialty cocktail menu, trendy interior, incredible staff- feels like a 5 star speakeasy but really it's my new hair salon. Brand new gorgeous salon. They have a drink menu with specialty cocktails- I tried Fiery Ginger- GREAT. I went to Valerie. She did a fabulous job- I love my blonde!!!!!! Great blowout! She listened to what I wanted and delivered even more. She was so sweet and personable yet extremely professional. I would trust this girl with my long locks any day of the week. This is a high end salon experience without the normally pushy prima donna staff. I loved, loved, loved this experience and will be returning very soon! Ask for Val- she's your gal. read more

Laura Braunstein - Fiery Ginger Cocktail - Hair Salons Near Me - New York, New York

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It was my first time visiting this salon. I booked a double process with Olivia. Her consultation was great - She really tried to understand what I was looking for and what I didn't like about my previous coloring job at another salon. She checked in multiple times during the appointment to make sure I liked the direction we were going with my color. The salon was welcoming and friendly, not too loud or overcrowded with clients. Would happily give my experience 5 stars, but I'll wait until I've gone in for a haircut! read more

This place is one of the better places I've been to I moved to the city. I'm from upstate ny so I usually only see my forever hairstylist that my whole family goes to, but I really wanted to try somewhere in the city. I'm only giving 4 stars because I didn't get a cut and only went once. However for my first experience it was very pleasing and the price was very competitive-- also my hair came out amazing. Definitely coming back! read more

Had a wonderful experience with Olivia, who is incredibly talented, calm, kind, and knowledgeable. She asked all the right questions, and gave me a beautiful haircut that I feel comfortable in being to style at home. Outstanding hair plus super comfortable atmosphere. Definitely recommend! read more

I'm thrilled to have discovered Laura Braunstein's salon on the UWS. I needed to change to a salon that was nearby since I started going to the salon every 6-8 weeks (to cover my grey hair), that is very scary to do this after 10 years at Bumble and Bumble. I'm so happy to have found such a high quality and outstanding salon at Laura Braunstien and it's in the neighborhood. I've now become a loyal client of the salon (and Laura) to have my hair colored, highlights, and cut. I love the vibe in the salon, Laura is a very calming presence, the place is beautifully decorated and the feeling is always welcoming. Thankfully there is never any of the insanity of rushed chaos that I don't like at many salons. Everyone at the salon has a fabulous accommodating calm personality Best of all Laura really knows how women want to look, she really hears what you are saying! She has been able to cut my hair stylishly to enhance my wavy curls longish, and now I wanted a short more geometric modern cut. She has done both types of cutting with perfection and I now have such cool modern short haircut! I love how versatile she is, and she has an amazing great eye for color! My color and highlights are always beautiful. read more

I needed a salon on the uws, and yelp guided me to this excellent hair wrangling place. It's a nice space in a nice part of town. The staff are welcoming, and there is a range of beverages on offer. It's very comfortable. Tara Marie did my hair. She gave me some great advice based on my ideas and colored and cut my hair in a way that suits my hair texture and facial shape. She's the real deal. Talented. I'll be back. Overall this is a great place. The prices are typical for NYC, but first time clients who use yelp get a discount. Worth it! read more

I had seen good reviews about this salon online so I booked an appointment for a 3/4 head highlights. The stylist was lovely and chatty although during my foils she kept stepping away to be the receptionist and also doing other appointments for lengths at a time. Anyway, it came to the reveal of my hair and essentially the top of my head looked like that of a zebras. She said it was as it was still wet but as it dried nothing changed. So the stylist admitted she hadn't left the foils in some sections of my hair on for long enough and as a result she agreed some of the highlights were completely orange. She attempted to fix this with a second toner after the original one which did nothing. Anyway I said I wasn't happy with the result and had been sat there for four hours and my hair was half orange half golden. She said I could come back another day and they would fix the orange sections free of charge which I accepted. Apparently they didn't have anymore of the product needed to correct my hair but on Tuesday they would 'take care of me' and fix my hair. I then said I won't be paying for your service today as essentially my hair is a disaster/colourful mess totally orange and I'm not happy with the color or the service that's been provided. I explained I was happy to pay on Tuesday at the makeup appointment when my hair is supposedly going to be fixed. Anyway the stylist had to text the owner who said I am not allowed to leave without paying as its 'policy'. The stylist messaged her boss who said her stylist would have to stay and work after hours to fix my hair 'now'. A very poor show for supposedly one of the more reputable hair salons in manhattan. The stylist completely agreed with me saying yes the color hasn't been left for long enough (which is due to her spreading herself too thin attending to the whole salon) it is orange or sometimes said it was just the 'light' but in every light in the salon my hair was looking orange and zebra like. Anyway the stylist then begrudgingly had to stay back and correct my hair re foiling the orange sections. The stylist and I then sat there in completely awkward silence as she was evidently very irritated and upset she had to stay late to fix my hair and to be honest it's not like I was thrilled by the idea of having to sit for another however long hoping they could fix my orange hair with a very pissed off stylist tugging at my strands. I did say I thought you didn't have anymore of the product needed here and she proceeded to say that this is what would of happened at next weeks appointment. Anyway my hair is zebra/yellow and I'm going to another salon to spend more money on fixing it as it looks so horrendous. Do not get your hair coloured here. I look like cruella devil/a lemon. Even the second attempt at fixing it she made it worse while also damaging my hair more so. All in all a bit of a shambles its safe to say I won't be coming back. Do not let Giselle color your hair. read more

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Olivia is great!! I have hard hair to work with--curly but growing out a keratin treatment, so half my head is spiral curly and the bottom half is wavy/straight. She was super precise and, while not taking off a lot of length at all, made my hair so much lighter and easier to work with! Idk how she did it--it really seemed like she wasn't cutting much at all, but it made a huge difference in how my hair feels! Thank you olivia! read more

Giselle was great! She gave me a much-needed post-quarantine cut, and I've gotten so many compliments! I usually wait to get my hair cut until I visit my parents every few months in Florida since it's difficult to find a reasonable salon in the city, but my cut today was super reasonable. Also an added plus that it's 12 blocks from my apt. I'll definitely be coming back! Edit: the salon was super safe and clean during Phase II reopening. I was given a N95 mask, everyone was sanitizing, chairs were very far apart, there was a cup for clean and a cup for dirty pens for signing the waiver... I didn't feel unsafe at any point. read more

Mayra B is the best at highlights I have the pics to prove it But just trust Mayra B can get your hair color where it needs to go! read more

Laura Braunstein - Mayra B., At Laura Braunstein hair studio, created this highlight lowlights with glaze as well - Hair Salons Near Me - New York, New York

I got my scalp chemical burned at this salon and I now have permanent white lines around my forehead where the bleach was in contact with my skin. I got my hair dyed about a year ago at this salon. It was an absolute nightmare. I have red hair and I was looking for a strawberry blonde. The man who did my hair told me that he could do that. He then proceeded to put a ton of bleach on my hair, put me under a heat lamp, go smoke a cigarette, completely forget about me for 45 minutes while he attended to someone else's haircut until I physically could not take the pain anymore and had to get up and ask him what was going on. He clearly had forgotten. My hair was WHITE. His comment? 'You're definitely blonde now!'. Then some lady put hair dye on my hair and it burned so badly because my entire scalp was beet red that I started to pass out in the chair and she had to wash it off. Her comment? 'Many women do this monthly!'. The next day my scalp was bleeding and pus was leaking out. My hair was white. Like santa claus white. I had asked for strawberry blonde. I didn't go out in public for a week and then I returned to the salon to get my hair dyed brown. They tried to charge me for that service lol. I now have permanent white patches around my hairline from where the bleach burned my pigment off. read more

I was a regular at Laura Braunstein for almost a year. The owner, Laura, is a super sweet wonderful lady and she dyed and cut my hair on multiple occasions. I've also had my hair cut and dyed by the other stylists there too. All of those girls are super sweet and attentive as well. Great scalp massages, and they offer free drinks (alcoholic ones too!) to their customers. The decor inside is beautiful and the prices are extremely reasonable. With that being said, after nearly a year of haircuts and dye-jobs, I have rarely been satisfied with the work they do there. The stylists that have cut my hair don't seem to know how to cut curly/wavy hair. I end up with choppy layers that look cute on straightened hair, but make me look like a poodle when I keep it natural. I consistently asked for a copper-orange natural(ish) dye-job and always ended up with purplish red unnatural looking hair, the opposite of what I wanted. This occurred several times, even after bringing in pictures and making comments that the hair color was not what I wanted. The last straw for me was when I got my roots redone last. The rest of my hair had faded to a more copper color. Laura redid my roots and when all was said and dried, I ended up with these BRIGHT dark red roots an inch off my scalp. Even after I asked her to do all-over color or at least pull the root color through. As I walked through the salon to get styled, everyone was telling me I looked "Great!" I did not look great. I looked ridiculous, clown-like, with two different colors on my head, no blending between the roots and the rest of my hair. The girls were not being honest with me, perhaps because the owner was the one who did my hair. As one girl was straightening my hair (I couldn't bear to see it curly after the poor cut), I straight out asked her-- "Look, give it to me straight. You can see the two different colors in my head right? It looks ridiculous, they're not matched at all, not even close. Am I right?" She nodded quietly, looking around for anyone else and admitted it did in fact, look bad, and that she would help me get it redone. After it got redone, of course, I ended up with reddish purple hair AGAIN. After everyone pretended how good I looked, that was the last straw. It's okay to make a mistake, but it's not okay to pretend like I look like Christina Hendricks, when I'm closer to Ronald McDonald. I go to Arrojo in Soho now. It's more expensive, but my hair looks perfect. I get exactly what I want every single time, and they're always honest with me about how I look. read more

I've tried calling at least 5 times to make an appointment and the person at the salon keeps rudely hanging up on me. I guess they don't want/need new business? read more

I'm honestly really surprised to see these glowing reviews for Laura. I saw her a while back for a classic root touch-up for my blonde highlights. Blonde hair is supposed to be her specialty so I felt like I was in good hands. I should have known something was going terribly wrong when the toner she used on me started to burn my scalp. This has NEVER happened in all of the years I have been receiving highlights. Unfortunately a blow-out is not included in the color process so I was not able to see my new color when leaving. Let me just say that when I got home and finished drying my hair, it looked YELLOW! It also looked like I received a single process with absolutely no dimension or depth. I'm a dark blonde naturally so there is no need to use this much dye. Lastly, my hair felt like straw. Something must have gone terribly wrong when she mixed the toner. She also seemed distracted throughout the appointment by talking to other hairdressers and constantly checking her phone. I actually called her to let her know about my hair and left her a voicemail. I never heard back. I did not think the prices were great here either. As I said, a blowout was not included (which is somewhat typical in NYC) but she also charged extra for the toner. What kind of salon doesn't include the cost of toner when charging for highlights?! Overall, it was not a professional experiences at all and I will not be going back. I'm just glad I was able to find a great stylist (Jason) at Aveda Salon on the UES. read more

I made an appointment via Lifebooker for base color and highlights. My stylist was Averil. I don't know why but I just didn't feel a comfortable connection with Averil or really comfortable at the salon in general. Having read the amazing reviews ahead of time, I heard that they serve you a cocktail while you wait but I was not served. I know I look young for being 23 but I just felt left out while all the fab ladies were sipping something pink and I had to actually go out of my way to request water while I waited 30 minutes for my color to set. And Averil, as much as she tried to listen to what I wanted, she sort of rushed the whole thing and made me feel like this was my first time getting highlights. I noticed that she was making my highlights quite chunky so I jumped in after 2 foils to ask if she is keeping them thin and natural and she became defensive and starting justifying her "method" by saying that highlights have to be a little chunkier so that you can actually see the highlights. Okay, I'm not a moron - but you can create really thin highlights and still be able to see them. Sure, you might have to use more foils but partial highlights are still partial highlights whether you choose thin vs. chunky. I did appreciate that Averil let me know ahead of time that the toner costs extra but I have to do it to tone down the highlights. If it's a necessity when getting highlights (and I have never gotten highlights without the stylist finishing off with toner) - then the Lifebooker deal should just include this is the overall cost of the deal. Nonetheless - the color and highlights did come out really lovely although a bit chunkier than I would have liked. But the entire 3 hours at the salon were the least bit relaxing or glamorous. When it was time to pay, whoever was at the front desk barely acknowledged my presence and made a point to bring up the extra charge for the toner as though I hadn't already been reminded by Averil, the girl who washed out my toner, or Averil again. Needless to say, I will not be returning here. The atmosphere was a bit snobby and uncomfortable. It almost felt as though because I was a Lifebooker client, I was treated differently - like I strolled in there with a binder of coupons or something. read more

I bought a deal on Lifebooker and was happily surprised to find I could make an appointment the same day. I arrived 1/2 hour early. The salon was very busy. The receptionist offered me a drink while I waited. I'm thinking she's offering me water, or at best, coffee or tea. Instead, she hands me a "menu" that included cocktails, wine, and soft drinks. Good start! Val was able to see me 15 minutes before my scheduled appointment. She was sweet and listened intently while I described what I wanted. When I fell short in ideas, she made a few suggestions. So far so good. After the initial consultation, my hair was washed. The water was lukewarm, bordering on cold. The person washing my hair said she couldn't make it any hotter. A little annoying, but not a deal breaker. After I was seated again, Val got to work. We had a great conversation while she snipped away. All was going well until an existing customer of Val's walked in hoping to get squeezed in. She left several times to speak with the receptionist, then seemed to hurry through the rest of my haircut. She cut my hair bluntly across - that's what's fastest, right? - I had to ask that she thin it out a little. Several parts were uneven, which I had to fix when I got home. Bad haircut = definitely a deal breaker. As I was paying, I learned the salon only take tips in cash, which you put in an envelope addressed to your stylist. Not having enough cash on me, I ran to the bank. On my way out the door, I happened to look back and notice Val already digging through the tip basket! Reflecting on my experience, I was disappointed that everything started off so well, but then went downhill. At least I didn't pay full price for the haircut, which is around $87. Even if I had a different stylist, I'm unlikely to return here again. Other Advice * In chatting, Val mentioned they do mostly cuts, blowouts, and coloring. In the four months since they've opened, they haven't done any perms. If you're looking for a perm, maybe go elsewhere? read more

Laura Braunstein has been doing my hair for the past 2 years, and she has always done a fabulous job! I trust her advice on both cut and color so that I know I will always leave her salon looking my best. Laura is expert at discussing your goals for your salon appointment, and explaining to you how she can effectuate those goals. When I decided to lighten my hair for the summer she advised on what color would best suit my skin tone, whether to achieve that color through highlights only or to lighten my base color, and how my hair should be cut to complete a softer, lighter summer look. She is also very straight-up about colors or hair treatments that she doesn't think would be helpful or flattering for you. I really appreciate knowing I can always trust her to give honest, useful advice. I have visited her new salon twice, and it is lovely and relaxing - the decor is tasteful, there is a fun cocktail menu where the drinks are named for hair colors, and the staff is friendly and helpful. Even though I have moved away from the city, I still travel back to the city so that Laura can do my hair! read more

It's with a heavy heart that I leave this review after my most recent experience at the salon. I have followed Laura since her early days at Blondi's and Extreme Color. I have been going to this salon since it's opening and have been in the care of a wide array of marvelous stylists, including Val, Sara, Averil, Megan, Simona, and Megan. I use lifebooker to book my appointments (#teacherlife), and while I cannot reserve a specific stylist, I have always come away from the salon with bright, golden blonde highlighted hair. No matter who has worked on it, I always get compliments from friends and family after leaving Laura Braunstein... Until my last visit... I was put in the care of Myra/Maura and showed her several pictures of the bright, multidimensional, beachy gold highlights I was looking for, and have always received from my stylists. She agreed it would look lovely and began on the highlighting process. I should have known something was up when she did not sit me under the dryer after she finished the foils. I normally sit under the dryer for a good 20 minutes, but I trusted that she knew what she was doing. She immediately pulled out the lower layers, and then sat me (quite comfortably, to give her credit! The towel pillow was delightful) at the washing station so that the top could process, albeit without heat. In the bright afternoon sunshine and lights of the salon, my hair looked okay at the end of the appointment. However, when I got home later in the day, I realized that my hair didn't look much different from when I started. Even though I still had a bit of beachy gold in my lower locks, somehow whatever was done with the highlights and gloss transformed my hair into more of an ashy blonde. I even refrained from washing my hair for an extra two days, to see if extra processing time would work some magic. No such luck. After waiting all summer to do a refresh for my hair, I was very disappointed to be left with a dull finish. I reached out to the salon via email, but did not receive any response from Laura. As a teacher, I have appreciated the lifebooker discount to make my appointments at Laura Braunstein, but even with the discount, I feel awful that I spent close to $200 on my hair, only to be left with sub-par results. read more

Convenient location. Gorgeous, clean space. The cocktails are a nice touch, especially as I usually schedule haircuts for weekday evenings. I've seen 3 stylists at this salon and have always booked through Lifebooker. The downside of using Lifebooker is the salon doesn't accept requests for a specific stylist. I don't know if it's just with Lifebooker clients, but I've had to wait on several occasions. The wait was 30 minutes last time I was there. Adrianna: This haircut was okay. From talking to Adrianna, I got the impression her main specialty is color. It also seemed like she didn't quite know how to work with my hair type and style. When I asked her to chop off any unhealthy/split ends, but keep as much length as possible, she said it wasn't possible to do both. Not a fan of the tone in which she responded. Averil: Loved this haircut! Averil listened to what I had in mind, but also offered recommendations. The cut made my hair look thick and healthy, and it was easy to recreate the look with minimal effort. I've lived in NYC for a year and half now, and Averil is the most approachable and laid back stylist I've come across. Sara: Another great haircut! It was unfortunate that I had to wait for 30 minutes, but I was happy with the results and overall experience with Sara. Like my previous haircut, a good balance of what I wanted and the stylist's recommendations. Very easy to style, and I received a lot of compliments after this cut. There's a different receptionist every time I've visited. The receptionists are always friendly and cheerful. While waiting, I've noticed that some of the stylists, including Laura, look absolutely miserable. I hope they at least try to smile when they're interacting with clients. Kinda annoying that they will only accept gratuity in cash. There are ATMs a block away if you need to get cash. read more

I am in love with Laura Braunstein. I know that is extreme but this place is amazing. I was terrified of getting my hair done in New York because I thought I would feel like a homeless person in a nice salon and I thought the cost would make me become homeless. But I booked a color on Lifebooker (I thought I booked a cut too, more on that later), and I am delighted. First off the space is beautiful. It is huge and very nice. Laura is a wonderful person to chat with and she gave me the scoop on so many things about my new neighborhood, and other New York stuff, and is just generally a fun and nice person. Everyone who works there seems quite chipper in fact. And the color looks so great. She did exactly what I wanted which is basically to enhance my natural color and cover up my gray hair. It is really hard getting a natural but fancy-looking brown and that is exactly what I have, I love it. So everything was great with the color and I was happy as a clam but annoyed with myself about screwing up Lifebooker (seriously, how hard is that to do? Really, self.) because I really needed a cut. Well even though they were basically closed at that point Laura offered to cut my hair. WHAM, that is awesome. I was so happy. And the cut is great, I love it! It is really cute and flattering. Sadly the cut cannot make my hair cute after it's been out in this ridiculous humidity for 10 hours, but it starts out looking quite sharp! All of this for the same price as my place in Denver. I love New York, and I especially love Laura Braunstein. read more

I feel privileged to be one of Laura's clients. The salon is fun yet relaxing, and the staff cater to your every need. When I called to schedule my last appt, Laura was already booked. But based on Laura's recommendation, my appt was instead scheduled with Sara. Sara mastered my cut / style and highlights in half time, and I could not have been more pleased with the result. Sara is not only an exceptional colorist and stylist, but a kind, caring individual who has earned the respect and friendship of her clientele. I could not be more pleased to highly recommend Sara for the amazing work she does. read more

I first found Laura on Lifebooker when I moved to NYC a couple years ago, and have loyally followed her since then. She is really exceptional and it's no surprise that she has managed to open a gorgeous place of her own. I value a haircut that looks good throughout a 4-6 week cycle, not one that grows in awkwardly and needs to be fixed every other week. Her work is top-notch. I admit to being a little bit clueless about how I 'want' my hair to look -- I am happy to cede that creativity to a stylist. Laura delivers and tells me how to make it look good myself. read more

I have been coming here since Laura opened the place and have never been disappointed... until my last visit. I have had both Laura and several of the other stylists do my hair (cut, color, and blowouts) on many occasions and they have always listened to exactly what I was looking for and did a great job. Last time I was there, however, I got Danny and while he seemed very nice and like he understood exactly what I wanted (I'm trying to grow out my bob) the end product was far from what I had asked for. I specifically asked to keep as much of the length as possible and to thin it out on the bottom since I have thick hair. I ended up with an EXTREMELY short layer on ONE side of my head that didn't even blend into the rest of the haircut! It looked as if he had just chopped off the top of my hair and left it. I felt like I looked like Carol from the Brady Bunch :( When I told him I had said I wanted to keep my length, he said its still the same length just with more body (I guess that chunk of a layer was supposed to give it body?). I thought maybe it would blend more once I washed and styled it myself - that was not the case. The next day I was still so upset over my haircut and in tears that I went to another salon to correct it, meanwhile having to cut off most of the length I have been trying to grow so that it looked like one haircut not two. The stylist here thought it had been done by someone VERY new to cutting hair with the bluntness of the layers. Giving this visit 2 stars just because I do really like the salon and would recommend it (everyone is friendly, prices are reasonable, and they offer you a drink) but definitely avoid Danny if you can!! read more

Sara is great! Wish I knew the life booker deal before as when I walked in, I thought it was incredibly pricey. However, after I saw the magic she did to my hair it was worth every penny. She gave me a cut and ombré and I felt like a queen :) Sara was not only great with my hair- we talked a lot and it felt like I had a friend doing my hair. She is incredibly personable, professional, and friendly! Highly recommend! read more

On my way home from this salon I was dazed and confused but I think I have figured out the high rating for this salon after reading a few reviews....they must have gotten the reviewers drunk. All the negative reviews seem to come from the underaged or presumed to be underage. I booked an appointment through Lifebooker, still not cheap, for 3/4 highlights, gloss and cut. 1. The highlights appear more like a single process, not much contrast, and they are beige (like skin color) not exactly the ash blonde I asked for. It looks as if the hair is a continuation of the face. 2. I was trying to be pleasant but I don't think any customer who books an appointment enjoys being passed onto a newbie so their stylist can fit in a "walk in" blowout. ARE YOU KIDDING THIS IS SO UNPROFESSIONAL!!!!!! 3. After the stylist figured out the color was a complete FAILURE she tried finishing me up ASAP rushing through the cut. The cut became an uneven half trim....not even a trim. She took off some length and cut the bangs everything else was left untouched, split ends throughout. The cut was less than a half hour but more than 5 minutes due to me pointing out that she could not leave my bangs that uneven. She was in such a hurry I had to ask to see the back. I FELT PRETTY DAMN UNCOMFORTABLE..... In the end I paid $140 for this + $25 tip (she really deserved $0). A cheap salon could have done much better!! This leaves me with a question to the salon and stylist: If it is obvious you see you have screwed up the color and you feel uncomfortable continuing the appointment how is it that you do not feel uncomfortable charging the money??? (Yes, it was obvious that Val seemed uncomfortable she kept talking about the color not looking right and asking if I had colored my hair prior.) read more

My cut is definitely 5 stars. The service, however, wasn't. My stylist was over 30 minutes late. She phoned the receptionist to let her know she was parking her car and would be late. After arriving almost 30 minutes late, she finally gets to me (after Giselle does a wonderful job shampooing!) and realizes someone has moved their car in front of the salon. She then proceeds to leave and move her car so she could get a better parking spot. This was supposed to be a 60 minute cut. It was about 30. She seemed rush. However, Fran gave me a wonderful cut. I do love it, and my bangs. Due to poor service, I will probably not be returning. Sorry for the unhappy review, but the manager/owner should know the type of treatment their clients are getting. read more