Shag Boston

January 2011
Have you dreamed of getting your haircut at a celebrity salon but assumed you couldn't afford it? Well, now you can, and starting October 1, 2012 we will be giving away three haircuts from Shag, Boston's hottest hair salon. The final giveaway is for no other than the man himself, celebrity stylist Sandy Poirier. Read on for details regarding this absolutely fabulous opportunity.

After spending a week in the woods last October at Project Adventure, in Beverly MA, I was ready for a daring new haircut that emulated the exuberance of energy I was feeling after such a life changing week. I was going to be in Boston area for another week, so I hit up Yelp trying to find Boston's best to cut and color my hair. Of course there were many reviews for stylists on Newbury St. but no one stood out until I started reading reviews and articles on celebrity stylist and professional photographer Sandy Poirier, owner of Shag salon in the south end of Boston. I had just spent a week at Project Adventure continuing to practice how to think outside of the box and was drawn towards Sandy because he clearly does the same.






Sandy on Chronicle 2010
First of all, Shag is a successful salon in Southie, not exactly the neighborhood known for high-end salons and posh boutiques. This salon doesn't need a fancy Newbury address to bring in new clients. Having lived in the Boston area for several years, I myself am guilty of choosing salons just because they were on Newbury Street. Lesson learned, the Newbury location does not guarantee high quality hair, but it does guarantee high prices... owners need to pay the premium rent, but it doesn't necessarily mean they are worth it. Off the beaten path, it is reassuring to know that people go to Shag for its reputation, not its real estate.

Have you ever left a hair appointment disappointed because your cut was great but your color was mediocre, or vice versa? I believe this often happens because the trend is to rely on only one person to cut and color creating a "jack of all trades, masters of none" situation. But not at Shag... Shag is split into two sections, one side for colorists and one for cutting. Shag stylists choose one area of concentration, either cut or color, and they spend all of their time and energy perfecting their craft. I use master colorist Patty Martin for my highlights, and then get my cut from Sandy. Not going to lie, it feels pretty awesome to have two expert stylists collaborating on a vision for your new hairstyle.

Let's go back to reputation and prices for a minute. Even without the premium real estate Shag has a reputation that people would be willing to spend top dollar for. Sandy is a celebrity stylist. He and his team travel around the nation to participate in various high profile fashion events (e.g., New York's Fashion Week). Some people are willing to pay outlandish prices for celebrity stylists, $400+ for a cut, and most celebrity stylists are willing to charge them. Not Sandy. As his celebrity status continues to climb his prices remain the same: $90 for a haircut.  During my first visit we had a conversation about his prices and I had commented that I respected him for not hiking up his prices when he could do so. His response was, "I couldn't do that to people, especially in this economy." I find that most endearing about Sandy. In an industry that promotes a "me me me" type mentality, Sandy has found a way to become a rockstar stylist without losing sight of what is most important - his character. It's also a smart move because the majority of us can't afford to pay celebrity stylist prices (and many that do really can't afford to).  With his skill and humble approach, going anywhere else would mean paying more and getting less. Having extra cash in your pocket you can afford to splurge on the phenomenal products Shag carries from Oribe and Davines.

You can't help but feel like a superstar when you sit in Sandy's hot red leather chair. He not only listens to your ideas of what you want but loves when you bring him pictures of the look you are going for. Whether you are going for a simple fresh look or feeling adventurous and are going for bold and edgy, the Shag team is ready to make it happen. And here's how you can win a free cut from Sandy's A-Team:


Sandy Poirier, January Roberts, and Patty Martin August 14, 2012


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