Blown Away Salon
Category: Hair Salons [Edit]
Neighborhood: Lower Haight583 Haight St
(between Fillmore St & Steiner St)
San Francisco, CA 94117 (415) 861-7075
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- By Appointment Only: No
63 reviews
Neighborhood: Union Square
"Came here for spa week and booked the Lavender body scrub and the Ginger Wasabi warming pedicure. From when my girlfriend and I got in,…" read more »
44 Reviews for Blown Away Salon
the review about Steph and her lay worthy haircuts...
totally true.
Making my next appointment next week..
A buddy recommended Johnson to me two years ago, frankly, he's amazing, and I've never been anywhere else since.
I've been going to Christopher for about 3 years now and I have to say he rules! I love how he cuts my hair because when it grows in it doesn't look bad at all. I leave there feeling awesome because at that point I just want to go out and flaunt it. People always tell me how they love my haircut and where do you go? I tell everyone to go to Christopher because he just rocks!
This place deserves negative stars. I got the single worst haircut of my life here and a terrible dye job all in the same visit. The guy doing my hair (sorry, i can't recall his name) didn't listen to anything i said and just continued mangling my 'do. This was a couple years ago. Needless to say, I haven't been back.
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Ok, since I'm now on the east coast, I did not know about the merge of salons, but Steph has been my giver of great hair since 1996 when I used to live right around the corner. I'm sad that for the last 2 years I've had to make do with some substitutes in DC, but I still plan my haircuts around trips to SF. Johnson and Chris rule too! I LOVE TRANSFORMER!!!!!
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Every time Stephanie cuts my hair, I get laid that night.
A trim for some trim.
'Nuff said.
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Madison has been my neighbor for five years and I recently went in for my first hair cut with her a couple of weeks ago. I want to kick myself for not going sooner! I'm picky about my hair and have been avoiding getting it cut since my other stylist moved away. I have thick, curly hair and I must admit I was a little scared when Madison busted out the thinning shears, but this is seriously the best cut I've ever had. She managed to keep the length while getting rid of the dead weight that was making my hair flat on top (and all without giving me a mullet!).
Okay just to be clear (I think)... Blown away and Transformer merged sometime in late 2007. They now share one space in Lower Haight.
On two occasions, I have picked up the phone and asked for a last minute cut. Johnson Livingston has squeezed me in each time with just 15 minutes notice.
That alone is quite impressive... What's even better is that I can say without a doubt that those two cuts have been the best of my adult life.
Johnson starts out with a peaceful 10 minute head massage/ wash, then an efficient but excellent 20 minute haircut. I am in and out in about half an hour.
And he listened to me... My biggest thing is to have it look like I DID NOT just get a haircut, and I do not use product. He delivered on both fronts.
All this for $35. Johnson Livingston (if that is your real name)... You are my hero!
Oh and don't mind the dingy atmosphere of the place... Friendly and experienced stylists more than make up for that.
Reading the negative comments about Blown Away made me laugh and inspired me to comment.
I've been going to see Madison on and off for a couple years now and have always been happy with my haircuts. They grow out well and she textures it just how I like it. I'm not afraid to tell her what I have in mind or just let her have at with whatever creative twist she can. I'm all about the short cut and she does a great job.
As far as being unprofessional or what have you, it's her business and she can do what she wants. Isn't that what having your own business is all about?
I dub her the "punk rock" stylist. Not some snobby typical salon that charges extravagantly just because they're fronted by a fancy interior. I get an awesome haircut for $35, which lets me tip her generously with the money I could've spent elsewhere at an overpriced yuppy hole. The charm for me is she's blunt and hilarious. If you can't jive with her way of running things than I'm sure she's glad to have you walk away because there are plenty of other people who will go to her.
I will keep recommending her to other people for sure.
Stephanie at Transformer (now Transformer/Blown Away [BlownFormer?]) has been cutting my hair for close to 10 years now. If that's not a testament to how much I love what she does, I don't know what is. The place is awesomely funky and totally unpretentious to boot. Plus, you can walk half a block to the Toronado afterwards for the best beer selection in town. Whenever I need to look my best for The Wife, I go to Transformer to style my locks.
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Ok. Two months later and I'm still getting compliments on my 'do.
I went to Madison and asked for a traditional, conservative bob. I came out with the cutest little haircut that has grown in with neat lines and still looks like a fresh cut! Great cut, great price.
Thanks Madison!
I've been seeing my Johnson at Transformer since the late 90s. I only get my hair cut for visits to the Easty Coast and more importantly, for job interviews. They try to persuade me to cut the mop more often, but nonetheless, I love my Johnson and what he does to my hair. In fact all the pictures of me on this profile were taken post-Johnson trims.
I found out about Christopher via yelp and I've haven't gone anywhere else since. He is awesome! You tell him what you want and you get it. It helps to have a photo of what you're trying to go for and he gets it pretty damn close, if not exactly how you want your hair to look like. He's also a great conversationalist :) You can talk to him about almost everything and anything.
I'm sad that they've all relocated to Blown Away for the moment being because Transformer was such a sweet and funky little salon.
At any rate, Christopher is a life saver.
AS OF JULY 9th, 2008 I HAVE MOVED TO "NOTORIOUS FOR HAIR"
************************************************** ***********************
It has come to my attention that many of my client's felt my move to Cow Hollow was a bit to far to reach. I totally agree.
Well i have listened and I have Re-located to the Heart of the Castro District.
And the benefits are :
One, it is only 5 mins away from the Lower Haight any way you slice it.
Two, Notorious For Hair excepts credit cards/debt cards, Sorry no checks.
Three, Parking is really a breeze both metered and non-metered.
Four, Several bus lines and the Muni underground are steps away.
I could go on but you get the idea. I have chosen a closer location and added credit card payment in hopes of providing even better service than before. Whether you are a frequent client, a new client or a returning client let me tell you how to reach me 415-568-5507 is my cell , but for faster service you may call the salon directly:
NOTORIOUS FOR HAIR
561 CASTRO STREET
(BETWEEN 18TH AND 19TH STREET,
JUST ABOVE WELLS FARGO BANK)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114
415-558-0401
www.notorious-prima.com
Thanks for your continued support:)
CHRISTOPHER
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My hair is very thick and very curly; I've been the victim of many a haircut disaster. However, Johnson at Transformer has done a great job every time. I don't usually like to chat it up when I'm getting my hair cut... Johnson doesn't try to force me into talking, and the silence never feels awkward. I appreciate that.
The place isn't much to look at, but on the other hand it's cheaper than most of the haircut spots I've found.
Madison has been "styling" my hair for close to 10 years (!) now.. As a dude with long hair, I completely trust her and she always gets my cut right. She's also one of the few people I trust with sharp objects around my face...
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I've been meaning to write this for a while.
Madison has been my hair cutter for 3+ years. I am a fan, big fan!
She has taken my head from "don't bother, I'm just going to put it in a ponytail" to regularly getting complements on my hair. I now go in, sit down and give her full creative reign to do whatever she would like. And it always turns out fun, stylish and easy (my only rule).
Madison has helped me through a few break ups by sharing some of her own war stories and sending me off with more confidence in my new do!
A word to the wise, I do not go in there expecting spa treatment and I think people will be disappointed if that is their expectation. Madison is bad-ass and says what's on her mind. I find it refreshing.
What I have grown to expect is a glass of wine, lively conversation, a great cut that lasts for months (I have been known to push it to the extreme), a guarantee that I can come back to get my hair fixed within a week. All this for $35?
I'm set!
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Betsy L. is pretty good -- not sure if she's still here, though.
Last time I was there Betsy was unavailable so some other stylist -- a woman with an Afghani or Persian name I can't remember -- gave me the shittiest cut and blow-dried it till it was lank and skanky looking.
Oh and since her previous client had arrived late and his cut went over my appointment time, she asked ME if it was okay if we speed things up so she could get out of there.
I stopped coming here after the owner wheeled a stinky, gross motorcyle into the shop. What the hell?
That's not "edgy" -- that's air pollution.
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I recently went to Madison based on the rave reviews here and was really disappointed. My hair is shorter than shoulder-length and fine, but for some reason she took forever to cut it. She complained that my hair is "complicated" and would charge me $45 next time, but "I'll let you slide with the $35 I quoted you on the phone this time." Gee thanks. When I got out of the chair my hair was nothing like I told her I wanted it to look like. I'm too cheap to spend another $35 on a haircut right now, even though my hair looks really lame.
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UPDATE:
You really can't judge a cut until you've lived with it a week or more. I have lived with mine for more than a week and I already want another. In the past, when I've LOVED hair cuts I've been able to go six months or more happily. Such is not the case with my experience with Blown Away.
--
Madison took one look at my hair and said, "We need to de-Sassoon you!"
She wasn't a fan of my previous cut (supervised and done in part by a smokin' hot stylist in Toronto, formerly a trainer at the eponymous hair empire) and didn't mince words telling me so. Frazzled because she was running late, Madison struggled throughout my shampoo and cut to regain her composure. I like to think, that despite her stress, I still got a decent cut.
She says it will take time for the "geometry" on the back of my head to grow out and thus left me with a simple style. This time I paid $35 but she let me know that going forward I will fall into the $45 category. If you have hair that requires more time and/or creativity, it is likely you will also fall into the latter category.
For a well-priced, decently-executed cut in the Lower Haight Madison's a good choice. Nonetheless, my search for stylist synergy continues for blown away I was not.
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Get an excellent hair cut by a real human being for 35 bucks. She'll give you a beer as well.
I've been going for 3 years.
I'll keep going til I'm bald.
Even then I'll probably go back just to get my eyebrows trimmed.
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UPDATE: I am bumping my two stars down to one star because Madison read a Yelp review online and she called my friend on 12/26/06 and left a strange, rambling message that basically said "thanks for smearing my name!" Calling a former client to debate an online review is creepy and unprofessional. Goodbye and Good Luck, Blown Away.
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Original Post:
I am still looking for the ideal stylist since mine moved to France. After tryin Blown Away, I think I might have been spoiled with the always fun, always creative $30 cuts I used to get.
I went to Blown Away based on Yelp reviews, so my expectations were set very high. I wanted an amazing cut for $35. What I ended up with was a decent cut for $45. Madison was cool and the salon itself is a very nice, comfortable space. I just left feeling like "this isn't a 45 dollar hair cut" and that took waaaay to long. Then again, she gave me a beer while I waited, so maybe I could factor that in and be satisfied with pretending I got a 40 dollar cut at a bar. I'll probably just stick to drinking at home and go somewhere else for my next cut.
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Update: After an angry message on my machine about how I shouldn't refer clients with long hair and Jess' terrible, traumatic experience Blown Away can snip to perfection and give away all the beer and wine in the world and I won't go back on principle. From a 5-star cut to 1-star voicemail = 3.
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Madision rocks my world for $35. Yup. And you will leave a few notches higher on the hot scale, Ligaya guaranteed. Her manner is so refreshing ; I admire people who live (and speak) in accordance with how they think and feel. It may be brash and ugly, or sweet and sincere, but it's real and I respect that. Over a glass of wine or a cold brew Madison shares anecdotes about her diverse list of clients ( e.g. a 75 year old silver haired lady that has been seeing her for years whose hair she dyed purple), parents and partying without making you feel like you're paying for someone else to have an audience.
Though I am fairly loose with instruction, she asked pertinent questions and then went with what she thought would work. It did and I walked out with a bounce.
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I love Madison. I have been going to Blown Away for several years. Madison has done my hair at a variety of lengths and always makes it look amazing. After deciding to let my hair grow out after having it shaved she kept it looking good the whole awkward process. Not only is she an awesome hairstylist, I love the visits with her. She is always friendly and fun to chat with. She's a tough girl and those that are a bit sensitive or timid may have a hard time. I on the other hand look forward to both my hair cut and our conversations. She's everything a hairstylist should be. I tell everyone about her.
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A funky little salon with tons of personality and zero attitude. I got great color here. Exactly what I wanted . . . my hair came out dark and shiny and it lasted for months.
Madison is rad. And not just because she shares the namesake of a beloved Wisconsin city. Seriously, I got it in my head this year that I was going to grow my hair out. A little ridiculous I know, considering my hair is super thick and uncontrollably wavy. So, I let it go and let it go until I started looking a bit like the Latino Weird Al and just couldn't take it anymore. So I popped down to see Madison, she sat me down, gave me a beer and proceeded to give me a fantastic chop. My hair kind of looks cool now. It's got layers to it and it's not such a pain in the ass to deal with. And it looks less hippie and more hipster. So, what have we learned? Madison can make even the stupidest hair look great, she gives you alcohol and she's an all-around super cool stylist who will tell it like it is. I dig this place.
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DISCLAIMER: haircut in photo is not the one garnering this review
Christopher ROCKS! I've been with him for years, and he's stood by my side through pink-pixie-razor cuts, crazy bobs, long pigtails and everything else my crazed mind thought up.
But he just keeps getting better and better. My last haircut and dye job is truly the best one a girl has ever received. Hands down. My hair is incredible. Eat your hearts out, bitches!!!
Seriously, this man does an amazing job, and he's a sweetheart to boot. I've been stopped 6 times within the week of seeing him last by people wanting to know who did my hair. And considering the time and effort that went in it, the price was really reasonable.
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$35 hair cuts. Free wine and beer. Share stories with Madison (the proprieter and only hair-dresser on staff) about drugs, relationships, drinking binges, black-outs, and bad 80's music. You can even bring your dog as long as he doesn't pee inside.
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Christopher cut my hair and did a great job. It was my first time getting colored and it came out perfect!
stepanie rocks! what a great little find, true to SF style without the snobbery of a city salon.
Low key, funky, and just reasonable for services rendered.
Amazing colorist and understanding of oh so thick WAVY..hair!
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Things did not start off well on my visit to this salon. Unfortunately, I should have paid attention to the red flags and left before I let Christopher touch my hair with his scissors. I was not acknowledged at all after checking in for my appointment. Instead, I just watched Christopher, the stylist, chat with his friend until he was ready for me, 20 minutes after my appointment was supposed to have started. Once he was ready for me, I saw that he was a nice guy, but he ignored what I told him about my hair and did his thing. I was hoping that maybe he knew something and it would all work out fine. This was not the case. My hair looked terrible once he was through with it. I could see him trying to fix it, but he wouldn't admit that the cut was a mess. There was nothing to do but let my hair grow out after that hack job. :(
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I went in with very high expectations. Yup, Madison met them and then some. I'm so happy with my hair; now if only she could help me get this metal off my teeth we would be set.
Either way - she was very focused, very professional, and also very cool to talk to while she was working her magic. Go - and tell her I sent you! (I am shameless and want a free haircut, is that so wrong??)
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I've been getting my hair cut by Madison at Blown Away since 1997. I've gone through different phases of how I want my hair cut and she has always been able to come up with something that looks good. A time or two she has actually discouraged me from doing something to my hair that would not look good. She knows her craft and cares about her clients. After every cut, she reminds me that if I have a problem with it to call her and come back and she'll fix it.
She has recommended different hair products to me over the years, but not because she's trying to sell me something. Sometimes it's something I need to get at at a specialty store. Sometimes it's something that costs $4 at Walgreen's. She recommends what is most appropriate for your hair and how you want to style it.
As other people have pointed out, she is a no nonsense kind of person. She tells it like it is. If you don't like that, I guess she's not for you, and there are plenty of phony people who can cut your hair elsewhere. I prefer a real person.
I've been loyal to her for years. She gives the periodic free haircut as a sign of appreciation to loyal customers. I don't go for the beer or wine as I almost always refuse it. I go for the good haircuts. When I first went to her I had very long hair and I trusted her to cut it off. That could have been a traumatic experience, but she made it go well. She's cut my hair before job interviews, before important work events, before hot dates and before my wedding (no more hot dates for me except with my wife). If you want to build a long term relationship with a hair stylist, I highly recommend Madison at Blown Away.
Go to Madison. She's done wonders for my hair. I'm pretty picky about my haircuts and I've always been happy with mine. I've been getting alot of compliments about my hair since going to her. She's really reasonable. I pay $35 for my cut. If your hair is longer it'll be a bit more.
Her shop is funky....there's a motorcycle parked in the middle for the odd days when she wants to go for a spin. She runs the whole show at the shop.
She cuts through the chase and tells you like it is...no b.s.
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More than meet the eye...
but seriously, this place is better and slightly cheaper than it's competitors in the area, and was the only one with a same day appointment after a less than 10 min wait. I'm not a patient guy and would rather risk a possible bad haircut than wait a day and pay at least $20 more. Chris knows his stuff, and used a razor on my hair, which was slightly scary but cooler than just clippers.
I have been a Christopher at Transformer faithful for years. Every haircut I get is terrific. He is able to know your hair, what your style is, and match the two in perfect harmony. I have recommended friends to him for years, and now all of my friends get their haircut from him.
I rarely, if ever, write one star reviews, but I would hate for someone to have the same experience as I had this past weekend. I made an appointment at Blown Away because I'd heard good things about the stylist Madison and I wanted a haircut before the holidays. When I booked my appointment, Madison told me that since I had long hair, the cut would cost $45. I asked when she was free. She told me this past Saturday afternoon at 11:45 am.
I was excited about having my hair cut all week.
After introducing herself, the first thing Madison said was that she was hungover and that she shouldn't book appointments on Saturday. I thought it was a little strange. I didn't ask for a Saturday appointment and it's not cool to make someone feel guilty because you stayed out too late last night.
She proceeded to shampoo my hair and commented on how much hair I had. She moved me over to the chair to cut my hair and started brushing it out. She found a knot in the far back, hidden under the rest of my hair. Since I've been staying at my bf's place I'd been using his two and one stuff (not the best for long hair) , and hadn't had much access to a brush. A big annoying knot had unbeknown to me gathered at the back of my hair. Madison found it and started trying to comb it out. She called it 'ridiculous' and pulled at it it sharply with the comb. She asked if it hurt and I told her 'yes', but that it was OK (I actually have a high threshold for pain). Then, to my surprise, she handed me a brush and said, "Why don't you brush your hair" and walked away. I've never heard of a stylist asking a customer to brush his/or her own hair before. But I brushed it out and then handed her back the brush. She started brushing my hair again and sighed angrily, "You still haven't got the knot out." She said curtly that the next time I come to a hairdresser I should brush out ALL the knots. I felt like I was in elementary school and I HAD brushed my hair right before I had come to the salon, but with so much hair, must have missed the knot at the nape of my neck.
It got worse....
She looked at me hard and said, "You know what? I'm not going to cut your hair. It's safer this way. You need someone who can spend time on you hair and charges at least 70 dollars or more on it...... I can recommend some salons, but I can't cut your hair." I didn't know what to say. I hadn't misled Madison about my hair, and had woken up early, excited for this haircut. In fact, my last two haircuts have actually been similarly priced and both hair stylists were wonderful. I was too confused to really argue. And what could I say? I've never had anyone tell me they can't cut my hair. The whole situation was so bizarre, that I just wanted to leave and did.
Once outside, wet hair and all, I walked as fast as I could away from the salon, almost in the opposite direction of my place. I called my sister right away. At first I felt embarrassed for apparently being a "difficult" case. But once I realized how surreal the whole situation was, I was angry that I hadn't trusted my gut instinct and left the moment she said she was hungover and didn't want to be there.
Madison did not cut my hair, but I did experience her customer service. She made me feel like I should be apologizing for having too much hair, for her having to wake-up early to cut hair on a Saturday, and for having a knot in my hair.
My only regret is not walking out sooner.
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I've been going to Stephanie, the salon's owner, for 11 years now. I was a walkin from the neighborhood when I first found the place and I've never seen any reason to abandon it. I've also recommended it to all of my friends and many of them (9 maybe) have also assumed Stephanie as their stylist, some coming from as far as Lafayette to get their hair done. The salon is unpretentious and punk-inspired. My children now get their hair cut there as well.
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Alamo Square? um, it's on lower Haight. Anyway, Madison (the owner) is a force of nature. She's an Amazonian shit talking motorcycle riding hellion who is cooler than you. Get over it. When entering her salon, you'll probably find a bike or two. Fast chics rule. Have a beer or glass of wine (why doesnt every salon offer beer?) and get yer hair cut. It will look better than you have ever imagined your hair could look. People will stop you on the street and say "Shit your hair is amazing!" and you'll be all "yea everyone thinks so" and you'll thank Madison in that inner voice you have. Then your inner voice will be like "why doesnt Madison ever have helmet hair? I mean she rides but she always looks great?" EXACTLY!! the attention your hair will get will far exceed the price of the do. crowds will throng about you and you'll be voted prom king. or queen. that's how important this haircut is.
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My boyfriend has always gone to Christopher for his hair cuts. I'm fairly new to the city so I decided to go to Chris as well and take my chances. I've had many a bad haircut experience.
I was nearly a walk-in, having tagged along and wiggled my way in after my boyfriend's appointment made that very day. I sat looking at magazines for a good idea of what I wanted my hair to look like, and when it was my turn, I showed it to Christopher and he did a wonderful job. He gave me good tips for shampoos and styling that would be nicer to my hair. He was super nice and my hair has never looked as nice as the weekend after my cut and styling from him.
I would recommend you take your hair here.
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