Fringe Salon
Category: Hair Salons [Edit]
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley322 Hayes Street
(between Franklin St & Gough St)
San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 255-3036
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- By Appointment Only: Yes
40 Reviews for Fringe Salon
One of Fringe Salon's Favorite Reviews
Desiree has consistantly done amazing work on my hair
I am very picky and often ask for the impossible but she always works it out and makes it happen
She is very talented and im sure she is going to be booked solid soon!! I feel so lucky to have met such a creative stylist!
I wish I had found Desiree before my last disasterous haircut, which left me with an (uneven) extra inch of bangs on one side. I went to see Desiree based on Yelp reviews, and I am so glad I did! She gave me exactly the cut I wanted (with no extra bangs!), for a completely reasonable price.
On a personal note, I am not the most outgoing/talkative person, so I have had many awkward haircuts. However, Desiree was easy to talk to, and did not make me feel like a total sociable retard, which I greatly appreciated!
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GO EMILY! she has been cutting my hair for, i think, over 4 years now, and she has never ceased to amaze me. i trust her so much, i don't even tell her how i want my hair cut. she just snips away and i love the outcome every time. the best indication that she is an amazing stylist is the amount of compliments i get on my hair. i also never seem to get stuck with any kind of grow out periods, which just goes to show how detailed her work is. i've referred her to friends and family on numerous occassions...so i thought it was time i referred her to total strangers...
After reading the reviews here and at another site, I decided to try this place. I made reservation a few days before and they had an opening so I took it. I had the Amelie hairdo then and it was growing out, so I just wanted it trimmed back. Doesn't sound that difficult right? Well, they didn't do a very good job at it. It was way too short and way too "geometric".
Maybe it was my own fault to try a non-asian salon. I try to avoid them because asian hair works differently than other hair types. Most stylists that don't have experience asian hair fail at it. This was totally the case.
With all that said, my stylist was nice and friendly. I was the only customer the entire time, on a Wednesday evening, which felt a little weird. It was just me and her and I was too exhausted to be having a conversation but I didn't want an awkward silence so I tried to stay up. Anyway, I liked her. She just was not good with my Asian hair.
This is how I found Fringe: I was in a ridiculously long line at UPS, and the only bright thing in the place was a woman in pigtails with the top half of her hair dyed black and the bottom half dyed fuschia. I asked her if she went to a salon, because it can be hard to find a place that has a decent selection of totally unnatural colors - I often end up doing it myself. I looked up Fringe on Yelp (of course!), read glowing reviews, and made my first appointment with Jen.
Understand, I'm an administrative assistant for the moment, at a City department, so gone daddy gone are the days of dykey mohawks, shaving racing stripes into the sides of my head, or dying the whole shebang pink, red, and orange. But before I start teaching the wee kiddies next year, I have to get my color kicks out. Fringe has a great selection of Special Effects brand colors (brilliant, long-lasting, neon rainbows), and with the caveat that I needed to not terrify the many middle-aged asian women I work with or distract funders at meetings, I let Jen loose with some gorgeous purples. She gave me a great look and an awesome haircut.
I went back last weekend for a new cut and color, and she did right by me again. I love it. Plus she gives free color touch-ups and bang trims between visits. I can't afford it, but I keep going back.
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Desiree is a real pro. My first time in there, I walked out totally satisfied. She's talented, sweet and professional.
Normally I fire my stylist after 1 year because they can't keep up with me. I've been with Chana now for 3 years. She's the only stylist I've had who can keep up with the trends and make my hair cutting edge and fabulous.
First let me address the bad reviews. I don't understand why some people find the conversations about boyfriends, etc. unprofessional. Don't you want to feel like your stylist understands you? After I recently ended a 1 year relationship I decided to go for a dramatic new look. Chana knows me so well that she said "Usually I don't want someone to do something dramatic with their hair right after a break-up, but I know how adventurous you are...so okay."
I guess if you don't want that kind of relationship with your stylist - someone who knows the intricacies of your hair but also knows the intricacies of your personality - then maybe Fringe isn't for you. Or, if you've had the same style since you were in high school or you're humiliated when your stylist says "maybe this cut isn't right for you," then maybe Fringe isn't for you.
I get compliments on my hair at least once a week. No joke. I'm so sorry Kat M that you had a bad experience. I guess there will always be those situations when the stars just aren't aligned.
Ultimately, I would say if you're modern & adventurous and love a fun environment, please try Fringe. No, I won't accept gratuities for the recommendation, but I accept brownies, cookies, etc.
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I was trying to find a new stylist for a long time and finally found Fringe on Yelp. I've been there twice now ( for haircut and highlights) and both times Desiree did an amazing job! She's talented and so much fun! I just moved, so Fringe is really out of my way but I'll continue coming there!!!
No one touches my hair but Emily. Every single freaking cut - whether I play it safe or tell her to "go for it" - comes out looking like a gagillion bucks. A bunch of my girlfriends go to her and I have to carry a mini stack of her cards in my wallet for when I get stopped and asked where I get my cut.
I agree that the salon can, at times, feel like a sorority house and if I'd had a bad/long/tiring day it definitely rubs me the wrong way. That said, the conversations are generally hilarious and you can always go for a first-thing-in-the-morning or last-appointment-of-the-day and avoid the chatter.
I've had long hair for years but maybe I was hormonal, maybe I was bitter, the other day, walking down Hayes Street, I was suddenly overcome by an unstoppable desire to cut my hair off.
Yes, cut it off. Cut it all off.
I noticed the sign for Fringe and thought, 'ah, cute. Maybe they will have time for a walk-in?'
I walked in and was immediately greeted by a stylist who was coloring the hair of an older woman...roots touch up and all, who asked if I had an appointment with Emily. Nope. No. Nah.
But I was wondering if you could fit me in....
It turned out I was talking to the owner. "Sure," she said. "Once Rosemary has to process, I can cut your hair."
And cut she did. I asked for a blunt bob with a wedge, and she got very close to giving me that look I both loved and hated in the 80s. I was happy...and it looked good. I wanted it a little shorter - I'll have to have it redone in Chicago - but I appreciated her flexibility and friendliness.
$65 for the cut. I was a happy customer.
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I went to Jen, the Junior Stylist, for the first time. Everyone is super friendly there! I was actually late and she still took me because parking was pretty rough. She did my hair exactly the way I wanted it which no other stylist I've been to has been able to do. Haircut was really reasonable too, $45.
Definately going back!
Poor business etiquette! Fringe salon has stylists that lack "skill" and professional etiquette. I had an appointment for blond highlights which turned out to be a brassy color, with a lack of pigment almost. The stylist was too busy to get out of there for her "date" with her "new" guy. I called the following day to have them correct it or return my money, but no one called me back and I called them 4x. Don't waste your money here, there are numerous salons in the city/bay area that topple on this one. Fringe is at the bottom of the barrel for salons in San Francisco!!
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Oh, Fringe...based on your reviews I was hopeful that I might have actually stumbled upon my new favorite salon. I wanted to love my haircuts (I went twice to a highly Yelped stylist), but it just wasn't there for me. The overall space was alright, and after a while I sort of got used to the superficial chit-chat between the stylists. I know I'm fussy, but my cut was mediocre at best, not what I asked for and certainly was not worth the hefty $65 I had to shell out for it. Too bad.....
I was looking in the mirror this morning and had a rare moment of Hair Appreciation. A few weeks ago Chana trimmed the ends of my curly chlorinated hair. Last week Chana highlighted a few strips of hair that were turning "silver". (That would be "gray" to pessimists.) The highlights match my auburn hair color perfectly. I like that people aren't commenting on any changes; the cut and the color now look the same-but-better, which is what I wanted. As for the essence of Fringe, it's friendly. This is a great find for people who don't enjoy maintaining conversations with their stylists and who enjoy eavesdropping on stylists' conversations. You can join the conversation if you like. I did. Most importantly, Chana will listen to you, share her intelligent recommendations, then do what the two of you decide to do. She's talented and nice and I recommend her highly.
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I've been to Emily for cut and color twice now and I've left grinning both times. I love her work and I really dig this funky little neighborhood salon. No chi chi attitude here, just a chill and cozy atmosphere. Nice products, too, and some new life for my damaged little locks.
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I left Fringe and my stylist Desiree today feeling preeeetty darn amazing, regardless of the 3.5 hours of sleep from the previous evening and the endless piles of essays I had on my to-do list for today.
I have walked by Fringe a few times and heard about the salon from a girlfriend, but there are so many shi-shi salons in the city that I have ended up in an endless cycle of salon hopping based on other reviews, prices and stylist experiences. Fringe is a very nice salon, but it is not intimidating nor uninhibited, and the prices are quite reasonable amongst a jungle of THOSE kind of salons.
Now I think I've found my PLACE. Desiree listened to what I wanted, made sure to double check with me on the type of cut and style I was going for, and continued to check with me throughout the whole cut and style on how I liked it and if she should change anything. 8 compliments later from friends and strangers on my hair (within an hour?!), I am convinced that Fringe is a place I can go to to get the exact haircut I desire. Thanks Desiree!
I am so so so so happy with my new haircut and dye. I have gotten a million compliments on it already. I walked in not knowing exactly what I wanted. Jen sat down with me and did a thorough consultation and I immediately trusted her to take charge and completely change my whole look.
It looks awesome and for the first time I have a hairstyle that I don't have to wash and restyle every day! I finally found a hairstylist that I know I'll go back to.
Thank you Jen!!!!!!
Emily, Emily, Emily ...
Every single one of my hairs, my follicles, and my scalp completely and totally and utterly thank you from the bottom of their contented hearts. I've been getting my hair cut here for the last two years, and Emily has never let me down. She's funny, cool, cute, and very, very skilled with her razor. I went in on Wednesday afternoon, and decided that very afternoon that I wanted it "short. AND shorter than usual. I'm talking SHORT."
She grinned, told me she knew exactly what I needed, and washed my hair (my favorite part of the hair-cutting experience, btw). And then she did it. Forty minutes later, my head felt quite a bit lighter, and I had a fucking awesome haircut!
Thank you, Emily! See ya around!
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I finally found a stylist after 4 years of searching in the city! Jenny listened, she had an opinion, she knew what the hell she was doing and there was not an ounce of attitude! I am tempted not to yelp to stave off her popularity thus keeping the prices down, but I'm cooler than that.
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This used to be my regular salon. Shana used to work on my hair. She was okay, did my color touch-ups but never recommended anything else. I stopped going because I felt like I was stepping into some high school girls' clique club. The stylists yapping to each other about their dating lives (or lack thereof) is irritating and unprofessional.
I would highly recommend the Patrick Evan Salon in Union Square. Thats where I go now.
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Love these girls, love the place, love the skill level.
I have been getting my hair cut and colored by Karen for something like 10 years now... I love her!!! I watch everyone else work with clients while I am there and everyone walks out looking adorable.
This is a bunch of talented ladies!!!!
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I got a haircut here and it was really nice. The staff was friendly and laid back. I had Janine cut my hair and she did a really nice job. She really took her time and made sure that both she and I were happy with it.
i love Fringe. i have been coming here for many years on the recommendation of an ex, of all people! he had really cool hair, though. i was referred to Chana and it's been salon-love ever since.
Chana will tell you what will look good and what will not. she won't just give you full bangs if you'll look like an idiot in them. she uses her own discretion when cutting my hair, which i appreciate because my ideas are often lofty and well... clownish.
i stopped coloring my hair a couple of years ago but i still go to Chana for cuts. i have never been unhappy with a haircut she has given me, i always look fabulous and the haircuts grow out well.
i would highly recommend Chana if you've got time to head out to Hayes Valley for a cute, stylish and sassy haircut. ive never seen any of the other stylists because she is so good.
i have my next appointment tomorrow! i wonder how she is going to react when she see's i've been cutting my own bangs :o
I heeded my friend and neighbor Halsted's advice (see her review below) and went to visit Emily for a cut. After many overpriced stylists (including another in Hayes Valley that I used to go to), I needed a no-nonsense, no-frills, easy-going and affordable place to get my locks shorn. Fringe was it!
Even though I didn't want to take length off of my hair, Emily took a lot off by thinning out my massive bulky hair, and evened out the length. I felt great afterwards and can feel a difference in how my hair feels and lies on my head. It's also set to grow out beautifully, which is my goal.
It was one of SF's warm days, so it was pretty hot in Fringe's upstairs location, which has no A/C. I can see that it causes a bit of discomfort on warmer days, and especially when blow dryers are going full speed! But that's a minor minor problem to endure for a great haircut.
Be advised that some stylists only take cash and/or check, so be sure to double check before you go in.
I'll be back for touching up my highlights!
I can't speak for any of the other stylists, because I followed Karen there from Maire Rua years ago. I live in the East Bay now and have tried NUMEROUS times to find a stylist on this side. I'm done with that now. Karen knows what I want, and always makes me look great; everyone compliments! Even when I come in with kooky ideas, she finds a way to make them work for me.
I love the fact that the stylists chat with each other. I hate getting haircuts where I feel "on the spot", like I have to come up with scintillating conversation, or worse when the stylist is gossiping with me about celebrities--yuk. It makes my skin crawl. The casual atmosphere is relaxing and comfortable for me, and it's nice when everyone in the salon, stylists and clients, are all chatting comfortably together. It's always interesting.
I probably shouldn't be talking her up; with only two days a week cutting hair, it's getting harder to book a cut with Karen! But she is SO worth it.
I have never left Emily's chair unsatisfied. She listens to what I want (really listens!). I always get tons of compliments from friends and co-workers and even complete strangers! It's got a friendly chill atmosphere-totally unpretentious yet hip. i always look forward to going in!
http://www.fringesalon.../
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Emily is the only person who's touched my hair since I moved to the Bay Area, and I'd like to keep it that way, thank you very much. She's great with my vague suggestions, always has the patience to show me how to style my hair properly, and is always good for an interesting chat.
For years, I very rarely got my hair cut the same place twice in a row; I've been here every five or six weeks and I've got no reason to look anywhere else.
I recently had my hair cut and colored by Maricel, and while the color turned out great, the cut was less than great. She didn't talk to me, or take the natural style of my hair into consideration. I also had to wait a while in between the color and the cut. There are better places in the city.
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I went to Emily one day when I was needy for a cut, and will be seeing her again! She was great. The salon is quant and low-key. Very comfortable and homey atmosphere. Check these people out!
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My haircut ($60) was great and my stylist was nice. I forgot her name but she had short dark blond hair. She cut my hair just like the pictures I showed her (bangs and layers thoughout my hair).
The salon is small and is like a tiny apartment, but cute. There's not much privacy and I felt uncomfortable. That's just me, but other people might not mind. At the end, when I paid for the haircut, the she took all my money without giving me the the change, assuming I was going to give her all of it as a tip. I was planning to give it all to her, but still . . .
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Great place at a convenient location. If I had hair I'd actually go there. Friends who do, come out with hella sexy hair! Cool hairdressers too, Emily in particular!
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I went to see Jenny the Junior Stylist because I'm on a budget, and don't mind staying in the chair longer for a really great cut. She asked what I did with my hair and really gave me the perfect cut for my needs. I have a lot of freaking hair, so it's always either been a hit of miss when I find new stylist. I think she's rad, and will be going back to her again! =)
I received a haircut from the owner and it was so so. I showed her pictures of what I wanted and she told me it wouldn't work and I shouldn't go short. But it was what I wanted. But I listened to her anyways. I've always had short hair except for the last four years. After having a baby, I wanted to go back to something more simple. After spending $70 on a haircut, it was a disappointment. After leaving Fringe, I put my hair back in a ponytail, like I always do with my long hair. Not flattering at all. I was a glama-rama faithful, until my friend told me to try Fringe. Her stylist was on maternity leave, so I went with whoever was free. I don't think I'll be going back.
I was hesitant to try a new place, but read some of the good reviews and took a chance. Upon walking into Fringe, I was happily greeted and treated very well. Offered water and tea which was nice.
The atmosphere is very laid back and not pretentious at all.
Karen asked what I wanted, relayed it back to me, and came to an agreement. She worked slowly and carefully, making sure not to cut too much off too fast, and even described her method as she went along.
She was incredibly nice and is very talented. I really enjoyed my cut. It came out just as I wanted it. She gave it her own little touch which produced a look that I couldn't have come up with myself.
Oh Fringe. Forget those overpriced snooty hair salons where the service is sub par and your hair still looks like crap the next day. Seriously! Fringe is such a wonderful place not only for the ladies but the guys as well. The wonderful women of Fringe are skilled at giving fabulous hair cuts, and for half the price of those high end salons. I remember when I strayed from Fringe (I'm still scratching my head about that one) and wondered why wasn't I satisfied with my hair? After all I was spending like $300 for a cut and color, shouldn't I have felt rockstar fabulous? Well lesson learned. I shall never stray again.
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Emily is a MASTER of men's hair and hey she's super cute too! What more could you ask for? I've been coming back for 2 years for a reason... she rocks!
I went to Jen on Saturday for a cut, and went back to her last night for a color. This is the first time where I have liked my hair before leaving the salon (AND it happened TWICE!) She listened to what I wanted, and worked her magic on my hair. The cut is great, but the color is fabulous! I have had my hair colored since I was 16, and have been trying to get this color!! I highly recommend Jen!! I have also finally found a great stylist in the city!!
I have been going to Fringe for almost six years and every time I walk out I am incredibly pleased with the cut and color. The salon has a laid-back contemporary feel. All the stylists are friendly, creative, and unique. I get compliments on my hair often but since I've been going to Chana at Fringe compliments have at least tripled. I highly recommend this salon.
It's hard to rate this place. I've had several great cuts by Karen and Emily, who are good stylists-- they really listen to you and your needs, before the scissors even touch your hair. The atmosphere here is very casual-- it's a tiny, sunlit salon overlooking Hayes street with maybe only two or three stylists working at any given time. One other reviewer was irritated by the "gabbing" among the stylists. I didn't mind, as it didn't interfere with my cut. However, I have had one REALLY bad cut here, and it was done by the owner (!). She had a bit of an attitude, and didn't really listen to me as I explained my hair's quirks. The next day, after I washed all the styling product out of my hair, I realized she'd left my hair a rough, frizzy, uneven mess that took me almost a year to grow out.
Personally, I did not like the salon. I went in there and the stylist who was going to do my haircut, did not introduce herself when I came in. She seemed unfriendly and cold. She happens to be the owner of the place. She and the other stylist kept gossiping and even swore. To me, that is very unprofessional especially when you have other clients there. I felt like I was in a typical barbershop.
The haircut itself was ok. She messed up my bangs and I told her what I wanted and after cutting some more, she said, "that was against my better judgement"
I did not receive any compliments after this experience. People actually thought I took scissors and cut my hair myself.
Price of this haircut was outrageous especially when it was just mediocre looking. She spent more time gossiping to the other stylist rather focusing more on creating my "look".
To me, Chana was rude and insensitive.
I wouldn't recommend going to this place again.If you do, don't ask for Chana.
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The review above was actually written by my cousin-she felt compelled to write a strong dissenting review of the salon and didn't want to register for an account.
I, thankfully, had a better experience at Fringe-I guess the three stars is a combination of both of our experiences. I don't know, but maybe my appointment was better because Chana wasn't there. Jen was the junior stylist who cut my hair (in case you haven't noticed, I go for the cheap cuts at top-notch salons to, I guess, avoid costly mistakes like my cousin's above) and she was awesome. The conditioner she used for awesome-I love it! It was for color-treated hair (Pureology Hydrate) and I don't have color treated hair, but it was so exhilarating with all its minty freshness! It smelled great when the scent lingered hours after my hair cut too. We bonded quickly because we grew up in the same area and went to high school in the same area. She was really nice and just chill to talk to-sometime you can't talk to stylists at trendy salons because they can seem totally beyond your experiences with their uber-hipsterness that they can't talk about normal things or the conversation usually can't be sustained. But it was different with Jen. Emily was the stylist supervising her-Jen was a dear, but I don't think I can say the same about Emily. When I came in, she didn't even introduce herself. I sat down, facing the mirror and I notice this chick in specs with sort of a cheshire cat expression on her face staring back at me. I figured she must have been the stylist in charge of Jen, though she didn't exactly introduce herself or say too much exactly. And I felt she was a tad stern with Jen-there seemed to be uncomfortable tension lingering in the air between Emily and Jen whenever Jen asked for her help. Jen did a great job-even though I had asked for a shag and instead got a razored bob and opted out for side-swept bangs, I am happy with my cut. It's cute and although my back layers always get razored and thinned too much, I love it. Whoo-hoo Jen!
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