Bellagio Hair & Skin Inc

Bellagio is a Newbury Street-style salon tucked away in an unassuming corner of Brighton (with lower prices than you will find downtown). I got an excellent haircut here today from Christina--she found out exactly what I wanted, gave me some excellent suggestions, and even used a cutting technique that's good for curly hair. The shampoo massage was fabulous, and the vibe in the salon is very relaxing--soothing music, not a lot of chatter, and one of those little zen waterfall gizmos in the corner. Shampoo, haircut & blowdry were $50 before tip (plus 10% off for a first-time customer discount with an online coupon).

Bellagio isn't doing a lot in the green category yet. They serve you water while you wait in the ultimate no-no: a styrofoam cup, and their hair products, while high-end, aren't organic or free of the usual suspect ingredients. One plus: they did have the door open on this very pleasant day rather than running the a/c and wasting energy. There are also a lot of windows that let in great natural light; however, all the electric lights in the place were on as well.

The salon is independently-owned, not a chain, so the money you spend there stays in your community, and it is public transportation-accessible via many bus lines, including the 57 that stops practically at the door.