I once had a very bad experience with my mother’s stylist. I was so upset about the incident that I refused to see her (or any other stylist for that matter), for like six years. Seriously – I was livid. Plus it took nearly half of that time for my hair to grow out the extra 6 inches that she’d taken off without asking.

For the last few years, I have trusted my hair to Mandi at The Cutting Edge. This is not your mother’s hair salon. Mandi and Joyce are, in my opinion, simply the best kind of stylists – they let their personalities permeate the salon. Local art on the walls, good music playing overhead, and more Nightmare Before Christmas memorabilia than I can count.

Now, I’m usually pretty boring with my style – trim the ends, trim the bangs, add a nice, simple demi-permanent red, maybe throw in some low-lights if I’m feeling particularly adventurous.

In November, I took the plunge and did something drastic (drastic for me, anyway) with my hair. It was time for a change, so I went in and talked through what I was thinking with Mandi. She made some recommendations and talked through my concerns all before touching my hair. In the end, I took off about 4 inches, went for a brighter red, and I let her cut layers. (I have always been terrified of layers.) Two appointments later, she’s tweaked the red so that it’s exactly the color I want and so that it stays brighter longer. And those layers that I was afraid of? I love them.

Of course, it’s these sweethearts (Jimini and Cricket) who really seal the deal. If you’re looking for an out of the ordinary style or color and a salon with a little kick, these are definitely the stylists for you.