Kenneth Wildes Salons

I’ve been going to Kenny for haircuts for over thirty years. He’s the type of stylist you would find in Beverly Hills or NYC cutting celebrities. His work is amazing and I am constantly getting compliments on my hair!

I tried this place for the first time fairly recently. It was pretty crowded and crazy in there and my highlights were so-​so. The lady did a great job finishing the style, but my roots were still pretty obvious and the highlights were a bit too brassy. I am going to try Tete-​a-​Tete down the street for color next. It’s a bit of a circus in Kenneth Wildes’ because it’s quite large and popular.

Sarah B. has given me the BEST short hair cuts I’ve ever had. First cut when I moved to Metrowest (at another salon) scared me, so I approached women with awesome short hair at my gym. They all said «SARAH», including one woman who told me that both she and her mom had been going to Sarah for years. The salon does a great job with online appointments, text reminders, etc. Use 19 Pelham Street in your GPS to locate the metered parking lot.

I followed Shawneen here after she left Sanela because I really liked her. After visiting her at this salon I couldn’t help but wish that she would have stayed at Sanela. My impression of Kenneth Wildes salon is as follows: the front desk, while cordial, have an attitude. When you feel like you are an imposition, that’s a problem. As for the stylists that work here, I definitely picked up on a disingenuous, stuffy attitude that may very well come from having to work in an extremely competitive environment. Finally, though the owner was decent to me, the reviews here tell me that he is arrogant. Because of these issues, I just can’t bring myself to go back. Service and experience are everything. While I was not disappointed with my hair it just wasn’t a pleasant enough experience for me to want to go back.

I’ve moved over to this salon because I needed to follow my girl, Shawneen. Keyword: NEED.
I’ve already written about Shawneen in my review at the previous salon but all I can say is that I trust her completely with my hair, she is the sweetest person, and it’s just always such a joy to see her and have her work her magic.
The salon itself is nice. There is a metered parking lot and setting up and rescheduling appointments has always been easy. I’ve always done it via email which makes it very convenient for me. Everyone is always very sweet there and they seem to genuinely get along together which of course is nice to see.
They provide a bunch of other beauty services but I’ve never taken advantage of them.

I went to Kenneth Wildes this weekend for the first time, as my hairdresser, Shawneen, works there now.
Finding it is a bit tricky, but once you do, there is ample parking (metered) and it’s close to the T.
I was pleasantly greeted by the receptionist and even offered a smock or a robe (apparently some people take their clothes off and wear only the robe??). They have self-​serve coffee, tea & water and plenty of seating and magazines. The salon has plenty of light and is very clean.
Shawneen has been my hairdresser for a while, so there was no question she was going to do a good job — and she did! My hair looks amazing and I’ll be going back.
It was $ 55 for a cut & blow-​dry, which is what I paid previously. They do a great shampoo/​conditioning and use high-​quality products.
They also offer salon services (nails, waxing…), which is good for a one-​stop trip.

Shawneen gave me my best haircut ever… love it! Also had a chemical peel by Kara that has left my face so soft and the fine lines are almost nonexistent. Very pleasant experience.

Love this place… Always can depend on Kenneth Wildes for both my wife and I.

My stylist, Shawneen, recently returned to Kenneth Wildes from another salon. I love Shawneen, as is evidenced by my willingness to not only follow her from salon to salon, but also to take the trip from Brooklyn to do so!
While I was initially skeptical about this move, I generally think of newton as over priced and impossible to park in, I’m now in favor. This particular visit I was contemplating a major change in style for the summer. Shawneen and I were talking about what to do, when one of the senior stylists happened to walk by. She stayed for 10 minutes helping us go through options and consulting even though I was not her client. It was obvious from their interaction that the staff thought of themselves as a team and not simply individuals sharing a work space. The atmosphere was friendly and collegial and it was obvious that people were happy to be there. As a result I got better service and had a fabulous haircut. I’m hoping that Shawneen stays here for a while!
Reading the other reviews about the receptionists and other staff I can’t say this agrees with my experience at all. Everyone I interacted with was polite, friendly and professional. Granted it was a Friday afternoon and not a busy weekend but I had no complaints about the service.

I found Shawneen! She previously had rescued my hair from years of dryness and bad cuts while she was at Sanela Salon in Brookline and I had been looking for her for a few months. She is now at Kenneth Wildes and as usual gave a great cut to my now long and much healthier curly hair.

Sarah B. absolutely rocks my world!
I have been her client for a decade. YES, I have been following her for 10 years, and can’t imagine anybody else touching my hair.
She is incredibly skilled, both in the hair cutting and coloring departments.
I change my hair all the time and she always delivers. So far my hair has been black, platinum, red (multidimensional, gorgeous! I think she used 4 different reds to achieve that look), highlights /​low lights, platinum with pink… etc. Long hair, medium cuts, but most of all, she does an epic job on short hair, and not every stylist can give you a chic short cut that grows out beautifully.
The salon is modern, yet inviting. The owner is very into his craft and definitely has a passion for hair. He was friendly and professional. Great experience… and my hair is awesome, I couldn’t ask for more!

For all of those people looking for Shawneen who used to work at Sanela’s, Shawneen is working at Kenneth Wildes Salon in Newton Center!!!

I have nothing but good things to say about the Kenneth Wildes salon. I am only living in Boston for a temporary time period, but know I will have to come back to get my hair taken care of.
All of the stylists at the salon treat clients like family. Here is who I see at the salon.
Steven: my master genius colorist. I have very dark hair and he is able to add tones to it and make me feel like a Victoria’s Secret model. He also cuts my hair and can diagnose the right cut for the style I wear and the amount of work I can put in.
Michael: fabulous haircuts. Very unique style of cutting and literally does the best blow dry ever.
Tom: junior stylist on the rise. Takes a bit of work to get him talking but so sweet and takes his time to be sure he gives you what you want. My blowdry lasted days!
Lois: sweetest woman in New England and is a great waxer. Takes her time to be sure she gets everything. Tweezes and all!
I would trust any of the stylists there to take care of me!
Love this place.

I always get a fabulous hair cut (not hair cut anxiety here) and everyone is as nice and can be– and the salon is always sparkling clean!

I had the opportunity to be a client during one of Kenneth’s hair cutting classes for his staff. What an unbelievable opportunity. Kenneth did a great job of allowing his staff cut, while instructing and stepping in as needed. He is brilliant and cant wait to go back for more

I have been going to Kristin for over 20 years, the salon is clean and comfortable, so nicely put together. I am always made to feel welcome, a smile and sense of humor is always present. I would never leave! Steven is awesome, knows his color! Go here!!!

Seriously, a few of my friends have said the service here was rude but in a rush, I called to see if I could get a quick blow out. I showed up with my 10 year old son, who had a book and was more then happy to read and the girl at front looked at him and said, «we don’t allow kids in our salon». Seriously, a 10 year old is not allowed to read a book for half an hour in a salon. Why the hell are you in the burbs? Happy not to go back here with that attitude. Plenty of great places to get my hair done around Newton.

I was not going to say anything about Kenneth and his salon but after finally getting my hair back in shape last week after 2 years, it brought back memories.
I scheduled my first appointment there for my foil because my hairdresser at another salon had left. The colorist who did my hair, my very long, my very beautiful blonde milti– colored hair, had only been working there only a week or so (she found the job posting on Craig’s List)! I thought the location was appealing vs. Newbury St. parking.
It was a Friday afternoon and it took this girl 4 hours to foil my hair (no cut). Usually I am in and out of any other salon in about 2 or less. When she was done, it was not blonde but GOLDen with REDISH/​PINKISH streaks! I cried. They took my money and told me to come back in the next morning to fix it.
I returned Sat. morning to have Sanela (who was a good colorist but my understanding is she had it with Kenny and she is no longer there:) strip it and correct the color the best that she could. My hair was now dried and frazzled by all the chemicals. This process was another 4 – 5 hours; on a Saturday morning!
As I was purchasing some products at the reception area before I left KENNETH SCREAMED at me in front of a full house (of pompous women snickering and looking at me because they found his theatrics and belittling of me so amusing) yelling that «I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY NOR WAS IT GREEN ENOUGH FOR ME TO COME INTO HIS SALON». are you freaking kidding me?!? I could NOT believe this creepy looking man with the fabulous reputation was speaking to me like this!!! I think HIS hairdressers are costing him money! I paid full price for this mess!!! He did not offer a refund AND conditioning treatments for say… a YEaR!!! He also screamed something about charging $ 200 about I could not afford a haircut from him??? I was not even interested in a haircut and if I were, I would NOT have had HIM cut it as I do not know if he even CAN or wants to cut ‘long’ hair! His motto to all of his employees is: cut it short… keep them coming back. All this was going on while he was working on someone’s hair and the salon was full. It was like something I have never seen before nor expected to see. It would have been amusing to watch if it were not directed towards myself (I suppose that is why everyone was snickering) hahahaa! What a SICKO!
This incident happened the summer before last but it has taken me all this time to actually have the strength to repeat this disgusting story. I just had my hair cut a few days ago to cut the remaining mess from my locks from the damage that this salon did to me. Damage… both mentally and physically.
Don’t go here unless your money is «green enough», OR you are one of the many sick people in this world who feel the need to look down on others for your own low, twisted, self esteem.

Please take your business (and your hair) somewhere else!!! This place is stuck up, rude and pretentious!!! And you would think that with so much attitude at least they would do a good job!!! I got a very mediocre haircut, something I could have gotten for the fraction of the price at walk-​in place. Then she styled it horrendously making me look 20 years older. When I told her that I don’t usually style my hair this way, she gave me an attitude and basically told me that she knows better.
They all act there like they are some kind of style gurus. Pathetic, overpriced, rude and completely does not live up to the standard it pretends to be.

TOTALLY UNPROFESSIONAL.
I went here to Sanela and got a good but EXTREMELY expensive cut. I scheduled another cut 6 months in advance. I had a wedding to go to in August that I needed it cut for. Unfortunately, a work trip called and I had to cancel to reschedule. That was in July. They couldn’t fit me in until September (after the wedding.)
I pleaded with them and waited patiently for another appointment. They left me a voicemail regarding one that came up for a Saturday. I called them back right away. The receptionist said she would «cancel the other person who took the appointment» and call me right back. I never heard back from this stupid salon.
And to top it off, today I got a call about my appointment in September! After all that. Seriously, folks, getting your hair cut should NOT be this difficult. My warning is to not go – you may just like it and then suffer inconsiderate and infuriating idiocy by the stupid front desk.