Debu Salon and Spa

HELP! I followed INES to the salon at the W hotel. I called there for an appointment but they told me she no longer works there. Does anybody know where she went or if she is still cutting hair?

Debu is now James Joseph at the W Hotel, 100 Stuart Street.

I was a long time client of Charles Maksou who did amazing, life changing dry cuts. After 8 years of loyal service, he moved to Lebanon and doesn’t appear to be coming back. I have shopped around for a new stylist and always ask if they do the dry cut. I was always told, «I finish the hair dry.»…so that would be a NO. Dry cut is done completely dry and will leave you with a finished result you could never get when someone cuts your wet, heavy hair. Trust me– I have gone to the highest end salons, to the mid level salons– paid $ 150 and up for comparable cuts and they never, ever, match the precision of a dry cut.
Finally, I discovered Ines, who trained under Charles and solely does the dry cut. She gets it. Gets hair. I felt like I was home again.
Unfortunately, this salon is closing in August. Luckily many of the stylists are heading to a new salon in the W hotel. As long as I can get the dry cut in a 100 mile radius, I will follow them anywhere!
Try it once and you will be hooked.

The most amazing waxer on earth works in this business: Tatyana.
I am extremely picky about my eyebrows, they are too important to your face not to be. And Tatyana has always done a perfect job of sculpting them to my face. Just brilliant. I have also used her for a facial and it was another great experience.
I haven’t checked out any other services, but if you need waxing done or a facial, schedule time with Tatyana — she’s amazing!

My coworker has been going to this salon for a while and has always raved about them. My eyebrows were getting a bit unruly and I had an event to attend, no time to get to my usual waxer, I called over to Debu, although they were busy they squeezed me in last minute. The place was clean, service was top notch. The woman who did my brows was very thorough and not rushed, she did an outstanding job, I will only go here from now on to get my brows done.

This place is by far the best salon. I travel from the MA/​NH border so you know it has to be worth it. The salon is beautiful and very hip without making you feel intimidated. The owner and her sister are always smiling and have created a place that feels very warm and inviting.
Ines is my stylist and the owner. She gives the best hair cut I have EVER had. I get the dry cut and it is so great that I don’t need to go back for 6 months! (Sorry Ines). This cut grows out so well that it takes that long to realize you need a cut again.
I am thankful to have found Debu and Ines. She is a beautiful person who has an amazing gift. She works magic with her scissors. I am only sorry I don’t get to see her more often.

I have been a loyal customer of this salon since they opened and they have continued to deliver outstanding service to me year after year.
I have my hair done by Inez who is wonderful with my, sometimes difficult to manage, spanish-​asian-​american hair type and I always leave the salon looking like a million bucks. She is very skilled in using a dry-​cutting technique and my cut always earns a lot of compliments from strangers. The shampoo /​scalp massage is also a lovely and relaxing experience.
My esthetician is Tatyana who is fun, outgoing, a consummate professional and excellent at her trade. She listens to what you want and remembers just how you like it at every visit. I will never have my facial waxing done by anyone else, as she has proven to be the best! I also highly recommend her facial and skin care services which are top-​notch (and a delicious indulgence).
I have referred some of my local friends and family to this salon for a variety of services and every one of them have become regular customers, whether it be for salon or spa services. I even have out of state friends that request appointments when they are in town. Debu offers discounts for referrals, so it’s a win-​win for both you and your friends.

I had my underarms waxed here, and will NEVER go back again.
The lady doing the wax was really messy. I had tons of wax along my arm, in the crease of my elbow and on my shoulder after the she was done, and she didn’t give me anything to wipe it off with either.
Then I was told to take a look in the mirror they have in the room. First it was dark so I couldn’t really see anything, and also the mirror was blocked by a piece of furniture so I couldn’t get too close. I just put my shirt on and left.
Later I got a good look and it was a disgrace! There was a ton of hair left under each arm!
I gave two stars because the décor is really nice and appropriate for a downtown salon — but I’ll never go here again.

I am in love with this salon, and Kathy is an amazing stylist! You walk in the door and the space is just amazingly inviting, warm, and colorful. It feels like a real spa experience, and was evidently used as a filming location for the movie «Bride Wars». (Learned that from Kathy.)
I’d never had a dry cut before, but now I think I will never again go back to a wet cut. For those unfamiliar with the process, the stylist uses a flat iron to straighten out the hair, much like the shampoo process would do at a traditional salon. However, with this dry cutting technique, your hair doesn’t start drying and contracting mid cut, and it actually has movement to it when it is being cut, so you have a better prediction about what it will do when the cut is over. I’m not sure if it works similarly for curly or really wavy hair, but this was the case for me at least.
Kathy first did a great consult, to understand what I was looking for. I have never experience such a great degree of precision during a cut either, and as my hair was taking shape I could see the exact angles being added in. After the cut, I was given a shampoo with excellent head massage, followed by a blow dry with some minimal styling.
Normally I think my hair is ok after a new cut, and it takes me a few days to really love it. When I was finished at Debu, I was already in love with my new style. As an extra bonus, this is in my new neighborhood, so I am very much looking forward to being a regular!

Unless you come on a Saturday, opt for the T. Street parking here is a nightmare. But so worth it. Everyone here is extremely professional and does a fantastic job. The salon is always immaculate and the people who work here are extremely friendly. Lisa cuts my hair and I have always been absolutely thrilled with the results. Personally, I prefer the dry cut. It’s instant satisfaction because you can tell what it will look like before the haircut is over. They stopped doing pedicures, but the cuts, coloring, waxing, facials and manicures are 100% worth it. I’ve had almost every service done here and have been extremely happy. They also carry a full line of Purology hair care, which is my favorite.

This salon is of Newbury Street scale with slightly lower prices, and closest downtown salon to my world in South Boston. Both stylists I’ve had have been super accomodating, and friendly, and listened with great attention to my hair wants and rants of the moment. Talented in their work, great care to detail, and one of them gives a damn good head massage during the shampoo. FYI, they do dry cutting, and it took me a few minutes to turn on to the idea, but the end result proved they know what they’re doing.
The only fatal flaw of this salon warranted the exclaim, «What? I can’t put the tip on the credit card?!!» I rarely have 30 dollars on me, and I’d rather just add to the damage I’ve put on the plastic with the full-​highlight/​cut/​style-​and-​products I’ve just purchased.

Wow… I mean Wow. That is all I can say about Renee @ Debu. I mean I went in there with catepiller brows & came out looking Fab.
I mean I gave her full control. I just said not thin & not ugly. She gave me exactly what I wanted… the best brows I have had in a while. She is my new brow lady.
My friend came with me and she promptly made an appointment for the next day. She got her brows done at 12 this afternoon & again Renee did a GREAT job.

One of the few salons in the leather district, so if your in the south station/​chinatown area and in need of expertly sculpted yet natural looking eyebrows check out Renee at Debu. i also have had my hair cut here buy a few different stylists and i always am very happy with the cut. prices are reasonable, atmosphere is great– not super sleek intimidating trendy but –fun, chic and cool and relaxed, w/​great up beat latin music playing w/​comfy couches and tons of magazines to read while your waiting.
⁴⁄₂₉ update:
sadly Rene is no longer working at Debu, however Tatianna is equally talented and a lot of fun. she really took her time doing my caterpillars and is so personable and down to earth she puts you at ease immediately. She has long lovely blond layers and she told me Cathy does her hair. She said she is a perfectionist and it shows, her hair looks amazing.

I started going to Cruz for color when she was with Maksou and I was in college. 10 states later, I had never found anyone as meticulous as Cruz. Now granted I am all for spending what ever it takes to have my hair just the way I want it but to have it perfect and be able to pay my rent even better. I have been referring everyone I know, not only do I know they will be happy, but if i refer them they get a discount and so do I. How cool is that.

I tried this salon after a coworker recommended it. Boy am I happy that I listened to her! Kathi really listened to what I wanted and she did a great job. I am new to the dry cut so that took a few minutes to get used to, but I was absolutely thrilled with the result. This place has a really great interior and everyone is very friendly. I will definitely be back!

A big thank you goes out to Debu.
Sometimes french pedicures leave little to be desired but not here. I love my french pedicure and the woman who did it! I can’t remember her name but maybe it was Gianna … She was fantastic.
I opted for the «express» french pedicure as I went on my lunch break. It was still relaxing and the results were just as good as if I’d been there an hour. A pedicure isn’t the type of things you can return once it’s been done, so I was relieved to find that my toes look perfect.
I jet off to my honeymoon tomorrow and I would recommend Debu whether you are going on a tropical getaway or just need a quick pampering.
I work across the street and I’m giving them a two-​thumbs up right now. Hopefully they can see it!

Pop culture vernacular like OMG!, awesome, amazing, sweet, cool, etc. could all be be used to describe Tatyana, one of two Debu Salon’s estheticians. But Tatyana is a flower that never fades. She keeps her feet in the sun and her face in the shade. Using common words to describe her and her talents would be insufficient.
She’s convivial, congenial, radiant, sincere, knowledgeable, gentle, thorough, skilled, beautiful inside and out. The room in which she administers all of her fabulousness is clean, calming, transformative, elevating, and a lightly scented amalgam of lighted candles, essential oils, and clean linen.
My relationship with Tatyana began when I couldn’t get an appointment with Renee. (Who, in the past had the good fortune of being voted best eyebrow wax in Boston by Boston Magazine.) Despite the apprehension that ensued the receptionist’s suggestion to substitute Renee with Tatyana, I succumbed, and have never looked back.
Being introduced to Tatyana was similar to being reunited with an old friend. We bonded almost immediately, (odd because although my ancestry can be traced to 4 warm cultures, my countenance can read as cold, dead fish). She was unphased. «Undress. Velcro the terry around you. Lie down on the bed with your head facing my chair. I’ll give you some time to undress.» Whateva lady. It’s the facial drill…
Well no, it wasn’t. What happened next was nothing short of transcendent. After Tatyana selected a CD from the more than one thousand in her personal collection, she covered my body with an ultra soft, clean, weighty blanket. As the instruments wafted out of overhead speakers, she slathered my face with this serum, massaged that cream, infusing a soft, delicious scent. I saw vivid hues, mountains, birds, rivers, trees, flowers, valleys, Buddha (okay, maybe not), but I did experience an elevation.
In my house, there is a meditation room, equipped with white noise, a bowl of cool, clean water, soft, luxury carpeting, gauzy fabric, incense, earth, candles, anything a meditating guru might want minus the gong, and I have NEVER reached the states of nirvana and relaxation that I have while lying on Tatyana’s ultra comfortable bed.
You’re probably wondering about the prowess of her eyebrow wax, the facial itself. To begin, Tatyana is a woman’s woman. She listens, and remembers how you prefer your caterpillars tweezed, waxed and shaped. In the past, the butterflies of her labor have lasted a month, more recently, three weeks. It’s spring. Everything sprouts faster in spring.
The massage included in the facial grants decompression and absolute relaxation. …Excuse me while I moan… You’ll wish she were licensed to loosen the whole body. My shoulders and scalp could spend half the day under her kneading finger tips, turning marble shoulders back to muscle groups.
Once she gave me something she called, «a vitamin C» facial, $ 95, (not on the list of services) during a bad break out, for the next three weeks I watched my skin metamorphasize dry and broken out to hydrated and clear. She didn’t oversell Debu’s prefered product line when I told her I wasn’t interested. Instead, she sent me to the drug store and the Body Shop. Her remedy was under $ 50.
The rest of the salon is clean and uncluttered, but not sterile. The «girls» at the front desk are always pleasant and efficient, not chatty.
Undoubtedly, Tatyana is one of Boston’s best kept secrets. I’ve never been so pleased with any esthetician, low or high end, anywhere.
Wholly Satisfied,
Katherine

Parking’s a bitch, but it’s worth the 10x drive-​around to find a spot.
Personally, I’m still a loyal customer to my Vincent at Acote but Gian Franco did a great cut on my man! Plus they give 20% off to new customers, even better!
Great salon atmosphere and waiting area with nice comfy black leather couches with many updated magazines to choose from!
Bravo Debu!

My wallet had been cradling a gift certificate for a paraffin pedicure ($ 65) here for months but I’d waited for the first rays of spring sun to let the piggies emerge.
As usual, I picked the wrong day; the heat was bearing down and radiating off the pavement. And of course I was running late, so I tear down the steps into the basement salon oozing moisture, toes sticking together in my flats.
I was ushered into tranquility, open and warm, with clean, organized stations. The gals at the counter were helpful and understanding (though not friendly, but who can blame them considering my state?!) and instructed me to pick a color from their magnificent display then summoned the unfortunate nail tech.
She (Cindy) peeled my shoes off with a welcoming, bright smile. And settled me down into a comfy bench, easing my yucky feet into bubbly warm water (that I wished was a wee bit moreso). Then came the delicious scrubbing, hot wax booties, and perfect polish.
Give me a massage chair, and a GOOD magazine and it’d be a dazzling A+.

Gentrification of the area around South Station continues. Hidden in some basement of some newly renovated old something, is this modern fancyish salon. Given its location, it’s cheaper than what’s on the Newb., but more expensive than what’s around me in Faux Brookline.
Well, I went in with the legendary Renee for some very unfortunate services. (read: bikini area torture) She said, strip down to nothing and wait.
What followed felt like a drive by. I know something happened, and I know it wasn’t right, but it all happened so fast… And what’s that breeze?
Kudos to Renee for not monkeying around down there. She wasn’t all that thorough as she was driving by though. It’s a tradeoff, really.
I’ll be back, probably. I love punishment.

5 stars for the eyebrows, but 2 stars for the haircut.
I am faithful to Renee for making my eyebrows glorious every so often. She’s amazing, and so nice! I went to her at her previous salon and was so excited to find her again after she switched.
I went to debu to get my hair cut once, and I’m not sure I’d return. I got a dry cut, which was fine, but it would have been nice to have been offered a wet cut. It’s not like debu is widely known for dry cuts, like Maksou is.
I really liked the person that cut my hair, and I got a discount for it being my first time there (I went when it first opened, so I’m not sure if they still offer this), but still — there’s no shampoo, no head massage, no blowdry and it costs $ 75 a pop? Yikes. I’ll gladly return to my regular stylist on Newbury Street!
If the cut was a good one, I would have considered returning, especially because they offer $ 10 straight-​ironing so if I’m headed to a party or something and need a quick fix, I know I can head there, AND I am a huge advocate of supporting businesses in fun new up-​and-​coming neighborhoods like the Leather District.
BUT, I had to reallllllllllllllllly suffer through a few weeks before getting my hair cut again — I could have easily gotten another cut 2 weeks later. Which is awful. My hair is not difficult. I can usually go 10 – 12 weeks without needing a cut, yet $ 75 and 2 weeks later I was desperate.
debu also has manis and pedis and other services, so there is a lot to offer. Finally, being a block from South Station, it’s in a fantastic location.