Shear Madness

This is the best haircut I’ve ever had and have been going back for 3 years now. Wonderful owners and skilled stylists. I wouldn’t go anywhere else.

I found this salon through an online acquaintance. They were currently running a 50% off color services offer, and since I enjoy doing something a bit fun and funky with my hair once a year I figured: why not?
Let me preface this with a few pros:
Very nice owner and employees. Everyone was pleasant to spend time with, and really made the hours I spent there rather enjoyable. A+ for attitude and customer service.
When I called to talk to the owner about my issue (detailed below) he was very nice and professional. I really appreciated that, particularly that he didn’t try to lay the blame on me. However, short of coming in there really wasn’t anything he could do, and I can respect that.
However, I would be remiss if I didn’t report my biggest con:
My hair is algae green.
It was supposed to be blue/​black on top and fade to a dark royal blue. After a little over 6 hours in the chair I left with black/​purple hair, which though not what I asked for I could live with. However, over the past month my hair lost its purple sheen, spent a few days as the proper «darkish blue» then immediately proceeded to turn a nasty green color. (I could have lived with emerald green, or even pastel green, but this is the sickly brass green of a bad dye job. The sort your friends in high school sported after a night of trying to be punkrock queens and kings.)
I used color safe Bumble and Bumble shampoo and conditioner, the same one I used when Vamp (in Montclair) colored my hair last year. That color lasted one full year as my hair grew out.
I did speak at length with the colorist when I realized what color my hair was heading toward, and to her credit she did offer to recolor is for free. I do appreciate that, however I’m the sort the doesn’t like to roll the dice twice, as it were. I’ve gotten one bad color job already, why chance another? I’d rather go to a shop I know and trust.
When I spoke with the owner, he offered to have me come in and meet with another colorist, however I told him my understanding was that he only had the one colorist there. This could have been simple miscommunication though. Either way, I’ve no desire to go to Hoboken to chance another 6 hours with a shop that’s already proven itself a bit lacking in quality.
I’m sure Leah, the colorist, does excellent standard color work. Other people seem happy with her. Maybe my expectations were too high, given the level of quality I’m used to at Vamp.
I definitely would not recommend their colorist, Leah, for any fun/​funky/​wild color work. What happened to my hair I expect from a bad box job by a well intentioned friend, not a professional salon.
She’s a very nice woman, and I do wish her the best of luck in her career.
EDIT: I’d love to hear from other people that had their hair colored by Leah, and to find out if perhaps my situation was really that unique? Did anyone else’s color «fall out»?

I’d like to respond to Jesika W’s review. I am a long time color client of Leah’s and have been following her from salon to salon for years now. I go to her specifically for her ability to both visualize and execute edgy, «funky» hair color.
I’ve died my hair pretty much every color in the rainbow throughout my 35yrs of life and Leah has been the talent and creator behind many of my favorite show stoppers! Most recently, Leah gave me a beautiful shade of pink, while consulting me to incorporating some of my natural rich brown to add depth as opposed to coloring my whole head pink. Once I was tired of the pink, Leah worked her magic and made me a glorious shade of purple while keeping some of the old pink as highlights! Amazing! I always receive many complements on Leah’s creations from both friends and strangers alike.
Jesika, my experience with the funky colors has always been that they fade very quickly and if they don’t, they tend to stain too much and it’s difficult to get out of your hair. A trick I’ve learned over the years is to put some of the actual hair dye in your conditioner so u get a refresher every time u wash ur hair.
If hair color fades quickly, u cannot blame the stylist. If anything it’s the specific product of hair dye used and most funky colors unfortunately do not stay fresh for very long.
I wish there was a way to include photos in Unilocal reviews so I could showcase some of my favs that Leah has done on me
Cheers!

I’ve been a regular loyal customer since the day Shear Madness opened. I highly recommend this salon to anyone who is tired of getting a frightening surprise after each haircut. Victor and David team up to offer an excellent experience from the service and quality perspective. There have been a few times when I’ve had to visit another salon during the years I’ve been a Shear Madness customer, and I genuinely regret each visit to anyplace else. I always leave Shear Madness with a smile and a high-​quality haircut.

My last cutter moved out of town over a year ago and since then I’ve bounced around looking for a place that could give a great cut. A friend recommended Victor at Shear Madness and I couldn’t happier. The cut is great and the service couldn’t be friendlier or more welcoming.
If you’re looking for a great cut without crazy prices or over done atmosphere give these guys a shot.

Shear Madness is an excellent hair salon — I have been going to Victor for over 6 years now (first when I was living in Hoboken and even now, when I live in the city). Excellent service, friendly staff (including the owner, Dave) and highly recommended.

I started getting my hair cut by Victor when I was still in college. I then lived in Los Angeles for a seven-​year stretch. During that whole time, my wife was never completely happy with my haircuts because she was always comparing them to how I looked when I walked out of Shear Madness. Every time we were back in town visiting family, we swung by here to get a cut if I was looking shaggy. That’s right: we would take time out of our family «vacation» (is coming home ever truly a vacation?) so that I could get a cut from Victor.
Now we’ve relocated back to the NYC area, and I will once again be a regular here.

Cut was ok but not worth the money.
I think I can do better for this price.
It’s a $ 15 cut.

First, let me say that this salon was recommended to me by a guy who absolutely loves Victor and has had great cuts from him.
Okay, that said, I am a girl. Specifically, I am a girl who does not like to spend a ton of time doing my hair every morning. So, I like a haircut that can air dry and look good. Victor is a nice man and I do believe he is talented. But he is also one of those hair dressers who is an «artist». My haircut is fine. If I wanted to wake up every morning and style it, it probably would look good. But I don’t. And so now I have a haircut that is kind of awkward because the layers don’t really sit right. And its definitely not cheap.
So all that is to say that if you are a male or if you like styling your hair everyday, I think Victor would do a good job. If, on the other hand, you like to keep things simple, go somewhere else.

I’ve gone to several salons in Hoboken but Shear madness is the best by far. Matthew does amazing color and cuts. I’m growing my hair out and he has been great at giving me super cute cuts, even during the in between stage. Matthew has real talent for color though, he has found the perfect shade of blonde for my skin. It is so different from the cookie cutter streaky highlights at other salons. Victor also does a great hair cut. My boyfriend is a regular client of Victor’s and his hair always looks great, from day #1 and even as it grows out. We both can’t say enough good things about this salon. I get compliments on my hair all the time and am always happy to recommend Shear Madness.

I’ve been going to Shear Madness since moving to Hoboken two years ago. The stylists have always been professional and friendly. Currently, I see Matthew who is a great colorists and cuts and styles my very unmanageable curly hair.

Frank has to be the most amazing hair dresser I have ever met in my life. Shear Madness hair salon is so fun to go to– not only do they have amazing coffee, but they play great music and have tons of magazines to amuse yourself with before and during your haircut. Everyone works extremely hard and they keep their salon incredibly clean and tidy. I would recommend Frank for blondes and brunettes and he is great with any length. Check it out and enjoy your experience!!!

Highly recommend. Very friendly, Very skilled. Your haircut will last longer here than anywhere else. Sure, it’s a little pricier, but it’s worth it.