Frequently Asked Questions

What are your opening hours ?

During this current period of not-really-quite-back-to-normal, we have extended opening hours in all of our salons. These do change, so its always best to call your local salon first and arrange a time directly. We’ll try our hardest to get a time that suits you perfectly.

Where are you ?

We have six salons - four in Edinburgh city centre (at Teviot, Broughton Street, Hanover Street, and Bread Street), one in Stockbridge (Medusa Raeburn Place), and another salon in Musselburgh. See the individual salon pages for more info. 

I am a new customer - Do i really, really, really need a skin test before any colouring treatments ? 

Yes, you do, and yes, we insist (sorry!!). The test itself will take under 2 minutes and you can pop into any one of our salons, even if you are not getting your hair cut at that salon. We can do the test any time you want - at least 48 hours before and up to three weeks before your appointment. Trust us on this - we do these tests because it's in your absolute best interests. The possibility of an allergic reaction is very very low, but the potential danger to your health is serious enough to always warrant the test. We know some salons do not always insist on this check, but we would ask you to think twice as to why such salons might be prepared to accept such risks given the potential danger to your health.

(...we'll now climb down off  our hobby-horse.)

Do I need a toner ?

Here’s where we ask you to trust our stylist’s professional opinion. For example sometimes we think your colour doesn't need that extra bit of freshness ….other times such as bleach we insist 100% that we always tone . We’re not going to rip you off on this, we’re just trying to get your hair looking and feeling great.

In case you’re not really sure what a toner is….. it’s basically a product that helps you correct or personalise your colour. It is used to add natural or more visible tones after a professional colour treatment. As a result, it enhances the tonality of your hair. 

How? By creating a professional finished look. In order for toner to work, hair has to be pre-lightened or coloured first. 

It is most commonly used for shades of blonde hair, but it can be beneficial for brunettes and redheads too.

A professional in-salon toner is more pigmented than a silver shampoo or purple shampoo that is used at home. However, these products are excellent products to maintain a bright or cool colour between salon appointments.

What do you serve in the salon ?

Our salons all offer (real) coffee, organic teas and fruity infusions, as well as a selection of wines and soft drinks, all served with either biscuits or "savoury snacks".

What is your cancellation policy ?

Sometimes the car breaks down, the baby melts down, the boss has a last-minute “great idea”, or the dissertation due tomorrow failed to write itself… we understand that last minute calamities happen, but please try to cancel with as much notice as possible so that we have a chance of re-allocating the slot to someone else.

How can I keep my hair looking good after my visit to the salon ?

Getting a great cut in the first place is the crucial first step, and all of our stylists are technical masters in cutting hair so that it falls naturally into place, and will serve you well, long after you’ve left the salon. We also provide a free fringe trim (or gent’s neck tidy) within the first six weeks to help keep you looking sharp.

Do you have a redo policy ?

At Medusa, we stand behind every hair cut we create, and we want you to be delighted with it: "mehh" is not good enough for you, and its not good enough for us. Some times as stylists, we don't quite understand precisely what vision you have in your mind - we always try to find out, but once in a very long while, we miss the spot. And if you want an adjustment or tweak on your hair, come back within two weeks of your cut or colour and we'll sort it out. No questions asked. (well, ok, we probably will ask what you want  corrected, but you know what we mean).

The truth is that we genuinely do want to know if you're not happy with any part of our service - but please please do let us know, either at the time or by contacting the salon manager afterwards and give us a second chance to convince you. Great hairdressing starts with great communication, to get the perfect style for you, so if your visit isn’t going exactly as you want or you’ve maybe got a wee inkling that we haven’t quite understood, then please please tell us - we won't be offended at all, quite the opposite – we want you to love your hair and every minute of your visit...talk to us ;) 

Can i ask for my favourite track on Spotify ?

 Yup. Totally. In fact, it might even help us with your hair if it puts us in the right mood ....and for that same reason, maybe a thrash metal track ain't such a good idea on a tuesday morning....you know - right time, right place for everything, etc, etc 

My friend and family say i could be a model - can I ?

tbh, if the relative in question is your gran, then we would first like a second opinion, but if you do seriously think you have what it takes to take part in one of the catwalk shows or editorial/portfolio photoshoots, then read on.

We regularly participate in national and international competitions, as well as key industry training events. These are often fashion-driven, and for this reason, we would love to hear from you if you think you can fit into that type of environment. It's not easy (you'll be walking down a catwalk at most events in front of lots people effortlessly looking like a total bitch who owns the place), but it's an experience that most people would die for, to do at least once in their life. We are also frequently looking for models for editorial and portfolio photoshoots (which are less intimidating than catwalk shows but still great fun). If you're interested in living a life less ordinary, then please get in touch with colin@medusahair.co.uk 

Reduced price cuts for hair models for junior stylists

If you don't want to be a model model (see above), but instead want to be a model for one of our qualified-but-less-experienced junior stylists (working under the supervision of the senior creative team at all times), then we offer significant discounts at our Bread St salon on Tuesday. Call for more info.

Are dogs welcome ?

 Cuddly, well-behaved dogs are welcome at our salons. Sorry, no wolves allowed (...we don't care how much you were influenced by Twilight all those years ago).  

Anything else you'd like to tell me ?

At our Bread St salon (ie between Grassmarket and Lothian Road), we have an entire studio space  in the basement that is available for hire from £20+VAT per hour. It's a flexible space - perfect for dance and exercise classes, seminars, beauty courses, photo shoots, group meetings, and pretty much anything else apart from reenacting medieval battlefields. The mirrored studio has its own reception area, refreshments station and washroom facilities, equipped with an audio system, stage and projector screen. Contact Rhonda on 0131 622 7277 or e-mail breadst@medusahair.co.uk

What is your policy on free puppies ?

Similar to our Redo Policy (see above), we always want to know how we can do better. So if you have any ideas for how we can make improvements in our salon (eg a favourite drink or magazine), then tell us and we'll see what we can do. Please note, however, that while we love Jasmine's idea (aged 5), we have decided against giving clients a free puppy, no matter how  incredibly cute they are).