Blue Bamboo — Attraction in Durham

Kelly Swinson Johnson is an amazing stylist and all around great human being, one our family especially appreciates for the incomparable experience she gives our younger son each time we visit Blue Bamboo. M, who has some sensory processing challenges that we're still figuring out as a family, has always loathed having his hair cut or washed and ears touched. Before our first time at this salon, he had grown more and more bothered by high pitched sounds, so the buzzing sound of a hairdresser's clippers could really send him into an emotional spiral.

On a hot tip from numerous parents in the South Durham area, I made an appointment for M with Kelly to see if she could help us get his hair neat and trimmed without a meltdown that leaves everyone feeling helpless. Kelly was absolutely phenomenal with our son. She talked to him in a gentle, encouraging voice. She asked for his consent to proceed with her various tools. She gave him an out, asking him to simply say "stop" when he felt overwhelmed or uncomfortable and needed a break. He said it a handful of times, and she honored his wishes each and every time. He shed not a single tear the entire time we were in Blue Bamboo, and I am floored in the very best of ways. As we left the parking lot after our first time at the salon, M told me he really likes Ms. Kelly and wants to go back to her next time he needs a haircut. That is huge for him.

If you're looking for an incredibly thoughtful, patient, talented stylist for your child (or yourself), Kelly is the one. ❤️ We have since been back and will remain loyal customers! If you're extra lucky, you might even get to spend time in the salon with Suki Tsunami, Kelly's adorable one-year-old...

Blue Bamboo is the best salon I’ve found in 52 years. Kelly, the owner, is the consummate professional in addition to being just a downright good person. If someone stiffs one of her stylists, she’ll tip them herself. I called once asking to be seen within the next few days before my sister came in town and Kelly was booked up. To my amazement, Kelly asked if I could come in at 6:15pm. It was a 4 hour color job but she was willing to work from 8:00am to 10:30pm!! I didn’t allow that, of course, but her willingness is a perfect example of her dedication to her customers and her craft. One of her other stylists, Tonya Cooper, could fit me in and since Kelly hired her, I knew I could completely trust her. Everything worked out perfectly and thanks to Blue Bamboo, Kelly, and Tonya, I looked better than my sister, which was the goal in the first...

Faith did my hair and I will never go there again the shop is not nice at all not like the photos on webside and she is terrible did not do what I asked for. we discussed it before she started cutting and she completely ignored what we discussed and did what she wanted and was talking about how she loves to do this haircut my hair is so short total opposite of what I asked her to do and not even close to the picture I showed her I told her I wanted a longer version of the picture shoulder length !! and my hair is way shorter terrible hair stylist ! Now I have to deal with this until it grows out. I just don't know what I am gonna do for work !! 😪 I paid $160 to have my hair ruined. My original hair length was well below...