Noppera — Local services in New York

I was very excited to try this hair salon as it seemed like such a hidden gem - at the time when I visited, there were only three reviews, all of which rated Noppera at 5 stars. The place is a one man show run by a man named Sei, and it is located in the basement of MEY, another hair salon. The two hair salons used to be one company, but they split in early 2020. Before MEY, Sei also worked at other places in NYC including Sassoon.

Sei was courteous, pleasant to talk to, and knowledgeable. He had to spend the first five minutes while I was there to fix another client's bangs, and he was so apologetic about it, even though I did not mind at all. When he asked me what hairstyle I had in mind, I showed him the Pinterest inspiration board I had compiled ahead of time. He explained to me that the shorter above-the-shoulder cuts with my East Asian hair would be awkward and produce an outward flip to my right hand side at the ends, and if I did not want that look and was unwilling to style it every morning, then I should go for a slightly longer cut. I went with his advice and he gave me a beautiful cut that I walked out very happy with and am still happy with the day after! He spent over an hour on my hair. It is obvious that he is skilled and dedicated at his craft. He also graciously allowed me to use his fridge to store the birthday cake that I had picked up nearby before coming to the appointment.

Sei specializes in cutting. He does not currently do any perming, coloring, or other services. As he explained to me, "My passion is creating shapes out of nothing." He used to work on photoshoots styling models' hair too, but he no longer does because he didn't get the satisfaction of cutting. His services and prices are listed on the Noppera website and he is by appointment only.

P.S. The vintage-themed decor is beautiful! Love how he transformed this basement. P.P.S. For COVID Sei is meeting each client outside and taking their temperature before letting...

For years I grew my hair down to the middle of my back and wouldn’t dream of cutting it. After going through some fairly catalyzing life events, I woke up one morning and decided I wanted my hair cut above my shoulders. I made myself wait a week, and made an appointment. About two hours before my appointment I started panicking, and asked for a later time slot. I told Sei exactly what was happening, and while I couldn’t change my time slot, he was extremely understanding and worked with me. As soon as I walked in the salon I calmed down instantly. He has an extremely soothing presence and I felt immediately at ease. I told him the cut I was thinking of and asked if he thought it was a good idea or not. He encouraged it and said he thought it was a great idea. I sat in the chair felt the scissors at the top of my back and he said are you ready? And i took a breath and said yes!

Off it went! He was really nice to talk to (I often feel awkward while getting my haircut and can sometimes feel like the conversation is forced) but everything was natural and just a nice conversation. He’s very meticulous about each detail (which my past few haircuts had not been…) and I was really impressed. When he was finished I was genuinely so happy with my decision.

I’ve gotten so many compliments on my hair, and feel the energy makeover I was looking for. I can already feel a boost in confidence :]

I 100% recommend getting your hair cut by Sei at Noppera. The entire experience is wonderful and so is the end result. Thank...

When my master hair stylist of nearly thirty years retired, I was devastated. A family member took it upon himself to find a replacement and every individual was more disappointing than the next one. After five years of hit and misses, I was gifted a Groupon and I was very skeptical. However, Sei from Noppera is not only a master. No, he is more akin to a grandmaster who can beat any computer in a complex chess game. He treats everybody- regardless of age, nationality, gender or socio-economic background- with the utmost respect and sincere affection. Further, he has a very charming salon that is decorated by timeless albums such as the the Beatles' Revolver and Hey Jude, Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones and Pearl by Janis Joplin. He was surrounded by greatness and it makes sense as he is as incredible as a person as he is as an amazing haircutter. He is very honest and not one to take advantage of people by trying to push products that are not necessary as we all have different tastes, needs and priorities in our individual lives. I did actually return and recommended him to friends and family. The way he uses a scissor and his ability to make me look even better than the photograph I provided is without rival. His perfectionism was enveloped in preciseness that never lacked warmth or a sense of well-founded humanity. The music he puts on is as relaxing as the space that is welcoming thanks to Sei's lovely and unique personality. Thank you Sei for sharing your obvious talent...