Studio Thirty

I moved to Portland a year ago & I have to admit– I was a little worried that it would take me a while to find someone who could handle my full head of wavy hair. It did, but it was worth the wait.
I like to keep a creative, modern medium to short cut and get highlights. My hair is not fool-​proof and takes a certain type of stylist to «get.»
Enter Kristenlee /​Studio Thirty — who was recommended by a good friend who lived in Portland.
She has been part of the Portland music, style and entertainment production scene for a long while, stays up with the latest trends, has all kinds extensive training in things I can’t even pronounce. The end result — someone who is very skilled, thoughtful, charismatic and attentive to your hair — your needs, overall. She spends the first 10 minutes just talking about what you have in mind and looking at your head to make sure it’s realistic and easily manageable for your lifestyle.
I won’t go any where else in Portland for cut/​highlights!

Amazing service by Kristenlee! I had a Brazilian blowout hairdo done by the fabulous Kristenlee about 4 weeks ago. The process was pretty easy, few hours in the hands of talented Kristenlee and my hair turned into silk and shine! Still looks great after 4 weeks. It changed my life, really. No more frizz, no more fight with my crazy and unruly hair everyday! I get ready for work or going out in 5−10minutes. It’s just unreal. I’m so happy with the services, products and Kristenlee! If you need a talented stylist to take your hair, she is THE ONE!

Kristenlee is gifted. The best. I’m a performer, so the coif has to matter. Kristenlee is one of only three stylists I’ve known who can handle my thick and opinionated hair. And she’s the only one who makes it bloody brilliant every time. In the 7 – 8 years we’ve worked together so far, I’m constantly demanding variety and new ideas, and she dials it right in every time. I’ve learned I can always trust her expert intuition. Even when I think I know what I’m after, she inevitably does it better.
One of my favorites was asking her to reproduce Bowie’s cut and color from the movie The Man Who Fell to Earth for a Portland Tarot photo shoot by Theresa Pridemore (check it out: Seven of Mugs!). Kristenlee told me she knew exactly how to do it, and I knew it was bound to be just fine — but she nailed it straight to perfection. Time machine set to 1976: get Nicholas Roeg on the line.
Cheers, Kristenlee! You’re one of Portland’s great open secrets, and your clients are a privileged set!

I won’t bore you with the details of my hair style but I would like to tell you how amazing it is to walk into a salon and have the stylist (Kristenlee) spend the time discussing it. Always interested in what you like about it and what you don’t…what you would like to change… and then she comes up with a plan to make it all happen. I’ve never been disappointed and quite frankly give her carte blanche to do whatever she thinks best fits my face and personality. I highly recommend her as a stylist and think nothing of driving up every 6 – 8 weeks from the coast to have her work her magic. Too bad Unilocal only has 5 stars.

Kristinlee did a fabulous job with my first balayage and also a hair cut. She listened attentively to what I wanted and then we agreed on a plan for my hair together. She definitely had a vision for the best version of my hair and executed it remarkably well! She also took the time to explain how I can best style my hair at home — much appreciated!!!

Um, wow. I just got the best haircut of my entire life. Curly girlfriends, meet your fairy godmother.
I’ve tried a few places here and there — ranging from the cheap $ 12 places to a couple salons with rave reviews for cutting curly hair. I really wanted something fun and different from the «just below the shoulders and layered» that I’ve been getting for the last, oh, maybe 10 years. I kind of wanted a total hair makeover and didn’t want to worry about it, and I was impressed by Kristenlee’s education listed on her website (I’ve been interested in dry cut and some of the other stuff she does).
Kristenlee totally rocked my socks. I could have hugged her.
I rode my bike to the salon and then felt kind of silly because I arrived sweaty and gross, but Kristenlee was really great and made me feel incredibly welcome. Worry — gone!
She was a MASTER at my hair — which is curly, fine, and often gets pulled back in a ponytail. She was excited that I brought in pictures but I knew that she would be totally able to intuit the cut. Rarely have I had a successful haircut that didn’t leave me with a weird «step» in the front or the curly triangle head phenomenon… or telling the stylist to leave it longer than I actually want because I’m afraid they’ll cut too much before the curl kicks in. One side of my hair curls up tighter than the other, and Kristenlee was totally on it before I even brought it up (and when I mentioned my other problematic hair cuts, she knew exactly what I was talking about). She was great consulting with two-​toned highlights that I LOVE. She gave me an initial cut with wet hair and was really attentive to the curl pattern, and then she dried my hair before working her real magic in carving with a dry cut. It was awesome, because while I read a magazine I could tell she was totally in the zone and absolutely loving what she was doing. I really appreciated that she had a great feel for the haircut but checked in constantly and gave really good insight to what the cut would look like if I wanted to do this or that. I liked that she didn’t try to push products on me and wanted to make the style fit my life — saying that it would be cut differently if I blow dry my hair etc. I’m usually a wash, scrunch, and go gal and she gave me a super cute, fresh cut that works perfectly. I’m SO HAPPY!!!

Kristenlee is commited. And that means a lot to me. My hair is what you would call «problem hair.» It’s gray, fine, and frizzy. She has managed to tame all of these issues in two visits. That’s especially commendable considering that my last cut and color were a disaster. She’s a great listener with a natural eye for what works. These are imperative qualities for a hairdresser. The only thing that would make my experience just a little sweeter would be the ability to enjoy a glass of vino during it, but I get why I can’t :) Love this salon.

Best salon experience I’ve had in Portland! Kristenlee is amazing!!! I have been to a ton of stylists around town and I have to say she blows the competition away. She has this intuitive way of making your hair look exactly like the vision you have in your head — even better in fact because she’s the artist. Totally recommend giving her salon a try!

I liked Jenny immediately when I first went to her. I moved with her to Studio Thirty and I couldn’t be more pleased. I have troublesome hair and she has helped me make the best of my situation. She is always professional, kind and is full of great ideas! I really like that I can book appointments online and get text reminders, what could be easier? Also, everyone else I have interacted with at Studio Thirty have been friendly and fun too!

UPDATE: Randee moved away :(
I’ve tried out 3 or 4 different stylists since moving to Portland 2 years ago, the reason being that I have difficult curly hair. The right person can do a great job, and I’ve seen it before I came here, but those first few were just not –quite– right.
After Unilocaling and Unilocaling and Unilocaling, both literally and electronically, I found some great reviews about Randee from her old salon and decided to give her a try. Hunting her down here at Studio Thirty was tricky at first because I think her old spot was trying to be a jerk and not reveal her new location. Anyway, jerks, I found her.
And thank heavens. Randee does an incredible job, is a pleasure to chat with, REALLY listens and observes your hair closely to give the best cut. She’s a great deal at $ 40 a cut. And the craziest part is — she has stick straight hair herself, isn’t Deva trained (which was formerly a requirement for me), and cuts my hair wet. And still it turns out far better than anyone else in this town.
Curly girls — go see Randee.

Studio Thirty is as good as it gets in my opinion. I’ve been going to Kristenlee for about 8 – 9 years now and have always walked out with the perfect haircut and color that I’ve always wanted. I don’t know how she does it, but each time she nails it. I love her zen approach.
In my last visit, she gave me 2-​tone highlights and a cut which blew me away. I didn’t bring a picture in, and from just the consult, she knew and executed exactly what I wanted. I love that!
I have curly hair and I have never been to a stylist that can work with curls as well as Kristenlee. It’s like she’s a wizard or something. Seriously.
The salon itself is vintage-​modern and in a great location-​Yakuza, Beast, a French bakery, and Simpatico are just across the street – you could get your hair done and then go on a date!
I also appreciate that Studio Thirty supports local artists and charities.

NOT queer-​friendly.

I switched to Studio Thirty because my stylist Randee is now here! She’s such a sweetheart, and takes her time each time to make sure I’m happy with my cut.
Best part now is that I can make my appointments online! Great idea… more salons should definitely adopt this practice.

30 hearts for studio 30.
i was there on a sunday and kristenlee was the best. she really is an artist with hair. she felt no regrets cutting my hair into a cute little cut. and i left her salon so happy!
already, i’ve had more compliments than i can count and i’m only on day 2! i will send everyone i know there because she is superduper and also because i will receive 20% off with each referral!
when i first made my appointment online, i asked a question and rather than email me back she called to answer in 10 minutes!
added bonus, kristinlee is a native portlander so that was fun to sit in the chair and talk about the people, places and things that have changed.

Ah, the conundrum of recommending a good stylist. If everyone knew how amazing Kristenlee Morton is at cutting hair, I would cease to be able to make those last minute emergency appointments. But, the truth is she’s absolutely the best so, why hide it? I have yet to get a bad cut. She is always enthusiastic wether you want to try new things or stick with the standard. She cuts confidently but still constantly checks in with her client to make sure things are moving in the right direction. It’s like visiting a great sculptor who is using your hair as the the medium. Her new salon is in a beautiful and thoughtful space near the Cup & Saucer and Beast on 30^th between Alberta & Killingsworth. Make an appointment, just don’t steal mine!

Being the narcissist that I am, I find it hard to trust anyone with my hair. Luckily for me and my lucious locks, when I first moved to Portland, Miss Kristie Gaul was the first person I chose to do my do, and due to her documentable doctoral scissor skills, I never look like a dodo.
Unfortunately Kristie’s former place of business, Dirty Little Secret, closed on February 1^st. Fortunately, she can now be found at Studio Thirty.
Studio Thirty is a brand new joint with currently two stylists, Kristie and the owner KristenLee. The space is pretty spartan but is flooded with natual light through a sky light and large front windows. Added to the quiet location, Studio Thirty is a relaxing place to be pampered.
On my last visit I received the same great service that I am used to, the great cut that I have come to expect and I will definitely be back.
I recommend checking out their web site for a list of services and the ability to make reservations online.