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A hidden gem, this little Chelsea salon is relaxed and friendly, women-owned, and refreshingly multicultural. Well-behaved dogs are always welcome to sit at the feet of their humans (the salon keeps biscuits on hand for just such occasions), while clients get quality cuts, color, and conditioning treatments—that’s it for the simple menu of services—done at reasonable, cash-only prices. The absence of attitude, judgment, and the all-too-common factory approach are the main selling points. Anagen uses and sells Goldwell color and Redken hair products. And the name? Though it sounds Swedish (and the salon’s decor is a bit IKEA), “anagen” is actually a medical term for the active growth phase of hair follicles. — Cathay Che