Mona Hirst loves bed head.
That’s because Hirst, the owner of Mona Lisa Eco Spa’lon in Avon Lake, isn’t your typical shampoo-and-cut stylist. Instead, she works on hair when it’s dry and in its natural state. “Is it curly? Is it fine? Is it thin?,” she asks herself before picking up her scissors. “I need to see what the issues are. Where does it need the doctoring?”
The result? “Women say they’ve never had such a good haircut,” Hirst reports. 
Mona Lisa Eco Spa’lon (half spa, half salon) is housed in a renovated movie theater on Lake Road. The vibe is eclectic and laid back, with a colorful assortment of local art and jewelry on display. In addition to cuts and color, Hirst offers manicures, pedicures, facials, peels, waxing, massages, body scrubs, spray tans and makeup application. Hirst’s brother, Cristian Necsuleu, a massage therapist, is her business partner.
Hirst was born in Romania and lived there — under communist rule — until her family obtained a tourist visa to Egypt in 1984. They stayed in a refugee camp in Cairo for one year before immigrating to the United States and ultimately landing in Bay Village. (She now lives in Amherst with her husband and two teenage sons.)
Hirst’s mother was an architect by profession, but designed her own clothing and loved doing her friends’ hair in elaborate up-dos — passions that sparked her daughter’s early interest in beauty and wellness. 
“Romanians are very artistic,” Hirst says. “They have a different eye.”
Hirst imported another philosophy from Europe. She doesn’t 
use harsh chemicals. Her hair color is ammonia-free, she mixes her own clay masques for facials and doesn’t offer perms or straightening treatments. The line of hair care she uses, Davines, is “straight off the boat from Italy” and free of parabens and sulphates.
“I do things differently,” Hirst says. “It’s about bringing wellness back — wellness for the hair and body.”
Just remember, if you book a cut, don’t come in with perfect hair that you’ve straightened or curled into submission. “I don’t want to undo your natural wave,” Hirst says. “I want to work with your hair’s personality.”

THREE TO TRY 

1. A Pedicure. At Mona Lisa Eco Spa’lon, you’ll sit back and relax in a chaise for your waterless pedicure. The result, says Hirst, is both a more relaxing experience and the assurance that there is no risk of a fungus being spread. $40
2. A Massage. Mona Lisa offers both aromatherapy and therapeutic massages in her soothing treatment rooms. She recommends trying the couple’s massage before heading next door to the Sapori Italian Grille for dinner and wine. 
$75-$150
3. A Facial. Mona Lisa’s European-style facials “hits pressure points and stimulates circulation and collagen renewal,” Hirst says. $50-$95