"Never sacrifice health for style." That's the philosophy at Studio 27 Salon, and owner Blessing Chitanda has built her career around it.

Her salon sits at 158 Everett Avenue, Unit 4, inside Chelsea's Mystic Mall. Its booking page describes "a private, one-on-one sanctuary" where the experience is "calm, focused, and unhurried."

Chitanda learned the business young. In a 2017 BostonVoyager interview, she said she was born in Zimbabwe, one of ten children, and helped at her family's salon during school vacations. She moved to Boston in 1998 and graduated from Libbs Hair Academy in 2000. She then worked at Danny's His and Her Salon under the late master stylist Danny Toon.

In 2013, she opened Studio 27 at 780 Tremont Street in Boston's South End. Her goal, she said, was to help everyone "embrace and love their hair."

Today, the salon calls itself "the premier destination for natural hair care, luxury weaves, and protective styling." It specializes in African American hair care and extensions, and it welcomes women of all ethnicities. Services include silk presses, healthy relaxers, signature weaves and a Micro Mist hydration treatment. The salon also says it protects clients' natural hair while they wear extensions.

Clients seem to appreciate the personal attention. Reviews on the salon’s Fresha booking page describe Blessing as professional and knowledgeable, with customers praising her punctuality and their experiences with silk presses and relaxers.

Studio 27 is open Wednesday through Sunday. Appointments are booked online through the salon's website.