Chicago

Thursday August 18th, 2011

Best Hair Salons in Chicago and the Suburbs

Great stylists and studios for men, women, and all types of hair-long, short, curly, African-American, Asian, and more

Best stylist for African American hair

Michelle Dixon at Maxine: Though Dixon is a pro at applying chemical straighteners ($95), clients who opt to stay relaxer-free say she’s also the woman to see for face-flattering cuts and a serious blowout ($95). Dixon’s Vidal Sassoon training and 12 years of experience with multicultural hair have taught her tricks to working with curly textures—she even developed a popular technique using pin curls to create waves that she calls “temptress curls.”

Best for men’s color

Robert Bennett at Maxine: A colorist with 25 years of experience, Bennett has seen a recent uptick in the number of male clients. “It’s been gangbusters,” he says. For men with gray hair, Bennett reaches for L’Oréal’s Homme Cover 5'—an ammonia-free color that won’t slip into that dreaded orangy-goldish fade from the sun ($50). But Bennett’s real specialty is longer hair (anything more than three inches), which he’ll microweave with foil and accent with some subtle salt-and-pepper lowlights ($135). “When you walk out of this salon, no one is going to know you colored it this morning,” he says.

Best for women's long cuts

Becca Panos at Maxine: Becca excels at the subtle art of interior layering (from $90).