Shelly is the best in the biz for haircuts!! I have been seeing her for over a decade. Even though I've moved out of Chicago, I still go out of my way to have her cut my hair whenever I am back in the city visiting family. Whether it's maintence on a long hairdo or chopping it all off for a bob, I know I can trust Shelly to give her input and deliver the perfect cut for me and my features.

Posted on 10/10/2024 by Keri B.

Shelly Aguirre has been a stylist for over 20 years. She has given me the best extensions I have ever had. She takes her time and makes sure they look authentic. I have tried salons all over Chicago, she is by far the best. Maxine's is such a beautiful salon. I highly recommend it!

Posted on 06/12/2023 by Denise L.

I grew my hair medium / long for a type of haircut I was trying to accomplish. I did not want a bad haircut and having to wait months for it to grow back again so I decided for the first time to risk paying more for a cut (usually I pay less then $25) and seek for an expert this time. I immediately made a reservation with Shelly Aguirre after so many great reviews online and feeling confident she was the right person. I arrived to my reservation and showed her photos of how I wanted my hair to look and she listened for every single detail. I was impressed and very happy with Shelly's work and expertise as the results exceeded my expectations and every detail explained was fulfilled. I don't want anyone but Shelly to cut my hair now and will definitely continue visiting her.

Posted on 6/28/2020 by Adrian G.

I see Shelly all the time and she's the only one allowed to touch my hair! She's amazing funny and kind. I went to see her after I bleached my hair and was scared it would never be healthy again. Shelly nursed my hair back to health and its original texture. Maxine's Salon is a clean/modern vibe salon with a very friendly group of people. Whether it's an important day for you or you just want to look fly, go see Shelly! Tell her Jay sent you.

Posted on 02/09/2019 by Jay Z.

I absolutely love this place!! It took me many years to find the right person to trust to cut my hair!!! Shelley Aguirre is the best stylist at Maxines and I'm so lucky to have found her!! I absolutely trust her with my hair and love every time I get it cut by her!!! I always get so many compliments on my hair cut and she is the best to chat with while getting my hair cut! I love that she always remembers everything about me even if I haven't seen her in a few months! She's amazing and I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a fresh cut!!

Posted on 11/20/2018 by Nicki F.

I had my hair color done by Marshall and a cut and style by Shelly. I love my results!!!! I will be a returning client and recommending them to everyone. Thanks for making my day special. Karen

Posted on 7/12/2018 by Karen F.

My stylist is Shelly Aguirre, and she has surpassed any other stylist I have ever been too...she is well experienced with hair extensions, and will turn my limp, fine hair into something so lush, beautiful, and natural...I am so amazed and thankful every time!!

Posted on 10/06/2017 by Erin H.

Shelly is AMAZING! Fantastic stylist. Love her! Highly recommend her to anyone that lives in Chicago. She cuts and styles with precision to provide the best results, consistently. Maxine has an awesome staff that always creates a great experience.

Posted on 03/17/2017 by Rocco V.

Shelly was really incredible and helpful. She was patient--though not condescending--as she helped me realize the truth about what my hair needs, since I am a lazy non-product-using person. I had no idea my hair could look this good. She pushed my vision, and I'm glad I let her. She seems adept at styling both hair-attentive people and hair-lazy people. Furthermore, the salon was pleasant, and everyone in it was really professional yet full of personality.

Posted on 01/31/2016 by J N.

When I came to Maxine, my hair was fried from an at-home straight perm that I bought online (big mistake don't do it - ever). It was so damaged that I couldn't even run my fingers through my hair because it was fried and constantly tangling. I did my research on many Chicago Salons and decided to go with Maxine. They specialize in making your hair healthy and shiny - two things I desperately needed. I heard Rex was talented at coloring severely damaged hair so I made an appointment with him. He listened, gave his recommendations and then I also consulted with Shelly, my new stylist. We all discussed the different steps I could take to get my hair back to a healthy place again. They gave me several options and I felt confident about the course I needed to take based on their consultation. I went with a Keratin treatment, a cut and a color with a permanent, gentle color product. I cannot say enough about the salon. Rex and Shelly are phenomenal. True professionals. This isn't a hobby or a just a job for them. This is their passion and their career. They take what they do very seriously - in a good way. They want you to have the healthiest hair possible combined with the look you love. Is Maxine expensive? Yes and no. I learned a hard lesson after using that straight perm - you get what you pay for. At Maxine, you get what you pay for - a look you love, healthy hair, and a staff who cares deeply about your experience. Worth every penny.

Posted on 11/16/2015 by Happy Y.

I've frequented at least a dozen salons in Chicago, and Maxine is my favorite. The vibe here is very positive. The staff at the front desk is friendly and professional. They don't hustle me to buy the hair care products on display. The salon is clean. And there's usually street parking a few blocks west of the salon (although valet is available). The only thing that could be improved are the shampoo chairs, which are uncomfortable when leaning back. But the main reason I come here is my stylist Shelly Aguirre. My hair looks amazing! Which was not the case the first time I sat in her chair three years ago. I'd just been given one of the worst haircuts of my life at another salon. It was a layered mess (I'd asked for a bob). Since cutting it short wasn't an option (for me), we agreed to a strategy for growing out the layers. I'm not sure how she did it, but my hair was vastly improved after just one visit. And within six months, I had the bob of my dreams. Shelly is creative and really knows how to cut hair. She has a great personality. And she's always on time (I hate waiting anywhere when I have an appointment). So I'm in and out the door in an hour or less. I couldn't be happier.

Posted on 9/20/2015 by Marcia S.

Colorist Stacie and stylist Shelly are both excellent. I walked in unhappy with my blah hair and left thrilled. Stacie recommend balayage instead of regular highlights and I'm really happy with the partial balayage she did. Shelly gave me a great, flattering cut with movement and really took her time to make sure she didn't cut off more length than I was comfortable with. Important to know this is a busy salon, but it doesn't have too-loud music or so much bustling around you that you feel annoyed. Also - not cheap. But if you're happy with the results it's completely worth the slightly higher prices than what you'd pay in another downtown salon. Also, it's so great they have valet. It's in a location where you can definitely take the El or bus and walk, but if you need to drive it's such a great help to have valet.

Posted on 02/21/2015 by Katie M.

Love, love , love! Shelly Aguirre does my hair extensions and rocks them every time. Staff is A++++ would highly recommend!

Posted on 01/15/2015 by Tiffany S.

This review is long over due. There are only two people I trust with my hair: Shelly for the cut and Diana for the color. They are simply the best. Shelly has been cutting my hair for years so when I decided to take the plunge and cut a foot, yes a foot, of my hair off I knew she was the only woman to be trusted with job. I've had long locks my whole life so I was nervous about making such a drastic change but I couldn't be happier with the results (see picture). It's perfectly shaped and layered so that it doesn't require much styling which is ideal for me. Shelly truly is a scissor wielding artist. Diana delivers every time I see her. My highlights look natural and so does the outgrowth making my trips between coloring longer which is great for my hair and wallet. She is so great at blending and coloring that when I was in college I went about 3 months without being able to get home to see Diana and people were actually asking me where I got my ombre color done. I'm planning on going blonder to accompany my new bob and I can't wait for her to dazzle me again. I love coming to Maxine's. It's a beautiful, modern space with the most educated and friendly stylists that deliver top notch results.

Posted on 7/22/2014 by Kerianne B.

Robert (colorist) and Shelly (stylist) are absolutely the best! Before seeing them, I went to another salon because of all the good reviews and recommendations I found on yelp. I ended up with a really bad haircut and color, and I was so disappointed, that I didn't even want to go back to that salon to have them fix the issues. I just didn't trust them. I did a lot of research, and seemed like Robert Bennett is the one I should see. From the first moment, I had a good feeling. He was so calm, nice and welcoming, listened to my concerns, and really made an effort to understand what I had in mind. He is a good listener, and an amazing colorist! I showed him a picture of what I would like to have, and he made it happen! My hair looks beautiful and natural, just the way I wanted it! No, even better! I thought it is going to be a bit high maintenance, but I was fine with it. He actually made my hair look so natural, that I don't even have to go to the salon so often! He mentioned that he has been a colorist for over 25 years...well, it definitely shows! He absolutely saved me! Also, he introduced me to Shelly (stylist). Since my hair was just recently cut way too short (somewhere else), even though I didn't like my haircut, I did not want to get another one again, only a blow dry. Shelly was great! She listened, understood the issues I had with my hair, understood the style I wanted, gave me suggestions, AND she fixed some parts of my hair that looked bad without even charging for it! She fixed it in a way that would not only look better, but would grow out nicely too. Now, I actually enjoy my shorter-than-expected haircut, because she made it beautiful! I am so happy that I've found Robert and Shelly!

Posted on 07/08/2014 by I G.