I was in the market for a new salon, one that specializes in curly hair. I chose penny lane after looking at multiple places. I tried calling them but ended up leaving a text message, which they answered promptly. I ended up booking online as a new client, which was awesome. They are in the heart of Logan square and get this...they have a parking lot in bank with TONS of free parking! It's super cute and full of natural light. I chose my stylist based on their profiles they have on their website. My stylist was Erin, who had only been working there since October. She used to own her own studio. She specializes in mullets, shags (aka wolf cuts, for the younger generation), and razor cuts (a difficult skill if you go to someone who doesn't know what they are doing). They have a chill annex space connected to their salon and that's where she was located. Erin is a rockstar, she even had a cut similar to what I wanted, even though our textures couldn't be more different. I was making a major change. My 2b curly hair was just really long, I hadn't had a professional haircut in over 1.5 years. I wanted bangs, dammit, face-framing layers and a shag cut over the rest. She was the absolute BEST! She made me so comfortable, letting me know her plan. Cut it dry (I went in with it on down, styled like usual on day 2 after washing), wash it, style it, cutting as she went to make sure it was perfect. She walked me through every step. When she was making a big cut, she made sure I knew do I wouldn't freak out when I saw it. Conversation flowed like water, and she's a consummate professional. She made me so comfortable and looked at the 900 pictures I brought in with examples (I even brought pics of what I didn't want). She only used shears and before she went it for bangs, she let me know where she'd make the cut. She praised the salon and her fellow stylists. She said if someone came in and wanted a style that she knew someone else could do better, she'd make a referral. Though she's confident that though everyone can do everything, everybody has a specialty. Her specialty is edgy and fresh. I liked she had so much experience with exactly what I wanted. The product line she uses is innersense organic and I liked their finishing gel, though using it is a bit of a learning curve. She gave me a few free samples of the shampoo and conditioner she used, and I purchased the gel. No leaving the salon with understyled or wet hair. No despairing, hoping I could fix it when I got home. No being unable to style it under my own routine. She listened and gave me a rad new hairstyle that I've gotten multiple compliments on. It's a throwback for sure but I love it. I have to get used to bangs: getting them during the summer may not been my best idea. It's also not cheap, I paid $230, but I did budget for a brand new style. They do bang trims for super cheap, though. Overall, I think it was worth every penny, lol penny lane for the win. read more

Penny Lane Hair Studios - Before - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Beware of their policies. I have been going to this salon for approximately a year, without incident. This week, there was a miscommunication about an appointment that I made and I discovered there is no relationship or respect based on customer loyalty. I made an appointment online for two services that I normally get with my regular stylist. I thought the form was confusing and didn't see her name but wrote it in the comments that I wanted her to do my hair, so that it was clear. When I got there, my stylist wasn't there; there was another stylist that I'd never seen before. For obvious reasons I didn't want the stylist I didn't know to work on me. That's when the worm turned. Everything became my fault. You can ONLY schedule color by phone or email ( I didn't know, I'd been scheduling in person after appointments ). They disregarded my note in the online request for a reason unclear to me, so my request was ignored. Not letting the unknown person work on me, for them, equalled a cancellation. They did not accept any responsibility for their requirements being unclear or that it was a misunderstanding, not a disregard for their business, 'because you signed the paper that explained the policy". I've done business with businesses like this with 'gotcha clauses' but never expected a hair salon to do that. Cancellation policies are pretty common these days, but not like theirs. 'Their cancellation policy is to take ALL of your appointment money, In my case it was $190.00. Lesson learned. read more

I was nervous about finding a new home for my hair care. I was SO happy (after much research) that I came here. I felt so cared for and paid attention to from the minute I walked into the door. Lauren paid so much attention to my type of curls and listened to what I wanted. We talked through what she was doing and she provided recommendations to me (without being pushy about selling products). It felt like I was truly embracing self care and I left feeling so confident about my curls. As someone who has struggled with curls a lot, I would highly recommend coming here to absolutely everyone that wants their hair to feel loved. read more

this review is way overdue, but no time like the present. When I had come to the studio for the first time, the environment was very nice and relaxed. But it comes down to the quality of the work and knowing different hair textures and curl patterns. This studio doesn't have a full grasp of that. Middle Eastern hair is very different from African-American hair. By the time I left the studio the stylist had burned off a piece of my hair in the back where I couldn't see and she did this the second time when she was trying to fix her mistake on my first visit. I went to a different salon a few weeks later and they held up a mirror to the back of my head and showed me where she had damaged my hair so badly and where it was broken/burned off. What's upsetting is that they didn't own up to their mistake. They brought me in a second time to fix the issue with the color on my hair and I left there with my hair is worse condition. In addition to my way overdue review, please acknowledge the owners response to my review. While I can understand that there may have been changes in this establishment, the delivery of the owners response is only defensive and not in the best interest of the customer and future clients . An appropriate response would be for the owner to reply advising us that ownership, teams, training, standards of service have changed for the better and to welcome the idea of another visit to have a chance to update the review in a more positive light. read more

See all

I'm traumatized! Worst hair cut I've had in my whole life! No shaping at all. Pretty much just cut the length and there are pieces that are soooo uneven. Wish I could get my money back. I would've been better off going to a great clips. Would give zero stars if I could. They offer a free touch up but I don't want her to make it worse. read more

Let me start by saying I would literally give Diana my social security number. I fear haircuts like most people fear the dentist- No longer. She took the time to get to know my hair, and her knowledge and experience just put me at ease. I have no notes. read more

My daughter has very curly hair so I researched stylists that specialize in cutting curly hair and found Xotchilt at Penny Lane studios. She was so informative, teaching my daughter how to take care of her hair, and apply the correct products and styling it. The first visit is expensive because she spends a lot of extra time educating the client while she washes your hair and styles it but in the future, as long as you do not change to a totally different haircut/style, you can get a dry cut for less time and money. You can trust Xotchilt with your curly hair! read more

Penny Lane Hair Studios - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I walked in because I saw three Black women inside doing hair. I asked if anyone could give me simple cornrows, and they told me "no we don't don't do that". Am I crazy for feeling offended and confused? How is that even possible? As a licensed black hairstylist... That's honestly disgraceful. And it's black history month. I literally cannot make this up. read more

Super cute shop in cute location in Logan Square area. I was late to my appointment with Starr and unfortunately wasn't able to get all of my requested services done but that was my fault and Chicago traffic/snow. Anyways, Starr still accommodated me and accomplished an amazing dry cut on my curls. She offered so much information and guidance during the short time that I was there. It literally felt like I was talking to my home girl and not the first time that I was sitting in her chair. Needless to say I've already booked my return appointment and have informed her that she has a new consistent customer. read more

Penny Lane Hair Studios - Not the best photo but the interior is so cute! - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Don't let Logan touch your hair. I came here to get my first ever curly cut after growing my hair out with no heat for the last 5 years. I came to get my ends trimmed and bangs. I specifically wanted to keep my length. Logan proceeded to give me a mullet that's I never asked for. She also cut my extremely healthy hair above my shoulders for seemingly no reason. Any curly hair girl knows how long it'll take for me to get my length back. Truly the worst experience I have ever had getting my hair cut. If I could give 0 stars i would. read more

See all

I don't write a lot of reviews, but felt compelled to write a review for Laura after such a positive experience today. She did a great job with my cut, listened to what I wanted, and also gave reasonable recs that aligned with the amount of energy I want to put into my hair (minimal). She clearly knows curly hair and did a great job w mine--plus it felt just like a really chill hang (bonus). read more

Today was my third time coming and still love it. The service is great and so it the attention to detail. I got a haircut from Xotchilt and I love her!!! read more

See all

My first big chop was done here and I couldn't have imagined anything better. I have lived with shoulder length or longer hair all my life, and this was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I have since moved and after one year, still looking for a stylist as skilled and unforgettable as Alexa. I am Black with 3c hair by the way. If you are on the fence between cutting and chopping, chop it off here! You only live once. read more

See all

This goes to Logan--thank you for the curly cut! You brought my curls back! The last professional haircut I got was in 2019, way before the pandemic. My hair went wavy but my curls have some how come back! read more

DO NOT COME HERE UNLESS YOU WANT YOUR HAIR RUINED. I got my long hair cut here over a year ago and now I have two different hair lengths. I ASKED FOR NO LAYERS and came out with all my hair being 10 different lengths with the top of my hair being shorter than 2 inches. Now my hair has still not recovered don't waste your money! read more

Recommended this place and love it! The minute you come in, we felt welcome and calming vibe from the decor (love the plants) to the conversation from the staff! My daughter and I came in as new client, nervous, anxious and yet excited of the outcome. Was not disappointed at all! Xochilt was amazing multitasking both of us and awesome conversation. She definitely made us feel welcome, valued and NO judgement at all! Thank you for being honest and advice for our hair. She literally had my daughter in tears (happy tears). She's ready for her Grad school commencement. Parking space in the back but I also found some on-street parking! Make sure to book in advance! Only accept cash for tips! Make sure to request for your receipt upon paying before leaving! I didn't get a paper copy or email receipt! Overall, great experience. read more

Penny Lane Hair Studios - Hair Salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Sadly, my old hairstylist 'retired' from the hair world leaving me to fend for myself in finding someone new & amazing. I am a crazy person when it comes to research so I found about 20 hair spots around me with good reviews, combed through the reviews and decided to reach out to three based on friends' experiences at these places & general good vibes and feelings. Honestly I liked Penny Lane's response best and....I'm a huge Beatles fan so things played out just as I hoped. I went in for my consultation and was happy with the options they gave me. I'm making a slightly drastic change and have decided to give up my signature blonde. It's scary after being bright blonde for years! My consultant was super nice and I left feeling pleased & excited for my appointment. When you make an appointment with Penny Lane Hair Studios, they will require a $25 deposit to ensure no last minute cancellations. That full amount goes towards your final total so you're simply investing in your future. ;) When I went for my actual hair appointment, I was very happy with how things turned out. The lady who handled my color change (and a trim) was super nice and did a great job making sure everything turned out with the best possible results. I'm not used to this nearly brown hair just yet....but I'll get there! I love change and this was just the change I needed. The price difference from my old salon made my mouth drop ever so slightly. I was charged an hourly fee that includes everything from any haircuts to coloring and my total ended up running me *cough* $265 *cough*. I used to spend $120 including tip, tax, hair bleaching, hair dying and a trim....I guess I was getting a dirt cheap experience at my old salon. It's still painful for me to write out, but that price is including tip, tax, dying my hair darker, and a trim. I'm really happy with the results of my hair and liked the chick who handled my hair so I see myself coming back here. It's a cute shop with a super chill vibe, great staff and most importantly really well trained staff. They truly know what they are doing at Penny Lane! read more

Penny Lane Hair Studios - I pet the shop dogs...and they walked away! :p - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I used to get my hair cut and colored here just occasionally when I lived down the street. I'm not a big salon girl. I usually feel uncomfortable with my unstyled hair. But they are super casual here. It has a hip vibe while not being snooty or pretending to be glamorous. It's just a cute place. My hair looked nice when I left, too. It gets a little pricey, but pretty standard for salons. read more

This place (or rather the Deva) system is a game changer for us curly girls!! If you've struggled with your 'beast' (I used to call it that) all your life, DO IT! Call, make an appointment, and stick to it! Sure it costs a lot more than a normal cut (around $100ish total) but it really is a life-changing event. It gave me a HAIR STYLE. That's what it did for me. No more wearing it up in a bun most of the time or straightening it for the week, or drenching it with oils and/or conditioners to weigh it down so I could wear it down curly. This review is 1 year overdue as I went here for my first time July 20th of last year, I'm going this Sunday (EXCITED!) I've been trimming my hair for years so it's just about time to get it back to the 'perfection' stage! Alexa did mine but I'm sure they're all just as masterful! PS, make sure you REALLY pay attention when they teach you how to apply the products! There's all different kind of curls so they prescribe which products would work best on yours, kind of like a personalized cocktail. DO IT, it's worth the money especially if you can extend the cut as long as possible yourself before looking like a peacock :) GOOD LUCK read more

See all

Nice people but I came in for a curly cut and I paid the high price for it and tipped high, and my hair has not been curly for one single day since. I have to blow dry it every single day and curl it!. She didn't cut curl by curl, she cut with an angled scissors down my head probably the worst kind of cut you can do on a curl. So I can't even straighten it because it's 100% uneven it's been cut freehand! Which is fine if it's curly and cut on the curl. My hair was not that curly that day because it needed a haircut. In that case, maybe she should've just told me she couldn't do a curly cut and given me a regular haircut, because this is awful. it looks terrible every single day. it's not even straight cut at the bottom! read more

First off I want to say that my stylist Starr was amazing, and I loved the cut and color I went home with on 4/13. Between the cut, color and recommended products that I bought at their salon, I spent over $500. After my in salon experience, my interactions with this salon went downhill quickly. I didn't wash my hair until 3 days later and lost almost all the color. This has never happened in any of the times I have gotten my hair colored in any other salon before, so I wrote to the salon to get it fixed when I returned from out of town on 4/22. The salon responded offering for me to come in for a free color correction, asked for my availability the same day which was great, and I responded first thing Monday morning with my availability, evenings and weekend afternoons. I got an automated response immediately, but didn't get offered any appointments until Friday, 4/29. I was offered 5/5 6:30, and 5/15 12:30, and picked the 5/5 because it worked best for me and responded, during my work day, an hour after the email was sent. 3 hours later I was sent an email that 5/5 was just booked, and I could take the 5/15 one, 10 days later or contact them for a different time and date. I responded the same day that I did not wish to do future business with the salon due to the way they conducted their business, asked for a refund and cancellation of my future appointment as well as the ones I made for my daughters. I got a response, the same day, Saturday, 4/30, from one of the owners, Alexa, personally offering two appointments 5/2 and 5/6 at 2pm, so I would "not have to wait longer for my original stylist," but completely disregarding my initial availability offering times in the middle of my work day. When I responded, the same day, I could not take these times, it was further proof of the unprofessional way they handle clients and lack of courtesy that has been extended and would simply like a refund for the color, I received an email response from all the owners, Alexa, Coral and Christine, the following day Sunday, 5/1. This email stated, amongst other things that: they "apologize for the oversight regarding my schedule as they are navigating with reception," they have spoken with their reception team about "holding appointments in my type of situation," they "wish they could it right with every client on the first time," but it's not possible which is why they have them come back for "complimentary color touch up when we miss the mark," and if I refer to the policy page on their website, I would see that they do not offer refunds, which is why they have been "trying to get me back in for a touch up." They said if I chose to "forego" that option they would offer $75 for the lavender. They ended with: " We understand and accept that we are not able to please everyone and are sorry that this seems to be a poor fit. Good luck in your future hair journey." Definitely, dismissing me and my feelings, despite their flowery words throughout the rest of their email. I checked their policy, which did indeed say they did not offer refunds, however it also said that "due to outgrowth/maintenance, color corrections will only be offered within 3 weeks of the date of service." None of the initial appointments I was offered were within the 3 weeks of my date of service and only one of the dates the owner, Alexa, gave me was within the time frame. I emailed all 3 owners back 3 hours later stating that I did not feel $75 was adequate compensation for an over $500 salon visit for cut and color, that I was charged extra for, only for the color to wash out after one wash, therefore I would not forgo their policy and would expect an offered service date by May 4th during my availability which would be within the 3 weeks of service as their policy states. Up until this point, when they had been denying my a refund, denying appointments that work for my schedule, or offering appointments on their own terms, they had been responding within 24 hours. As they had already shown a lack of consideration for my schedule when reaching out for appointments, this last email seemed to be an attempt to discourage me from continuing to advocate for them provide adequate compensation and clear message that they would not and did not want to work any further with me as they only referenced the part of their policy that benefited them without having followed the part that would have benefited me as well as signing all the three of the owners when previously only one was on the emails. In addition to this last email, one of the things that is most disappointing about this situation is that I was very happy with Starr, was hoping to be a returning client and made two appointments for my daughters because of her work, however they way the salon handled this situation has made it so I can not give any further business to this salon nor can I recommend to this salon to anyone else I know. read more

Penny Lane Hair Studios - April 13th: Color when I left the salon - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

This was my first curly cut and I was nervous! I really was loving the curly bangs look! That's why I decided to book an appointment! I made one with Emily! Oh my goodness Emily is absolutely amazing so friendly and funny she listened to what I wanted and she exceeded my expectations! I will be back!!! read more

So happy to have found Penny Lane. Laura gave me the exact cut I had been dreaming of and showed me exactly how to style it at home. This is 100%where I will be getting my cuts from now on. read more

Penny Lane Hair Studios - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had a great cut from Diane and will definitely be back. The salon is friendly, clean and the stylists are knowledgeable. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this salon to anyone with curly hair. read more

I received a sloppy hair coloring service, but I was even more disappointed with the management's customer service. I went in for a routine coloring. I didn't ask for anything special or complicated; I just was retouching up my roots to a brown color. The stylist was nice, but I noticed she applied an enormous amount of dye to my hair (she left at one point to refill her bowl with more dye). I thought it was odd but trusted that she was a professional. When I left my hair smelled of hair dye and chemicals, but I didn't think anything of it. I waited a good week before washing my hair, and when I did I was surprised to find that there was still a ton of dye in my hair that bled on to my hair towel, the bathroom tub, and sink. It stained my towels and countertop. The same thing happened two more times. Mind you, I paid over $100 to have my hair professionally done. I sent an email to the salon's management. They took over a week to respond. They mentioned that I signed a color consent form that states that they do not do any refunds (so warning other people out there, they use this consent form to basically get out of any refunds, even for hair batches). They only offered that I immediately go back to the salon to recolor my hair, which didn't make any sense as the issue was too much dye. When I asked to have the appointment at a later time, they refused. I am just sharing my experience to alert others out there because they really didn't make me feel like they were concerned with my issues. Poor service and poor management. read more

If I could give this salon 100 stars I would. It is not an understatement to say that this place, and Emily in particular, changed my life. I cannot recommend Penny Lane highly enough. Let me explain why: I am half black and jewish, so my natural hair is pretty curly (for anyone who understands, it's somewhere between 3A and 3B). I had previously been going to the same salon back in my hometown in Connecticut for years, but I knew I had to cut the cord on that place after college. I had also been using ISO's Manetamer every 4-ish months for years to relax my curls because I just couldn't deal with the texture, but I stopped that a few months ago to try and embrace my natural hair. Like many curlies, I get very nervous about haircuts since cutting curly hair is not an easy feat, and I was honestly terrified to try Penny Lane, even after reading all the great reviews. I was especially anxious after I received a tragic hair cut from a sub-par salon in Chicago in 2016 that claimed to know how to cut hair like mine, despite its great reviews. After much research and a leap of faith, I made an appointment for a DevaCut with Emily and prayed the curl gods would smile upon me just this once, and smile they did my friends. First off, the entire staff has the best hair I've ever seen (great sign). The atmosphere is fun and casual, and on a Saturday afternoon it wasn't too busy. Emily was the kindest, most knowledgeable stylist I've ever worked with, and when we sat down and talked and she saw how scared I was, she treated me very gently. There are very specific instructions you must adhere to prior to having a DevaCut, and despite following them to the letter, my hair did not fall the way it normally does. I was terrified that they were going to kick me out or yell at me or something, but Emily simply said that we'd re-wash my hair and start over. "Great," I thought. "Now this appointment is going to cost me double," but I was already in the chair so I figured what the heck, let's just see what happens. As soon as I sat down in the wash chair though, I knew I was in good hands, quite literally. Emily taught me how to properly wash my curly hair, thoroughly explained every single step and every product she used, and took GREAT care of me. After I emerged from the dryer, my curls looked amazing; better than they had ever looked before, EVER. The cut itself was rather quick, but because of the re-wash and haircare lesson my appointment took an hour. At checkout, I was dreading the number they were going to give me for all the work Emily did, so when I was told it would be $70 ($95 - $25 deposit) I was dumbstruck. Emily came over, wrote me out instructions and product names for everything she used and spent a solid 10 minutes making sure I knew what I needed to do and buy (and from where, so I could save money). No one pushed any Deva products on me, and Emily even told me NOT to buy several things from their line and instead gave me DIY options. I did end up buying one product that Emily said there was sadly no inexpensive dupe for, but it was cheaper at the salon than on the DevaCurl website and only $1 more than on Amazon (which is notorious for selling Deva knockoffs). Seriously when does this ever happen?! Overall, I left feeling like a million dollars and I can guarantee you I won't go to another salon in the city. My natural hair is beautiful, even more so than I ever imagined, and I know that now thanks to Penny Lane. Emily, if you're reading this, thank you so much for what you did for me today - I'll see you soon! read more

Penny Lane Hair Studios - DevaCut by Emily! - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

If you have curly hair, stop everything you are doing and schedule an appointment at Penny Lane! They have wonderful stylists who take the time to understand want you want out your cut and give you a great experience! I walked in and I was greeted by the receptionist who asked if I wanted anything to drink. Then my stylist, Trent, greeted me and asked me what I wanted out of my cut, how I'm currently styling my hair, and looked at pictures I had of inspirational cuts. He explained what he was doing throughout the process and also did some teaching so I can recreate the same styling techniques at home. Overall it was a great experience and I can't wait to go back in 6 months for another cut! read more

Lisa was awesome! I'm not very good with hair terminology but I described what I wanted and she did it. PERFECTLY. Love my look. Thanks Lisa!! read more

I got my first DevaCut! The salon was really chic and cute, my stylist was super helpful and taught me a bunch of great tips, and my hair looked awesome! I haven't fully taken the plunge and swapped out all my products but once I run out of some of the stuff I have now, I'm definitely planning to. Will be back soon. read more

Still love this place! Emily added color to my hair Saturday and it was perfect (I had not dyed my hair in over 12 years!). If you have curly hair and are interested in adding color, you can trust the staff at penny lane with your hair. Also they schedule children for deva cuts on weekends so now my daughter and I are able to go in together. read more

Penny Lane Hair Studios - Honey color added to my ends. - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Just had a cut with Alexa... she's amazing! She has a very cool, very chill way about her and makes cutting hair look so easy! She was able to determine what I wanted to do with my hair and showed me the process I should take for styling it. Alexa was very attentive and made me feel like my appointment was for me. She wasn't distracted by other things going on in the shop and was able to give me her full attention, making me feel like she actually cared to give me the best cut she could! I will definitely be back! read more

Meanwhile back in Penny Lane... After my third visit, I like this place even more. Christine is a master colorist, and dare I say, an artist? This chick knows how to work some magic. Since the weather is warming up, I like my hair to be a little more golden and sun-kissed, but still natural looking. It's not easy to do this. I had brought in a picture of myself when I was around nine to give Christine an idea of the color I used to be (before age and Mother Nature intervened) and what I was looking to re-create, and by some miracle, she absolutely nailed it. I love the color; it's copper-y, shimmery and has tons of depth. Just for fun, she also blew my naturally wavy hair stick straight. It's been years since I wore my hair that way so it was good to try something new. I looked so different that my bf asked "What have you done with my girlfriend?" when I got home. I absolutely love Penny Lane Studios. I love that I can get an appointment easily. I love that it's walking distance from my house. I love that the prices are reasonable. I love that it's open on Sundays. I love that there are dogs hanging out. I love everything about this place, and Christine is a hair goddess. I used to dread getting my hair done. It always seemed like a chore. But no more. Besides being extremely pleased with the results, we always have fun conversations (in fact, I lose track of how much time I'm even there--it just flies by). Glad Penny Lane has had the pleasure to know my head. read more

Michelle changes my life! I want to her with no knowledge and she told me everything I needed to know plus made my hair look like I wanted it to look. I went in and said I wanted to look like a hairstyle and not like I was too lazy to do my hair. Voila! I left looking like my best self! read more

I wanted the Deva Cut and found this salon online. I usually do my own hair but I have read so many great things about this cut and the products so I was excited and nervous about my appointment. Alexa educated me about my curls and how the products work with them. She knew what I wanted and she made sure that I would know how to style my hair myself. I love my cut! read more

Penny Lane Hair Studios - First Deva Cut - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

To start off, I am VERY picky about my hair. It's inconsistently wavy and very thick which means it behaves differently in diff areas of my head. My sister was my stylist for years and she has even said that my hair is a lot more difficult and than the norm. So the fact that I was able to find Jenna here at Penny Lane is amazing! When I moved to IL I did research on places that deal with curly hair and I am SO happy to have found PL. When I called, they immediately asked me what my hair was like even before setting anything up! I've never gotten asked that first, I'm usually the one that starts telling my story because I know my hair is challenging. Knowing how much they care to understand my hair & setting me up with the right person off the bat says a LOT. So to start talking about my hair, I like it on the edgier side with lots of texture/layers, but also still have that natural beachy wave look. I'm super picky about my bangs -- they're angled, and slightly swoopy at the same time. When I first started coming here in the summer of 2014, I had long hair and Jenna did fantastic. I'd been wanting to cut off my hair for a while and trusted that she'd be able to pull it off so I cut off 6 inches and was so happy they were able to donate it to their wig studio which is awesome! I also recently had another stylist cut my hair at a different salon, and I really did not like it. I came back to Jenna and she was able to fix and morph my hair back to what it was even with how short the last girl cut my layers (it's currently shorter than the picture I'm posting). It's already laying the way I like it, and not doing the weird mushroom thing that tends to happen with curly/wavy hair. I always have so much fun, Jenna has a great/upbeat personality! She really listens to what I like, doesn't need very much direction to be able to do so, and always delivers! I recommend her and the salon 100%!! read more

Penny Lane Hair Studios - Cut by Jenna! - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Xotchilt was perfect! I am so glad I decided to take a chance on a new salon and stylist! I have had my share of curly cut tragedies! I will most definitely be returning for my future hair care. The Deva Cut is now my happy place, a must for my daughter and I. I know the Deva Cut is game changing itself, but I also know it takes skills and Xotchilt most definitely has them! She is very welcoming and very good at what she does. I tend to feel uncomfortable going to new places but she made me feel right at home. read more

I was in town for a wedding and wanted to look nice so I scheduled a blow out (hair dry with a wash) It was very reasonably priced at $30! I also got eye make up and lip gloss for $20. Coffee was provided and man did I need it!! There was also a really cute dog named Bruce Springsteen, I really enjoyed talking to my stylist whose name I have completely forgotten. If I lived around here I would love to be a client. I brought my friend who we stayed with a token for a free service for new guests and she wants to come check it out. They have nice products and a clean friendly casual vibe that I loved. read more

Penny Lane Hair Studios - My actual hair and make up from penny lane studios - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

As others have said, Alexa is the curl whisperer. She brought my wavy/curly hair to a whole other level. I never thought I could love my air-dried hair as much as I did after my first appointment with her in March of 2015. She explained what she was doing every step of the way and tailored my cut to me based on a series of very practical questions at the beginning of our appointment. I found it especially helpful when she showed me exactly how to scrunch and style my hair and told me why she chose certain products for me and not others. I left the salon loving the heck out of my hair. Unlike every other time I've walked out of a salon feeling that way, my hair actually looked just as good when I washed and styled it myself later that week. That haircut lasted me six months. SIX MONTHS (with a couple bang trims in between). And I went back just because I wanted the length shorter. I basically had no split ends, which I used to get a month or two after a trim. I also wanted to experiment for the very first time with coloring my hair. I loved my curls so much that I wanted to give them more dimension and bring more attention to them. On the other hand, I wanted the overall look to be subtle and not a lot of work to maintain (as in not buying new products for dyed hair and not having to re-color every few months). Alexa fulfilled all my requests and the final result was better than I could have imagined! My hair was so beautifully bayalaged and was done in a way that simply took some of the pigment out of my very dark brown hair so that I don't have to worry about the dye washing out or fading over time. I absolutely LOVE it! Alexa and all the other stylists I've interacted with at Penny Lane are just good people. They actually seemed just as excited as I was that I was getting my hair colored for the first time. This is the only place I will get my hair cut and colored for as long as I live in Chicago! read more

Penny Lane Hair Studios - After my cut and color by Alexa! I've never loved my hair so much. - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I needed to reschedule my visit two weeks ago and called with a week advance notice. I was told I was being put on a waitlist and that I would be called when any openings became available. I haven't had a phone call since. I also haven't had a phone call simply to schedule the visit that I was supposed to have. I think Emily is great, but the business side of this salon doesn't run smoothly. I was not told between my last two visits that Emily's rate had gone up and was surprised when I was at the front desk at the end of my visit and had to pay more than I was expecting. The woman at the front desk told me, "oh, she got a raise." Well if I'm the one giving her the raise, shouldn't I know about it? Plus, the confirmation appointment email is a three-page, single spaced, variety font document that outlines the rules I have to follow in order to be a good customer; it's daunting and unwelcoming. I feel like there's another way to impart that information more effectively. If I knew how to reach out to Emily directly, I would. As it stands, I'm looking elsewhere. read more

See all

I received my first curly cut at Penny Lane and I will never go back! Diana is wonderful and has taught me so much about my hair already. She took time to teach me how to do a wash and go, and helped me identify products that may be better for my hair type. I went back to see her to get my hair colored (root touch-up) and she matched my current color perfectly. I've found my new hair stylist! If you have never gotten a curly cut - don't hesitate to get one at Penny Lane. read more