I recently got a trim by Moon and am thrilled! I have curly hair, so I'm always a little nervous about trying out a new salon, but Moon handled my hair perfectly. The website appointment website is pretty simple and it's easy to make/modify reservations. Highly recommend B&B. read more

I have colored my hair for years and with Barbara's excellence it has never looked so wonderful. The blond is perfect! read more

Weird vibe here and unfriendly staff. I don't recommend this salon. Really uncomfortable booking scheduling consultation experience.

I love the mission of Barbara & Barbara but I'm not coming in again. I've been getting good haircuts from Alex, so I decided to have him highlight my hair and cover my gray. I did my due diligence and did a consultation with him. I even showed him example photos of what I wanted. When I came in for the coloring, the first red flag was him asking another stylist for advice. He then told me that he accidentally left the toner on too long, but it "should" come out after a few washes. Note it's "should" not will. I've never had this happen before. I cannot wash it multiple times quickly with clarifying shampoo, as I have very thick wavy hair and that can have a very drying and damaging effect. I've been crying all day because of how bad it looks and dealing with a bunch of people asking me why my hair is purple too. I've been struggling a lot with my self esteem and spending all this time and money to have my hair look even worse is honestly devastating. I was supposed to be in a wedding next weekend but am not attending because I don't want my hair looking like shit in photos. This has literally ruined my month. Everyone else at B&B has been lovely, but Alex charged me $300+ when I've had better colorings at SuperCuts. read more

I had the worst experience I've ever had at a salon here. I spent a total of 9.5 hours here: from 10am-7:30pm just to leave in tears and with my hair fried off. I came in for a simple color and cut. I showed them an example of what I wanted (inspo pic below). I already have dark brown hair to begin with and was just trying to go a bit lighter -- golden brown, and get a layered bob. The girl I did my hair with, Dee, is an apprentice so I figured it would take more time with her but I never imagined the end result. She was super nice and friendly and this isn't to bash her at all but I really think she didn't know what she was doing at the end. She put developer all over my hair and then scalp for about an hour and then toned it. At first the toner made the hair come out too blonde so she then toned it 3 more times... One of the toners she used was a copper and it made the hair look like a washed out red. My roots don't blend in at all either. After sitting there for hours and hours I started to get frustrated and decided to just leave the hair the way it was and not even get a cut. My entire hair feels so damaged now, like it's never been. Especially my scalp - I don't think you're supposed to used developer on the scalp like that because it's like bleaching it....anyways $93 for this is not acceptable and I really think they should have someone supervise the apprentices or give them more time to learn so they don't end up damaging peoples hair like this. Now I have to go somewhere else to get it fixed -- more time and money I don't have. 0/10 would never recommend coming here. read more

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I have been going to barbara&barbara for 3 years to get my haircut and I have NEVER once missed an appointment. Today I wake up and am extremely ill - I call to reschedule (which ive never had to do so I am just thinking it will be no big deal and maybe they can get me back in whenever they have availability) They then state they will be charging a no- show fee for needing to reschedule since it was less than 24h in advance. Would they rather I come in sick? When booking via the phone they never made me aware of this policy change and the person on the phone said it was on the email but lets be real who is reading in depth a basic reminder email about a basic haircut hair service especially when I have been to this place for 3 years and already know what to generally expect. I am mainly frustrated that I have been a very loyal client to them and they cannot extend an ounce of human decency over this and instead were very mean to me over the phone about this - why are you even being mean to someone who is sick? Anyways I will not be coming back here because I deserve to be treated as a human being and want to give my money to people who have empathy that shit happens sometimes. read more

As a girl with curly hair, you know the standards for a stylist are already going to be high. A year and a half later, I am a lifelong client of Barbara & Barbara! When I first moved to Chicago, I was overwhelmed with all of the different salons (and prices) and Barbara & Barbara was (and still is) my saving grace. Not to mention that parking on the side streets is pretty easy to find AND FREE! What ultimately led me to choose Barbara & Barbara was their commitment to diversity and they are a women-owned business. They also have a wide variety of appointment times, which I find super helpful with a 9-5 job. Alex has been my stylist and has truly TRANSFORMED the way my curls live and breathe! Alex is the first stylist to cut my hair when it is dry to actually pay attention to where my curls sit. Not to mention, the conversations while getting my hair cut are always great and entertaining :) The receptionists are always kind as well. The prices are more than decent for the quality of service you get. As someone who doesn't venture too far with their hair styles, I have seen some pretty cool coloring and styles that other clients get. I can't attest to them personally, but what I've seen over the past year and a half has been nothing but great. I can't stop recommending this salon to anyone and everyone! read more

Barbara&Barbara - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've waited a couple of weeks to see whether I grew into my cut -- sometimes it's a matter of getting used to what's been done -- but no, it's not me, it's the stylist. I went in for a curly cut and definitely did not get a curly cut. I left with my hair styled more or less straight. I'd been struggling with a number of things about hair care and was looking for advice, guidance, and input on what I might be able to do better, and I got absolutely nothing. When I flipped my hair upside down to dry, the resident dog licked my face (ick). And the stylist just didn't really even try to connect with me; it was really awkward. Maybe it just wasn't a good personality fit but there were a couple of times they said things I felt were borderline ageist. I actually think my hair is harder to take care of in terms of styling and I'm more confused than ever about how to make it look good. I wish I'd never really gone, and I don't think it was fair for me to pay more for a curly cut. read more

I love this place. If you are queer and in the Chicago area, you have to check it out. Especially if you want a style change (or really any hair service) they are professional and so kind. Also they have good music taste. read more

Barbara&Barbara - Salon Pup! - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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SIX STARS. My first time to B&B was about a month ago (recommended by a friend), but my experience started with my email to book the appt. I sent a couple pics and received such a hype response about how they loved them, I already felt welcomed before I set foot in the salon. And then when I actually did set foot inside, the person at the front greeted me with such a friendly vibe. I had "mermaid-length" hair (I could cover my boobs), which desperately needed refreshing. I wasn't picky about who I saw as I just felt I could trust anyone at B & B. And I am so grateful I was placed with Nadia! They were so sweet and patient with me... of course chopping off long hair can be hard (I hadn't had a cut in 2+ years). Nadia took their time and checked in with me several times, showing me the back as she cut it. And when I decided that I wanted more cut off after she had already done a bit (I always forget that long layers means the layers lie closer together, but I wanted longer steps between the layers), Nadia listened really well and followed my somewhat unsure instructions. TLDR; I ended up with a super rockin' longish shag-type style and I love love love love it. I haven't missed my long hair for a second. Absolutely no buyers remorse, 11/10, will be back. read more

hesitant to write reviews when there was no ill intention, but i want to encourage folks to spend more money to get what it is you really want somewhere else with someone who you're comfortable with and will communicate with you every step of the way. i feel ashamed by how much confidence i store in my hair, but my experience has left me with such lower self esteem and tears and it will cost me much to repair. i came in for a cut and color. my haircut isn't that bad but the color.. i asked for a natural black, darkest brown overall color job to match my virgin roots--typically, i get my hair dyed back to my natural color every summer because some old highlights surface with sun exposure. in the past, stylists logically have used a dark brown dye instead of a straight up black one to cover them up because even though my natural hair is dark, no one's hair is truly black and certainly not blue black... i really liked my stylist's personality, but a red flag was that i wasn't shown what color they'd be using on my hair prior to dying--i know i could've just asked, but it's anxiety inducing to speak up in the moment, it was also very loud, and i wanted to trust that i didn't need to reiterate what i'd already communicated what it is i wanted--we just went straight into it and it was too late when i noticed the blue dye seeping in. i asked if it was blue-black, they said "yes and no", then later said it was the blackest black they had which isn't what i asked for. i didn't care for how contradictory their explanation of the color was when i expressed concern. so yeah now my hair is a dull blue-black situation with zero dimension which looks totally unnatural and washes me out and i've been crying cause i miss my natural color and of course black permanent dye is almost impossible to remove..i'll have to spend a lot of money just to damage my hair to get it back to normal much as i can, and ultimately now i'll have to use bleach for that. i'm regretting not sticking to the stylist at another salon who last did my hair, who honestly did a great job, but i wanted to give them a chance. now i'm going back to my old stylist to fix this dull mess. i don't want to throw the stylist under the bus but i hope that there is more nudging to the apprentices to communicate with clients clearly throughout the entire process, and that there be more implementation of training in dye jobs and color corrections specifically. i'm sad to have wasted money and time just to spend more that i don't really have. read more

Barbara&Barbara is wonderful. I'm blessed to have benefitted from Moon's PWYC days where I received the best haircuts of my life. The treatment is without compromise and I always leave smiling. read more

Amazing experience. Bex is so relatable. They are willing to listen and execute what you need. Super love and will be back.

Omg SO HAPPY! I waited a few weeks to write this to settle in to my haircut and make sure it's perfect and it IS! I wish I could give Barbara and Barbara 10 stars. I was visiting chicago for a few weeks and really needed a haircut. I have very curly hair and have never been satisfied with a haircut. I also wanted bangs or layers or something to mix it up, but when I've asked for this before my hair looks SO WHACK. I saw Barbara and Barbara's promising reviews for curls, so I called! They were full for weeks but offered to give me a call if there was a cancellation. I got a call that afternoon!! The staff are SO friendly and helpful. Because I got in on a cancellation, Sam cut my hair. I didn't see any reviews about her and curls so I was nervous, but she did such an amazing job. She looked through my Pinterest with me and we discussed at length what she was going to do. She cut my hair dry (green flag for curlies!) and cut long bangs and layers first, and talked me through cutting shorter each time she did so. I didn't want to lose any length and she nailed it. I've always had a hard time with my hair. I get frustrated when it touches my face, it's frizzy and unruly, and hard to shape. Sam did an amazing job and was so attentive and conversational!! I am going to be going back to Barbara and Barbara every time I'm in chicago!! Thank you sam!!! read more

Good prices and friendly staff! Blake did an amazing job with my haircut :) They listened to what I asked for and it's exactly how I wanted it. If you have curly hair I definitely recommend going here. read more

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Cash is my hair angel - he is absolutely amazing at what he does and was super engaged with me and explained me through the entire process. He was able to take me from a copper color to brown and give me the curly cut of my dreams for a reasonable cost . The place seems to be doing a great job with COVID standards. I'll absolutely be coming back read more

I'm new to taking care of my hair (as in, just stopped using 2-in-1 shampoo last month new) and I felt totally comfortable here. The shop is queer friendly, which I specifically looked for and was happy to find here. It's got an open, light interior and soft design touches around the space that make you feel safe as a client. Everyone who worked there was knowledgeable and approachable enough that I didn't feel intimidated as a hair care beginner, and the haircut I got from Alex was divine. I felt like an absolute rockstar leaving the place with an awesome new look and my very own first bottle of hair product. I highly recommend making an appointment here for your next haircut (my only neg is that the shop playlist is so good you might have trouble keeping still in the chair). read more

Barbara&Barbara - Bathroom - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I always have a marvelous experience at Barbara&Barbara. The stylist I saw Theis time listened closely to my hair goals and looked at all of the many inspiration photos I thrust at her. She managed to create something even better than I had hoped. The vibrant coral balayage I left the salon with is the perfect summer color for me. I'm in love. GREAT service at reception. Kind and clean environment. I would recommend this salon to everyone (And often do!). I always have a great time there. read more

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After a very unsymmetrical haircut pre-COVID, I was desperate for someone to fix my horrendous quarantine hair. Maeva worked wonders AND she was the first stylist to truly cut with my curls fully considered. Most stylists blow my hair dry and straight, and while I love that it makes me feel fancy, it's not actually beneficial for my hair in the long run. Months after my haircut with Maeva, my curls are still happy and aren't triangle-esque in the slightest! She also gave me a ton of advice on taking care of my hair and was thorough and thoughtful in her approach to cutting. Absolutely one of the best haircuts I've ever had! And Barbara&Barbara is such a friendly, welcoming environment. You can tell they really care about their clients and staff! read more

I've been coming to Barbara&Barbara for over a decade. I've had the best haircuts. The prices are reasonable and the staff and vibe are on point. It's an inviting safe space for everyone. And the professionalism with the stylists and the consistency of how they cut my curly hair will have me coming back. :D Very happy. read more

I've been thinking about leaving a review for a month now because i didn't want to get on here and slander someone's business but the way my confidence went from a ten to a one is seriously so sad. I came and asked for a curly cut with long layers and some face framing pieces and i told the stylist alex how i wanted my longest layer by my chin (when curly) and i told him how i already have a lot of volume so i was good off that. For the most part my curls look beautiful but the cut itself is really choppy and my front piece layers are insanely thick for my liking which could possibly be on me because i should've been more specific but i've never seen anyone with 1/3 of their hair being gone from "face framing layers" and to be quite frankly honest my hair looks like a mullet. read more

WOW I love this place. Safe, funky, fun, and QUEER. This is going to be my salon in the city from now on! Everyone on staff is incredibly friendly, they sell fantastic local artist items in the sitting area, and they are efficient and professional. Moon cut my hair and I have never had a better experience. Moon took the time to talk with about how the cut would lay, what a would prefer, and always checking in if I was comfortable and okay with how the process was going. Fantastic conversation and vibes throughout 10/10!! read more

i've sat on this review for a few months now because i didn't want to leave a negative review in the heat of the moment, but i genuinely got one of the worst haircuts from here; which sucks, because i also got a good haircut from here a few months earlier. i got a curly shag here last october after first moving to the city, and wanting to finally experience a queer hair salon. this first photo is the cut i got done by Sam, and they honestly ate down!! i was really happy with the results and felt like i learned to embrace my curly hair with this haircut. over a month and a half went by, and i seriously needed my bangs trimmed. so before leaving the city for thanksgiving, i booked a trim and simply requested it be with a curly stylist. i was pretty confident with the stylist i booked with, because they had a decent history with curly hair on their instagram, and seemed to have been working here for a few years. i also didn't think it was possible for a trim to go so wrong, i specified that i style my bangs curly and plop them so i wanted them past eyebrow length. but as soon as i was out of the salon i took a photo and was like damn... what the hell is this... i ended up not cutting my bangs for almost four months after that, and having to straighten my hair with the bangs everyday, that's how short they were. overall the entire experience just kind of felt rushed and i ended up changing salons after this, my point of this review is to honestly maybe steer clear of this salon if you have curly hair and are getting any sort of semi-intricate haircut! read more

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Erick is the only person I trust with my mane. I can't give them enough stars. Honestly anything from a "fun" cut or color to a more "wearable" one, go to Erick. (I mean I'm clearly biased, but I will say I follow most of the stylists on Instagram and they're all fantastic.) The salon has a hip vibe, very welcoming, and LGTBQ centered. The location is out of the way for me, but it's worth the trip. Love love love them. read more

Barbara&Barbara - Fresh cut and color by Erick. SO GOOD. - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I highly recommend Barbara&Barbara. I came in for a haircut wanting quite a drastic change. Sergio listened to what I was wanting, took the time to get to know my hair and how it moved and behaved, and gave me a really great cut that not only looked great coming out of the salon, but continued to look great post-cut. He gave me lots of styling and care advice and wasn't pushy at all with products. I also loved the inclusive and affirming environment. I'll definitely be back! read more

5 stars. Bravo. I had a really bad experience getting balayage and emailed the salon letting them know I wasn't happy with the outcome and Lauren, the owner, fixed my hair BEAUTIFULLY. If I wasn't generally a very bashful person I would share pictures. My hair was brassy and didn't look anything like balayage - it looked like I dyed my hair copper and it grew out. For weeks I considered possibly toning it at home or maybe dyeing it all back to my natural dark brown. Once Lauren got their hands on my hair, all my problems went away. They showed me how to use a few products to restore my hair's health and also gave me highlights, lowlights, and toned my hair down so it looked intentional. I would say my hair is beautiful now especially considering I had originally come in with virgin hair after shaving my head and letting it all grow out again (never using heat, which is the devil my eyes). My curls are BACK. The natural shine is BACK. Lauren is a wizard. I don't know how they do it but I am eternally grateful. read more

I hate to write this review, since I have loved cuts that I get here. However, I have been canceled on FIVE times in the past year. Once two days before my wedding, on the day of. It happened three times in a row, and as a short haired person, I get my hair cut 5-6 weeks apart. This past time was the last straw for me, as I drove all the way to the business and was told my appointment had been cancelled. It frustrates me, because I feel like my time hasn't been respected. You charge a cancellation fee for your customers who cancel 24 hrs before, which typically I completely understand. But when it's the reversal, and it's usually day of, I feel like there should be some compensation there. I won't say the stylists name, but I do think it's on the business as a whole to see the issue with that and make a point to rectify the situation. read more

First time visiting. Cash was my hair stylist, very knowledgeable. Did an amazing job. My hair is now the only part of my body (attached and nonattached) that doesn't look like its been through a year of a pandemic. That's not even a joke. Hair feels healthy and light - as though it was carrying a bag a luggage around that it's been freed from. That might've been due to the growing and forgotten hair knots combining forces at the back of my head over the past year, but Cash cut out all unwelcome tenants. Will go again! read more

I've always lived close by this hair salon and finally decided to book an appointment this past April. I had boring dull auburn hair and wanted something new for my vacation to Florida coming up. They set me up with Eleanor when I said I wanted a red ombré and a small trim. I trusted them as I read good reviews about the salon. Eleanor sat with me to pick out the exact shade of red I wanted at the top and helped me pick out the color it would fade to at the bottom as well. She showed me what she was doing and explained the process to me as I never really dye my hair. I was really nervous because it had been a while since I dyed my hair, but I was so happy with the end result. The last time I got an ombré somewhere else (a year or so before this), the bottom was so brassy and needed so much more work done to it afterwards. This color was immediately perfect and the trim was great as well. I'm always scared of trims as people tend to cut off too much, but she understood my fears and only trimmed what I wanted. I went back for a root touch up in September and she made me look great for job interviews I had coming up. If you have something special in your life coming up and want a change, book your appointment with Eleanor! read more

Barbara&Barbara - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've gotten my hair done here for the last year and I love the staff. Everyone is so friendly and they always do a great job on my hair.

I had a disappointing experience at this hair shop, earning it a one-star rating. Upon entering, I felt ignored, and the lady at the front desk was unfriendly, particularly towards me as the only person of color. Despite arriving 15 minutes early, my stylist was 10 minutes late past my appointment. The presence of a dog wandering around, eventually PEEING on the carpet, added to the unhygienic atmosphere. I wanted to leave immediately but they charge a fee. When my stylist finally arrived, she disregarded my inspo pictures and requests, giving me an 80s-style cut with extremely short layers, contrary to what I wanted, and what we already talked about. She promised me she would only cut one inch off the end, but clearly you can see that's a lie! The $126 spent, including tip, feels wasted on a ruined haircut, and I left the salon deeply unsatisfied, and I'm so embarrassed I don't even want to leave my apartment. I've never hated my hair so much. read more

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Came in for my first time to get a haircut and balayage. Never had my hair professionally dyed before so I was a bit nervous but Sergio is an absolute gem. Not only are they extremely talented but such a lovely being in general. Everyone at Barbara & Barbara are extremely sweet. I will highly recommend them. read more

Barbara&Barbara - Sergio's amazing work. - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Adding an update. It's been over four years and my hair is still messed up since the back has some sort of inverted V because of the way he cut the hair closest to my head. And to answer the owner's question about what I need to be at peace - I'd love to know why the heck he cut of over 6 inches of hair when I asked for the tiniest of trims. I'd also like to make sure you make sure he doesn't cut hair while high! And I'm being serious. His eyes were dilated when he cut my hair and I should have said something and just walked out. I also should have sued Sergio and the salon. read more

I really wanted to like this place, especially seeing all the great reviews. Unfortunately, I walked out a bit disappointed, and even moreso as the day went on. First, the room was really noisy, so I was screaming most of the time. I had to keep sipping on my water because my throat was getting dry/scratchy from trying to talk louder. Second, the stylist and I got off to an ok start. He asked me questions, but while I was talking, he didn't seem like he cared or didn't seem like he was paying attention. I stopped talking, and at some point he was forced to strike a conversation. By midway, he seemed more focused and engaged and his company was more enjoyable. Thirdly and most importantly, either the salon doesn't have hair conditioner, or the stylist forgot. When the stylist was brushing my hair, so much of my hair was pulled off. I thought it was because I have long hair, so I asked the stylist what could be done to detangle. He said there wasn't much I could do, so I left it at that. When I got home, my hair felt like dry straw - I absolutely couldn't stand it! It felt so tangled, it felt like my strands were stabbing me, I just had to douse my hair in leave in conditioner. Just now, I washed my hair and it felt much softer and less tangled than at the salon. That's when I realized my hair wasn't conditioned at all during my appointment. And that's when I realized this place wasn't for me. I've been to a number of salons, but this was the first time I walked out not being able to stand my hair. The cut was ok, but the fact that I walked out with my hair in terrible condition, I just can't get myself to go back. read more

Came here for a bang trim and haircut and WOW. Finally someone understood how to cut my bangs exactly the way I wanted. Best bag cut I've ever gotten in my life !! Definitely recommend !! read more

I think I found my new place! Yes, it's pricey but worth it. My daughter has been very unlucky with finding someone who could cut her curls, but finally she found someone (Vladi) who did a great job advising her and styling her curly hair( she got a mullet) I went in this week and Cash did an awesome job cutting my hair, doing a color correction and helping me decide on an indigo that took my hair from bland to looking healthy with a pop. read more

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I went here last week for some highlights and I brought pictures for reference. They take a look at it and tell me it will be good for me. So, they got to work on it. Their stylist is so helpful, nice, and friendly. She really cares about making sure I'm happy and at ease with the process. She really listened closely to my hair goals and looked at all of the many inspiration photos I thrust at her. She made something that was even better than what I had hoped for. Service and results that are GREAT. They also had a good and clean environment. I would tell anyone to go to this salon because I always have a good time there. I can't wait to come back here next time to continue my hair journey and get protective styles from stylists who really know about this stuff. Definitely will be worth your time and money. read more

Omg ! seriously I called thme u to get a price on a haircut for a man with shorth hair and the lady said it was from $50 to $55 ..she must have Magic scissors read more

I came in because I saw amazing picture on their Instagram and that they specialized in curly cuts. I had my appt with Alex and went in with short hair that was too bulky on the ends. I decided I wanted it thinner + curly cut. He just chopped a few pieces here and there and paid no attention to the structure of the hair. It looks a hot mess. I can't wear it down because it has layers in all the wrong places. It's awful. He took a bunch of length off so I can't even fix it. I'm debating of just shaving it. *I have it 2 weeks to live in it before I wrote this review and it's just awful read more

Bex is an amazing listener, their customer service is out of this world and keeps me coming back! book your next hair appointment with them :) read more