EW DO NOT GO HERE! I did not go here by choice, my sister bought a lifebooker Brazilian wax but instead i got a eyebrow wax. from the moment i walked in it smelled like fast food (eww gross and ghetto) and they were playing Usher wayyyyy too loud. I couldnt think because the radio was so damn loud. Rae took me in the back to do my eyebrow wax in a terribly lit room and I could tell while she was doing it that she hd no idea what she was doing. Then when she was done it was NOTICEABLY not even. when i mentioned it she got so HUFFY and RUDE like shes the waxing God. She said she has been doing this for 20 years and that she has never heard a complaint. It was not a 20 yr experienced waxing job more like -2, and im sure your rude ass has had complaints. too bad she didnt know i was into salon marketing and could have brought more clients! read more

I heard of this salon because my husband walks past it everyday. I was excited to hear of it in Wicker Park where no one "specializes" in black hair. I usually have to travel to other neighborhoods to find someone who can skillfully handle African-American hair. Everything I am looking for in a salon, I found in Shear Sapphire. Rae, the owner, was friendly and helpful to me and my hair "situation". Due to so many obstacles I have not had my hair professionally styles since the late 1990's. It took no time for her to access my "situation" and find a style appropriate for me. And the best part was that I as in and out in about 2 hours. Anyone who's been to a salon for African-American hair knows that is a rarity. I am very happy with my experience at this salon. Totally worth every cent. Now I have a cute haircut that commands attention and I have Rae to thank. You have definitely made a regular client out of me. read more

Came here asking for a brazillian wax and left with a cheap bikini wax, my skin was ripped off in one corner and had to literally peel my underwear off when i got home since she left wax all over me.....oh, and they charged me for a full brazilian. I'm calling other salons to see how long i'll have to wax so i can pay ANOTHER $40 for someone to fix my botched wax. read more

I have to be completely honest. I have really good feelings about my haircut but extremely uneasy feelings about my treatment there. I've been thinking really hard about writing this review since I got my haircut this past summer. I will explain. I got my hair cut in July of 2014 for a wedding. I happened to pass by on my way back from Akira. I needed a new salon and was in desperate need of a haircut. Kor was my stylist and did an AMAZING job. She washed, cut and styled my hair. Keep in mind I have curly hair, not kinky, not extremely long (above my shoulders) or extremely coarse. It takes 20 min, MAYBE, to flat iron it at home and a little over an hour for the service I received. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not a cheapskate, I do believe I should pay a reasonable price for the service I received. HOWEVER, at the time of check out, the young lady who serviced me was about to ring me up, and the owner of the shop hurriedly pulls her aside. I see the young lady's face drop and I am instantly uncomfortable. She apologizes profusely, and tells me the price. The owner steps up and tries to explain why she was charging me A HUNDRED dollars for a cut wash and dry. She offers me 20% off because its my first time. I have NEVER in my life paid that much for a haircut. EVEN WITH COLOR. I have never been back and never plan on coming back. I have told many people about my experience there and will continue to tell people. I have since recently gone to TWO separate salons and neither of them charged anything close to that. I am disappointed because I really liked Kor and wanted her to be my permanent stylist, but $100 is just crazy. I can't help but think there was another issue. I don't believe I was rude or insulting. I did have a pleasant experience up until that point. read more

I've been to shear sapphire a couple of times since the opening a few years ago and I adore this salon. It has a laid back, classy appeal and Rae is always pleasant. Recently I spoke with Rae about an hairstyle that I wanted and she set me up with one of the hair stylist name Kor. While I was waiting Kor was cutting a man's hair, I waited about 10 minutes which was such a blessing because I was about an hour late for my appointment. Kor was very professional and knowledgeable about hair. I showed her a few pictures of the hair style I had in mind and she styled my hair beautifully. In the end I wanted to changed the style just a little but and she had no problem with that. I'm very particular about how I want my hair so she complied with every little detail I wanted. She definitely caters to her clients. I will definitely be back soon. read more

So I guess Karla doesn't work there anymore. But.... Rae is seriously just as good, if not better! Thank goodness. This place... still awesome. *Sigh of relief* read more

I'm definitely a fan! I needed to find a backup stylist for times when my stylist was out of town. Ray did a great job! They were blasting Maroon 5 if that matters! Lol!! read more

Let me start by saying that Rae is an absolute sweetheart! I walked in for my appointment at 5pm and Rae was ready for me and waiting. I had the salon to myself for the first hour of the appointment and we had a lovely time chatting about Groupon, Living Social and all the other deal sites, what it's like to be a fellow small business owner, and how these deals have affected our businesses. (I was on there on a Groupon Deal myself for a cut & highlights package). I am a serial deal finder for salons. I'm not an overly picky person about my hair. I have a patch of grey that I like to make go away every 3 months or so, but otherwise my hair is long and straight and looks good at varying shades of blond which is usually accomplished by a full or half head of foils and sometimes a low-light boost. So since I have no real salon loyalty, I don't have an issue paying half price for my services and seeking out someone new every 3 months. But Rae makes me want to go back and pay the full price next time. Which I might just do. We'll see. Being a lady is tough on the pocket-book! And she stocks Moroccan Oil - which I have heard lots about but have never found at any of my previous salon visits. So I bought a bottle of that as well cause the stuff is really great for us swimmers who need a deep conditioning and smoothing treatment to prevent chlorine dry-out. 4-stars cause my STUBBORN grey patch is still visible even after the colour, but I will admit that it is still visible (to me) no matter what I do, so I can't be too hard on a good stylist for my own genetics. read more

Let me start by saying I LOVE RAE I visited like many others on a Groupon now for my first visit. I had called to make an appointment and was set for 5pm that day me and my daughter (13). We both have natural hair. That night was a snow storm but Rae stuck around. Can I say MIRACLE WORKER :) We left there with amazing results. And my daughter recently went back w/o a Groupon and Rae is worth it, I will also be back next week. She is a very dedicated, welcoming, and warm hearted. I love Rae and Shear Sapphire and will continue to support this business read more

Carla did a great job and Rae was a doll! I had a very enjoyable experience and would recommend to anyone who is looking for a new and exciting place to get pampered. Cheers! read more

Thanks to Groupon for introducing me to this horrible business so I can now warn my friends and family to not go here. I bought the deal in the Fall but waited to use it hoping that the the salon wouldn't be busy with the aftermath. Was pleased that I scheduled the appointment with no problem for the middle of a Saturday. Then questioned why the salon was so slow when I arrived, but thought, "hey, no worries, i'll enjoy the relaxing atmosphere." WRONG. I was also surprised by the news once I got in the chair that a shampoo and blowdry were extra. Ok, just wet it and cut, please? I thought it was weird that the stylist had me side-facing the mirror--wish i had requested to face the mirror and watch the disaster that became of my hair. I gave three instructions during the brief initial consultation...1.) i want the same style. it just needs to be cleaned up because a little overgrown during last two months since last cut, 2.) it's an angled bob with longer pieces in the front, 3.) light layering on the top. After an hour, she dried my hair and showed me the results...i was mortified, then tried to explain what I was hoping for. She seemed to understand and tried to fix it. This went on for about 3 more times and of her spray-wetting my hair and re-cutting it. It was bluntly cut at the ends, uneven in places, and becoming shorter and shorter than what i wanted. After 90 minutes of sitting in her chair, i gave up. I couldn't wait to run out of there!! It was the MOST FRUSTRATING salon experience and the WORST haircut i've ever had. When i got home that afternoon, i made an appointment to get it fixed at a more trustworthy and capable salon. But i had to go a week of covering my hair with a hat until i could have it fixed. Some other concerns with this salon: * the gowns smell like mildew and then made my shirt smell--how about washing them?! * I flynched a few times from the stylist burning my scalp with the blow dryer * no signs of scissors and combs being sterilized or cleaned * I'm wondering if their stylists are certified, because I didn't see any framed certificates displayed. Maybe they were by the register and I missed them, but due to my experience, i question the training and talent * i also witnessed another stylist finish eating her cheese crackers and go straight over to her client and check her foils and then walk her to the sink and begin rinsing--all without first washing her own hands read more

I came to Sheer Sapphire after finding a youswoop deal. I walked in on time and still had to wait 30 minutes. I had highlights done. The owner, Rae highlighted my hair. She was nice, and did try and make conversation but I got really upset when she looked at my hair and said "Oh. You tried to cut your hair yourself?" No I didn't. I get my hair cut at twisted scissors and there is nothing wrong with it. After she was done, she walked me over to the sink and instructed a guy to take out the foil and wash my hair. He did a horrible job, he didn't take out the foil in order of where she put it in at. One side of my hair is dirty blonde and the other has platinum blonde highlights. On top of that, he splashed water all over my face. I'd understand if it was a little bit of water but there was enough to make my mascara run. After he was done he walked me over the chair, and blow dried my hair. He didn't know what he was doing, and he told me he didn't know what he was doing so the owner had to help him. Don't get my wrong, the people who work here are very friendly. But I would never come back here. On one side of my hair, the bleach was left in so long that it damaged my hair and made it break off. My highlights also started about 2 inches from my roots. I came home, and even my own friends told me they did a shitty job. It looked so bad that I had to dye it black. I wouldn't recommend this place for color. read more

I got a Groupon for this salon, and made the appointment as instructed. Well, it started out bad, as they finally came to get me at 1:43pm for a 1:00pm appointment. Why even make an appointment if they don't run on time? I just want to say that Anthony, the man who cut and colored my hair, was a very nice man. That's where it ends. I asked him for highlights to refresh my roots (as they were dark) and to hide the grey. I said I LIKED my color, I just wanted to hide some grey hair and perk up my roots. Ok, that went in one ear and out the other. He made it MUCH LIGHTER, which I did not want. I told him I was happy with my current color. Also, he does NOT know how to do foils. He did not paint the hair down to the roots, so you know what my hair looks like now? EVEN WORSE THAN WHEN I CAME IN. My hair is much lighter, and he didn't go to the roots, so I have even WORSE roots that when I went in. Also, there are LINES on my hair, where you could tell he painted on the color. I didn't say anything when i was there, because I really didn't notice it until i came home. But I hate it, and I have to go get it fixed. I will NOT go back there, I will go to a girl I know who does a GREAT job (Jamie at Salon 065, but they are so expensive). I am on the look-out for a salon in Chicago that does good color for a reasonable price. I guess I knew it all along - you get what you pay for. If you need a cut, then go for it. But do NOT go there for color!!!!!! This is not your salon for color. I look awful. read more

Would NOT recommend I was looking for a salon that specialized in natural hair as I'm in the process of transitioning from relaxed to natural. I called Shear Sapphire and spoke to Rae who, to her credit was very accommodating and pleasant. The day of the appt. I had just taken out box braids which Rae knew because 1.) I told her 2.) My hair was still in its post braid crinkle state. She sent me directly to the sink to let her 'intern' wash me while she got her own hair done by one of the other stylists who had on a club dress with no bra; I know this because her bare boob popped out several times while I was there, but I digress; but ok, back to the intern, thats fine...its just a wash, right? WRONG! Now, I absolutely take part blame here; I should have combed out my hair better prior to getting it washed however, you'd think that a salon that specializes in natural hair knows that once you take braids of any kind out your hair needs to be combed THOROUGHLY. So as the intern is washing and conditioning my hair she stops and runs over to Rae, who is still in the salon chair getting curled to say that my hair is super matted and she cant comb the conditioner through. Rae responds, "Just put her under the dryer". I sit under the dryer for about 10 minutes. still putting faith in the experts here. When I came from under the dryer my hair was a HOT MESS; completely matted ..like dread locks. Rae finally comes over and quite calmly says , "ooo did you comb it out first?" BLANK STARE- Fine time to ask! She goes on to say that she just had to cut all of her hair off from taking her braids out. This cant be the only option! Shocked and on the verge of tears I began to panic. The stylists at this point I realize are useless in this situation so I run to one of the chairs and very carefully try to 'un-matte' my hair piece by piece. Two hours later as the salon was near close I was no where near finished so I just left the salon with wet matted hair. Fortunately I was able to salvage my hair (although I did lose about 4 inches) but thats better than all of it. Overall, they were no doubt nice people, but I think they could have paid more attention to detail when it came to my hair. read more

Rae and Sheila are great! I went in for an appt to get my hair cut and they immediately guy started. The service was great and professional. Sheila did a great job massaging my scalp when she shampooed me. Rae trimmed my ends while still giving me shape. Will definitely be back. read more

Carla does a great job with haircuts and style. Highly recommend her.

Tina both cut and colored my hair. She did a great job on the cut but the color was a disaster. I asked for red and ended up with bleach blond. I was in the chair for almost 4 hours despite telling her at the begining I only had 2 hours. She talked the whole time which slowed her work. She also discussed personal details of her life that I did not ask nor want to hear. When I checked out I was charged incorrectly for shampoo and waited yet another 15 minutes to pay just so she could find the correct price. read more

A neighborhood salon with reasonable prices and super friendly services. My haircut is great and my stylist was definitely very willing to work with me to come up with something good. The price is right, the location is right, and I really felt like everyone made an extra effort to be as friendly as possible. I'll be coming back. read more

I had a terrible high-lite experience this past weekend. The woman who did my hair immediately went into sectioning off my hair, without ever taking a look at my current color and asking me what I wanted done. She then called the owner over for advice on what color to use on my hair. Clue 1 that she was in over her head. Then for 2 hours I sat in pain while she wore rubber gloves, pulling my hair section by section applying foils. She then referred to the owner again about the amount of time I should process. She said 20 minutes. Even though the foils in the back had been processing for a good 2 hours already? Clue 2 that she was not experienced enough to do color or blonde color at least. We returned from the shampoo bowl and I immediately said, that there was a problem and my colorist seemed to think everything looked fine. Is brass/carrot orange the color I asked for? Clue 3. She then pulled the owner back over, who took a good 10 minutes looking at my hair before admitting that their was a problem. They both then scrambled to "tone" down orange. The result of that was yes, toning down the orange/brass color but then turning the rest of my hair a green tint. Needless to say, it was the worst hair color experience I have ever had. The owner did offer "fix" it 3 days later. Although the fix she said I needed did not sound healthy for my hair one bit (striping it, single process and then highlight). Two of which, I have never had done in my 15 years of getting my hair highlighted. I went for 3 different consultations the next day and when I explained how they planned on "fixing it", I got gasps. I opted for a deep conditioning treatment at a neighboring well-respected salon and have 2 appointments over the next 5 weeks to gently get back to my blonde hair in a healthy way. read more

Great haircut at a great price and top-notch service to boot. Will be coming back here again and again. Rae, the owner, cut my hair in no time - I was in and out in under 45 minutes. read more

Men's hair cuts for $25 and $15 on Tues! I went during the day time hours and Rae really took time in cutting my hair. My colleague complemented my hair the moment she saw me. Rae has 17 yrs experience and she just opened her salon recently...Super friendly and she takes care and pride in what she does- read more

Rae gave me the best pixie haircut I've ever had in my entire life. I found her on Yelp when I was in a pinch right before a trip to Miami. She was very observant and helpful and patient as I decided what type of pixie cut I wanted. I've never seen someone pay that much attention to detail while cutting hair. She even used different shears to take the bulk of my course hair. It has been a year and a half since then. I've gone natural and avoided salon s, but I'm really excited to see what they can do with my new hair. read more

Yay! I'm a fan. I got one of the better haircuts I've gotten in a long time, thanks to a Groupon. And not only that, but if you write a Yelp review and mention Tina, your next haircut is only $20! Thanks, Tina-- I'll see you in about 4-6 weeks for another great haircut! read more

I just left my first appointment here and it is one of the best salons that I have experienced in a long time. I was referred here by my dermatologist and it was the best thing that could have happened for my hair. She took her time with my hair and gave me tips on how to gain healthier hair. She even recommended me to take pictures of my hair so I can keep track of my progress. She washed, deep conditioned, trimmed and French braided my hair. My hair is natural no relaxer and I do not straighten my hair that often and Rae took her time and properly detangled my hair. I was very impressed with the difference I was able to feel with my hair once she trimmed my ends. It was so much lighter and more manageable. She has a long term repeat customer from now on. Thank you your professionalism and expertise! read more

I was looking for an inexpensive relaxer and came across this place. They even had a yelp deal, so I got a relaxer, trim and deep conditioner treatment for a steal. I wish I could remember the exact amount, but I maybe paid $50 when it was all said and done. Either way it turned out to be one of the best results I've ever had. My hair has never held the straightness for so long. Even after I've washed it myself, it looks great. I'm not sure what magic Rae used, but I definitely recommend her and this salon. I'm mixed and my hair has never been easy. So I was really glad to find this place. The prices are erasonable and maybe even cheaper than a lot of places in thecity. read more

Now I have thick, curly, coarse hair, but Rae can get it completely shiny and straight. Shes the only one I've found in Chicago that can do that. read more

Called ahead on a Tuesday and got an appointment. The place was a nice place and Rae did a great job on my hair. $15 dollars on Tuesdays is pretty awesome, and I was very pleased with the overall service. I'm asian, and our hair is a little tricky sometimes. She was very good and I was completely pleased. read more

I moved to Chicago from Upstate NY one year ago where I had been through a handful of hair dressers who had no idea what they were doing and had been "botching" my hair for years... Reluctant to start my salon search in Chicago, one night Rae came into my bar located around the corner from her salon, she was so outgoing and charming that when she told me she did hair I was excited at the prospect of finding a new reliable salon. One year later I couldn't have asked for a better hair dresser/salon owner to have just walked into my life! The decor/atmosphere of the salon is so warm and welcoming, the entire staff is friendly and helpful and the prices are reasonable for the quality of service and compared to other salons in the area! I am so thankful for Shear Sapphire Salon and highly recommend Rae to anyone, she is truly a blessing! read more

I had a voucher for a haircut, highlights and blow dry. I didn't like that they only take appointments on certain weekdays if you are using a voucher. When I got there she was running behind and I had to wait over 45 min past my appointment time. I love how the highlights look but the services were rushed. She tried to squeeze in as many people as she can so she ended up working multiple people at the same time. I think the owner handed me over to a friend (not an employee) for shampoo. read more

Great salon and fast service! Rae did an excellent job with my hair. I love my haircut and style. I plan on going back again.

My daughter and I had Living Social vouchers to get a package from this salon. The experience was wonderful. I spoke to Rae, the owner, while I was waiting a few minutes for my stylist. She is very personable and eager to please her clientele. The salon is up to date and clean. Both my daughter and I were very pleased with the results of our haircare. I had the full works, conditioning, full head color, cut and style and came away thrilled with the look and feel of my hair. My daughter didn't have the coloring but was very satisfied with her cut, conditioning and style. After our services, Rae once again talked to us to make sure we were happy. She even had suggestions for a quick lunch in the neighborhood. She's just so kind. Thanks for a great experience. read more

So, to give you an update - I was denied services at this salon because they saw my review on Yelp... The person on the phone told me they would not give me an appointment because I wrote a bad review. I would think that, as business, you'd want to win a customer back and would do so by providing excellent service... Obviously, they are not capable of that, otherwise, they would have given me an appointment and changed my opinion about them... Oh well. Their loss:) read more

DO NOT buy any online coupons to this salon from youswoop, groupon, living social, etc. you pay $20 for a haircut and literally thats all you get. I made an appt. with Carla based on other reviews and when I arrived at the salon I was told Carla wasn't there-no other explanation and that she, the owner would be cutting my hair. I dont even think Carla works there anymore. The owner of the salon cut my hair. She did not wash it, style it or use any product in it. She didnt even wet my hair to cut it. I was in and out in 15 minutes. Very poor service. On top of that she didnt do a good job cutting my hair either. Save your money and do not go to this salon. read more

I purchased the Groupon for a cut / highlight and had no idea what I was getting myself into. My normal highlights / cut is very basic, so I'm usually happy with just about anything. First, I have a 5:00 pm appointment which I rush out of work for, just to find out they are running a full hour late. Once I finally sat down in the chair, I was very displeased when the girl asked me, "so how to people normally do your hair?" She's the professional, shouldn't she know? I'm fairly certain these stylists are not accustomed to doing blonde hair. I have a very basic cut and normal, blonde highlights which I had to coach her though. Mid-way through my highlight, they changed stylists which was VERY bizarre to me. Not only did they not leave the foils in long enough, leaving the color very muted and goldish, but once they cut my hair I was left with INCREDIBLY uneven layers that do not fall right any which way you style them. I would not recommend this salon to friends, especially blonde ones. read more

I went to the saloon as I had bought the groupon for haircut & highlights. The staff was friendly, and great. However I was not happy with the outcome of either my haircut or highlights. I told her exactly what kind of haircut I wanted, so that was easy. I got this girl who really has no idea what she was doing, i was getting highlights and she went to some other girl to consult on the color.I was not clearly told about the color she picked for highlights. What she picked & what actually turned out was also totally different which I found out after it was done. I realized it's pretty much the same from what I had couple years back. I have jet black hair & I have brownish highlights. I had told them multiple times, I need something subtle due to where I work. I got opposite of subtle, also one side of my hair looks like it's dyed(colored) brown not highlighted. When I told the girl who did my hair also the owner whom she consulted about my hair totally denied the argument. They said it looks great and since its something different than before I would start liking it..really?There is only street parking & good luck finding one. All, in all wouldn't go again! read more

Got a you swoop for this place. Not a good decision. The haircut was fine, but the "partial highlight" is the worst I have ever had. When I made the appointment, I was told "Carla" would be cutting my hair. However, it was the owner, "Ray" who actually did the cut and highlight. I asked for very thin highlights, not very many, and the color I already had in my hair from my previous highlight. I got thin highlights on exactly half of my head, a very very blond color, and it goes without saying I did not get the color I asked for. The other half of my head? 3/4 of an inch long highlights, doesnt even come close to matching the other side. I look awful. I would call to complain, but I would never let her touch my hair again!!!! read more

I have been going to Tina for my haircut for 7 years, following her around at different salons. Because of her, I can go 5 weeks between cuts, and it looks good vs. just getting 1 and having to pay again in 3 weeks. This new salon is in a great location, people are really nice, and the actual salon is great-nice artwork, flatscreen TV for sportscenter, and the vibe is good. Go here if you are looking for a great cut, with cool people. read more

After years of searching, I found my stylist. Thank you Groupon for allowing me to try many, and only Rae did what I wanted, perfectly. I wanted a very few dark foils in my salt and pepper hair that was orangish blonde with salt and pepper roots from too many stylists who put too many foils of too many colors in my normally ash brown and gray hair, despite me asking time and again for only a very few dark foils. When I told her what I wanted and what I hoped to achieve (less noticeable roots and tone down the red tint as I grow out the highlighted stuff), she didn't tell me I was wrong, she didn't try to talk me into way more foils and she didn't tell me I would have to come back every month if I wanted to eliminate roots - she just said "I can do that but let's do a color test first to make sure I'm doing what you want." 1 hour and 15 minutes later Rae achieved what at least 10 stylists couldn't - my hair looks like normal salt and ash brown pepper hair with no roots. This isn't easy on someone who's had foils for 10 years. She also cut my hair exactly as I described - make the bottom less curved and don't take a lot off. I have long curly hair and most stylists just can't stop cutting. The little bit of touch up Rae did on my split ends was artful and my hair looks much fuller than when I walked in, and it's pretty much the same length. She's awesome. I am happy to pay full price for Rae - she's worth that and more. Her normal price is very reasonable. Oh yeah - great music too. I will be back and I'm really glad I found her. read more

I was 10min early and had to wait for the parking meters to start at 6 before I could leave my car, but then had to wait another 15 minutes, while the owner (my stylist) coffee klatsch with some sales guy about random things that I didn't see how they were important at that moment to figure out. There was nobody else in the salon, and wondered, does she really care that I am a prospective client? I was just sitting there, twiddling my thumbs, pretending like they weren't just standing in front of me talking like I wasn't a paying customer. I just had a hair cut, it wasn't a bad job, but nothing note worthy. Just took double the time it should have, and I felt I had only part of her attention - as she was doing my hair! read more

Hair stylist, Kesha did a fabulous job! She started off a consultation and then shampooed and conditioned my hair. She also included a mini head massage which was very relaxing. The hair cut was exactly to my expectations. She took her time with styling my hair after the hair cut and the end result was great! Would definitely recommend her to all my friends. read more