Modern Wave Salon

I try to make it in every two weeks or so to get serviced by Alex, the men’s haircut expert. I started coming to Modern Wave after I asked a friend about who cuts his hair because it looked great. He referred me to Alex who promptly set me up with an appointment with very short notice.
When coming for my appointment, all I said was, «Make me look good.» And he immediately knew what would work for me.
Now, after being traumatized after years of horrible haircuts as a child, I was nervous to have anyone touch my hair.
The final product was amazing. AMAZING. I looked like a new person. I finally found a barber who knew how to cut my hair.
Every time I go in, I don’t think the haircut could get any more perfect. It does, my hair looks better and better each time.
Highly recommended.
TL;DR: Very flexible, hospitable, clean environment, great haircuts. Just go, trust me.

Great place to go. Came in for an updo and makeup, Natalie & Ashley did a great job. I asked if I could bring my (mild, quiet) 3 year old and they said sure. I brought he snacks and her tablet and she was perfect and I got all fixed up! Everyone was so sweet to her and to me. Will definitely be back.

Great hidden gem on Cermak Road. I had my appointment with Natalie and she was awesome! She had a lot of good advice. She worked with me to determine a good short hairstyle for my curly hair.
I will be returning!

I LOVE Modern Wave. I am a very unique person when it comes to my hair and have very vague ways of explaining what i want and how I want it to look (Basically I am unhelpful) However, Ashley nails it every time. I can not say one bad word. You walk in and everyone is super friendly. Even if your not their customer everyone there shows interest and is just super nice. I always get a big hug from Ashley when I come in and it feels like going to a friends house but getting an awesome service. They also have a deal or offer every time I go in, and as a saver this is really helpful. The salon is clean and the products they use are excellent. Definitely check them out!

This is my second time coming back to get a haircut. I really enjoy it first time now I am in love with this place. The price are reasonable, I myself don’t care about the price. What’s matter is the service are fantastic. I have Natalie Balestri as my stylist. She is the greatest. give good comments and advices about my hair plus she’s funny. I love her and the salon. I book for hair color treatment. If you are reading my comment book or go to this salon!

I’ve been coming in for years to get my hair cut with Ted. Love him and all his staff. Everyone is always polite and so joyous. Ted has a lot of knowledge and is always happy to share hair tips with us.

There are a couple of things I look for in a hairdresser, and Natalie not only met, but exceeded my requirements. Before going near the chair she just sat and talked to me about what my hair routine was and what look I was going for (and how I could join the two). I’m a wash and go kind of girl, so I wanted a cut that would give me reasonable volume without me having to fuss with it too much and bangs that would frame my face naturally. She gave me a couple of ideas before we decided on a cut and also made sure to check in with me when she was cutting my bangs to make sure that she didn’t cut them too short. On top of all that, she gave me quick and simple tips for how to get the style that I want on special occasions-​I was so impressed that I booked my appointment for next month right away. Definitely check it out!

I am reluctant to tell all of Unilocal how great Modern Wave is as would rather keep them my secret so I can make appointments with my gals, but that are so good that everyone should have the chance to feel as awesome as I do.
Ashley is AMAZING! I trust her to tell me if what I want isn’t going to work well with my hair or complexion. I trust her suggestions for color and cut. I won’t go to anyone else again.
Natalie is so GREAT! She has me covered with my eyebrows and completely know how to do a natural looking brow (I am not into skinny brows personally).
I have sent several friends here and everyone is so happy with every experience.
Xoxox! Love you, Ashley and Natalie!

Ashley is the absolute best. She’s so friendly, easy going and clearly passionate about her work. She’s always interested in learning new techniques, and I’ve been so happy with everything she’s done with my hair. Her product recommendations are also always fantastic and my hair is healthier than it’s ever been since I started going to her. The best thing about her professionally is that she really listens to what I want done with my hair, and then checks in afterward to make sure that it’s looking the way I want it. The prices are also great!

I absolutely LOVE Modern Wave Salon!
It’s a struggle to tame this mane, & I have travelled all around the city just trying to find a cut that didn’t completely destroy my ‘do. North & south, east & west, I have had questionable cuts & was met with loads of inconvenience.
Enter Modern Wave. I had passed by this green-​awning storefront time & again… not much to look at from the outside. In a moment of I-haven’t-cut-my-hair-in-six-months-help-me desperation, I called Modern Wave on a whim (with thanks to my fellow Unilocalers for their reviews.) Modern Wave is located easily just steps from the Halsted bus, the Orange Line, & just blocks from my place. Lo! I was granted a perfect after-​work appointment with a fabulously friendly & knowledgeable stylist.
I was nervous trying to communicate my haircut desires, so I came armed with a photo of myself from better hair days, & my stylist patiently listened to my concerns. She assured me she’d cut my hair exactly as she saw it in the photo, & even went light on the length, so I didn’t feel like too much was removed.
She then finished off my perfect cut with a sleek style & gloss. My hair had never looked better.
I appreciate that Modern Wave confirms your appointment a day before via text message… no phone call to miss, no interruptions.
I’ve continued to go back to the same stylist at Modern Wave, & I wish I could hire her to do my hair every day! I always walk out of Modern Wave feeling like a million bucks (without even coming close to putting a dent in my purse).

This place feels like home! First off, I’ve been part of this family of great stylists for YEARS. The services they provide accommodate my busy schedule, as well as my budget. Aside of all this, Esmeralda (my hairstylists) impresses me all the time. She is very professional and takes her job to a whole new level, I am a very picky girl when it comes to trimming my hair but this gal knows her stuff! I’ve never felt unsatisfied with her work. Esmeralda will make you look like the Queen of the Ball. Her experience has placed her in my book as one of the best, and this is proven by all the training and certifications she has accomplished over the years. There is no way I would go with anyone else, she’s on point with all the hot trends and best of all answers any and all questions you might have at the end of your experience.
I love being able to unwind and have some «me» time with this hard working crew. Diana

I have been going to Modern Wave for years. It’s a great salon with a friendly, professional and talented staff. They are very accommodating and go out of their way to make you feel welcome. Esmirelda is my stylist and she is the BEST! She is an awesome colorist. My color and highlights always look so natural. I have very fine, thin hair. Esmirelda knows exactly how to cut and color my hair to make it thicker and fuller! I trust her completely! I highly recommend this salon and particularly Esmirelda. You will not be disappointed!

I visited modern wave for the first time yesterday, I was in desperate need of a haircut! I had a great experience. All of the staff are very nice and friendly. They have a nice assortment of products and deals but are not pushy about selling them. Natalie was my stylist and she gave me a great haircut! We had a brief consultation beforehand so she could understand my hair type and what I was looking for. She gave honest advice that I appreciated and gave me some tips for how to achieve my desired look at home. My cut was great when we were all done; exactly what I was looking for! Went to dinner afterwards and was complimented twice on my pretty hair from complete strangers. I’ll definitely be back! Thanks Natalie, Ted and Tatiana!

Coming back here to do my prom hair and make up was an excellent idea. Ashley and Natalie were very nice and accommodating. Ashely searched for a hairstyle suitable for me just like she told me she would and it turned out amazing! I got so many compliments from my friends. My friend even told me my make up was better than hers and she got hers done from Mac. The service here is exceptional and their work is always a piece of art. I got my nails done this time as well and the person who did my nails was very friendly and created nice conversation. I can’t wait to come back here again. Ashley and Natalie made me a goodie bag full of hair products and they’re just amazing people. Since it was on a Saturday, they had a prom special: hair + make up + nails = $ 100 which is pretty cheap. They do an amazing job and they’re very friendly and the service is incredible.

Can’t say enough great things about this place and most importantly, Natalie!!! I am quite implusive and of course woke up thinking I MUST chop off all of my hair!!! It was a Saturday morning and my stylist for years just recently moved to Texas. I of course went straight to Unilocal!I called based on all the great review! I called in and much to my surprise, I was able to get an appointment that same day!!!
I arrived just on time to sign in and Natalie was already waiting for me! She studied my hair and asked about my hair routine and immediately suggested I switch products due to state of my hair. She mentioned she would use the suggested products so I could see the difference once all was said and done.
I told her I wanted to get a bob, but that she could do as she saw fit! She was amazing at just about everything!!! I absolutely LOVE my haircut!!! This is hard for me to say since I have very VERY curly hair that frizzes once it is dry. She did wonders! I will definitely be back and I am sooooo glad its in the neighborhood!
Don’t hesitate to walk in and come out absolutely glamorous!

So happy I finally decided to give this place a try after following them in Facebook and going by on runs in the neighborhood.
Natalie did a really nice job asking about my hair routine, what I wanted done, and also gave me suggestions with styling and products. This place will definitely become my go to!

Ashley did an amazing job on my foil! I would definitely recommend her to anyone! She did highlights and lowlights for me and I am very happy with how it looks. She is extremely nice and very concerned about giving you exactly what you want.

The reviews for this place had me walking in with high hopes of a good experience. Unfortunately, I can’t say that my actual experience matched what I hoped for. Maybe I hit Modern Wave on an off day.
I showed up about 10 minutes before my appointment but ended up waiting until almost 45 minutes past my appointed time. They knew that I was a new client, but during my wait time, no one introduced themselves; no one told me who my stylist would be. They assured me that someone would be with me soon, but I felt lost as to who that would be. There was no explanation on the delay.
Also, while I’m sure assigning different people to different roles can help with efficiency, I felt like it made for an impersonal experience. One person washed my hair; another cut my hair; another straightened my hair. When my stylist passed me off to the straightener, she said she would be back after my hair was done; never came back, so I had no clue what to do next.
My overall experience just felt… I’m not sure how to say it… discombobulated, I guess. It really wasn’t terrible, but I didn’t feel like a lot of time or energy was spent trying to figure out what I wanted from my haircut. I had hoped this place would work out because it’s a little closer to my home than my previous salon, but I think I’ll be making the extra drive for a more personal experience.

I like to support our local neighborhood businesses.
Its what we should do to keep our community thriving.
I love coming to Modern Wave Salon, because they treat you like family.
I came last December for a loose spiral perm. Ted has been doing perms for a long time and knew exactly how to perm my hair.
The perm lasted for almost a year!
I’m back to Modern Wace again today to have another perm done.
I wouldn’t trust anyone else to do a perm to my hair.
I have had highlights and also a few hair cuts here a MW as well.
I love it here, you will too!

Went in for a routine cut (after a bad dye job at another salon) and came out with a new color and style. Ted specializes in color fixes and will give you the best advice/​service regarding what hair color works for you and how to transform the look and (if needed) the health of your hair!
The stylists at Modern Wave stay up to date by experimenting (on themselves and props) and learning new techniques. They truly keep up with a constantly changing market and products. They are passionate stylists who are also very good conversationalist, friendly, and pleasant to be around! Also, as a first time client, you do receive some really great coupons and rewards for any future referrals!
UPDATE, 1÷21÷15
This place is definitely a gem, but after some more thought, here was the only con of my experience: If you’re easily talked into things and on a budget, I would suggest to either be prepared to be strong with the sales pitches or just not go here. I did end up spending 2Xs what I’d planned. Don’t get me wrong: the prices are definitely worth the value, if not a steal for the expertise that is offered – Just FYI for those of you (like me) who need to be a little wiser with finances and not make decisions on the fly.