Hot Mess

I moved to Lincoln Square, but still go back to the old neighborhood (very out of my way) just to go to Hot Mess!\r \r I lived up the block from Hot Mess for about 1 year. My boss recommended me there, telling me that her sister has been going there for years and swears by it. I was able to walk in without an appointment. I was immediately offered a beverage, which is somewhat common but does not happen at every salon. After a very, very nice conversation with the incredibly friendly owner, I was seated. I LOVED my cut and color. Denise did a fabulous job. I used to be a once-or-twice-per-year hair cut and color kind of person, but now have been going every few months.\r \r They are always smiling, friendly conversation (I truly enjoy hanging out there for a couple hours), great service and attitude. When I didn't quite like my bangs at first, they changed them without a question (and we were already there 45 minutes after close). And they were honestly happy to stay and make sure I was happy. And when I walked in without quite knowing what cut I was looking for, Denise went through TONS of options with me to find something I liked, and was able to recommend a style that complements my features (and it actually does).\r \r I've ALWAYS loved my cut and my color. And the owner and staff are so nice, I would stop in just to chat if I was still in the neighborhood. A+! Pros: most friendly service, great skills and recommendations Cons: none! more

I was having a hard time finding a place and then the people that I could trust. But I found it here! I drove from the southside to the northside as I was assured by my daughter that this was the place to go. As she is younger I was kind of afraid that I may get something that I would not be able to handle but I had a great experince.\r I was greeted by two of the friendliest smiling faces and quickly found my self feeling comfortable. Denise asked me how I wore my hair and when I repiled pinned up all of the time she asked if I would be ready for short hair? Denise explained prior to cutting my hair what she had in mind. I just do not say do what you think will look good. I went in with long dyed blonde hairwith no body. And I came out Looking Amazing! After getting highlights and a hair cut (and my hair is short now). My hair color no longer looks like it is dyed it looks natural. And I was afraid of having short hair. I no longer am. Denise did a amazing job! I have a very trendy hairstyle easy to care for due to my early schedule and it so age apropreate. I also had my eyebrows arched! These two women did a GREAT AMAZING JOB at a very affordable price. Pros: Denise & Gladys Cons: I can not think of one. more

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! Gladys and Denise are gonna have my business for life! I have gone to other salons that charge a lot of money for mediocre work in comparison to what Denise can do! They are super friendly and definitely keep up with the trends...I refer people over there all the time! So if you are lookin for some where new to try out- go to Hot Mess! You may walk in lookin' like one, but you won't when you leave!!! =) Pros: Best Color n Cut! Cons: Nothing more

I have been to this establishment twice. Both times I saw Denise and both times I couldn't have been happier with what she did for my hair. I have been growing my hair out for a while and she has helped tremendously with tips about hair related things I did not know and she has done an excellent job with shaping my hair while it grows. I have always had terrible hair, and she has given me the two best haircuts I have ever had. Pros: Very welcoming and will work with you to do what you want. more

Went to Hot Mess to fix my hair after Mario Tricolli salon in which is expensive as heck, messed up my hair. Denise at Hot Mess gave me a new sassy and sexy look. Denise is and will be the only person to touch my hair. Looking for a knowledgeable and experience stylist? Go to DENISE!!! Pros: FRIENDLY, KNOWLEDGE,WARM AND CALMING ENVIRONMENT Cons: DOG more

I first learned about Hot Mess because I live right down the block. I had a stylist for several years and my very close girlfriend cuts/colors hair, however, I thought about trying Hot Mess because of the convenience. I am a VERY picky customer with a head of hair that is not easy to manage.... very thick, long and wavy with color and highlights. When I first went, I was very nervous because I am not the type to switch hairstylists very often. Gladys, the owner, was very welcoming, personable and professional. She then referred me to Denise, the colorist/stylist, and the rest was history. Denise did a FANTASTIC job on my hair from the get-go. She provided me with an entire color correction, beautiful highlights and a perfect hair cut and blow-dry. The cost was extremely reasonable. I have since gone to this salon weekly for blow-drys and my hair lasts an entire week!! Denise has maintained my color and cuts ever since. She is very ""up"" on the trends and provides great advise when I want a change in color or style. MY HAIR HAS NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD! People come up to me constantly asking where I get my hair done. Denise also does a wonderful makeup job and updos. I have gone to them many times when I have had special occasions to attend and my husband is astounded at how I transform when I leave the salon! I also had wonderful manis/pedis and eyebrow shaping here. I have also held ""girl-events"" here for my birthday and other people's birthdays. We had so much fun, bringing in appetizers and wine and we all looked great for a night out when we left. Gladys has been very accomodating to me, my family and my friends! HOT MESS IS THE BEST HIDDEN SECRET IN CHICAGO!!!! I have lived in Chicago my whole life and have been to many, many fancy salons, and Hot Mess blows them all away!!!! Thank you to Gladys and Denise! more

I was looking for a great salon around in my neighborhood. So i looked on city search and hot mess had really good reviews especially a girl named denise so when i went it looked like a dog pound in there they had two dogs running around in the place and it smelled like dig shit and thats not even the worst part. I highlights and they came out horrible the hairtcut was so ugly and uneven it had no shape to it. these girls might as well be working out of theyre basement because thats what the place looked like! i had to go to another salon the very same day to get everything fixed she overprocessed my hair and ruined it i was there for five hours and then she charged me almost 400 hundred dollars yeah they have a perfect name for the salon hotmess cuz the place is a hot mess and so is she i should of known just by looking at how she was put together i will never listen to reviews again dont trust them. and for your sake dont go to that hole they call a business! Pros: no appointment needed Cons: this place is a joke more

I chose Hot Mess because the reviews on this site were exceptional. From the moment I entered the salon, I was treated with courtesy and professionalism. Denise is a gifted colorist. Every day since getting my highlights at Hot Mess, I have heard from strangers, ""I love your hair!"" Hot Mess is FANTASTIC!! more

This salon is great. Thank you so much Denise for doing such a great job on my hair. I am sooo happy with the way my hair came out. I love it. I will be back in a few weeks for my highlights girl! The employees that work at Hot Mess are great. Very warm, friendly and welcoming. The design of the salon is great too. It has a fun atmosphere. You feel at home here. The prices are great! I spent way less than what I expected to. I highly recommend this salon. I guarantee you will not leave disappointed. :) \r \r Alicia & Tiffine more

I LOVE MY HAIR!!! :) Denise did a fabulose job! I am so impressed. I've had tons of compliments! Thanks girl! I just moved here from MA so I needed a new stylist, i was sceptic, but she blew me away, i am more than satifyed w/ her work. she is better than my old stylist that i loved. Plus, bonus...Denise(stylist) and Gladys(owner) are sweethearts! the atmosphere is really cool and welcoming. check them out!~amanda more

In the past, I traveled back to my home town for my haircut (300 miles away) because I was unable to find a salon or stylist in Chicago that was reasonably priced or that I really liked. With no trip home in the near future I decided it was time to renew my search for a salon in my neighborhood and I found Hot Mess on City Search. Obviously the reviews on City Search are great, with a few exceptions. I can tell you that the few exceptions are exactly that, ""exceptions"", Hot Mess is great! The owner is very friendly and personable (I am sorry I did not get her name) and makes you very comfortable from the moment you walk in. My appointment was with Denise. I gave her a vague description of what I wanted and showed her two pictures of bangs in a magazine that I liked (I had no bangs). Denise did an awesome job! Despite being the last appointment of the day she took her time and made sure my hair was perfect. I am very happy with my cut and I am looking forward to going back for color and eyebrow wax. I would recommend Hot Mess to any of my friends looking for a local salon, with reasonable prices, a great atmosphere and friendly and talented stylists. I love having a small but great neighborhood business to support! more

I'm reading these review and am in shock!! I can't believe the salon is stooping so low as to reply\r to people's comments. \r I have never been there...but was doing homework to decide whether or not\r to go.\r \r Ummm, NO! So unprofessional to reply to comments and call clients out.\r Is this junior high school, or a business?!\r \r One word. LAME.\r \r And grow up! more

Hey pheebee.....If you dont know the stylist why are you taking their side.did the owner send you to post a comment????? or per have she did it her self???????If the stylist dont like bad comments about their services then the salon shouldnt be on city search.If they cant stand the heat better get off the kitchen.Not honest to just post the good review and hide the bad ones under the rug ,like the (owner) usually does.Oh,and pheebee,if you have a cosmetology license ,instead of playing Hotmess savior,you should go and work for them.I heard they pay 50%. Cons: not honest,self center more

Hot mess is ""hot"" I was very satisfied with my highlights and trim that Denise (stylist) did for me. I had never had my hair come out as it did!. She explained what I should do to keep my highlight color stays. I was happy with the salon, it's so relaxing. Gladys (owner) was so pleasing to the customers and helpful to her staff!! If you want a great new look and friendly stylist this is the place and better yet go to Denise! thank you so much ladies!I I left the salon feeling like a new woman!! I will be back!!! Skilled and warm people!!!! More than highly recommended!!!! Pros: professional staff and friendly people! more

I've been going to gallery of hair for 7 years but I can no longer afford there services. Especially when you can get the same great results for less. So I decided to try out hotmess despite of the reviews I read. The service was great and the atmosphere was fantastic. The owner Gladys is so sweet and very professional. She assigned me to Denise and she took great care of me and all I can say is WoW. She was not rushy with me, she took her time showing me hair colors and explaing how she will do it. She really listened to me and did exactly what I wanted. I had dark brown hair and I was looking a HOTMESS....but she worked a miracle on me. She dyed my hair light golden brown with blonde highlights and gave me great cut. My hair was not brassy or yellow looking. She put a toner on me to give it that great smooth and shiny look. My hair looks so beautiful now. I also purchased some of there products so that I can keep up with my new look. They recommened me there finest hair products without being pushy unlike Gallery of hair they would not let you out the door without trying there best to sell something. My experience was great and I can't wait to go back. I walked out the salon feeling rejuvenated and fabulous. Thank you soooo much Hotmess...Im definitely going back. Pros: great customer service, great results more

Christine (I'm almost positive that was her name) was great. She was friendly, attentive, and knowledgable. \r I love my hair color, and if I would've got it cut, I'm sure I would've loved the cut. \r I would give this place 5 stars, except it was slightly pricey for me (a poor college student). But I will definately be coming back! \r Thanks again for the hair color, it looked even better the next day-everyone loved it. \r \r Pros: Workers, Location (I live in neighborhood), quiet and cozy Cons: none. more

I just want to say there is NO PERFECT SALON!!!! Just like there is NO PERFECT PERSON! No one is ever happy with what they get it seems, and as a licensed cosmetologist I know this for a fact! I have dealt with a handful of clients that hated what I have done to their hair but on the other hand, I have double the people that LOVED what I have done and are returning clients. Instead of writing negaitive reviews, take your business elsewhere. The only reason you people write bad things about any business is in hopes the businees will give your cheap asses money in return or a gift certificate! Pointing out names and writing bad things about individuals can hurt their image and self esteem. I don't know any of these stylist at this salon but it gets me so mad that people don't understand the true being about a hair stylist. Stylist LOVE to help people and make they feel better about themselves. If you are unhappy, calmly tell your stylist. It is ABSOLUTELY unnecessary to come in to a professional enviroment and scream about your bad experience. \r \r And to the guy with the side burns, your color didn't come out darker because the color was on longer than expected. It stops the oxidation process. \r \r And if you have grey hair, your color WILL most likely fade. The best way to keep the fading is to purchase a color safe shampoo and conditioner as well as styling products. Or tell your next stylist your may need to pre-soften your grey hair before the color process. Remember you should process for a min. of 40 minutes for grey coverage. You also need to follow up with a touch up and maybe pull through the rest of your color with a demi color. Pros: Good Neighborhood Cons: Slow more

IF you have ALLERGIES DON""T GO HERE\r \r 1. They have two large dogs\r 2. The dogs are always there lying on the couch (that you are supposed to sit on)\r 3. The dogs sleep on a huge dog pillow\r 4. They are unprofessional in every way. \r \r MY SOB STORY:\r \r RUN don't walk away from hot mess salon. I was SO excited to get my hair done at Hot Mess after reading RAVE reviews. I was greeted by two large rather frightening dogs- which i am severely allergic to. I literally stood outside the door waiting for someone in the salon to shoo them away. FINALLY someone grab them and shooed them away. I stated IMMEDIATELY i am severely allergic. The owner stated ""I'm sorry"" but didn't put the dogs away just let them roam. The couch was COVERED in dog hair, the dog bed was right in front of couch. I asked if the dogs were ALWAYS there , they said yes. Eventually I left while by boyfriend got his hair cut since I had opted out because i could not stop sneezing. They never apologized. They actually NEVER put the dogs away. They just figured hey this customer is miserable and uncomfortable so i'm just gonna leave them roaming about. \r \r I'm not a dog HATER . i have ALLERGIES AND ASTHMA which is LIFE THREATENING ! Cons: Huge Dogs, SCARY, ALLEGIES, DIRTY more

I've found my new salon. I loved my entire experience with HotMess. From the time I scheduled my appointment over the phone, to the moment I walked in the door, until the second I left, I was treated with curteous and professional service. The staff is lovely and the space is trendy, cozy, and beautifully designed. I was more than happy with my haircut - in fact, it's the best cut I've ever received. I could not believe how great my hair ended up looking. My stylist was very thorough, listened carefully to everything I wanted, and went above and beyond my expectations. The first day after my new haircut I had people raving about it left and right! I would recommend this salon to anyone. I will absolutely be returning as this place is not only convenient (parking was easy and the location is in a nice neighborhood) but affordable. More importantly, the cut I received was phenomenal and the staff was conscientious and kind. You can trust HotMess for a great experience! Pros: Ambience, Friendly, Courteous Staff, Parking, Flexible Appointments, Great Products! more

I live in the neighborhood and needed to get a haircut, fast. I didn't think they did men's hair, but was very pleasantly surprised. The place was clean, everyone was pleasant and friendly, and they did a great job with my hair. Denise recommended I cut my hair a little bit differently and she did the impossible by making the mess on top of my head look good. Great job and you've got a new regular customer! Pros: friendly,clean,great results more