Mane Space

Followed the only colorist I trust, Anastasia to Mane Space after not getting my hair cut or colored in quite sometime. The location itself is convenient & offers a great view of millennium park. Thoughtful touches, like a relaxing glass of wine, made the bleaching process from brunette to pastel unicorn enjoyable. Anastasia literally performed a miracle on my hair & gave me the confidence I needed to want to maintain/​experiment with color. Will be making Mane Space my go-​to salon.

I have been going to James Rosko since the last 3 years (followed him here from his last salon, Fuga)
In a summary, he is a hair guru.
Since I have been going to him, I have experimented with Balayage, cutting my long mane to a short lob and many other hairstyles.
I have been amazed with the results every single time.
Additionally, I get tons of compliments every time I get my hair done by James.
James understands my hair and preferences (low maintenance hairstyles).
Now, even appointments are easy to book online via styleseat.
Will definitely recommend James!

I always have Mandy do my hair. In the 8 years I have lived in Chicago, she is the only person I trust to do my hair the way I love! She is creative, helpful and most importantly she is very thorough and makes sure everything is perfect! She does flawless cut and color. I highly recommend using mane space! It’s a great location as well!

Just got my hair done by Mandy and let me tell you… She is AMAZING! I walked in with very dry hair and awful roots. Walked out with a gorgeous new color and awesome style. The atmosphere is absolutely lovely and welcoming. Thank you Mandy for «transformation Tuesday». I’m in love with my new color and style… You now have a forever client/​friend!

When your sitting in her chair, you know you’re in good hands. Dana is a haircolor genius and cuts hair with such confidence that I can relax and enjoy the experience

Dana is great! I’ve been going to Dana since 2011 and love my results every visit and this review long overdue. I went in with damaged bleach blonde hair and through time she has been able to recover my blonde locks while keeping length and of course keeping the blonde. She strayed away from using a ton of bleach as my previous salons done and instead uses blonde color and adds highlights in key places that gives the feel of all over blonde with minimal breakage. The blonde lasts a while without turning into a brassy blonde from product buildup. She knows how to fix other salon mistakes! I love her color choices and her new formula smells good like licorice rather than regular color formula. I like her haircuts, she gets it right and I see her checking the sides to ensure the cut is even which I really appreciate. Also, she doesn’t push for a haircut every visit so she’s not trying to up-​sell you for no reason. I would definitely recommend her to a friend for cut and color for blondes along with other hair types. Her clients are versatile and she excels at making all her clients look good.
Dana is also very energetic and remembers details about your life. Sometimes I don’t feel like talking so Dana will always have a story or something funny going on to relieve me of the duty of salon talk.
I like her salon products– Shuga, its smells like yumminess. I really like the leave in conditioner spray bc its an aerosol can which doesn’t wet my hair but smooths it. I cant find another leave in conditioner like it anywhere that’s not water based.
Go check her out!

I’ve been seeing Dana for at least 6 years, from the time when she was still at XEX in the Leo Burnett building. Dana has always been friendly and fits me in for a hair cut (usually texting her the day before I need it). My hair always looks great when she’s finished and looks great until my next cut a month later. I can’t imagine seeing anyone else in Chicago. I’ve had the same look for the past four years and asked Dana today to change it up. Do something more edgy, yet professional enough for a suit and tie. I love the new do and love Dana! Thank you Dana.

It’s probably worth a mention that I’ve been seeing Dana since she did my hair for my wedding. I’ve never stuck it out with a stylist for 3 years before. I love that I can email her for an appointment, and the location near the el is super easy to get to. She’s done both cuts and color and I’ve always been really happy with her work.

Probably the best cut and color I’ve gotten in many a year. Dana has great experience and it totally shows. Highly recommend. One comment, if you’re
expecting a million dollar nonsensical furnished salon, forget that. This is
a place for color, cut and nothing more. That’s perfect for me! Dana is
truly terrific.

It always takes me far too long to actually get to writing a review, but in this case, it’s actually a great thing because I can say that I’ve been going to Dana for almost a year and she has always been fabulous! I have a short boy-​cut/​edgy hairstyle. Before coming here, I always had a style in mind, but couldn’t find any stylists in the city that could actually get it right. Four stylists later, I finally found Dana, and couldn’t be happier. My style also means that I’m back every four weeks or so, and it’s always an absolute pleasure!

Do NOT go here!!! Unless of course, you enjoy throwing money at someone for running their fingers through your hair. I never got a chance to write a review earlier but 3 months after the fact I am still FUMING about my experience with Dana. I made an appointment a week in advance for a haircut and blow-​dry right before having to take a professional picture for work. Dana knew everything in advance and when I walked in, not only did she have an attitude right off the bat, she told me that I didn’t need a haircut and tried to up-​sell and convince me to come to her for hair extensions! WTF? She seemed so off that I decided to agree and not have her cut my hair (because I didn’t want her to mess it up). I told her to just wash and blow dry it for my picture.
She then asked me when the last time was that I washed my hair, I told her it was that morning and so she said I didn’t need to have it washed again especially if I wanted soft curls in my hair. I said fine and let her start doing her thing. She took out a 1 inch curling iron and went over my hair in less than 10 mins and put 5 – 6 pathetic looking curls in my hair and then sprayed hairspray. When I told her I wanted something fuller she said that it wouldn’t look professional and then started talking to the other girl about their next appointment — mind you I had only been in there for about 15 minutes when my appointment with her was for an hour.
I was so annoyed that I just decided to leave instead of have her burn my hair off. When I asked her how much I owed her she looked at me and said, «oh don’t worry, for you I’ll just charge $ 45.» WHAT THE BLEEP!!! When I said she initially quoted me $ 50 for a haircut AND a blow-​dry, she said, «Well that’s just a package deal, $ 45 is how much I charge for a style.» I couldn’t believe it. I paid her and walked out, ended up canceling my work picture appointment because I was so dissatisfied with my hair. NEVER AGAIN will I go to Dana for ANYTHING!!!
Also, her place is pretty much in a closet and shares space with a barber so while you’re sitting in the chair, you’re about 3 feet away from the barber’s client whose chair is facing you as well– nothing much in between. Great way to make friends I guess.
I ended up going to the Ladies & Gentlemen Salon and Spa in Block 37 — it’s an Aveda salon and AMAZING!!! You get a head, shoulder, neck and hand massage, shampoo AND style (imagine that, Dana) all for under $ 50 with a SENIOR stylist — mine was Sal and he was amazing!!! Oh and best part? There’s a no tip policy. Haircuts with all the same perks are around $ 30. You’d be insane to pick Dana over them.
I LOVE Unilocal and turn to it for everything and always have a great experience at places with so many 4 – 5 star reviews. This was the first time Unilocal failed me. Consider yourself warned!

I recommend Dana to everyone, she rocks. Dana is intelligent, passionate, creative, talented, and all about keeping things simple and economical for her clients so they walk away happy and satisfied. She has actually told me I don’t need a haircut!
Her boutique salon, is chic and sophisticated and I regularly go to get a cut, color and extensions. Thanks to Dana, I LOVE my hair.

I flew in Thursday night Sept. 1^st into Chicago from LA and all I could think about was WHERE AM I GOING TO FIND A HAIR DRESSER TOMORROW, FRIDAY AFTERNOON, IN DOWNTOWN, LAST MINUTE?!
So, after visiting the Art Institute of Chicago, I just did a Unilocal search and in the top 3 was Dana’s Beauty Box. I read her reviews and she had some great ones so I called. Within 30 minutes, I was sitting in her salon up on the 7^th floor.
The girl who did my hair, Leslie (I believe), was such a sweetheart! Both of them were! She flat-​ironed my hair soooo sexy straight and that sucka was so paper-​thin straight it lasted me all weekend (well, had to wash it by Sunday lol)! But again, she did an amazing job and I will totally go back to this place the next time I’m in Chicago!
She also recommended this leave-​in conditioner called Shuga. It’s actually a very fine mist, smells like sugar (the hair spray smells like sugar cookies!) and it made my hair smell so nice and left it shiny. It’s also great for flyaways and touching up the next day! Great rec. Leslie!

For such a little person, Dana has big talent. She is everything you want in a salon. Tip on a card, wine in the fridge, quick reply on availabily and she makes you look pretty and feel special.
She is knowledgable and cuts through any of the BS and just tells you like it is. She doesn’t up sell anything and is just fun to be around.
My hair has never looked better.

What can I say, I am so thankful I found Dana. A few months ago, I was a skeptical heavy haired chick who longed for longer hair, and now I am still a heavy haired chick, but happier than ever with her extensions.
Dana did an amazing job with explaining the process of the keratin bond extensions and how they work. She was there to answer all the questions I had (and trust me, I kinda grilled her with questions) and made it affordable for me. I never thought I would be able to afford such quality hair extensions!
I have thick, heavy hair… and LOTS of it. It was shorter than shoulder length and she brought it down to past shoulder. I have gotten tons of compliments on it, and she was able to blend it so well! My mom didn’t even see how in the world it was possible to do that, she was sort of freaked out. It looks very very natural. A girl’s confidence is everything, and because of Dana, I feel hotter than ever (not that I ever wasn’t ;)
Totally recommend her. Great prices, very sweet person, totally adjustable to schedules. My heavy, untamable-​until-​dana– hair found a new home :)

I haven’t been yet! But based on the reviews, I’m having a consult with Dana on Thursday. Because of the reviews, I’m not a bit nervous. I moved to Chicago quite a long while ago thinking that in a World Class city, I could find someone to give me «World Class» hair. Alas! The horror stories I could tell — with one exception of a cut — however, the price was half my weekly wages! I digress.
I first sent an email to which she responded so quickly. I finally spoke to her this past week, and bemoaned my head. We scheduled the consult, and this is To Be Continued.. .
Ladies and Gents, I’ve been using Unilocal for awhile now, and I’ve never been let down! THANKS.
The five-​stars are for her great customer service before she’s even met me!

I went to Dana not only because I needed to change hair stylists, but I also needed someone to do my hair and makeup for my wedding. I couldn’t believe she was located downtown — super convenient.
So I went and got a haircut — just to check things out. She has the cutest salon and she is a young, savvy business woman. I loved my haircut and we discussed hair and makeup options for my wedding. After that one meeting, I knew I could trust her.
I then had a hair and makeup trial run for my wedding. I was skeptical about airbrush makeup and I wasn’t sure she would be able to achieve the hairstyle I wanted. Let me tell you, I walked out of there with all my expectations met! I brought in some photos of my hair and she duplicated it with no problem.
On my wedding day, Dana met me at a downtown hotel. The results were even better than the trial run! She also did hair and makeup for my bridal party and everyone looked amazing. We all looked like ourselves, but polished. Makeup was not thick or uncomfortable and it did not need much reapplication. My hair stayed in place and felt so natural.
The thing about Dana is that she listens. She listens to what you want and she achieves. It is difficult to find a stylist who does that. For bridal hair/​makeup, she is one of the best. For everyday trims/​haircuts, she is also one of the best!
I too found my new hair home!

So UPDATE on post-​extensions.
I decided after having them in for about 3 months that it was time to take them out before heading to New York City on a vacation. She took them out in no time (or what seemed like no time) and there was ZERO damage to my natural hair.
I know. I couldn’t believe it myself!
She also did a cute cut for me to transition into another growing out phase. I really like the cut, and will probably go back in to have the extensions put back in again at some point soon, since my hair growth isn’t going to meet my desires for awhile.
BONUS– she keeps the hair after she’s removed it– so the next time you want them, you don’t have to purchase more hair. Yay!

Dana has cut my hair for four years, and I’m only getting around to reviewing her now because, having moved away from Chicago, I’m starting to realize that finding a new stylist is going to be utter hell.
I can’t say enough good things about Dana. She’s really attentive to what kind of haircut you want, but is also superbly talented if you tell her «well, you’re the expert, just do what you do and make it look good.» Hot damn, it’ll look good. I have short pixie hair that’s pretty thick. Dana thins it out really well and it’ll still be good-​looking six weeks later. On the few occasions my hair has decided to grow back in with a vengeance, she’s taken me in between cuts for a clean-​up.. . no hassle and with a smile. She’s upbeat and friendly and remembers things about your life, fun to talk to.
Probably the last half a dozen times I’ve gotten my hair cut, whenever I stepped out into the Loop afterwards, someone complimented me on my hair. Oh, and, seriously, SUCH a good deal.
Dana, won’t you please move to New York? :) :)

Dana is the rock star of Chicago — a female Mick Jagger.
I found a few gray hair — like three — and freaked like most chicks do.
But she DIDN’T up-​sell me, she gave me a medium to do for the meantime.
She gave me a wash away gloss that was PERFECT! In other words, she didn’t prey on my insecurities and treat me like the cash cown I’m NOT!
As for service there are two words to describe her: OL’ SCHOOL!
She works with your schedule! She’s there late — like 9 p.m. — in the heart of the Loop.
And she’s a doll of girl to be with for whatever time you are there!
Most impressive were her refusal to SELL her products AND her work ethic.
She was cool to to be with yet not a motor mouth. When dealing business in the Loop, and at a service orientate place as such, you don’t need anyone repeating what you said over your blackberry.
But whatever needs to say about Dana and her shop is that I will keep coming back.
She works.