Beauty & Spas in McHenry

Featured in countless publications, including Time Out Chicago, Vogue, Lucky, Allure, and InStyle, Maxine salon holds its stylists and colorists to the highest standard of excellence. The salon’s follicular technicians spend one to two years training as in-house apprentices to minimize mis-snips and running-with-scissors-related work injuries. Choosing from Maxine’s many haircutting and color services, guests can opt to lop their locks with a haircut ($50+) or disguise themselves before or after a busy week of bank robbery with a single-process color treatment ($70+). The warm staff helps salon-goers feel welcome, and an interior heavy on stainless steel, cracked glass, and occasional splashes of bold color helps establish the luxuriant atmosphere required for the act of letting one’s hair down.

At Advanced Permanent Cosmetics, LLC, licensed aesthetician and cosmetic technician Tatyana Seamans consults with her clients before any cosmetic procedure. During the meeting, she explains the various techniques by which she can accentuate facial features—from subtle shading around the eyebrows to bold lip liner—helping clients home in on the exact procedure for their specific needs and style. Once confident in her mission, Tatyana then meticulously dots the skin’s dermal layer with small deposits of pigment, where it highlights eyelids blinking in Morse code for up to five years of spy camp.

The licensed stylists and technicians at Marianne Strokirk Salon, a Chicago beauty haven that has stood for two decades, apply the latest styles and techniques to trendy haircuts. Each stylist must first complete a rigorous apprenticeship and arm wrestle hundreds of ponytails before becoming a full-time staff member. Wielding professional products, beauty gurus handily resculpt hair and nails or remove unwanted fuzz during waxing treatments. Marianne Strokirk, one of the salon's cofounders, has seen her styles featured in local and national publications such as the Chicago Tribune and_Glamour_.

The stylists at XEX Hair Gallery love being in downtown Chicago. “It’s such a blend of different kinds of people down here,” says David Perry, co-founder and lead stylist at the Aveda concept salon. For such a diverse clientele, stylists are trained in-house to master haircare for all ethnicities. They also travel around the country to attend ongoing-education classes. “We always try to stay up on what’s current and what’s in fashion,” Perry says.

There’s a notable visual difference between XEX Hair Gallery and most other salons—pieces of Venetian Murano glass artwork by Raphael Darra provide bold pops of pigment along the salon’s neutral-toned walls. Besides giving the salon a funky, artsy feel, the pieces serve as a metaphor. “Hair is art,” Perry says. “Not only does [the art] bring a lot of color to the salon, it also reflects the individuality of what people are.” If the art on the walls recalls a hip coffee shop or David Geffen's attic, it’s not an unfounded connection. Perry calls his salon a “discharging chamber . . . where people come in and they feel like it’s home. People know your name, you feel welcome, it’s a cool place.”

As for the coffee, the salon serves wine and beer, but someone will run out and get a cup of joe for clients if that’s what they request. Says Perry, “You name it, we’ll get it for them.”

Set in a luxurious penthouse with views of the city, the seasoned staff at John Allan's men's grooming club can smarten up masculine meat-suits with a variety of relaxing treatments. Combining Swedish and deep-tissue techniques, the full-body massage relieves muscular tension in a half-hour mollycoddling ($55). Following that, one of two Full Service grooming sessions ($65) begins with a shampoo and scalp massage to cleanse tresses and wipe out previous incarnations before fortifying hair with a conditioning treatment. After a soothing hot towel, the friendly mane mavens shape unruly strands into masterful works of follicular art. Finally, a shoe shine buffs classic men's oxfords and shines macho moccasins, and a cuticle caretaker issues a no-frills manicure to ensure hands appear inviting to during global high-five summits. Relive the relaxation on a subsequent visit with an included second full grooming session.

If you missed your ticket to a Swedish submarine, here's your chance to go barefoot. This Groupon nurtures neglected nails with the tender polishing, clipping, and cuddling most people reserve for hedge mazes or infants. You get a manicure and pedicure for $25 at Touch Salon (a $45 value), an urban-oasis pamper-center in the heart of the Windy City.