Best Hair Salon in Wilmette, IL

Wilmette sits between Evanston and Winnetka, hugging the lakefront from the Sheridan Road bend through Plaza del Lago down to Gilson Park. Our Wilmette client base is one of the most referral-heavy segments of the salon. New bookings come tagged with the name of the friend who sent them, often a longtime regular from Indian Hill, Linden, or near the Baha'i Temple. That changes the way we approach the first appointment.

Why Wilmette residents drive in to 3rd Coast Salon

Wilmette has plenty of salons. Most are strip-center suites at Plaza del Lago, downtown on Wilmette Avenue, or just over the border in Kenilworth. What our Wilmette clients tell us they cannot get up there is true privacy. Our boutique suite at 223 W Erie holds a small team. There is no shared waiting area with eight chairs going. When you sit down with Kevin or Phillip, the conversation is between you, your stylist, and the work. That privacy is what gets recommended at school pickup or at the Plaza del Lago coffee.

The second thing Wilmette regulars cite is consistency across a household. Several of our Wilmette regulars send teenage daughters, husbands, and aging parents to the same chair. We coordinate the household calendar on our end, which is unusual for a downtown salon. If your daughter comes in for a money piece in March and you want a tonal echo in your own balayage in April, Kevin will pull the notes and match.

Third, the Wilmette aesthetic leans classic. North Shore old-line. We see less trend-chasing here than from Lakeview or West Loop clients. A typical Wilmette brief asks for what their hair has always done, only better. Sharper one-length, cleaner gloss, a balayage that does not announce itself. We do not push you toward whatever is on Instagram this season unless you ask.

Our full-service approach for Wilmette clients

We sequence household appointments thoughtfully. If a Wilmette family is making the drive, we will pair a mother's color with a daughter's cut so the trip is one round, not two. We use Olaplex on every lift service, regardless of who is in the chair. We carry the full Milbon retail line so you can pick up the at-home routine you need without an extra stop on the way home.

For Wilmette clients with longer drives, we batch services into single visits where that makes sense. Color, cut, and conditioning in one chair time rather than three trips down. Phillip and Kevin coordinate handoffs so you are not sitting in a waiting area between services.

Stylist spotlight: Phillip Fowler

Phillip anchors our cutting work and most of our extensions consultations. For Wilmette clients specifically, Phillip's precision cutting is often the first reason a new household comes in. He runs a real wet-and-dry check on every cut, never finishes blind under a blowdry, and writes home-care notes for clients who only see us every eight to ten weeks. If you are driving thirty minutes south, the cut has to hold for the gap, and Phillip cuts to that interval.

Getting to 3rd Coast Salon from Wilmette

About thirteen miles, around thirty minutes off-peak. Most Wilmette clients drive Sheridan down through Evanston and Edgewater, picking up Lake Shore Drive at Hollywood. Exit at Ohio Street, north on State, east on Erie. Park in the metered spots on Erie or Huron, or one of the paid garages on State and Hubbard. During rush hour the drive can stretch to forty-five.

Metra Union Pacific North runs from Wilmette to Ogilvie in about thirty minutes, then a ten-minute rideshare or twelve-minute walk to the salon. Most Wilmette clients drive, but the train is a clean option if the weather is bad or you want to read on the way down.

What this is NOT

This is not a fast in-and-out salon. Our shortest color appointments run two hours, and full balayage with cut runs four. If you are squeezed between a tennis lesson and a pickup, this is not the right fit. We also do not double-book stylists. You will not sit in a waiting area while your color processes elsewhere. That is part of the experience our Wilmette clients drive for, but it is also why our slots fill four to six weeks out.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Wilmette to 3rd Coast Salon?
About thirty minutes off-peak, forty-five at rush. Thirteen miles down Sheridan to LSD to Ohio Street.

Can you coordinate household appointments?
Yes. Several of our Wilmette regulars book a parent and teen back-to-back so the trip is one round. Mention it at booking and we will sequence Phillip and Kevin's chair time.

How often do Wilmette clients come in?
Most come every eight to ten weeks for cut and color combined. We cut to that interval so the shape holds the full gap.

Do you take new clients on referral?
Yes, and we ask who referred you at booking so we can match tone and notes if relevant. Most of our Wilmette base is referral-sourced.

Do you do cuts only, no color?
Yes. Cut-only appointments are bookable directly with Phillip and our other cutting team.

Where do I park?
Metered street on Erie or Huron, or paid garages on State and Hubbard within two blocks of the salon.

Do you take the train as well?
Yes, Wilmette UPN to Ogilvie is about thirty minutes plus a short rideshare to 223 W Erie. Door to chair around fifty minutes.

What products do you carry for at-home?
Milbon (Gold, Smoothing, Repair, Thickening) and Unite (7Second, Liquid Volume, Second Day Paste, U-Dry).

Book at (312) 929-2627 or Book Online. Read our about page. Also serving Evanston, Highland Park, and Lincolnwood.