Color Correction in Lincoln Park, Chicago

Lincoln Park stretches from North Avenue up to Diversey along the lakefront, with DePaul University at the south end and the Lincoln Park Zoo cutting through the middle. The clients we see from Lincoln Park range from DePaul faculty to young families on Burling Street to the professionals in the rentals around Armitage and Halsted. They book color correction with us when whatever happened last time did not go the way they wanted.

Why Lincoln Park residents book color correction at 3rd Coast Salon

Lincoln Park has a real mix of who lives there. Young families with kids at the Lincoln Park Zoo on weekends. DePaul grad students who tried a box dye between semesters. Professionals in the Clybourn Corridor rentals who have been doing their own root touch-ups since the pandemic. The color correction work we see from this neighborhood is rarely catastrophic, but it is layered. Three years of mid-level color choices that need to be reset.

That layered history is the thing Kevin spends the most time reading at consultation. A Lincoln Park client who has done a Sally's box dye in February, a salon balayage off Halsted in June, and a gloss kit from Sephora in September will have three different cuticle states across the same head of hair. The correction plan has to account for that. We almost never do one-session corrections on Lincoln Park clients. Two visits across three to four weeks is more honest.

Lincoln Park clients also tend to be more polished and less experimental than what we see from Wicker Park or Bucktown. They want corrections that land at a recognizable, finished shade. Not a wild bleach-out, not a creative color statement. They want to look like they have nice hair, full stop. Kevin builds the correction toward that endpoint from the first session, even if the in-between visit lands somewhere less photogenic.

Our color correction process

The first appointment is a paid consultation plus a strand test. Kevin maps the existing color across the head and identifies the bands that need to come down or come up. From there we build a session plan, usually two visits 3 to 4 weeks apart, sometimes a third visit if we are lifting from a darker base.

Every correction session uses Olaplex in the lightener and we tone at the bowl rather than as a separate appointment. Total chair time per session runs 3 to 5 hours. We send you home with a Milbon Repair line shampoo and conditioner protocol to follow between visits.

Stylist spotlight: Kevin

Kevin handles most of our color correction bookings. His read on existing color is the strongest on our team and he is not afraid to tell a client that a single session won't get them to the goal photo. Lincoln Park clients tend to appreciate that bluntness. He'll show you what is realistic in session one versus session two and he writes it down in the consultation notes so you have it before you commit.

Getting to 3rd Coast Salon from Lincoln Park

From Lincoln Park, take the Brown Line southbound from Diversey or Armitage to Merchandise Mart. Total ride is about 15 to 20 minutes depending on which station you start at. Walk east on Kinzie for 4 minutes to reach our door at 223 W Erie. A rideshare from the Clybourn Corridor takes 10 to 15 minutes outside rush hour.

Who this isn't for

If you want a one-and-done same-day correction from black to platinum, we will turn that consultation down. We will not destroy your hair for a single dramatic before-and-after. If you are pregnant, Kevin will recommend a gloss-only refresh until after delivery rather than full lift work. And if your hair is currently breaking off mid-shaft from prior chemical work, we will start with a conditioning treatment plan before any correction.

Frequently asked questions

How long does color correction take?

One session runs 3 to 5 hours. Most full corrections take two sessions, 3 to 4 weeks apart. Heavy darker-to-lighter work may take three sessions.

How do I get to 3rd Coast Salon from Lincoln Park?

Brown Line from Diversey or Armitage to Merchandise Mart, then a 4-minute walk east on Kinzie. Total trip is about 20 minutes. A rideshare from the Clybourn Corridor is 10 to 15 minutes.

Will color correction damage my hair?

Done correctly, the damage is manageable. We use Olaplex in every lightener mix and we plan correction sessions across multiple visits so we never push lift past what the hair can hold in one day.

Can you fix box dye at home?

In most cases yes, but the more layers of box dye on the hair, the longer the correction. Bring the box from the last dye you used if you still have it.

How much does color correction cost?

Pricing starts at consultation rate and depends on session count and product needed. Kevin gives the full estimate after the strand test, before any product is mixed.

Can I get the correction done in one day?

Some can. Most cannot, and we will tell you that honestly. Two sessions is the most common plan for Lincoln Park clients.

What products should I use between sessions?

We send you home with a Milbon Repair line protocol. Follow it as written. Skip the at-home gloss kits between sessions.

Can I bring photos of what I want?

Yes. Kevin reads photos for tone and placement targets, but the realistic path depends on your starting point.

Book your appointment. Book online or call (312) 929-2627.