Nina Christmas

The main salon is on West Roosevelt Road in the South Loop, open Tuesday to Thursday from 9:30 AM to 1 PM and Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 6 PM. A separate training salon on East 53rd Street is operated as Nina Christmas Training Salon LLC. Clients can book by text or phone at 872-262-6555, through an online form, or by email at hair@ninachristmas.com.

The salon's hair services center on silk presses, with options for a bra strap or waist length finish, a silk press with a haircut, and an aloe vera silk press. A Scalp Scope, Detox and Style service takes about three hours and includes a microscopic scalp scoping with photos and videos the client can keep, scalp exfoliation, a custom conditioning treatment, steaming, a blow out and a silk press or flat twists with a basic trim. The NanoSMOOTHING treatment is a cysteine-based smoothing service that the salon says does not need a full wash-out before styling. Prices for these services range from about $100 to $300 depending on length and service.

Before booking, prospective clients can have a consultation, offered in person or virtually, covering hair care advice, hairstyles, colors and treatments. A consultation runs 45 minutes for $45. If the consultation finds the client is not a good fit, half of the fee is refunded; if the client goes ahead, half goes toward a future service. Clients with very tangled hair or a heavily soiled scalp are asked to use a pre-poo or a light rinse before arriving, and extra charges may apply in those cases.

The business also offers training and continuing education. Courses are open to licensed cosmetologists and beauty business owners and cover technical and business skills. The business is a continuing education provider, offers Guest Instructor Days, and works with beauty schools on longer teaching collaborations. A six-unit course called The Business and Psychology of Cosmetology is designed for career colleges and beauty programs and can be used as a semester elective, a CEU module or a hybrid business certificate. Business and mindset consulting for salon owners and stylists is offered through AFIX Consult LLC.

Booking policies: appointments can be cancelled up to 24 hours ahead without charge. Cancellations within 24 hours are charged 50% of the scheduled cost, and same-day no-shows are charged the full amount and must be paid before future booking. Emergency appointments outside the posted schedule carry an additional fee and may include travel, after-hours visits or services not listed.

Training and service work are built around refining technical skills alongside client communication and business management. The salon's teaching aims to build confidence and competence so that students are ready to work in any professional setting.