May Salon

i got my haircut from annie on a wednesday afternoon. i didn’t have to wait and was finished in 15−20min. not bad for the price. my only complaint was part of the side shave was bit uneven but not too noticeable. i will probably go back so it wasn’t bad enough to stop me from returning.

I’ve been here four times so far. The first time was to fix a butchered haircut I had gotten at a Korean salon, the second time was to get a trim, the time time was to chop my hair so I could donate it, and the fourth time was just for a new haircut as I wanted to try a slightly different hairstyle.
Three years ago I went to a Korean salon because a friend of mine said they did pretty nice haircuts, but it was obvious from the beginning there would be a language barrier. Case in point: as the hairstylist is giving me super short fobby layers, I politely ask, «Can you not make it quite so short?» to which she responds, «Shorter?» *snip* I cringe. The next weekend I came here to get it fixed up, and my new cut actually looked pretty decent (which is as nice as anyone could make it, since there wasn’t much other than short fobby layers to work with).
Then, last year, after growing my hair out for about two years, I amassed a 13 – 14 inch long ponytail. With such long hair, it was obvious that I had horrendous split ends. I came here for a quick trim and told her I planned on donating my hair so I only wanted a few inches off. She took very little off, almost not enough as there were still a few remaining split ends, shaped my hair into a clean curve at the bottom, and gave me a few layers.
After a few months, I came to get it chopped off. She put my hair into a ponytail for me and cut it off at a length where I’d still have enough hair to work with to create a layered collarbone-​length style. I liked the style she gave me, and several of my friends said my haircut suited me quite well.
This year, I wanted a new cut. I’ve been getting layers for four years now since 7^th grade and wanted a blunt cut 2 – 3 inches past the shoulders. She left my hair slightly longer than that, but she said it was to account for any waviness that could occur due to the shorter length (shorter hair tends to curl at the ends) or any volume that could come as a result of the blow dryer. I went to school with my new haircut, and within two days I saw that another friend of mine had gotten the same exact haircut haha. Needless to say, I liked this cut as well.
I have a few things to note.
–This place is in a tiny plaza with very little parking, but I always arrive around 8:30 AM when there are still some spots open (plus, you don’t have to wait for anyone to finish up his/​her haircut when you come that early).
–I always get my hair done by Janice, who is the best at this salon. Make sure you request her.
–Every time I’ve been here I’ve had my Chinese-​speaking mother tell her how I want my hair, but Janice understands English just fine. However, I’d say that it’s definitely beneficial, though not necessary, for you to come with a Chinese speaker to make sure your ideas get through to the hairstylist. My most recent visit here I just showed Janice a picture and she began snipping without needing further explanation.
–Janice owns an Old English Sheepdog. Don’t freak out if you see it in the salon; while it is pretty large, it is the most chill dog you will ever meet.
–I am not much of a hair person. I like it clean and styled simply, so I never ask for any incredibly complicated hairstyles. However, if you’re looking for a crazy mohawk or mullet (lol) or want multicolored hair, you may want to look elsewhere. This place is great for basic cuts.
–My haircuts have all been $ 13. I usually give $ 2 – 3 in tips.

I’m actually disappointed with my haircut, but three stars for the price, the fast service, and the haircutter not commenting on my dry skin or skinny frame. I’ve been going to this one guy in Monterey Park for over ten years for haircuts. Recently I’ve wanted to try new places since that guy was always reluctant to cut my hair differently.
I had a long bob that finally grew out to a length I liked, I just wanted more separated layers. I came in to May Salon and immediately got seated. I pointed out how my hair is long in the front and short in the back. The haircutter said that she was going to cut a U-​shape because it looks better. I paused because the last thing I wanted was a u-​shape for my already short hair. I corrected her and said that I wanted the front to stay long and the back to be just a little shorter. She said ok. I also pointed out how my bangs got long and she said she’d cut them shorter.
The haircutter used a spray bottle and a razor-​knife-​thingy to cut my hair. I think the trick for me is that I need to wait until my hair dries before I decide whether or not I like the cut. Too bad I realized after the fact. The haircutter asked me if I liked the cut. My hair was still a bit wet and flat. *shrug* Sure I like it? I couldn’t really tell. I just commented that I wanted my bangs on the left side to be trimmed a little more. She went ahead and trimmed all of the front strands. wut.
As I left the place and felt my hair, it felt much lighter so I thought I’d really like it. But as my hair dried in the car, I kept checking the mirror and realized that the front was WAY SHORTER than what I wanted. Plus, she kept the bottom layers in the back LONG, so it’s no longer a long bob. Won’t be coming back to this place… I’ve still yet to find that place that’s willing to let me try an edgier style.

My mom and I got our hair cut by Jenny. Haircuts are fairly cheap ($ 13). If you don’t like getting your hair cut with that razor thing, then I don’t recommend it. I think that’s why it’s so cheap. because she doesn’t use scissors to cut your hair. She also cuts your hair very fast! If you want something fast, cheap, and convenient, this is the place to go.

I highly recommend Janice to new customers. Whenever I visit, there is at least a 20 min wait just for her, so make sure to call ahead to make an appointment. I’ve tried out 2 stylists in Chicago, but I always return to May Salon once a year for Jenny to cut my hair the way I like it: chin length hair with layers and sparse bangs. Aside from Jenny’s skill, it doesn’t hurt that the service is inexpensive; women’s hair cuts are $ 13 and men’s are $ 8. Remember to tip generously with cash!