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View Full Version : Has anyone tried the Aveda Institute Salons?



Pear Martini
July 29th, 2010, 07:16 AM
How was your expierience?

misstwist
July 29th, 2010, 07:47 AM
I'm interested in this, as well.

Pear Martini
July 29th, 2010, 07:55 AM
They are really affordable ($12-18 for a cut, $45 for highlights) but I want to know if they are longhair friendly. if I tell them I only want a light dusting, will they follow through?

I have an appointment an hour from now, so I'll let you all know how it goes. I am getting swimwear photos taken on the beach today, a regular customer at my bar is a photographer and told me he would make me a portfolio for free as long as I tell all the girls I know to get photos taken by him.

I figured since I'm getting photos taken, I should clean up the mop, at least in front. Its pretty wild and crazy now (which I like) and I think it hides my face (which I don't like).

Its also my first shoot, so wish me luck!

freckles
July 29th, 2010, 07:57 AM
My last professional cut was at an Aveda salon. It was a good experience as far as hairdresser experiences go. I had 2" taken off, face framing layers put in, and a tiny bit of layering on the ends. The images from before and after that trim/cut can be found in this album: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=3931

It was expensive, £45. But the hairdresser was lovely and listened very carefully and wasn't snip-happy (although I went in open to the idea of shaping and a 'substantial' trim, so it's a different experience than if I was really keen on only getting a tiny trim). They included a short shoulder/neck massage with oils as part of the price, which was brand new to me, I've never had professional 'pampering' like that before, but it was cool.

I'm self-trimming now, but not because I was unhappy with that experience. If I start getting professional trims again in the future, I would consider going back, as long as I didn't need to go too regularly since it's more expensive than I would be willing to fork out for more than once or twice a year or so.

ETA: weird that they're so affordable in your area. I guess it must vary a lot by salon, I don't know how the branches work and how independent they are. :shrug:

bumblebums
July 29th, 2010, 08:04 AM
I think it depends on the stylist. I went to Aveda for a couple of years when I had short hair and liked it fine. A friend of mine, who has nice waist-length hair, went there and lost way more length than she asked for. The stylist also curled her hair even though she preferred it to be straight. So YMMV.

Carolyn
July 29th, 2010, 08:46 AM
Do you mean a regular Aveda salon or is an Institute Salon something different?

bumblebums
July 29th, 2010, 10:01 AM
Do you mean a regular Aveda salon or is an Institute Salon something different?

I've had a very consistently good experience at regular (pricier) Aveda salons--pre-long hair, though. My long-haired friend's much spottier experiences were at the training Institute salons, where they charge only $20 for a haircut. This is not surprising--you get what you pay for. Except with self-trimming :)

freckles
July 29th, 2010, 10:14 AM
I've had a very consistently good experience at regular (pricier) Aveda salons--pre-long hair, though. My long-haired friend's much spottier experiences were at the training Institute salons, where they charge only $20 for a haircut. This is not surprising--you get what you pay for. Except with self-trimming :)

ah, I didn't understand that this was about training salons, I didn't know that's what Aveda Institute was. OP, you might want to disregard my above post, then. :o

misstwist
July 29th, 2010, 10:39 AM
Do you mean a regular Aveda salon or is an Institute Salon something different?

The Aveda Institute is a cosmetology school. They are in several states, a couple Canadian provinces and Australia.

The one I'm wondering about going to is in West Des Moines.

Carolyn
July 29th, 2010, 01:25 PM
The Aveda Institute is a cosmetology school. They are in several states, a couple Canadian provinces and Australia.

The one I'm wondering about going to is in West Des Moines.Is that the place out at Jordan Creek? I've been to 2 Aveda salons and have had very good experiences at both. I think the Aveda training is very good.

terryn
July 29th, 2010, 01:36 PM
A friend I know goes to the Aveda Institute, and she has cut my hair the past two times I went in, she did exactly what I asked, but I still haven't been very happy with the results. It's like, she did want I wanted, just not well, if that makes any sense. Mainly, my problem has been that she keeps cutting my bangs too short, and she pushed my hair around and then tells me that is how it lays naturally when it's not, she ignores where I part my hair, so it is hard to separate out my bangs. Honestly tho, I think the Institute itself is good, but like anywhere else, it probably really depends on the stylist, maybe even more so there as some people will have more experience than others.

Good luck tho! And definitely keep us updated!

misstwist
July 29th, 2010, 03:38 PM
Is that the place out at Jordan Creek? I've been to 2 Aveda salons and have had very good experiences at both. I think the Aveda training is very good.

Yes, it's in the out lot with the Ulta and DSW. The one inside the mall is a signature salon, Serenity.

The gal I used to go to there was Serenity's salon mentor, she oversaw new hires and did some in-salon teaching. Then she moved to California. Booooo!

princessp
July 29th, 2010, 03:49 PM
Yes, I have when I was in school and they were fantastic! I never went for anything too crazy usually just a trim and highlight.

Artenystea
July 29th, 2010, 06:09 PM
Oh man. Do I have a story for you...

Several years ago I went to the Avenda Institute in NYC to get a haircut. Long story short, I ended up with what I like to call a "hipster mullet." I'm sure you'd recognize the cut - it became hugely popular for some reason (really layered on the top, scraggly on the bottom. Eek.) Basically, the hairstylist destroyed my hair. :(

I have wavy hair, which means that short layers (or heaven forbid, bangs) don't work for me. They just don't. This woman, without consulting me, cut a super short (bang-length) layer around my ENTIRE HEAD! :blueeek: I couldn't even put my hair in a ponytail when she was done.

It was this traumatic experience that brought me to TLHC, after I was done crying and ready to figure out what to do with my awful, awful, mullet. :rolleyes:

So if you go to an Aveda Institute, my advice is this:

Make sure that your stylist is supervised. Seriously. And be really explicit when describing what you want (though this would be the case anywhere.)

And just to let you know, I think you'll be fine - what happened to me was the stylist's fault, not the salon's. I just wanted to share my (one and only) hair trauma story!

sarah061
July 29th, 2010, 06:19 PM
Edit: Just realized this isn't exactly the kind of hair story you're looking for! lol Nevertheless....

I went to the aveda institute -where your service is cheaper than normal and done by a student. I had a bikini wax done - it was really affordable and very well done! A student was the one actually doing it, but an instructor was there too kind of quizzing her, like "now what kind of wax should you use?" etc. The student did a great job and afterwards her other teacher came to do a quick check of her work.
The wax was done inside a giant room that was divided into cubicals by screens, so it wasn't incredibly private...
Overall I would definitely go back to Aveda for another service!

bumblebums
July 29th, 2010, 06:20 PM
Oh man. Do I have a story for you...

Several years ago I went to the Avenda Institute in NYC to get a haircut. Long story short, I ended up with what I like to call a "hipster mullet." I'm sure you'd recognize the cut - it became hugely popular for some reason (really layered on the top, scraggly on the bottom. Eek.) Basically, the hairstylist destroyed my hair. :(

I have wavy hair, which means that short layers (or heaven forbid, bangs) don't work for me. They just don't. This woman, without consulting me, cut a super short (bang-length) layer around my ENTIRE HEAD! :blueeek: I couldn't even put my hair in a ponytail when she was done.

It was this traumatic experience that brought me to TLHC, after I was done crying and ready to figure out what to do with my awful, awful, mullet. :rolleyes:

So if you go to an Aveda Institute, my advice is this:

Make sure that your stylist is supervised. Seriously. And be really explicit when describing what you want (though this would be the case anywhere.)

And just to let you know, I think you'll be fine - what happened to me was the stylist's fault, not the salon's. I just wanted to share my (one and only) hair trauma story!

Was it the place in SoHo? That was where my friend was butchered.

Artenystea
July 29th, 2010, 06:47 PM
Was it the place in SoHo? That was where my friend was butchered.

Yes, bumblebums, it was! Maybe it was the salon after all, not just the stylist...

rachelily
July 29th, 2010, 07:52 PM
My friend gets her hair highlighted at the Aveda Institute and I have never seen better highlights! I posted on my facebook where to get good highlights in my area secretly hoping she would reply and I could know her secret and she told me she went to the Institute salon. The prices are very good, and though I have never personally been (yet), she says that while the students do it they are supervised and consult with the supervisor the entire time through the process, so that you are getting exactly what you asked for. It means they take their time, but that is not a bad thing in this case. You would not go to an institute salon if you were short on time or expecting something for a pageant or whatever. But she highly recommended it.

Tabihito
July 29th, 2010, 08:06 PM
It's hit or miss. Yes, it's a good price, and the vast majority of the time they'll be able to do what you ask without difficulty, but given that they're students, they just don't have a whole lot of experience yet. It often takes a long time because they really don't want to make a mistake. It's good, though, especially for the price. Plus they'll use the Aveda products in your hair, and it will smell so awesome afterward.

So in the end, it may not be a perfect experience, and maybe not quite as nice as a regular salon, but well worth it.

Pear Martini
July 30th, 2010, 08:42 AM
Do you mean a regular Aveda salon or is an Institute Salon something different?

The institute; hence the title of thread :D

Pear Martini
July 30th, 2010, 08:45 AM
Oh man. Do I have a story for you...

Several years ago I went to the Avenda Institute in NYC to get a haircut. Long story short, I ended up with what I like to call a "hipster mullet." I'm sure you'd recognize the cut - it became hugely popular for some reason (really layered on the top, scraggly on the bottom. Eek.) Basically, the hairstylist destroyed my hair. :(

I have wavy hair, which means that short layers (or heaven forbid, bangs) don't work for me. They just don't. This woman, without consulting me, cut a super short (bang-length) layer around my ENTIRE HEAD! :blueeek: I couldn't even put my hair in a ponytail when she was done.

It was this traumatic experience that brought me to TLHC, after I was done crying and ready to figure out what to do with my awful, awful, mullet. :rolleyes:

So if you go to an Aveda Institute, my advice is this:

Make sure that your stylist is supervised. Seriously. And be really explicit when describing what you want (though this would be the case anywhere.)

And just to let you know, I think you'll be fine - what happened to me was the stylist's fault, not the salon's. I just wanted to share my (one and only) hair trauma story!


Holy Crap! I would have been balistic

Pear Martini
July 30th, 2010, 08:53 AM
So I went in yesterday for my 11am appointment. I didn't get a cut, just partial highlights and I wasn't able to leave until 3pm.
The girl who was doing my hair was really nice, and so was everyone else there. They were serving this tea there that was so good, it tasted like black tea but it had a sweet and tingly aftertaste.

It really took way too long for her to put the foils in my head, by the end of it she had to remove half of the foils and remove the bleach while the other half were still processing.

I would go here again, but definatly not if I have other plans because this is a day long event. Bring a book.

Oh yeah, and the highlights came out good and I onl had to pay $36.

HereIGrowAgain
July 30th, 2010, 10:01 AM
I've been to the AI out in West Des Moines. They were really good 3.5 out of the 5 times I went.

The one entire experience that was not so great was with a girl who skipped the day they taught how to straighten. If I had never had my hair straightened before, it would have been a rather horrific outcome. But, since I knew what SHOULD be happening, I was able to correct her mistakes as we went along.

The half experience that was not so great was actually the instructor's fault. I was going blond from brunette, and the instructor browbeat the student into using a lot less strength than he thought he should use. Turns out, the instructor was wrong, they tried to fix it, and then the instructor tried to tell me that it was "a process" to get lighter. Yeah, my foot. I've gone from brunette to blond at home in one application. Anyway. I usually don't do any chemical processes to my hair unless I'm about to go pixie anyway, and I don't plan on ever going pixie again (emotional chopper).

All of my haircuts and trims have been fabulous and exactly what I asked for. You tell them what you want, and then they draw a picture of it (I'm serious). Then they discuss what you want with the instructor, the instructor verifies it with you, then the student explains to the instructor what they are going to do to accomplish the cut, the instructor signs off on their plan, and then they start the cut.

Make sure you have plenty of time; just ask the person setting the appointment how long it will take. They can gauge it really well.

So, to sum up, great for trims and haircuts, mixed results on chemical treatments.


The Aveda Institute is a cosmetology school. They are in several states, a couple Canadian provinces and Australia.

The one I'm wondering about going to is in West Des Moines.

VanillaTresses
July 30th, 2010, 10:05 AM
I have been to two different Institute locations and they were both very good. I would say that every time I felt that they listened to what I wanted very well. After all, they are being supervised and I am pretty sure that their grade depends on it! :D

misstwist
July 31st, 2010, 02:53 PM
All of my haircuts and trims have been fabulous and exactly what I asked for. You tell them what you want, and then they draw a picture of it (I'm serious). Then they discuss what you want with the instructor, the instructor verifies it with you, then the student explains to the instructor what they are going to do to accomplish the cut, the instructor signs off on their plan, and then they start the cut.

I love this!

I'm looking to shape my hair, not lose length. I have a very definite idea of what I want and I think the sketch would really help me be sure I'm getting across what I want.

Pear Martini
July 31st, 2010, 05:22 PM
I plan on going back for touch ups to m highlights, i just hope they don't muck it up :o

Kirali421
July 31st, 2010, 07:05 PM
It's hit or miss. Yes, it's a good price, and the vast majority of the time they'll be able to do what you ask without difficulty, but given that they're students, they just don't have a whole lot of experience yet. It often takes a long time because they really don't want to make a mistake. It's good, though, especially for the price. Plus they'll use the Aveda products in your hair, and it will smell so awesome afterward.

So in the end, it may not be a perfect experience, and maybe not quite as nice as a regular salon, but well worth it.

exactly. I used to go because they were affordable and I love the smell of their products, though they dry out my hair. Most times, they kept cutting and cutting until my hair was really short which was okay but definitely not what I wanted. Also my best friend was going to them and her hair was long and they made her stand behind the chair so the girl could cut and she told the stylist she felt faint, and the girl ignored her and next thing she knew, she was on the floor with a cut to her face. She had to go to the hospital and everything. It's been 4 years and she still has the scar. I haven't gone to once since my best friend's incident.

Kirali421
July 31st, 2010, 07:09 PM
Sorry I don't know how to edit my post but also they took a really long time especially if your hair is long and the teachers even though they watch them, they cut and cut and cut and once your hair is short, there isn't much you can do with it. I had a girl try to make the hair on the back of my head flatten out, which doesn't work because when my the shorter my hair is, the poofier and wavier it gets. So she cut it very short by the time I told her to stop trying to get my hair to be flat.

Brat
July 31st, 2010, 07:45 PM
I had a HORRIBLE experience. The girl that did my hair took an hour to get the highlights in, so part of my hair had bleach in for an hour before the clock started. Afterwards, she took my fried hair in her fist to rip the comb through it to get the tangles. I asked her to stop and use a detangler. She said she had never heard of a "detangler." The second girl I got did the same thing to get the tangles out.

If you dare to go, direct every movement your student gets. They're there to learn, not to rip/burn/fry hair.

I will never go back, it's just not worth it to me to get mad because they think they know better and won't listen.

Jammy
July 31st, 2010, 09:50 PM
I asked a student to bleach my dark brown hair blond and and ended up with dozens of white highlights in my almost black hair, they refused to fix it for me either and made me pay the full amount plus tip because it was a student.

Might be fine for a simple cut though

Pear Martini
August 1st, 2010, 03:35 AM
Oh my gosh some of these stories are scary!!! Now I am apprehensive to go back to get my highlights touched up.