I wanted to leave an honest review. The short version is that, for the price, I'm very happy with the results. That said, I do have a few pieces of constructive feedback. The biggest surprise was the amount of time the appointment took. I was there from 9:15 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. (about 7.5 hours) for highlights and a haircut with no warning. I wasn't given a heads-up that it would take that long, and I had expected to be there only a few hours. Knowing that in advance would have helped me plan my day. Lauren did a great job paying attention to detail, asking for guidance when she needed it, and learning from her instructors throughout the process. She also checked in regularly to make sure I was comfortable and had everything I needed. My only suggestion for Lauren would be to communicate a little more clearly about what she's experienced with and what she's still building confidence in. She has a great attitude, is receptive to feedback, and I can tell she'll continue to improve with experience. If you're coming to a student salon, it's important to remember that you're working with students who are still learning, not seasoned professionals. Because of that, appointments may take much longer than they would at a traditional salon and the student may be practicing skills they've only done a few times. Overall, I feel the quality of the service matched the price, and I'm happy with what I received. read more

Aveda Institute Denver - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - Denver, Colorado

This school seems to be a hit or miss situation. I've had neighbors who report mixed experiences, mostly the complaints are service / attitude related with about half of them My experience was a miss. Service was to be high and low lights, mostly at the back of head . The student and teacher decided that they would only do highlights, which I caught part of the way into the service. (She kept my chair turned away from her rolling tray so I could not see the single bowl - should have been two colors). During the service, the student stated that she hated working with chemicals and hair, but needed to finish this section in order to graduate. Her focus was on skin; she intended to be an esthetician. My harshest criticism is directed at the male teacher. His demeanor was imperious and haughty. He was not available and non-responsive for checks as the chemical processed. At one point I had to get up to find both the student and teacher to ask for the chemical to be removed as I sensed it was over processing. I waited another ten minutes and decided to rinse this stuff out myself. They were taking a break as I walked by to the rinse room and the student followed me in to help. I was charged for the conditioners and other products they needed to put in my hair to repair the damage. I've put three family members though beauty colleges and been a color model at hair shows. I like to support the colleges and help student with the learning process. They were no able to take a cash payment, nor would they accept a check, which was not disclosed on their website. The check out student stated that personal checks signaled fraud. (I'm no thief or fraudster!) I did leave a $50 tip to the student with the check out student with the admonishment: "Please let her know to follow her heart in skincare and stay far away from hair services." A fish rots from the head IMO. This student had developed an attitude that was not customer centric, likely due to the influences of the teachers and management developing a toxic customer experience. She knew my hair was severely damaged but did not acknowledge or apologize. If she fails when she is on her own, it will be up to her to readjust the bad attitudes this school taught her. How could I hold her responsible for the bad acts of her teacher / influencers? The culture and experience at Aveda Institute is not a match for people who really know the service industry in my opinion. read more

Asked for face frame and cut a few pieces of hair unevenly curled my hair to camouflage the cut very disappointed

Some of the students are nice. Some of the instructors are nice, but there's definitely a few of that are not. It's like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. I would only go there for a simple things. read more

My haircut at a salon was cancelled, so I figured I would give this place a shot. I have short hair and my hair grows fast. So... why not? Morgan did a great job with my hair. Her work was checked in quality by both instructors. I also just chatted with Morgan and the other students. Great value and vibe! Also, if you go there... keep in mind they are students. Don't have unrealistic expectations... since it was packed, I had my hair washed upstairs and saw a girl crying. Please, dear lordT, don't be mean to these students. That's not cool. read more

Cannot say enough good things about Tori. Like literally goes so far above and beyond every single time and I am always blown away by her attention to detail. You'd think she had a decade of professional experience. Jenny was really awesome during my most recent visit as well!! read more

I've been getting my hair cut at The Aveda Institute Denver for years, they always do a phenomenal job, and the teachers do an excellent job, checking the students work and maintaining the highest quality. read more

This is now my second time getting a skin service done by Jayda P. and it was nothing but amazing! She does an extraordinary job at making sure you are comfortable throughout the whole service. I will definitely be getting more services done by her and I recommend you do the same!! read more

Had an amazing wax appointment with Ashley N today! Friendly, fun and thorough! 10/10 recommend seeing her for your needs! I look forward to booking more services with her in the future! read more

I went in for a haircut and balayage touch up. The student completely chopped my hair and left my hair yellow when I asked for an ashy grey as that is the color I had before. He never put my hair in front of me to see what it looked like and the instructor didn't either. They never asked about parting my hair so he cut my hair as if I have a middle part, which I don't. This student was supposed to be graduating the program 2 days after he did my hair. I am very very disappointed in the experience I had as well as the instructors for letting something this bad happen. read more

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I loved my hair cut and hair repair services with Rae! She was so knowledgeable, present and refreshing to talk to. I recommend going to see her for your next hair services. read more

This is a perfect place to bring your teenager for cut or color. It's about 50% what you would pay in a normal salon. We have had a different student every time but all have been friendly. Front staff is also friendly. The instructors less so but they don't really interact with you as the customer. Two things to be aware of: the appt will take twice as long as usual. My daughter's cut and straight color (nothing fancy) took a little over 3.5 hours. Also their parking lot is always full when we come in the early evening so you have to park in the surrounding neighborhood and walk a couple of blocks. read more

Had an awesome haircut with Kaylie! Everyone in the salon was very attentive, the instructors were really hands-on and helping students with the details of their work - we will definitely be back! read more

I would not recommend the training institute for people with coily (or as they put it, "textured" hair). I did not get the impression that they train students on how to work with my type of hair. The student tried her best but I was shocked that she received so little guidance as she went along. (I've visited The Paul Mitchell Institute in Chicago in the past and they provided much more oversight.) Several trainers were working the floor, and passed by us many times, but only a couple came over to offer direction to her. I felt really bad for the student. And, when they finally did offer assistance, it was well into the process (went in for a wash/blow dry/cut) requiring them to redo some tasks and extra heat being applied to my hair. (I would not recommend going there unless you have strong/resilient hair that can take extra heat due to do overs.) I mean I get it, they're practicing so it's not going to be perfect (my haircut is uneven) but I just feel like the student would have learned more if they showed her as things were progressing, not once it was too late to course correct. If you do decide to try them I would also recommend pre-washing your hair because you only get a cursory shampoo. read more

Visited the Aveda Institute to shop their retail products. Upon entering, several students and receptionist were talking at cash register behind the counter. I was not greeted with a hello or even a glance. As they continued to talk, I began browsing. Finally, was asked if I was checking in for an appointment. The lady was not very helpful and didn't even ask if I had any questions with the products I was looking for. I didn't feel pampered or welcomed. The young lady that did end up cashing me out smiled and was pleasant. I'm not sure I will return. I love Aveda products though... customer service was a miss today. read more

The worst place employees were rude. I had two kids getting a hair cut beside mine. They were Impatient they me and my kids. It seems they did not know how to deal with kids. Their hair was the worst cut ever and mine was a butcher job. The teachers need to do a better job teaching their students. I have had other schools very nice and patient with my kids and me. My regular place a person decided to move to another state. It was at last minute. Do not go to this place. Very little space for people to sit plus only accept credit card. No cash. I finally found a place that deals with two kids that are small boys. Plus adults too. read more

Oooof. The experience (neck massage, hair wash, etc) at Aveda was lovely, but my haircut was lacking. I look like Devon Sawa in the 90s. That's not a good look for me. I don't expect the student to know what they're doing, but I expect at least something from the instructor. If you're looking for a place that cuts short hair without charging $$$, I'd go to Semion. I'd pass on Aveda. read more

Amelia is unreliable and cancels appointments last minute. Other than that the facility and instructors were very nice!

I went to Selma Martinez this morning for eyebrows tint, etc ... best experience ever...I will be booking other procedures.... highly recommend Selma. read more

While my student stylist was friendly and I did get a very cute haircut and brief neck massage (the student gives you a choice of an extra service before the haircut), be prepared that a shampoo and hair cut could take 2.5 hours. I asked about haur color and that could take 3-4 hours or more. The instructor checks the students work intermittently or when the student has a question on something. The student has to wait until the instructor is available for the answer or demonstration. The parking at the institute is minimal so go early to find a spot and be careful not to park where there are signs for a 2 hr limit. You have to sign a waiver 'Hold Harmless Agreement'. I did get scratched on my neck with the bent blade from the clippers when the instructor was showing the student how to clean up the hair on my neck. "No worries they said, apologies and put some aloe on it when you get home" and the student was instructed to get the blades replaced. The hair products are encouraged for you to buy and use. No samples are provided. The hair products are expensive. The hair cut is inexpensive but if you get a parking ticket or buy even one product it could cost over $100.00. Might as well go to a master stylist close to home! read more

I have been coming to Aveda for the past two years, and the salon and services as a whole have been going downhill. They used to require more checks with the leads so you had more supervision, but now there is almost no oversight. You essentially are just taking a risk with someone who may have done the service 0 times before and now with minimal oversight, specifically with the spa services. Now for some specific examples: 1. Chemical burn after eyebrow tint, potential permanent scarring- this is the main reason I am writing this review as this has been the final straw for me. During my service, below my eyebrow burned a bit, but I didn't think much of it. The next morning I woke up with a red burn and cuts in my skin that I was worried were going to scar. I called the front desk to speak to someone first thing in the morning to figure out what was used and treatment options. The woman at the front desk gave me an email to send info and a photo to and then I heard nothing all day. I called back at 445 before they closed and the woman on the phone told me she didn't know the woman's schedule and there was no one else who knew there product who could help me. The fact that no one who works there has the ability to provide information on their products in a timely fashion when it could cause permanent damage to my face is unacceptable. 2. Uneven haircuts - I sent a few of my guy friends to get hair cuts and every one of them took 2+ hours for a Barber cut and had to go get it fixed somewhere else 3. Lack of spa supervisor- when I got my eyebrow tint, they said the massage specialist was covering for the facial/ eyebrow/ spa services and when she came in, she just asked if I had any questions then asked the student what color she wanted to use and the student said she didn't know and would figure it out then she left the room and didn't come back in until it was over. I have no idea how this constitutes as a supervised service 4. Massage challenges / injury - the room where the massages are done is super odd with everyone getting a massage in the same room with just a curtain between the tables and a curtain that could close to make it semi private but for some reason they left it wide open. So when I walked in, there are a bunch of half dressed people exposed and getting massages. I feel this should be advertised when you book as this was not enough privacy for me. Additionally, while I was getting my massage, something happened and I have had a knot / injury in my back since then. It's on me for not saying anything, but I have been going to a chiropractor to get it fixed and they have informed me more on the dangers of going to inexperienced individuals as it will likely cost you more to fix in the long run. I am still giving it 2 stars because the students are really kind and I've enjoyed going. But after this most recent bout of experiences, I do not think I will be a customer any longer as it's not worth the risk with the decrease in supervision. read more

I wanted face framing bangs, the shortest connecting at the chin, and then connecting all the way down. She sectioned two chunks on either side of my face and tried to cut them at an angle but it felt like she was cutting bangs instead of face framing layers. They ended up uneven and chunky on both sides. When I mentioned something looked off, she proceeded to ask me what I thought needed to be done. I thought to myself, I'm not your teacher? I politely asked her to grab a teacher so that they could tell her what needed to be done as I had no idea the verbiage to provide her with to get the result I wanted. I had already shown photos and videos of what I wanted as well. The teacher came over to correct as much as she could which I greatly appreciated. The shocking thing was that the student said she had started in November 2024 and was graduating September 2025. For a $22 haircut, you get a $22 haircut. Be cautious. It's a dice roll. I saw a few others with nice cuts and color jobs. I, unfortunately, was not one of them. read more

Too costly in terms of time and service- remember its a school and your the test doll. Spare yourself the frustration and spend more money at a reputable salon that won't take so much time and still produce bad results. I went in for Balayage highlights- 4 hours later had yellow hair ($100). Went in next day to have it fixed and again 4 hours later was given attitude by educator Robert for worrying about the time. I was tying to find solutions to finalize the correction and get back to work. It's shocking how quick Robert went from "we appreciate how gracious your being about this and will take care of the botanical conditioning treatment" to "I can have her wash out your hair right now, it wont be fixed - this is about your time constraints and I will not honor are you coming back to finish the repair." To be clear it is certainly not the students fault that mistakes happen as they are learning, but to have an instructor treat you badly when you come in for a correction (or even a service) is entirely out of line. Even though now I'll be going to a salon to get this repaired at double the cost, at least it will take a fraction of the time and will be completed well and most importantly without attitude. If you do go in for color service - make sure to block out minimum six hours, and ask yourself if that time commitment (and potential repair time) is worth it to you. read more

So I was going on a trip and my usual stylist did not have any openings and this place was right downtown by the office - I just needed a trim. What could happen? Things to note: 1) This is a training institute. You are the test subject. However, they have a master stylist and trainer check everything. You can choose a A Senior or Senior Stylist which is like at the near end of their training. 2) So inexpensive ($15/20 hair cut), but book a reservations (Women and Men) 3) They use only Aveda products and they have a great add on hair mask. They try to sell you their products at the end of your service, but you can absolutely decline. 4) Takes longer b/c of the checks. Trust me - you want the checks. This is the deal - I wouldn't go get my balayage here, because I have a person and my hair is very very particular to coloring. But - a nice trim/cut - YES!! read more

Just leaving myself a reminder to never come back... came here for a haircut - it literally took 2 hours - no they did not wash or shampoo my hair... nor was it styled at the end ( per my request) she literally cut 7 strands at a time. I think my stylist was in a competition to see who could cut hair slower. The small talk was painful and honestly no one should be obligated to sit two hours for a haircut... read more

Such a lovely spot to go for a haircut! It's very affordable(don't forget to tip your student!), and the lead educators come by to check off their progress every step of the way. This can and will most likely lead to a longer time for your appointment, so don't expect to pop in and out in an hour - if you're pressed for time you can ask them not to style your hair at the end. For a great experience come with photos and details of what you want, i.e. how many inches cut, what style of layers, where you usually part your hair, etc. read more

People forget that this is a teaching salon, it will be hit or miss. If something goes wrong, they will fix it! It's free as long as you don't go over the original cost or you'll have to pay for the difference. I paid for a full balayage with foil, a cut and deep conditioning. I love their complimentary shoulder massage, tea and scalp massage. You can park at the Hyatt for partial complimentary parking, it's not free, but it's convenient and cheaper than any other parking structures. Can't beat it! My first experience after at least 5 years wasn't the worse, but wasn't the best either. I didn't get upset or complained, I simply said that i wasn't happy. The color was brassy and didn't come close to what I had wanted. With that said, they were happy to offer me a redo within that week. My expected services was not delivered and I requested a senior student. I did not get upset, because I still saved over $150.00 from the $160 that I had paid for. Could have been worse, by paying $350.00 and not happy. In the end they delivered, love my hair and I love Aveda products! read more

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I got partial foils done by Ashlee Nueske. She listened to my needs and did my blonde the exact way I like it. Seriously, for a student, she did my hair better than most absolutely love my hair and I am super picky! I am loving my bright blonde!! read more

Aveda Institute Denver - Blonde highlights - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Always good service, good price and friendly people! Knowing they are students I am always happy with my haircut. No complains. Good place to go save some money and help students to get better at their profession. read more

Best facials! I've been coming here for over a year for my facials. They are so relaxing and thorough. The students are professional and my skin looks amazing afterwards. When you walk in it smells like an aromatherapy filled spa. They have a wonderful array of products that smell and feel so good. I love having the option of a 60 or 90 minute facial. When you walk into the facial area, you are greeted with a warm foot soak. They ask you a series of questions about your skin care routine and what your skin concerns are. During my facial I also got a shoulder and scalp massage....so relaxing! read more

slayde is awesome i love my cut read more

Another amazing haircut from Andie at Aveda Institute! It's do great to go to your salon and know you're going to come out looking incredible! Thanks Andie! read more

I understand all services are provided by students. I still wanted to share my experience for those who are considering hair highlight services. Everything was fine, except that I didn't really get highlights. In fact, I left with my hair darker than the color it was when I went it. The educator that was assisting my student checked every point except the time for toning the highlights. It was a different educator who suggested a tone color. At the time of the final check, the original educator noticed the highlights were darker than discussed and stated if I go home and rinse my hair a few times, maybe it will get lighter. I did just that, but still no noticeable highlights. For those considering highlights, I would suggest to be more proactive in ensuring the desired result with each educator. read more

Aveda Institute Denver - Nope, no highlights. - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Great place took great care of me. I received a facial from Kennedy and it was phenomenal. I have had multiple facials over the past few years and this one was definitely the best I have ever had. She made sure I was comfortable and was very attentive in the areas I pointed out. Highly recommend any service from Kennedy! read more

I went yesterday for a facial and a haircut. The 90 minute facial by Latha was amazing! She took her time and did a very thorough massage and facial. My face has never been softer! I highly recommend her, and will request her when I'm back in town in the future. I also had a haircut with Deborah. It was her first time doing a modern shag haircut and I think she did a great job! We were pressed for time so I opted to not have the shampoo with scalp massage. The lead cutting instructor Robert was a doll as well, super nice with the customers and when helping the students with new techniques. read more

If you have some patience and lots of time, then this place is worth the service. I didn't realize my services would take that long otherwise I would have probably gone elsewhere but I am glad I gave it a shot. You are dealing with students so during the service, instructors will be checking up on the status plus extended periods of waiting. I went here for a hair shampoo blow dry/scalp massage and back facial. Total time spent over 4 hours. I was happy with both services and cost me half the price it would at any other salon however double the time. Products are expensive but certain ones are worth it. Also, tips are only accepted if in cash, but kind of awkward as the stylist waits at the register watching you take out your money until you pay them vs. being discreet. read more

Aveda Institute Denver - Facial/Massage room - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Alicia Q did my very first facial and it left my skin feel so clear and clean! I'd definitely book!

The atmosphere and general energy of the students, instructors and even clients is amazing. Aveda teaches such good ethics to their staff and students, i don't doubt they walk out feeling like a better person daily. My stylist Rainie was so welcoming and sweet, always asking if i was comfortable and doing good at all times. I will definitely be coming back again!! read more

This school is just such a complete JOKE. I would never ever ever recommend anyone to go here for their career. For the first few months of the summer 2021 the AC was broken for MONTHS and they had no ventilation in the classrooms and the equipment they gave us in our kits was falling apart within weeks. They are completely understaffed here and my class was shoved in a room with 30 other students for our state board portion of our program and that was the most important part!! I graduated feeling completely unprepared for my state board practical & written exams and had to end up paying third party companies to help prepare me for those tests after leaving the institute. This place is no where near worth the amount of money you spend to go here. please GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. read more

-1 star for aveda institute my hair got fried they left the bleach in my hair for to long and gobes of my hair fell out it has been a journey for my hair to grow back, the instructor had no remorse for the damage that was done to my hair i suggest not to go if you truley care about your hair! read more

Aveda Institute Denver - DO NOT TRUST AVEDA INSTITUTE OF DENVER SCHOOL ONCE YOU SIGN THE WAIVER YOU ARE SCREWED FOR THERE OWN NEGLIGENCE!!!!!!! - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - Denver, Colorado