I love supporting the students at Avenue Five Institute! Katherine Ramirez gave me facial that was amazing! She was very professional and I'll ask for her again. Thank you Katherine for making me feel so much better. read more

Now that I'm thirty I've decided to ratchet the beauty treatments up a notch. I'm not all wrinkly, but I'd like to stay that way, so I decided to try some microdemabrasion. I have a few discolorations and flaws that aren't very noticeable with makeup, but being my best self is important to me. I don't want to have to wear makeup. I want to roll out of bed in the morning with the kind of skin that makes people go "Wow!" As I get older, I want to be people to look at me in disbelief when I reveal my age. (Is that vain? Yes, but at least I'm honest.) I had one treatment + a facial, and I think I might be on my way to those goals. The procedure didn't feel pleasant (the name does have the word "abrasion" in it after all), but it wasn't painful. Ignorant of microderm, I expected something like a dremel to be used on my face, but in reality the procedure was much milder. A special tool sprays tiny crystals get onto your face then sucks them back in. This process buffs off the outermost layer of your epidermis, removing dead cells and causing your body to create fresh new cells. My skin's surface felt smoother immediately. The micro reduced the dark spots in addition to removing some congestion on the left side of my face that had been bothering me lately. Actually, I liked the service so well that I bought a package. This time I got a facial as well, which was excellent--even better than last time, and I think that since the outer layer was removed, my skin accepted the creams and lotions more effectively than it would have otherwise. I'm excited to go back again in a few weeks! *Mini-update* I went back for round 2. I must have tough skin or a high pain tolerance because I went to level 9, then 10, and still didn't find the procedure particularly irritating. In order to reduce my hyper-pigmentation spots even more efficiently, I did a glycolic peel afterward because my skin would be more receptive to it right after the micro (or so I'm told). I thought it was going to burn, but it didn't really sting much at all. The lady next to me was apparently not so tough, but really, I thought it was no big deal. By the time I left, my face didn't even look very pink. My skin did look very nice though. Next time, I'll go to 11. It's one more. read more

This is my 200th review, and yes, it is an update. In thinking of all the wonderful discoveries I have come across since beginning with Yelp, Avenue Five stands out as the clear front runner. I love telling people that I get my hair cut and colored at a beauty school, AND that they use Wella and Kevin Murphy products on my hair. My latest find at Avenue Five is Justine, an intuitive student who rolls with the changes I want to make each time I come in and seems to understand my aesthetic better than any student I've encountered at the school. I never want her to graduate. Still only four stars because the music in there has gotten almost unbearable. As I said when I was in last appointment, "there is absolutely nothing edgy or hip about John Secada followed by a two-year-old P!nk song." Just give me some gay bar dance music and we're good. read more

Sadly, after my last few experiences at Avenue Five, I must drop my rating :(. I'm sorry to say that the last three times I've been, I've left disappointed. Each time, my bangs were messed up or neglected. I honestly felt ignored. Twice, my bangs were completely ignored and when I reminded the girl in the end, I was scoffed at. The bangs recieved just a tiny tiny snip, and no attempt to fix them as I requested. The haircut itself, was average. I realize this is a school and they are learning, but in the past, my stylists seemed more focused and the instructors were more aware and available to make sure the cut was looking alright. Then, the styling. This last time, it took twice as long for my hair to be blow dried than it did to be cut. And even though I asked for my hair to be dried as straight as possible, it still came out with a bunch of random kinks and ends flipping every which direction. The dryer wasn't even on high heat and my hair needs high heat. I could have asked for more flat ironing but at this point, I had been sitting in the chair almost 2 1/2 hours. I had mentioned it was my birthday so I wanted my hair to look especially good...however, my hair ended up in a clip because the style was not working out. I've had three so-so visits in the last year and as much as I want to support the school, I'm not sure if I will be back. :-/ read more

Don't attend this school unless you're prepared for all the staff to be very disorganized, met with rude teachers, and spending your money and not learning all the things you were supposed to. I had high expectations for this school, so have many others and the majority of us are left disappointed. read more

Pro: My haircut was $12. Con: It took an hour and a half. Maybe longer. Pro: My haircut was $12. Con: It was slightly terrifying. Okay more than slightly terrifying. Pro: My haircut for $12. Con: It was crowded and noisy. Pro: Did I say my haircut was $12 and it was good? Why are haircuts so expensive in Austin? I have short hair and get it cut frequently, so the idea of a $70 haircut is cray cray. In my search for a cheap(er) haircut that wouldn't leave me looking like GI Jane, I stumbled on Avenue 5. While it set my nerves in edge, the whole experience was positive. Listening to the exchange between the instructor and student about whether the student thought they could do it or not was scary, but just remember the instructor is there to teach or take over at any point. And, if you're like me, you've had haircuts that were BAD and EXPENSIVE, so suck it up and give Avenue 5 a try. read more

I haven't had a "go-to" stylist for at least 5 years. For the past 5 years, I've been a slut and jumping around from being a hair model, to the Aveda school, to the Avenue Five Institute for the best deal. Between the Aveda Teaching salon and Avenue Five, I prefer Avenue Five. Here's Why: -closer to my home -no pressure from the stylists to buy the products -the students and teachers have always been great If you're super picky about how your hair is cut, don't go to a teaching school. Period. But if you want a good cut for a good price ($12 for women's shampoo/cut/blowdry) this is ideal. Even if the student isn't at 100% yet, the teacher will come through and show them what needs to be fixed. Luckily for me, I've always had good students on this location. If I catch them in a rotation, I might be able to go to the same stylist in the same year. The salon is clean, bright and busy! Tip: Give yourself at least one hour for a cut -- sometimes the students are slower or you have to wait for the professor to review your cut. read more

If I could this school would get no star from me. How this school has treated me is unacceptable! If you not American and for some reason one of your classmate doesn't like you maybe cause they racist ?! They can make up lies and the principal of the school will just kick you out just like that they don't have your back at all. The school doesn't care about you. Plus without you having any fault doing nothing wrong you still gonna have to pay the kit that they give you which you can do nothing with when you're not in school and they also not gonna take it back . They also want you to constantly sell products from Dermalogica which you never really tested and I must say so many people in the school had really bad skin since it's a skin aesthetic program I expected something different. read more

4 stars just because it is a bit shorter than I wanted and the process took really really long. I will go back and try a facial and highlighting another haircut if I have awhile. read more

5+ stars for Jessica Olson at Avenue 5. She does some amazing cuts and really enjoys what she is doing. My daughter wanted a funky new "scene" cut and color and Jessica was delighted to oblige and even added some great ideas to the design my daughter had in mind. Get her while she's still in school because she'll be going far and fast. I've also had a cut here with other students and have always had a good experience and the prices can't be beat. read more

Avenue Five Institute - Hair by Jessica Olson, student - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - Austin, Texas

I reached out to request information about their part time massage school program. Boy am I sorry. It's been a worse mistake than giving out my phone number to a rando at a bar. I'm writing this review from an odd perspective: I've never had a massage there and I've not attended the school. The reason I'm reviewing is that the recruiters don't listen and refuse to take no for an answer. When I asked for information they only wanted to talk about the full time program despite my (many times) telling them I have a full time day job and need to attend on nights and weekends. In addition to that, I learned they only offer a 750 hour program which requires me to pay for and acquire skills that I'm not interested to practice. I have very clear goals - but no one asked me about them. They just pressured me to come out to see the school and get a massage. Trust me recruiter ladies: when a recruiter (that's you!) isn't capable of listening and when a school doesn't offer what I want: I will never ever pay to attend, much less take the time to visit when you wouldn't even take the time to ask what I was looking for, and you were rude enough to not remember the things I was able to say to you. Back off already. Stop calling. Stop emailing. read more

I had my birthday gift from my daughter and received an 80 minute massage. I had Daniel and was great. Told me what he was going to do, and was very gentle when it came to my knees, which I need replaced. I will be back for sure and ask for him when you go!! Thanks again Daniel!! read more

Went in on Friday for a cut and color. I knew I wanted either a chocolate brown or a fiery red. I decided that I would ask my student stylist and see what they recommended. The student and one of the advisors that supervises really wanted to do the red. They picked the color that they thought would complement my skin and eyes. I was a tad concerned about my employer having problems with my new hair color, so they stated they could add some brown to tone it down. My stylist Lindsey was sweet. She worked effortlessly and the color came out bright and vibrant! I then told her that I wanted just a trim on the length but maybe some side swept bangs. She did exactly as I wanted and would ask the advisor before she would try something if she wasn't sure. (Which I appreciate!) I gave Lindsey free reign to either style me curly or straight and she did a wavy style. The only negative thing was that as she was blow drying my hair, my hair got caught in the hair dryer, so she snipped some strands. But, it wasn't noticable or hamper my look in any way. Just embarrassing for her and startling to me. This place is so great! I mean where can you get a cut and color for $42.00? And right now they're running a special, so it was $30.00!!! WOW!!! I made a reservation for re-color in 4 weeks! I walked out feeling like a million bucks!!! My hair was on fire!!! As I was driving home I got so many double looks and smiles. Both men and women have complemented me on my color!!! So, I'd highly recommend this place! The only bad thing about going here is that these are students, so if you fall in love with your stylist either you have to follow them when they graduate or keep going to new people everytime you go. They do however create a profile for you with notes and what products they used so that the next student will know what they previously did. So for $40, I'll take my chances!!! ps. I had a facial done here probably a year ago. It was my first one, so not sure how to rate it, but it was nice. I think it was like $25-30. read more

Avenue Five Institute - Love my Hair!!! - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great school! Graduated from here back in 2010 learned ABC Vidal Sassoon cutting and Wella coloring system. Definitely, prepared me for a job in a high end salon. Great teachers Teddy, Teela and highly skilled Teresa. Of course things change over time but still I know this is the best school! read more

Tara did an amazing job with my facial! I'm coming back next week! They were all very welcoming and helpful. Reasonable prices! I had a haircut today with Cassandra! She was so careful and precise. Because she is still practicing the cut took longer than I had planned for but the quality of the cut was worth it! My hair looks beautiful! Thank you Cassandra! read more

I had a Rhonda Allison facial w Kersten on Wednesday and it was so refreshing, loved the way everything smelled, she used smooth and gentle motions and it was nice that she asked if everything was ok they the process. She answers any questions afterwards and explained the products she used at each step and the benefit of the product. I loved it! You guys need to schedule a Swedish massage w the cold stone face massage, what an exhilarateing feeling with Charleen! She's amazing! Just finished a 2 hr session and b/c she's so amazing, I scheduled a hot stone and another for a mud wrap. Never had a mud wrap! Love her, she is going to be an amazing massage therapist! Can't say enough good things about her! read more

I have nothing but great things to say about the services provided by the students. From the girls at the reception desk to the cleanliness of the facility. This place deserves the five star rating . I will continue to come and bring family and friends. Trust me you will not be disappointed. Worth the patience and for the price it's a hell of a deal! read more

I'm going to start this review off with saying that I've been going here for haircuts for two years now and usually have lovely experiences. Tonight, however, I came in asking for about 4-5 inches cut off but walked out with closer to 9-10 inches off. The cut itself was fine, I just don't understand how someone messes up the easiest part of the haircut (the length!) I know it's $12, but it really isn't hard to distinguish 4 inches from 10. This was especially upsetting because I've gotten some really great cuts and colors from other students here, so I know it's possible. My stylist, Hannah, did not once confirm with me the length I wanted before she started cutting and even almost cut my hair with a middle part before I corrected her and told her I always part my hair to the side. The fact that she didn't even ask me anything or check with her instructor, Manny, was really upsetting when she revealed the haircut and it was to my shoulders, which is definitely not at all what I asked for. She also mentioned she was on probation from missing too many classes, which isn't a detail to tell a client. She was nice and I want to give her the benefit of the doubt, that maybe today was a bad day, but her bad day cost me two years of growing my hair out. Avenue Five is a great deal if you're ok with the risk of the results being hit or miss, but personally I'm not returning in the future because it's way too risky of getting someone who doesn't listen to what you want. Update: I did get a refund of the cut and a call from the manager apologizing for the bad experience and offering a free facial and massage, which was very sweet. Again, I think it's a great value for the cut, just be wary that these are students and there is some risk of your hair not coming out the way you want it to. (Although this is the first time in two years that this has happened to me.) read more

I was looking for a place to get a good shampoo, cut and blow dry without spending a bunch. Thought I'd give Avenue Five Institute a try. I've had good luck at other beauty schools before. I was able to get a sane day appointment. McKenzie was my stylist. She did a wonderful job. Great head massage as she very carefully shampooed me. Not a drop of water down my neck or on my face. She cut my hair just the way I wanted it. Made me feel good about the color of my hair (she called it silver so much nicer than gray). She took great care drying it. I was very pleased. The whole pleasant experience only cost me $15 before tip. A real bargain. Thank you! read more

I've gotten a Dermalogica Pro Skin 60min facial with Madison B and an 80min deep tissue massage with Christopher. Madison was super nice and informative. I liked that she talked through each step of the facial and also gave me some good tips on products and techniques to use on my skin. They also gave me some samples at the end! I also really appreciate that she and the instructor did not pressure me into buying products. My massage with Christopher was amazing! Better than a lot of other deep tissue massages I've had at spas. He helped remove knots from my back that I had been experiencing for 2 months and had already seen 3 other masseuses/chiropractors who didn't provide much relief. He was proactive in regularly checking in on the pressure and making sure I felt comfortable. This place was great and I'm excited to visit again! read more

I am currently a student at Avenue five attending the esthetics program. I chose Avenue five for all of the great reviews i read about online, unfortunately my experience here has not lead up to what I read.. For starters, we were promised 2 days of distance ed which is why me and some of my classmates chose this program. We have children, some live 2 hours away so this sounded beneficial to our lifestyle, however, this was not true. We are in class 4 days out of the week and have 5 hours of online homework weekly. That 5 hours of our homework is considered distance ed. We didn't know about this change until the week before it happened. Secondly, one of my classmates was sick with Covid which put myself and all of classmates some of which are pregnant in direct contact. The school did not notify us of this incident. We had no idea until the student herself let us know. Thirdly, good luck getting answers from any of the administrators. The communication is awful. I have had countless questions gone unanswered. Being a student at avenue has made it hard to be successful in the program. read more

***UPDATE***Thanks to the CEO Brandon, when I went back for a complimentary facial, I had a much better experience all around. Thank you so much Brandon! Your customer service is amazing, and I was able to see a big improvement with the staff. I also wanted to thank you very much for my card and skin care gift, I wasn't expecting that, but it was so nice!! I went here today for the first time to get a facial and my experience was just mediocre. When I walked in, no one helped or even acknowledged my presence for a couple minutes even though several people saw me. A lady on her way out the door with red top knot pigtails helped me on her way out. The customer service from the employees at the front desk is lacking. My facial seemed nice. The girl that did it was professional and friendly. I saw several signs that with an ultimate facial (which is what I got) that you'd get a free hand massage. That didn't happen. I really wanted the hand massage too, but didn't feel I should have to mention it. For it being advertised all over, at the very least, they could have offered it. They also only accept cash tips, no tips on a debit card. This would have been good to know before my appointment. I will be back, although I was not blown away. read more

Just had my first massage here and it was amazing! LaToya gave me a great 50 min. swedish massage with a 30 min. cold stone face massage add-on. She pinpointed my problem areas immediately, listened to my needs and did a great job of decreasing my tension. Not only did she work on my back/shoulder issues, but the face massage really helped with soreness resulting from my TMJ. When I came home I chewed a piece of gum with no discomfort for the first time in weeks! All of this for $37.50 because there was a promotion in August on the Swedish Massage. TOTALLY WORTH IT! Overall: I have had many great experiences at Avenue Five Institute - hair cut, hair color, facials and massages. If the service appears to be going in the wrong direction the instructors are there to make it right . . . and you cannot beat the price! If you are going for a haircut and are asking for something difficult, set aside extra time for the student to work through it! read more

I'll try to keep this short and simple. This review reflects my experience somewhere of spring 2016 (saved to my drafts and forgotten until now). No, my hair was not ruined. Was it bad? Yes. Yes, it was. Obviously choppy layers, uneven hair, yaddi yaddia ya. I'll live, and it was $12, so moving on. Yes, I completely understand he was a student, and that I shouldn't (and don't) expect a $100 haircut for $12. Anyway, the review is about my overall experience at Avenue Five. They were all friendly and polite, and it makes me feel kind of bad for leaving this review. But not bad enough. I've been over at Aveda Institute, and they were friendly and polite too. The big, stark difference between them, however, is that I didn't sit in my chair at Aveda with excruciating anxiety, scared for my life that the student working on my hair might, just might, completely eff up my hair. Reasons why I thought he might eff up my hair? Oh, well, I don't know, there's the fact that he told me I was the first female he'd ever worked on, had no idea where to start with my hair and had little to no knowledge of cutting layers, and by golly gee--did not know what to do with a straightener. I didn't know you could screw up using a straightener. But apparently, you could. Look, I don't blame the guy for giving me constant panic attacks. It was obvious he was brand spanking new at his job and as if he had barely ever touched a pair of cutting shears in his life, but I just don't understand why Avenue Five is throwing a complete beginner at paying customers. I literally felt like I was his first ever mannequin that he was testing out for fun, and no paying customer should ever have that experience. I implore you, Avenue Five, to have your students be perfected (at least knowledgeable and practiced?) on a mannequin before you release them into the real world. Please. Before you end up giving someone a heart attack. Is that really too much to ask? I'll stick to Aveda Institute, thanks, where I don't feel like I'm selling my soul--or hair--for $12 and where their students come to me with knowledge of exactly what is going on in the hair world. read more

So I learned the hard way. I've been spending 100$ on cuts at high ends salons for years now before I discovered this school. I came in after not having a cut in A YEAR with pictures of what I wanted done. Keri Cline was my stylist and she was so personable and down to earth! I showed her a few pictures and she expertly chose the best cut for my face shape and hair type. She spent a lot of time on me and really put me to ease. I am so happy with my shaggy cut! She showed me how to style and went over some products, even gave me samples. I don't think I'll ever go back to salons, at least until Keri moves on! read more

I've been going to Avenue 5 monthly since February, and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. I'm the kind of girl who takes pride in my appearance, but that can obviously become costly. To offset some of my pampering budget, I decided to give Avenue 5 a try for facials. I'm glad I did. There's no difference in quality or results from when I was shelling out 80 bucks a month for one, and they even use the same products as my former salon. I've had three girls since I started (Aimee, Ashley, and Chelsea) and each one has been amazing. This is definitely a place to check out if you're looking for great spa services on a budget. Pros: -Super cheap, one hour facials that are wholly customize-able run $30 -They constantly run specials for their services like free hand treatments with your facial -They're prompt, I usually don't have to wait more than a few minutes before I'm called back -The atmosphere is just like a spa, so you get the full experience. Cons: -The facial/massage room is shared. Obviously they don't have enough space for individual rooms, so the only time it really becomes an issue is if there's a chatty customer who doesn't realize they're ruining the experience for others. It's not the school's fault though. -Since it's a school, on a very rare occasion you might have a service rescheduled because of a surprise guest speaker or emergency class. This can happen the day of, and if you don't check your messages, you might end up driving down only to be turned away. The one time it happened to me, they were very apologetic, and after some push back, they gave me a discount on my service the next day. -The salon offers hair, skin, and massage services but no nails. It's not really a con per se, but it'd be awesome if they would consider incorporating it in the future! read more

I think the place does a great job. Most of the time the front desk people are helpful and friendly. I got my haircut there years ago by a student who gas gone in to big things...owns his own salon in CA. I have also had a lot of massages there. I will say that although good, I do wish they would not be afraid to apply more pressure. I think that is just part of the learning... most err on the side of caution and worry about hurting people. I understand...but when I say trust me, you cannot hurt me, and if there is pain I will let you know.... well then go deep! At any rate - 5 stars...top rate service...good price and you are helping students get the hours they need to graduate. A good deal all around. read more

The students are always very sweet and nice. I had my first massage yesterday and the student walked me through the whole thing. Great prices as well. read more

Today was my first experience here and loved it! The student truly listened and understood what I wanted and did a fantastic job. The instructor said it was a more difficult cut, I had very long think hair and wanted short layers. She helped the student a little and the end result was exactly what I wanted. I am definitely going to come back for more services that they offer. Thanks! read more

This is a beauty school, their prices reflect that... This school is so very awesome! I have had my hair colored here twice and my son has had a facial, twice. Make an appointment with nothing to do after... The stylists and estheticians are very thorough and precise. I have very long hair; Zena, my stylist, understood what I wanted and suggested a bayalage. With my hair, it took over 4 hours. I love what she did! Zena is absolutely awesome sauce at what she does! Rush in, make an appointment with her before she is hired by a very expensive salon! read more

Avenue Five Institute - My gorgeous results! - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - Austin, Texas

Going to school here was the biggest waste of time and money I have ever experienced. The teacher, Rebecca, actively helped the other students bully me throughout my miserable five months here in the esthetician program. Go to Aveda or Baldwin. read more

04/08/10 WORK TITLE: "I'm Just a Guy Here for a Cut-&-Color..." CHECK/DOWN: 1310 ed.nt 6: (rev 2.02) Are you kidding me? I'm the only male client in the place? There are 50 hot women here with great hair. If you're conscious of people discovering your closet "Just For Men" stash, here's a secret: No one cares. Be all that you can be. (ed.nt 7) (rev 2.13) The reason I admire attractive people is because they work at it, and the reason I admire attractive people on Yelp is because they make lists about it. There must be a reason why Avenue 5 appears on all their lists. (ed.nt 9) (rev 2.17) I may have startled Maggie when I asked her to marry me. Glad she laughed. How did she get this color? (ed.nt 12) (rev 2.22) A Yelp discount? Let's just make that next appointment now. (ed.nt 14) read more

I went in for my first microdermabrasion treatment today and have never had a better nap in my life! Lauren was a kind and very attentive student who seemed genuinely stoked to go to town on my face. I was very comfortable and am already enjoying my smooth, shiny skin. I will definitely be back and appreciate her and her instructor very much. Great service - I'll be back for the 5 step. And bring cash for a tip! Lauren - I will bring some next time, I promise :) read more

Walking out of Path Salon two years ago, I remember feeling very special with my fancy new rocker-chick hair. Strolling out of Avenue Five on Monday, I remembered that feeling all over again, only this time, smarter, which is sexier. PM me if you would like the name of the goddess who shampooed, cut, and styled my hair for a mere $10. read more

Debbie R. and I opted for a frugal girls' day out here last week. We chose the 80-minute ultimate facial experience ($25, tips appreciated) and received 50% off when we paid. Not sure why, but not complaining, either. A $12.50 facial = most pleasant surprise next to winning a new car from The Ellen Show. We noticed they have weekly specials (this week it's $15 facials), so maybe we hit the 50% off any service week. Sure, we shared a room with three other customers, but I just chose to look at it like booking a spa day with your gal pals. The music was noise-canceling enough, though it was piano music, which I don't find as relaxing as, say, violins. Plus, I heard what I think was the Romeo+Juliet theme, which immediately pulled what should've been background music to the foreground as I conjured up Leo DiCaprio images in overexposed colors. My esthetician, Tara, was fantastic. When she was unsure about something, she called her instructor over to explain -- very comforting when you're entrusting your face to beauty school students. She kicked the bed a few times, which was mildly jolting, but most of the time she was sure-handed with a gentle touch -- relaxing, indeed. I snored, in fact. Twice. Everyone -- front desk, esthetician, instructor -- was genuinely friendly, too. I'm absolutely sold on future spa treatments. read more

I learned about this place on Wednesday on Yelp (Thanks Mars!) and was there on Thursday for a facial for my severely broken out skin. I got the deep pore facial with an high-frequency zit zapper add-on, and it was only $42.50. The process was supposed to last 50 minutes, but was more like 90 because I got an awesome lady who decided to use the ultrasonic skin spatula on me. That thing was amazing and so much more gentle than doing extractions. Today, my skin looks about 30% better, which I'll take as a good improvement over yesterday. For the price, I'll go back in a heart beat. I'm not sure I'd have the nerve to have my hair done there, but for facials, it can't be beat!. read more

Why did no one tell me about this place before!! I have been wanting eyelash extensions for years, and only now have found the place where they are affordable. $55 on special, $75 regularly, $35 touch-ups. Kathryn F. did a great job. It was a very weird sensation getting my lashes put on, but you should see them, they are amazing! No wonder people pay $200 retail for them. The decor is also beautiful. It definitely feels like a real day spa. I can't wait to go back and try all of their other services! read more

Love this place! Nothing liking getting some work did on yourself for cheaper prices than what would normally cost you at a salon! This place also looks very high end to boot! It's a very chic beauty school that does hair, skin, hair removal, and various other beauty treatments (eyelashes, etc). I've never had a bad experience here. I've had my hair cut, styled, dyed, a facial, waxing...I really want to try the eyelashes too. All the students I have had are attentive, very kind, and very personable. The front desk people have been nice and accommodating. Once, they didn't have me down for an appointment but with some rearranging, they got me in promptly 10 minutes later. This was a while ago but now, they are MUCH busier than they were 3-4 years ago so I'm sure it would be difficult now. I love getting facials but I have a hard time reconciling the price. Sometimes, I can really get a great neck and shoulder rub out of it too. I've had extractions done and they were relatively painless. I've brought all of my friends here and they all have continued to become regular patrons. Definitely one of my favorite places to let myself feel like I am getting pampered. If you join their mailing list, they'll send out emails regarding monthly specials! Always a win-win situation! Highly recommend! You can't go wrong! read more

Becky, Becky, Becky. Such an amazing person Becky is! I came here to get glammed up for the Yelp Golden Age party and was so lucky to have been paired up with Becky. First off, the shampoo. Seriously....I needed a cigarette after that shampoo. That is the best shampoo experience I have ever had! The girl knows how to massage a scalp I tell ya. After a blow dry came the curls. She took a little strand at a time, curled it with the iron, then pinned it in the circle. While my hair was setting we went on to the makeup. 50's glam it was. She gave me amazing cat eyes. Then she brushed out my hair and made it look amazing! I was ready for my close up! Thanks to Avenue Five for having the $10 hair and makeup special. It made it so much easier for me to get ready! read more

I was super excited to learn that my good friend Erin started classes here earlier this year, especially since I was in dire need of a color pick-me-up (and am operating on limited fundage). I have been to Avenue Five before -- I already knew that the staff is very professional and the prices are well within my budget -- so when super fantastic Erin said she wanted me to be her first, I had to accept. Her first balayage, that is. Based on what I learned last night from Erin and her fabulous instructor Greg, balayage is a highlighting technique named after the French word which means "to sweep." There are no foils or heat involved. The color is brushed on and instead of foil, they use just lots and lots of cotton strips to keep the hair separated from locks that don't need color. Erin (last name Dempsey) has been a makeup artist for years so I'm not surprised that she is a natural at hair. She is there on Saturdays and Tuesday through Thursday evenings. Wednesays have been 15% off color (check to see if it's the same in July) so my grand total (before tip) was $34. I would easily have paid $100 at any salon. I am super happy with the blondieness and because the technique took a little longer (the first time is always a learning experience), I am going back Tuesday for my hair cut. Mousy dishwater blonde no more! read more