A few months back I got a drastic, short hair cut that the expensive ($65) stylist botched. He didn't listen and I hated it. I've dealt with it and have been praying to the hair gods that it grows out. Well it is slowly growing, but I had a bit of a mullet situation happening in the back -- typical for a short hair cut. Not wanting to go to a salon and spend $40 to have an inch trimmed off the back to de-mullet, I found Baldwin. I have to say for $7 + tip, I love the hair cut. Great value and I actually felt safe in the hands of a student because there was always a supervisor walking around and checking my progress. The student was very thorough and made very sure that I was totally satisfied. It may have taken a bit longer than expected for such a simple hair cut, but it was well worth it. My mullet is gone and I will go back next time I need an in-between cut or quick fix for a minor hair issue. Totally worth it. read more

If you are considering going to cosmetology school and you go anywhere else but here,... your missing out! I went to 2 different schools for my first bit of hours and they were not realistic or flexible for someone who needs to work or has a family or just a life in general! On top of that this school gets a huge amount of clients compared to other schools which gives you a ton of hands on experience! The teachers actually care about you as a person, want you to succeed and support you! The owners Wendy and Randy are caring, understanding and passionate about providing an amazing education at a reasonable price! Wendy has a ton of connections to salons and will help you get employment! This school was the best decision I have made for my future! Thank you so much Baldwin! I literally could not have done it without you! read more

My first visit to this school-salon and I'm very pleased with the results. I had a coupon for a haircut and added color services (which were extremely reasonably priced). I did not have to wait at all and my student stylist was Lauren McB. She did an outstanding job with the cut and the color, working closely with her instructor to ensure her decisions were verified. Lauren worked skillfully and confidently, and her instructor complimented her workmanship. Lauren and her instructor were both very friendly and professional, and in fact all the students, instructors, and front desk staff greeted me with a smile. It was fun to see an instructor provide a demonstration of a complex color service- the students were very engaged and it was nice to see the lively learning environment. I will be back and hope I can work with Lauren McB again before she graduates. read more

I've gone here for haircuts for almost a year now. I was just there today, and I had the best haircut yet. Jessie Cruz was my stylist and she was fun and was really focused on my hair coming out well. It now looks amazing, and only cost 5$. I have had some haircuts that I didn't rave about, and some that I did, but never a downright bad one. These folks are learning, so be prepared to sit, as it can take awhile and they sometimes have to talk with a supervisor. However, since they are students, I would just as soon they took a little longer and didn't make mistakes. This is not the place to go if you have no idea what you want. The students seem to work best with direction, and understandably can get a little nervous if you just tell them to do whatever. Be direct and honest if you feel uncomfortable, they really want to do a good job. Don't forget to tip! These guys pay to work there, and since you are saving so much on your cut, you might as well pass on the love. read more

I might be biased by the price structure here, but I have never had a bad experience at Baldwin. I am not picky about the way my hair looks, but I always leave feeling confident with my new cut. That being said, you are getting your hair cut by a student, and you will never develop a relationship with your stylist because by the time you go back for a trim they will probably be gone, but they teachers are there checking on students and the ones on the floor know what they are doing. I love that they don't make appointments because when I want a haircut it is usually a last minute decision so it is nice to be able to run in and get someone to cut my hair. The one bad thing I can say is that the wait can be long, and the cut might take more time than at a regular salon, especially if it is with one of the newer students because they will have a teacher check over the cut a few times. So schedule some extra time and maybe bring some reading in advance. If the place looks packed when you walk in you can always put your name on the list and head over to grab something to eat in one of the places near by or browse books at Half Price which is just around the corner. read more

As a fairly typical guy, I don't have a lot of requirements for what a haircut should consist of beyond "should be cheap" and "make it shorter". Baldwin will charge you a whopping $7 for a haircut, which is not quite as good as the $5 that the beauty college back in Richardson that I used to go to charged, but who cares. The stylists are friendly, fast, and they get graded on their haircuts so they have an incentive to do a good job. I don't go anywhere else for haircuts anymore. read more

I love this place. I have been going there for 19 years. No kidding! I have had one bad haircut in all of those years (a pixie cut, which admittedly is tricky to pull off). Every other haircut and color job has been terrific and an amazing value. At my stage of life I have about 40% gray hair and go every 6 weeks to get root touch-ups and also get highlights about once every 3 months. I am super happy on both counts. To get my roots touched up is about $30 while at a regular salon I could not get that for less than $65. Since I go pretty regularly this is saving me a ton of money. It is true that they students sometimes take longer. One time for all over color plus highlights I was there for 3 hours. At a regular salon I might have been able to get that done in 2. But I bring my phone and some stuff to read and just relax. The students are always very professional and nice and offer you drinks and such. The supervisors are also terrific. I have literally seen the same 3 there for at least the last 10 years. They really hang on to their staff which says a lot. The instructors will get involved if they need to, I had one fix a cut once that was starting to go wrong and also had one re-do a color that was not quite what I wanted. But most of the time they don't even need to get involved because the students are well trained. read more

I've had two cuts here and they were both excellent. I tried it out the first time with just a trim because who should have to pay $30+ dollars for a trim? I got there in the middle of the day and luckily had only a few minute wait. I also got lucky with a more experienced student since the trim only took an hour. I didn't have her style it and got out for $5 plus $3 tip. My second visit was different in that I got there ten minutes before they opened but there were already a dozen old dears waiting ahead of me. Tip: get there early on Friday! But there was no problem, I didn't have to wait long. My stylist was really sweet but much less experienced and it took her 2 hours and 15 minutes to cut my long hair into a chin length bob. She had an excellent teacher working with her and he did a bit of the cut. She also dried it and flat ironed it but it still cost only $5. I gave her a $5 tip because it did look pretty nice although I wish I had time to get up and stretch. The amazing thing is, two weeks later the cut looks great, dries well and is easy to style. read more

Wonderful school with awesome students! Loved my time here. The Baldwins are a wonderful family that did a lot to make sure I finished my certification and training. Would recommend this school to anyone looking to find a place to succeed! read more

The school needs to properly train their receptionist. I called and asked how much it would be for a full set, new tips, with a gel polish and she told me $15 and I said wow that's a great deal for both those services and she that she knew, and that it really is great deal. I then asked if I could get in today and she said yes if I left immediately I would have time to get in for the service. I rushed out my door and drove straight there. Huge waste of time. I found out that the service I wanted would actually be $33 and that all their nail techs had already left quite sometime before I even called, therefore making my trip north completely pointless. When I expressed my disappointment to the instructor she told me that it was my fault because I should have talked to an instructor instead of the receptionist. read more

Majority of staff is unprofessional and often flat out rude to the students. If you're thinking about applying to be a student here, please consider ANYWHERE else. Ruined the cosmo school experience I was once so excited about. Ended up transferring out after just a few months. Waste of money, time, and emotional effort. Sure you can try and "stick it out", but honestly, what's the point in ruining your day every day and blurring your purpose of being there in the first place? Find somewhere you love to do the thing you love. read more

I got a great haircut here for only $5. I went around 1pm on a weekday and didn't have to wait for my turn. My stylist was Donna and she did a great job - she was very receptive to what I had to say yet forthcoming with her own suggestions. From start to finish - and that includes hairwash, cut and blowdry, it took about 40 minutes. All this for $5 plus tip. I would definitely recommend this to everyone. PS - Give them a call before you make a visit because I think they're closed on Saturday, Sunday AND Monday... so just be sure they're open. read more

I'm a guy, so maybe my hair is too easy to cut, but the student did a great job. The instructor visited towards the end of the haircut and took a good look and gave a thumbs up. Instead of going to the cheapo places I used to go to, I'd rather come here where many of these students will work in upscale salons. Great experience overall, definitely inexpensive and worth it. read more

I got an eyebrow and lip wax and my Hair salon person, Suzette was wonderful. She was very professional and took her time but the whole process was quick. She explained to me what she was going to do before lying me down and waxing away. I felt comfortable. read more

Baldwin Beauty Schools - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I have never written a review before, but after my experience at Baldwin Beauty School I must do so. I called on Friday to make an appointment for the Groupon: Single Process Color with Haircut, Conditioning Treatment and Blow-Dry. The woman on the phone said I did not need an appointment and to come in on Tues morning at 9:45, the normal walk in procedure. When I got there I signed in and my stylist came to get me. We talked about using the same single color I had used in the past which was on file and that's when I mentioned the Groupon. The stylist didn't say anything else about using the Groupon. When I asked how much toner would be she checked with an instructor and they said $30. In the fall, toner was $10, in the spring $20, and yesterday $30! I decided not to get toner at that price. The stylist put the color in and while I was waiting for it to process I pulled up the Groupon so it would be ready when I checked out. I reread it again and even though I had already told my stylist I decided to show the voucher to the front desk just to make sure everything had been done properly. This is where the bullying started. At the front desk the instructor said I couldn't use the Groupon and that I would have to pay $35 for my color. As I tried to get clarification of the situation, she said I couldn't use the Groupon, because I did not sign in stating on the check in sheet that I had a Groupon. There was no signage or place on the sign in sheet that asked about any kind of coupon or Groupon. It was impossible for me to know and the lady I talked to on Friday did not mention that to me. The instructor said that Groupons were only done by appointment and that I had not been told to come in on Tues. like a regular walk in. I said that I would not write a good review and wanted to talk to the manager or her boss. At that point the owner, Mr. Baldwin, walked out to see what was going on. When he heard about the situation he said that he would honor the Groupon, but in the future to tell the desk at check in. I went to the bathroom to collect myself and sat down in the stylist chair to wait for my hair to finish processing. Then a woman who I had never seen before came up to me suddenly and put her phone in my face and took a picture. I put my arm up to protect myself from her getting any closer to me. She then said in a loud aggressive voice that if I was going to "eviserate" (to disembowel) her then she was going to put my face out there and do the same to me. Then leaning over in my space she said that I didn't know who she was in the community and that Baldwin elementary school was named after her family. Then one of the people who work there or a student grabbed her away from me and was trying to get her to leave. I stood up and said, "Then I'll take a picture of you." Then two more students pushed the two ladies out of sight. As I moved toward the front desk one of the students yelled something like I couldn't take the smock. I told them I wasn't leaving. I went to the front desk where the owner was and told him a lady took a picture of me and threatened to put it "out there" since I was going to "eviserate" her. He looked surprised then realized who it was. He looked disgusted and then turned towards the office. I went back to the stylist chair. Then a lady came up behind me and said they were going to wash my hair out and that I was going to leave! We went to the shampoo area and my stylist washed my hair. Back at the station I told her she didn't need to brush it out and that I just wanted to leave. Since they were not going to honor the Groupon, I stopped at the desk to pay. The new lady at the front desk was nice and said that the stylist did say I told her about the Groupon before starting, but that now they wanted me to leave at no charge and that I was welcome to come back and use the Groupons or to call Groupon and get my money back. I said I didn't want them to pay. The lady said it was ok and for me to just leave. Needless to say, I will never go there again. This whole experience made me think about how they must treat their students and mostly elderly clients. From the bulling of the first person at the desk who Mr. Baldwin and the employee were proud to announce had been there for 19 years and Mrs. Baldwin who snapped my picture and threatened to put my face out there to harm me, to the students yelling at me, it's pretty clear that intimidation is their management style. After Mr. Baldwin told me he would honor the Groupon, my thoughts of writing about my bad experience were gone. After his wife came after me that all changed. Someone needs to look into this business. Instead of honoring the Groupon which would have provided the stylist the opportunity to work on a client, which is what I would think a beauty school would want for their students they chose to lose a customer and model disgusting business practices. Please be warned, this could happen to you. read more

This started out well. Only came once a month for pedi, almost 2 years. Last month another student sat in the pedi chair next to me, Samantha, doing her studiying. Kimberly, a certified instructor came in and began yelling at Sam to get out of the chair and go sit in a corner. There were no other patrons waiting. I was horrified at Kimberly's behavior and embarrassed for Sam. When I got home I tried to call the owners and was put off by the female who answered. She took my complaint and was to forward it to the owner. Shortly thereafter Kimberly!!!! called me. The very person my complaint was about!!!! I NEVER heard from the Baldwins. The pedis are ok for the price 20.00. However I was beyond disgusted how Kimberly treated Samantha and the owners not calling me. Guess I'll find another location. read more

I recently had a balayage done here and I regret it. I thought I would give it a shot, but the color is overtly uneven to the point that I am embarrassed to have my hair down. If you are just getting a cut, you should be fine, but I do not recommend any kind of color job here. read more

So I heard about this place through a friend. I've always gone to a salon to get my hair done, however we're about to buy a house, money is tight. Nothing but friendliness when I walked in, the supervisors picked the best person for my needs (color and cut). Lisa! she was very attentive and accommodating even asked for support when she felt it was needed. Yes, I spent several hours there but it was worth it! I walked away with the best color and cut I've had in a long time! If you go ask for Lisa!!! read more

I had the pleasure yesterday of working with two delightful girls...Mandy Vidotto and Gabby Galbreath did a fabulous job on my hair. I purchased a Groupon and was really surprised with the beauty school. I had my hair colored by both girls then cut by Mandy! Fantastic job girls! I had a wonderful experience thank you so much read more

I hate to do it, because i'm all for bargains, and all for helping people learn their craft. That's why I was so excited when I heard about this place. A $5 haircut? Awesome. Help soon to be stylists perfect their craft? Super. I never thought my hair was that difficult. Maybe it is. I was there 80+ minutes in the chair. Seriously. 3 different people (including one of the supervisors) tried to fix my hair. But there's not much you can do when they have already cut FOUR bald spots into your head. Seriously. Four. You can see my scalp in 4 different places. I already have a natural bald spot up top. I definitely don't need 4 more on the back and sides. AND there's not much anyone can do to correct this. The girl cutting my hair was very friendly. Just not so competent unforunately. The guy that tried to help was nice too, and he actually did a pretty good job fixing the rest of the cut. I will say that it looked like other people were getting decent haircuts. And people seemed friendly. But 4 bald patches are cut into my head now. I could have done that myself. And in less time. The search for a cheap haircut continues... read more

I didn't like that the students were not supervised before or during my cut. I asked for a trim and my hair is thick and curly so if it's not shaped correctly it looks like crap. The girl who cut mine was super nice but I could tell she wasn't very experienced with hair like mine and no supervisor came over before or while she was cutting it to make sure she was on the right track. My hair is uneven and there is no shape at all. I'm going to have to go have it fixed somewhere. I appreciate the learning process and when I'm paying $10 for a cut at a school I understand what that means but I just wish a supervisor would've been more present throughout the process. read more

Now all of u bitches who love Baldwin think again. I went to south location that school is extremely trashy most of the instructors are medically crazy and will skrew ur hair up, do to lack of intelligence they have. There were way to many clients pissed when they walk out because When the teachers mix color or check a cut for us the clients hair always just ended up looking shitty. Do not attend that school they will treat u like shit even if ur good they pick favorites if they can't mold u they will hate u forever, they are also judgmental the owner is a asshole who takes ur money and skews u over. Beauty school is suppose to be fun not look over and see teachers or hear them talking shit mean things about ur friends. Not cool I'm a license cosmetologist so I'm done but dnt go there there mean and are extremely immature staff. Save urself and dnt go there!!!' read more

Tried this place today for a shampoo & blow dry. The person they paired me up with said she did not like doing blow outs, and an hour into the service she grabbed her instructor to get help with it since it wasn't getting smooth when she was drying it. When she was almost done, my hair was still damp all over, so another student asked for me to get my hair rewashed and she re-did the blow out. I was there from10:30am to 1:45pm. My hair looks okay, but it was a 3+ hour shampoo & blow dry. read more

I decided to go here after my hair stylist raised his price to $85 for a haircut!! I have now been going there for the past two years. It is in a really convenient location and a hair cut, including shampoo and conditioning is only $7! (It use to be $5) I've gotten some really good haircuts there. Just as good as my $85 haircut! The place always seems well maintained and the wait is virtually nonexistent. I hear that if you get there right when they start taking appointments, all the blue hairs are there and there is a slight wait, but I typically go about 3 or 4pm. By that time, most of them are cleared out. The students are very nice and seem to be having a good time. There is an instructor that comes over to review the students work when they are done. I hear there is a woman instructor that will chop on your hair. If you have long hair and want to keep it that way, have the male instructor review your hair. There is a fun atmosphere, it's clean, convenient and very inexpensive. read more

Ok, I went there for a cheap mani/pedi and I guess you get what you pay for. 2 hours later I left and they looked ok (my nails had no color b/c they only have some old lady colors to choose from, I should have brought my own) but the polish on my toesies came off about 2 hours later. The girls were so nice, but they are not taught to do french manicure. Go there if you don't mind your pedi taking an hour, but bring your own polish. I'm pretty sure she didn't clean out from under my toenails either. That is gross, but they did soak them an awful long time. They did paint my 2 year olds nails and were so nice to her. She loved it, but her polish came off that same day too. A pedi is 15 and mani is 5. . . read more

I went to Baldwin to get a haircut and highlights. I opted for partial highlights because I knew it was going to take longer than usual since the hairdressers are learning. On the plus side, the prices are great. On the down side, I was there for 4 hours, and they didn't cut my hair. As 5 o'clock approached, I felt very rushed and uncomfortable as they were still putting foils in my hair. When my hair was being rinsed, the girl told me "So it's 5, I'm not going to have time to cut your hair, sorry." I'm still a little blown away by that. The instructor offered to stay a few minutes late and trim my hair a little, and I took her up on her offer. But honestly, although that was sweet, I can't tell any difference from the haircut alone. I understand that students take longer to cut your hair. I also have to say the highlights look great. But 4 hours is plenty of time to do a partial highlight and a haircut (my hair is short). At least, if it isn't, I wish they'd have told me. Now I'm pretty much out of luck since their hours coincide with my work hours, unless I go and get a more expensive haircut at a salon with an appointment (which is exactly what I was trying to avoid from the start). I can't say I won't go back since the prices are by far the lowest I've seen, but I definitely won't go back unless I have the entire day to dedicate to it. read more

It was great. I don't know if I'll ever go to a pricey salon again! I came in... no appt - and was getting my hair washed within 5 minutes. The student took extra care to understand what I wanted. Instructors are walking around in there and she actually consulted one before cutting. She was slow... which I thought was great because I could see that she was being cautious with the length! I even (accidentally) threw her a curve ball by bringing up a concern after she was finished. She was able to understand what I was saying and addressed it really well. She went to get an instructor to approve the cut when she was done. This eased my mind, since I can never tell from the chair how good of a job has been done. He said it was great and stamped her card. She gave me the check (for $5!) and I went to pay at the front desk. I happily tipped a generous amount for a great cut. It was a rainy day, so my hair was curling up when I left. I was confident about the cut, but I had to straighten it when I got home just to see.... Perfect! I can't imagine a $50 cut pleasing me any more. read more

Nikki did a great job! I showed her a picture of a balayage I wanted from Pinterest and she delivered the style exactly! I have had bad experiences with high end salons before and this place went above my expectations! read more

I researched for schools in Austin for my daughter and I really liked Jeremy from Baldwin. He was very informative and responsive to all my questions. After my daughter was in enrolled in the program he was engaged and very encouraging to her. This is how an administrator should be. So glad we choose Baldwin read more

It's a beauty school Don't expect expertise. Come here for an inexpensive color service! You get what you pay for...and sometimes cheap is alright! read more

I had a really awesome experience attending Baldwin. The instructors we're super helpful and informative.I feel that i definitely got my moneys worth. They not only taught me the the fundamentals of cosmetology but how to be a professional. read more

I was a student and BBS and just graduated last month. I had an exteremly good experience while attending this school. The instructors are really talented, insightful, patient and care about your education. The curriculum in the class is through and they occasionally offer an advanced cutting/color class that is really awesome. Randy and Wendi Baldwin are wonderful people who stay involved in your schooling and want all their students to succeed. If you are passionate about hair and are looking for a beauty school to attend I highly reccommend Baldwin Beauty School. read more

I had a super awesome experience at Baldwin Beauty School! When you first walk in, it is a little intimidating since there's like 20-30 students in their work stations but the receptionist was warm and welcoming to everyone! My hair is dark brown and it had some red/light brownish streaks in it, so I was wanting to go a completely shade lighter and the staff took me in right away! There are a lot of older people there so I'm sure they were excited to have a young person to trial with! I got my hair done by Jessica White! She did a fantastic job! It took about 4 hours but I have very thick medium length hair! The end product was perfect! It turned out to be like a chocolate brown and I only ended up paying 45 + tip! I really really recommend going to the beauty school! It was my first time going to a place like that and I plan on going again for my next color/cut! read more

I've been going to Baldwin S Lamar for years. Because I usually need something extra-ordinary I get a student who is close to graduation and am always pleased with the dedication and attention to detail I receive. Yesterday's visit was above and beyond! Tonya was amazing! She got foils in my hair in a record 45min and the color far surpassed my expectations. She was so proficient they gave her another client to juggle along with me and she did equally as well with the other lady's hair. Kim - one of the instructors ended up doing my cut which turned out great and she was very professional and accommodating. Going to a beauty school is always a risk but I have yet to be dramatically disappointed and often I'm very well pleased!! I highly recommend Baldwin south. read more

I've had bad beauty school experiences in the past, but after hearing good things decided to give Baldwin a try. Went in for the second time today and got an amazing, quality haircut: the trim I asked for took off as little length as possible, the face framing was nice, and the bangs, which were assisted by the instructor, were just what I was looking for. And that's a big deal to me, as I am basically the worst at describing how I'd like my hair cut. And all for $7. At that price, you can't not throw your hair stylist a tip for good service. No matter which student you get, thanks to the amazing teachers, your hair is in good hands at Baldwin. read more

We drove to South Austin from Round Rock because the reviews for the local beauty schools were less than we preferred in every respect. It was a good choice indeed. The salon was extremely clean and comfortable and there was no wait. My 13 y.o. daughter wanted what she thought was a perm for a wavy look. The staff there explained what the differences were and what it was that she needed for the look she wanted. They lost a perm sale but put her in a chair and showed her the correct way to curl her hair with a wand and even gave me a lesson and let me (a single dad) give it a shot. During and after the student did her hair, more than one staff member came by to check out the work. She did an excellent job and taught my daughter and I for the future. I am very appreciative of that. If either of my daughters want to pursue a career in cosmetology, it looks as though they're going to have to drive to South Austin to Baldwin. read more

I agree with a lot of the other posts. It's dirt cheap compared to expensive salons but you must alot for extra time. Case in point...went for highlights/color/cut the other day and was in the chair for 5 hours as I wasn't thrilled with the result and they had to "tweak" the colors twice. However, I can't say that this wouldn't have happened in any salon. Another important tip: Make sure you get your cut (and other procedures) checked out by the instructor before you leave...sometimes the students bypass this step. Then you go home, notice unevenness or something else awry and need to spend more time coming back and getting it fixed. That said, the beauty school offers a great service at a great price. Instructors are friendly and the atmosphere/environment is positive. I definitely recommend it if you have the time. read more

This is the way to do it! I'll never go to a real salon and pay real salon prices ever again! I got my hair cut and dyed and only paid $45 great price. I would pay that just for a cut at a regular salon. Lots of people are worried that since its a beauty school they will mess up your hair. But everything is checked and double checked with their instructors. So if you looking for a quick trim or hair color on the cheap this is my go to! read more

Fabulous!!!! The instructors, Wendy & Randy too! I can't say one negative thing about this place! Definitely skilled students, skilled instructors & overall fantastic place! read more

I love a good haircut and I love a good price!! I have been here twice and yet to be disappointed in the quality of my haircuts. I get layers done and even had side bangs cut last time. That being said you are at a school and it is not exactly a professional setting there. You will have a different person cut your hair and you will have a teacher fix any mistakes they make. The only real downer is that you pay an extra $5 to get your hair blow dried and styled. Really? I would assume that would need to be part of the learning experience as a stylist, knowing how to style and work with the hair you just cut seems important to me. So both times I have walked out with pretty wet hair and didn't really enjoy that aspect.(granted I had no plans to go out after these haircuts so it was fine I guess...) read more