I went to the Aveda Institute at the recommendation from a friend. I really just needed a simple trim and got what I needed! It's a little confusing to book online but when you get to the right page, it works out just fine. I got a simple haircut and added a scalp treatment too. The price is really affordable. If you're ok with a student doing your hair and nothing too complicated, this would be great to try. They don't accept tips but if you want to you can donate to a student fund that helps bring in guest speakers. They also shampoo, condition, and dry your hair. It does take about an hour. The student will talk through all they will do and occasionally will check in with the main instructor to check their work or validate what they plan to do is right. The girl that cut my hair never introduced herself, which was a little odd but it's fine- I actually don't love the chatty cathy stylists anyways. She did try a little bit of small talk here and there but otherwise she was just focused on the cut. Again, not an issue for me. Just thoughts I'd comment on that here. I did see a sign later on that said something about respecting a quiet atmosphere, so that's likely it. The facility itself is fine. The lobby area is bigger with lots of areas to sit; and Aveda products on display for purchasing. And then the chairs/stations are all bunched together next to each other for the services. When I was there there was lots of construction. So at least half of the work area is in disarray. Nothing that bothered me but it is displeasing to the eyes if you're walking to the bathroom. But hey, it's Chicago everything is under construction! You have to park on the street, metered parking. I went on a Tuesday morning and didn't quite have trouble finding Parkin but t I can see at other times-- it may be a challenge. read more

I had a 90 minute facial with Marian and a consultation with Ms T. Let me first say...Marian has the softest/strongest/gentleness hands ever! Ms T was delightful and knowledgeable about my future skin care regimen. I made my next appointment before I left. They rock 10 stars!! read more

Super frustrating how late they are. When you have the first appt of the day at 9a and you see them sitting around on phones and eating breakfast, and then casually come call your name, 10 mins after appt time, it sets a bad tone for the entire appt. And you're paying to park so let's go!! read more

I have been going here for facials for a while now. I think the price for the value can't be beat. I enjoy the facials and think they do a great job. I like that they walk through the plan with their instructor before starting. And I think they are constantly adding new methods - a high frequency tool was used on me last time I was in. I also like how calm, relaxing, and quiet downstairs is where you get facials. I've also gotten a couple trims here and experience varies. I've had new students who struggled a bit more and students close to graduation who were more experienced. It can be hit or miss, but there is always an instructor near to help out. One downfall to this being a school is that students don't stay, so if you find someone good, they graduate and leave at some point. read more

Douglas J Aveda Institute - Inside where you get a facial - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Update!! Douglas J was bought out by another company. Since then, my experiences have been nothing but wonderful.

I came here for the 1st time last Wednesday. I booked a facial online. Plant Stem Cell & Plant Acid 90 minute facial ($75). It was lovely. Madi did a wonderful job.It started with a foot bath, then I got situated. Madi cleansed my face and then brought in her instructor for her to do a skin analysis. It was interesting to hear all of it. Then she picked a treatment plan and I added an energizing eye treatment ($18). Madi then had to list all of the products and the order she'd use them in. And they asked me if I had any questions. Then the instructor left and Madi went to get all the products. The whole experience was great. There was a little foot massage and hand and arm massage. My face looks and feels better. I am looking forward to returning for more facials! read more

Facials! I have been coming here for years and cannot overstate how great it is. They've updated the downstairs treatment space. It's the city's best facial deal. The students are attentive, professional and motivated to do an excellent job. Their work is supervised and I fall asleep every visit, sorry neighbors. read more

After going to Douglas J Institutes for over 15 years, recent scheduling experiences have unfortunately made it difficult for me to continue to use them. They recently had a management change which seems to have accelerated the issue. I've scheduled my recent appointments about six-eight weeks in advance, only for them to get canceled last minute by text. I schedule with "any available student," and then they tell me the specific student I requested isn't available, which makes no sense. They'll offer a discount on my next service, but then no appointments for a moth or two. Even more annoying- they won't formally cancel my appointment, so I continue to get reminders. It's too bad they've become unusable, because I've always had great experiences with the students and services. read more

I've gone to Douglas J Aveda for well over 10 years and have been happy till 2024. I've gotten good results over this period and appreciate the savings for quality hair color and cuts. Their facials are terrific too. Even though students do the work, the instructors guide them throughout the process and make sure you get a good experience with good results. The negatives I've experienced is that three times this year Aveda has canceled my appointment. Once I drove all the way into the city and paid for parking only to learn that the student stylist never returned from lunch. She was MIA. They gave me a discount for a future hair color, but often they get booked up so far in advance that it's a small help. The number of students has decreased by about half. I wish I knew what was causing the failure. read more

I made an appointment 3 weeks ago. I just got a text saying my appointment was cancelled, the next appointment was not until June 18 that is no way to treat clients read more

The staff was quite nice and the pricing of the services they provide are relatively lower than the market rates which is a bonus. However, they didn't match the shade of my roots accurately. My roots were dyed one shade darker than the color of my hair so that's a bummer. The hair washing sinks feel kind of makeshift and are uncomfortable - but I didn't really go in thinking it would be a world-class salon so that's fair I guess. I don't know whether I'd go there again as I did feel that, although they charge low, the amount I paid essentially went to waste due to the mismatched roots. read more

I've been going to the Aveda Institute since they opened. I've gone nearly monthly for their facials. I've brought so many friends. I've referred SO many people to the school. I always gave a heads up. "They are students. Some are amazing. Some are good. Every once in a while, one is really lousy but that's rare". The last year or two, the service just SUCKS. The students are not as good as they used to be overall. Don't want to blame the generation but that could be part of it, but based on other issues, I think it's management. However, it truly does feel the Gen Z's really don't get customer service, and are annoyed at the prospect of learning basic customer service skills. Maybe that needs to be a course? It's strange. The Millennials are awesome IMO but the generation under them, I don't know how they didn't get taught the basics. I typically get the 90 minute facial, as it's relaxing. Lately, that 90 minute facial equals about 35-40 minutes if you're lucky. The wait times are extreme. The student need to get instructor, get product, then get instructor again, then product, etc. It never was like this before. The time spent laying there, waiting for someone to come back, not getting anything done is annoying. It's a waste of time. I finally said something and the instructor said they increased their class sizes and there is just 1 instructor. Well, that explains it. I know the students need the hours. I've been hesitant to post but it's really gotten worse. Also, the last time I went, I had an appointment on the books for weeks. 5 forward to it, planned my day around it since I moved from the neighborhood, and they said they didn't have a record of my appointment. I did make it! They made absolutely zero effort to make up for the inconvenience. I was so upset as I had an event, so I had to scramble to find another salon. So beware, unfortunately, of this place. Go in with low expectations, then maybe you'll be pleased if they have a good day. It's a total bummer as I've loved this place for so long. Management seems cheap and shortsighted which will have a ripple effect on their business long term. read more

I used to regularly get my hair cut here a few years ago but stopped coming because they frequently canceled on me last minute. I decided to give it another change by scheduling a facial on 3/25/25 for the 11th of April. I got a call 6 hours before the facial that I had been overbooked and my apt was canceled. I was not given any explanation on 1- how the over booking happened, 2- why it wasn't noticed till 6 hours before 3- why my overbooked apt was the one being canceled and not someone elses. They tried to offer me 30% off, what good does that do, particularly if they will just cancel on me again last minute. Very disappointed in the continued cancelations I have experienced over the years, particularly for the facial. I was really looking forward to the apt. read more

Really enjoyed my experience here at Douglas J Aveda Institute. The Douglas J Aveda Institute gives students the necessary hands on practical experience needed in order to succeed. I found the place pleasant. My hairstylist, Briana Gordon did such a fabulous job in washing my hair. She gave me a scalp massage and the shampoo smelled wonderful! Prior to styling my hair, she made sure I felt comfortable while sitting at her station. Briana requested her educator to give her feedback and guidance on how to cut a bob. Briana took the time to cut layers and asked for help when she had a question. After styling my hair, Briana called her educator to get feedback. The educator styled my hair by giving me a little trim in the back. I will definitely come back to get my hair trimmed again. read more

Douglas J Aveda Institute - I got my hair done at Douglas J Aveda Institute. Love the cut. - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My appointment was canceled because the student will be testing that day. The next available appointment for that student is April 2nd. That is unacceptable! I made this appointment over two weeks ago. I decided not to reschedule after talking to an employee. I guess she was in a mood. SHE SLAMMED THE PHONE DOWN, very professional. read more

I'm a regular teacher who sponsors student teachers often. So, I have no fear when it comes to visiting the Aveda institute because I know the stylists are still in their training process. No matter what, they're also supervised by their teachers and you'll still get a great service. That being said, appointments may run longer than traditional salons or spas, but the prices can't be beat. I've gotten hair cuts, all over color, and relaxation spa service. I've gone back many times and recommend to everyone. read more

I reviewed this place less than a year ago, mostly talking about how half of my appointments were canceled. Well, another 2/3 of my appointments were canceled again since my last review. They give no priority for rescheduling (or waitlists) if you have been canceled by them. It seems like an easy thing that can help. It looks like I haven't been the only one to feel this pain and yet nothing has been done and it's getting worse. read more

Cancelling appointments last minute - after the customer has commuted all the way there, then cancelling AGAIN is unacceptable. No solid solution was offered for actually receiving the service booked 3 months before. Very disappointing and frustrating that the staff does not try to work things out with customers well. read more

I had plenty of friends and family use Aveda institute schools early on. It was always popular to head to the school in lower Manhattan. Things are expensive. But Aveda does have consistency and quality in the teaching and products. Since the staff here is in training there is a nice discount for premium services. You have the instructor come in and check during the process. Usually just to refine shaping if needed. But I went from looking feral to handsome! Yay! I'm def heading back! read more

Douglas J Aveda Institute - Big improvement! - Hair Salons Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm giving 5 stars but don't come here and take my spot on their bookings ;) I've had really good experiences with the staff - the students and the teachers that overshadow their work. I have not left unhappy from a service here and I love the smell of Aveda products. The only complaint I have is the parking ticket didn't cover my full fare during my stay there. But that is not related to the work and experience in the Aveda school salon. I would go back! read more

I used to come here all the time for facials. I had a really stressful and upsetting month and booked a facial a month out online. Was raving about the past experiences to my friends and how excited I was. When I arrived early, the attendant said she couldn't find my reservation and that they're booked up for the day. I showed her my confirmation email and she replied we're having difficulties with online booking I guess. Overall a very upsetting day for me with zero empathy and no resolution. I generally don't care about things like this but sadly will not be back based on this. Also I paid for an Uber there and back for nothing. read more

Horrible scheduling. Piss poor management. They send last minute cancellations, they lose appointments, they attend to you late, then they have a no customer service skill to alleviate the issue. I'm 1-6 with getting then to schedule correctly or not cancel on me. The stylists are fine, if you can ever get in to see them. It's not worth the headache read more

I still love coming to this place for facials and hair coloring. I definitely recommend this place. The 90 minute facial is amazing and comes with a foot massage and hand/arm massage. read more

I used to love this salon... but the front-desk and scheduling quality has continued to decline at this school. 3 times in in the 12 months, I've had my appointment cancelled with short notice because of "scheduling conflicts". It then takes at least a month to be re-booked for a service. Grace, a front-desk associate, was extremely rude when I questioned their policies. I asked for a corporate number and she told me to "look it up myself.... she was busy". I have been pleased with the quality of the services.... but good luck getting (and remaining) scheduled. I would rate the quality of the services as a 5.... and the attitude and competency of the front desk as a 0. read more

Haircuts in Chicago can get quite expensive so upon a friend's suggestion I decided to visit the Aveda institute for a student haircut. It seems like typically the institute caters more towards women's haircuts, but the student working with me had no trouble doing a men's style with the help of her teacher. The overall haircut took around an hourish so make sure to budget your time accordingly if you do decide to come here. The experience also included a shampooing which was really soothing. I would definitely come back for another cut considering the attention to detail and the more affordable prices. read more

I went in wanting to donate my hair to Children With Hair Loss. I knew I needed 8 inches in order to donate and I knew I didn't want my hair to be too short. Lexi and her teacher measured my hair, showed me what could be done, and helped me with the decision. Eight inches gone and I love my new bob. Highly recommend Lexi and the Aveda Institute! read more

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I am so pleased by my services at the Aveda Institute! I was checked in quickly and the receptionist kindly checked my coat for me. After a few moments, Maxime came to grab me for my haircut. She did a great job listening to what I wanted and checked in with me before cutting my hair. She was really courteous and checked in often during the washing, cutting, and styling process. It didn't take very long before I was ready to get approval from her educator and I was ready to move on to my brow wax. Maxime also handled shaping my brows and again checked in often to make sure things were looking how I wanted. My brow wax was quick and virtually painless. My skin wasn't as red as it normally is after a wax, so she did a great job. Her instructor, Madeline, was so polite too. At check out, I picked up a few travel size products to try and recreate my blow dry at home. Checkout was quick and I was even given some extra samples to take home. Even with the products I bought, my haircut and wax at Aveda cost less than most places I looked in West Loop, so I give it 5 stars for the pricing, experience, and quality overall. read more

Update: I contacted Douglas J regarding my poor experience and their response was not satisfactory. Please please learn from my mistake and do not risk coming here for any services. I explained my situation and was met with the excuse that services are done by students and that I signed the waiver acknowledging that. Yes, I understand they are students but I expected some sort of standards to be set?! The service I received was basically a free for all. The student was absolutely not ready to perform any services on real clients, and there was not enough monitoring and oversight by the instructor. I have been to other institutes for hair services (so I know what to expect with students) and I have never had an experience this poor and so far out of expectation. Douglas J did offer me a refund (which is ok), but this absolutely does not make up for the extremely poor experience, as well as the additional hassle I had to go through to try to fix my hair. I had to pay $$$ to go to a professional salon to get my hair fixed. When the stylist looked at my hair, she commented that the cut I received was basically a mix between a bob and a mullet. WTF - this just further shows how there was zero standard set for students providing services to real clients and it's absolutely not acceptable. read more

Please please please do yourself a favor and go to a professional. I got a haircut by Angelica and I have so many regrets. She botched my haircut, it's so choppy and thin. I asked for a trim and over 2 inches were cut plus WAY too many layers and awful "face framing". They turned out like awful bangs. I have spent 2 years growing my hair out and now I'm going to have to go pay another professional to go fix it. It completely ruined my confidence, I will never go to students again. I know they need experience but at what cost to your self esteem?! My hair is ruined & it was so long and beautiful before. The bday pic is the weekend before. The three others are after- choppy and horrible. It looks like I have short hair with awful extensions. UPDATE: got my hair cut by a professional and based on what my hair looked like, she thought I had requested a wolf cut...which was 100% not what I requested or even remotely close. I just wanted a trim and ended up with every piece of my hair a different length. Please do not go here for the sake of your sanity. It truly feels like that was the first time she ever picked up a pair of scissors read more

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Aveda rectified the issue I had concerning scheduling. Thank you! This is a very affordable, high-touch hair salon and spa.

Are they okay? I had one good highlight appointment a year ago and have had 3-4 appointments canceled either the day before or 10 minutes before the appointment; Ive assumed I can't get in even if I wanted to. They've either not given a reason or once said that their student worker didn't come back after lunch. Front desk gives a flat apology and agreed to call me back in 10 minutes to reschedule (after they cancel other appts) and then never did. I called and left a voicemail asking for a management number but of course never heard back. The one time I was there, the student barely addressed me and then only talked with the instructor. read more

For the price and considering it is a school, this place is what you would expect. It was $18 for a haircut and blow out which is a great deal. My haircut looks nice and it was what I asked for, but my blowout wasn't the best. My hair was not fully dried, so I asked for my stylist to dry it more and it still wasn't dry after a second try. I understand that everyone here is learning, but I am able to blow dry my hair fully at home so I would expect the same in any salon. My appointment started 30+ minutes late which slightly frustrating, but I was prepared for a longer service/wait time as the stylists are still learning. For the price, this is a great place to come and I will be returning despite the little issues. read more

I have had a great stylist who served me for the past 8 years. Since she was no longer commissioned in the city, I gotta look for an alternative spot for a haircut and color retouch. I didn't want to commit to anyone and didn't want to pay a fortune to get my hair done with someone new, so I consulted Yelp for what I was looking for. "Douglas J. Aveda Institute" seemed to be a good fit . I also was able to make an appointment online pretty easily. The front of the salon was more of a retail shop. Everyone was professional at the check-in. The young lady I spoke to also took my coat and accessories to put away. Overall, the impression in the beginning was positive and I received a good customer service. I wouldn't say the overall experience with my haircut and color retouch was negative. It just wanted to point out that it was interesting. How so? There were 2 students who were assigned to me. One was a novice, while the other was more at a senior level. The consultation took longer since there were many explanations made to make sure the novice student understand the process and execution. The senior student took the lead and showed the way around when they were performing the color retouch. However, the novice student had to leave due to a personal/medical reason. Although he apologized for his early departure, there were many students hanging around and talking about him (not in a bad way though) in regard of his medical conditions. I knew these students were young and they were just being themselves. I personally didn't have problems with them being who they were. Nevertheless, when paying patrons were there sitting and could hear conversations, non-work related conversations should cease or took them elsewhere in a more private setting. I was ok with the haircut. I could have rendered a lower rating here, yet the senior student did his best. I had short hair with thick layers. I thought it was more a learning experience for him. I probably would have to get another haircut in about 2 months. For the price I paid, in comparison to the price I have paid in the past, I had no complaints whatsoever. On the other hand, the color retouch turned out fine. I decided not to name the students I worked with because I wanted to emphasize that this was not meant to be a negative review. We all had times that we were grasping knowledge and figuring things out. The instructors were there available for questions. Did I lower my standard? Was I being too nice? I wouldn't comment further and I would let you be the judge. I might be back to give another student a try. read more

I've always loved this place, but since 2024 they keep rescheduling/canceling my appointments without asking me first. When they originally changed my time by 15min, I was okay, so I called them and told them just not to cancel. They did say they wouldn't cancel without asking. However, a few weeks later, they just sent me a text saying that they canceled. I called again to keep my schedule but they said there was no availability anymore, which makes zero sense. read more

I created a yelp account just to leave a review for this place. I went in a couple times, once for a haircut, once for a brow wax. Both were basic appointments and I liked the work the student did. My issue is with the booking. I scheduled a balayage appointment, and it got canceled 3 separate times over the course of 2 months. They don't make any attempt to reschedule it with you, and they often don't let you know it's being canceled until less than a week beforehand. Because it's so last minute, there isn't any availability to reschedule it yourself until almost a month later. I even went in to complain about this, and they said they would put me on a continuing waitlist. But when a new appointment became available, the link to book would claim the spot had already been taken, even though several times I clicked within the minute of getting the notification. I just wanted my hair to look nice for my birthday and thought I had left plenty of time (several months!!). I strongly do not recommend this place. The prices look great, but it's not worth trying endlessly to nail down a time and getting no help at all. Very frustrated and disappointed read more

I will never ever go here again. My student stylist, Bella, was rude from the start of our appointment. She was clearly in a bad mood and had zero interest in doing my hair. I asked for a balayage and a gray tone to help blend my gray roots. I'm trying to grow my gray hair out. She rudely told me that what I actually needed was all over dye and that she could feather the dye into my roots to blend. I decided to go with her recommendation and oh boy do I regret that decision. She was going to color match my roots which are gray and light ashy brown. What she actually did was put a bunch of black dye on my hair and leave me sitting there for over an hour with the dye on my head (and face and neck which are now stained). She didn't explain how long the dye needed to sit, she just left. Hours later, I left with a crazy line of color around my head. See photos. I cannot believe how bad it was. I mentioned to the instructor who checked it that it seemed a little dark. She just said, well when you come back I'd recommend going a few shades lighter on the color of dye. Umm, okay...but are you not seeing this? Cut to when I got home and saw how epically bad my hair was in natural light. I called to see if they could fix it, but they didn't have appointments available all week and wouldn't make time for me. I could not walk around the world for weeks like this so I went out and bought dye remover and have been washing my hair over and over to try and get this permanent dye out that looks nothing like my natural color. It's bad and it's not coming out. Don't go here. You'll regret it. I certainly did. Oh, side note. Since they couldn't fit me into their schedule to fix their mistake, I asked for a refund. The response was this: "our policy on refunds is that if we issue you one, you are never allowed to return for services ever again." Yeah, no problem, I won't be returning ever again. read more

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I'm a big fan of student Aveda salons and used to love going to the one in SF. The one in Chicago didn't disappoint - had a great haircut by one of the stylists - actually, she helped fix a really bad haircut just 7 weeks earlier. Highly recommend - and the price is unbeatable for the service read more

Enjoy getting an amazing haircut! Friendly staff, students, & instructors. Love the selection of hair products too.

I came here again for a relaxer touchup, the first I'd had since the FRIGID Feb 1. I had to make it at 8PM 2-3 weeks out. The reception guy informed me I may have an audience, as relaxers are not common, but I had Marie K. all to myself. She has, well, similar hair to mine, let's say, and was used to doing relaxers. I felt good about that but was still glad to have Petra stop by now and then. I got a cut, blow dry and flat iron. Marie was personable and had a good touch (not too firm or timid). It was pretty busy that night too. I don't remember the last time I was in a salon SO late in the day, but having the option is good since the area is not too 'dodgy'. read more

I've always had a good experience at Douglas J for haircuts and facials, but like other reviewers, I have not been able to enjoy their services as they are constantly canceling my appointments. When you call after a cancellation, there is generally no apology and their next available appointment is weeks out. I hope they are able to improve their appointment reliability but in the meantime, I will be booking elsewhere. read more