Today was my first appointment at Empire and I enthusiastically endorse the experience. A young lady took great care of my needs, listening with intent. I had a full color with added highlights. She answered my questions with knowledge and courtesy. Her name is Faith. What a lovely, relaxing morning! read more

Well. Ive been there many times for different services. I've gotten my hair cut, highlighted, a facial, nails and a special scalp conditioning. Now, I have to say we go there knowing these are students who are still learning. That's why it's cheap. I've had a couple good experiences but, mostly not up to par. Oh, I forgot I also had my makeup done for my daughter's wedding. That was a disaster! The girl made me look like a drag queen and it took her forever to do! When I got in the car I wiped as much as I could off and fixed it the best I could. My eyebrows were SO thick! The eye liner very bold and heavy. Another one of the girls cut my hair and styled it. She did a fantastic job. When I had my nails done, right when I got home I noticed the polish was pealing off on the nail. I just picked it all off. The facial, not great. I'm not real picky about color, so when they do my highlights I just except it isn't going to be like going to a high scale salon. The last hair cut I had there was horrible! After showing the girl some examples of the cut I wanted she seemed very nervous. Basically I just wanted the bottom trimmed and my head layered. She cut straight across at the bottom of my hair about 2 inches up from the ends not blending it. Then she was done. I started to say no I wanted it layered all over but she seemed so frazzled that I decided I didn't want her touching the rest of my hair. When you do go there, plan on being there for hours! It takes them super long as opposed to going to a salon. Everytime I've been there for a hair service the teacher has to come check the cut or color when it's finished. However, that last hair cut I got the girl just took the smock off and said I could pay. I don't think she wanted the teacher to see the end product. And I had a black outfit on and there was SO much hair all over it. She didn't even apologize. One more thing I've noticed is that when you go to a salon the hairdresser will make small conversation or ask you questions about your hair. How you like it styled and so fourth. If you want them to talk to you, don't expect that to happen. They don't talk very much. So, the hospitality should be taught as something you should try to do. I always give tips no matter the service. After all as I said before, these are students trying to learn. But if you don't want to be practiced on maybe just pay extra and go to a professional. read more

Hey I received a great hair do by Bidata Aurung She was kind and very pleasant with me. Thank you Bidata!!! read more

if I could give zero stars I would. My daughter went in for a trim and the student went ahead and cut off 6 inches after saying she would keep the length. when my daughter started to cry, she was kicked out by the teacher overseeing the students. Absolutely inappropriate response from the teacher. and of course she was still charged full price. read more

Jade did a great job on my hair cut. Highly recommend. The price was right and the service was fast.

Love Empire!!! Yes, there are senior students that have to learn, yes they must learn on some people!!Yes do I love this place...ABSOLUTELY!!! I have gad facials there, pedis,and many,many haircuts!!! Live all the students in there!! Thank you all for what you do!!!! read more

orientation today was amazing! I am so excited to start this journey. Thank you miss Nana.

This school and all the people in it made it such a welcoming place and a great environment to join!

I had my first experience here tonight with Cheyenne and I couldn't be happier! She did a great job with my color and a wonderful job with the blowout. She was very professional, confident, personable. Her instructor was super patient and was a great teacher to her. I would recommend both Cheyenne and Empire to anyone. Thank you. read more

I recently attended a girls night out and one of the things that was planned for us was pedicures. I didn't do any of the planning and since we are all on a budget Empire was chosen. The Lancaster School of Cosmetology was our first choice honestly, but because they don't take appointments and their timing didn't fit our schedules Empire it was. Being a fan of Lancaster School of Cosmetology myself as I frequent them often and it had been many, many years, possibly a decade or more since I used Empire's studio services. I did like that they took appointments but they were late (7 pm) and when we arrived an hour early they didn't have any students to work on us since they weren't there yet. Unlike LSC we were taken right back and there's often a long lag for the students to get organized over there. Empire was cleaner and much quieter as well, and overall had a more professional feel. I don't know what all they offered but would assume the two schools offer the same services. Empire had a bundle deal for a mani/pedi but given the time myself and another girl in our group decided to just get pedicures because of the time even though we were booked for both. I was surprised that the students had to furnish all their own supplies so there was alot of sharing items, as well as a severe lack of choices when it came to colors. They pulled their polish colors together and tops there was maybe 5 to choose from, which was a bit of a disappointment. The students however did do a nice job and were professional and let us talk and have our night out. I can't say the pedicure was an exceptional experience and there was a few things that LSC does that the Empire students didn't, Their prices however were very high. $15 for a basic pedicure that you can get at LSC for $10, or with a coupon (that's always available) to take it down to $8. Since the end result was basically the same (painted toes) and budget is very important to me I will continue to frequent LSC. However on those days were time is a factor Empire is a nice option. read more

This school is filled with talented students who take their time to help you feel your best. Prices are cheap and they take appointments.

I had a wonderful stylist student named Becky. She was very professional. I will be going back to see her again. I really wish I could give 5 stars to her, but her classmates were a whole other story! There were many students in the area that we were in. The other students were rude. They actually had the nerve to say that the hairstyle I was requesting went out of style years ago. Becky did help by saying that it is a cute hairstyle. Then, she was doing my hair and her classmates said to her that they're going to make her cry today. WOW! That is SO UNPROFESSIONAL! There were girls walking around and Becky had to stop at one point and tell someone not to bump her since they were just walking around gossiping about each other and not paying attention. Then, one of the other girls started swearing in front of me. Okay, I understand everyone gets frustrated at times, but this was just wrong! Their professionalism REALLY needs work. I doubt that the other classmates will be hired by salons if that is how they act! read more

This place is great! So many talented students. All so friendly and have great conversations!

Brittany has done my hair twice, the first time pretty much a "makeover", because my hair was very long and I was wanting to get a "bob" length haircut. I showed her a pic of what I had in mind. After 3 1/2 hours, because my hair is known to be uncooperative and she took her time not rushing through and just chopping it like a lot of stylists tend to do, she nailed it. I was very pleased with it, and it was pretty much what I wanted and it got numerous likes on FB, which made it all the more worth it. She is very sweet, patient and very understanding of clients' specific needs. I plan on bringing my son in next month and start getting his hair done by her too. read more

I go to Empire and I love it there. Prices are crazy cheap because we ARE students learning to cut, style, pedicures, manicures, waxing, make-up and coloring... BUT we have our teachers there to check our work, and answer questions if we need them. The Staff is nice and for the most part everyone is kind and patient. As a salon there are plenty of things to get done, and plenty of product to choose from to help create the style you had when you walk out of the salon. Sometimes there are mistakes... because we ARE still learning... but usually they can be fixed. :) As a School, I am only in the classroom right now, but the teacher I have is wonderful. She is very kind and patient. She explains things really well, and everyone works with you to make sure you get in, and get the most out of your schooling! read more

kind of you get what u pay for. sure its really really cheap but b/c they r still training they mite do what they did to me which was wax my eyebrows wayyyy too thin and give me a bad dye job. the hair cut was really cute but my hair had roots and then dyed part n i guess it was too complicated. they prob dyed it all the same time so it came out looking like half one color on top and half another on the bottom-very bad. i had to go get it fixed somewhere else. hair cut ok-other stuff i'd be careful. it also isn't super professional bc they are all young they make jokes about customers. read more

If your serious about a career in cosmetology do not waste your time here but if it's just a hobby for you and you have money to waste go for it... Half of the teachers don't have a clue it's the blind leading the blind save your self the money and time... don't don't don't don't believe the hype read more

Called ahead to see if they could give me a pedicure today and asked what time I'd need to be there in order to get a pedicure. I was told that if I got there by 2:30, I'd be able to get a pedicure before they close. Got there at 1:30, and asked about the wait. Lady at the desk said she'd have to check with the "teacher". This person had no idea what was going on, she told the desk lady that there would be no way that I could have someone to do my nails, but the desk lady never updated me. So I waited for 15 mins while the girls at the desk ignored me. I just left. For five dollars more, I could get a pedicure from a real nail salon in a timely manner. Never going back there again. read more

Went in for a perm, I obviously should have known better on something so permanent (and possibly damaging to my hair). The student that I got was really nice, dressed a little alternative but still quite cute and acceptable for the profession, she also behaved professionally. She was graduating within the next week but was not confident about doing a perm (I guess they may not get many requests!) I showed some pictures of what I was looking for and explained that my hair is naturally curly, I just want a more unified look and hoped for a more "get up and go" style. My stylist spoke to one of the teachers (or maybe just a helper?) and came up with a plan. Then what must have been the lead teacher came past and the stylist double checked with her as well. She didn't take more than 30 seconds to ask what I was looking for before declaring that what the stylist and other teacher/helper had decided was wrong. She fairly snidely responded that my hair was thin/fine and wouldn't hold the curl more than a week. I figured I'm not a professional stylist so who am I to say otherwise but I did pipe up and say that I don't want to look like Curly Sue or a poodle. I wanted a larger/more "gentle" looking curl. The teacher ignored my comment, took the student to get smaller rods and that was that. Skip over the next however long it look to do the actual curling and processing, the stylists takes the rods out and washes my hair and I knew right away the stinkin rods had been far too small. I look like a poodle. I try to be gracious, since it's not the stylists fault.. she was following what her instructor told her to do. After the initial help from the lead teacher no one stopped to check back in. Not during the processing, not after taking the rods out, not after it was drying. I wasn't even checked before paying and leaving. Moral learned: do not trust your hair to Empire, these stylists are just learning and the teachers either don't care or are not attentive enough. (Maybe it's a case of "those who can't, teach"?) As if my new poodle 'do isn't bad enough, I also got a mani/pedi while there. Talk about a complete joke. There isn't really a proper pedicure station/area. The girls have to balance on little stools with your feet resting on their legs. Completely uncomfortable, both physically and in the sense that I'm putting my feet all over someone. Gag. The students appear to supply their own polishes, which was ridiculous and then to top it off the school charges $15. I could have done an at-home girls night if that's what i was looking for and it would have cost less than $15... even with new polish and wine! The atmosphere was.....different. I realize these stylists are in school and just learning but it wasn't a professional atmosphere at all. A potential student was being given a tour while i was there and i heard the lady tell them that the dress code was black and white. A quick scan of the room indicated that no one really took that seriously. Apparently she picked-up on this lack of commitment to that policy and followed by saying that students could earn the right to wear other colors as well. Some of the girls were dressed quite sloppily, one was even wearing slippers. Like, ugly, furry house slippers. What is that teaching the students about abiding by a company's policies and making a good impression? You aren't going to get hired or find clients by going into work wearing slippers. One of the stylists was being incredibly obnoxious, just overly loud and commenting about everything others were doing/saying. Even rudely telling her client that what she wants won't work. I get it, it's probably annoying that the lady didn't realize that she can't walk in with jet black hair and what out a platinum blonde all in one sitting. Not addressing the customer service aspect of the job with the students must be a huge issue with Empire from what I saw that day. There's a proper way to broach the "this isn't possible" talk and that surely wasn't it. The ending to an otherwise poorly spent day was one of the stylists bringing their small son in to visit everyone. Sounds cute, right? It wasn't. This kid was on a sugar high and was so loud and all over the place. My stylist had to go over and ask them to quite down because another student was doing a relaxing facial and this kid could be heard throughout the whole building. As I was leaving the little angel ran directly into me, since neither he nor his parent were paying any attention to anyone else around them while blocking the doorway. If you need a haircut and aren't super picky you will probably be fine. If you want a chemical process and are trying to save some money, you're doing yourself a disservice. Just save up some more cash and go to a real salon with stylists who have the work experience and can give you what you're looking for. read more

I went there and this lady took way too long on my hair... She messed up pretty badly and she always called her boss for assistance..

I, as a graduate from Empire, would recommend anyone to go! Everyone does really good work, the students and educators are AWESOME, and if you have any questions about anything just ask and someone will be willing to help out! All products are Professional, and if you need to know how to use it, everything will be explained! Prices are the lowest around! read more