I had a great experience. I made an appointment with Kara to have lowlights done. She was amazing! Kara added just enough lowlights to add dimension & depth to my hair. Kara also trimmed and styled my hair. She was so nice. Making sure I was comfortable and happy. Thank you so much Kara! I will definitely be making my next appointment with you. read more

I found this place through a recent Yelp event, and decided it was time to give it a shot. I wanted to get a facial, and have had luck with school salons before. I booked my appointment, and made it in this morning. When you walk in, it's like every other salon and presents a professional appearance, which I liked. Everyone here's a student, and is supervised by a teacher while doing their stuff. I signed in and the girl walked me back to the spa room to prepare me for my facial. I really enjoyed my experience. I was there for about 2 hours total, and the experience was wonderful! Very relaxing. I got a good steam, masks, and a massage as well. the only thing I didn't get was extractions, since I have a whitehead on my face. LOL. I asked her about it and she said that they aren't trained in those tools yet, but if I made an appointment, I could get an instructor to do it for me. I kind of wish she would have just grabbed the instructor and had her do it then so I wouldn't have to make a second trip. I will be back in the future! read more

let this school be the last resort for your education. i recommend getting online training before attending here. if you by chance enroll into this school...try it for a week or two and then drop it to save yourself grief and financial loss. read more

Since my bad experience in January, I have been contacted by the school's manager, and they have done everything they possibly can to make up for the situation! I recently returned to have a mani/pedi. The student I worked with was AMAZING and immensely talented. The instructor was both attentive and supportive. The salon manager even came by to apologize in person for my bad experience and make sure that I knew they were taking it as a learning opportunity. I appreciated their strives to make the bad situation better. And I will be returning again for more nail art :) read more

This is the absolute best place to get a new hair color, relax with a facial, or get a manicure! Every service I've gotten here has exceeded my expectations and I've loved every minute of it. This academy is incredible and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a school to attend or go to get a service done. My best friend and I went blonde together, and it was such a fun experience. read more

I've had three services done at L'esprit: a pedicure, an eyebrow waxing, and yesterday I had my hair colored. I walked away with a good feeling about my services and knowing I wanted to write them up on yelp! (I met the folks from L'esprit at a yelp event, actually!) But I wanted to start by mentioning that when using a school for treatments like these, there's a couple things to keep in mind: 1. You will not be in and out. Which is fine. It's a school and whatever the students are up to - you are their project. They're going to take their time. It doesn't bother me, but I'm pretty low key about these things. 2. You are going to be serviced by a student. This means they're new. Again, doesn't bother me, and the instructors are VERY good to give feedback and guide your services experience. But they don't have everything down. Your hair might get tugged. They might get a little sloppy, as they don't have the muscle memory yet. It takes time and you're helping them with that. (P.S. if you're getting your hair washed, remember to wear clothing that can get wet - it's bound to happen here or anywhere else!) 3. It's more about work and less about pampering. If you're high maintenance, maybe go somewhere else. I was offered a cup of water and everyone was very nice... but they're a school. Over my shoulder I was listening to an instructor talk about finger nails and the different types of medical issues that can befall them. Gross to some! But I totally enjoyed it AND it made me respect the staff so much more because I knew exactly what they were teaching their students. (I don't think they knew I was listening.) OKAY SO. To the review part. I really enjoyed my time here. I typically don't treat myself to stuff like this and dye my hair at home. But the price is right and I like the idea of helping someone learn. They're very clear with the paperwork about what you've gotten yourself into. I've gone to a couple other beauty services schools around town. Some were nice, but I'd probably consider them more for a spa day OR on the flip side they were a crazy circus. When I've visited L'esprit, they were nice and low key. When I went to get my hair done yesterday, they were very careful about helping pick a color, which I appreciated. Because as I said, I don't do this much! When they started mixing the hair color, they let me know that I had a bunch of hair and odds are they'd need extra color (which I did) and that it's $10 extra for that. They let me know pretty upfront and I was fine with it. I do have long-ish hair and we used every bit of the goop to color it. And then, drum roll, my hair looks great! When my eyebrows were done they looked good and save a little sticky gunk leftover, were totally professional. My toes looked fine, too. My hair was done with an appointment, my eyebrows and toes they took me as a walk-in. I had to wait only a half hour. SO if you have some time (3+ hours for my long hair to be dyed) I'd give them a shot. At this point I haven't had any styling done there, but I'd trust them to do it. Oh - and one more thing. If you get someone you like, odds are they might not be around next time. L'esprit is apparently a serious business program that is somewhat accelerated. Happy primping! read more

I was very upset with my esthetics program at Lesprit in royal oak. It was a frustrating experience. I started on January 3rd and had a teacher for about two months and then she quit along with 2 other teachers in the same week. After she left we didn't have a licensed esthetician teacher or teacher at all and I graduated may 11th. My class made numerous complaints to the CEOs Stacy and Ross, who when we complained would have a meeting with us and promise us all this stuff and extra classes which we never even got! I never even learned how to do a lash lift when we asked for two months for a demo!!! Stacy promised us books that we never got only online, we didn't even have magnifying lamps that worked until we complained! Outlets would go out so when we would use the steamers at once they would constantly shut off. After the second meeting we had I haven't seen them since and that was months ago, they are never around. They keep having new students coming in but NO teachers! We had a group join our class who were brand new and we all were at different levels so it was hard for our teacher at the time before she quit to teach both of the classes together. Lori who is under the CEOs only comes in to spy and worries about all the wrong things! We were told we could wear all black bc when we started we only got ONE Lesprit shirt to wear for 5 days of the week and she tried to check us a week before we graduated that we were all out of dress code! She should be worried about us not learning our lash lift demo or the fact that we haven't had a teacher to learn from! She also takes numerous smoke breaks outside the building which I find very disgusting and not professional at all and doesn't wash her hands when returning! I've noticed that. My class was a class wanting to learn, we shouldn't have to beg to learn things. Or how about we did ONE walk through of State Boards with a cosmetic teacher Holly a week before we graduated and that's all we got. When holly came here she helped us get in order and fixed things, our hours were not up to date or our MPAs that we needed to graduate. Every progress report I got all said something different on it. The CEOs daughter Chloe isn't licensed in make up and somehow wants to do these make up demos creating avatar or zombies which is cool but I never even learned how to do basic make up looks. We got a terrible make up kit from Crylon. The kit came with fake blood and hair, none of us were interested in theoretical make up at all. The foundation in the kit doesn't look good on African American skin, it looks white and ashy and we tried to explain that we couldn't use the kit on everyone and got ignored. Also the cosmetology students went over a week without a teacher bc she quit the same week our teacher quit and the other esthetician teacher too. So we were left with Sonya who used to sit at the front desk and be disrespectful. I lost all respect for her when she constantly picked on this girl in my class for the clothes she wore bc her black leggings had a line of sparkles on the side and told her "she can take her little ass to Walmart and buy a pair of black leggings" bc that's not all black. And also told her she was going to rip off her black hoodie with white writing on it bc our hoodies couldn't have words on them. She would also lock up the tools and supplies away from us so we didn't use 1/2 the supplies bc we were unaware we had it until holly organized and brought things out for us to use. I was extremely happy to get out of there! When people would do tours my class was very honest with the students and we would tell them to look into other schools and don't waste their time here. This place is a joke and if I could get my money back i would! This school is not worth 11k especially for someone like me who pays out of pocket and has to work full time! It sucks bc girls in my class have been upset to the point of tears bc of how frustrating it was for us, the only reason we survived was bc of how close my class was. I hope this school gets better, bc if it wasn't for my class constant complaining we wouldn't have gotten even some what of the experience we did. We basically learned off each other and YouTube which is sad and sucks. I'm terrified for state boards and they never helped us sign up so just a week ago is when I finally registered when it should have been done while I was at school! I am no where near ready and I am terrified to take this test! Do not go here! read more

I completed the Esthetics program at L'Esprit last May, and it was one of the best decisions I've made in my life. I'm finally working in a career I love and after passing my State Boards with flying colors, I felt confident and ready to start working in my field. I gave four Yelp stars because there are some imperfections with the way the business part of the school is run, for example the exit portion upon completion of the program. However my teacher Kate gets a 5 star rating from me. She is the reason I felt prepared, and empowered starting out in this industry. The knowledge she gained from years of experience in the Beauty field and working in Medi-Spas is what allowed me to learn information that wasn't necessarily learned from the Milady book. She was always there to answer as many questions as we wanted to ask, and she patiently and professionally answered them all for us. If she didn't know the answer, she'd help us find it. I have met many other women in the Esthetics field now that I'm working, and not many people had great things to say about their program. I'm happy to be able to say I had a great experience! read more

I'm new to the area and needed my hair done at the last minute. I decided to go here on a whim. I have long thick textured hair. I have never had my hair done by a non African American stylist before. I was hesitant but gave it a shot. Cheyenne did an awesome job and she was pleasant the whole time. She was out of her comfort zone but she pushed through and succeeded. She is a gem. The salon is nicely decorated and everyone there was pleasant and welcoming. read more

I graduated from L'esprit Royal Oak and went on to obtain my esthetics license. I am now in a great entry level position as an esthetician working witb Dermalogica products. My experience in class with my instructor (Kate) was great. Any time one of the other instructors worked with us (which was rare) we definitely learned from them as well. All my skin care questions were always answered incredibly thoroughly. Hands on ways of learning were progressive and fun. The instructors made sure if anyone needed extra help they were accommodated which was really admirable. Sally (one of the owners) was so encouraging and open to helping any way she could. I really appreciated the chats we had. The one star I left off was for administration issues (everywhere has them). Attending school to become an esthetician has been a great step forward for me and I think whatever path you decide (hair, skin or nails), will be yours too! read more

Needed a quick fringe trim and saw that they take walk-ins. Was escorted in by one of the instructors and promptly seated with one of the students. The teacher and student worked together and the outcome was lovely! Very happy with my bangs and can't believe I walked out with such great work for $4 (including tip). Definitely will go back! The only reason that I didn't give five stars is because of what I observed outside. There was a student napping on the couch in the waiting area as I walked by the front window. Luckily I ran across the teacher taking trash out and asked if they were able to do a trim. The instructor rustled the student to move when taking me to the waiting area. Seeing that almost put me off from coming in. read more

Worst experience of my life! Very racist owner and staff, any black students with an opinions or complaint is labeled "aggressive" ... I have recordings of me whispering to the owner and she is constantly calling me combative. Owner makes multiple remarks about multiple student's mental health which is offensive being she is not clinically licensed to diagnose. Staff does not follow policy but manipulates the wording to their best interest which is not the best interest of the students. Staff is ran with a "do what I say" attitude. No suggestions/complaints are acknowledged. No grievances are valid or followed through on. Owner refers to students as "victims". Instead of catering to students, being the school is inherited from her parents she is only concerned about attendance - NOT CURRICULUM - as attendance gets federal funding (FAFSA & Pell Grants) to pay for student's tuition which increases their attendance each quarter. Flexibility for part times student was made a strain. Per the handbook you can't make up hours until you've reached 150 hours, then per the Owner/CEO you can...then student were told make up hours could not be completed if they had a client they were working on. So, unless you were profiting the school you couldn't received you're make up hours, that you were entitled to when you enrolled? Appointments were scheduled per your likeness from staff. MPAs were never signed off, now all of a sudden to hinder a student it's required. As a student you're pretty much winging it! When you're conducting a facial you should be completing a skin analysis and a client card to know what the person used the previous time, what worked, what didn't, etc. Never did we ever! Every person's skin in my class was horrific, no exaggeration. Student were getting facials every other day with no true knowledge. All the tests are directly from Quizlets.com, verbatim, staff puts no effort into the education! CEO is a complete train wreck, along with the Academy Director who last I checked wasn't listed as the Director in the handbook, and is more like a "yes woman" and lap dog. Owner supposedly had a salon which was unsuccessful, and her behavior and mannerism could've contributed. Never had an adequate amount of tools to perform services. Nuts and Bolts was an inconsistent part of the curriculum for $1000 and slightly worthless. Hours were tweaked (100s given to some to help with graduation rates), yet staff insist there's no way for your hours to be accessed whenever you have a discrepancy. Social security numbers were displayed on the computer monitors near the time clock, on multiple occassions. My final exam was in the office for a week before my withdrawal and never graded - still to this day. Took school two months to complete my departure documents and probably wouldn't have sent my remaining balance until I contacted them. Just a complete mess. If you don't have any experience, you're not getting it here. Go to Michigan College of Beauty of David Presley. The school expected student to clean bathrooms and do laundry (per the Aveda lawsuit that would make you an employee - and you should be compensated). There were cosmetology students there for 2 yrs whose name they didn't know - nor what program they were in. How crazy is that? And no - they don't do good facials, hairstyling or nail care. A complete disgrace. Canton may be better than Royal Oak, but both locations have their flaws. Between the physical altercations and the students at fault remaining, students being detained on school property, the water being flung, false accusations, staff ganging up on students and harassing them, the instructor's porn videos being passed around, instructor's being accused of sexual assault, instructors with NO INSTRUCTOR'S LICENSE and Stacy (the owner) turning the blind eye and not following through on annnnnyyyyyything - instead making you the problem is a problem. Do yourself a favor and attend a different institution. *Read all reviews, thoroughly. All complaints are very similar from employees (on Indeed and other job sites) and students.* MULTIPLE students and former employees have recordings, photographs, video footage and documentation of these facts. read more

I cannot express how much I love coming here. I have had so many issues in the past with my hair, and the L'esprit team restored my confidence in myself. Since coming to L'esprit my hair has gotten immensely healthier. I ALWAYS recommend L'esprit to my friends and family. The students are all so passionate about what they do and really enjoy learning and trying new things. Not to mention the students do not seem like students, rather, they are professionals! L'esprit is such an amazing facility and i can not wait to come back. Thank you for making me more confident in myself L'esprit! read more

I have nothing but AMAZING things to say about the talent and leadership of this establishment. I guaranteed you will have a great experience and it will leave you counting the days till your next appointment. Overall very clean, trustworthy and inviting environment!!! read more

I've only gotten hair cuts here and they've went great! To start off, my hair is pretty manageable and I'm a pretty patient person in general. If you go in knowing you're working with students, you'll enjoy the experience more. They really put in a lot of effort for a good cut and seem pretty quick to ask an instructor for help before doing something their unsure of. Given that, too, the instructors check off before you leave so you won't ever leave with something messed up! Prices are great since it's a school. You definitely get more out of it than what you pay for! My only issue that I took a star off for is that it can take a very long time. So just be aware and plan ahead. read more

I come here all the time. Yes, I know its a beauty school so do not expect to have the best haircut ever or for it to be quick. I have only had good experiences, even when a student cut my bangs, the instructor helped out . I am giving four stars,only since sometimes they are short on staff or they may run a bit behind even if you make an appointment. The school is well kept up . I have had an eyebrow wax here and makeup application . I recommend it over Aveda and other beauty schools. Its also a great spot for a manicure..make an appointment ! read more

I would give 0 stars if I could. I made an appointment early in the week for this Saturday at noon and even confirmed it yesterday. I get a call this morning that the student called off and they could not fit me in. Really, seriously? They said they were sorry and understood my frustration which I doubt as I have an important event tonight and now have to scramble to find somewhere to get my hair done. I have been coming for years but no more. read more

I had a GREAT experience at the salon last night! I was a bit nervous since it has been about 2 years since I last had my hair cut or coloured. I walked in expecting to make an appointment for the following day and they decided to squeeze me in that night. I was lucky to have Audrina as my stylist and she did an AWESOME job. The consultation was great! We talked for a bit about what I was looking for and how we could go about getting the right color and cut - super helpful and patient. The instructor, Christine (sp?) was also insanely helpful and made sure everything was in order. I know I gave Audrina a workout with my massive amount of hair and she did a great job with the blowout as well - even though she had to stay late! Thank you so much - I love my hair!! read more

"Reinventing" cosmetology school is an understatement. L'esprit succeeded in completely crushing my hopes and expectations. Classes were not as advertised, myself and almost my entire class never received many lessons we were promised in order to train us to be a professional cosmetologist. L'esprit has lots of trouble keeping employees, as it is a toxic atmosphere. I still have yet to be given my DIPLOMA, even though I graduated and got my license back in 2015. STUDENTS BEWARE, the Royal Oak campus needs a lot of work. Not to mention you will be in a tiny class because they just can't seem to attract any new student (HMMMMM... I wonder why). Don't waste your time and hard earned money, try a better school. read more

I visit Megan for a blowout once a week. She is amazing. For the $10 price there is no other place in RO who can beat that.

I love this place, they do shellac and have the awesome foot spas My peddy included the hot towel wrap and the sugar scrub for my calves. The place looks just like a swanky spa/ salon and students are very professional read more

I had an amazing time! This was my second time here and my second time getting a facial. Everyone was very professional and kind, and it truly feels as though you're in a professional salon, not in an academy! read more

Not good as all the stylist are students. If that's OK them go there but don't go for anything special. The haircut will be luck of the draw. People are nice though. read more

I absolutely love this place! Great service. Wonderful staff and students. Every student I had did an amazing job. I had two girls blow out my hair, amazing. I had one girl do a beautiful braid, she was my favorite. I also got highlights by one girl. Although she did take a long time to do it, she did a perfect job. It turned out beautiful. One student really stood out. She did an exceptionally great job. The only reason I am not giving a 5 star rating is because they cancelled my past 3 appointments on me. I hope it doesn't happen again. Otherwise, I love this place and have nothing but good things to say about it! Looking forward to coming back soon! read more

I have been to three area schools and this is my fourth and I am impressed. Clean, real equipment and polite and helpful staff. Reasonable prices and good service. The products used are top quality. I'm only sad that I didn't schedule any services for myself. I will be back. read more

Very poorly organized & structured school. Lacks proper oversight & delegation. Lacks follow up. Lacks fundamental aspects of an educational facility. Student concerns are not effectively addressed. Staff does utilize proper resources or networking to give students the best. Not a single person in a functional position to give a student what is actually promised in the catalog/contract when registering for programs in the entire facility. The instructor I had was a total mess. Ridiculous. Child like. Not clean. Not professional, with regard to student interaction or appearance, overall sloppy & gross, dirty at times. Didnt actually teach anything, literally not a single lecture or proper demonstration. Never followed proper sanitation or safety protocol. Had to advocate for my own educational needs as opposed to the EDUCATION being given. Instructors and certain administrators seemed to be there more to hang out & socialize than to run a business, let alone opererate a functioning EDUCATIONAL Institution. Sad. Disgraceful to the beauty industry as a whole. read more

I love L'esprit! I had a great color experience. I tried extensions for the first time and to be honest, there was a slight issue. To be fair, what did I expect having a new student putting them in for the first time. The problems was taken care of and they bent over backward to make it right. This is a great low cost way to look fabulous and the people there are very nice. The instructors are always in view (unlike another school I went to) and the students all seem to enjoy being there. It is a clean a professional environment. I met the Manager Lori (a sweetheart) and Stacey, a stylish and first class owner. I will definitely go back. Also I had a great facial on another visit and it was amazing. Best of all they know what they are doing and they use quality products! read more

I have been to L'esprit three times now this year and have had a great experience every time! I have received cuts and colors and every time they have turned out great. Of course, Coming here is always a gamble and a little risky as you will always get someone new...but so far so good! I never have a problem making an appoint, the salon is big and clean and never crowded, and they are very friendly. An experienced hair dresser/teacher also is there to assist the student before during and after to make sure everything is going smooth. Granted, because they are students, it takes a little longer than going to a regular salon with experienced stylists. But as long as you don't need to be out in a hurry it's not that bad! the best part is the prices...I stopped getting my hair done because it was costing me 120+ every time I wanted a simple color and trim and I could not keep up! I just went the other day and spend 40 plus tip on a cut and color. Can't beat it! read more

I had an AMAZING experience at L'esprit this past Friday, and got one terrific haircut. At most places, the stylist asks you what you want and starts going at you like a topiary specimen. Not here! The ladies (student and supervisor) took their time and great care to make sure I got the cut and style that I wanted and then made solid recommendations for product to enhance the look. All for a minimal price (because it is a school). It may have taken a little more time, but I figure I'm worth it for a better cut and look. Can't beat this value with a stick!! read more

Students beware!! If you're looking to join the esthetics program I warn you to not waste your time. There is only one teacher, Kate, and she is not in class half of the time. The school itself looks glamorous and nice... But don't be fooled. I can't speak personally on the quality of education for the cosmetology part but I would suggest doing your research before getting stuck in a contract that is impossible to get out of. The school seems to be ran by a 20 something year old. The owner is never around and almost impossible to get ahold of. I'm trying to switch schools only because I can self study at home and save $13,000. It's a drag to sit in a small room and do book work off of a trolley for 7 hours a day. I am a cash paying student and they want 6,000$ for a month of school that my teacher wasn't there 1/2 the time. I was there for 4 weeks without a book. I should have known when my teacher missed my 2nd and 3rd day of class. Live and learn I guess. read more

I would have given L'esprit five stars, but i just found out that Sandy is no longer with L'esprit. This is very upsetting! She was the reason my daughter signed up with L'esprit Academy. She was so patient with us. My daughter graduated from L'esprit and was going to go back for additional training. She and I are both rethinking this now. In my opinion, Sandy was vital to this school, and the mere fact that she is no longer with them, makes me question the management of this Academy and their decisionmaking skills. They should have done everything humanly possible to retain Sandy. So disappointing .... read more

Nicole (via Livonia's campus) was fantastic! Her technique during the shampoo and conditioning was very thorough and relaxing. She gave me exactly what I wanted in a haircut, and the style was a nice change of pace. I'll be definitely visiting L'Esprit again! read more

Definitely a fan!! Walking by and noticed a sign for a $5 blow out, went in and had the friendliest and best service I've ever experienced in a salon! Even though it's an academy, the students and staff were very professional and even offered me a $5 off coupon on my next service! Called this morning and booked my appointment for tomorrow, Valentine's Day!! I've told all my friends about this place, so excited to go back tomorrow! read more

Everyone here does an amazing job giving you the exact style and cut you want. They are super professional and use products that high end salons don't even have. read more

I decided to attend L'Esprit Academy because from the moment I walked in the door I felt like I belonged there, plus the price was right! I graduated from L'Esprit Academy from the Esthetics program and I am very proud of that accomplishment. The experience that I had there was quite amazing!!!! Plus I had the pleasure of leaving with a few new friends. My Super Instructor Kate made learning fun, while sticking to the curriculum. Kate has insight into the various ways that people learn, so she introduces various things into the learning program to make sure that no student is left behind. Not only does the program offer book learning, but it also offers hands on training. Kate's experience as an Esthetican along with her warm and fun personality was very inviting. I wouldn't trade my L'Esprit Education for anything. The other Esthetic Instructors were awesome as well along with the owners and Cosmetology Instructors. If you are looking to attend a school and save some money, then this is a great place to go. read more