Aveda Institute New York

If you don't mind spending double the time it usually takes to get your haircut, these people do a great job at rock bottom prices. I would NOT try to go here if I was a bride, a movie star or do to be back at work or the airport in 45 minutes..... I've gone here on and off for 10 years and maybe had 1 bad experience. more

I have been to the Aveda Institute for hair cuts and single process hair coloring with senior stylists. I have always been very happy. I used to pay about $200 from my stylist for the same services but since I lost my job, I have needed to cut corners a bit. I was initially very nervous to come. However, I have been extremely pleased. It sometimes is hard to get an appointment exactly when you want to prepare in advance and I would not recommend going on a weekend if you have a choice. They do have weekday appointments. All students are supervised every step of the way. The appointment itself might take a little while longer as the students take extreme care and are super careful but thats not a bad thing (unless you are in a rush). I will say that recently the prices went up so now my cut and color cost well over $100 with the senior stylist so I might need to go less often or possibly use a junior stylist. more

AVOID THIS PLACE. DON more

I had waited weeks for this appointment and was really excited about getting my hair cut there. I had my hair cut previously by one of their professional stylists and was very pleased. I felt like a nice cut would be uplifting and I was grateful for the discount. It was in the middle of winter and freezing cold outside, I made it over there, waited, was seated. I told the stylist what kind of cut I thought I'd like and he said ,""we don't do that here"" . That was it. End of discussion. I was stunned. (Btw, the cut I asked for was bangs, not too short , a little shorter in the back.) I said, ""oh, I just leave now..?"" I mentioned what happened to the receptionist and she shrugged her shoulders. I left the place and stood shivering on the on the sidewalk for a few minutes, stunned. I was really hurt. I didn't see it coming. I walked in really looking forward to their service and this person was just plain old nasty. So, I guess, they can randomly decide they don't want to cut your hair. I advise you to ask about this when you make your appointment. Good luck! more

It is a school, it is a school, it is a school! I had the $50 self renewal facial which stated 90 minutes with foot AND scalp massage. I told the student five times my preference of stronger massage, but she kept on her gentle almost could-not-feel-it touches. When asked why no scalp massage, she answered it was one OR the other. Besides, the total service was only 80 minutes. The whole service was relaxing though very chilly, since I was only half covered with a tiny sheet. She kept on putting different products on my face and did minimum extraction (which I could see my blackheads right afterwards.) If you just want to experience Aveda's products and relax but not a facial, you could come here. Or save your $50. more

I have very long hair. I thought..""they can't mess up a trim, right?"" Wrong. I asked to have an inch taken off with a little long layers around the face. One side of my hair is two inches shorter than the other side. The layers are uneven, choppy and cut straight across so there is no blending of any kind. I was amazed at how bad it was. I had to pay to get it done a week later..I'm amazed people would go here for color. I can't imagine how that would turn out. I will never go back. more

So, I went online and found a student to cut my hair by the name of Marie (lacongolove@hotmail is her email address, I still see ads for her on Salon Apprentice so she must still be looking for people). The haircut took 2.5hrs, and since she didn't know what she was doing, her supervisor had to come over and fix it for another 30 minutes. She sliced herself open halfway through the haircut really badly, and I could tell by the look on her face that she was new and wasn't sure of what she was doing. To be honest, my hair looks ok. I ended up with something I wasn't looking for and it took far longer than it should have, but it isn't terrible. I am more angry about the supervision at this place than at Marie herself. She tried a number of times to get some help because she had lost whatever guide she was using for the length of the layers. No one would help her. She was very shy and perhaps she could have been more pushy about it, but being a med student I know how nerve-wracking it is to have to bug a supervisor a couple times who is grading you to help you out and how terrible it is to have no one help you while you are still new at things. The supervising at this place pisses me off much more than any haircut ever could. I've been to other schools, and this one is the worst in that department. I'm not going back. Pros: Cheap haircuts Cons: Will take hours, may not look great more

My friend gave me the brochure from this place. She gets her hair cut and colored and it always looks nice. \r I booked the Rejuvination Package and it was great! The student who gave me my facial and back treatment was not only professional but very attentive. I've been to many spas in the past and never walked away feeling and looking so great. The room where I was given my facial was more like a clinic, but for the price, soo worth it! Pros: inexpensive, nice students Cons: smelly bathroom more

I was excited about finally getting a chance to try the Aveda Institute and scheduled an appointment for a week in advance and when the day finally came around, I went in. The school was closed however and I am guessing because of the weather (snow) but when I called ahead there was no message about the closing, and since someone had called the day before to confirm my appointment, I thought maybe they would call as well and say they would have to resechedule because of weather. But no. Businesses were open that day even with snow but I guess since it was a school, they close without notice? Anyway, I called the next day to reschedule and they found a time the following week.\r I was told a pretty late time, 7:45pm but if that was all that they had, I was fine with it. I have had a few friends who liked their experiences here. The week of my appointment, no one called to confirm, I went in anyway and when I arrived they told me that they only had appointments at 7:15 and that I was not even on their schedule....oh and unfortunatly it was too late to start a haircut. I was pretty upset at this point and found it pretty unreliable and unprofessional. When I declined making a 3rd appointment, I was told a manager would call me the next day, but as you might have guessed, no manager actually called. Pros: Products Cons: Unreliable appointments, lack of communication more

OK FIRST OFF THESE ARE STUDENTS!!! \r Second Tip your stylist just like you would anyone. \r Third by law the instructor MUST approve the cut before and after, found this interesting. \r Fourth, So many people want to come here and get a service one and they all wonder why there is a 3 week wait. \r FIFTH IF YOU ARE SO UNHAPPY THEY DO REDO'S FOR FREEEEE \r They are students its a earning experience, don't worry about hurting their feelings its constructive. \r I've had color correction done and it was $97 and anywhere else would of been $350 + it wasn't perfect, but my stylist got it as light as she could, actually i asked her too, i just found it too light. So they gave me free low lights, 2 weeks later ( my choice so my hair could get healthy) \r Pros: Cheap, detailed students and instructors more

I have been going to the institute for about a year for a haircut and single-process color. I almost always had a good cut and the color was what I asked for. But the last time I was there, not counting the most recent, this weekend, the cut and color were all wrong. The student gave me permanent color instead of the demi I asked for, and it turned out way too red. This bothered me a lot because I bring my own color formula so I get what I want. The student obviously mixed it wrong -- perhaps on purpose, b/c her portfolio showed a lot of red hair. Plus the cut wasn't what I wanted, so I mentioned it, but the student pranced around and told me I looked ""runway."" I waited two months for it to grow out a bit and went back this weekend for a trim. I pretty much got what I asked for, cut- and color-wise. The biggest downside to the institute is the time. For a cut and color, I have to plan on about three hours. Though the $65 I pay for both (plus tip) is excellent, I recently decided that I'm tired of telling a new person every time what I want, and may need to find a permanent stylist at a regular salon, even if I need to pay more. Bottom line -- if you have the time, want to save money and don't mind a new person every time who only might give you what you want, this is the place to go. Call ahead, as appts. are difficult to get (plan to be on hold for a while). As an aside, I had a facial at the institute once, and it was great, good price too. Plus, the full line of Aveda products is available. Pros: Price, products, sometimes great cut/color Cons: Takes hours, not always good cut/color more

My GOOD experience: Great Highlights! He was sweet, and listened to me. My guy took great care in foiling my hair. They look well blended and natural. probably the best highlights I've ever gotten to be honest. They also use as little heat styling as possible. BAD: The instructor recommended a paint between to ""change my base"" and I don't know what happened...maybe it was mixed wrong on left on too long, but my hair turned ORANGE. that gross orange after a botched bleach job. It also took four hours. Now I have these great highlights with ugly roots. Not the end of the world for me, but I'll probably end up getting corrected. So if you're the type who cries when you don't get the haircut/color you want, then don't go here. If you're willing to be brave for a great price, then do it! I saw some beautiful cuts and styles while I was there. However these are novice hairstylists and they might make a visible mistake...which can be said of the vets as well. Pros: Great price for NYC, Good product and methods Cons: Took a while... more

Although it is hard to get an appointment at Aveda, the time it takes to get one is completely worth it! Make sure you realize that you are going to a school, and although you have a student working on you, they are very professional. I had a hair cut and color for $6o dollars and walked away very satisfied with the results. Jen, my hairstylist talked in depth about the color and cut I was looking for. She was very attentive and explained everything she was doing before she did it. The total time it took to get everything done was longer than going to a salon, but other than the time it took, I loved the experience! All in all, if you have the time, can get an appointment, and realize that you are going to a place where your stylist is learning from doing work on you the experience will be great! Pros: CHEAP and quality service!! Cons: Time more

i have been going to the institute for the last 3 years for my single process. i have really difficult roots and go about every 4 weeks. in all of the times i have gone, only once did the color not process. i love talking to the students and hearing all of their stories and why they love what they do. i have not had a facial yet, but am planning on it in the near future. in this economy i love that the single process is less than 40.00 dollars compared to what i used to pay in the salon. it might take longer, but it is worth the value. more

If anyone had a negative experience at Aveda, it must just be luck of the draw. I just got back from getting a fabulous perm... I know, I know. Perm? No one's had a perm since 1985. But Jennie gave me a great, natural looking non-poodle perm. She was very friendly, professional, and I felt totally at ease. The teacher on duty, Kevin, was also fantastic and made me feel very comfortable. I was there for 4 hours, but it really felt like the time flew by, because I was actually enjoying just sitting there and having these nice and down to earth people working on my head. I gave Jennie my card and told her that whatever salon she ends up at, let me know, because she already has a client. Pros: Great people, great hair, CHEAP! Cons: oddly cold. Wear an extra sweater. more

For the amount of time I had to spend sitting in the overcrowded classroom, they should have paid ME $20. I had no idea how hard it is to cut hair until going to Aveda Institute. Do not go here for a haircut or coloring. The pack of Band-Aids sitting portentiously in the open drawer as I sat down, remembering the waiver I signed that said ""I understand that I may incur injury at the Aveda Instittute and waive my right to soo [sic] in the event I am injured."" The woman's unbelievable slowness -- which, as she jabbed herself with scissors and sliced her hands up, I came to thank for my own lack of bloodletting. They are slow and do a bad job cutting and coloring hair in our opinion, and it's not that cheap to boot. Boys: let your hair grow an extra week and go pay someone else $30 for a haircut if you must. You will be seriously bored and confused -- and possibly frightened -- and your hair will not look good afterward. Pros: smells nice in there Cons: noisy, crowded, 2 hours in the chair, hairwhat? more

I read the reviews and was scared before going to aveda. I did not do a haircut as i am VERY picky about my hair but i like to get facials once a month and i decided to go for it. I am so happy i did. I picked the green facial which was $65 but when i showed up the girl recommended a cheaper one saying i was a little too young for the green facial and should do some thing with extractions. The facial she ended up doing was actually $15 cheaper! The rooms are in a clincial setting which i did not mind at all. Its an open room with curtain dividers and meditation music playing. Obviously if i was at bliss or some other high end, expensive spa i would be quite upset with this, but for $45 it was fine by me. \r \r The student was very professional and made me feel comfortable. The supervisor came in and also evaluated my face and talked over with the student what to do. I left looking very refreshed and feeling great. I made another appointment for 3 weeks later. \r \r What you have to remember is that while the people in clinic are students, they are on there way to almost graduation and they would not be in that setting if they didnt have prior training first. Cut them some slack, i've had people had very upscale spas mess up my face, so price is not always an indication of good versus bad. Pros: cheap, great value Cons: not the ""spa"" like setting i am used to more

Do not color your hair there!\r I wanted highlights. I came there with caramel color highlights & left twice as a brunette with highlights. My hair was needlessly damged & the worst part of all no one cares at aveda. when my hair was washed-everyone disappeared,including the teachers-this was convenient for them since this was the end of the day. They knew the job was not good.The teachers don't care, when you are finished getting whatever service, they just nod in ok"""" to the student & client; they get a salary & so they don't care!\r I waited on the tel. as others for about an hour until someone picked up to get an appointment. the teachers let the students do whatever they want & always agree with them as if they are almost afraid of them. Not a professional place! more

AVOID if you need to stick to a schedule of appointments! On hold for an hour to make and appointment. On the day of my appointment, received a call 3 hours before appointment moving my time up 90 mins. Caller/scheduler was very rude about it. Couldn't work with me or offer any time options. As I was trying to fisure out another option, scheduler says ""HELLOO?!!....as if I was supposed to fix the scheduling issue. Free is not worth being treated poorly. Pay for you haircut or go free ELSEWHERE!!! Pros: Free Cons: Mean people scheduling, did not keep my appointment as scheduled more

I've gotten my hair cut there, I've gotten my color done, and just yesterday I got a facial...and I can't believe what a good deal it was. I almost feel like I'm advertising for the place with the raving I've been doing about it, but seriously--$50 for a one-and-a-half-hour long facial with hand and foot treatments?! Where else in NYC can you get that? All the products smell amazing and my aesthetician student was very nice. My hair color hasn't always turned out the way I wanted it, but they've never made a mess of it, and the haircuts have always been fine, but it's the facial that I can't wait to get again...awesome. Pros: Excellent treatment, great price, nice staff members Cons: Sometimes you have to wait for an appointment more