Aveda Institute - Maine — Local services in Augusta

READ TO THE END --- COLOR SERVICE REVIEW

I visited the Aveda Institute in Augusta today for a highlight service. Having been a patron of Aveda salons on a regular basis for the last 10+ years, I'm very familiar with the brand, and had high hopes for a great experience within the school salon. (New to the area, and am not established with a local salon just yet.)

My hair is dark blonde, highlighted regularly and sits just above my shoulders; when visiting today, my hair was about four weeks overdue for a highlight service as I typically go in every 10 weeks. In terms of blonding, my hair lifts very easily and quickly --- no curve balls. I walked in at 10:30 AM, and did not leave until 4:00 PM.

The student assigned to my service was very polite and kind, and truly I think my experience today is not the fault of the student, but of the instructors -- more on this later. With several instructors 'floating' to help students, this poor student went through a very VERY basic service taking them five hours, with not one check-in from an instructor. One instructor briefed on what to use before beginning, and again when attempting to correct at the end, but zero support during the hours in between.

After 90 minutes had passed since the first foil was placed, I asked the student (gently, as to not show a lack of confidence) to check the foils at the back of my head. Three sections had been foiled, two to go --- and I knew the back of my head had to be basically white at that point. They obliged, and it was clear they were alarmed at the color and could see them scanning the room for someone to help. ....no one in sight. Another student jumped in to help spray and wipe bleach to keep from continued processing, which was a great display of teamwork.

The one instructor who did come around once in a great while to visit with other students (all but mine,) and discuss her weekend drinking plans in depth, did not appear to offer much in the way of professional support. Not exactly the example I'd expect from an Aveda Institute staff member.

When it was finally time to wash the lightener out of my hair, the student asked if I would like to be shampooed. Why would this not be standard procedure for a color service? I said yes, and my hair was shampooed, conditioned, toned, and then rinsed. Upon returning to the student's chair, it was clear that the foils down the center of my head had not been left long enough, and my hair was the color of a copper penny. I was told to '..use purple shampoo, unless you want to try toning it again?' I did ask for additional toner, at which point the student approached an instructor for support in toner formula/mixing. The toner was applied; it alleviated some, but the end result of my five hours in the chair is extremely lightened ends with copper roots.

No instructor looked over the final product --- no one asked the student if they could help in any way. This student could barely section hair and clip it, and did not weave the hair at all. Color was applied in blocks, resulting in stripes.. This student could not capably blow dry hair, and nearly started with a curling iron on my very damp hair. I did not make a fuss or express unhappiness to the student as they worked SO long today; no one deserves to be humiliated, especially after that much effort.

In the five hours I sat and watched what was happening across the room, many folks came and went. Cuts, color services, etc. ---- not one would pass as acceptable in the 'real world.' These students are certainly paying good money for a quality education, to leave the Aveda Institute's doors and be set up for a successful professional career, and what I saw today was awful. Learning a trade takes time and practice, but it also takes solid foundational teaching which is very obviously lacking.

My hope with this review is to not shame a student in any way, but to serve as a wake-up call to those in positions of leadership who are short-changing students, charging them for it, and then making money off of their time on the school...

Terrible experience. Me and my girlfriend decided that we would give them a try for our hair cuts and it was a huge mistake. So like I said me and my girlfriend figured we would give it a shot. So we could save on funds. Well I was first and when I met with the student he asked what I was looking for. Knowing he was just a student I gave him a basic idea of what I was looking for but told him to go with what he was comfortable with. I was looking for a very simple clean long on the top short on the sides type hair cut. Well the whole time I was thinking like this is taking quite a bit of time and the student didn't seem to be focusing on his work. He was more involved with chatting with another student. Well as time Went on I was wondering how it was looking then the student finally called a instructor over. Lets just say hacked was a understatement and the instructor seemed very displeased and had to spend quite a bit of time fixing the students mistakes. So I kinda felt comforted that the instructor at least was going to fix the students mistakes after it was all said and done it looked a little better but i was still very displeased. As for my girlfriend she wanted a very simple take the dead ends off and style the hair after. Well she liked it till after later that day after she showered and washed the style out that she was also very displeased. So I guess I would say if you really don't care about quality and your just being cheap as possible than this is your place but like most people they care very much as your hair style is a representation of ones self. You will be displeased if you have the luck we had. You may luck out and get a quality job if you get the right student but its quite a gamble. Me and my girlfriend will not be returning for...

I have been going to get my hair colored at Aveda since March 2023. My hair color goal is to cover my "white/grey" roots (root touchup) and to lighten the overall color of my hair (all over highlights). I started going to Riza for root touchup and full highlights a couple of months ago. I was a little apprehensive at first because I had been going to the same student for a year (Trevon). He had just graduated from the program. Riza made me feel right at ease. She offered me a hot cup of tea and chatted with me as she worked her color magic. While the color was processing, Riza gave me the most relaxing neck, back, arm and hand massage. She checked in with me frequently to make sure I was comfortable and that I was not in pain...at the shampoo bowl, while blow drying my hair, etc. Riza looked at the records my prior student hair-dresser had kept and used the same hair formulas. When I told her I wanted a little more blonde in my hair, she did not disappoint. She made me laugh as Tasha and her applied toner to my hair....joking that my hair was going to be blue, orange and red. However, my hair definitely came out with gorgeous blonde highlights and no white roots. Great price, great service. I will miss Riza when she graduates in June.

Picture on the left is after 1st visit and the color before my hair appt today 4/27/24...the other 3 pictures are today's results with...