Salon Success Academy — Local services in Corona

I graduated from SSA April 2024. The hostility I endured was inexplicable. Ms. Melissa was the best teacher we ever had with 10+ years experience. She was terminated half way through the program. Never explained to us what had happened but we all knew it was out of spite. Starting our program we had Ms.Nunez, known as our campus director for the night students. She was our basic skin teacher although she is a licensed cosmo. We complained since she wasn’t a good teacher and relied heavily on the premade slideshows from former instructors. After that, she had it out for our class. She was rude to Ms. Melissa constantly, rude to fellow teachers & students. There are so many horror stories that aren’t mine to share but have been brought up to higher up’s about her behavior and unreasonable treatments towards students. Nothing was ever brought forth and she remains as devious as ever. Ms. Jess was our second teacher who was hired with only a couple years of experience as mainly a waxer. Asking her questions about how to use our more advanced modalities, she would have to look it up on her phone. She was always threatening us with punishments even if it was a first warning of something we did. Nunez & Jess both treated us like we were in preschool. They always craved respect when none was ever shown to us in the slightest. Towards the end of my program, I was genuinely depressed about going to school. I knew going would result in another incident. It turned into us not even being able to practice services unless we had clients. She wanted us to focus on state board and state board only. Studying was very important but after graduation, we would have all the time in the world to study. Now was the time to take advantage of all our equipment we would no longer have after we left. Counting the days to graduate the program I was once so excited for was devastating. Seeing how teachers were so held down by her was awful. Seeing how classmates after me were confided into our small library to strictly study and nothing more knowing this isn’t what we signed up for. For as much as we paid, we deserved to use the equipment and enjoy our time. I would never recommend this school to anyone in the future and my success was due to ME. I hope someone finally steps in and gets her...

As a former student here at Salon Success, Corona. I would be glad to say that my experience as an esthetician student here was great. The process of enrollment was exceptional Ms. Charlene answered all of my questions and took her time. She replied to my text messages, emails and/or calls promptly. My teacher Mrs. Shaunda was was outstanding!!! Mrs. Shaunda was my teacher for the full 5 modules (from what I hear that is extremely rare). If we as students had questions about testing, assignments, demos, state board she thoroughly took her time to explain and was very patient with us. She adhered by the school policies, rules and regulations. Some may have thought she was strict. However, she made learning very fun and enjoyable as she would sing and rap to us in class. Mrs. Shaunda absolutely loves teaching and wants the best for all of her students. She is very proud of all of her students, and when graduation came, she would have a speech for every esthetician student and we all looked forward to hearing. As for other teachers and staff, I personally did not have any conflict with I did hear differently from other students, but I believe that this may be the case with any other school. There have been complaints of not having enough product at times, sheets and towels being stained, facilities or equipment being run down, but I believe this could potentially be anywhere. These things did not bother me because to me, it’s an understanding that there are several students going through the school and a lot of traffic to where there would be a lot of wear and tear which is completely normal. Again, it is a school, not a five-star spa or salon like some students may have expected. I would recommend other potential students to come here as long as they understand that this is simply a school to help you pass state board, you must have to continue further education to learn technique, and the latest and newest treatments. Again, this was my experience and enjoyed the people and and...

Before choosing a school, I made many phone calls and did my research. But the moment my husband and I visited Salon Success Academy, I knew it was the right place for me to pursue my passion for skincare and further my education. From the very beginning, Ms. Charlene was incredibly helpful and welcoming.

I was fortunate to have Mrs. Shaunda as my Esthetics instructor throughout my entire journey—from Basics to Advanced Skincare. She filled each day with not only deep knowledge but also real-life experiences from her time in the beauty industry. Her teaching went far beyond the standard curriculum. One of the highlights of our class was making bath bombs with essential oils and natural ingredients—just one example of the many hands-on, enriching activities she incorporated.

Mrs. Shaunda’s dedication to preparing students for the state board exam is unmatched. She always greeted us with a smile and words of encouragement. Her support helped me feel confident and ready for the next steps in my career.

The school itself is well-equipped with all the tools and resources needed to succeed in the skincare industry. The instructors are focused on your success, both in passing the state exam and in building a strong professional foundation. Ms. Blackshear, the Director, maintains an open-door policy and is always available to answer questions and help you prepare for your exams.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my time at SSC was discovering my love for mentoring and training others. I had the opportunity to guide fellow students in professionalism, building confidence, and getting real results for first-time facial clients. I was honored to be recognized with the Ambassador and PHD awards, which allowed me to express my leadership qualities and passion for skincare even more.

My experience at Salon Success Academy has truly been one of the best chapters of my life. I’m so grateful for everything I learned and for the incredible people who supported me along the way. ~...