University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology — Local services in Downers Grove

This review is for the client services side, not for the educational side.

This place is a hit or miss. It's either 100% great or 0% bad.

My friend took me here for a facial last summer and the gal was absolutely wonderful (she was about to graduate). I told her I would love to have someone like her in the future so she told me to be specific when I make my appt b/c that allows the instructors to pair up the right student to the client.

During the course of the facial, she was mentioning how many service she got for her hair w/ the hair students. She said they were desperate for new models b/c "you can only do each other's hair so much." She said they were all really good and since I normally am just getting a trim, I decided to try a low risk haircut.

The gal I got was really good (she was in the process of interviewing for a high end salon in Naperville, being almost ready to graduate). When she heard I get my hair trimmed every 6 weeks, she said she would be taking her final appts at that time, would I want to come in one more time before she left the school?

Unfortunately, she only had appts left on Saturday. Saturdays are not great days for me but I reworked my schedule to meet her availability.

A week before my appt, I got the reminder and was asked to confirm. I confirmed, and then also sent the facial specifics and also two photos of haircuts I was considering so they could be forwarded on to the stylist. (Being a student, I thought she might need time to talk to her teacher or ask questions before the appt). I asked to please confirm receipt of the email. No response. I tried calling twice - always went to voice mail, even during their "open hours."

I called two days later, left ANOTHER message and someone called me back the day before my appt. It was a teacher; she was clearly rushed and did not want to spend time on the phone. In short, nothing had been done - the photos were not sent to het student and they did not pair me w/ the person based on my facial instructions. I tried to explain about the previous student's instructions but the teacher was trying to get off the phone and told me "I don't know who told you that or why. Every student can do a facial. There's plenty of time scheduled for the haircut so just show the photo when you get here."

I asked if anyone checked the email box and first she told me it was checked by students and they are "very busy with classes" and later she said it was a bot. So I'm not sure which is true or if both are true.

Then, the next day, 2 hours before my appt, the school called and cancelled BOTH appts. The student originally calling stated the students were there but had to take classes. I was then transferred to a teacher and she told me neither of the students had shown up. I felt so bad for the teacher.

The bottom line is: this is a school, NOT a business. As long as you know that going in and accept it, you'll be fine. That means, kids don't show up. There isn't a full time receptionist. No one responds to emails in a timely fashion.

The teachers are there to teach the kids and that is their focus, which is as...

DO NOT COME HERE! STUDENTS OR CLIENTS! Robert and Leigh Ann (the owners) and Emily (admissions) only care about money! They only care about how they look so that they can make more money! The loan company they partner with (TFC in California) is a scam.

I've been forced to deal with these people for over a year. There's sewage backups regularly, mold in their steamers, bugs everywhere. When there's cavicide (the cleaner they're legally supposed to use) shortages (due to them not ordering it) they use other chemicals they're legally not supposed to use. They run out of products and they'll use stuff not even suited to your skin. They don't help you if you have a disability or emergency if you're a student. If you go here as a client/customer instructors do not oversee the esthetician students (the people doing the procedures). They do as much as they can with the cheapest equipment to make the most money. Their machines are broken more than half the time, their towels, sheets, blankets, and robes are disgusting, torn, and stained, their skin care products are made so that they don't do much to your skin because they're made for students to practice with and not be able to effect your skin. The only thing worth doing here is getting waxed at a cheaper rate. The only thing they teach the student's to wax is arms, armpits, and legs so I don't recommend letting them touch your bikini or brows unless you don't mind being a guinea pig. The "kitchen" is right next to the skin rooms so if you come when they're having lunch breaks you'll hear everything loud and clear as the rooms don't have ceilings and are more like stalls. Everyone can hear anything happening no matter how loud they turn up their spa music (that they let advertisements blast through because theyre too cheap to pay for spotify, pandora, etc.). All their tables and chairs are extremely old and not healthy to use because of how uncomfortable cheap and...

If I could post zero stars I would.came in today to be a model for my sister, and the worst experience I’ve ever had as a client, established licensed stylist of 20yrs, and for a student I’ve ever experienced in my life. The service was a all over baby light. Placement and process went well till it came to the toning portion, the instructor informed us not only that the shade that was needed to properly tone and blend the lifting was not available but the proper product wasn’t available either. In which she instructed my sister to use what they had which was the wrong product to use. It was a permanent color with peroxide developer. Causing my hair to come out with several different shades and unable to be fixed without further damage. Leaving her feeling defeated and embarrassed but leaving me in a situation where I not only couldn’t have them fix it ,because lack of proper products but lack of proper knowledge, but the instructor looked at my sister as well as myself and told us both that we weren’t seeing what was actually there. My hair is three different shades and was double processed today. I now have to have a corrective color service done to fix my hair, in which I have to go darker when I came in with level 10 highlights and a level 6 Virgin base. I have gold orange and ashy green hair thanks to the improper use of permanent hair color as well as lack of educational direction. The whole inside t was blamed on an individual that does the ordering, when in fact the service should have never been allowed having the knowledge they didn’t have the...