Aveda Institute Tampa Bay — Local services in Dunedin

I called to set up an appointment the very nice staffer said a balayage and a haircut would be $66 for color + $18 for the cut. I get there and the floor instructor tells me it's going to be over $210 which startled me because that's a significant more than what I was quoted over the phone, and what i saw online for services. I quietly asked my very kind student stylist Tianna why it was possibly so much, and she offered to get me the paper service sheet to look over, and than got the floor instructor for me again. She tried to charge me $160 for "corrective color" because she said they don't have a section for balayage. Her response to why was because it takes longer and that's why it's more expensive. Now I understand this is a school, and they have to do things slower, and get things checked so it takes longer and I was well prepared in advance to know it could take 3+ hours for some highlights because I've been to a hair school before for this service. I would like to mention my senior student has no appointments after me, and I was also under the impression that I am paying for hair products not students time as they're in school, and learning. I would have understood if she said it's more expensive because you'll need a lot of hair product but her response was again "it takes longer". I had stated before to both I have virgin hair all the way down to the last two inch which will be getting cut off so it should be fairly easy. Having virgin hair for me means they wont have to do any corrective color or toner they'll just need to put the "lightner/developr/bleech" on the highlights with no correction as I specified that i did not want toner that i wanted the warm color that it develops to naturally. Her response was to schedule another day with a junior level which i said that's still only going to be $20 difference, and is way more than i was quoted. She was not being helpful at all and extremely rude, and uncompassionate saying that the people answering the phones don't now what they're talking about. I am still at this point completely shocked and embarrassed as it's over $100 more than quoted, and asked very nicely what the difference was for highlights and what that might look like as I couldn't afford what she quoted. She didn't even answer my question turned to my senior student and told her to just do a partial balayage with just do a few small sections and to charge me for a full foil $66, and rudely asked if this was okay. Mind you on the sessions card a partial foil is 20 foils for $50, 1/2 is $58 for 35 foils and i was charged $66 for a full foil which is foil around the entire head, including the underneath sections so a lot of foils and developer......When i googled later it was exactly what i wanted (the pictures) So basically instead student used maybe 4 foils and hardly any developer as there was still a lot left in the bowl which i apologized for waisting as we didn't paint a lot of highlights in because of instructors words. It turned out okay not what i wanted but the color was at least correct and not over bleached/developed just not the image i showed them because again i wanted highlights in the underneath sections not three small sections. What really hurt me is when I went to pay they tried to charge me an extra $10, and when I asked why they again would not give me any reason. I told the person at the front I was told by the instructor to be charged with a full foil, hair cut which is $84 not $94, and what was the extra $10. I have a hair cut, a few highlights with ZERO toner, the only product used was developer, and what was used to wash my hair. So they go back to ask three times as I'm not paying extra when I don't know why. They finally come back and take the $84. I feel completely taken advantage of, and honestly cried when I got in the car. I really hate being the person to ask questions, and "be that person". I will never be coming back again. Tianna was extremely kind, and did a great job with what she was allowed on my hair she did everything she could to make a...

This Aveda puts the Aveda name to shame. I loved Aveda down in Fort Lauderdale, and I wanted to continue to get my hair cut by this organization. They typically do a nice job and treat you with amazing customer respect, but this location has been far from it.

I travel a distance to get to Aveda, because I expect I will get exactly the haircut I am looking for at reasonable cost. Twice my appointments were cancelled while I was half way there. The first time, they were immediately able to move my appointment just a few hours later. The second time, I had to argue on the phone to be seen; and then they did not have a solution for me when I arrived. The front receptionist was very passive aggressive with me, and acted like service to the customer was not a top priority.

Additionally, when I go to this location I get my brows waxed, and have to constantly remind students as they are trying to push me out the door that we haven't done my brows.

After all of this, I decided to give Aveda in Tampa Bay 1 more chance. I made the hike, and was immediately informed that it was a busy day due to a wedding...and that became the excuse for the night even though the wedding party had left. My haircut tends to be complicated so I only half expected that the instructor would assist with my hair. She was the saving grace for this experience. She did my entire haircut in less that 15 minutes. The student only washed and defused my hair for the remaining 45 minutes.

Post haircut we should have went to wax my brows, but instead I had to remind the student of that appointment. She acted like she was completely uninterested in doing the service, and blamed the wedding again. When asked what I wanted done I asked for them to be cleaned up, trimmed, and thinned. The student didn't do any prep work and just immediately started applying wax. She did the lower outer part of the brow, and top part. Ignored the lower inner and the middle between the two brows and asked me if it was okay. When I mentioned that I would like to have the middle cleaned up, she said I just wasn't sure if you wanted that done. Yes, I love random hair pieces scattered between my brows...I was very shocked that that was even asked. After applying wax she then asked me again if it was okay. At that point I was over the experience and decided I would take my business elsewhere, and said its fine. The fact that I had to walk her through a brow waxing, when this is something that students are expected to be competent in by themselves was frustrating. My brows were not trimmed, there was no detailed clean up with a tweezer and when I got to my car I found stray hairs. Even more so, the only thing that was done to my brows was wax... not clean up or lotion/gel for the areas that were waxed. Just wax and go.

But my experience didn't end there. I then went to check out and was informed that the organization no longer takes tips on card; I was not informed of this before hand and haven't been in since the change. There is a little piece of paper posted on the counter I was expected to see when I was checked-in. As a courtesy staff should inform their clients as to prepare in case they do not have cash on them.

Luckily I found some bills in my car, and ran back into provide a tip for the student. The money really shouldn't have gone to the student and instead the instructor...since the student only washed and dried my hair, and did half of a brow wax. But I ran in to give it anyway, because maybe it really was just a bad day. Immediately I was met with sass from the same individual that was passive aggressive to me the last time I was there. Asked me who did my service, and I couldn't remember...I literally just walked out...can't you look that up? When I said I could give her my name, she immediately met that with an attitude and said "Fine! What is your name?", and snatched the bill from my hand.

Third strike and you're out. I'll take my money elsewhere. This has been the worst experience with Aveda, and I would not recommend it. So much for the "Aveda...

Whatever you are expecting, the discount is not worth the results. This is the first time I've cried about my hair in a long time, and I am writing my review because they just emailed me about my "monthly followup"

Upon entering, the space is lovely, the people are friendly, and they are very serious about social distancing. That is why I gave it two stars instead of one. They also took me as a walk in, which is very convenient

This was with Michaela. She is very nice, but I had an off feeling when we were on the way to wash my hair. This is not meant to be mean or inflammatory, but as she walked in front of me to lead me to the sink, I saw her hair was very fried blonde and her tracks from her extensions were very very visible. I was a little worried, but I know the service industry is taxing and I know if I spent all day in a hair or nail salon, I'd just want to go home, not make sure my hair and nails are also maintained.

I showed the student what I wanted. It was a "master student", not an instructor. My hair has not been cut for almost 3 years. It is close to virgin, no heat, no bye, no bleach for three years. It was to just past the middle of my back. All I wanted were long layers to take the weight off and CURTAIN BANGS with some shorter middle pieces, near the middle of the .forehead. I had about 5 pictures.

I have a cowlick, I told her this. That's why I wanted them to be curtain with only shorter pieces in the middle, so my cowlick stays weighed down still with the longer lengths on the sides. She cut them. Straight. Across. Then when I tried to explain what tapering and frace framing pieces are to try and salvage it, she cut the face framing pieces, blunt, right above my jaw. I told her to stop in the middle of it and get an instructor. I've never had the courage to do that before, and I've had some bad cuts, but this was horrendous.

The instructor then proceeded to gather her and about 3 other students to explain curtain bangs and how she could "try to turn them into curtain bangs", aka fixing what she could, but it wouldn't be right. I felt like a test dummy for all these girls, and I was so embarrassed because it looked so bad and they were all being so casual about it like it was funny. I wanted to cry. My cowlick was sticking straight up and I had to try to explain, again, how to blowdry it forward using overdirection. It was still standing at a 45° angle.

The original instructor didnt approve the cut when I left, and the instructor that "fixed it" didn't talk to her or me after, and left

When I got home I realized the layers were strangely v shaped, and very uneven, my left side is much shorter than my right. I tapered and razored the side pieces myself, to make them as soft and blended as possible, but I haven't touched the length. I'm too scared to. And I'm too scared to ever let anyone touch my hair again.

Don't listen to the good reviews, please. Please. I wish I read more of the negative ones before I went.The money isn't worth the pain and embarrassment. Please weigh the money you would save versus the very real chance that you will be unconfident in yourself for as long as it takes to grow your hair again.

Aveda, please don't contact me. This is my honest review. I don't want compensation, I don't want a free service, I don't want to talk to anyone else.. I just want to forget this ever happened and look forward to the day I don't have to wear a headband. I didn't mean to confirm the appointment on the 22nd, I don't want it please. I will try to post pictures...