Can everybody post their Aveda Salon experiences?

[MissJ]

I just made my first appointment at an Aveda salon. It's for a special occasion, so I don't want my hair to be jacked up. I've heard good things about them, but I want make sure that they can really tame my fro using LHCF-safe methods.

What have been your experiences? What is your hair type, and are you relaxed or natural?

 

[Cleve_gryl]

I've had nothing but good experiences. I've been twice and let the stylist trim my hair both times. I'm 3C relaxed. I did have an interesting visit last week, I thought I was getting a treatment and it wasn't quite what I thought...but I digress.

I will continue to visit my Aveda salon for my trims. I get a blowdry and flat iron. I made sure to ask for a stylist that was fluent in textured hair, she happens to be white.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

Get an estimate for how much they are going to charge in advance. I went in for a consultation and they were telling me bout close $250 for a color, flat iron and trim. The price wasn't based on what was in the brochure but on my natural hair. Yes, the stylist was black. Needless to say, I kept my money in my pocket and whipped out the maxiglide.

 

[MissJ]

If it costs $250, I need to find a Plan B fast!

 

[Travis Girl]

I went last week to an Aveda salon, it was my 3rd visit since Oct 07. I love it each and every time. Yes, it is pricey, I will admit that, but for me it is so worth it, I usually spend about $130 per visit. It's one of the few times, I'm waited on hand and foot and pampered. I live for and relish those visits. I do my "everyday" maintainence (shampoo, condish, deep condish, oil, etc) myself. Sometimes I just want someone else to do it. For me it's the welcoming atmosphere, someone's focused on me and my hair issues, scalp massaging, offering me hot tea/water, soft jazz playing, peacefulness. There is nothing loud about it. I'm not there needlessly for hours waiting. I leave with education about my hair that tends to confirm LHCF. They're concerned with the health of your hair. Everyone I saw walking out had hair that was SWANGING!!! Light! Airy! Shiny! Free! Not just relaxed heads but, natural heads, grey heads, braids, etc. That was enough for me to give it a try. So every once in a while---yeh, I do splurge. I don't know if this happens at every Aveda salon...this was my experience at my particular one.

As with any salon/stylist---Do get a consultation to see if you're compatible. I sat in one of the so called best (another salon) and I was unimpressed, wouldn't let'em anywhere near my hair...it just wasn't for me. Be sure of the final bill before a thing is done to your hair...prices anywhere can creep unexpectantly---treatment here, trim there....Maybe consider getting a shampoo/condish first to check their technique, if there's time before your special occasion...I tend to do this when I have to try a new salon; because I'd like to think it's hard to mess up a shampoo.

I wish you the best and may you look SPECTACULAR for your special day!

 

[JLove74]

I just made my first appointment at an Aveda salon. It's for a special occasion, so I don't want my hair to be jacked up. I've heard good things about them, but I want make sure that they can really tame my fro using LHCF-safe methods.

What have been your experiences? What is your hair type, and are you relaxed or natural?

I don;t think having jacked up hair has anything to do with the salon, but more so the stylist.

Also, did you make an appt with an Aveda salon or an Aveda Concept? There is a difference....

 

[*closer*2*my*dreams*]

I just made an apointment with Z salon/Aveda Concept salon Unfortunately we don't have any actual aveda salons in my area) but they use aveda products religiously. For the lady to straighten & style my hair it would only cost $50 and I didn't think that was too bad. especially if i know that they will take excellent care of my hair!

 

[*closer*2*my*dreams*]

OK I'm super excited!!! I just found out the Z salon is an authorized Aveda lifestyle salon and not a concept!!! I know it's cheesy but I'm in heaven right now!!

 

[MissJ]

I don;t think having jacked up hair has anything to do with the salon, but more so the stylist.

Also, did you make an appt with an Aveda salon or an Aveda Concept? There is a difference....

It's an Aveda Concept Salon.

 

[kweenameena]

I have an appointment at an Aveda Concept Salon on Saturday. L'Azur in VA. I'm a little nervous because she is going to straighten my hair and this is my first time going to her. I did a consultation last Friday so she knows exactly what I want. She is moroccan and although I am too we have different hair types. Her hair is more of a 3b and mine is a very dry 3c/4a. But hopefully she has dealt with my hair type. She didn't seem too intimidated by my hair but then again I had a twist out. I'll post pics and give a review Saturday night. Her name is Aziza so if anyone has been to her let me know how it went.

MissJ, make sure you take lots of pics and post a review.

 

[AfroKink]

I got my hair coloured at an Aveda Salon a year and half ago. They charge my length (number of bowls of dye) and some if not all charge by texture too. I noticed later that she dyed my hair like as if I had straight hair. She put most of the highlights on the crown so that it would hang down, giving the appearance of fully highlighted hair. My har doesn't hang. Anyways, I really loved the colour, no breakage or dryness.

I doubt I'll go back. My hair isn't getting shorter or straighter.

Lys

 

[Nonie]

I just made my first appointment at an Aveda salon. It's for a special occasion, so I don't want my hair to be jacked up. I've heard good things about them, but I want make sure that they can really tame my fro using LHCF-safe methods.

What have been your experiences? What is your hair type, and are you relaxed or natural?

Well, I went there at the recommendation of a friend. I had washed my hair and worn a combed-out TWA due to shrinkage. I was looking forward to learning how to where my 9-11 inch hair out since all I ever did was braid or twist. I had considered going to Miko (Miss Jessie's) but I was impatient and couldn't wait for Wednesday to make the appointment--the day you could reach Miko on the phone. I was hoping to get a demo of shingling or how to do a good wash and go; just a simple do that I could do again on my own and wear it with ease.

First impression should have been a sign that I ought to run. After mentioning to the receptionist who I was and whom I was there to see, she stared at my shrunken 4B hair and immediately assumed I was there for a press. I wasn't and told her so--I'd told my stylist over the phone what I was coming there for so I reiterated to the receptionist. She looked at my hair again with a look that seemed to say, "Are you serious?" and then said a resigned, "OK!" with a shrug. But she wasn't the pro I was coming to see so it didn't bother me.

When my stylist was ready for me, she asked me if I've considered a texturizer. WT? I reminded her that I had a goal in coming there and it wasn't to change the texture but to learn how to wear my hair out. (You see, I grew my hair in braids and that was the longest I'd ever had it so I really had no clue how to deal with it out of braids or twists.) She kinda felt it a bit and with a sigh of hope (I think it was hope LOL) she shampooed it and DC'd with Aveda DR line. My hair felt oh so good. Then she blow-dried it for the trim. She said I needed one and even though I dust regularly and really believed my ends were good, I didn't argue because I pictured myself wearing a shingle cut in the style of So1913. I imagined walking out of there with big hair that I could duplicate again and again.

Well, I wasn't sitting in front of a mirror, but I didn't care. I love surprises and just made a point to take mental notes of how she'd create the style to replicate. Soon after "trimming" my hair I was back at the sinks (I forget whether it was just for an oil treatment or more conditioning--sorry) then she put some Paul Mitchel foaming thingy in my hair and started to do finger twirls. This was a new do to me and I couldn't imagine how that's supposed to look like waves or spirals (She said it would look like a twist out and I was excited to learn a quick way to create that look). Next she put me under a dryer for a spell. I was so excited that I was texting my gf all the while about what was being done each step.

After I got out of the dryer, my stylist sat me by the mirror for the big reveal. This was the first time I realized how short my hair was. I had lost over 5 inches of length! But what was worse was the horror that had been created on my head. I later learned that finger twirls are a cool do among a number of naturals, but I must be the odd one out coz in all my life, I've never worn a hairstyle I hated as much as that. But I was holding onto hope that the style would get better with time as I was promised. It didn't. I was also hoping that the length my hair seemed to be was also just an illusion created by the style. Nope, it was all real: I had gotten a BC I didn't ask for and all that sacrifice for naught coz I still didn't learn what I'd gone to learn.

And for anyone who may think I didn't make myself clear, I assure you I did. During my pre-appointment phone call, I had asked if she could shingle. She had said she could as well as do twist-outs. I had told her that I love twist-outs and do them often, but wanted to learn how to shingle from an actual demo on my hair since while I've seen the 101 online, I think it's better to actually see it done. She had said there were other styles similar to shingling and so could either shingle or do one of those. I was open to learn something new and trusted her expertise. I am sorry but finger twirls on my hair didn't give a shingled look or a new style that I'd want to add to the ones I already knew. I went from this to this in less than 2 hours!

Needless to say, I hated my Aveda Salon experience and if I ever let anyone else touch my hair, it will be too soon.

 

[MissJ]

Wow, Nonie, when I saw your after picture, my jaw literally dropped. Now, that was a jacked up hair style. If she didn't know how to do your hair the way you wanted it, she should have said so. She also should have consulted you on how much you wanted cut.

Tomorrow, I'm going to see if I can get a consultation with the stylist I've been assigned to. I hope she knows how to handle my hair.

 

[Nonie]

Wow, Nonie, when I saw your after picture, my jaw literally dropped. Now, that was a jacked up hair style. If she didn't know how to do your hair the way you wanted it, she should have said so. She also should have consulted you on how much you wanted cut.

Tomorrow, I'm going to see if I can get a consultation with the stylist I've been assigned to. I hope she knows how to handle my hair.

MissJ, that was not the hairstyle she created. That was my attempt at fixing it after waiting in vain for two days for the miracle I was promised, ie an improvement. Instead my hair just started looking like it'd mat like that if I didn't do something. (I was posting those pics just to show how quickly I went from having SL hair to a TWA.)

This is the style she sent me home with--the one I say is the ugliest do I've ever worn, IMO anyway. (No offense to those who like finger twirls.)

 

[MissJ]

Your hair looked fine before your appointment. I can't believe she would cut that much in an attempt to "shingle" your hair.

 

[MoMo]

I wonder what type of relaxer they use? Especially for $75 - $150/hr. (quoting prices from the Aveda Salon by my house).

 

[Cleve_gryl]

I wonder what type of relaxer they use? Especially for $75 - $150/hr. (quoting prices from the Aveda Salon by my house).

The one I go to uses Affirm.

 

[*closer*2*my*dreams*]

MoMo,

They actually charge by the hour? Does that include the relaxer, cut, & style or just the relaxer?

 

[Crackers Phinn]

^That's what I'm saying.

When I went, my total quote was $450 but they had a 50% off your first visit coupon so it would have been $250 including tip.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=130116&highlight=janky

 

[*closer*2*my*dreams*]

WOW!! I still can't believe those prices! Mine is only $50. I made sure it included evertyhing I needed too. Maybe I should get a consultation before my appt. I don't want to get out there and the price jumps up to $250!

 

[MissJ]

I just read on one of the websites that they charge $100 per hour for Chi straightening. I wonder if that includes wash and blow out and how long it would take for that anyway.