a big chop, & my review of the Aveda Institute! (PICS)

poookie

Well-Known Member
not natural yet, but i took the first step!

i got my hair done at the Aveda Institute in Washington, DC. I went in for a shampoo, deep conditioning treatment, cut, & thermal styling (aveda's fancy word for flat ironing the roots :rolleyes:).

grand total came to $30!

Here are some pics, more can be found at my fotki (it's locked, check out my profile under the About Me section for the password)



ignore the silly face please!!!





Sadly the price was one of the few good things about this visit.

the stylist (who was natural) was extremely rough on my hair. aveda's methods for styling involve blow drying with a DENMAN brush. i said NO WAY. denman on this fine hair always means breakage. so she broke down & got a paddle brush. i brought a wide toothed comb for her to use, but she refused to use it, saying that she was being graded on the aveda methods. i thought it was in poor taste to ignore my request, considering i was a customer.

anyways, first she deep conditioned using the Zero End (?) Treatment. i think it's only available at the salon. it totally melted my new growth, & softened my hair (i clarified with bentonite clay the night before, & did a hardcore protein treatment to protect it, which is why it was so hard). she left that on for 20 minutes.

next was shampoo & conditioning. she used the Aveda Smooth Infusion lines. the products were WONDERFUL! smelled nice & all. but she washed my hair like they do in the herbal essences commercial. just threw it around on my head. which made it a tangled mess after she rinsed out the conditioner.

styling. a 100% pure nightmare. i'm almost 11 weeks post, and she used a paddle brush to detangle my hair. i suggested that she start off with a wide toothed comb. she said a fine toothed comb was the only combs they had available. i pulled out my wide tooth. she refused to use it, saying it wasn't sanitary, and that she had to use what the salon provided. so i lost (i am not exaggerating) a baseball-sized amount of hair after she blow dried it. i NEVER lose that much hair, even after taking down braids for 2 months.

the result came out nice, however she cut off much more than i wanted her to. i told her to only cut up to shoulder length, but she cut my nape up from 4" at its longest point, up to about an inch. the good thing is that i'm totally natural at the bottom portion of my nape! however, my hair won't be all one length until i BC for real.

she used a Solia flat iron, & aveda brilliant as a finisher. which helped, it was raining outside, & i was pleased to say my roots didn't revert.

also... i really didn't like the stylist's attitude. i told her that i was transitioning to natural, & she was telling me about all the things i was doing wrong with my hair. like my color (clairol luminize & henna) was damaging :rolleyes:, i need to go ahead and chop without a transition :rolleyes: :rolleyes:, i needed to flat iron daily to keep the style looking nice :rolleyes:x1,000. i won't be returning. also, the experience took FOUR HOURS. i found out it was her first week doing hair :nono:

i'd recommend the aveda institute for anyone who's already natural, or has super strong coarse hair. mine is fine textured, and she was very rough with it. i give my experience a 4/10, and the result an 8/10.

just wanted to share!!
 
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sqzbly1908

New Member
That is a cute cut Poookie!!!

What is up with that "sideways" look on that 2nd pic??? LOL (okay I see now) smh

What didn't you like about it?...Girl I will will rollerwrap that heck out of that cut (but that is just me cuz that is all I do...LOL)
 
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poookie

Well-Known Member
oops! i hit enter too fast. edited the original post with my rview.

yep, it was the one in chinatown! my stylist was HORRIBLE. i can give you all her name if you like, feel free to PM me to make sure you don't get the same one i had.
 

halee_J

Don't worry be happy
I like the cut :yep:. What didn't you like about your experience? Is this the one in chinatown near the movie theater? I've been eyeing that place too.
 

Platinum

Well-Known Member
I love that color! Very pretty! Thanks for the review. I have never been to an Aveda salon before. I hope all of the stylits aren't like the one that did your hair. You may want to write to their Corporate office about your experience.
 

Kacie

Well-Known Member
When my wig and I :look: visited the institute I was lucky enough to get the student of the year to work on me.

When going to a hair school it is very important to first ask the student what phase of education they are in. Personally I would never let a student work on my hair while stretching/transitioning.
 

fattyfatfat

Well-Known Member
thanks for sharing your review of the Aveda Institute. Theres one in the Queens Center Mall here in NYC and Ive been wanting to try it out. I always stalk, I mean look through the window to see if anyone is getting their hair done.
 

Firstborn2

Stop frontin, you know me!
Your hair looks nice, I like the cut. It sucks that the stylist wouldn't honor your wishes.
 
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Mrs. Verde

Well-Known Member
It looks good. That sucks that she wouldn't let you use your own comb. I'm sure if she had asked her instructor for permission due to client request they would have approved.
 

Nonie

Well-Known Member
Sorry about your experience, but you did better than me: paid way less and got a really cute do! :up:
 

nikki2229

Well-Known Member
Your hair looks cute.
Sorry she didn't respect your wishes, but on the bright side, you will be natural sooner.
 

shtow

Well-Known Member
The result looks good. What kind of people are they hiring to touch people's hair?! Did you tip her?
 

Jazala

Well-Known Member
Your hair looks pretty.:yep:

also... i really didn't like the stylist's attitude. i told her that i was transitioning to natural, & she was telling me about all the things i was doing wrong with my hair. like my color (clairol luminize & henna) was damaging :rolleyes:, i need to go ahead and chop without a transition :rolleyes: :rolleyes:, i needed to flat iron daily to keep the style looking nice :rolleyes:x1,000. i won't be returning. also, the experience took FOUR HOURS. i found out it was her first week doing hair :nono:

i'd recommend the aveda institute for anyone who's already natural, or has super strong coarse hair. mine is fine textured, and she was very rough with it. i give my experience a 4/10, and the result an 8/10.

just wanted to share!!

At the bolded, she MUST be a student because I've never heard of a professional recommending daily flat ironing.:nono::nono:
 

robot.

New Member
As soon as she refused to do what I asked, I would've left her chair right then and there.

Glad you liked your results, though!
 

Creatividual

Well-Known Member
Your cut looks good. That sucks that you had a bad experience overall. At least you know who NOT to go to next time should you go back. LOL.
 

Curlybeauty

New Member
I thought i recognized you...your my CSC TA lol interesting...and glad you liked it! I go to this ethiopian salon in DC and they were pretty rough too...considering my stylist was natural too..
 

Theresamonet

Well-Known Member
I don't understand why some of you think that when you go to these big name salons they are going to use your supplies. Their utinsels have to be approved by the salon and they don't know where your combs have been. If you were to get have kind of problem (infection, fungus, etc.) they would be in the wrong for using your stuff. These salons have to look out for themselves as well.
 

Nonie

Well-Known Member
I don't understand why some of you think that when you go to these big name salons they are going to use your supplies. Their utinsels have to be approved by the salon and they don't know where your combs have been. If you were to get have kind of problem (infection, fungus, etc.) they would be in the wrong for using your stuff. These salons have to look out for themselves as well.

Ermmm...I don't go to salons but by the same argument, I dunno whose nasty head their combs have been in and if they worry about catching something then that's what gloves are for. If they are so worried about getting sued coz I got infected from using my own combs :huh: :rolleyes: then have me sign a document stating I insist on using my own combs and directing the process at my own risk. They need to GTFOOHWTBS!
 

robot.

New Member
I don't understand why some of you think that when you go to these big name salons they are going to use your supplies. Their utinsels have to be approved by the salon and they don't know where your combs have been. If you were to get have kind of problem (infection, fungus, etc.) they would be in the wrong for using your stuff. These salons have to look out for themselves as well.

They can dip it some Barbicide and keep it moving. If they want me to sign a release form, that's fine too. It's my comb, on my head. What, do they think they're going to catch something? Like I said, spray some alcohol on that joint and KIM. If MAC can do it with make-up (which is "worse," IMO), Aveda can do it with a comb.
 

poookie

Well-Known Member
aw! thanks for all the compliments! :blush3: it took a day to get used to the shorter length (even when my hair was damaged, it's never been as short as this), but i love it!
 
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