I’ve been to other Aveda Institutes in NC and SC and this one is a lovely facility. Savana B was GREAT, as were her instructors. Great value for the time and care they put into your experience. Thank you!!(I did see two other stylists extremely close to other clients with their noses deliberately out of their masks. That would have made me extremely nervous as a client, but my stylist was great.)

Its sort of hard to get an appointment, but I got a really nice haircut with bangs from here and it was super affordable. Would recommend if you can manage to book! Dhea gave me a haircut I really liked!

Ive always had great experiences at the Aveda Institute. I used to get haircuts there all the time when I was living on campus and was always happy with the results. I still frequently come downtown to treat myself with their skincare/facial services since they are super affordable and always relaxing. Highly recommend!

I came in today, thinking that I had an appointment. When I arrived to check in, they said that they couldn’t find my appointment, so I was a little short with the woman at the front desk. Despite my crumby attitude, she was super accommodating and was able to get me in for a cut and color right away. I later realized that I had made an appointment at another place, and that was why they had no record of my appointment, so that was totally on me, not them.Ivy was the student that took care of me. We had some communication issues at the very beginning when I was trying to explain what I wanted for color. She navigated it really well, and we ultimately ended up on the same page. She did a great job with both the cut and color, and was an absolute pleasure.I’m super grateful that they were so patient and kind despite my mistake of booking incorrectly.

I cannot state enough how frustrated I am at the recent haircut I received. I walked into the salon with roughly 8-inch curls that had been growing for the better part of 1.5 years. I requested to shorten the curls all around and to clean up any bushiness for an upcoming job interview. Despite discussing my intent and looking up reference photos with the stylist prior to the cut, I walked out of the salon with all of my curls gone except for those on the front of my head. The student said she had expertise in cutting natural, curly hair and, instead of giving me the shortened curls I wanted, I got the exact undercut I said I did not want.

To the date I have never thought to color my hair, but the grey hair I used to see each time in a mirror some where in my head pushed me to do some transformation. I was nervous but at the entrance they give a warm welcome which sort of encouraged me and then I was seated at the chair and here comes a girl Abby Grulkowski she is really a nice person . I appreciated her hard work and her patience she did a perfect job, and I hope she might become a professional one day. She whole heartedly worked hard to give me a new look. I loved the way she was working with minor detail and at the end the result was beautiful.

I went in for an eyebrow tint because i had a $5 off coupon for my birthday. i asked for something subtle to match my natural brow color, a light brown/ashy blonde. it was WAY too dark and looked obviously botched. i went back and asked if they could lighten it at all and they said no and that i basically just have to suffer through it for a week. this is especially frustrating because i got it done for my birthday and will have to go out tonight looking like this. i did not receive a refund and although i don’t blame them for the fact that they can’t fix it, i feel like it was an easy mistake that should have been corrected before it was too late. will not be going back any time in the future

My hairdresser RACHEL was so good! Best half Mohawk half buzz cut I’ve ever received 🚑

TLDR: I asked for my hair to be darker and instead they made it blonde, then claimed I asked them to do it, and blamed me for their poor listening skills.I wanted to return my hair to its natural dark color by giving it an all-over color, then adding some partial highlights. I indicated this when I made the appointment, and in person with the stylist. She then suggested doing a balayage. Ive had balayages before, they are when one color fades gradually into another color. I trusted we were on the same page, since when I got there I explicitly told the stylist about wanting to have dark hair. A couple of hours into the process, I saw in the mirror that my hair was blonde. I asked her about my final color, and she said ashy blonde. And I told her, no, that is not what I wanted. She switched out the blonde toner for something darker when I asked her to. When we blowdried my hair, the supervisor came by and ask me if I liked it and I said no, I did not, it is not AT ALL what I wanted. My hair has no dimension, it is basically uniform light brown except near the crown, and it has no resemblance to the photo that the stylist suggested to me, which shows a woman with mostly dark hair.Heres the worst part. The supervisor came by, and I said its lighter than I wanted. She became extremely defensive. She claimed that since I had liked the inspo-photo, so its not their fault if I dont like the outcome (note: there is far more dark hair in the photo they showed me than on my hair in the final result - thats why I liked it, because it was darker). Then, the supervisor claimed that there was a miscommunication because a balayage is specifically for lightening hair (NOT TRUE). If this were true (and its not), then why did they offer me a balayage after I had said that I wanted to go as dark as my roots? Because they werent listening to me. Then she told me that I needed to be a better advocate for [my] hair, - and this was the final insult - blaming me for their inability to listen. On top of the gaslighting, I now have hair that looks like strained peaches, that I will now have to take to a professional salon to fix.

I had such a good experience here. I went from mint green back to my natural color. Makenna was very professional and positive!

I go here with no expectations and the haircut is usually very good as the student takes their time and is very likely to ask questions from their instructor (which is a good thing - this is their learning experience, dont be too hard on them!). The reason I removed two stars is for their poor scheduling system. They seemingly never update their online portal and Ive been trying to call for over a week and no one ever answers the phone. Milwaukee AIM is much better in that regard. Great haircuts at awesome prices, marred by difficulty getting an appointment.

I went to Aveda after getting a super-expensive botched cut from another trendy salon in Madison. I’ve never let a student cut my hair before (it was a hair crisis and I couldn’t look at it one more day), but the stylist they assigned me too-Ariana-freakin’ rocked it! She did an INCREDIBLE job. I was amazed at how talented she is so early in her career. To top it all off-the cut only cost me around $25!!! My haircut was worth way more than that. I’m switching it up and going to see her exclusively from now on. Thanks, Ariana!!!

As a regular facial customer, I relish each experience at Aveda. The products, the professional treatment, the courtesy are exceptional. Educators instill confidence and skill in the students. Always a treat.

I had a great experience! I came for just a simple trim and Natalie did a great job washing, cutting, and blow-drying my hair. Haircut was also very inexpensive and has the added benefit of being part of the learning experience for cosmetology students. Overall, a win all around.

My session was great! The student was very attentive to all the details of my haircut as was the supervisor. The washing was great and the products smell great.

Great experience!!! First time there and was very impressed with the staff and their abilities. Paid so much less than a regular salon and had better results!!! Highly recommend.

Face framing pieces was too difficult for the beginner student. Keep it simple if you go. Ended up with half the front of my hair gone and it is really hard to hide.

I have attended several Aveda Institutes around the country. This has been by far the worst experience I have ever had. I chose to go to Aveda to have my hair colored and highlighted, no styling, for my upcoming wedding. For a service that shouldve cost $90, it cost me close to $200, three visits, and over 10 hours of sitting in a chair. I brought in a picture showing them what I wanted. The lighting in there was so poor that I didnt know that it was not correct until I got home. The instructors should have known and instructed their student to correct it. On the third visit when I asked for the service and the product ($20-$40) to be comped, the instructor said no, even after I explained that this was my third visit to the salon. The end result still does not look like the photo that I brought it, but was better than what I looked like when I left the first two times. I strongly believe after all the time and money spent on horrible service the instructor could have done more to show remorse over the extreme inconvenience that placed on me on the week of my wedding.

Multiple bad experiences with this place. Made me feel TERRIBLE for having a little scalp psoriasis, called manager over and ultimately was KICKED OUT! We dont feel comfortable working with you. Then a few months later...cancels appointment minutes before with no explanation. Never subjecting myself to this place again.

Amazing place to get your hair cut. They have awesome students and staff that do an amazing job for SUCH a low price. I am always blown away when they ring me up. The only thing to note is the hair cut takes a lot longer than it would at a traditional salon. However, they are totally accurate and upfront about the time investment. If you have time to spare, it is totally worth it.

I am about to graduate from the Aveda Institute this Saturday and I have had such an amazing experience! All of the educators truly care about you being successful and will do whatever it takes to help you. If you’re thinking about pursuing a career in the beauty industry, Aveda is the place to go. You will learn so much about business, cosmetology, personal relationships, and growing as an individual. Overall, it has been a great experience and I have loved my time here.

The Aveda Institute of Madison is awesome! I typically get my haircut by a friend that is attending school here, but I have also gotten massage here. The students do a great job overall. Watching students grow, expand their skills, and gain confidence in their abilities is always great! The instructors are always present to answer questions and coach students through various procedures. Having been an instructor myself, its always fun to be part of the learning process. I have never gotten a bad haircut or massage here. Ever! I would highly recommend visiting the Aveda Institute of Madison!

My facial was very relaxing and felt amazing!

Literally the absolute worst hair experience of my life. DONT go here. You will just waste your time and money. I called to confirm my appointment was at 4pm that same day and they said yes. When I arrived, they told me my appointment wasnt until 5:00pm. I had to wait an entire hour just to start my appointment. I asked for a balayage and they managed to turn my bright golden blonde hair into hair that is dark brown and grey. My hair has never looked worse. Even worse, they still charged me $30 for supplies after they completely botched the job. The ‘supervisor’ has no idea what she’s doing and is too busy socializing on the floor to be helping students. No one even apologized for what they did to my hair. I sure hope they will at least refund me the $30, considering Ill have to spend hundreds to fix my hair. The first picture is what I asked for and the second one is what I got.

Ive had mixed experiences with haircuts here. Sometimes the student you get is really good (and Ive been pretty happy with past haircuts here), and other times they miss pieces or dont cut your hair evenly and it ends up looking chunky at the ends, like how my most recent haircut here went. I ended up going to get it fixed at a different salon, but I dont recommend going here with high expectations.

The staff here are great-- super friendly and passionate! The student salon and spa services are very budget friendly. They do take longer than a professional salon, but its worth it for the amazing Aveda products and the price. Aveda Madison is under new ownership as of spring 2015. They recently renovated and added a lot of new programs like skin care, barbering, massage and nail tech training. Cant wait to try some of the new services in the future!

I got a really cute pixie! After I got it, I realized I forgot to ask one thing, all my bad — but when I went back and asked them if they can still fix it for me, they did it really nicely and kindly. I love Aveda. I don’t know if I can live in a city without Aveda 💜

Service quality varies tremendously. I got an excellent student once (hence the 3-star), and a terrible one the second time. Would have been better to ask the second one to stop midway, would have saved a lot of time and frustration.

I’m a student here and I LOVE it. Everyone- instructors and fellow students- are all positive and uplifting. I feel confident in my skills and future because of this amazing school.

I have had my hair cut and styled at Aveda 6 times in the past 16 months. 4 of the 6 were Excellent and 2 were Very Good - and Service was top-notch each time. The value of service is also great. Excellent location within walking distance of most everything downtown, and easy bike and car parking. I will continue to make my business to Aveda!Must make an appointment- very busy and popular place! Also, if you make an appointment earliest in the day you receive a discount.

I had a career planning session with Kate from admissions. It was very personal and I loved being able to sit down and talk about any concerns or questions I had. After touring the Institute, I know its the right place for me. I look forward to beginning classes here.

Went to get my hair dyed, and my student was running about 15 minutes late. They gave me 50% off and a free toner treatment for the inconvenience. I also once booked an appointment and was told the wrong time over the phone, and was given a discount on my rescheduled visit. All my students have been great listeners at this location and have made good suggestions for my look. I have always been very happy with how my hair has turned out. Only problem is getting an appointment, since they are usually busy, but thats okay for how well I am treated when I go!

The staff and students are really friendly and they do a great job with helping you to repair your hair but they have very little idea how to cut curly hair. I went in for a trim and they messed up the cut and had to do another. In all they took off 6 inches of hair and its safe to say I went in with very long hair and I now have very medium shortish hair.

I regularly get my hair cut here. How good the cut turns out is somewhat variable, but Ive never been too unhappy and have gotten several very nice cuts. Availability for appointments is generally good, and theyre open until 9pm. Do keep in mind that the person doing your hair is a trainee, which means that the cut will take quite a bit longer than at a regular salon.

I’m a student at aveda. I love the people here; they’re like my second family. The instructors never fail to be encouraging and inspiring. As the program has progressed I’ve become more confident in my skills and feel ready to be a member of an actual salon.

Went to get my roots retouched. I have straight blue/black hair and for some reason the girl who did it decided to color my roots Ash brown. She didnt even show me the swatch and then when I complained at the end they didnt have time to fix it and wanted me to come back. I have a busy life and dont have time for them not to do it right the first time. They then offered to only charge me for the product which I accepted but wondered why I was paying for them to use the wrong product.On top of that she left a ton of greasy color barrier cream on my face. I was really unimpressed. No one even apologized for the poor service.

Malissa and deangelo are great hairstylists. Fun friendly and inviting atmosphere. Look forward too my next haircut. Also Emma Ruth did a amazing job on my facial even made me fall asleep.

An incredible, Aveda experience.The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable.The space is state-of-the-art with reclaimed wood and 2 levels of spa and hair amenities.A great location for anyone interested in an Aveda Education as well.Highly recommended.

Ive been here before and didnt have a problem - it was a decent place. The coloring that they do is affordable, but remember that these appointments generally take longer than if you went to a salon. I had a ombre done where I wasnt really into it and they redid the process for free. So I was somewhat of a happy customer there, but now...Im honestly now rating them because of the poor service I received today. I scheduled my appointment 3 weeks in advance and they decided to call me 45 minutes before my appointment (as I was on my way) to inform me that the student wasnt there. Thanks for wasting my time.

My friend and I got the basic facial, and it was absolutely wonderful. The two women were very professional and friendly, and they even treated us to a separate empty room where it was very quiet, darkly-lit, and even had relaxing music playing in the background. It felt fabulous and was very stress-relieving. I cant wait to go back!

I’m currently enrolled in the esthiology program @ the Aveda Madison Institute, I’m really glad I chose to enroll into the program here, the education provided is top of the line, the staff is awesome from the admissions advisor to the school coordinator & director, to my instructors. I will be graduating in June & I’m assured that I will have the best employee opportunities, because of where I received my schooling & training from, and how well Aveda has prepared me to succeed.

Worst experience I’ve ever had with nails. The girl I got repeatedly kept telling me how she did not feel prepared enough or trained enough to do my nails. All my nails ended up chipping the same night I got them done. I went back the next day to ask if I could get the nail polish removed and they told I had to pay to even get an appointment to get that done. I didn’t want to pay extra money to get rid of a terrible manicure... so I walked to Walgreens and bought my own nail polish remover because my nails looked that bad. I usually only get my nails done 1-2x a year as a special treat and never had a bad experience until now. I’m really upset because they have really affordable prices and it’s right on campus but their service and the way they treated me is not worth going back.

Lynn Marie was a fantastic stylist. The whole experience was amazing. I have gotten so many compliments on my hair. I will definitely be using this salon again!

I loved my hair cut! I know where to go when I need to get my hair trimmed.

I graduated from the Milwaukee location 15 years ago and now have the pleasure of working for the Madison campus. Its wonderful to see the school continue to grow and I am luck to work for a company the cares deeply about their staff and students - as well as environmental issues.

Received a pedicure from here in the past week and I was very unimpressed. Missed over half the steps that were supposed to be done. Missed the massage, no exfoliation, barely filed the bottom of my feet, and polish is uneven. I could of done a way better job myself. Definitely wasnt worth the money I spent & I wont be back.

Worst scheduling I’ve ever dealt with. I’ve scheduled appointments here at least 5 or 6 times and every time, on the day of, I get a call from them saying that there was either a scheduling error or the student isn’t in. While the actual haircut I eventually do get weeks later when they have a next available time is decent, it’s impossible to rely on their scheduling. Being a college student with very little free time in the week, this is extremely frustrating when planning things around a service that you can’t even rely on.

It was an awful experience. Despite the haircut only costing me $12 it wasnt even worth that! When I got home and got a better look at it it was horrible, not only was nothing even but some parts of my hair werent even cut. On top of an awful haircut the woman cutting my hair was rude and sarcastic, not a pleasant experience. I understand they are students but come on! and it would be very nice if the instructors would instruct, they should have seen nothing was even but instead they let me go. I do NOT recommend this place, you are better off having your kid cut your hair.

Fabulous atmosphere and great staff. I would highly recommend for a service and the programs are fantastic. The instructors are attentive and highly knowledgeable. Always love the AVEDA experience

I have gone to Aveda a couple of times. The last 3 times I booked an appointment they have called and cancelled on me. This is highly disappointing considering that the last 2 cancellations have been for the same appointment. I will NOT be returning. It is worth the money to go elsewhere and have dependability.

I received one of the best cuts Ive ever had at VICI. It was the best blow dry and didnt even have that just been to the salon look. It was perfect. Im delighted and will return!

I went in for a cut and color. The cut was fine, exactly the two inches off I asked for. The students and instructors were nice and professional, but I am really disappointed in the color. I repeatedly made sure to specify that I wanted cool ashy tones and that my hair pulls warm. The technique of my balayage is fine, but its incredibly concerning that when a person asks for an ashy light brown they end up with bright golden blonde hair.

I am very disappointed to say that the two worst experiences I have ever had have taken place at Aveda Institute. After coming to Aveda for years and experiencing nothing but pleasantness and beautiful haircuts, Im dismayed that the last two services have been completely awful. The first student was rude and uninviting, and was extremely condescending my entire appointment. He was unpleasant and cut two inches shorter than I had asked, but after having nice experiences beforehand, I didnt think I would run into another problem. My next appointment was scheduled with an overall more enjoyable hairstylist but was one of the worst haircuts I have ever had. She cut my hair four inches shorter than I had asked and gave me triangular layers (not what I asked for) which gave me a round, poofy and bulky long bob that looks awful. I am very upset with it and have no idea how to fix it without getting rid of my length as she had cut it way too short. I truly hope that Aveda learns how to teach students to properly treat and listen to their clients, and how to better analyze how to cut hair. Very disappointed!

I had my 16 yr old son come in for an appt with a barbering student. I had cut his hair myself and it was not ideal haha. Ryan, the barber student, did an amazing job fixing the botched hair cut and educating on the style and products. We will definitely be going back!

As a recent alumna of AIM, I am proud to see the positive strides this school continues to make, not only in providing services to the public but also in their dedication to affording their students with the best possible education. This school, without a doubt, prevails as the best cosmetology school in the Madison area and beyond.

Ive been going for a few months now and the girl thats been doing my hair (cut & color) always does a great job and she is very friendly. I was a bit nervous at first about going here but Ive had nothing but good experiences! I would recommend anyone to give them a try!

I have really enjoyed my past experiences at the Avada institute in Madison. Allie did a wonderful job on both my hair cut and color. Everyone I encountered at the salon was friendly and passionate about their craft. Allie was also very knowledgeable about the Avada products that would benefit my natural curly hair.

The haircut was great. Not only did my stylist do an awesome job cutting and styling my hair, she also made sure to inform me about what exactly she was doing to my hair and which products she was using. For my bangs, which must have required an advanced technique, a very friendly instructor took over. My usually coarse and poofy hair became silky and shiny. It was so smooth that I couldnt stop touching my hair afterwards! The haircut was worth the affordable price, especially since I was given a complementary makeup refresh before my haircut. Overall, I was pleased with the service, and the positive atmosphere made me feel comfortable and relaxed.

I am currently a student at Aveda Institute Madison in the esthetics program and I am loving my education journey! I have learned so much in the past few months about skin, skin conditions, and the spa service in general. I cant wait to take what Ive been given at Aveda into the real world as a licensed esthetician!

While haircuts do definitely take longer than a normal haircut, I must say that I had the best hair cut Ive ever had here! So many compliments!!

I walked into the VICI Beauty School a week ago and made a hair color appointment, specifically asking if they could cater to my fun color preference. I was told that they could so I made an appointment. When I showed up to my appointment, I was sat down and the instructor was fetched. In a condescending manner, she told me that they were unable to dye the hair color that I wanted. She berated me for even thinking that a beauty school could do such a job, which is where I dyed my hair in the first place. Instead of apologizing and giving me the name of another place that could dye my hair to my preference, they simply offered to dye it back to a natural color. Not only was it a waste of my time, but I felt that I was treated poorly and unfairly.

I had my appointment booked for more than a week; having gone to the salon to book my appointment in person, in order to make sure that they knew what sort of colour (highlights rather than a full colour) was needed on my roots. I asked for an appointment to sort out my roots and they booked me in for the following Monday. At my appointment I was told that I hadnt described what I needed doing well enough (bearing in mind I had booked my appointment in person) and was turned away and told to book another appointment. This appointment wasnt then available for another week. I was treated very poorly and wouldnt recommend this to anyone in the future.

My mom and I schedualed an appointment a week ago for a facial at 3pm. We came and parked and couldn’t find the spot so we called a few times and no one answered finailly we stopped by a local buissness and asked for directions. We were about 15 mins late at this point because we couldn’t get anyone to answer the phone. So we go in and they tell us they don’t have an appointment for us and we should check down stairs. We go downstairs and they tell us they don’t do facials. Well ok.. so one of the ladies from upstairs comes walking in and tells us that our appointment was at 2:30 I explained that it was at 3 and she said there must have been a miscommunication with the scheduling, fine, no big deal it happens, however my mom is disabled and to walk that far to get to a place who has now told us that we “missed” our appointment and the only solution is to reschedule for a different day, I live an hour away. We came for a relaxing day and ended up with a stressful situation. None of this was an issue I get it miscommunications and mistakes happen but after we left the ladies were leaned in and seemed to be talking about us and the woman was smirking.. This made us uncomfortable and that’s not ok. So anyways. We won’t be schedualing here again. I’m sure their services are fine but their professionalism and demeanor seemed to be less then preferred when handling the situation.

Engaged Instructors and skilled students! Love the Aveda rituals....hand massage, neck and shoulder massage, makeup refreshes....every service I leave feeling beautiful!

I had my hair done here for my wedding, and so did all of my bridesmaids, mother and aunt, and everyones hair was great! The students here are really creative and professional, if they have any questions theyre not afraid to get feedback from their instructors, and they are very affordable.

I went in for all over color, which didnt get saturated well, leaving spots between roots and ends uncolored, and the roots and ends didnt match. I got in 1 week later to fix the color and was charged full price, non-negotiable. Now I have a color shades darker than I wanted. I wouldnt recommend services at this school.

I agree with the user who got their nails done here and didnt have a good experience. My manicurist said that the manicures are supposed to be done under an hour, but mine took two and I couldve done a better job at home. Haircuts also take two hours, but are more acceptable.Their instructors come around after the job is done to inspect it and give them a grade, but they arent very thorough. They shouldnt have the student there while the instructor asks you to give feedback because its hard to give any real criticism.Just know youre in for a wait and block off at least 2 1/2 hours since they keep you waiting for at least 10 minutes before you get paired up with your student. Dont get anything else here besides haircuts, its just not worth it. Pay an extra $5 and get back an hour of your time.

Frustrating....I received a gift card for Xmas. Even though it was issued by Aveda Institute, I have had nothing but problems getting them to redeem it. After several calls (about 8), it was finally approved. Used it once, and on the second visit, the Administrator changed, so I had to start all over again. I spoke to him about 2 weeks ago, he didnt follow up (as promised) left a message again a few days ago, and still no response. I have gone there for years for manis and (at times) facials, but would NEVER suggests to use their gift certificates, and very disappointed in both the follow up of their management on both occasions and it appears the turn over of management has been high

I had a wonderful time here! Great spa, great service, and I will definitely be coming here in the future!

The price is more expensive now that they changed ownership to Aveda from Vici, but the aromas, ambiance, experience-level, and maturity is worth the extra money. The students are respectful and teachers are pleasant.

Incredibly slow and over priced

Horrible customer service. Stylists had no idea what I was asking for. My hair is permanently green until I cut it off.