Aveda Fredric’s Institute Cincinnati

While visiting Cincinnati, I always plan time to visit the Aveda Fredric’s Institute. They are educated students that know more than most seasoned stylists. I have been so impressed! They suggested, based on my hair, that I may be suffering from an iron deficiency, they were right. I have been three times and I have never had better haircuts, even when I spent $ 120 with hoity-​toity stylists. I have had nothing but wonderful experiences here as a client.

I can’t believe I haven’t written a review on this place yet! This is pretty much where I go for hair color and facials. The only time I have deviated is if I have a Groupon/​Living Social deal or have been given a gift certificate. I LOOOOVE experimenting with color and this place lets me try out far out things quite often without the steep price color can cost. I usually end up in a student’s «book» since I like trying new techniques and shades. I’ve done all over color, full highlights, balayage and ombré… pretty much never the same thing twice.
Like others have mentioned, since you are working with students, it can definitely take more time than a usual trip to the salon, but the price makes it worth it. I just consider my trips there to be mini spa days. I have also found that some students are farther along in their training and they take closer to a «standard» time, other than needing to get instructor approval during the process. If you find a student you like, and they have enough time before graduation, it is possible to request them for future appointments. Requests aren’t always granted, but they try… I have even booked color out additional weeks for a specific student, some of them just have a gift. I like the hand massage while the color processes and the mini facial you get while they rinse your color out. Both are so relaxing.
I have also had a handful of facials here as well. It’s so nice to have an hour or so of quiet me time, complete with a foot & hand massage. I always leave looking so refreshed and relaxed. In fact, I think it’s about time I booked myself another appointment.
If you need a Saturday hair appointment, book well in advance of when you need it. That day gets especially booked up. I have learned to book my next appointment when finishing up with the current one or plan on just taking a spa vacation day during the week. Facials are a bit easier to get booked, USUALLY within a week or so.
And for those that worry… they have never, ever messed up my hair. Usually, the instructor comes by and say something to the affect of «Wow, that looks so good on you» and I get so many compliments from family and friends after I’ve had a color refresh. They definitely have students with talent and it shows.

I was a first-​timer today! My experience from start to finish was pleasant. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted, offered water or hot tea, and my coat was hung up for me. I was escorted to a waiting area w/​magazines and beverages. By the time I had selected a magazine, my stylist was ready for me! She spent some time consulting with me about what I wanted and then her instructor followed up with us. Then, I was taken to the «Blue Room,» for a shampoo and mini facial. Very relaxing. Next was the haircut. It was slow and methodical, which is what I would expect from an educational salon. The instructor was always available to check on different steps throughout the process. I received exactly the cut I described. Next time I might even be a little more adventurous! I already made an appointment here next week for my daughter to get a haircut!

I have had many hair, skin and nail appointments at the institute over the past 10 years and have usually enjoyed the experience. However, my last two pedicures have been less than stellar. The first time, I just chalked it up to the Student not having good polish skills and an Educator in a hurry. The second time was basically a repeat of the first, so now I am wondering if there is a trend. Both times, the scrub and massage were nice (albeit maybe a bit short), but the polish job was uneven, bubbly, and with several portions of my cuticle and skin being painted. While I am willing to offer a response to Student’s request for feedback during the service (too hot/​cold, any pain) I don’t feel it is my place to critique the Student’s work in person. I would expect the Educator to ensure the final product was good. In both cases, I don’t believe the Educator actually looked at my nails closely, nor was I asked by the Educator if I was happy with the result. In full disclosure, after the second bad pedicure I approached the Educator after I checked out, and was offered a re-​polish, but I declined. The Educator then gave me the opportunity to fill out a feedback form on the service (I should have been given this form by the Student). I understand it is a learning environment, and do not expect perfection, but I don’t get the impression that the students are given the opportunity to learn and grow in nail services. If I experienced a pedicure like this in a traditional salon, I would not be back.

While I’d been a fan of the salon when it was in Hyde Park, I had a couple of bad experiences when it moved out to Mason-​Westchester and avoided it for a few years. Got a great full foil for $ 36 this summer, but waited to review to make sure it wasn’t a fluke. A second experience in September, a cut, wasn’t as spectacular but still competent.
First, the experience is positively spa-​like. A shampoo is a sensorial experience in Aveda’s midnight blue tiled starlit shampoo room, followed by a mini facial while reclining. Lovely.
An instructor walks an advanced student (usually with several hundred hours of training already) through the geometry of a cut or color chemistry of the foil and plots the specifics out on a mirror; she’ll stop by twice during the service to check on progress (it’s probably the most specific color or cut tailored to your specifications you’ll get — they’re really listening).
The foils were a little blonder than I like but the dark red highlights were perfection. The prices are downright phenomenal — under $ 20 for cut, under $ 40 for complicated color work

I had no idea what to expect when I walked in to Aveda. I honestly had no idea what it was other than a salon with good price. When I walked in, obviously unknowing as to where I should go next, the girls were very helpful and directed me to the desk to schedule a hair appointment.
Originally, I had planned on a manicure, but apparently it was meant to be that I get a hair cut instead.
I’ve never had such a great first experience, let alone by a student, on a trip to a salon. I had Mason, under the supervision of Sara, and they did and AMAZING job. Although it took a little longer than most salons, it was worth it. I showed an ok picture from Pinterest as a guide to what I wanted, and they did better than I could have expected! I got about 5 inches cut off and left with a fantastic, textured bob.

If you are looking for quality facial services at reasonable prices, look no further.
I have been coming to the Aveda school for a year now, and each time I come in my experiences get better and better. I’m in my thirties and had never had a facial before (outside of at-​home DIY) and now I can say I’m addicted. The students are very attentive to my skincare needs and customize my treatments as such. I have sensitive skin and their products do not cause me any irritation. As silly as it sounds I love just walking in their main entrance and taking a deep breath in of the aromatic oils and scents that are ever present.
The one con I have, and the reason for not giving them 5 stars: The «spa» area where they do the facials and massages can get a little noisy. Nothing debilitating, but noticeable. There are students back there constantly moving things around, washing towels, organizing products, etc. They do talk at a whisper, and there is some zen-​like instrumental music playing in the background, but sometimes you can hear everything. They do offer noise minimizes now (aka earplugs) so that helps a little. I figure for the services I am getting for $ 45 which would cost me close to $ 100 at some high-​end salons, I will bear with a little extra noise.

I’ve been coming off & on for several years & I always have good experiences. They are students, so expect it to take 2−3x longer than going to a licensed stylist. I have super curly hair & it gives some a hard time but I feel it’s my duty to get them accustomed to new textures. I get my highlights, haircuts & straightened hair all at the institute. Other than a student not knowing how to really get my hair straight & instructor going through it again, I’ve always left happy.
Today was the happiest I’ve been. My stylist name was Ali & she was AWESOME!!! Personable but didn’t talk your ear off & most importantly, she did a fabulous job! I went in for a haircut & thermal & it was about 2.5 hrs. Like I said, I have super curly hair. She used the smooth infusion line & it really worked. She also didn’t skimp on the products & it really worked. My hair has never been this straight after a student has straightened it. She even added a little curl to the bottom to show off my layers. I was really happy & I can’t help looking at my hair in the mirror.

I had an appointment for a pedicure which I was pretty excited for. I was greeted and everyone at the desk was super kind. My student was incredibly standoff-​ish. She led me back to the chair and basically didn’t communicate with me at all unless she absolutely had to. She was filing my nails with the plastic part of the nail file for several minutes before she realized that it wasn’t working because the emery board wasn’t making contact with my nails. She disappeared at one point for more than five minutes talking with the instructor who was supposed to come by and check her work. She barely looked when she finally did come by and then asked me how it looked. I said it was fine. (Two other guests were almost done at this point who arrived after me). The student then proceeded with the pedicure — she did an awful job. I paid $ 30 for a terrible pedicure, one I could have done at home for $ 2 (which next time I will).
Summary here — terrible service, the quality of the work was sub-​par at the very best. Don’t waste your time or money on this place. I feel bad for the students that their instructors are not coaching and setting an awful precedent for what customer service looks like.

I’ve had my hair done here twice now and am so very impressed. The price is fantastic since they are students but the way they have done my hair had been amazing quality. I like it better than some of the high price salons I have been to. About $ 50 for a full foil with two colors and a mini facial while they wash your hair. How awesome! I will continue to return for sure.

After a rough few weeks of «life stuff» kicking my butt I finally broke down and realized I needed to make time for a ‘treat yo’ self’ moment. I was able to book a relaxation massage treatment only a handful of hours in advance, I was brought in right on time, and the treatment was excellent. The space itself is lovely, light, and relaxing just to be in and the staff is attentive and courteous. The prices are unbeatable and I will definitely return for other services when I’m in need of an affordable, natural, and professional-​level pick me up.

I have been going to the Aveda Fredric’s Institue off and on for about 12 years. The students are extremely professional, and the instructors are deeply involved throughout the experience — there’s very little chance a student can deviate from the plan. I’ve had facials, haircuts, and color treatment experiences at the Institute — I’ve always left satisfied, without too much pain to the pocketbook. I’m a big fan of Aveda in general, and find their products work well (and make you feel good at the same time!). My only recommendation is to plan for a lengthy service (if you’re worried about time, ask the reservationist how much time to expect for the service) — after all, they are students and they are learning!

The facial I received was excellent. From beginning to end this was a luxury experience, but the price is very reasonable. I will definitely return for the spa services. My tech gave me a brief tour and after seeing that awesome shampoo room, I might come back for a blow out.

I recently came to the new location in West Chester for the first time (note: All the photos on Unilocal are of the old Hyde Park location still…) and was fairly impressed. The new space is large and bright, which lacks some of the intimacy of the previous location, but it still felt clean and fresh, which is a big part of Aveda’s equity, IMO.
The layout is more straightforward than the old location, which is helpful. But the best part of this new space is the «star sky» in the shampoo room. Very pretty and peaceful. I could have spent all day there.
Overall my experience was consistent with past visits, which is to say that my student was friendly and competent, and the supervisors were always close by to confirm and check in (and correct, if needed).
This time I wasn’t entirely set on what kind of a cut/​style I wanted, so I chatted with the student and her supervisor, and they helped me decide. (I did bring pictures in as starting points.) In the end I was happy with the choice as well as the quality of the cut. (Note: Always check from all angles. Sometimes the students forget to offer you a mirror to check the back and sides.) And as always, the Aveda products look, smell, and feel great.
Personally I don’t mind the slightly longer time it takes here versus other salons (like 1 – 2 hrs vs. 20 – 30 min) — to me it feels a bit like a luxury, more spa-​like, especially with the mini-​massage and facial. I also much prefer getting my fringe/​bangs cut with scissors, which Aveda does, instead of with a razor blade like other places sometimes do.
I skipped the optional makeup touch-​up, but did donate $ 3 to the educational fund in lieu of a tip, and walked out feeling refreshed and happy.
Final note: There’s tons of parking, but from a traffic standpoint, be aware of what time and day you’re going. The main road can be hell during rush hour.

I am so glad I found this place! Scheduling an appointment was a breeze and they were upfront and warned me of how long I should expect everything to take with it being students who perform the services. Other than that, I really had no expectations. I had a student named Erin who was very friendly and professional. After the consultation, the instructor was consulted and everything was approved.
To start, I went into the room where they was your hair which is like a planetarium at night time with relaxing music. Erin then explained that a mini shoulder, neck, and scalp massage was part of the service which was wonderful and really helped me to relax. After that you have your hair washed where you actually lie down to have it done. During the conditioning treatment that I opted to add for $ 5 I received a mini facial, which again was great.
Erin did an awesome job of cutting my hair which gives most stylist trouble as it is well past my waist and very thick. After having it double checked by the instructor, my hair was blown out and made to look better than I had it coming in.
The best part of it all was that I got this wonderful haircut and all these extra services for just $ 22. The only complaint that I have is that I wasn’t able to tip my stylist. I know that it is a school and should not necessarily be expected, but I really wish that she would’ve been allowed to accept a tip as a gesture if sincere gratitude for doing such a wonderful job. I have already scheduled my next haircut and color and am only sad that once the stylist graduates I’ll have to find a new student to take over.

Be advised that this is a school, so your services will take longer. The students have to consult with the educators. Depending upon how far along they are determines how often they have to get their work checked. Yes, haircuts can take longer, but remember to speak up. If you don’t like something, the educators will help solve the problems. Haircoloring, full or highlights, is a true bargain. Manicures, pedicures, and facials are also available. Appointments get really busy during late fall, early winter, so plan accordingly.

I’m in love with this place! Even though it’s way up in West Chester I still think it’s totally worth it.
We arrived a little early and were told to take a seat and enjoy some hot tea or ice water. After not too long our hair dressers came and got us. After getting seated the student hair dresser discussed with me my hair and exactly what I wanted done. She filled out a form with this data and called over one of the teachers to look it over. After getting approval we went into a dim room with calming music where she gave me a neck and back massage, a mini-​facial and washed my hair. Then we went back to the chair and she began the haircut.
The haircut took a while because she had to get approval several times throughout the process from her teacher. Of course, this was expected since it is a school. The haircut was $ 15 and I went ahead and spent the extra $ 5 to get my hair curled with a curling iron. All together it took about 2 hours. For $ 20 it’s worth the time for an awesome haircut and spa experience.
I’m definitely coming back here the next time I need a hair cut! You should try it out if you have the time!

Long review, I know. Skip to the TL;DR for the short version.
When I got diagnosed with a slipped disc and experienced the suffering that many folks have with that, in my drug induced fog, I knew one thing: my hair needed to go away because I did not have the time or energy to deal with it anymore. I just needed to decide who I would let do the snipping.
I figured Aveda Institute was just around the corner from me, so I Googled it to call them and book an appointment. I found out two things from this reconnaissance mission: 1) They are now located in West Chester and 2) Appointments might be booked out 6 weeks from when you call.
Neither of these were a dealbreaker for me, so I booked the appointment and patiently waited. Some of this waiting happened at the spine clinic, where my mom found the perfect photo for me to take to the salon of a cute pixie-​like boy crop. (I wanted a cut like Mary Margaret’s on Once Upon a Time, and as it turns out, another actress had the same haircut at some point. Thank you Carey Mulligan, Doctor Who’s own Sally Sparrow.)
I also had booked Aveda for an eyebrow wax before my haircut, so I can speak about both of those services.
I wasn’t 100% happy with the brow wax, but I told them I was because I have horrible eyesight. Had I looked in their mirror with my glasses on, I would have asked them to take away more. Not their fault I can’t see worth a crap, so I still consider that a good experience. They did what I asked, stopped when I said it looked okay, and were very careful to make sure I didn’t end up with a blotchy red brow-​line of doom, as has happened with other salons. Totally pleased with that level of care and consideration.
Moving onto the hair. I handed the student the photograph that my mom had torn out of one of the spine clinic’s ridiculously outdated magazines, and she seemed to wince. I think she was afraid that I’d freak out because my hair was long enough to donate to science or wigmaking or possibly mail to the creepy guy on twitter who recently started following me and commenting on everything I say (he advised against the hair snippage since it looks so good as it is– Um, ew.). Oh, but I have digressed.
I knew from reading others’ experiences on Unilocal to expect the haircut to take around 2 hours, which I believe they also advised me about on the phone when I made the appointment. As warned, it took about that amount of time. I did not expect to get the full salon service. So I was pleasantly surprised that there was a back/​shoulder massage and facial before the haircut. The massage was so great, I could feel all the stress falling to the floor to get swept up later with nail clippings and freshly cut hair.
I hope you have read this far, because I am going to tell you my very favorite thing about the salon’s new location. I am not sure what the old location looked like, as I’d never visited it, but the new location is vastly cavernous and gorgeous. In the hair washing room, the ceiling actually looks like you’ve just walked into a planetarium. So while you are having your hair washed and getting a facial, you can look up and see the stars, or at least imagine that you’re looking up at the stars.
Before I got to enjoy the ambiance of the faux-​planetarium, they tied back and snipped off two lengths of my long hair. Before they make the cut, they asked, «Are you sure this is okay?» I reassured both student and instructor that I would not freak out at the change, that I’ve had short hair before, so no matter what happened, I would walk away happy. «Besides,» I joked, «If it turns out unexpectedly, I am a fan of hats.» As soon as the snips were made, I felt better immediately, delighted to say goodbye to hair that had been with me through some rather trying and stressful times.
I thought there was a chance it might not turn out quite like the photo, but for the first time in a varied history of disappointing haircuts, they got it exactly right. In fact, before she started, I let the student take a before photo for her portfolio, and then an after photo to showcase a job well done. A happy customer, I thanked her, took a bag of my hair from her (to mail off to wigmakers), and walked up to the checkout to find out the monetary damage.
I have experienced sticker shock at salons before. Most recently, hair and makeup for my brother’s wedding ended up costing me almost as much as my bridesmaid dress. However, I soon realized why my mother always took us to the local beauty school when my brothers and I were growing up, because at Aveda, a brow wax and haircut/​style ended up costing just under $ 30.
The TL;DR version: awesome experience, book well in advance, the new location is worth the drive outside of the 275 bubble, the bathrooms are clean, and the hair-​washing room looks like a planetarium! I highly recommend Aveda Frederic’s Institute.

I started going to Aveda when I was in college and they were in Hyde Park. A friend introduced me, and after my first massage/​mini facial/​laying down to have my hair washed, I was hooked-​for less than $ 20! (I haven’t done color here, but have had friends say their color prices are comparable to a traditional salon, so you may want to ask for the pricing before you book)
As some others have noted, it is a time commitment. When I make an appointment, I block four hours-​for just a cut and style-it’s only taken that long once or twice. I have super thick hair, so that’s part of it, and they are students. Depending on their stage in the program, the instructor may be more involved as well-​and there can be a wait when the student is getting a consult.
Except for the time commitment, I’ve been happy with my experiences and hair cuts. They do have a form you sign since it is a student, but if you’re not happy, I believe you can return for up to two weeks and an instructor will ‘fix’ the problem.
Since they moved up to the VOA, I have made the haul twice (it’s a good excuse for me to meet up with my friends in the area). The new space is great! There’s actually space to wait, which is an improvement, and overall it’s still a great experience for the price, if you have the time.
I only wish the Aveda products were more affordable!

Let me put it this way, if you would like bang for your buck, this is where you go.
I got a facial from Karen Bird, and not only was it ¹⁄₃ of the price of a normal facial, it was the best facial I’ve ever had. The ambiance of the spa is perfect, dim lighting, no talking above a whisper. Karen was very thorough beforehand talking me through what products she would be using and making sure I had no allergies. They let you pick your scent, the day I went they had a choice of three. The facial itself is very relaxing, and the right amount of prep is done beforehand to ensure the extractions are not painful. After the mask was applied, I received a light massage and a deep moisturizing treatment on my arms and back. I opted to add on the eye treatment, which is more than worth it, and since I’m saving so much money, why not? Afterward I received a light makeup application (who wants to leave looking blotchy) and my skin is still glowing.