- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Academy of Beauty
Categories: Beauty and Spas Skin Care Beauty and Spas Hair Salons Education Specialty Schools Cosmetology Schools Skin Care, Hair Salons, Cosmetology Schools [Edit]
3834 Main StCulver City, CA 90232
Neighborhood: Culver City
(310) 837-0411
- Hours:
Mon 5 pm - 9 pm
Tue-Fri 10 am - 9 pm
Sat 8:30 am - 4 pm
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- By Appointment Only:
- No
$50 for $75 Deal
Casey M. said: "Went in as a walk in client, just wanted a clean up and was seated with Christie. She recommended a different style and I couldn't be happier with…" read more »
26 reviews for Academy of Beauty
26 reviews in English
-
Review from Pamela L.
5/23/2012 3 Check-ins Here
First of all, this is a school. Meaning ------- The students may or may not entirely know what they're doing. That's why they ask questions. If you want to save money, this is the risk you take. :)
Overall the work I've seen here is pretty good. Of course, you'll have your outliers now and then but again, it's a school. Just don't come before a big day unless you get it cut regularly by the same person. -
Review from Caitlin O.
Los Angeles, CA
2/16/2012
I am a current student at the Academy of Beauty in Culver City in the Esthetics program. I have been beyond happy with my teachers, director, and overall education. The hands on training has been great and the instructors are always helpful. They bend over backward to give all students the attention they need. I feel very prepared to take my state board test and to get a job.
I feel like I speak for the majority of current and past esthetics students at this school when I say that the Academy of Beauty has provided me with a fantastic education and I would recommend this school to everyone! -
Review from Terria H.
San Francisco, CA
12/27/2011
This review is for the facials. I came here for a facial and it was $30-$40. I read somewhere on here that the music is bad and to bring your own CD. That wasn't the case. They play soothing music and it isn't the fanciest set up ever but its clean and your eyes are covered the entire time anyways.
The girl I got was really nice. She made sure she told me everything she was putting on my face and warned me beforehand if it was going to be cold, warm, or smelly. The teacher does the extractions for you, so you don't have to worry about them scarring your face. In the end, my face felt fantastic.
Since the facial was so good, I went back to get my hair colored. WORSE EXPERIENCE EVER! To sum the story up, they colored my hair two different colors! top part orange, middle brown, ends orange. It made absolutely no sense why they choose to use 20 formula and 40 formula when my original hair color wasn't that big of a difference in color. And the girl who did the application just didnt want to be there and didn't know how to do anything. When she shampooed my hair, it got all over my back and butt! I was wearing jeans, so I had to leave with a wet butt and walk in downtown culver to my car with that! How embarrassing! The teacher, Frankie, could care less. She saw the mistake and said I can come back to fix it free of charge. Then when I came back, she tried to blame the miscoloring on me!
In the end, I paid $40 to have the same hair color I came in with. -
Review from Octavia D.
Los Angeles, CA
4/14/2012
I've been happy with this place every time I've been there. I had my hair cut, which for me is like pulling teeth. The girl kept my length and still styled it in a way that made me happy. I had a glycolic facial that was so relaxing I fell asleep. I've done my highlights there twice and I love them. If you're looking to save money and still get a decent treatment, I think this place is definitely worth it. I'll continue to go there till I can actually afford somewhere that is way out of my budget these days.
-
Review from L C.
Venice, CA
5/8/2012
My skin overall looked and felt much better afterwards, but the sensations (washclothes, tissues, etc) were weird. I didn't like changing tops or the top they gave me to change into. I'd probably do an online deal next time instead.
-
Review from Valentina V.
Los Angeles, CA
12/10/2011
If you have 3 hours, 20 dollars and are extremely articulate, than this place is for you!!!
Seriously, they're prices are insanely good. I go to Josephine (although they say that you're not allowed to request a particular student) and she is great at getting what I want and how I want it. She's gentle around the face and works really hard to not get the dye on your skin.
I wouldn't have her cut my hair again, probably, because the trim was MUCH more than a trim.
Also, the mini-facial - to die for! It's an hour long and they massage your neck and arms. It's incredible for $15.
The bottom line here is that you have to give yourself time and you have to be REALLY clear about what you want. But if you have time, you probably don't have a lot of money - so it's definitely the place to go! -
Review from Tracey N.
Los Angeles, CA
10/14/2011
if you need something quick and affordable done,come here.I brought my niece here after she literally made her beautiful brown hair into this muddy army green..it was awful.just awful.Needless to say,she still didn't want her natural color,she wanted red,all over red.And thats exactly what the school gave her,without charging her a bunch for a color correction.
Its so loud and cramped in there,its uncomfortable if your not getting anything done. -
Review from Kalin M.
Boise, ID
7/6/2011
If Tabatha could help beauty schools, this place would really need it. I had a bikini wax here and it was the http://bomb.com, but the amazing woman who did it graduated :(. It was a hassle to get it though, but i'll get to that later. I completely understand that this is a school, so the stylists are not going to give you something amazing. But the salon is incredibly run down and a lot of the staff members are incredibly rude.
Back to my waxing story. I came here with my friend who is devoted to this place, and she called the day before asking if the estheticians were available for the following day. They said yes, but when we came, there was a whole argument between the rude front desk woman and my friend about them NOT being open. WTF. My friend did get rude, but only because the people quickly shoo'd her away from the estheticians area. Finally after some battling, a lovely lady agreed to take us with no problem. As my friend walked away, the front desk woman began talking shit about my friend in spanish thinking I didn't understand. Well boy was she wrong. Before I could say anything crazy my friend took me away.
I will never set foot in this place again until I am 83 and I need a roller set.
BTW don't let these people wash your hair. Just don't. -
Review from ruth l.
Los Angeles, CA
7/27/2007
For $13 for a cut/dry from the advanced stylist, you surely can't complain.
Bonus: it's a cultural experience. During my hour or so at the school, I heard English spoken only when directed at me. And I have never seen so many old Japanese & Latina ladies getting their curls set. Adorable.
My stylist, Heidy (yes, with a Y) might have lacked a certain degree of charm, but she made up for it with competent hair styling. And the teacher, Frankie, who regularly stopped by, seemed to really know her stuff. While they spoke to me very little, when they did, they were quite pleasant.
Now, I've had my hair cut several times at the Vidal Sassoon Academy, which has given me some of the best cuts of my life. CCBC didn't replicate that, but they took significantly less time to give me a wholly acceptable trim.
And, it's only a block from my house. What more can you ask for?Listed in: You are your neighborhood., Hair on the cheap
-
Review from Ryan B.
Encino, CA
2/23/2007
I'm not going to lie, I don't like to spend a lot of money for a haircut. I mean the stuff just grows back in a couple weeks and you gotta cut it again. I'd rather spend my money on booze and food, or midget hookers in TJ.
Usually, I just find a Supercuts or something like it and spend about $15. So, when I saw that I can get a $6 Haircut/Shampoo at the Culver City Beauty College a block from my place, I got pretty excited (ok, not that excited). When it was all said and done, I got a pretty good haircut (better than Supercuts) and learned some new stuff.
My experienced student stylist was Sarah. To sit for your cosmetology license exam in the State of California, a student needs to take 1600 hours of class/supervised practice. This usually takes a year to a year and half to complete, and students are not paid during the whole process (actually they have to pay tuition). Sarah had completed 1200 of her 1600 required hours. Once you finish your hours, you have to pass a difficult written/performance exam. I definitely have a new found respect for hair stylists. The prices are obviously good -- I have no idea how well they do with Ladies hair, but I have no complaints. -
Review from sarah beth S.
Los Angeles, CA
8/6/2007
It had been over a year since I had cut my super-long, supa fly long blonde locks. While I frequently snip my split ends (in traffic, at work, on a sunny patch of grass) there was still some rattyness going on in the bottom few inches. A friend who hadn't seen me in a year told me I was on the verge of resembling a kooky hippie--my stems were just about ass-length and such a hassle to comb through that sometimes I'd just wash and go though I had no business running around with yard-long tangles.
But since I just needed a few inches lopped off, straight across, I didn't wanna suck it up and pay the price for say, Supercuts. That's right, I am that cheap.
$6 for just a cut. No appointments, just walk ins. I came on Sat around 11 am and didn't have to wait. The guy asked me if I wanted a "7". "Huh?" "An advanced level student....level 7 through 10?" Why did I say no? Because I was worried I'd be charged extra for one of those. So I paid my six bucks and got a student that, for all I know, started taking classes last week.
Luckily I bonded with her cos she had good hair. Most of the students did have decent styles though one was an almost-elderly woman with poofy grey hair.
The salon was pathetically dilapidated with chipped formica counters and stained mirrors. Nothing has ever been refurbished in this room since it was opened in 1957. The customers were much sadder looking than the students- I think I was the only one there not (yet) on disability. The place looked and felt more like a bus depot than a hair salon. On the counter in front of me was a plastic comb covered with black bits of hair. Not for the faint of heart.
The beauty coed had me sit in chair that dipped back towards the floor when I sat in it, aaaaaah! "This station is broken. That's why no one is here" (Um, hello, WE are here. why?" But my hair was so long that she had me stand to cut it so I got out of the chair and instead concentrated on being statue still.
The website had assured me that a "qualified instructor" would be "strictly supervising" the cut. I was somewhat surprised that she didn't need to clear her game plan with him or her before starting but didn't care too so much so long as they were there to fix her mistakes during the grading session. So she pulled out this zipper bag from her apron and retrieved these little scissors which turned out not to be a toy cos she used them to cut my hair. It didn't take long but I didn't feel she was rushing through it.
Then she was done! And I had shorter hair by four or five inches. Boob length now instead of butt length. It felt so strange and light that I tipped her (a five which was almost 100% of the cut) and glided out of the depot without really realizing that no professor had ever come by to examine her handiwork.
Luckily, she had done a fine job. So for that price and for my specific needs, I'd go back, but I'm not sure how/if I to recommend this place. -
Review from Gabriela G.
Los Angeles, CA
9/2/2011
I love this place!
i drive here from Silver Lake whenever it is time to get a trim. The price for a haircut is $6 or $7 with a more advanced student. i say, always pay the extra $1 for your peace of mind. the energy is young and fast-paced. i have never had to wait more than 10 minutes from the time i walk-in to the time i am sitting in the stylist's chair. The students are friendly and want to do a good job so they are really careful and quite frankly, a lot more concerned about you walking out a happy customer than if you were in an upscale salon in Beverly Hills. It reminds me of new drivers, they are often a lot safer than those who have been driving for years. Whereas at a salon you might get a bit of ego from the stylist who's charging you $200 for your do, here the stylists want to make sure you like the work they do on your hair so they are extra careful and very friendly and approachable. Last time i visited the girl who cut my hair was just 19 and made a recommendation that turned out to look amazing and i have maintained my hair in the way she recommended since.
And please....please.....please....tip these students if you like what you get! it's hard to be in a hot room around hair product fumes all day.
which brings me to the main thing i don't like about this place which is that there is no air conditioning, so in the summer it gets really hot and even worse will all the people crammed in there, the hair products and blow dryers running, and the fact that there are hardly any windows....the heat is bad!
also it's often crammed and chaotic, loud and not a place you go to relax, but a place you go for a quick and thrifty hair service.
and the students bring their own products and shampoos to use on your hair, so there is no consistency as to what hair products will be used on you; depending on the student you get the products may vary.
Parking is great, there is often street/meter parking on Main and otherwise there are quite a few free lots around the area.
If you go on a Tuesday afternoon, you can not only get a hair do, but you can also enjoy the Culver City Farmer's market which happens right on Main Street.Listed in: Self Love, Self Care!
-
Review from Koom D.
New York, NY
8/8/2007
If you are not picky, come here! In my better looking days, I got my bitchin' hair due laced up w/blonde highlites here. They asked for $25, which is a good price. I really only had $20 in my pocket. So...after putting a weak negotiation on the table, the lady accepted my offer. Maybe you'll have the same luck on a weekday afternoon!
I am sure every hair lightening treatment fries the f*ck out of your scalp. Being under that head-heater, man I could feel my hair becoming fried. I stepped out and I think I lost some hair follicles, but hey my hair looked awesome and for the price, it was a great option.
I took my mom here for a haircut also, it was less than $8 and not bad for a trim. -
Review from Jenn E.
Torrance, CA
6/11/2007
For the price, it ain't bad!
So, the ambience is, well, nothing. They have added a fresh coat of paint since the first time I went there, but you'll need to use your imagination if you want a Calgon moment here.
However, I've been to CCBC four times for cuts and highlights and each time, I've walked out pretty damned happy. Are the cuts as edgy as at a salon? No. But, I have naturally curly hair. I've actually walked out of salons crying. Never at CCBC. All of my cuts have been great. I even got a whole head of high and low lights! Now, it did take 4 hours with two advanced stylists, but it was $50 for a cut, highlights and tip. And, each student is supervised by instructor Frankie, who seems to have been doing hair forever.
Make sure to ask for an advanced student. And bring cash - no plastic accepted. -
Review from Ching H.
New York, NY
9/14/2007
I now understand why this place only has 6 reviews. On a Saturday morning, the place was packed -- but mostly with above 50 year olds with their hair in colorful curlers for their weekly curl and dye. I could be wrong, but not your usual Yelp crowd. My hair was cut by Marianne, who apparently was one of the "instructors"...if my hair turned out unstyled, unshaped, looking like I could have done a better job at home, then I'm scared what the students' cuts look like.
I'm making it sound worse than the experience actually was -- I was fine with my haircut, because it did what I needed it to do: get rid of split ends and chop off about 3 inches. I give one star for the price, another star for being so close to my apt, but 0 for the stylist asking me to "play around with it" to see if it's okay after wetting my hair and snipping off half an inch. This happened about 3 times. I think I will pay a little more somewhere else next time or just cut it myself. -
Review from LM C.
Downey, CA
4/4/2011 2 Check-ins Here
4 stars because the whole process took way too long. But I love my hair, they messed up my highlight but corrected it by adding toner and the guy that cut my hair did a really great job!
-
Review from Megan L.
Mesa, AZ
8/15/2008
In the words of another reviewer, this place is a total trip. I went here on a whim while out shopping - $5 manicure? Sign me up!
Definitely bare bones. The girl that was assigned to me was super sweet and had just started taking classes. She took her time and did a great job. The polish selection sucks, so I would advise taking your own or just getting clear polish. I hardly ever get my nails done, but for five bucks, I figure its worth it just to get your cuticles trimmed and your nails cleaned and everything. -
Review from Jesse N.
Los Angeles, CA
4/12/2009
To put it simply, going here is a crap shoot. I've been about 5 times, and yes, my main motivation was the unbeatable prices ($6 for a man's haircut). But the trims generally became worse each time.
I have thick hair that I ask to have thinned with thinning shears, so as to keep a little length and curl. Twice, I received some of the best cuts ever (one was by a student being supervised by an instructor, so they took their time, and that's probably why it turned out so well). Another two times, I got the absolute worse trims: neither of the stylists spoke English well, and I had to explain to them what thinning scissors were (do I need to mention that these women supposedly cut hair for a living?). I've also gotten a just-OK cut too, but the guy used a trimmer instead of scissors because his "fingers are too big to use scissors".
I guess if you are on a budget and stick with a stylist you like, come here (I think Maribel was the name of one of the better students I received). Just realize the prices are dirt cheap for a reason. -
Review from Susan S.
Los Angeles, CA
2/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Just make sure the supervisor, Frankie, is checking up on your hair. She listened to what I was trying to accomplish, tested a piece of my hair to see if it was possible, then decided to go ahead and color it. That's more than I can say about many other salons, including the pricey ones, which is why I never go to them anymore. They act like they know what they're talking about and when your hair turns green, they try to convince you it's brown.
-
Review from G F.
Los Angeles, CA
12/10/2008
If you love yourself even the slightest bit, DON'T GO HERE!!!
I read the reviews and did what I was told, asking for an "advanced stylist"
15 minutes into the appt, surprise surprise, SHE HAD NEVER DONE HIGHLIGHTS BEFORE! What a disaster. She didn't know what she was doing. In my limited experience, I found myself guiding her becasue the INSTRUCTOR WAS OUT TO LUNCH FOR 2 HOURS!!! Mind you, the only instructor on site.
Oh yes, it get worse...
I paid $25 for highlights (you pay up front) and the cashier (who I was told is also an instructor) has the audacity to come up to the student and inform her I didn't pay for so many highlights and she needs to do less. She said this in SPANISH, which thank God I understood a bit. I told my student to not mind her, but make sure it was EVEN ON BOTH SIDES, not to be intimidated by the lady, and I'll pay whatever the extra so she could focus on the terrible task at hand and not be scared.
THEN!!! one of her girlfriends come and talk to her for the freaking 3.5 hours I was there for some damn parial highlights!!! and she's talking about all this personal stuff and cussing every 5th word. She was talking about her ABORTION people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even the details about the abortion and how her boyfriend is cheating on her now that he's "free". Seriously?!! Am I on an episode of the HILLS or something?!?!
Then I heard there was screaming in the back and I thought it was all those teenage girls being juvinelle as I had come to expect. Rather, there was a HUGE GIANT RAT in the salon!!!
I'm not done. She goes to wash my hair and I sit on something slimey, which I was told was "gel" yeah right! They couldn't even wash my hair right. I have lots of hair and she didn't wash all of the shampoo out and put approx. 2 tsp of this prisoner quality pink conditior. UNBELIEVEALBE!!!
This place is only good for:
1.Party Up-do's - no weddings/major stuff (make sure your hair is washed beforehand!!! Don't let them wash your hair in those dirty sinks with inferior products).
2. Trim, and I mean a trim
3. Mediocre Blowdrying
4. Your poor grandmother who is on medicare and can't afford/too frugal for a normal salon.
5. Men who just want a haircut and won't get offended if its not perfect (likely)
I'm a student and thought I was being smart about going to a place that was affordable, very nearby and supervised by an instructor. It took forever and was so frustrating each minute there. It was not worth the aggrevation nor the results. Avoid this poor quality beauty school that lacks any guidance or spirit of learning or self-improvement.
I feel bad for my hair, but worse for those very unmotivated students who are obviously not passionate about learning and just want to get their hours. -
Review from Natalie W.
Culver City, CA
12/26/2010 1 Check-in Here
Yeah it was cheap, but it just couldn't be cheap enough, even if it were free. I came in to get my hair blown out for my husband's work's holiday party. Besides the fact that the student didn't really do that great of a job (I had to go home and fix it) the school itself is just falling apart. If I were to get anything done here like a facial or manicure I'd be seriously concerned about the cleanliness factor. And, things are broken left and right. I'm actually kind of astounded people choose to go to this school because it looks like it hasn't even had the most basic of maintenance performed since it opened like 30 or 40 years ago. I am not exaggerating. This is also not even taking the really long wait into account. I can't justify going back.
-
Review from Natalia R.
Venice, CA
3/3/2008
I am giving one star because the price is good.
But that salon sucks.
I went there the first time in January 2006 and one of the students did a good job straightening my hair. Then I went again a month later and they did a good job too. The place was full and I waited almost 30 minutes the second time. Then I went another time and one of the instructors (sad that I dont remember that ugly-5-foot-5-white-Mexican-probably-40-years-old- long-dark-red-hair names) asked me if I could be the example or whatever for a class. I accepted (and paid). They were doing relaxing and it RUINED MY HAIR!!!!! Since they dont give recites, I couldnt sue them. My hair didnt look straight, didnt have my old cute curls, it wasnt anything! Looked like I had nappy hair (sorry, I dont know if that is a bad word, I am Brazilian!!) before and I did my own straightening - and it sucked. Two days later, I went back there and that witch whom I described above told the another teacher (white Mexican, short, looking a lot older than the witch teacher,four eyes) in Spanish that it was ovious that I didnt know how to take care of my hair! Can you believe that?? They probably never heard that the client is always right, but, now I remember, its a school and they are still learning that. Or never will.
So, the second teacher washed my hair or whatever but it didnt change anything. I spent a year and a half with a hair that half looked straight and half was.... something!!!
Scared of hair salons, didnt cut or trust to go anywhere until I decided to cut the ends in October 2006 in a $10 for hair cut simple salon and in the Summer of 2007 I met a great hair stylist whom fixed my hair, cutting all the damaged area (yes, I still have damaged hair), teaching what I should use to keep it nice and now, tchan tchan!!! It looks great.
But for a long time I wish I had a recite, to sue those bastards. Never again put my foot in that trash salon, and I wish it was closed forever. -
Review from Cindy P.
Los Angeles, CA
8/11/2010
VERY affordable and very competent hair stylist! If you hate spending a ton of money for a haircut, you'll love this place. I wish I found this place sooner!
-
Review from Melissa B.
Los Angeles, CA
8/2/2011
While passing by, I noticed the Academy of Beauty and remembered that I needed an eyebrow wax. After paying, I was taken back to an area where a student did the waxing. It took 45 minutes for her to wax my eyebrows (I only have two last I checked) and my face is still red a day later. The aloe they used started to sting badly, so they tried to find another cream, but they ran out. Also, they had to go through three sets of tweezers because they were all dull. I would not go back to this place again. Thankfully, I can afford a $12 eyebrow wax at a normal salon instead of the $7 I paid the Academy.
-
Review from A H.
Los Angeles, CA
2/13/2010
I've been coming here for a while now. They're always friendly and professional. The students try hard and usually do a good job. I've never asked for anything beyond a blow and flat iron. Sometimes it can be a miss, but it's still worth it.
Recently I went and was assigned to "Dina" a former student. She was extremely focused and really knew her products. She was eager to please and also up for whatever challenge was given her. I would definitely go back again. -
Review from T S.
Los Angeles, CA
3/11/2011
PROS:
Cheap prices.
Good to decent jobs.
Free parking (For first 2 hours in City lots).
Nice and talented students.
CONS:
Does not have wax for sensitive skin.
On two occasions, I was not please with my haircut...and it was a trim!
Not customer service oriented, so expect to wait.
I have been coming here for years and can only comment on the services I have had, which were: shampoo, hair cut/trim, blow dry, deep conditioning and waxing (eye brows and lips). However, let me explain the cons...
1) I knew I had sensitive skin, but didn't realized I would have a reaction to wax. It was embarrassing too, because there were students observing. So, if you have sensitive skin, I recommend tweezing, threading or going to another place that has wax for sensitive skin.
2) First bad hair trim - Went to Vidal Sassoon (who teaches their students to cuts hair differently) and thought the students here could just follow the line, but this was not the case.
Second bad hair trim - I believe it was a mis-communication problem. Two different people had to translate what the student was trying to tell ask me, but it still resulted in something I didn't want.
3) Do not expect to be acknowledged when you come in or to be serviced right away. This is a school, first, and a beauty salon, second. There have been times when the counter has been empty and I have had to walk up to the people, who I know work there, to be helped. After paying, they make an announcement asking for a student and you have to wait until someone volunteers. They know we keep coming back for the cheap prices and if we don't like they way they treat us, they have plenty of customers to keep them afloat.
With all this said, I will continue to come here for the prices, but only have simple services like a trim, blow dry or flat iron done. I go to Vidal Sassoon for a cut and styling and will definitely so else where for waxing.
