Empire Beauty School

Can negative stars be given?! What a horrible experience! I went in for a wash and blowdry. I asked for the hair to be done with summer waves. The girl working on my hair didn’t know how to do it — isn’t that the first thing they teach you at beauty school??? Then after the instructor poorly explains it, the young lady follows through and does the hair. At the end the top is flat and the instructor comes and tried to fix it. She can’t! How is it that an instructor can’t do the hair style??? What a bad example to the students. Then when we are finishing the instructor, Mandy, is so condescending and rude. She tells me my hair can’t be done without gel product (never used it in my life!) And other ride remarks not worthy of posting. I am not surprised the school is being shut down — they aren’t teaching these students anything worthwhile!

Wonderful experience! I had highlights, cut, shampoo, and blow dry done by Joanna today. She did an amazing job! I absolutely love it. Three educators regularly checked in who were equally as friendly and professional as Joanna. I will definitely be back. I highly recommend this spot for anyone looking for a great look and experience at a very reasonable price.

I went there today. I look fantastic.
Got shampoo, cut and blow dry. The student was Dana and supervising instructors Bobi and Monica. Color consultation with Monica and skin sensitivity test. Go back Friday for highlights with Dana.
Receptionist professional and knowledgeable in person and on the phone.

I am beyond upset with this salon. The service I (did not) receive was so incredibly unprofessional.
I had been looking forward to my visit here, as I am exploring options for cosmetology school. This particular school is 5 minutes from where I live, which would be super convenient, and their tuition is pretty competitive with other accredited schools in the area.
I had my visit scheduled for about a week. I arrived at 6:50 for my 7:00 visit and tour. No one was at the front desk to greet me. Within a couple of minutes, the cramped waiting area had about 7 people in it, and there was still no one at the desk. A few students kept walking back and forth staring at us like color-​clad outsiders in their black, white and gray only world. But no one said anything. FInally, a ballsy customer just shouted an echo-​ey «HELLO!!» Finally some snotty girl came up to the front and said their water heater was broken, so the women with appointments could reschedule if they didn’t want their hair washed with cold water. No one even acknowledged me until all the other women, who arrived after me, were addressed. A woman said «You’re here for???» To which I replied a campus visit. The woman walked away and didn’t say anything upon her return.
My husband and I gave it until 10 after 7, which doesn’t sound like a lot of time, but in the service industry, 20 minutes is an eternity. You’ve lost a customer for life and earned yourself one bad Unilocal review. I very curtly told the woman I was leaving and she just said «Oh Amanda is running behind today.» Amanda could’ve made it a point to come out and tell me that herself, but I imagine customer service is not part of their curriculum.
What a shame that the closest, most convenient option for cosmetology school is one that I’d be embarrassed to align myself with. Steer clear of the school if you place any importance on quality customer service.

Okay, first off, let me say that the reason I am giving this establishment 3 STARS is because I feel I cannot properly and honestly review a service that has multiple, rotating stylists and is not just a place to get your hair done, but a school, as well. I would be able to give a better opinion if I had the chance to try every stylist but like said above, IT IS A SCHOOL. You will never see the same stylist twice.
That said, the first time I went here, I got a full head of weave-​in extensions. The woman who did them refused to cut my hair after they were sewn in. Mind you, I was not asking for a haircut (the whole point of extensions was so my hair was LONGER), I was just asking for them to be layered so they would blend with my natural hair. The stylist did not like this idea and we just did not meet eye-​to-​eye. Anyways, tracks ended up coming loose/​falling out about 2 days afterwards. I went to a professional salon to fix them.
And now for a great experience… I went in for a full head of multi-​tonal blonde highlights. A middle aged European woman applied them and to this day, I regret not remembering her full name because I would have followed her to whatever professional salon she was hired in after graduating. They were perfect and beautiful and I have never gotten better color. In fact, when I went to my regular stylist in Chicago, she said they were the best looking highlights she had ever seen and was extremely shocked when I told her they were the product of a beauty schooler.
A true hit or miss… come prepared to stay for multiple hours… this is not an in-​and-​out deal! Oh, and don’t be afraid to speak up! The instructors are nearby and they are more likely to do what you want because they are being GRADED!

Contrary to the other two reviewers, my experience at Empire Beauty School was pretty good.
— I got a color, highlights and a haircut — all for $ 20!!!
— the teacher repeatedly thanked me for giving the students a chance to practice
— the quality of my color, highlights and haircut were much better than that of a regular salon (I got exactly what I wanted — an all over color with a few highlights to create a sun-​kissed look). My hair is dark brown.
Sure you are getting a service from a young person (most of the time) and they just lack the professionalism that comes with age and experience but it’s just a school — a learning environment after all. Give them a chance.
Why not 5 starts?
— the customer service at the desk could be improved on — little eye contact, little smiling…
— it took almost three hours to get everything done — it just takes time for the teacher to go over everything with the student
I used to pay $ 160 for my hair at a professional salon and I still wasn’t getting what I wanted.
Anyway, I’m going back to Empire.

I went to the Arlington Heights location to get blonde highlights put in before my trip. I got orange blotchy spots, OMG! I wanted to cry, they offered to re-​do it, I told them okay and guess what I got even MORE orange blotchy «spots», I asked them to tone it to release some of the orange, the girl doing my hair said she hasn’t learned how to do toners yet, I asked her teacher and she replied «toners, wait do you want us to color your hair over again» ((SIGH)). No, I want you to even out all the different shades of blondes/​oranges you morons. I had a nail appoitnment for after that disaster, but I left and told them to forget it. What a joke. Terrible, just terrible.
Not to mention, if you make an appointment it doesn’t guarantee anything. I made one and half the student didn’t show up and had to wait 2 hours.
1 star is overrating.