Has anyone ever had their hair cut/coloured at a trainee salon?

[AngryFeet]

Our local college has a salon and spa for the trainees to test out the skills they are learning. It is obviously much cheaper but the trainees are obviously watched closely by professionals. A cut, full head highlights and blow dry will be £37 which is a third of the amount I normally pay. Would you do it?

Yes definitely, I have done it loads. There is always an experiences hairdresser overseeing it and usually they end up doing bits. It takes a long time, expect to be there for a few hours, but if it's going to save you a lot of money & you have the time, I recommend it.

Yes, in fact the best highlights I've had have been done by trainees! If you have the time, go for it.

Also, because there are trainees with different levels of experience, if you have particularly difficult hair (as I do) you can usually request that your hair gets done by a more senior trainee. When I did this, my stylist was just a couple of months away from graduating, so I felt in very safe hands.

It does take ages, though, much much longer than a normal appointment would, but you can always take a book!

I got my hair cut at a trainee salon of a posh london salon. it was a bloody disaster and took my 6 months to grow out. I only went to help a friend of a friend out. NEVER AGAIN.

My daughter is a beautician and whilst training at college they offered salon services to general public. College is set up like a professional salon and it depended on students experience which procedure they were allowed to carry out. So they were well practised before being "let loose" on Public. They were also supervised every step of the way and it was same procedure for trainee hairdressers. :)

Yes. Cut was fine, but colour was left on too long and then I had to have a second colour in to tone down the over done first colour. Was all fine in the end, but I was there for hours and hours. So late in fact that the reception had closed and no one was there that I could pay so I got it for free.

yeah loads - the same but slower

very interesting too

( that was colour)

Yes - I have cut and highlights done for £24 at local college. I always book the mature student class as they have generally been doing it for years but just need the nvq certificate. I budget at least 4 hours for them to do it.

I also get the 90 min full body massage for £15, half leg wax for £8 and paraffin wax mani pedi for £10 each. All are very good. Waxing takes a while when they first start - I can have a student on each leg and it still takes an hour. Just take a book.

The college also has a restaurant for catering and hospitality students. Dh and I go for a 3 course lunch once a ninth for £8.50 per head plus £10 for a pretty decent bottle of wine.

Dh goes to the barbering night where a wash and clipper cut is only £1. Great entertainment as often the trainers have very little clipper experience.

i used to go to andrew collinge graduates salon in liverpool, £10 for a cut (this was years ago tho!) they were really good. would still go if i hadn't moved out of the area.

Yes, plenty of times. Agree that they are supervised and ime will ask their supervisor if there s something hey are unsure about.
Much cheaper than a regular salon and I've never been disappointed.

Definitely,best haircuts I have had!
Only took a little longer,supervisor comes over to check and was always on hand to check if she had any concerns.
Because it was free I used to give her £10,a good tip for her and a bloody cheap haircut for me!
Girl I liked left and they wouldn't let me know where she was working,I think to stop clients from going elsewhere once their staff had finished their training.

yes years ago i used to go to Toni and Guy training school, it was good.

Yes, mixed reviews. Some of the training centres affiliated to salons tend to have their trainees "doing" a certain cut, and that's what you'll get. Others are really good.

If it wasn't for the - brave - ladies who came to our college salon I'd wouldn't have been a hairdresser or beauty therapist.

If you're not sure go for a wash and blow dry first and then try them for a cut.

I used to go and have mine highlighted and was always pleased with the results.

The only thing to bear in mind is that if you go to a college like I did then they do close for the holidays so you need to plan your appointments around these.

Well I think I will just go for highlights as I just like the very ends trimmed on my hair and may freak out if I end up with them lopping off 5 inches.