Reviews of Cinta Aveda Institute (Massage Therapist)

Kassandra Carreno

Every waxing service I've gotten throughout the years have always been fast, clean, and professional. Great place!

Sandra Witzel

Always had good experiences with the hairdressers here. Very good value, just bring more time as they are all in training. It helps if you know what you want and can show photos. The receptionists, however, have 'whatever' written all over them. Barely do what's necessary, don't seem to care and certainly never display any kind of joy in their work. Room for improvement!

moonie moonie

Went in for a body wave on my very long hair two weeks ago and LOVE the results! Joel was very attentive as he guided Nancy through the process and matched the services exactly to my hair type and desired results. He chose the perfect size rollers and helped Nancy time it so that I now have the gentle waves I need for my normally super-straight/ very fine hair. The job took a bit longer than expected but I don't mind taking longer to get the right results!

Hussain Sham

Friendly, Energetic and Comfortable! Highly Recommend!

Nhung Kim Phan

Very reasonable price haircut. You get the Cinta salon experience (which I just experienced for the first time ever recently)! for a fraction of the cost! You go in and they take you upstairs where they offer you a beverage than you a student comes and consults with you what you want. They have instructors walk by and reviewed as they go along. Ive gotten many haircuts here and always happy with it. Only complaint is they always forgot the scalp massage when they shampoo, but overall, great price and deal!

Jessi A

Don't go here, I wish I did not. I walked in to make an appointment. I told the front desk that I wanted to work with a gamma stylist, the highest level of stylist in training. The person they supposedly were booking me with was a beta, second tier, but she is from a foreign country where she has her cosmotology license in, but that license is not recognized here in California. When I arrived for my appointment today, I looked through the look books and chose several pics that showed how I wanted my naturally dark blonde hair with 6 months of grown out highlights to become natural looking highlighted and lowlighted hair. The stytlist myself and the "educator" all spoke IN DETAIL about this. The last thing the (first) EDUCATOR said to the stylist was NO CHUNKY HI LITES. Well he didn't supervise her AT ALL. While she was doing the color, she told me she was an engineer in the Ukraine, before she moved here, which struck me as odd being that I was told my stylist has a hair license NOT an engineering license in her home country. Another (second) educator comes over to check in about the cut, there were some communication issues which we ironed out and in the end the cut came out pretty good.....She started blow drying my hair and oh gosh now I can see the color. I now had incredibly CHUNKY highlights, that were PLATINUM blonde in front and dark dark blonde on the sides. Another (third) educator came over, as at this point I am in tears, and she agreed to waive the fees for today and I can make an another appointment to fix it. Why they couldn't fix it then and there, I am not sure. My schedule is tight and no I cant come back tomorrow. She is finishing up the blow dry and I am still visibly upset, so now the fourth educator comes over, and says 'don't worry, we will fix it I cannot refund you but we will fix it for free.' I said 'thats funny, I was already told I did not have to pay for my services today since I was so unhappy". Fourth educator says "maybe a school isn't the right place for you to come" to which I replied "Maybe the first educator, who is no longer on the floor, should have stayed and supervised my entire process". The stylist finished the blow dry and to be honest, it wasn't even a good blow dry. My naturally wavy hair, was now straight like i asked, but pretty damn frizzy. When I went downstairs to reschedule, it turns out the gammas are only taking appointments from 315 to 415pm I work in fitness which means I always have to be in work by 5pm, during the week and I work on Saturdays, so my only option was to go with a beta stylist. I passed. So yeah I did NOT pay with money but trust me I am paying with S----Y streaky chunky likes its 1999 highlights. And Ill have to pay to have this fixed by a pro. The thing is I have gone to schools before, and there is usually ONE educator or master instructor, who actually stays with the stylist the entire time THAT SAME EDUCATOR checks in periodically. I understand that part of me getting services cheaply, is that they may not get it 100%, I am helping someone gain experience in their learning environment. But the skill-less-ness and the attitude and unprofessionalism here is solely from educators who have no supervisory skills and zero responsibility for the people that come in. If you want chap hair servicesr, there has to be a better deal on lifebooker or groupon or go check out the Paul Mitchell school on Folsom St

YB Ch

This is a review to its haircut service by students. Went 4 times for haircut and had mixed good and bad cuts. What they have in common is that cut is very slow and you need to be very proactive about how you feel and what you want. The last time of the 4 was bad. The guy was talking in really indistinctive voice and communicated quite badly. He also used a very sharp brush on my skin that I didn’t enjoy. Worst of all, I noticed that the trim at the back was uneven and he said ‘that’s just how your hair grow’. Anyway I lost patience for the services and don’t think will come back.

Carly Boudreau

Amazing experience! Thank you to all the friendly staff who made this visit a breeze. Awesome services at a reasonable price. Definitely would recommend! Thanks again!!

Nina R

Was very pleased with the haircit and styling I recieved from Olivia. She was very understanding and thorough in helping me achieve the style I wanted. Overall a great experience.

Laylay Sura

I graduated from Cinta aveda institute last year and had a great experience✨✨ when it came to the state board exam i passed on my first try thanks to the multiple mock exams they set up for you! I highly recommend this school your just not learning hair your learning the science and safety of beauty. Youll be able to coustomize / formulate your own hair colors! The school also donates the most money to the clean water fund, very responsible!

Valeria Popov

This school is amazing, always a great service and helpful and friendly students and teaches!!!! The quality of services is outstanding!!!

Cheng Zhao

Cheap and great haircuts!

Sf Bluejade

It's a school with students and teachers signing off each stage of the haircut. Aveda products are the best. Fragrant shampoo and conditioner, selection for whatever you want, de-tangle, shine, frizzy, straightener. Just make you have 2 hours to kill. Wash, cut, and style.

Shashwat Nanda

Yup agree with the number of posters below. Gave it a shot but their scheduling service is amateur - and they excuse it base it on a fact that they are a school. Being a school is no excuse for not calling the customer when the stylist they have requested is absent! After 2 adjustments and a lot of wasted time, found a stylist I liked. But she is absent and the manager doesn't even call to let me know it's to be re-scheduled. Think I am done with this place. And good reminder to everyone to do their research and find another place!

Tiana Olivia

I never had problem in here before. But this time i had a bad experience with my haircut. I asked for a little trim, all same length, just 1 inch trim. When she just started cutting my hair it was ok, the length was just fine. But as she continued cutting my hair, i feel like she trimmed more than 1inch and my haircut is slightly shorter than what i imagined. I can make peace with that. But the thing is, her work is not good. I asked for all the same length, and what i got is there are some hair that aren't trimmed perfectly. Some are longer than the rest of my hair, so they're sticking out. Now, it looks like i cut it myself. The thing is, the instructor did check her trim and i don't know how on earth he didn't notice that some hair are longer than the rest. Also, I asked her to cut my bangs into a side bangs. It ended up being too short, again i'm ok with that because it can grow again. But when she blow dry my hair, she made my bangs all puffy, definitely not looking like side bangs at all. She tried to fix it but nothing works and she just gave up. She was kinda in a rush and seemed to ignore that her work isn't perfect or at least good. I know they're all students, but i'm pretty sure they're supposed to be able to do a simple all same length 1 inch trim. It's not like i asked for a really complicated haircut.

Matthew Daniel

I went based on the experience of my coworker, who had a perfectly fine time. But my experience was absolutely horrible: the consultation was perfunctory, and no matter how many times I reinforced that I didn't want my hair shorter than an inch, I was met with "it's cool, be alright" dismissive language. The instructor was absent from a supervisory role, only coming over to use hairspray to glue down the comb-over in the back where the cut went too deep. All this is about average, I guess, for a school haircut experience, but the tipping point into anger-ville was the feedback form consisting of only a few multiple choice questions, half of which had been either crossed out or pre-filled by the student. I wanted the sacrifice of my hair to mean something, but I guess it was time for everyone to go home, so too bad for me. You may go, and you may have a perfectly nice time, but be aware that the depths are pretty low for exactly how bad things can get, and your feedback isn't solicited in any real way

Rick Cordary

We sort of discovered halfway through the appointment process that this was a training facility. I said "what the heck, I don't have to look at my hair" so we continued setting an appointment for the next day. We arrived early and were greeted and accommodated very well. My haircut looks just fine (per my wife) and her blow dry experience was good as well. It was interesting to learn a little about how hair is cut as the instructor interacted with the student. My hair was cut by Omar and it looks good and I'd go back.

Michael Pang

The students are super friendly and pay attention to detail. My barber spent over an hour on my haircut. Bring cash if you want to tip

Dacia Barron

When I walked in the ladies at the front were very quick and friendly and once they checked me in they lead me to Salma. She started off with a massage (so relaxing!) then to shampoo and conditioner and as super nice and friendly. When I told her what I wanted (just two inches off and long layers for body) she did what I asked and better! I am soon happy with my hair. She also did a blowout and sprayed it with some hairspray for the SF weather. I am in love with my new hair and I would definitely go back to Salma

Michelle Vu

I went to Aveda after a friend recommended the institute to me for the reasonable prices and I was just going in for a trim/clean-up cut. I didn't have high expectations or anything but I definitely left worrying that my hair was cut uneven in the back. The girl who cut my hair was nice and asked me what I wanted and I was very specific that I just wanted a trim/cleanup on my ends. What got me a little worried to start was that she washed my hair and then styled it... full style with curls... To those who may not understand where I am coming from, I have straight hair naturally, and I've never had a hair dresser curl my hair before they trim or cut the hair... the hard part is I have no clue is my hair is even from the trim since my hair was curled and will only know once I wash and dry my hair. To add it wasn't very reassuring that she did a good job since she didn't ask her instructor to look at my hair until afterwards. When the instructor asked if I had any questions or comments, I addressed my concern about the possibility of an uneven cut, and she had mentioned that if I notice anything wrong to give them a call since the stylist did miss a few steps.. not sure what that meant but I definitely left feeling really uneasy about my cut.

Jennifer Low

Great multi service salon with work performed by students and overseen by teachers. They offer 3 floors: 1st & 3rd floors have hair services & the 2nd floor is for their spa (facials, waxing, & makeup) services. I've been coming here for years and have a pretty great experience here most of the time. If you don't like the work they did, they are happy to try to fix it as long as you let them know within the week of the service being done. They use all Aveda products, which are great. The prices are beyond reasonable, especially for San Francisco.

rachel loffler

Great experience

suzette owens

Got an uneven and unflattering haircut. This bad haircut keeps growing out worse. I will keep postiing unstil it grows enough sto reshape it. .

Kamaljeet Ghotra

This is the worst salon I have been to in my life. Horrible haircut.and hair color. Will never go back or recommend.

Nuno Neves

Don't go here for a haircut.

Vivian Wong

Tried calling at 6:55pm on a Monday and received an automatic voice message telling me they their business hours, and to call back then. In the voice message, they said they close at 8pm on the weekdays... something's not right. :/

Kari Kim

I made a appointment 10 ish coming from Benicia so traffic to the city parking is not available so I had to park far by the time I made it into the school I arrived few minutes behind they wasn't able to see me. I was so sad

John Sullivan

Great Barber services! The only place I trust for my haircuts!

GAbby Knox

If you want excellent education and training in all things beauty, this is where you need to be. I love the structure and culture at the Cinta Aveda Institute. The teachers are nothing but amazing!! The Cinta Aveda Institute gives you an elevated experience in learning how to do hair and make up. If you are interested in becoming a cosmetologist, barber, or esthetician the Cinta Aveda Institute is the best place!!

Amelia Stine

Loved my experience at the Cinta Aveda Institute. The best beauty school in the bay in my opinion.

Vivian Hoang

I had a facial with Pamela today, she was very nice and professional. She gave me the most thorough extraction and that was exactly what i needed. The receptionist was very friendly and quick on checking me in as well. Overall it was an excellent experience, and I can’t wait to come back!

Ilysha Lauren

Wow. What can I say other than fantastic! They were so professional and articulate. Definitely coming back!

Google RP

Awful. was absolutely the worst experience of any hair salon I have ever been to. From beginning to end. They booked it at the wrong time then switch hairstylists then the hairstylist assigned to me didn't want to do the service after washing my hair and leaving me dripping wet after taking entire afternoon off work for this haircut and I was left with nothing but lost income. Do not waste your time. Plus they were obscenely rude about the whole situation and lied to their management . I will never go here or to their main salon again. School or not, there's no excuse for treating other human beings this way. Whatever they're teaching it isn't customerservice nor professionalism. Spend your money at a salon that cares about its customers.

Miyamoto Lena

I have been coming here for partial highlights for several years. You do take a gamble in getting a student that isn't skilled, but they eventually improve over time and experience while training. I've had to reschedule another highlights apporintment once, since it didn't turn out the way I wanted. I didn't have to pay for the error and I was happy with the results the second time. I usually go with a beta student so that if she/he is good, then I request that stylist again in another 6 weeks. Sometimes I'll go with a gamma student, since they tend to work faster, but they usually are graduating students and so you can't request them again. Be prepared to stay 4-6 hours for highlights and bring a book and a phone charger.

AT Lee

Great first appointment! Really loved how attentive and accommodating the staff are. From the receptionists to the technicians, definitely great customer service. They were careful not to use anything that would irritate my skin. Rita and Shawn are really nice and truthful abt what you need in your skincare.

Enzo Ottens

Haircut that normally takes 30 minutes took 180 minutes! Haircut still wasn’t completely done but I just wanted to get out of there ASAP Hairdresser was 30 minutes late and her level of skill was too low for handling real clients. The school should re-evaluate how fast it put students in front of real clients. I don’t blame the student, I blame the school. Very bad job

chereTV

Very professional

SEUNG HO RHEE

Awful. The worst hair style i have got in 30yr so that evertime i see myself in the mirror i get so upset and stressed. It took time completely twice longer than it should be. The haircut completely came out different from what i asked. Super shorter than what i asked.my wife and i were gonna take anniversary photo tomorrow but we canclled and postponed to take it next year because my hair style came super wierd non-adjustable.

Victoria Feldman

They were very rude to me when I came and gave a bad service. When I complained they said "I'm sick of hearing you complain".

Kelly Tran

I was one of the last evening appointments and never had my hair checked at any point during my cut. The stylist also did a terrible job and filled out the survey herself. I asked at the checkout desk if they wanted my input or review and they didn’t really seem to care either.

Patricia Stevens

I had a facial here done back in May and it was the best experience. Ive never actually had any services done here and also never had a facial done but despite all that the student made me feel so comfortable and relaxed. The instructor that came over for the consultation was super professional and it was clear that the student knew exactly what she was doing. It was all very professional and i left feeling so relaxed and rejuvenated. Best experience possible i literally could not think of a thing i could nitpick on. Definitely looking forward to when i can go again :)

Eunhye Jeon

No professional commitment you can expect. Cheap for a reason. I had my appointment rescheduled because student didn’t show up in the morning, and later appointment again 15 minutes late, coloring didn’t work and I lost my Saturday. No compensation other than no charge, left with worst outcome and stains all over clothes and face.

Robert McPhail

Its a school so they take their time but if you just consider that as pampering its very nice. Nice prices and I'm always pleased with the final results.

Daniel Sullivan

Great overall experience!!! Shout out to my Barber who gave me a great cut.

Julie Taeko

Although it’s the school, I’ve always had very professional students, who do their best to treat me like a high-class salon client. And in particular, today I had a fantastic treatment done by a student who has been asked turning at a high-class salon in Healdsburg. As a result, she’s learned a lot of tips and tricks from the trade, and was even more professional than I’ve had in the past. Furthermore, she did a fantastic job with my hair. Specifically, she did some foil balayage and partial highlights to give me a warmer tone that would make my hair look more natural.

Evan Tang

Really great value if you have the time.

Liliana Tellez

Great experience for a great price Olvia did exactly what was on my mind the products that they have are awsome. I called and got an appointment onthe same day, i am so glad happy !!!

Mayra Orellana

YOU RISK YOUR HAIR!!! Be careful its students that most of them are just starting. They did highlights and half is good half is just blonde /: very disappointed and sad

Tatiana Vilchez

I have been getting facials at Cinta Aveda for years! The products are great and the students are very professional.

Ezequiel Jauregui

Everythin cool!

Danielle Madison

As an alumni, I really appreciated the level of professionalism while at Cinta aveda institute. While learning new techniques and honeing my other skills, they helped me elevate my service experience so that one day, I’ll be able charge market prices for color and cuts. My past employment was in retail and I realized I needed to look long term, cinta aveda institute helped me make hairstyling a real career.

Mohit Chokkar

Horrible experience... I showed them different hairstyles and got weird than expected...One star only to wrote my review...You guys better to improve..not visiting next time

Micah Caldwell

I attended the institute in 2017. I feel it was a great springboard into a fulfilling career in the beauty industry. They really set you up for success!!

Hang Diep

I just got my facials here second time.. Overall, the experience was quite good compare to the price they offered. They used Aveda product for your skin. Please noted that facials will be performed by students. And be on time. They do have 10 mins late policy. Once you are late, trust me they will cancel your appointment.

Eileen t

Are you kidding? This place is GREAT! All Aveda products and prices are great half of what most spas charge, staff is sweet and trained to do the services. It takes a little long, but you save so much on the service, it's worth it for sure! Highly recommend EVERYTHING here.

Thuy Nguyen

I got an amazing haircut and styling with Jennifer S! She was by far the most knowledgeable student I've had and was very attentive. Cinta Aveda is an affordable place to get a haircut and more. The staff is upbeat and welcoming every time.

Jaclyn W

I went here for a massage and I loved it!!! My masseuse was excellent, friendly, and professional.

Shannon Sparks

They cancelled my appointment 20 minutes beforehand (despite the fact that I called to confirm 1 hour prior). Wasted my time and bus fare.

Andreas Ramos

After years of SuperCuts and other cheap haircuts, I tried the Aveda school. It's a $120 haircut... for $14. Totally incredible. And the people are really nice.

April Diaz

Got my haircut here last week for $18. Great deal. Now it took 2 hours for me to get a simple haircut, but I understand that by requesting a haircut here, it helps a cosmetology student earn his or her hours. So it's important to be patient and nice with them! They're learning! Cutting someone's hair for the first couple of times can be nerve racking for some, because we all make a big deal out of hair. You also get a little bit of a head massage. It was really pleasant! The only thing I don't like about this place is that they do put a good amount of product in your hair, and I'm not a big fan of product. I have reduced my use of hair products quite a bit, after trying out more natural hair care methods. So it was kind of a bummer, but at the same time, my hair was super tangly and hard to work with, so I kind of get it. Next time, I'm going to try to make it easier for them by coming in with less difficult hair, and being more adamant about them not using that much product in my hair. Aside from all of that, it's a great deal, and a great way to support budding cosmetologists.

Anton

This is hands-down one of the best places in San Francisco can get facials, massages or haircuts. I totally love the services and the stuff not to mention the price which makes you feel like you are badass cowboy robbing a bank rather than regular person getting facial or massage. Keep in mind that you will need to have some cash with you if will want to leave tips. Also keep in mind that services will be performed by students with the supervision of experienced instructor - teacher. I personally visited this place multiple times for different services, not haircuts as you can see, and they have never disappointed me.

Harini Manikandan

Nice people but unfortunately I don't think they know what they are doing. I know people who went in for haircut here and had a great experience but I came here for a full arm waxing and unfortunately left with some burns and skin peeling. I was greeted by a new student and brought into the spy room where two students work on each of my arms. At no point during the waxing session did I meet the instructor or teacher. One of the students took her time, but kept pulling up instead of back. I had to give her suggestions throughout the session. The other student started out well but when the wax cooled, she continued to use thick wax instead of turning of the wax warmer. That's when the harsh pulls came causing the top layer of my skin to also be waxed off. Instead of realizing she made a mistake she went on to say I was sweating and that caused the wax to stick.... I was not sweating a bit. Anyways, I regret trying to save money and coming here. I'll take my old salon back in a heartbeat and never complain when she misses that one hair that's impossible to remove.

Fionnuala Bradley

I came here with a coupon for a free color treatment and opted to get a haircut as well. The receptionist did an amazing job squeezing me in with late-notice, but had to schedule me with two separate stylists. I didn't request a certain student so had alphas (newest students) for both. The stylist who did my color (Johny) was confident despite his inexperience, super friendly, and kept complimenting the color we settled on. The second stylist who did my cut didn't hide her uncertainty when I showed her my inspiration image. Going into a haircut with that in mind put me at unease for the whole shabang. At one point, she called an educator over to help fix the length. The educator (Rosie) made me feel uncomfortable expressing what I wanted different because she talked over me and implied that it was from my lack of communication. The student was very patient and spent time making it right, so I tried to express gratitude both verbally and monetarily. I was there from 9:15 - 3:35 without a break for my cut & color. I knew it would take longer than a regular salon but damn. Overall, I would recommend it to anyone who wants to spend less money in exchange for time. They'll get the cut right, if you're willing/able to express dissatisfaction.

Rosa Wan

Absolutely thrilled with my experience at Cinta Aveda. Ask for Alejandra - super attentive, thoughtful, and respectful person and a talented hairdresser.

Benjamin Torres

Had a wax service here and saw Caryann. She was very sweet and professional. She was fast and also painless. Will come back! Thank you!

Megan Browne

Love this place, friendly staff and super affordable waxing services!

Kunal Goyal

Super Bad experience with the staff. I booked an appointment for a specific time and date but upon arrival they denied the services saying that your appointment was for 15 minutes earlier and we cant accommodate you now. When I told them about my appointment time, they just sorry and asked me to come some other day even though I was ready to wait for a later slot. Staff was not accommodating and maybe trying to save their mistakes by troubling customers. They need to realise the time of customer is also important.

Tyler Silva

Great service with the Barber!

Aravind J

I had walked in yesterday and I had a groupon coupon for a haircut. I was told that there is no barber available and there were only students. I had a preference for barbers so the lady at the counter told me that I can book an appointment for the next day. I asked for a confirmation but she told me that I can come back today at 5 45 . When I showed up today I was informed by another lady at the counter that there was no appointment booked under my name. They asked me to come back on Saturday. Very disappointed by the service.

Mayra Kadesh

Had a great hair cut here. The shampoo, cut, and style took just under an hour. I went on a Saturday and given other Yelpers parking warnings, I parked about a 10-15 minute walk away (at Howard & Hawthorne) and paid the $2/hr meter for a couple hours. I didn't even waste time trying to drive into the heart of the beast, just parked when I saw a spot after exiting the 101. It proved to be a good strategy, traffic was insane near the salon. Since the hair cut only took an hour, I had some time to shop at the nearby Union Square! The haircut cost $24 + tip (the sign says $18-$24 and I'm not clear what changes the price, my actual hair cut lasted 9 minutes, I timed it!). The cut was exactly what I wanted. I've had the same haircut my entire life (except the time when someone accidentally cut it to shoulder length when I was 15 and I cried). So, for me it's actually a good thing if my hubby can't notice anything different about my hair. What can I say, I know what I like. That said, I also don't place a lot of dollar value on my hair cuts. It's a really simple style and totally not worth the ~$100 most salons around SF seem to be charging for hair cuts. The only thing I tend not to like about training salons is the the length of time it takes to get the service, but this one was right on track. The shampoo and cut were done in 20 minutes, and then the style took about 30 minutes. She did a really nice job on the style, and gave me some fun volume and big curls that I rarely take the time to do myself. I'll definitely be back and would recommend to others. The receptionist said Saturdays fill up 4-5 weeks in advance, but I got in same day on a cancellation

Shalini Vaid

Aby is the best stylist! she is talented, creative, professional and just amazing. I will definitely follow her when she is done with her schooling! I came to her after another stylist messed up on my hair and was amazed that my hair could ever look like that! She is great with hair color and cuts

Xuan-Huong Nguyen

The service so great

Miss Aspen

Had a amazing experience love the teaching and learning environment they provide for the students.

Jasmine H

the student washed my hair then she dried it out perfectly it looked permed she used detangled

Carita DeTellis

I think this salon is a little bit hit or miss. Two people I know got great haircuts from them but mine is really ugly.

cree ray

Really good services at a decent price. This was by far the best bikini wax I ever received. Soooo smooth no flyaway hairs left, I had the best wax at the party and suuuuch a good price. They really take care of their clients here!!