After six plus months without setting foot in a salon, it’s safe to say that Ontarians are eager to finally ditch their quarantine hair for good (split ends, faded colour, extra length: I’m looking at you). However, it’s also safe to say, due to this collective excitement, that it might be a while before you can get an appointment. If you don’t feel like waiting another six months before your next haircut (only a slight exaggeration in many cases) you should consider booking an appointment at a beauty school.
Now, I know what you might be thinking: you’ve heard the stereotypes and the hair school horror stories, and you’ve decided that, while it might be fine for someone else, getting your hair done by students just isn’t for you. But what if you could be wrong? What if the benefits could far (and I mean far) outweigh the risks? Give me nine points to make my case, and then I’ll let you decide for yourself.
1. I’ll start with the obvious: it costs less to get your hair done at a beauty school. Depending on the school (and the salon you compare it to), getting your hair done by a student can cost up to three times less than a salon ‘do.
2. Since beauty schools have to meet strict standards for cleanliness (even outside of a global pandemic) they are often cleaner than other salons. In the current context of things, I don’t think any further explanation is required as to why this is important.
3. As a student yourself, students (for the most part) just get you in ways that older stylists never will. You know the je ne sais quoi that you’re going for, yet somehow always fail to accurately express to your stylist? Yeah, your student stylist will get that.
4. Not all hairstylists are required to be licensed (or even trained for that matter). At a beauty school, you know that whoever is doing your hair has more training than some working professionals.
5. Students are supervised by licensed teachers, which means that a very experienced expert has to give their assent before your student stylist can decide that your haircut is complete.
6. Student stylists understand the science of cutting and colouring hair (yes, there’s a science behind it — and a complicated one, at that). This increases students’ precision and lowers the risk of damage.
7. Students are in touch with current trends because they learn about them in class. Beauty schools are also equipped with cutting-edge hairstyling technology to familiarize students with the latest industry techniques.
8. You might find a student stylist you really like and end up following to a salon once they graduate. Beauty schools are a great place to discover up & coming talent!
9. It can, in some cases, be easier to book an appointment at a beauty school than at a salon, depending on the beauty school and on the salon that you compare it to. Keep in mind that appointments are often longer at beauty schools than at salons, but this is just because student stylists want your hair to turn out as well as you do.
If that’s not enough to convince you, then, honestly, idk what is. As with any salon, remember to do your research before booking to learn a little bit about the establishment. Quality, of course, varies from salon to salon and from school to school. Say what you will, but it is (and likely always will be) the beauty school haircuts for me.