Local beauty schools make staying groomed affordable in tough economy

You don’t have to go broke, just because you want to look good; there’s a way to get your personal grooming done at a fraction of the cost.

WHAS11’s Rachel Platt visited beauty schools that are becoming a salon favorite.

At Wards Corner Beauty Academy, it may look like a regular salon, but it’s students who are hard at work there and the customer gets the benefits.

“You can get a facial, pedicures, manicure, haircuts, hair color, perms, relaxers, we do braids here, we offer all the services that you would normally get in a regular beauty salon,” said a Ward’s spokesperson.  And because the students need the training, these services are offered at a fraction of the usual price.

That’s one of the reasons Francine Bryant and her daughter have been coming here for twenty years.  “I like coming here because the price is good, and it’s helping the young girls and young men who are trying to make a career out of this, and they need someone to practice on; so practice on me,” said Bryant.

If you’re concerned about having students work on your hair, don’t worry, they are closely supervised; and it does give them great hands on experience.  “It gives them the opportunity to work on the public and they’re working under the supervision of a licensed instructor.”

So how big a savings are we talking about?  Well, a facial at a fancy salon could cost you from $45 to $100, but here at the Beauty Academy, it’s $15.

And long time patrons here say they save plenty on hair services they get done monthly, even weekly.  “Depending on what I want to have done, anywhere from $20 to $40,” said one patron.  “Even just for a shampoo and set the savings is probably close to $15-$20.”  She says she saved at least $40 on the perm she got.

Clarence Morgan Junior said his wife talked him into leaving his old barber and coming here, and he’s never looked back.  “I come here because they do a good job and the price is reasonable.”

There are several beauty schools across Kentuckiana that offer discounted salon services.  The Hair Design School has four campuses in Louisville; one on Chenoweth Lane, two on Bardstown Road and one on Dixie Highway.

Haircuts start at $12, a manicure is $7, and a pedicure is $15.

Paul Mitchell has a school on North Hurstbourne Lane.  Cuts there start at $10 and a manicure is $10.