I have been fortunate enough in my professional career styling, cutting, and coloring hair that I have always have had exceptional teachers. From the time I was sitting in a makeup studio learning how to present a model to the runway, to the time I was sitting in beauty school working vigorously on pin curls, my educators have been phenomenal. Now, many moons later, I say the same thing as I sit in a class every Monday for the assistant-to-floor education classes Gordon Salon is renowned for.
The assistant-to-floor education program is designed to help a stylist grow and flourish under the wing of Aveda-trained professionals that work at each of the different locations and specialize in a certain area of said training. Every Monday in the Glen location, I am always eager to learn more about Aveda. From not only the various custom colors to the different products that the brand has, but also how to cut, style, and most importantly, give a detailed and thorough consultation. Gordon Salon also frequently incorporates an hour-long portion before technical class starts that is referred to as “Soft Skills”. While we are basking in the afterglow of early morning coffee, we have speakers talk and motivate us students about ways to better our time, get to the heart of their needs, and figure out the best direction to go with our guests. Sometimes figuring out what a guest truly desires is the hardest thing to do while behind the chair, so these classes are wonderful not only for their color and cut knowledge but for their ability to stretch above and beyond what a client is asking for and making their day.
My background with cosmetology is in Paul Mitchell and then furthering it with more Paul Mitchell training in conjunction to jumping across the pond to Wella, a European hair color system. As wonderful and talented as my teachers in beauty school were, only the basics were taught to us. Truly, there is not a better thing than picking up a certain skill than by applying it out in the real world, but you would think beauty school would teach you something a little more modern. I would have loved to learn how to foiliyage, how to cut more than one type of layer, or at least not wrap 40-something perms we will probably never have the pleasure of rolling, brick-layering, and breathing in all eight hours of our day. (If you know, you know!)
I can certainly tell you with only 4 classes left under my belt out of the 36 (it goes faster than you think - don’t let that number scare you!), that you DO learn beyond the basics in these classes every Monday. If I could tell you everything I’ve learned in my 32 classes I’ve had the absolute pleasure of taking, I would be here all day and the blog post would surely reach its maximum word count. Just know, as someone who was more than a little nervous to play and train with Aveda, it’s all in your head. The Aveda classes Gordon Salon provides - broken-down - are truly about the science behind the 100% sustainably vegan products and color lines and these classes, not to mention the educators, are committed to honing your craft in a fun and detailed way.
In short, I would recommend these classes and the program as a whole to someone who is about to graduate from beauty school or who freshly has or someone who is new to Aveda - like myself! Gordon Salon has given me a chance to test the waters of science-based vegan color and products and let me tell you, the water is just fine.
Lexa
Emerging Artist in the Glen
You can book with her:
Thursday: 2:15pm - 8:15pm
Saturday: 1:45pm - 7:45pm
Sunday: 10am - 4:45pm | In Wilmette