I've been to Bellus Academy for several years and have had various services now and overall I am very happy and will continue to return. I have tried hair balayage, hair cuts, keratin treatment, and eyelash extensions. What stands out the most is the reasonable pricing, but with that comes at the cost of your time. Because the stylists are students, they are going to take more time than a professional. The salon is not allowed to give a time estimate either so you'll just have to go in without knowing how long you'll end up there, but estimate at least double what the service would regularly take. I'll also note that the internet signal has not been great in there with my phone service provider. It looks like they have wifi for students but I didn't ask if I could connect. Could be an issue if you are there for several hours with no phone connection. They are also open on weekdays only, and only perform certain services on certain weekdays so check with the salon when booking your appointment. I tried over the course of 4 years to schedule a keratin treatment that kept getting canceled on me for various reasons (once because of rain-they won't do it if it's raining because the treatment can't get wet, two times for pandemic-related closures) which are all fair enough, but then I've also been canceled on due to not having the keratin product in stock. I've been told that they have a hard time getting the product from the supplier, so that's an issue that could be worked on. The most frustrating part of the cancellations were that some of them were same-day when I had already taken time off of work. Thankfully, when I brought this to the front desk's attention, they were able to offer a discount off my next treatment. Overall, the stylists I've been scheduled with have been very excited and proud of their work and have done a great job with the services. I have also heard some stylists make references to drama amongst students or complain about the school/instructors which I felt was very unprofessional to say within earshot of a client. Regardless, I will keep coming back for the services and reasonable pricing! read more

Bellus Academy - Poway - Keratin treatment - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - Poway, California

Recently I had asked for a lash lift, from this location and [[HIGHLIGHT]]my lash tech was the lovely Lizette! She was super gentle and super patient with me and listened very intentionally to my comments and concerns before AND during the process![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]My experience with her was wonderful, and as a person who can't sit still for very long Lizette made the short 20 minute process feel even shorter![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] She was friendly and kind, and my lashes came out great! The quality of her work has very much helped improve my self image in my day to day life, and I would absolutely recommend her for other people as it's clear to me that she has a natural talent/gift for this type of work :) Thanks so much Lizette! read more

Graduation ceremony- where did the graduates money go to!? Not even a proper big sufficient place for families to see their loved one cross stage. Tiny space. Worst place ever! read more

Bellus Academy - Poway - Their graduation ceremony 6/30/2024 Horrible coordination. This is the "overflow" room with 20 inch screens lol - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - Poway, California

[[HIGHLIGHT]]I have had many facials with Sydney she's amazing!![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]She's so sweet and takes the time to make sure you're comfortable and explain all the products.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Book with her!! read more

They contacted me and let me know they would address my concerns so others could have a better experience. The vice president called and offered to have one of the instructors fix my hair. I still don't know how they would fix it but I think I can have a consultation to discuss a fix. read more

Bellus Academy - Poway - This is the photo I showed when I walked into the salon. I walked out with a shoulder length bob. - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - Poway, California

[[HIGHLIGHT]]This was my first experience in getting a facial and I had the pleasure of receiving it from a sweet young lady named Lyla.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] She made my first experience so amazing! She has such a calm voice and her hands were so soft that I almost fell asleep. It was so Relaxing, [[HIGHLIGHT]]Lyla answered all the questions I had and gave me some great suggestions that will help me out with my skin.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I would highly recommend anyone to go to Lyla for a facial anytime!!!! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Thank you Lyla for making my first facial a fantastic experience!!![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Sydney is one of the best upcoming estheticians. She is beyond professional and takes such great care of your skin. She is gonna go so far in life. She gave me the best facial ever and my skin looks and feels so good! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Not only that she is the sweetest human and so welcoming.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Definitely my new esti bestie read more

Today I had a gray blending with highlights service with students Elissa and MacKenzie. They were both so talented professional and genuinely caring about doing a good job. Thank you very very much :) read more

Bellus Academy - Poway - Before, ugh - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - Poway, California

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Maddy Losito was amazing! It was my first facial so I was a bit nervous and wasn't sure what to expect. She quietly and calmly talked me through the whole thing. It was soo relaxing. As a busy mom of two teenagers this was just what the doctor ordered. My face was super smooth for days. I will definitely be recommending her to all my friends and going back again. read more

The student that worked on me did an excellent job and she was so professional and kind and met all my expectations. Her name was Sydney and i know she has a long future in this profession, so go and have a great experience you wont regret it. read more

Today was my first experience as a customer at Bellus and had a wonderful experience! Katrina Mata was such a gentle and patient student stylist and she did a wonderful job with my hair trim and layering. I appreciate how Bellus' instructors were so hands on with their students. They would instruct her how to cut before she started cutting and then once she's done, they'll sit down and show her how to cut my hair even better. My overall experience was a little over 2 hours and I was not in a rush because I expected my hair cut to be slower since it was done by a student stylist. I appreciate the academy allowing customers to come during the evening after working hours. The facility was clean, the staff were super friendly, Katrina was so sweet! Parking is super easy and plenty in the lot. I loved my experience so much, I'll be looking up their other spa services to try next! read more

Bellus Academy - Poway - hair cut - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - Poway, California

I had a great experience at Bellus. My treatments by Tracie K were incredible. She took the time and focused on what my skin needed most. Looking forward to going back! read more

This school has the potential to be truly great, but the student experience varies dramatically depending on which educators you're assigned. There are instructors like Audra, Haley, Nate, Bree, and Chey who consistently show they care about students' growth and success. They teach thoroughly, supportively, and with real investment in our education. Chris seems fine, if a little lazy. However, many of us have had very different experiences with other educators. Crystal is kind and clearly cares, but respectfully, many students feel she is not equipped for an educator role. Concerns around professionalism, time management, and effective teaching become especially noticeable when transitioning to almost any other instructor after her. Miranda is undeniably talented as a stylist, but several students have struggled with the inconsistency in how she treats people. She tends to have favorites, and if you're not one of them, she can come across as dismissive, condescending, or disrespectful. It creates an environment that doesn't feel fair or supportive. The larger issue seems to lie with management -- or the lack of consistent management. The previous director was let go, and the VP stepped in as acting director, but he is frequently away. There doesn't appear to be a steady leadership presence capable of fully acting as director, and that leaves students without a reliable point of contact. The leads genuinely listen and do their best, but it's obvious they have limited power, and it becomes discouraging to keep reporting the same issues when the people who could make real changes are unavailable or unresponsive. Bellus does have educators who make us grateful we chose this school, and they are the reason many students stick it out. But the truth is that the school has significant problems that need to be addressed. If Bellus wants students to feel valued--and to believe this school prioritizes education over making money--then leadership, consistency, and accountability need to be improved. read more

I've been here twice, first for a bleach root touch up and again for a layered cut. I'm fairly picky with my hair and Shelby is the literal best. She is so meticulous and careful and does an amazing job every time! My wife also got her roots bleached here twice, once with Tessa and once with Sedra, both ladies are also really amazing at coloring! The teachers here are responsive and also do a great job scaffolding the students! Miss Donna is one of my favorites! Definitely come here for a professional environment with tons of talent! read more

Now that I no longer attend this school, I can finally express my thoughts. They forced all of us to give 5-star ratings to improve the school's reputation. Without that, the school would have an average rating of around 1.5 stars. When I transferred from Bellus El Cajon to Bellus Poway, I had to pay my tuition again. I had to settle the remaining balance at my first school before I could transfer and then start paying for my education at the new school. Essentially, I had to pay for my schooling twice. That's $60,000. However, they were able to transfer my hours, so I didn't have to repeat the same coursework. It seemed like they were only interested in taking my money. Additionally, this school is extremely focused on making money. Yet they frequently ran out of products and blamed us for wasting them. In reality, if you examine the numbers, it was actually because we were bringing in too many clients at the time. Moreover, the staff would change rules without informing me, leading me to get into trouble. They prevented me from taking in clients when I came in for makeup hours (extra credit hours outside of my regular schedule), and then talked behind my back, accusing me of sneaking in clients and having them pay me directly instead of the school. I didn't do that, but I appreciate them thinking I'm clever enough to come up with such a scheme, as it shows they have a low opinion of me. I have my own studio and have been running a successful Instagram account to market myself since I started school. I didn't anticipate that the cosmetology school teachers would have a problem with this or falsely claim that I was charging my clients at school. Everyone at this school is fake and mean. Despite keeping to myself, being quiet, and staying focused on my work, I still encountered numerous issues in this environment. I tolerated the school scandal because of my deep passion for hairstyling. If you lack genuine passion or see beauty school as a last resort, consider investing your money elsewhere, possibly in another school with similar deceptive practices but at a lower cost. read more

I'm writing this review after my third visit using their student nail services. My first two experiences were positive--gentle and patient students who took their time. (1st visit: acrylic removal + new acrylic set. 2nd visit: acrylic removal + gel manicure.) Each took around 3 hours, and I was fine with that pace. I understand you sign a waiver and pay a reduced fee since it's a learning environment. That said, I had a flawed experience today that I feel is important to share. WARNING for anyone getting acrylic/enhancement REMOVAL: I came in with acrylic nails and large charms on every finger except my thumbs, done by a home-based tech using strong UV resin. The student brought me to the station, asked me to wash my hands, and when I sat down, she pulled out very large nail pliers--which an instructor later said were too big and not appropriate. Without soaking, she grabbed a charm on my pinky and peeled the acrylic off dry, pulling it halfway while dry. I'd just read online an hour earlier that you should never do that, and I was in shock. I felt a sharp pain and tear. She looked at me and said, "Oh, you're scared," and then, "omg/look, it's so easy." I could see my natural nail underneath, but I gasped and said it hurt. She replied, "Maybe it's still stuck." (The set was only 2.5 weeks old, no lifting.) She left the pinky and started picking at the other charms with the same pliers. None popped off, but it was still rough. She walked to the back and returned, finally having been told by her instructor to soak my nails in acetone, which had been the method both previous students used right from the start. When she came back to me, my pinky was bleeding. I told her so. She had me soak, and surprisingly it didn't sting--my pinky felt numb. She started scraping the softened acrylic, and that's when it bled more. The charms still weren't coming off. Then her instructor stepped in, and everything changed. From the moment she sat down, I could feel her calm, experience, and patience. She immediately said the pliers shouldn't have been used, and instructed the student to soak my nails longer and use the electric buffer for the ones without charms. She used a nail tip to lift the acrylic gently from the natural nail--so much less painful--and she checked in with me after each one. She even told the student to watch my facial expressions and explained where things might hurt. I specifically asked the instructor to work on my pinky as I no longer trusted the student. The instructor removed the charms (noting the UV resin made soaking ineffective), and when it came time to remove the acrylic from my pinky, she held it down to minimize pressure. I had to grit my teeth to get through it. Even the student was cringing and visibly uncomfortable watching. The instructor said she was scared too but had to do it. I agreed. I just wanted it off. They called me "tough." Honestly, I don't think they fully grasped how painful it was. I have over 20 tattoos, most of which I'd rate a 4/10 on the pain scale. This? 8.5/10. I nearly passed out a few times from the pain. In the end, my other nails were smooth and buffed. My pinky was bandaged, with a thin layer of acrylic left to protect the nail bed. The whole process took about 1 hour and 15 minutes. She also mentioned she'd just had her own acrylics removed and joked about friends who bite theirs off, saying she was glad I came in. The student apologized for my pinky, but it was the instructor who absolutely redeemed the experience. I trusted her entirely. Without her, this would've been a traumatizing appointment. She was professional, skilled, and an incredible asset to the school. All of this is to say: this is a learning environment, not a professional salon. You are paying $12 and taking a risk. Your experience can be decent or go very wrong. I don't believe this is a "chop shop." But I do think training and supervision protocols need to improve--especially when it comes to removal techniques and student communication. Everyone deserves to feel safe and comfortable during a service, even from a student. I hope management takes that seriously when developing their training curriculum. All in all, I'm alright and if anything, am glad this happened to me because I can take a lot of crap, it would probably suck a lot a lot and be traumatizing for someone else. I get my nails done like 2 times a year so this is probably it for me for the rest of the year. But imagine if you wanted a new set soon after and you're having to heal/regrow out your nail, I would urge you to consider going to a proper place or communicating so you get the right person (or else you're taking a chance). I wish I could have communicated sooner when I realized what she was doing but could I have guessed she was going to move so quickly and in the wrong direction? Things can go wrong in the blink of an eye. If names are needed, I'm open to being contacted. read more

Came in to see Morgan K. Got a back facial and hydrating facial. Words cannot describe the experience. Relaxing, tranquil. Highly recommend going to see her. Men, women, children! Everyone needs to experience it. read more

I had the weirdest experience here today. The student looked at my regrowth & thought it was a 4. I'm a 6 been a 6 my whole life. They were about to give me black brown regrowth over my greys & the rest of my hair is about a level 7 I left before my hair was ruined thankfully. I went to another salon off Convoy & the stylist used a 7.5 on my re-growth. If I did a root smudge I would have needed a 6-6.5, but the 7.5 blended with the rest of my hair beautifully. So look up the level chart online if you aren't familiar to avoid a disaster. read more

Came in yesterday to get my roots done and was very pleased. Erin Noel was so great, she took her time to make sure the color was perfect as well as blended the new color into the rest of my balayage. and she gives an incredible scalp massage! Thank you so much, Erin! read more

Great service with Carly! She did the best facial on me and I left feeling and looking refreshed. Very professional and made sure I felt comfortable. 10/10 would recommend her. read more

I went in to see Lizette V for microdermabrasion, left with a great experience that calmed me for my week, highly recommend getting serviced by her! read more

I had a wonderful experience at Bellus Academy, but what I truly want to highlight is my deep appreciation for all of my educators in Esthetics--Miss Larissa, Miss Marla, and Miss Bree--as well as our student advisor, Miss Yesennia. Each of them played such a significant role in making my education not only easy to understand, but also incredibly fun and engaging. read more

Another great facial at an affordable price. I got the best facial from Catalina at Bellus Poway. My face is glowing. Already have my next appointment booked. Be sure to buy their VIP gift card to get MORE discounts. read more

I've been coming here for several years now. I've had facials, haircuts, hair coloring, and even massage when they had it years ago. I utilized my last VIP treatments for year 2022. I want to do a shoutout about Julianna Hauke's work. I had Spa Mani and Spa Pedi and let me tell you, she did an excellent job! I had them done the 23rd of December and it's already the 3rd of January 2023...it looks like she just did my nails today. She's doing the nails program til mid March. She's very thorough so if you want your nails done, go see her. She's an AM student. read more

At a beauty school, as a patron, you have the ability to help aspiring cosmetologists to practice their skills before they work for someone else or go into business for themselves. Everyone at this particular location of Bellus is extremely professional and hard-working, and I have had almost every service they offer over the past few years. I discovered them when my friend was getting her aestheticians license. Lately, Lois and Bree have done my hair and they are both very talented and Gabi did a spa mani and pedi that was out of this world. Their facialists are also incredible. read more

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Miss Marla was a fantastic instructor for the freshman esthetics class! I am so grateful for my 12 weeks in her class. I truly learned so much and was able to practice so much and she took lots of time investing In making sure as students we were ready to move over to clinic and ready to be successful estheticians outside of school as well. Going back to college as an adult is very intimidating and as a single mother there are a lot of challenges and I'm so grateful Miss Marla met me where I was and did not let me give up even when it felt like I really couldn't keep all the plates spinning at once. I feel prepared for this profession in a way I don't hear many students at other schools say they feel after their trade school experience. I'm so glad I chose Bellus and got to be Miss Marla's student. read more

To Bellus Academy, I am writing to express my deep disappointment and frustration with the recent graduation ceremony held on 6/30/24 for all three Bellus Academy locations. The event was disorganized and poorly managed, leading to significant distress for many graduates and their families. This graduation was an event I had looked forward to my entire life. As a member of the Class of 2020, I missed out on a traditional high school graduation due to COVID-19. This day was highly anticipated and incredibly special to me, making the disorganization and chaos all the more disheartening. Despite the clear instructions that seating would be on a first-come, first-served basis, my guests and I arrived two hours early to ensure they could attend. However, my two supporters, who were among the first in line, were unable to enter the venue. They were forced to watch the ceremony on a tiny, outdated TV in an overcrowded overflow room filled with other disappointed families. This was incredibly disheartening, as they had come to celebrate this important milestone with me. Moreover, the venue itself was inadequately prepared. With only 100 seats available for families inside, the overflow room quickly became packed, leaving many people sitting on the floor due to the lack of seating. This arrangement was unacceptable and made the experience uncomfortable and unsatisfactory for everyone involved. To make matters worse, the ceremony featured two celebrity hairstylists who spoke about their success and then received a $10,000 reward. While their achievements are commendable, discussing their income and receiving such a significant reward felt inappropriate, especially on a day meant to celebrate the graduates. This $10,000 reward could have easily been given to a deserving graduate, or $1,000 could have been given to 10 Bellus graduates instead. It was very insensitive and took attention away from our graduation. It was also inappropriate for them to be taking questions as if it was a Q&A. Why was this even allowed at a graduation ceremony that is supposed to celebrate us? I have never felt such disappointment and frustration. While there were moments during the ceremony that made me feel appreciated, the overall experience was marred by these significant issues. What should have been a joyous and memorable occasion was instead filled with frustration and disappointment. I hope the school can acknowledge this catastrophic situation and provide any sort of compensation or at the very least a huge apology. I urge the administration to address these concerns and take steps to ensure that future events are better organized and more considerate of the graduates and their families. No one should have to experience what we did on such an important day. Thank you for your attention to this matter. read more

Scheduled an appointment for an anti-aging facial. Alexis H. did my facial service and was top notch, consultation, services itself, time to complete service and product recommendation was just as good if not better than some high end spas I have been to. She had me so relaxed during the service, loved the mini back, neck, arm and hand massage too and skin felt so soft and renewed after the service! Bellus was running a buy 1 get 1 50% for product, what a deal in addition to an excellent service experience! Thank you and I will be back again soon! read more

I'm so happy I chose to come to Bellus Poway! The spa nail program has been amazing! Ms P is a wonderful teacher and she is very knowledgeable. You are going to learn a lot here not just how to do nail art. If I have any other areas in the beauty industry I want to get licensed for, I will definitely be coming back to Bellus Poway! Highly recommend just going with your gut and enrolling in school! You will also meet a lot of great people and all the educators are very helpful! read more

Krislyn Nguyen did a great job, was friendly and professional. Highly recommend! Wishing you tremendous success, Krislyn!!

got pits + bikini waxed with lizette and she was so nice to work with and did a great job!!!

I just wanted to hop on here and say that Bellus has really been a joy for me. I went through the Master Esthetician program and learned so much! Of course I had amazing teachers, however you will get as much out of Bellus as you put in, so don't forget to work hard! I landed a job at a number 1 skin care spa right out of school @Bliss Organ Day Spa (Sonoma, CA). I also just passed the CIDESCO international certification for skincare! The process was long, but so worth it to add to your resume. Olga Filatova runs the whole program and was absolutely wonderful to work with. She continued to help me with all the crazy steps (huge report, written exam, and 5 hour long practical exam). Answering all my many many questions as quickly and well as possible. She has been with the school for almost 18 years and continues to both care and put in so much hard work for all her students. I really appreciate her and realize how much work she does for all the CIDESCO students. Very happy my overall experience :) read more

I guess I forgot to leave a review from over a year ago as a student, but hopeful beauticians beware. Do NOT attend this school. It is horribly ran, from the most incompetent director and vice president to the sketched out teachers. I cannot believe how poorly this business is ran and hope prospective students decide to go to school somewhere else. From the beginning, we had an esthetician teacher who was not an esthetician, but a massage therapist who did not know how to make barbecide. Then, we had a teacher with a lot of emotional issues and mental challenges who kept reporting every student -apart from the one pregnant student- every week for months. An entire class was accused of a literal crime and we got suspended but didn't talk to any police and then admin tried go sweep the teacher's blatant harassment under the rug. A black veteran student was told to use different bathrooms and stay away from the student fridge and to use a different water station to keep the weird teacher placated. That decision was quickly walked backed but it's wild we even had to deal with that. Every week, my classmates were brought to tears, either from wild accusations from a schizo or from her yelling at us. We had -no joke- more than 2 bugs (they looked like termites) fall from the ceiling and directly onto the beds in the master classroom. There is one person who works hard and is even slightly competent and it's Yesenia. I cannot for the life of me understand how she hasn't moved on to better things or hasn't been promoted to running the school. If you're a prospective student for nails, also beware. I have nail tech friends who were threatened by other students and admins (specifically, David and Ana) refused to do anything until a family member threatened to call the police. Ana should not be in any position of leadership and I hope no one is ever under her care in the future because she will, undoubtedly, fail them at every turn. If this review is deleted, I'll resubmit it with emails and phone transcriptions as proof. read more

Five stars for my stylist Jade Maginnis! She was a true consultant/stylist and I was so impressed. I will follow her wherever she goes! Check out the before and after pics!!! read more

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L did an AMAZING job! Not only did she give me the best haircut of my LIFE (I loved how she REALLY took her time, and consulted with several of her instructors to get just the right cut that worked with my natural waves), but she made my first hair coloring experience EVER comfy and fun. Ask for L! read more

Bellus Academy - Poway - Cosmetology Schools Near Me - Poway, California

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Came for a service when this nail tech came up to me with a bright smile her name was Sarah Dudrey, as a man I'm very insecure of getting these kind of treatments, so she suggested me to get a clear coating on my finger nails, she was very patient always smiling and never hurt me once , I highly recommend this place as a man if you want to get your fingers and toes right. read more

Courtney Holsapple gave me the BEST FREAKING NAILS I've ever had done. Not only is she a true artist, but she is super knowledgeable and introduced me to gel tips and I don't think I'll ever go back to acrylic. These babies are SOLID after more than 2 weeks of being super rough with them (doing dishes, opening packages, you name it) and I've gotten so many compliments on the art. They're not lifting AT ALL!!! I also had my toes done, and even with wearing closed toed shoes more often that it's cooling down, there are zero chips. I was also really self conscious bc it had been over a year since my last pedi and Courtney made me feel super comfortable. She's also so much fun and the time flew by. 100000/10 recommend. read more

I scheduled a facial and hair cut with deep condition for the same evening. Megan Flores did my facial and it was so relaxing. She had such a calming presence, explained what she was doing as she went along, took the time to evaluate my skincare needs and even recommended a facial for my next visit. The facial included an arm and hand massage which was an unexpected inclusion and added to the overall experience. The products felt like great quality and my skin was glowing after. Anthony Luling handled my haircut and I really appreciated that he didn't mind that I only wanted a small trim and nothing too exciting. The deep condition left my hair very soft and my hair trim was perfect without any length taken off. I have curly hair and hair stylists usually always push to cut more than I want done or they just go ahead a take several inches off, but Anthony was careful to keep the length. If he was unsure about something, he wasn't afraid to go to his instructor and ask for assistance. This was a wonderful experience and I can't wait to book my next appointment! read more

Jackie did amazing with my hair!! And she's a great and quick learner, knows when to ask her teachers for guidance, and super friendly. Great first experience read more

Student Shane at Bellus Academy at Poway, CA. Performed an outstanding job on my hair-root-touch-up and hair cut. Shane listen to my needs and paid attention to detail. I truly recommend Shane's services for anyone looking for great service. Thank you! read more