Went to Montage Academy a few month ago and I have to say it was the absolute worst investment of my life. I am very upset about wasted 3 weeks of my life and $4000.
I've learned absolutely nothing from Courtney Steavens.
Her techniques are very primitive and outdated.
Besides her initial basic PMU class that she took 7 years ago, she took only 1 advanced class in her entire career. She has no interest in learning new skills, so she can teach her students something new and different, rather then "block" solid eyebrows form 2 decades ago, uneven lips and crooked eyeliner.
She is so far behind on what's going on in permanent make up industry, it's saddening.
It was hard to watch her doing permanent make up, giving people uneven harsh looking "block" eyebrows, lips tattoo way beyond allowed borders, making them looking like clowns. She didn't know that you can actually give people soft smoky- like permanent eyeliner, yes there is such a think as a "smoky eyeliner" and it looks amazing, instead she will tattoo thick crooked lines across the eye making it look even smaller and droopier.
Permanent makeup suppose to enhance natural beauty or help illuminate imperfections such as drooping eyelids, uneven eyebrows and etc... Courtney with her work would accentuate those imperfections. There were few times, where I honestly wanted to cry - her work was so bad.
Her microblading technique, isn't even real microblading, it's something that called "soft tap" hair stroke method that is very different from microblading, it might have looks of hair strokes after it first done, but because it is done absolutely incorrectly, it heals in solid gray mess, there is nothing but scar tissue and little bit of gray residue after 4 weeks of healing. Also she would bring her models 1 weeks after procedure for the followup appointment which is big "No-No" and every permanent makeup professional knows that.
Besides Courtney not knowing how to do permanent make up, she was lacking hygiene, she would perform permanent make up procedures in her street clothing, would not cover her hair, would not use facial mask, but the worst thing was her dropping disposables on the floor, (that hasn't been cleaned the whole entire time I was there) while working on the live model, picking it up and putting it right back on the table right next to the tools she was using, continuing working with the same gloves on... talking about cross contamination...
I've taken classes before the class with Courtney Stevens and I've taken a lot more after her class and I will continue learning and perfecting my skills. I am grateful for all the skills I've learned from the most amazing trainers from all over the world. Unfortunately I can't say the same about my experience with Courtney Stevens. She should not be a trainer, nor she should perform permanent makeup.
I will never recommend taking class with Courtney Stevens. read more