I recently visited the Empire Beauty School in Concord, NC and was immediately impressed by the…read moreentire staff. From the front desk to the students working on the floor, the whole team is warm and personable, creating a welcoming and upbeat environment. It's clear the students are passionate about their craft; they are raring to learn and practice their skills, which really adds a buzz to the atmosphere. A huge positive is the professional organization of the floor. Every student takes pride in their workspace--everyone keeps their station neat and tidy, which speaks volumes about the training they're receiving. Transparency is also excellent: the price list for services and all available retail products are prominently displayed. While I haven't personally had a chance to get any services yet, based on the cleanliness and careful instruction I observed, I would absolutely trust them with a non-chemical procedure like a deep conditioning treatment, simple braiding services or a blowout. On the client side, my relatives recently had a pedicure here and were happy with the results.

While I did indeed love my time here and I had a great experience while I was in school what I…read moredidn't know was how ill prepared it made me for work in an actual salon, nothing fancy just Great Clips but it didn't take long at all to realize that because most of the client in that school are little old ladies (nothing against little old ladies) that my only real experience was doing roller sets and silk presses. My hair cutting was awful because I had no experience in it and men's hair was a non starter because the amount of men that came into that salon at the school was almost zero. The teachers had this habit of doing it for you rather than guiding you through it so I had no experience. They were more worried about the customer than the student learning which is ok to a degree but it is supposed to be a school and the customers supposedly know this,although from my personal experience most of them forget that fact quite often. They taught me what I needed to pass my tests.... The end. I'll take whatever responsibility/accountability is on me that maybe I could have practiced more at home but if you don't know what you're doing wrong how can you fix it? I'm really not trying to discourage anyone from going here but just know what awaits you after all the tests, runway shows, rude clients, student drama, inventory, cleaning and hygiene workshops. I'm pretty sure I learned more about cleaning my station than actual hair.

Good People caring and wanting to make sure the students are getting all they need to be successful…read more Love Cara and the rest of them such grear people. Making sure quality work is happening there

From the owner: Here at Summit Salon Academy Charlotte, we are dedicated to educating and growing future beauty…read moreprofessionals. Our mission is to create artists who will succeed in the industry while living their passion through hair design and creativity. We are inspired by you everyday!

I was in Mooresville for a job and remembered Pinnacle was close by and had some time to kill so I…read morecalled to see if they could fit me in. The front desk was super accommodating and made it happen. I needed my pink touched up, we talked about options and I had total confidence in my stylist. I have been to other cosmetology schools and this school has the best vibe. My hair looks great. I will definitely return.

I am so pleased with how my color and cut turned out!…read moreBeautiful and fair pricing! Wonderful teachers, staff and students!

You can visit and get a service from people working towards their dream and it's at a discounted…read moreprice. How cool is that!? I visited and Addison gave me an incredible facial. Her massage techniques seriously rivaled those of the estheticians I have worked with at top tier spas across the country. I wish I lived closer or I'd be here all the time. In the past I have come for shampoo blowouts and loved it. They definitely prep students to set them up for success.

I had an appt for a haircut. Nothing crazy. Just a trim to the ends & a trim/cleaning up my layers…read more I asked for 4in to be cut & ended up with @ 9in cut off. I specifically asked the student that if she was unsure about anything I had asked, that she ask her educator for help. She didn't until the very end when she was doing some face framing & instead of gliding the scissors down the length of my hair to do this, she just chopped chunks into the front of my hair. The only way to salvage this was to cut my hair short to even this out. It was a terrible haircut & unfortunately I won't be going back. This is the second time this exact thing happened. While I understand they are students & you're taking that risk when you go, there just needs to be better supervision for the students. This girl who cut my hair was graduating in 4 wks & seemed like she was only 4 wks into the program. That's how bad this was. Also, I have been going here for probably 20 yrs so I k ow the drill. The caliber of students & educators has severely decreased. Back in the day the students & educators were much more professional & put together. Now when you go here, most of the students & educators look like they just rolled out of bed & grabbed anything on the floor. There is no professionalism. The educators used to come over and check in a few times during a visit. Now they come over at the beginning & the end & don't check in at all during the appt. This place used to be so much better than it is now. I would not recommend.

If you have any thoughts of going GOOO! Everyone there was so nice and it was an amazing service…read more They listened to my concerns and even gave recommendations after the service was done. So relaxing and so worth the price!

I have been here several times and the students do your nails and they are still learning so it…read moredoes take more time. They work hard, do a good job, and the cost is great! I am always pleased with the outcome and enjoy helping them to practice their skill. The teacher is always pleasant and available to help the students along the way. She answers any questions or concerns you may have too. Great job!!

Great place with excellent pricing and service…read more Thanks so much to Breece Schaefer for working me in at the last minute. You done an excellent job and keep up the great work !

They did a great job on my granddaughter keratin treatment . The stylist was very knowledgeable of…read morethe treatment and was able to educate me on aftercare.

From the owner: Shelby School of Esthetics program will provide students with hands-on experience in the art of…read moreskin care, including electrical facials, basic facials, hair removal, and many custom facial principles. Students learn about general health and wellness, cosmetics, and basic dermatology, chemistry and anatomy.

My daughter recently completed her esthetics training at NC Nails Esthetics Academy, and we are…read moreboth incredibly grateful for the experience she had there. The instructors are knowledgeable, kind, and truly supportive. They genuinely care about their students and help them build confidence along the way. The hands-on training is excellent--students have real opportunities to practice and develop skills that truly prepare them for the workforce. I've seen a beautiful growth in my daughter--not only professionally, but personally as well. She feels prepared and confident to begin her career. I would highly recommend this academy to anyone interested in esthetics. Thank you to the entire team for helping my daughter grow into a confident and capable esthetician!

I Graduated from NC nails and esthetics back in January (2026)! My experience there was awesome the…read moreteachers are super sweet and will show you anything you have questions on. It wasn't as expensive as I was thinking it would be, I was full time so it was a little cheaper too! It's awesome being a student here because esthetic students can ask you to model for them and you basically can get free services done for having them practice on you. I made life long friendships here, I'm actually working in a salon right now with two of them :) thank you for guiding me in this new journey! Good luck to everyone who is trying to become a nail tech!