Whenever my friends and I discover shortcuts to save money, we check it out and report back almost immediately. That's how I found out about Salon Apprentice.
Salon Apprentice is a website where you can volunteer as a hair model for hair stylists-in-training. The price is significantly lower than fully licensed stylists, so if you're broke (or just really responsible with money) it's a great option!
You can bet your ass I signed up to try out this service. First, I filled out a profile on their website.
Within a week, I received a text from a stylist who was interested in my request.
Because it was the same salon, I also had the same customer courtesies. Namely, they offered me coffee, which I accepted with zero hesitation.
TBH, the whole appointment was basically the same as my usual, the main difference being that Julie's instructor was checking on our progress throughout.
The instructor only came up a few times after our initial consultation. He showed her different ways to part my hair and some snipping techniques, but mainly let Julie do her thing.
After the cut, Julie brought over her instructor to do a final check. It took a couple of minutes, he and Julie fixed a few minor ~finishing touches~ and then I was set to go!
My roommate has a very different texture — curly and full — and was going much shorter than I was, so her experience was a little different. Her appointments typically take two hours, but this appointment lasted for three.
Right now, it's only in sixteen major cities– including New York, DC, Denver, Seattle, Miami and Boston – but you can sign up to get notified for when they expand to your area.
Something I highly recommend for anyone on a budget.