Susan Turner was well known around Salon Success Academy for her selflessness; for doing whatever it took to insure the students were happy and finishing their education. She devoted her life to Salon Success Academy before she passed away in June of 2012. Now the students and staff at the school are trying to raise as much money as possible for the “Cut out Cancer with Salon Success Academy” Relay for Life team in honor of their beloved Ms. Susan. Read More >>
Teams from the Salon Success Academy Fontana campus swept the Barristar Hair Show Student Team Competition at the Anaheim Convention Center on April 8th. One team placed first place overall, as well as first place in the hair and makeup categories, and a second team of students placed third overall, as well as second place in makeup and third place in nails. Read More >>
Salon Success Academy is now offering a nail technician program at its new campus location in Corona, California. Students can complete their training quickly, in just 400 hours, and be prepared to pass their State Board exam and start working as a licensed nail technician once they graduate. Students receive their training from knowledgeable instructors, Ms. Stephanie and Ms. Vicky, using new equipment and high quality nail products. Read More >>
Salon Success Academy takes the State Board exam very seriously! It's for good reason, though. Every student must pass both the written and practical portions of the exam in order to get their license and start working in the beauty industry. That's why the Salon Success Academy requires every student to pass a Mock State Board Exam with Ms. Rena before they graduate. Below you'll find an infographic with Ms. Rena's tips for passing the State Board exam. Read More >>
The Student Ambassadors at Salon Success Academy had been volunteering every month at Operation Safehouse, a shelter for homeless and runaway teens in Riverside, California. They knew the holidays would be a difficult time for the teens, so they wanted to do something extra special to cheer them up. They organized an entire holiday party, where they showered the troubled teens with gifts, haircuts, and manicures. But what meant more to the teens than the gifts was just knowing that someone cared about them. Read More >>
Eva Perry has been named the 2012 Salon Success Academy Esthetician Student of the Year! It was an honor bestowed on her by Bioelements, the skin care line the students use at school, and the Director of Esthetics, Mr. Nick Alaniz. She happened to receive her award on the day of her graduation, which made the day extra special for her. Now she’s looking forward to starting her new career as a licensed esthetician and she has a bunch of new products from Bioelements to help get her started! Read More >>
Nick Alaniz, the Director of Esthetics at Salon Success Academy, is taking the esthetics program to the next level at the beauty school. In November, he organized an esthetics symposium for students, which took months of preparation. The event brought together esthetician students from each campus with a group of guest educators for a day filled of advanced training and demonstrations. It was all part of Mr. Alaniz's goal to bring more advanced education to the esthetician students of Salon Success Academy and give them new passion for working in the beauty industry. Read More >>
Students have been busy styling their spookiest, craziest Halloween makeovers as part of a fun contest at Salon Success Academy. Now we need your help choosing a winner!
The students’ Halloween makeovers were completed at during school hours and their photos were submitted through a special Halloween Contest Tab on the Salon Success Academy Page on Facebook. Read More >>
There's a new beauty school in Corona, California. Salon Success Academy is opening a new beauty school in a new building, with a new look, and a new name. The location will allow the beauty school to expand its programs, offer evening classes, employ more instructors, and attract more clientele to the high-end salon and spa.
The new beauty school in Corona will be located in the Corona Corporate Center, a new professional complex conveniently located right off I-15 and near Highway 91. Renamed Salon Success Academy & Spa, the beauty school will offer students an education in cosmetology and esthetics, as well as a new nail technician program. The school will also begin offering evening classes so students can have more flexibility with their class schedules. Read More >>
Hala Abuzaineh graduated from Salon Success Academy Corona campus just two years ago. Now she’s busy working behind the chair at a salon and training to be an instructor at the beauty school she graduated from. She says she loves everything about Salon Success Academy and wants to give back to the school which helped her get started in the beauty industry.
Before coming to Salon Success Academy, Hala was a social worker for ACCESS California Services, a non-profit organization that helps Muslim-American immigrants adjust to American society. She wasn’t feeling fulfilled by her job and knew it was time for a career change. After taking some makeup courses, she felt confident that a career in the beauty industry would be the right fit for her. She began researching her options online when she came across Salon Success Academy. She came in to the Corona campus for a tour, liked what she saw, and enrolled immediately in the cosmetology program! Read More >>
Kimberly Thompson traveled around the world entertaining people as a professional dancer. After 18 years of being on the road, she felt it was time to settle down and begin a new career. She discovered that by pursuing a career in cosmetology she could combine her love for doing hair with her love for the entertainment industry. After graduating from Salon Success Academy and obtaining her license, she now works behind the scenes styling hair and makeup for TV commercials, magazine shoots, and fashion shows.
Kimberly toured several beauty schools in southern California, but when she walked into the Upland campus of Salon Success Academy she knew right away that it was the right place for her. She said the school was newer, more organized, and busier than the other schools she had toured.
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Jessica McKeever has been busy building a name for herself in the skin care industry since she graduated from Salon Success Academy in 2009. She’s worked as a medical esthetician, as a waxing educator, and now runs her own business. All of these experiences have taught Jessica a thing or two about the beauty industry. She has great advice for those interested in pursuing a career as an esthetician.
Jessica was working in a marketing position at the Chamber of Commerce, but wasn’t enjoying herself. She knew the beauty industry was growing despite the economic recession, so she decided to follow her heart and pursue a career in skin care. She researched her options online before coming in for a tour of the Salon Success Academy Upland Campus. She fell in love with what she saw. Read More >>
Students and staff from Salon Success Academy raised over $3500 for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life on May 19 at Guasti Regional Park in Rancho Cucamonga. For the third year, the beauty school teamed up with the ‘Fight Cancer with Jeff’ relay team. Not only were the students and staff supporting Jeff’s family, they were also supporting each other in their personal struggles with cancer.
Student Ambassadors from each of the five Salon Success Academy campuses coordinated the fundraising efforts at their school. For months leading up to the day-long event, they sold baked goods, raffles tickets for beauty products, and tickets to participate in Spirit Day. One of the students' fathers generously donated two dugout tickets to a L.A. Dodgers game in June, which they also sold raffle tickets for. The day of the event, the Ambassadors worked around the clock giving manicures, massages, and braiding hair in order to raise more money. Read More >>
Three graduates from the Salon Success Academy got to experience how exciting working behind the scenes as an editorial stylist can be. BJ Fite, Edgar Medina, and Breanna Ortiz, all graduates of the Salon Success Academy Redlands campus, recently styled the hair and makeup for a music video for Kaden's song “Black Light.”
BJ happened to be longtime friends with Gerry Garcia, the photographer who shot the CD cover for musical artist Kaden. He told BJ he was looking for a hair stylist for Kaden’s music video and asked her if she might be interested. When she agreed, Gerry asked her to bring two hair stylists to accompany her and makeup “just in case.” Read More >>
Student Ambassadors from all five Salon Success campuses volunteered to do the hair and makeup for the “Beauty & The Beast” production at Montclair High School in March. The students went above and beyond just styling the performers. They quickly established themselves as part of the crew, helping calm the performers’ nerves and change the scenery.
The director of the production heard about Salon Success from one of her friends, Cheri Denton, who is a graduate of the school and a former Student Ambassador. Cheri reached out to Sarah Baxter, the director of the Student Ambassador Program, who made it all happen in a short amount of time. Read More >>
One student at Salon Success Academies is already leaving her mark on the beauty industry. Janet Martinez is a full-time cosmetology student at the Upland Campus and an instructor of a professional makeup artist course at My Beauty Mark.
Janet grew up surrounded by licensed cosmetologists and always enjoyed doing hair and makeup. She was working as a nurse at a pediatric clinic, but decided it wasn’t the right fit for her. That’s when she took a tour at Salon Success Academies. She was impressed with what she saw.
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Salon Success Academies raised over $1,500 for the House of Ruth, a non-profit organization that assists families victimized by domestic violence, during their annual Cut-A-Thon on Friday, January 20. In addition to raising money for a good cause, the event also helped raise awareness and educate the students about domestic violence.
“Our industry is mostly made up of women. There are so many women out there that are victims of domestic violence. We want our students to know that there is a place that they can turn,” Director of Campus Affairs Christina Belcher said. Read More >>
This holiday season, the Salon Success Academy student ambassadors continued their tradition of helping needy families in the local community. Throughout the month of December, the ambassadors at each campus coordinated ways to raise money for the designated charity. Their efforts were so successful they raised nearly $5,000 and were able to donate to a second charity.
When the ambassadors met to decide which charity to donate to this year, Amber Byers, an ambassador from the Redlands campus, told them about the Family Services Association of Redlands, an organization that helps low-income and homeless families. Amber had used their services after giving birth to her son, Red, in 2009. Read More >>
The owner of Salon Success Academies, Bob Gross, is the new president of the Professional Beauty Federation of California. Bob was a founding member of the organization and brings decades of experience and political advocacy with him to the position.
Founded in 2000, the Professional Beauty Federation of California (PBFC) is an association that's dedicated to raising the professionalism of the beauty industry and representing the best interests of the 450,000 beauty industry professionals in the state. Read More >>
George Miller is all about professionalism, communication, and giving good hair. He's a seasoned beauty professional who spreads his insight and knowledge with Salon Success Academies students every year during a three-day professional development seminar. He has a deep respect for Salon Success Academies, and the students have a deep respect for him.
“I admire Salon Success Academies for helping our profession become more professional,” George said. Read More >>
Salon Success Academies has just launched its new blog — the Beauty Buzz! This new blog will be a valuable resource for beauty school students moving forward with their new careers. You’ll find tips for marketing your services, advice from experts in the beauty industry, interviews with other Salon Success Academies graduates, and much more!
Every Wednesday, make sure to check out the Beauty Buzz for our newest blog entry. We’ve got some great ideas about topics to write about, like all the details on LA Fall Fashion Week and a checklist of essentials for your beauty kit. But in order to make sure that we’re covering all the things you want to read about, we really need to hear from you. Tell us what you want to see next on the Salon Success Academies Beauty Buzz by commenting on our blog posts. You can also make your opinion count by voting in the weekly Beauty Buzz Poll. Read More >>
Fall classes will soon be underway at Salon Success Academies! We're excited to reunite with the returning students and also welcome all of the new students in to the Salon Success family. If you still haven't signed up for fall classes, remember you have until Friday, September 2 to enroll.
Classes start on Monday, September 12. For the new Salon Success students, this day will be spent at the "Starting Smart" orientation at the Uplands Campus, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is a great opportunity for the new students to become acquainted with the Campus Director, staff, and student ambassadors from their campus. Read More >>
Salon Success Instructor Dona Tottress-Moss has had a long and fruitful career in the beauty industry. She's been an instructor for over 40 years, owned her own salon, styled hair for some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, and at one time was an examiner for the Bureau of Barbering and Cosmetology. Now Ms. Dona can add to her list of credentials — she's been named the 2011 Ultimate Teacher by Supercuts.
Ms. Dona was nominated for the award by a former Salon Success student, Jacquie Gonzalez, who graduated in 2008 and now works for Supercuts in Los Angeles. In her nomination letter, Jacqui said Ms. Dona was a strict teacher, who always kept her students in line. Jacqui confessed she would often get in trouble for talking on her cell phone or not adhering to the dress code. Read More >>
Four campuses of Salon Success Academies were represented by four of its most talented students at the Southern California Supercuts SuperStyle event on May 15. An animated group of students and staff from Salon Success came to the event wearing t-shirts and waving signs to show their support for their classmates. Also at the event, Salon Success Instructor Dona Tottress-Moss was honored with the 2011 Ultimate Teacher Award.
Students from 23 schools participated in school competitions to determine who would go on to compete in the big Supercuts event. At the big event each stylist had to give their model a look from the 1970's, to go along with the Disco theme. Read More >>
On April 30, 2011, over sixty Salon Success Academies students, staff members, family, and friends participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life event at the Quakes Stadium Soccer Fields in Rancho Cucamonga. The team was able to raise over $2,000 at the event, and over $4,000 in total!
Salon Success Academies began participating in the Relay For Life last year, when then student Heather Harris approached the school about the event. Harris’ cousin was diagnosed with cancer three and a half years ago, and her family participated in the Relay to support him. Harris knew that her school was like an extended family for her, and they were more than happy to join the cause. Read More >>
Salon Success Academies, a cosmetology school with five campuses in the Inland Empire, will be participating in the Relay For Life of Rancho Cucamonga on April 30th at the Quakes Stadium Soccer Fields. This is the second year that the school will be participating in the event and supporting a recent graduate's family.
Salon Success Academies started participating in the Relay For Life when Heather Harris, a student at the time, shared her cousin's story with her "family" at Salon Success. Harris´ cousin Jeff Millet has been battling cancer for three years now, and the Relay For Life is how her family supports him and helps fight back.... Read More >>
Ashley Gardea hadn't really considered a career in the beauty industry until her mother encouraged her to join the ROP program during her senior year of high school. After beginning basic cosmetology classes, Ashley realized that this was the career for her, and she enrolled in Salon Success Academies, where she more than how to cut hair — she learned about herself and what she is capable of.
Ashley discovered that the beauty industry is a fun, creative field to work in and has fond memories of the styling competitions that were held at Salon Success Academies, especially the music video competition that involved hair, makeup, and costumes. It wasn't only her own creativity that she enjoyed — she loved seeing what her classmates came up with for ideas!
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The hair product company Matrix stopped by the Salon Success Academies Upland campus on February 10, 2011 to work our Student Ambassadors and expand their product knowledge. This class was part of a regular series of Matrix classes that our Ambassadors participate in every 3 months. 24 Ambassadors attended the February class, which covered cutting, coloring, and styling.
“Our ambassadors work hard on charity and school events all the time, and one of the "perks" of the program is they have the opportunity to participate in special classes like this,” explained Susan Turner, Vice President at Salon Success Academies... Read More >>
Salon Success Academies, a beauty school in the Inland Empire, held their second annual “All About Family Event.” The day included free beauty services, gifts, and food for families from the Foothill Family Shelter.
On Sunday, December 19, 2010, Salon Success Academies was full of families continuing a tradition that was started last year. The All About Family event was held at the beauty school in conjunction with the Family Foothills Shelter and offered families from the shelter an opportunity to enjoy the holiday season through generous donations for Salon Success Academies students and staff. 29 adults, 43 children, and 60 volunteers spent the day at Salon Success Academies enjoying the festivities.
Each family from the shelter was paired up with a student volunteer. These hosts and hostesses guided the families through the exciting day, making sure that everyone had what they needed, and watching the kids while mom and dad relaxed. Every family member received free beauty services – everything from haircuts to facials to manicures and makeup... Read More >>
If you’re considering helikeading back to school this fall, Salon Success Academies can help you “Start Smart” when it comes to your cosmetology or esthetics education. At Salon Success Academies, our “Starting Smart” orientations are an important part of every class. Our two-day orientations help us welcome every new student to the Salon Success family!
The first day of orientation is filled with information, introductions, and fun! All of our new students spend their first day at our Upland campus, meeting all of the people who will be helping them on this journey to a new career. You’ll meet your campus director, our student ambassadors, and other important staff members. They’ll explain what the programs at Salon Success Academies are like, and how you can get more involved at your campus.... Read More >>
Salon Success Academies students, faculty, family, and friends all joined forces to honor Iman Wahid, a student who was the victim of domestic violence, through a fashion show event that was held on August15, 2010. The event raised over $4,000 for The House of Ruth.
Upland, CA - August 26, 2010 - Salon Success Academies is known for being a “people helping company” and that philosophy reaches past the employees, all the way down to the students and their families. When Iman Wahid, a mother of three and an esthetics student at Salon Success Academy in Upland, lost her life to a brutal act of domestic violence on May 25, 2010, her classmates and teachers quickly bonded together and began planning a way to honor her life and raise awareness of domestic violence. A fashion show fundraiser was held on August 15, 2010 in Iman's honor... Read More >>
Salon Success Academies sent seven lucky students to the Pechanga Resort and Casino to participate in the SuperCuts Super Sunday event last month and compete in the Junior Mannequin and the SuperStyle competitions. But before these talented students could compete at Super Sunday, they had to win the Salon Success Academies “So You Think You Can Style” contest, held at school and online.
Twelve students entered the Salon Success Academies “So You Think You Can Style” contest, with the hopes of moving on and competing at the Super Sunday event. Students gave makeovers to live models, with styles ranging from Janis Joplin and Shakira to a prom style and a 1940s themed look. All of the work for these styles had to be completed during school hours, and... Read More >>
Continuing a tradition of strong community involvement, Salon Success Academies is working hard to reach out to local high schools in a variety of ways. The beauty school has committed to raising $100,000 for local schools through fundraising projects, by donating school supplies and free salon services, and through participation in school career fairs. All of these projects help Salon Success Academies stay involved in communities throughout the Inland Empire.
Jeff Gross is the High School Outreach Coordinator for Salon Success Academies. It is his job to go to the local high schools and help them connect with the great projects Salon Success offers. He travels between Upland and Fontana, to Redlands...
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Salon Success Academies has always been committed to giving students a well-rounded education that not only prepares them for a career in the beauty industry, but prepares them to become role models and leaders in their communities. In November of 2009, Salon Success Academies began a Student Ambassador program that helps provide students with this well-rounded education.
The Student Ambassador Responsible Leadership program is designed to help current students become leaders in their school and in the community, helping them build the skills that will serve them as they begin their new careers. Students from all five Salon Success Academies campuses apply to become Student Ambassadors and are chosen based on specific criteria and interviews. The Ambassadors... Read More >>
Salon Success Academies is kicking off a year-long celebration to commemorate their 50th anniversary!
Founded in February of 1960, Salon Success Academies has been helping Inland Empire students become beauty industry professionals for fifty years. To commemorate this anniversary, the school is kicking off a year-long celebration for students, salon clients, and staff, starting with a makeover contest for current students.
The “Groovy 60s Makeover Contest” gives students a chance to re-create the hair and makeup styles that were popular when Salon Success Academies first opened its doors in 1960. After giving themselves or someone else a 60s themed makeover, students’ photos will be entered into judging for a grand prize... Read More >>
Salon Success Academies believes in giving back to the community whenever possible, and during the holiday season they went above and beyond, holding an “All About Family” event. On December 19, 2009, students, staff, and friends of the school worked together to create a special Christmas party for families from homeless shelters in the Inland Empire. Families arrived at the Upland campus unsure of what to expect, and were greeted with smiling faces, holiday decorations, and plenty of cheer!
The mothers were escorted to the salon floor, where they could choose from a variety of complimentary services. Students gave facials, cut and styled hair, touched-up makeup, and gave manicures to everyone who wanted to participate. The fathers also got haircuts, and kids joined... Read More >>
Salon Success Academies prides itself on offering students many chances to express their creativity. The school has always held contests in the classroom, giving students an opportunity to practice their skills in a fun, competitive environment. This fall, the school took two contests to new level, and blended them with the Salon Success Academies Facebook page. By making the competitions more public, It students were able to share their creations more easily with family and friends. Salon Success Academies could not be more proud of the work our students have done for these recent contests!
During the month of September, the first Facebook contest was held. To enter the “Hollywood Hair” contest, students had to create a hairstyle during school hours that... Read More >>
Salon Success Academies is more than just a beauty school. Our school’s philosophy is to treat each student as part of our family, providing them with the skills and expertise necessary to advance their career. Salon Success makes a student a part of this family from the first day of orientation all the way through graduation. And now we are offering more ways to get involved in the Salon Success community, with pages on Facebook and Twitter.
Susan Turner, Executive Vice President of Campus Affairs at Salon Success Academies, explains that “Salon Success is passionate about finding ways to engage students, and starting a Facebook page seemed like a great way to do this. We want our students to feel comfortable discussing anything about the beauty industry and school... Read More >>
Salon Success Academy is excited to announce that Katheryn Woertink, or “Ms. Reni” has received the Ultimate Teacher award at this year’s Supercuts SuperSunday event!
Each year Supercuts of Southern California gives away an “Ultimate Teacher Award” to instructors who have made a positive impact on their students’ lives. Ms. Reni, an instructor at the San Bernadino campus, was nominated by a former student. She has worked at Salon Success Academy since 1997 and truly loves her job. Read More >>
For the past 18 years, Salon Success Academy has been a highly regarded member of the southern California beauty school industry. Not satisfied to rest on their laurels, President and Owner, Robert Gross and Education Director, Susan Turner, began testing a progressive initiative in October 2008 -- to enhance the Salon Success Academy (SSA) brand name and image by providing students with added value to the school's already first-rate beauty education.
Bob and Susan are also committed to a longer term goal for the school: to offer Advanced Education classes to multiple audiences -- graduates of Salon Success, graduates of other beauty schools, and the salon professional who wants to brush up on new techniques... Read More >>
In these problematic economic times (Feb. 2009 U.S. unemployment rate – 8.1%), as well as the high tuition costs in the college/university segment of higher education, today’s college-age students are turning away from the general education offered by traditional four-year colleges and opting for the more specialized, career-focused and accelerated training found in career, vocational and technical schools and colleges.
The United States Department of Labor predicts that job prospects for hairstylists, cosmetologists and skin care specialists will increase by 10 to 20% through 2010 and even beyond. In the near future, employment openings for manicurists and pedicurists are projected to increase by as much as... Read More >>
How would you like to cruise the Caribbean as part of your cosmetology career? Or work overseas at an exotic spa? Or spend your winters at a luxury resort in the tropics?
These exciting and creative employment opportunities could be possible with a career in cosmetology. The new global economy has opened up opportunities here and abroad for adventuresome cosmetologists, at a time when many professions are suffering slowdowns or cutbacks... Read More >>
For the first time, Cosmetology is on the list of top careers of 2008. U.S. News & World Report annually publishes a list of the year's Best Careers. Until 2008, this listed consisted of only careers that required a college degree. The Best Careers list of 2008 included four careers that did not require a college degree: Biomedical equipment technician, firefighter, locksmith/security system technician and hairstylist/cosmetologist.
The U.S. job scene is constantly changing. Increasingly, bachelor’s degree holders are discovering it hard to locate work mainly because companies continue to send professional jobs “offshore.” Secondly, as the majority of high school teachers push students to go to college, there’s an decreasing supply of skilled... Read More >>
Walking down the red carpet is the ultimate goal of many celebrities in Hollywood and in the music industry. What they wear, and how it's worn as they grace the red carpet, will be covered in People, E, and In-Touch, plus evokes commentary from everyone from Joan Rivers to Ryan Seacrest. But who are the stylists behind these looks? How did they begin? How can you become one of the trend-setters?
There's much more to cosmetology than putting on a beautician's smock and grabbing a pair of scissors. If you’re thinking about pursuing a career in cosmetology, the best path to success involves keeping up with ever changing trends in fashion, training at an accredited cosmetology school, obtaining your cosmetology license, learning and mastering the business skills required...
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