Straight Perm Beauty School

Straight Perm Beauty School has been operating since 2017 at 3863 W 6th St in Los Angeles. It trains students in cosmetology, esthetics, barbering and manicuring, and it is open Monday from 5 to 9 PM, Tuesday through Thursday from 9 AM to 9 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM, closed Sundays. The school describes itself as accredited and board-approved, and says its programs prepare students for the State Board licensing exams. Its own description of its programs, instructors and facilities uses the words world-class and state-of-the-art.

Teaching is hands-on. Students practice in a setting meant to imitate real salon work, and they work with real clients under instructor guidance. Coursework includes client management, communication and consultation skills, and each student receives a written evaluation at the end of every month of study. The school says it updates its curriculum regularly to reflect current industry trends.

Beyond the core programs, the school offers specialized training in highlights, hair extensions and scalp micro pigmentation. The highlights course covers traditional foils, balayage and ombre, including how to choose and place color. The extensions course covers tape-in, micro-link, fusion and clip-in methods. The scalp micro pigmentation course covers techniques for clients who have hair loss or thinning hair. Students have access to the tools, products and equipment used in these three specialties.

Program lengths vary. Cosmetology and barbering are each 1,000 clock hours, available part-time or full-time. Manicuring is 400 clock hours with at least 110 technical instruction hours, body art technician and massage therapy are each 500 clock hours with at least 150 technical instruction hours, and scalp micro pigmentation is 200 clock hours with at least 90 technical instruction hours. Students who already hold a barbering or cosmetology license can take a crossover program: 500 clock hours to move from barbering to cosmetology, or 200 clock hours to move from cosmetology to barbering.

Career services include advising, resume writing, job interview preparation and help with salon or spa management. The school does not guarantee job placement but says it makes reasonable efforts to help students find suitable work. Placement help is open to any student regardless of when they graduated, and the school says it keeps in contact with many salons, shops and spas in the Los Angeles area. Students who have a complaint can contact the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education at (888) 370-7589. The school can be reached at (213) 387-3040.

Training is hands-on and built around practice that resembles real salon work, with a curriculum the school says it keeps current with industry trends.