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Z Hair Academy
Z Hair Academy

Z Hair Academy Lawrence

Beauty school salon in Lawrence, KS · 5 locations

Rated 4.7 out of 5 (362 on Google Maps) (opens in a new tab)

Ron and Judi McKenzie founded Z Hair Academy in 2004, and the school is still family-owned and operated. The school says it is run by hairdressers with decades of experience across the beauty industry. It describes itself as award-winning and its cosmetology program as progressive. The school presents itself as four smaller schools, which it says keeps class sizes small and gives students more one-on-one attention than one large school would.

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About

Ron and Judi McKenzie founded Z Hair Academy in 2004, and the school is still family-owned and operated. The school says it is run by hairdressers with decades of experience across the beauty industry. It describes itself as award-winning and its cosmetology program as progressive. The school presents itself as four smaller schools, which it says keeps class sizes small and gives students more one-on-one attention than one large school would.

Clients book into the student salons, where students work on real clients from the community. Guest artists, including Sam Villa and Joico artists, come in to work with students, and students can take part in Kansas City Fashion Week twice a year and in industry hair shows. The school says its curriculum covers foundational skills and advanced techniques, with exposure to many systems. The salon describes its services as high-end work at affordable prices in friendly surroundings. Prices are base prices that can change with hair length and texture, and they can vary by student level. The Overland Park, Lawrence and Lee's Summit salons are open Tuesday through Saturday, with hours that may vary. The salon no longer accepts checks.

The cosmetology program totals 1,500 hours, which the school says is completed in one year, and it runs in three phases. New Talent Phase is 320 hours over seven weeks and covers professional image, communication, hair, skin and nail care. Designer I Phase is 680 hours and covers hair cutting, chemical services, color theory, and skin and nail care. Designer II Phase is 500 hours and prepares students for the Kansas State Board practical exam. The Designer phases run 35 weeks full-time or 52 weeks part-time. New classes begin every six weeks. Additional certification courses in Sunlight balayage, ProLash lash extensions and Clutch Hair Culture sew-in extensions are available for an extra charge.

Admission is selective and not guaranteed. Applicants need a high school diploma or GED, a Social Security card, to be at least 17, and a pre-enrollment interview. The application fee is $150, and Missouri applicants also pay a $35 state fee and show a passport or birth certificate. Tuition is $18,750 at every location, plus $3,295 for books and kit before tax. The total program cost is $22,210 at Lawrence and Overland Park, including a $15 apprentice license, and $22,195 at Lee's Summit and Kansas City. The school notes that costs can change at any time.

Financial aid guidance covers grants, loans, cosmetology scholarships and veteran benefits, and the cosmetology program is approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The Clinton E. McKenzie Memorial Scholarship, set up in 2013, offers each enrolled student up to $1,000 toward tuition. It is paid in two $500 parts, the second tied to attendance, grade, Club recognition, shadowing and portfolio requirements, and it requires a 95% attendance rate and a 90% cumulative GPA. It has no cash value, can only reduce tuition, and is not guaranteed. The school says it has provided over $436,000 in student scholarships since 2004. Career support includes an annual Career Fair with 30 to 40 salons and a network of local support salons for placing graduates.

The school focuses on training, pairing foundational skills with advanced techniques and exposing students to many systems and methods on real clients.

The school describes its atmosphere and culture as positive.

Services

Final prices may vary.

Color services range from single-process color and foil highlights to balayage, all-over bleach, toner and filler, and corrective color by consultation.

  • Toner/Filler $17
  • Focus Foil (10 or less) $32
  • Color $39
  • Foil - Partial (11-20 Foils) $49
  • Bleach Retouch $58
  • Foil - Full (21-40 Foils) $69
  • Totally Blonde (41-60 Foils) $93
  • All Over Bleach $98
  • Balayage $98
  • Specialty Color $98
  • Corrective Color Price at booking

Hair services include haircuts, shampoo and blow dry, thermal and flat iron styling, spiral curls, formal hair, extensions by the hour, and scalp and treatment options.

  • Shampoo and Blow Dry $13
  • Hair Cut $14
  • Scalp Purifying Treatment $14
  • Sunflower/Indulge/Keratin Replenish/Luster Lock $14
  • Hair Cut with Blow Dry $20
  • Spiral Curls $23
  • Defy Damage Treatment $25
  • Shampoo/Blow Dry/Thermal Iron $29
  • Shampoo/Blow Dry/Flat Iron Silk Press $35
  • Formal Hair $37
  • Extensions by the Hour Plus the Cost of Hair $75

Skin services include facials, make-up application, waxing for brow, lip and chin, lash lifts, and brow lamination.

  • Wax (Brow/Lip/Chin) $9
  • Make-up Application $21
  • Facial $33

Texture services cover permanent waves, spiral perms, relaxers, and Brazilian Blowout.

  • Permanent Wave $43
  • Relaxer $43
  • Spiral Perm $75
  • Brazilian Blowout $171

Photos

  • Overland Park salon interior with black chairs and mirrors
  • Lawrence location salon with styling stations and chairs
  • Lawrence reception area with desk and salon mirrors
  • Wide view of studio floor with styling stations
  • Large group of staff posing under the Z Hair Academy sign
  • Kansas City salon floor with black styling chairs
  • Kansas City style bar with shampoo sinks and chairs
  • Pink and blue bob haircut with tattooed client
  • Bright salon floor with stylist and client
  • Student curling a classmate's hair in the salon
  • Group of students and staff celebrating with a graduation certificate
  • Instructor styling a student's blonde hair in a salon

Meet the team

Their website doesn't list the team, so we don't either.

Highlights
  • Student salons open to the public, with services performed by students on community clients
  • A 1,500-hour cosmetology program in three phases, with classes starting every six weeks
  • Sam Villa styling tools included in tuition, with a lifetime warranty on the tools
  • Guest artist sessions with working industry artists, including Sam Villa and Joico artists
  • Optional certification courses in Sunlight balayage, ProLash lash extensions and Clutch Hair Culture sew-in extensions
  • Annual Career Fair and local support salons for graduate placement
Good for
  • people training for a cosmetology career
  • full-time or part-time students
  • veterans using VA education benefits
  • clients looking for lower-priced color and texture services
  • clients who want services from students under supervision
Treats
  • hair color and highlights
  • balayage
  • all-over bleach
  • perms and relaxers
  • Brazilian Blowout
  • straightening and silk press
  • brow, lip and chin waxing
  • facials
  • lash lifts
  • extensions
Techniques
  • single-process color
  • foil highlights
  • balayage
  • all-over bleach
  • toner and filler
  • corrective color by consultation
  • permanent wave
  • spiral perm
  • relaxer
  • Brazilian Blowout

Products & treatments

  • Sam Villa professional styling tools

Other locations

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