Neihule Academy of Beauty: A Necessary Revision to Beauty Educatio
If you’re learning a specific trade, especially one that calls for the creativity of a painter, the precision of a surgeon, and the warmth of a therapist pulled together into one profession, you could only hope that the school you go to to learn that trade and fine-tune your skills would be everything you could ever ask for and more. Unfortunately, as far as most beauty schools go in 2020, there’s an extreme lack of modernity, and an even more dire lack of innovation. This is what prompted a movement by two experts in the field to take their knowledge and put their heads together with other industry professionals to create a much more successful path for beauty education in Los Angeles.
Neihule Salon has created quite a name for itself off of Olive & 6th Street as Downtown Los Angeles has transformed around it for the last decade. Owners Yvonne and Atouzo Neihule have now set out to build a new standard for the beauty industry with their hybrid salon and beauty school, Neihule Academy of Beauty, just a few blocks from their flagship salon. With over 30 years of combined experience in the industry, this husband and wife team are paving a new path for students entering their world with an elevated learning experience across all fronts.
“We wanted to break the mold and build a whole other location where it feels and acts like a high-end salon and students learn in that environment,” says Yvonne. “The quality of education is very different than your average beauty school, that’s why we’ve been so successful.“
Yvonne is one of those rare beings who knew exactly what her professional calling was right out of the gate, starting cosmetology school before she even graduated high school. Spending a short amount of time away from the industry in between, Yvonne then went on to train with Vidal Sassoon and spent much of her career as a stylist working for L’Oreal, eventually becoming an educator for Redken NYC. Atouzo, on the other hand, worked as a successful fashion photographer before ever entering the beauty world and has since greatly excelled in his own successful styling career. Everyone loves a power couple and these two are like two fashion-forward peas in a pod: even joking about the way they tend to accidentally match when they arrive at the office.
Neihule Academy of Beauty cuts through industry norms via an educational model where students are guided through their practices rather than just attending a class with an assessment. These classes all take place within a high-end, yet remarkably comfortable environment. Each instructor is hand-picked by the Neihule’s themselves, and they are strictly required to have experience teaching their trade. As a student, this benefit gives a more realistic and hands-on approach where one is able to grow into the salon environment within an actual salon. Enrollees even have the opportunity to sit in on seminars led by some big names in the beauty industry, including the talented techs behind Cardi B and the Kardashians’ manicures and a panel of Redken Beauty professionals.
“In every area—whether it be nails, esthetics, or hair—we try to go above and beyond as far as the brands that we carry and the type of education that we deliver,” mentions Yvonne. “For our Esthetician Program, for instance, we use a line called PCA and they’re known for chemical peels, which is a bit more expensive to carry, but it’s a lot more results-driven as far as skin itself. The kit that the students receive is a really great kit as well. When they leave the program, not only are they certified in PCA Skin, but also in spray tanning and eyelash extensions. Most programs only offer that in addition to the program as a separate certification, but it’s actually included with us.”
With a 100% success rate thus far (of their students who have made it to the State Board Exam), programs are currently offered in cosmetology, esthetics, makeup, microblading, and manicuring. With a gorgeous new expansion to the academy, massage programs are also to be offered in the near future within this urban hub for beauty education. When asked what more there is to expect from the Neihule name, Yvonne mentions with an air of electric, yet humble, confidence that there is so much more on the horizon.
“We’re hoping that some of our graduates will then work at our salon. We’re extremely proud of what we’ve done so far and are excited about the future and moving into massage. We also hope to bring on a makeup line in the near future. There are a lot of possibilities here.”
If you’re looking to hone in on your skills and enter the professional world of beauty, look no further. When it comes to pampering yourself, it’s also mighty hard to beat the prices at Neihule Academy of Beauty. With such promising training, it may be difficult to see the comparison between their students and a seasoned professional. The next time you’re due for a full set or a trim, trust in Neihule’s team to provide you with a service that is anything but sub par.
neihuleacademy.com | 305 East 8th Street Los Angeles, CA, 90014, United States
Written by Dakota Nate | Photography by Robiee Ziegler
