Aveda is making it easy to take classes this year with its new, innovative online education program: LearnAveda.

The program is based on Aveda’s commitment to developing future stylists starting at the institute level, says Kevin Molin, VP of Education for Aveda. Molin says the Aveda education team has been seeking a way to incorporate digital learning into Aveda’s high-touch business, and LearnAveda is it.

The Aveda education team has worked on LearnAveda for about two and a half years and enlisted the help of stylists, instructors, script writers, editors, specialists, designers, animators, producers and IT professionals.

With 24/7 access to LearnAveda’s complete online haircutting curriculum, there’s no excuse for putting off technical skill development. The learning environment is self-paced and new content will be continuously added.

The best part? Individual progress can be tracked so everyone on your team can go at their own pace.

The Techniques

The 15 different hair cuts in LearnAveda are based on classic length techniques—one length, graduation and layering as well as classic shape techniques—round, square and triangle. The cuts also highlight basic skills like scissor handling and texturizing.

At Serious Business in New Orleans January 18-19, Ricardo Dinis, Global Artistic Director for Aveda presented information on the new classes to attendees. He showed samples of the video featuring one of the main principles of cutting: perspective.

“There are different ways to look at a hair cut,” he explained. “The vertical perspective is a view of the front, sides and back of head. It’s used to check for balance and symmetry.

“The horizontal perspective is looking at the top of the head from a bird’s eye view,” he says. “It shows the shape of the hair cut and where to begin.”

The classes also put an emphasis on body positioning to keep the execution of techniques consistent.

“LearnAveda incorporates the many ways I’ve found balance in my work and life through yoga, meditation and the martial arts to better deliver the tasks at hand,” says Dinis. “The idea is to create a standardized method of training by giving stylists precise body positions and clear intentions for each type of cut so that any stylist at any Aveda salon across the globe can re-create the exact same cut—a cut that is longer lasting, easier to style and perfectly adapted to each individual client.”

How it Works

Detailed companion lesson plans are provided to in-salon coaches when they use the LearnAveda technique videos for the training program at their salons.

Stylists can access their step-by-step lessons at any time through a video portal and can watch a technique as many times as they like. Each video includes chapter markers, making it user friendly and easy to navigate.

In addition, students have an up-close, 360-degree view of the cut and posture of stylist. They can also review sections and look ahead to the next class if they want to practice it first. The self-pacing allows motivated students to excel, too.

“This curriculum is really about going back to the basics with intensive lessons that break cuts down step-by-step,” says Ray Civello, president of Aveda Canada.

And, the fundamental principles stylists learn in the curriculum give a foundation for progress to the next level of mastery.

The program teaches 15 different haircuts and 10 technique videos with an emphasis on body position. A Concept Salon can get the curriculum for $180 per month for the first six users and $25 for each additional stylist with a four-month minimum subscription. Price for a Network Salon is $225 per month with the same additional fees.

For more info and to sign up for a complimentary seven-day trial, visit learnaveda.com.