Do you tip the hairdresser?

Nicki

Merlot wrote: »

as my father says "you can't tell after two weeks if you have had a cr*p cut or not":rotfl:

Merlot.x.

Actually that's exactly when I can tell how good the cut was! It always looks perfect when I leave the salon but if it still looks good a few weeks later when I've washed it a few times, then I'm happy the job was a good one. Bad haircuts are a false economy, I think, as to look presentable with a bad hairdresser you need a cut every 4 weeks at least, whereas a good cut will often last about 8 weeks. Bad haircuts aren't often only half the cost though...

steviewander

Merlot wrote: »

Its only a hair cut for goodness sake...its not a experience, its an essential , lets get back to the real issues in life and stop faffing about with "experiences".

Merlot.x.

Fortunately for me, most of my clientele would disagree with you. I work in a so called "high end" salon where people who just see their haircut as an essential would never come to because of the prices we charge.

Alas most of my clientele would say that their "experience" is the 2nd most important thing for their visit to a salon (after the quality of the cut or colour they have). Not everyone has the same attitude to their hair. I have clients that come in twice a week to have their hair blow dried and washed. I have clients that pay over £100 for a cut and colour because they know they're going to be in the salon for anything up to 3hours. They are paying a lot for their service, so the "experience" is essential to them and they tell me that too.

Sorry, hairdressers are no more deserving of tips than any checkout girl/boy at Tesco or shelfstaker, they work just as hard as you do and quite often under tough conditions.

I haven't said the hairdressers are more deserving of tips, I am simply explaining why I think the tipping culture extends to hairdressing and not a shelfstacker. They may well work quite as hard as me, but that doesn't make it any more likely that customers will tip them... because there is no "experience" involved for them to tip for. Unfortunately for shelfstackers it makes all the difference - you can argue the rights and wrongs of this if you want to. I am just glad to be in a profession where my extra efforts are rewarded because I am fortunate to be in a position to show that directly to my customer.

teenmoneysaver

I work in a clothes shop and i run around helping people all day, and i never get tipped!! I went to a new hairdressers in town today and my cut and colour cost £80. At the till my hairdresser hung around the till saying things like 'I really hope you enjoy your colour, it looks lovely, it looks stunning'- she had not spoken more than two words to me through the whole of my haircut! Hairdressers seem to expect a tip, and while they do often do a good job i dont think its fair that after paying £80 for a haircut i'm pressured into paying more! If your going to tip hairdressers why not tip every other person that helps you day to day!

Tribulation

Hairdressers aren't that badly paid. Trainee ones might not get much, but if they stick with it and are any good, they have a job for life.

My wife's been a hairdresser for most her working life (with a few years off when we had kids and she took a job at a playgroup).

She's self employed and is now a mobile hairdresser. Even with the high fuel costs, she still earns a decent amount and unlike a salon where you can be working on one persons hair while another's under the drier, she can usually only do one at a time, then has to spend time travelling to her next appointment.

She's highly skilled and has never had to advertise as word of mouth has done the job. Her clientel range from kids, teenagers, 20's etc right up to the elderly. She's constantly having people tell her how they spent £60+ on whatever at a posh salon only to have a half trained halfwit muck it up (and my wife ends up with them as long term customers)

Some examples from her current price list are:
£27.50 for a full head colour (£24.50 OAP) (including cut etc)
£9 shampoo & set (£7.50 OAP)
£15.50 Cut, shampoo & set (£12.50 OAP)
£5.50 Gents Dry Cut

I realise some salons in posh areas have a lot of rent to cover etc but the justification I see for ridiculously high prices, is in my opinion laughable.

Posh salons use exactly the same products as my wife (any product her customers want she can get), at either the same price my wife pays, or if they're a big outfit, cheaper as they buy them direct without going through the wholesalers

Tribulation

dunabunk wrote: »

Hi there! I am a hairdresser not currently employed as one but i do know that hairdressers and juniors get taxed on tips their tax code is different to make this so...Not a lot of people realise this. Its the same with waitresses/waiters and taxi drivers i think.

While that is true, you don't get taxed on tips you don't get. The only exception to this is if you try to pull fast one and pretend you get no tips at all, then the tax office have a figure they presume you will be getting and tax you on it. often that figure is stupidly high, but it's done as a punishment to make you correctly declare your earnings.

somewhere_sunlight

I only tip sometimes and it depends on how good the cut is and what mood Im in.

dholtuk2

I must admit I never tip as I pay over £40 for a hair cut. I always pay by card as if I have no cash on me hee hee

jorichste

I own a hair salon and as i read before on here, i don't get loads of tips ( although i get piles of chocs/biccies/wine at christmas!!). The girls that work for me get a fair wage but all are part time.tips are a really nice way of showing appreciation. also shelf stackers don't generally have to do 3-4 years of training and continuous updating of their skills!!- although I'm sure they do great anyway, by no means is that meant disrespectfully to you guys and gals!

k8m

I felt so bad today when I went to a new hairdressers. Had 2 different girls do both my colour (highlights) and cut. It came to the end and I had about 20p in total in my purse, so I paid about £87 (which included student discount!!!) and left. However the whole time I was doing this - from the girl finishing my cut to paying and leaving she hovered around and I could tell she was expecting or hoping for a tip. I didnt know whether to say "sorry I have no money for a tip" so I just thanked her loads (cos she'd done a good job) and left! Ar I felt so harsh but I am a poor student and this has made quite a bit dint in my finances and I could only give her a max of 20p cos that's all I had on me! What would have been the best way to go about this??

pixelchick10

Can I revive this thread? I always tip the hairdresser a couple of quid or so - that fr a £35 cut and blow dry, which to me is quite expensive enough. I went yesterday and paid with two £20 notes. He gave me the £5 back but quite clearly hoped that I would tell him to keep it. I still gave him £2 from my purse (without thinking really). I feel quite annoyed that he was expecting more -- after all £35 for half an hour of his time is pretty good pay by my reckoning - although expect he only gets a third of that ... Now I feel awkward about going there next time - but am I being stupid? Surely some people don't tip at all so £2 is better than nothing? right? Or am I being stingy.