How much do you tip your hairdresser?

[onedrop]

Funny you would ask this today, because I just came from my hairdresser today. I have no definitive answer to this question. I guess it depends on the situation. I have been going to this same stylist for at least ten years. At first she was just an employee in a shop so I gave her between 15% and 20% each time. Then she became the owner and I did not tip. I think someone told me that the owner does not get a tip. Then she went to another place and though she is somewhat of an independent contractor, I tip. How much really depends on my bank account, and the services that I get. Today I just gave her $10 extra because I got a lot of different things done.

 

[fatafelice]

Date: 9/8/2006 4:55:30 PM
Author: onedrop
Then she became the owner and I did not tip. I think someone told me that the owner does not get a tip.

Is this really true? Because the owner usually does my hair -- that would save me some dough!

 

[dani13]

Date: 9/8/2006 5:09:07 PM
Author: fatafelice

Date: 9/8/2006 4:55:30 PM
Author: onedrop
Then she became the owner and I did not tip. I think someone told me that the owner does not get a tip.

Is this really true? Because the owner usually does my hair -- that would save me some dough!

FF-

Yes, this is true. The owner generally does not get a tip, as they receive 100% of the profit from the service they provide......however, if this person goes above and beyond, then I can understand. But if it is just a basic service, then no need to tip!!!

 

[fatafelice]

Date: 9/8/2006 5:24:08 PM
Author: Dani

Ummm, not quite.

I think being young and going to a salon full of really wealthy older clients doesn''t help.

I liked this other woman much better. I only went to her because he didn''t have an open appointment and I really needed it done before school started. Now, I don''t know how to switch to her permanently without him getting upset. He''s a total diva -- but he taught at Redken in the city, so that makes it okay.

Well, at least if I keep going to him, I don''t have to tip (as much)!

 

[lizz]

I get a cut and highlights every 3 months and pay $55 total for both services. I tip $15, which I just realized is 27%!!! Yikes. That seems like a little much. But compared to everyone here who pays so much for the same service, I don''t really think it''s overtipping. (I live in a small town in FL.)

 

[ljmorgan]

My haircut/highlight is $250 and I tip $50, and $5 to the shampoo girl because that takes like two minutes. So I guess I tip 20% to my hair girl?

 

[AsscherGirl]

I don''t color my hair so my haircut is about $45. I give my hairdresser $10 & the shampoo guy $2. If the shampoo guy helps out with my blowdry (busy salon, shampoo guy actually gives a really good blowdry & I have tons of hair), I''ll give him $5.

I used to give her 20% of whatever the bill was, but I''ve been goign to her for 4 years now & I really like the way she does my hair so I upped her to 10 bucks

(In NJ by the way).

When I was younger, our hairdresser quit the salon & started doing our hair at home for a really cheap rate. My mom used to double whatever she charged & that would be her "tip". She always tried to give the money back to my mom, but my mom would never let her. I still miss her even though she moved away 6 years ago!

 

[anchor31]

Date: 9/8/2006 9:41:27 AM
Author: JCJD
Ummmm....... where do you all live?!? I''m in Nebraska, so maybe it''s a midwest thing, but I tip my hairdresser between $1 and $2... I suppose that''s on an $18 shampoo and cut, but wow. I''m never moving to the coasts! I also don''t color (dark dark Asian hair), so I suppose that helps...

Same for me! Shampoo and cut costs me about $15 CAD, and I tip my hairdresser $1 to 2$. But then again, I''m in Quebec and a poor student, so it changes things.

 

[bstraszheim]

I have waist length hair that is very fine. The hairdresser I go to had long hair at one point and so she knows how to handle long hair, also because of this, she doesn''t pawn me off onto the shampoo girl who will give me a massage and a rat''s nest of freshly coloured hair! If I just do colour it is $60 so I tip $20 which is 30%, but she is colouring and washing my hair afterwards. If I get a cut as well, that adds another $30, so I add $5.

For pedi''s I tip $10 on a $20 pedi. I *know* that seems excessive, but she does a *fantastic!!* job and it means I don''t have to deal with my dry, icky heels. Plus, she''s touching my feet for 45 minutes, she deserves $10 for that! : )

On an icky, but related note. One day a lady came in and had a pedi on the chair next to me. Seriously her toenails extended at *least* 1/3" - 1/2" from her nail bed and were gnarly and super gross. She bitched the whole time about the pedicurist was hurting her (maybe if you cut your nails once every YEAR or so, you wouldn''t be so sensitive to it???) After all the work the pedicurist did (at least 1.25 hours, it was the total length of time for me to have a mani pedi), she gave her a dollar. One Dollar. I was offended by it, a pack of gum costs $0.79 these days! She couldn''t even get two packs of gum for that!!!!

I wish you well,

Bridget

 

[nicolejrx]

I tip my hairstylist an insane amount (usually around 50% or so). However, she has never raised her rates on me(in almost 8 years!) and she still only charges me 85 bucks for a cut and partial highlight on my thick head of curly hair! 85 bucks is so cheap that I give her a 50 dollar tip every time I go in! In turn, I am one of her favorite clients and she will always see me whenever I want! It works out great! If I was paying 200 bucks for the same thing I would probably tip around 15-20%
Nicole

 

[gailrmv]

Very interesting. I usually am charged $110 for partial highlights and cut, and then I spend $26 for shampoo and conditioner. This equals $136 and I write the check for $150, which is only 13% tip on the service. Oops! I had never calculated it out before and thought it was more. However, my stylist is co-owner of her salon so maybe this is OK. She does a great job and going to her is fun.

 

[FireGoddess]

I tip 20%, on everything from a haircut to something really expensive (thermal straightening treatment). Just because something is expensive doesn't mean the stylist didn't do a lot of work, so even though the tip may seem large, it's still appropriate.

The rule is that you don't need to tip the owner of a salon. However, I have noticed that most of them take the tip, and some do expect it. Only one owner (the girl who does my facials and owns her own day spa) actually refused the tip. THAT was classy, especially since the woman who owns the spa around the corner and USED to do my facials would specifically print out cc receipts with a line for the tip. And not refuse one.

 

[bex891]

Date: 9/10/2006 12:09:19 AM
Author: gailrmv
Very interesting. I usually am charged $110 for partial highlights and cut, and then I spend $26 for shampoo and conditioner. This equals $136 and I write the check for $150, which is only 13% tip on the service. Oops! I had never calculated it out before and thought it was more. However, my stylist is co-owner of her salon so maybe this is OK. She does a great job and going to her is fun.

Geez...that seems kinda expensive!

I''m in the UK and I don''t really understand how it works in the US.

If it cost $136 for your color and cut, doesn''t that also include the stylist''s fee too?

If you had the same in the UK, the price quoted is what you are expected to pay. There is no obligation whatsoever to give your stylist a tip. You can if you want to.....but it isn''t expected.

Same applies if you go for a meal....the bill covers everything! If you want to give your waitress more, you can. But even if you don''t, she is still getting her salary. It''s not expected over here....but if you want to..you can.

Bex

 

[Sparkster]

Date: 9/8/2006 11:02:07 AM
Author: fire&ice

Date: 9/8/2006 2:36:43 AM
Author: Sparkster
You tip hairdressers in America? I''m from Australia where tipping is not necessary. Over here it''s optional to tip - but only restaurants and taxi drivers. Who else do you have to tip over there?

We are tip happy over here. We even have tip jars for fast food cooks! They just give you your food on a tray over the counter.

It''s gotten insane.

That said, I tip my hairdresser about 15% - no more than that. For pete sake, she is providing something tangible & doesn''t rely on tips for income. She should do this service for the amount that is charged. I purposely tipped the shampoo person NOTHING. I don''t want someone other than my hairdresser shampooing my hair. I don''t want someone giving me a 15 minute shampoo w/ massage. I didn''t ask for it & it takes too much of MY time.

I''m not a cheap tipper - especially in restaurants - but everyone seems to have their hand out these days. Sorry for the rant.

Anyone in a service industry can explain why they should be tipped? I''m really curious - not accusatory. ....just trying to see the other side.

Over here, the wages for taxi drivers, waiters are decent enough - that''s why tipping is not compulsory. It''s given as a thank you for exceptional service.

From what I believe (correct me if I''m wrong) in the States the wages are abysmal and service staff need the tips to made a decent living. I remember visiting New York in 2000 and eating in a Micky Mantles (?). We gave a tip which was just under 10% and the abuse we copped from the waitress was appalling. If she had explained or been nice about it we would have increased the tip but being a total cow, we walked out on her and told her where to go.

 

[winyan]

20% here in NJ too.

Since I cut off all my hair (long story) I get a base color, high and low lights. I''m always bringing in weird pics (last was a cartoon character) and saying, I want my hair just like this.

I don''t know why she puts up w/me, but she does!

win

 

[ivanadiamond]

Thanks for all the replies. It seems that overall 15-20% is the norm. I totally get 20% in the service industry, however I have a few friends that are hairstylists and they hands down make more money than me and most of my friends. I also think that this is not a minimum wage service-orientated position, most of them make well over $100 and hour. I think that is why some of my friends felt 20% was too high, because they were charging $200-$300 for every hour they worked. But that being said I feel totally comfortable tipping 20% on excellent service regardless of the industry.

 

[Curls]

Sparkster: Servers in the US only make 2.13/hr, which means pay checks are almost always $0 and servers rely completely on tips. Also, servers have to tip out a percentage of their sales (usually 2 to 3%) to the bartenders and bussers. Even so, your waitress was rude and should not have acted in that manner towards you. But I will have to admit, when I waited tables in college, all of us would cringe when we realized we had a table of guests from Europe because we knew they don''t have to tip as much over there and don''t know how it is in the US. Telling a table what is customary to tip isn''t polite and would probably get you fired. That would have been useful though...there are some people who live their entire life in the States that don''t know how to tip.

Since I''ve done some time in the service industry I always try to tip hairstylists well (i.e. at least 20% but usually more) but sometimes it''s hard to realize when you are and aren''t suppose to tip. I''m sure there is some service that I don''t realize you''re suppose to tip and unknowingly leaving out.

 

[gailrmv]

Date: 9/10/2006 11:06:15 PM
Author: ivanadiamond
Thanks for all the replies. It seems that overall 15-20% is the norm. I totally get 20% in the service industry, however I have a few friends that are hairstylists and they hands down make more money than me and most of my friends. I also think that this is not a minimum wage service-orientated position, most of them make well over $100 and hour. I think that is why some of my friends felt 20% was too high, because they were charging $200-$300 for every hour they worked. But that being said I feel totally comfortable tipping 20% on excellent service regardless of the industry.

Are you SERIOUS???? I will not make anywhere near that amount when I finish my master''s degree.