<p>Today I got what is probably the best haircut I’ve ever had, plus some excellent advice about maintenance. The young woman who did this asked me a bunch of questions about by haircare/styling habits–or in my case, lack thereof! --before deciding what she would do with my hair. She cut it in a different way than anyone has before. I was so impressed.</p>
<p>Anyway, when paying for my cut plus some products–having recently run out of shampoo and conditioner–I had my usual crisis about how much to tip. I left a bit over 20% on the non-product portion of the bill. </p>
<p>I never know how much to tip in this situation. You have to understand that my mother cut my hair for most of my life, including my adult life. The first time I recall being in a salon was before a friend’s wedding when I was 30!</p>
<p>I was comfortable tipping the doorman at our London hotel when I was 14. I’ve been able to deal with cab drivers and restaurants in various countries and cities since adolescence. But the salon thing throws me for a loop.</p>
<p>I tip 20% for hair and for colorist. I give the shampoo woman 5bucks. I have good people.</p>
<p>But, if your person is always happy to see you? And if you are getting a cut you like, I wouldn’t worry about it. I put myself through undergrad tending bar, so I’m sensitive to that kind of thing.</p>
<p>poetgrl,I don’t think I’ve ever had a separate haircutter and colorist. And maybe once or twice a separate shampooer.</p>
<p>I’ve always done 15-20%. I assumed that if a different person shampooed it, that the tip would be split the way it is between servers and bussers in a restaurant.</p>
<p>VeryHappy, years ago in two different locations I had regular hairdressers and saw them maybe four or five times per year. In the last decade it’s been mostly randomly chosen places and more like “once a year whether it needs it or not!” I think it is different if you are that regular a customer. </p>
<p>I do plan to go back to this person, though, and definitely in 3 mos at the most.</p>
<p>Funny you should start this thread today. I had that keratin hair straightener stuff put on my hair today. Its not a cheap procedure. The person who normally does this stuff was out today (she called in to report that her first grandchild was born while I was at the shop!!) Anyway- the procedure takes about 2 hrs. I gave the girl $20 which seems like a reasonable tip, but it wasnt quite 15% of the cost (the cost is high because the product they put on is expensive). I also worry that I undertipped, and don’t want to be a cheapskate, but then again a $20 tip seems reasonable. Is this the kind of struggle you go through, op?? Its so tough!</p>
<p>** And yes, at my place one person does shampoo/color and another cuts. On rare occasions a 3rd person does the shampoo. Adds up. How doe we divide the cost?</p>
<p>Yes, but it will be worth it! My D had to play soccer and pull it back gently, and the way she plays it just kept falling in her face. But, she still loves it.</p>
<p>I haven’t had to resort to any color or processing yet, and I (and my daughters) have been seeing the same person for almost 20 years. She now owns the salon where I see her. My cut is $42, and I write out the check for $52. 15% would be $48.30, and 20% is $50.40. I prefer 20% and I round up, but $10 more sounds better than $9 over. By the way, I’ve never had anyone else wash my hair… she always does it, and gives a nice scalp/neck massage while she’s at it.</p>
<p>It’s the nail place (I go somewhere different than her salon) that gets me. What do you guys tip for nails? Fills? Pedicures? Waxing brows? I often have someone different do my pedicures than does my fills, so I’m tipping different people.</p>
<p>I tip my colorist/hairdresser 20% and give the shampooer $5 because she spends quite a bit of time to remove the haircolor from ears, hairline, etc. I’m always curious whether others are tipping my stylist the same, more or less. She’s not particularly effusive and doesn’t even acknowledge my Christmas gifts.</p>
<p>Okay, I confess, I hate tipping. Even in a small town, a cut & partial foil is over $100 for an hour or so, why am I adding another 10-15-20% to some one making $100? Why do I need to tip a masseuse who is making over $1/minute.</p>
<p>I don’t live in a big city, no doormen, taxi drivers, no separate colourist or shampooer, etc to tip, and I grew up seeing the owner of the salon when the rule was no tipping the owner. I am truly blessed now that we happen to go to a “no tip” salon; the owner does not allow tipping, the prices are the price. It feels fair.</p>
<p>I would rather just have a price and pay for the service and not add tips…I guess I am a grump.</p>
<p>If someone does a spectacular job (and I just got a spectacular haircut and color), I’ll fork over a lot. I don’t go very often and I’m very particular about who I go to. They’re doing things like putting hot wax on my face and could very easily rip off one of my eyebrows, or they could completely fry my hair. I’m more than fine with acknowledging that someone’s a true artist in their craft if that’s what they are, and I’ll throw a couple of extra twenties in. (I work with architects and artists, and as an engineer, having a presentable, trendy image goes a long way to help an architect trust the notion that I share their concern for aesthetics and that I want to work with them, not against them… A good haircut makes my job and my life a lot easier.)</p>
<p>I’m also the kind of person who regularly tips my Starbucks baristas, or the folks with the tip jar at the pizza place I frequent downstairs, so take that into account… I’m a rampant tipper. I’m friendly to them, and I chat with them. We give each other restaurant suggestions and talk about the latest movies. I compliment them on their new haircuts, etc. As a result, they have my food ready for me when they see me coming, and they get my drink order ready before I hit the register. So I think that it pays off, both in terms of getting good service, and in effectively thanking people for doing a good job, and maybe they’re paying it forward and being pleasant with the customers after me, too.</p>
<p>We’re on a strict budget. My husband’s about to stop receiving a paycheck. I haven’t had a raise in three years due to the economic mess. I bring my lunches from home when I can and have switched to bringing my own caffeinated beverages to work in the mornings, but when I do patronize a place where good service is provided, I don’t care. I’ll reward it. Tips won’t get cut from my budget.</p>
<p>Bless you aibarr. S3 is a waiter and in the economic downturn it was amazing how many people would go out for dinner and then leave less than 10% tip. Some just rounding up to the nearest $1-5 and some not any at all. The service folks have to survive this downturn too. So I too have kept the tips in my budget.</p>
<p>I’ve been getting my hair cut by the same guy for about 25 years. I have short hair and go every 4 weeks like clockwork. He’s in Fairfield County and I still drive down, even after moving to the Hartford area 3 1/2 years ago. He charges $55.00 and owns the salon – so I don’t tip. I do feel as if my “frequent shopper” status counts for a lot, in addition to paying so much in the first place.</p>
<p>somemom- I hear you. I pay $250 for a cut and color and lately I haven’t even been that happy with the results! I have been tipping 15%. I like my stylist, but I think it’s seriously time for a change.</p>
<p>i have a great salon–a separate colorist and stylist. the stylist is the owner. i tip both. usually about 20% for both…but is that tacky to tip the owner? on the other hand, his haircuts are priced low enough that i feel with the tip i’m still paying an amount that i consider to be more than fair. </p>
<p>i always try to tip generously. if i’m out for a meal, pedicure or haircut and i have a wonderful relaxed time with great service…i feel the provider should be rewarded. it’s a hard job to be a service provider–and when someone does a great job, i feel they’ve earned something extra. </p>
<p>sometimes when i’m out with good friends we lose track of time, so we usually tip double–especially if we’ve held a server’s table for a while–i try to be sensitive to that, too!</p>
<p>I always tip 20% for my cut/color/blow dry and give $5 to the shampooer but I too am at a loss for how much to tip when I get a special expensive process like the Keratin treatment. I had it done in late January (and it still looks great) and it costs $250. I don’t remember what I gave back then but would really like a guideline, since $50 seems excessive. The procedure takes about 2 to 3 hours, since they have to flat iron every tiny section of your hair to seal the stuff into the cuticle. What should I tip next time I do it?</p>
<p>I get my hair cut dry now–better results that way–so no need for a shampoo. I tip a generous 20%–a whole $6–on my $30 haircut. And that’s the owner, which brings back the question of “do you tip the owner?” It used to be you didn’t tip the owner, but… it makes me feel stingy if I don’t. (And I do my own color, since it’s just the one pink streak in the front.)</p>
<p>Seiclan: $250? For hair? I think I’d shave my head first.</p>
--before deciding what she would do with my hair. She cut it in a different way than anyone has before. I was so impressed.</p>
My D had to play soccer and pull it back gently, and the way she plays it just kept falling in her face. But, she still loves it.</p>