Hair Stylist Tipping

How much do you tip your hair stylist? For a cut and blow dry.

Clue
Mar '10

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That's what I always do too but you know now that I am thinking about it we tip our servers because they are not getting a full wage. Hair salons are charging an arm and a leg for a hair cut and the client ends up supplimenting the stylist's wage. Screwy system that's for sure.

Firefly
Mar '10

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so, I tipped $5 on a $42 cut and diffuse. $42 around here is a little pricey, but the stylist did a good job. Probably getting 50-70% of that, plus my tip. Does anyone know what commissions are for stylists?

Clue
Mar '10

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I really don't know. It's hard these days. I work on commission and they're down. I hate to stiff my hair stylist, or anybody else, but I just can't support everything anymore. So I don't know what to do. At least with a restaurant you know what the protocol is: 15% for decent service, 20% for extraordinary service. But hair? What say the rest of you???

Clue
Mar '10

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A hairstylist should get tipped just like a waiter/waitress. 15-20%. Commision for stylists start at 40% usually. So if your haircut was $42 the stylist would only be making $16.80. Some salons also take a couple dollars out of that also for the products they use on the clients hair. So basically the stylist makes about $14. Also waiters and waitresses spend a total of say 5 minutes with you, while your hairstylist spends at least 45 minutes with you. So yes tipping should be 15-20%.

blonde781
Mar '10

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I just want to chime in and say that I really hate it when I go to either a hair salon or nail salon and get shuffled around to multiple people. I do understand in the salons they usually have a shampoo assistant so that one extra person I expect (although I give the entire tip to my stylist and let her deal with it). It makes me really nutty in nail salons though. I'm actually a fantastic tipper (20%+) when I get great service and this is just a real pet peeve of mine. It's not like I'm carrying around tons of cash to divy up to multiple people!

antimony3
Mar '10

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I tip $5 for my $28 nail appointment and for my $28 haircut. Even though they make more in wages than a waitperson, they are providing more of a skilled service that requires training and certification. This is why I don't mind tipping. (And I do respect the skill of a waitperson, not trying to dis their hard work)

noname
Mar '10

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There is no right or wrong but my feeling is that we feel as though we need to tip the service oriented provider 20% if they do a "good" job. Servers get less per hour period BECAUSE the patron is expected to tip if the server provides good service. I think in general a precendence has been established in what is expected for a service. Does this apply to all services? Does everyone tip their mailman, meter reader, maintenance man ( in an apartment complex) or plumber, electrician, garbage men etc.? I am guessing that unless you have face to face contact you do not tip. Where do you draw the line on tipping? How do you determine who gets a tip or not?

Firefly
Mar '10

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There is a higher turnover of customers per hour with a waiter\waitress.
During a busy time of the day that waiter or waitress may wait on 15 to 20 customers all tipping 15 to 20 percent.
When you get your haircut that stylist is spending their entire hour with probably only one customer tipping 15 to 20 percent.
Do the math and you'll see that the waiter will make considerably more money in that hour than the stylist will.
Think about what a decent meal costs you when you eat out and what 20 percent of that is.
Now also think about the amount of time that stylist will spend with you if your getting color or a perm not to mention the fact that most stylists today are not only stylist but also therapists.
I'm married to a stylist and some days amazed at the things that people will reveal to her the second that they sit in that chair.

shaeflan
Mar '10

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