If he does a good job, I will get it up to 40%, else, it is a standard 15% Tip.
I guess I always figure 20% for the stylist. My Salon is small enough I don't have a shampoo person and a stylist, just the stylist. The stylist is not the owner of the shop either.
I tip my stylist 20%, and she owns the space. Her salon is a suite in one of those Solera Salon complexes, and she is in a single suite. I think that 40-50% is outrageous, but 15% is too low. If you're happy, as you are, 20 is right on, I think.
50% is ridiculous. I tip about 15-20% at both my stylist and restaurants.
Social tipping norms are getting out of hand.
I think you are under-tipping the shampoo girl! She has the lowest salary, gets overlooked, and needs the tips for her living the most.
I also think you are over-tipping the stylist. 20% is very generous, especially with a gift at the holidays.
FYI: If your stylist is the owner of the salon, traditionally they don't take tips! I have seen them refused. You should spread the wealth to the helpers- that is the smooth move.
Think you care too much what your stylist thinks of you?
have always been a straight 20% tipper for my stylist and normally pay the person who's shampooing my hair approximately $5. yet, after reading this post, I may rethink that amount...
My guy is an amazing deal at only $30 for a haircut and style (he shampoos, too!), so I tip a hefty 30% (so the total is $40).
Hi,
I love your blog!
my tips are around 15% - i think 25% is too much!
Hmmm.... the last style I got was at a new salon and the stylist did an amazing cut (I have cranky hair that needs a style that can go curly or straight). I ended up tipping around 25-30%. If I went to him again, I would probably tip lower, because he charges a lot for just a basic cut! I think 10% for an average cut and up to 20% for a great cut/color.
I agree that 50% is insanity. I just read in Travel + Leisure that in the US, tipping 10-20% for beauty services is acceptable, although I always give straight 20% or round up a bit.
I always tip 20% and $10 to the shampoo girl. 50% is insane...but if it's really the norm, I should consider a change in career path...
I tip 20% to my stylist, but she owns the salon. I know it's said that you don't have to tip the salon owner, but she does such a great job that I can't help it! I usually tip at least 20% at restaurants, too.
I tip 20-25%, I have very thick hair that takes a lot of time to cut and style. I have no problem tipping well to the peole who make me look fabulous.
well ladies, im a hairstylist for 26 years and i am self employed. most of my clients tip 20 percent which i find is great. if their hair is a problem for whatever reason--overprocessed, needs extra time, sometimes they tip accordingly. myself, i don't give any different kind of service if they don't tip well or don't tip at all, but i do remember and really appreciate it. i always tip well in restaurants because of my job..
I tip $9 on an $81 bill so thats...about 11%. -shrugs- around xmas ill tip an extra 10.
i am not a big believer in tipping in the service industry - after all the majority of retial workers are working just as hard, being paid less and not receiving any tips.
Hairstylist is a bit different than waitress, I suppose. But even so...
i tip the stylist 20% and 5$ to the shampoo girl. i always thought that was generous, but maybe not?
i may give more to the shampoo girl next time around, but i think i'll keep it at 20% for the stylist. it seems to be the right amount. i had seen my previous stylist for a while (she has sadly left nyc), and i used to add another $10 or so around the holidays, and i gave her a very large tip (it may have been around 50%) the last time i saw her, b/c i knew it was the last time and she was getting married (i hadn't seen her THAT long that i would actually buy a gift), but i do feel that there has to be an ongoing relationship to justify holiday tips and special tips - not just if you've seen the stylist once or twice.
I'm a "restaurant" tipper: a straight 20%. To be honest, I really can't afford much more than that. I don't go to a fancy, expensive stylist, my cut is always an ordinary, straight-across cut, no style, so I'm pretty comfortable with that.
I generally tip 20 percent. More if it was an amazing cut; less if I had a horrible experience.
My big conundrum is how much to tip for bang trims. Depending on where I go, it's either $5 or free.
I tip 20% to my stylist. Even though he is always over booked and I have to wait forever! Nothing to the shampoo girl unless they give me an amazing massage while shampooing. They are usually students who don't do a very good job in the first place.
I don't think that deserves a tip with the high prices of the salon.
I am definitely a 20 - 25% tipper, and I always give a little extra if she's gone out of the way for me and gotten me an appointment at the last minute or stayed a little late to squeeze me in. I am a firm believer of tipping in the service industry, many of these individuals (like waitstaff) have lower than minimum wage salaries so that tips are a necessary. I think that if anyone has an issue with tipping the service industry, it should be taken up with labor regulators and employers, NOT on the employee.
On a side note, I am a HUGE Curb Your Enthusiasm fan 
10%. You know, they set their own rates, anyway, so there's not exactly a need for a tip.
Good topic, I average around 20%, always tip the shampoo girl around $5-$10, whatever I have handy in my pocket. I would rather overtip than under, for sure.
ok....here goes.
#1. In this day and age, the owner/stylist gets tipped. The old "owner, NO tip" is a thing of the past.
#2. VERY VERY rarely, I would say never, do the stylists tip the shampoo person for you. They make their money on tips, and if you have received a good shampoo, no talking excessively, etc, be generous. For color services, tip more.
#3. As for a percentage, use your judgment. Say on a bill of $120., tip about $20. to $25. especially if your hair looks super, if its a cut around $40 - $45, $5 to $10 is good.
Also, come holiday time, when you are thinking about gifts, make sure to acknowledge everyone in the salon. My receptionist/manager tries to accommodate every one, and he is usually overlooked.
I'm going to have to start cutting my own hair. My stylist owns the salon AND does my shampoo! I guess I'm supposed to give a really big tip in that case? AND a gift at the holidays? He keeps raising his rates, so the tip is supposed to go up accordingly I guess, but I'm not getting any raises at work, so eventually I won't be able to go anywhere but Supercuts!
I pay $100 regardless, every time. My guy is phenomenal, but always over booked. He owns the salon (and it's just him now, though he had one other stylist for a while). While I was in school, my cut/color would run about $65. cut/color/highlights? $65. cut/color and some product (poo, conditioner, gel, whatever)? $65. Now that I'm working it usually runs about $85 (again, regardless of what he does). So my $100 comes to a little less than a 20% tip.
I always tip 20%. I also go to a small salon so there's no shampoo girl, etc. to worry about. I think it's ridiculous to give 50%! Geez! If you are going to a top stylist who's that great, I'm sure they're making enough already.
In Europe, you don't have to tip at all, although I always rounded up the bill and they practically slobbered at your feet because tips are so rare. My students couldn't shut their gaping mouths when I told them the common tipping rate is 20%. !!!
I have no idea what % I tip...
My salons that I frequent (have yet to find one I *LOVE*) are small as the city is also small (45,000 people), so I have no shampoo girl.
Anyway, I'm a dollar tipper. If my bill is $30, I tip $10. $10 goes up to about $80 cuts etc, then I up to $15. When I hit $100, I start tipping $20. At $140, it moves up to $25. You get the picture. You can work out the precentage yourself.
Having said that, i'm a freak here. people don't tip their waiters, let alone their manicurists, stylists, taxi drivers or what-have-you. I come from a farming community where people think "They're getting paid a wage, why should I tip?"
I mean, we have a higher min. wage in Canada, but still, my hick city botehrs me...
I always stress out about this so you're not alone! I go to the owner of the salon, and I've always heard that you don't tip the owner...but I feel terrible about and not giving him something! So I still tip 20% on the cut, but when the price starts to go up really high for a coloring, I don't tip a full 20 on that. I mean he pockets most of what I am paying for the service! But I still feel really guity for some reason... I always wonder if he's secretly cursing me.
Also, if I go somewhere where there is a shampoo girl, I tip 20% TOTAL - that is, I take a few bucks out of the stylist's tip and give directly to the shampoo gal.
I usually stick to 20% unless it's someone I've been going to for awhile or they do an exceptionally great job.
I'm a server in a restaurant so I assume all people in the service industry make the 3$ hourly that I make, so 20% is always my minimum, and I have no problem tipping ridiculously when I love my hair and they've done a good job or not charged me as much as they usually do.
I have worked in both a salon and in restaurants, as a stylist, manager, server and bartender. I have to say that 20% is pretty much the standard across the board. If I were to get consistent 10% tips, I would assume that I was doing a terrible job, as a GRATUITY is a direct reflection on the service provided. Servers make somewhere in the range of $2/hour which is supplemented by gratuities, while retail people make substantially more, somewhere between $7 and $10/hour. In salons, stylists only get a percentage of the price of the service, and if the stylist is busy enough to warrant a shampoo girl, then the stylist usually tips her approx. $2 per shampoo on top of a decent hourly wage ($5/hour or so).
All this to say that we count on your tips and we also gauge our successfulness at our jobs by just how well our clientele tips us. Show us your appreciation and you will be rewarded with consistent good service. Hope this helps.
I like whole numbers. If my haircut costs 35, I'll tip the stylist 10 and the shampoo girl 5. So thats roughly 30% for the stylist and 15% for the shampoo girl.
I'm a 20% tipper most of the year, at the holidays I will typically do 40%-50%
I tip 20%. The girl who cuts my hair usually shampoos it as well, so I don't have to worry about that.
I tip 20% and give the person that washes my hair $5. If I'm in a bind and need my hair done asap and they work me in, then I do 25%. But the 50% is utterly ridiculous and I do think that # is being put out there by stylists to get more.
I tip 20% for a cut. I don't get color. I give the shampoo girl $5. When I moved, the price of my haircut went up 100%- I should have moved somewhere cheaper. If I had to tip 50% I would cut my own hair.
When I was still living in NYC, I went to a pricey salon, but even on a student budget, I still tipped 15-20%. My stylist just knew my hair like no other had before her, and that made her base price + tip worth it! However, my new salon in my new city is also quite good, and they are unique in that they are a "no tipping" salon. Seriously, it takes so much stress out of the whole process. Whatever you get done is what you pay for. I'm sure that the employees still get some benefit from this arrangement in some way, and it makes it a pleasure to go there! I wish other salons had this practice,too.
This is great to know that so many people are tipping about 20%. I tip my stylist about 20%, too, but my husband tips way more (we go to the same stylist), so he was giving me a complex. There is no shampoo girl at the salon, so I don't have to think about that.
My sweet US cousins,
I am of course in the UK where tipping is by most low.
I was a beauty therapist and while training i would wash hair etc when the salon i was getting work experience was in rush.
I did hear many Ladies give a tip and say oh give a little something to Ria too please which was Greatly received.
While working myself in the uk you tended to get 10-15% Though we are a nation of awful tippers!
I give my shampoo girl £5 (which equals your $5 for what one can buy with it and the stylist i give 20-25% to.
I also tip the reptionist too but i thinks that from my expereince and knowing them all.
Though really Proffesionals with give you their best if you tip allot or not. Though nothing is plain rude unless you are unhappy or say if the credit crunch is making hard so thet dont think they have done a bad job, Does this make sense? Sorry if not its later here and i am so tired.
Ria xx
I don't color or anything, but when I get my hair cut, I tip 20% and I give $5 to the shampooer if it's someone separate from my stylist (it's a pretty small place, it's usually just the stylist).
At my salon, my stylist does her own shampooing. The total service of shampoo, cut and style is 25.00 and I always give her 5.00 (20%) and a lot of times she tells me I am the fist person all day to give her a tip. I always do 20% at restraunt and salons, unless I get absolute great service and it may be more!
I chose a hair salon because it had a no-tipping policy. They charged more for services, but I would rather pay more and not worry about tipping. Well lo and behold, they decided that "clients" were uncomfortable with this policy, and felt bad that they couldn't tip!
I think this was a ploy - they brought us in under false pretenses. I like their stylists, but feel ripped off every time I go. They are not inexpensive - it's about $140 pre -tip, and I live in a mid-size town, not a major urban area, where I could find somebody just as good down the block. It's a dilemma - they kept their basic proces high, then re-instituted tips. But, no comparable salons.
Personally, I would rather see the price list, pay more upfront, and eliminate tipping.
I tip between 20-25%. My stylist gives the best short cut I've had, and I'm in and out of the chair in 20 minutes. She knows me now and tells me the times when she's not busy so I can walk in. I'm not a big fan of hair salons in general so this suits me well and I'll happily tip for the service.
My stylist is the owner of the shop; he both washes and cuts my hair. The only time I have him dry or style my hair is in the winter; the rest of the time I leave the salon with a wet head. It is an advantage living in the desert and having short, naturally curly, wash-and-wear hair. He charges $25 and I tip him $5. In the past however, when I patronized other hairdressers who were not salon owners, I tipped $10 for a $20 or $25 haircut.
my stylist is my friend and ex-roommate. she doesn't charge me much, so i usually tip 40% of the total she charges me (charges $25 but I usually give her $35). plus, i have referred quite a few people (my sister, my best friend, my old boss, my boyfriend, even clients) to her, and sometimes starbucks or lunch is on me.
it's a small salon and there is no separate shampooer, so she does it all--shampoo, cut, blow dry, style.
I work at a salon where the cuts are $15 and there is no shampoo girl. It dosent usually seem to be % that people go by.. most give the $5 thats left from the twenty they pay with. Last year cuts were $14 so tips were almost always $6. You get less then that from the "barber guys" ones who arent used to gettting salon hair cuts and "salon guys" tip more. $8 to $10 from them. Woman stay in the $5 area except for the old ladies. In my salon any one who tips anything less then the $5 ( except from the barber guys who are just assumed not to know any better.) is considered cheap. The ones who are known to never tip at all get lack luster service and the dreaded doller tip is just a slap in the face. There have actually been stylist to give back the doller to the custumer as if to say if thats all you can spare you must need this more then I do! We would rather get no tip then to be tipped a dollar. Or in change! Your service wont stuffer until your clasified as a repeat non tiper. And its not that you will get a bad hair cut.. just dont expect anything extra. We want you in and out as fast as we can get you. Being known as a good tipper will get you the the perks of being squeased in on our lunch break, staying late or comming in early, fitting you in on a already over booked schedule or comming in on a day off. If by chance you ask your stylist to do any of these things and dont tip more then your norm for that special treatment.. dont expect for it to happen again. So i guess all that being said.. the norm expected at my salon is about 30-35% for haircuts. Color and large services seem to be diffrent.. I really dont think most people are using a % scale here. I see it norm to get $10 for services up to $100 and $5 for those up to $150. The more it cost the less the tip. Those who have members of the same family cut by one stylist most often tip as if only one person was done. Just dont belive the ones who say your not judged by your tips because you really are.. If all else fails, ask the stylist! We dont care! We apprecate the ones who want to get it right. Just ask something simple like who tips better, men or women if you dont want to ask straight up. Most likey just getting us started on the conversation will give you all the info you want to know! lol. And if you find that the stylist mentions an amuont more then what your were prepaired to pay, leave your tip and say now that ive been properly eduacated on tips.. ill be more prepaired next time! Most important we just want to be happy with your hair. If you are tiping honestly with gratiute and it shows, the tip will be the least of our worries.
I always wonder about tipping the correct amount. Regardless of what I'm tipping for. I even tip when I get terrible service at a restaurant (my husband isn't so understanding and thinks I'm insane). That said, I've been going to the same hair stylist pretty much my whole life (and my sister and father go to her as well, she is amazing) and she flat out refuses to take money when I tip her. I try and be sneaky and make sure to slip the receptionist her tip, but it never fails that the next time I go in to see her she takes the amount that I tipped her last time off of my final price. I've been waging war with her over tips for years and I've finally just given up now. I do make sure to buy her christmas gifts though. She can't make me take those back!
I always tip 20% regardless of the services for my hair (the base for my hair usually ranges between $110-$150 depending on what I get done, and then I tip 20% on top). I actually always thought that was generous! More than 20% is crazy unless it's the holidays or if she's able to fit me in last minute when she's extremely busy. This is for salons in various cities in NC and GA.
I've been living out of the country and enjoyed amazing hair service in Japan. Usually in addition to the great cut, I'll get a head massage, neck massage, great conversation and great service. Average price equates to anywhere from like 25-50USD to the places I visit (which have all been impeccably designed so far). And tipping?
Not a custom here. ^_^
I'm afraid of what's gonna happen when I go back home and good service is something to be paid for and not expected and automatically given.
hey
I work in a salon as a shampoo girl in a pretty wealthy area. Normally, I get $5 for washing out color or highlights and around $3 for a normal cut. In our industry, we do live off of our tips. Its how we pay for gas, groceries, and our (atleast my) obsession with cosmetics. I think 25% is about right (if you love your stylist, the tip more, we appreciate it!). Also... as much as I hate to say it, if you're a not so good tipper, the stylist will share it in the back room. Thanks!
I always tipped about 20% but recently I was told not to tip my new hairdresser because he owns the salon. Is this wrong?? I am confused.
OMG. I must have been insulting my stylist for years. My stylist owns her own space (small "Gallery of Salons" type space). When I get my hair trimmed and highlighted, the total runs to $140. No products included in that price and it's really just a "dead ends only" trim. So I give an extra $10 or $20 - depending on what I have - which is 7% to 14%. I didn't realize I was insulting her but OMG, are you kidding me? For 2 hours 25% would be $180. This is Dallas, not Manhattan, the $140 alone is a stretch but should I go elsewhere if I can't afford it?
I try to be good about tipping but honestly I get really angry that I have to pay $50-80 for a hair cut! I think it's ridiculous, especially if I'm only getting a trim and not a textured, difficult hair cut. And then I should have to tip 20% of that? No way.. I try to be good but usually it's only a little over 15%.
As for color, that makes me even angrier. How hard is it to put a single color on hair? If my hair were shorter I'd do it myself but seriously, $60-100 for color? I think the service industry has gotten out of control. There are so many true "service" jobs that get overlooked and no tips are ever given, jobs that are harder physically and/or emotionally. Everyone expects a tip now..everywhere I go I see a tip jar and people asking for me. Like someone said before, MY salary hasn't gone up (and I work non-profit) and probably won't. Does that mean I should suffer and not get my services done? Wouldn't it hurt the stylists and salons more if I didn't go at all verus giving them a lower tip and being really grateful for a job well done?
I'm usually a 20% tipper. I usually give my nail person around $5, sometimes more or less depending on the total cost.
http://www.TheNaturalSapphireCompany.com
After a horrible cut, I walked into the nicest salon in town and got a fabulous razor cut by a woman who just got her license. She charged me $25 bucks and I gladly tipped her 10. I have sent 5 people to her. When her rates go up, I will still tip her 30% (if possible) at the very least, 20%. I figure, she does an awesome job, I can't do it myself, and I've had others less adept cut my hair. I'll happily pay the sistah her dues.
To All, but especially Stephanie and Yasu,
I agree - See earlier post - But aren't we already paying a decent amount for the service?
If any of you can explain why a $140 haircut/highlight also needs a $25 tip to stylist and $5 to shampooer- I do give that, but I feel like it's a rip-off. They do a good job, not overly fabulous - still a sizable amount on a good sized fee.
To all of you who are getting cuts for $30 or so, how is the product? Why the discrepancies? I do not live in a big city - I know my initial price was higher than average because it was a "No Tipping" salon, but they changed back once fee schedule was established. Any thoughts?
I have been seeing my stylist for almost 8 years now and I love her! My cut/color runs anywhere from $95-145 depending on how blond I am and how many colors/highlights we add. I tip anywhere from $20-30, so usually just over 20%. I see her every six weeks, so I really can't afford to tip more than that... I don't tip more at the holidays, but I always get her a nice gift (for her birthday as well), and I always try and remember a holiday gift for the receptionist as well.
I tip about 15% since I am already paying $150 for cut and $120 for color. I really don't understand this tipping business in the service industry. Aren't we paying for the service already? In Asia, there is no tip, a gal just pays for the service.
When I had a regular stylist, I tipped her about 25%. Now I move states alot and never have a regular stylist (or a good one for that matter), it's more like 15%. I had an awfull color/cut about 6 weeks ago and I tipped out of habit, which makes me a moron.
You should always tip according to what you can afford, the stylist should be able to understand that some people aren't making any more money than he/she is.
The thought of tipping after paying a hefty amount for a service really irritates me. I usually tip about 12-15% - only because I feel guilted into doing it. If I get horrible service - NO TIP. I guess I'm just cheap that way...
my haircut is 58.00 and i give her 10.00
my colorist charges 120.00 and I giver her 20.00
so, for a cut and color in texas i spend 208.00! it is getting ridiculous. i have been going to the same place for 13 years. thinking about changing.
Was it that people pay 50% tip to a stylist or that stylists make 50% of their pay in tips because they're two different things and given the price of some haircuts I can believe they could make 50% of their salary in 25% tips! I usually tip about 15-20%, but I do not live in New York and other cities have lower average tips.
Also, if your stylist is the owner of the salon it is not necessary to tip, and if you do it can be lower. They make a cut (haha) of everyone's haircuts including yours so they don't need the same tip as a non-owner.
I usually tip about 15% for my cut and the same the times I've had chemical treatments (relaxer highlights. My cuts are $40, chemicals $75.....I feel like I'm insulting her...but at the same time I'm a single mother of 3 and the cut alone sets me back a wallop. I've been considering just going to the beauty school just to avoid the stress. I definitely love my stylist (although I don't see her as much as I should) but I just can't afford to spend that much. Her and I talk about life and such...so I think she understands. Should I tip more??? I'm so confused, :S
I talked to a stylist (not mine) about this once, and she said that standards are about 20% if you're basically happy. Anything less and you're insinuating that you're unhappy, and the stylist is less likely to want you back. Ask the salon if they share tips with the shampoo girl, and if not then $5 is fine.
I give 20%. 15% is too low and you're stylist probably will dislike you a bit for it. If I'm very happy and think they went the extra mile, I'll give 25%, but that's because I have really long and unruly hair and it takes a patient stylist to do it right.
I agonize over this stuff! I tend to give 20%, but I think I gave 15% last time because I was broke and the services were really expensive. I give the shampoo girl $5.
As my stylist is my cousin i always give her extra it just varies cuz sometimes she instists on charging me so i usually make up for it the next time i go. :D
Does the same tipping etiquette apply to guys? My husband gets his haircut for 20 bucks... and that's what he pays. The barber seems to think this is normal as I've witnessed many other guys just pay the cost of the cut.
25%- 50 yeah right.
gosh i misss countries where they just add the freaking tip inside. its quite annoying for those who grew up else where. its like gosh big company u pay your people. i just want to pay once and be done)
Wow. The US sounds like such a confusing place to live!
I live in Australia, where the price is the price - and that's it. Tipping is not customary here, though it happens in restaurants and bars sometimes.
And thank heavens it isn't a custom! I don't want to be worrying that I've insulted anyone by not paying them even MORE than the agreed price! It seems ludicrous.
I've been seeing my hair stylist for years. He's reasonably expensive. Sometimes, he gives me a discount from the set price, sometimes he doesn't. When he doesn't, he worries that he's offending me; and I assure him he isn't. If I didn't want to pay the agreed price, I'd go somewhere else.
I tip my stylist a little less than 20%, $10 on a $55 rate, but he is the owner. I tip the shampoo girl, $2.50. But for my colorist, I usually tip $13 on a $68 rate which is just shy of 20%, but I give the shampoo girl at that salon $50 because she has to wash me up twice and color is messy. I tip my manicurist just over 20% and my waxer 20%. I was not aware that percentages were going up.
I don't have a favorite hairstylist (although I've been meaning to get one). I just go to whatever salon's nearest to where I am and get a haircut there. My tip is based on the stylist's performance.
I have been going to the same colorist for seven years. He rescued my hair after I did a hair show, and makes me fee beautiful EVERY time. Always tip 20%. More during the holidays.
I live in Australia; we don't tip, except at some eat outs in the city. I don't get? Don't you pay enough for your services? Are the services cheap so that you can tip? ?I usually get a 40 hair cut and of course i don't tip because you don't do that here in Australia. I don't get why you tip; imagine all the money you would save if you didn't tip! can someone explain to me this tipping concept??
I live in Michigan and I always tip 15%, even when I was going to the owner of the salon. I think that 15% is standard for good service, tip more for better service, and definitely if the stylist fit you in or made special arrangements for you. But I totally assumed the stylist was sharing the tip with the shampoo girl, guess I'll have to ask the receptionist about that since they are usually in the know. I am friends with my manicurist, I usually tip 15% and sometimes I'll ask just to make sure I'm doing okay in which she replies it's whatever I feel is fair. I was once told by a manicurist to only tip 10% and never tip on products! 10% felt just way to cheap, so I stuck with my 15% rule. Hope this helps someone out there.
I find that tipping has become an awful custom. It started out that you would give someone a little extra because they did something special or went out of their way for you. Now people give reasonable tips no matter what kind of service they got!
That is totally unacceptable to me. If I have bad service I DO NOT tip. If I get what I expect to be the normal, minimum service, I may tip %10-%15 as long as the person was pleasant. If I am very impressed I will tip based on what I think it was worth on an individual, per instance basis, even when I am a repeat customer.
Companies in North America encourage tipping, the bigger the % the better, so that they can pay their employees less and rely on the customers to take up the slack instead of paying their employees what they should. I do not like the fact that employers dish out this responsibility on the customer, we are already paying for a service, we should not have to supplement the employees wages so that the companies can make an even bigger profit from screwing everyone involved over.
If people refused to buy into this garbage we would become more like europe (and australia) where the price is what it costs and the employees are paid properly.
It's been said that North Americans (both U.S. and Canada), especially those in larger cities are among, if not the world's, most generous tippers. Personally..i think the tipping 'standard' is starting to become ridiculous. Who makes up these norms anyways? Some even say that it's the workers in the service industry that 'created' how much people should tip so that people would pay more.
I tip regularly...but it depends on the person providing the service. I would definitely say 50% is OVER THE TOP...and that somewhere b/w 10-30% is the most reasonable for salons or restaurants generally. However this is just my opinion...
Like others have said...other countries don't even tip because the service is already included in their fees (East Asia comes to mind). I don't know about other places, but I've been to restaurants and salons were the service was incredibly poor...but they know they will get a tip because they almost feel like it's a 'requirement'. Bad service happens...and people STILL tip. I've even heard of waiters running out of the restaurant to tell the customer that they didn't tip enough! U.S. is a country of 'consumerism' though...so I'm actually not surprised at how much people tip.
I think is pretty funny that we have become acclimatized to paying $150 for a service that last an hour maybe an hour and a half for a color. When did this become acceptable? I have travelled to Asia and I cannot say enough how nice it is to not have to worry about tipping. We need to go back to the origination of tipping when it was only done for exceptional service. Why must we reward people for doing their job? Yes it is sad that people have to depend on their tips because their salary is so low but we need to figure out a way to reverse the norm instead of helping perpetuate it!
I'm a guy so my haircuts are not usually that much. When I used to have some hair I would tip $5 on a $20 cut. Even now when I go and get a buzz cut that takes 5 minutes and can cost as little as $5, I still tip $5.
Okay...I tend to give my stylist a little more than 20%normally, unless she does something like squeeze me in last moment or something like that.
But I do splurge and get her a birthday and christmas gift...generally giftcards to her favorite stores. And, if I'm able to, I normally stop and pick up Starbucks for both of us.
I'm in Australia and we dont tip for services ... only hospitality such as bartenders, waiters, sometimes cab drivers.
I pay enough to get my hair done - at least $200 for a cut and colour.. Wages here are very good so I dont see why i should pay an extra $20 on an already overpriced service to a person who is earning a very very decent salary already.
(following post above)
I was just thinking about it, and I dont think my stylist would know what i was doing if i tried to tip her! It wouldnt be offensive, but maybe a little awkward..
I always tip 20%. I definitely think that 50% is way too much. Haircuts and color are already expensive on their own, adding a 50% tip is outrageous.
$5. My stylist gets $5, and there is no shampoo girl. xD
I always use the same stylist. That means that USUALLY the stylist gets over 33%, but like once a year she gets severley cheated.
The US must be some sort of 3rd world country if people depend on tips to pay the rent. I mean, WTF? What's wrong with giving a decent salary like in Scandinavia? No one ever tips here, it's considered rude.
Wow, the tip rates are very high.
I'm glad I don't live in the US 
)
In my country tipping 15% is already very generous. I agree to tip shampoo girl/ boy more, cause this person gets a very low basic salary. But the people who are in charge to do the hairstyle are not only the stylist and shampoo girl/boy, but there's also a hairdryer girl/boy. So tipping 3 person sometimes making me feel being robbed. I don't mind tipping big if the cost of the service is not too high and if the result is great. If the result is just so so or even bad, then I don't tip. So it's a lesson too for the hairstylist. I think in Asia tipping is not a custom, and most of stylists still work professionally, with or without tipping because there are a lot salon and they are already happy if they can have many customers.
I've been going to the same girl for haircuts for nearly 7 years -- we're vaguely friends now, too (meaning I've been to a few parties at her place, or social events that involved most of the salon's employees, but we don't just go hang out regularly alone) and she is an absolute doll. I tip around 25% normally -- it's a tiny salon, so there is no shampoo person to worry about, and even though her rates have nearly doubled over the last 7 years, it's still a fairly reasonable $55 haircut. I don't get color or complicated services, and I tend to push my cuts a bit past the normal recommended time frame (so I only end up seeing her every 3-4 months) so I feel like I'm still paying less overall than a lot of people pay before tipping!
I also generally tip near 20% in restaurants -- my percentage will be higher the smaller the bill is (so if I go eat out alone and take up space for awhile reading a book and my bill is only $12, I'll tip $5) Working in the service industry sucks, and like it or not, the industry is set up to make waiters, especially, absolutely reliant on tips for their livlihoods. My general feeling is, if you can't afford to comfortably tip adequately in a restaurant (or a hair salon, or a taxi or wherever) then you shouldn't be eating/getting you hair done/whatever there.
Everyone seems to have a different view on what to tip the stylist. Every time I tip, I wonder if they talk about me or if they think she is a great tipper. Just recently, I realized in the car that I had only tipped 18% when I thought I had over tipped.
I am so glad you mention the shampoo girl, she seems to do so much work and gets the least amount in tips because she isn't the stylist. I also agree that I wonder if the tips are shared. I always make sure to give her a tip separately.
At one point I was tipping both the shampoo and the stylist the same amount and quickly realized that wasn't approriate. Being in NY, I am still trying to get over the costs of services so the tipping piece is constantly on my mind.
So for now, it varies for me ... If I have extra money that month, I tip more if not I go for 15%.
Small shop with 1 shampoo girl and 2 hairdressers. The owner cuts my hair and it usually takes about 20 minutes from start to finish. I pay her 50.00 plus a 10.00 tip. I'm a bookkeeper in NY and she makes more than I do. haha!
The shampoo girl is " eh " I give her 2.00 for a quick wash.
I tip 20% at my current salon, which I've been going to for about a year and a half. A cut there is $40 and my stylist does the shampooing.
Years ago I had very long hair and just went to Great Clips for trims. Since cuts there are only $10, I tipped more, usually $5.
It's so interesting to read about this tipping custom. Totally not the done thing here in New Zealand, which I guess I'm pleased about. However, I do think it says something about the American people in general - you guys must be pretty darn generous! I think that's a wonderful trait
My stylist of many years recently went out on his own. I have always tipped him 20 percent. His prices stayed the same when he moved so I lost sleep over whether or not to tip him. On my first visit I feigned not enough time to get cash (plus I thought cash was doing him a favor since he wouldn't have to pay credit card interest.) I'm now ready for my second visit and the loss of sleep is starting to turn into hair nightmares. lol. To make things worse, he cut my hair where I have cowlicks and I left looking like Alfalfa. (You are probably too young to know who he is.) Have any suggestions?
If I went with 20%, I'd only be giving $5 for a haircut. In my opinion, that's not enough for the person that has cut my hair, and made me look great for years, so I give her a $20 tip every time, which is 50% in the small town I'm in. And that tip goes up accordingly for procedures that take longer, such as color.
I have been a straight 20% tipper for years. My gal charged me $50 for a cut and I would tip her $10. That was back in Michigan. Then I moved to California where I now pay $85 for a hair cut so I have toned my tip down to 15% simply to keep it affordable for me.
Just chiming in (late) to say that wages vary in salons in the US. While still not the norm in the industry, not all staff in a salon are on commission, barely making minimum wage. At the salon-spa my family owns (high-end, in a suburban area in Pennsylvania, USA) our stylists, aestheticians, massage therapists, and nail techs are paid a good wage + bonus (based on the salon productivity and retail sales) + get benefits. Our lowest paid staff (front desk) start at $9-10./hour, beginning service staff make $12-14. hour, and most of our full-time stylists make $40,000+ a year. We believe tipping is NOT required and should not be expected. Most customers do tip.
I've been going to the same lady for 4 years, I love her work and trust her. She also charges a lot cheaper than your average CA hair stylist. She rents her own booth at a salon. I go in every 12 weeks for 3 hours. SHE DOES EVERYTHING. She puts the color in, takes off the foil, shampoos, cuts, and style (she usually blow drys and does a light curl). Anyhow I tip her 20%.
i pay about $80 for color and about $65 for a cut. i've been going to the same salon for about 15 years, use the same colorist, but change stylists occasionally. i always tip at least 20% and give in between $5-10 for the shampoo.
some comments above argue that a small tip for the shampoo person is not appropriate based on the fact that they are the least paid and do the most work. some also argue that we don't tip in retail and they work very hard.
my counter to these arguments: education and experience. shampooers are the least paid because they have the least education and are the least experienced. they do not do most of the work. the stylist and colorist traditionally do most of the work, while the shampoo person... well, they shampoo or assist, acting upon the colorist's or stylist's instructions based on the stylist's or colorist's education and experience.
as for the retail argument, you don't have to go to school to learn retail. i've done my fair share of working retail and "retail education" is usually taken care of in 2 days' worth of paid training. a good and qualified stylist or colorist has begun their career with a specialized education. and if they're worth their money like i believe mine are, they go for continual education and training to keep up with the trends and techniques. you are paying for a professional in the field and your tip should reflect that. a shampooer works hard and is probably working towards being a professional stylist of some sort, but is not there yet.
I always tip 20-30% for stylist .she does it well and also offer coffee and juice so i'm happy too.
I am a hair stylist, have been for many years. I don't think people realize, just because we charge $30 dollors for a servie, doesn't mean we get that amount. Sadly, in many salons we only get 40%. So, I spend 3 hours with you, color, cut, conditioning treatment and style. I charge $160.. I only get 40 % of that, not too mention our tips are taxed. People do not understand that at the end of the service, when it's time to pay, we as a stylist do not get the full amount of what you pay. We may barely get half, which is sad for us. In defense of everyone else. I am getting married soon, and have been researching everyone I am going to tip. OMG, help me! LOL. Not funny.
My stylist is my wonderful aunt, so I always tip well. I would say 20% is a good gauge, but if someone else shampoos, then they get 5% of that.
http://pinque.wordpress.com
I think that it is appropriate to do the normal 15%-20% tip for a hair stylist. If you really like your hair stylist, it's okay to give more, but 50% may be a little outrageous. I have given my hair stylist up to 30% for a tip.
I am a teacher and have been a server since I was 14. I understand how people work for tips. I have always debated over what was a correct tip for hair services. As a teacher I work hard and get a salary. As a tutor I also get a salary. In both jobs I do not recieve tips. As a server I make 2.13 an hour and have to tip out at the end of the night my busser, bartender, and food runner. And alot of people still do not tip me 20%. I get upset when I get under 15%. Because I have to tip out 5% of my sales (not my tips). There are nights I make 30 dollars because its slow and you get the weekday tips so I walk out with 10 % of my sales after tip out (thats about 7 tables around 300 of sales and i tip out 15 bucks and walk with the leftover 30 because i got an "average" of 15 % all night (some give 10 some give 20 and some give 15 % throughout the night) So i debate over what is correct for someone who makes alot more money hourly than me and then recieves a tip they get to keep fully to themselves.
I tip anywhere from 15 to 20% based on how much money I have.
Today I tipped 20 dollars for 100 dollar service. But it was to two different people. I tipped 12 to the color girl and 7 to the hair cutter.
I think those were good tips. I was not wowed and still need to see if I like it tommorow. But i realize I gave the haird cutter 22% and the colorist 18 % because of their individual prices.
I wonder if they like me? Do they want me back? Are they going to mess my hair up next time?
I give the speech about if you can not afford to eat out then stay home. But i think in the case of tipping a hair stylist who charges big prices that 15-18 % should be acceptable. 20% should be a extra pleasure.
Because i am okay with 15-18%. I am happy with 20% though and will give the same service to regulars who tip me above 15%. give the same service ti anyone because that is the type of person I am ( I just go in the back and complain to my fellow workers if I get a bad tip or have cheap regulars at my table.)
At leaste hairstylists so not have to pay someone at the end of a service like servers do even if they do not make a tip (I still have to tip 5% out even if a table does not tip or does not tip enough to cover the tip out.)
Sorry for the typos, just read it back....there are a couple!
I'm a graduate student (and therefore not making any money), so I get my hair cut at a salon school for $12. I tip $2-$3 on top of that, depending on how good a job they do.
It seems a bit excessive to me to spend over $50 on a cut!
Wow, tipping seems like such a strange concept. I live in New Zealand and we don't tip here at all. Much easier, especially for those who aren't that great at percentages!
http://www.lipstiknz.synthasite.com
25% sounds like a lot to me but $5 for the shampoo girl sounds fine.
As a senior stylist in one of the top Aveda salon's in the country I will tell you this much...
1. You should always tip. Comparing waitresses to Hairstylists is a little far fetched. In the past 8 years I've spent over $50,000 on my education, as much as some college educations.
2. Most clients tip between 20-40% but you can use your discretion.
3. My assistant gets a percentage of my gross salary. Trust me the "shampoo girls" aren't starving on a paltry 7 bucks an hour at my salon. An assistant working for a senior or master stylist will usually make more than our junior stylists. However that being said, most of my clients tip the assistant $5 for a shampoo, more if she does the blow dry as well.
And no the assistant doesn't get upset about people who tip or don't tip, most of the time, they are itching to get on the floor to do hair so they are just happy to be doing hair, even if it is just a shampoo.
always tip my stylist who works as the owner and does the shampoo and color with atleast 40% because my hair is really untamed unless i go to him
he does exactly as you want it or asks your permission to try something to make it even prettier. Look up Roger Dempsy in Georgia and try him once atleast and you will see what i mean
he is an artist and 40% is something im willing to give to him for making me look beautiful
if he does better than expected of his natural talent i give 50%
I just have to add...I read through some of the comments and am completely insulted that some of you think we are overpaid.
Your absolutely right your not paying for the application of a single process color...Your paying for the formula. Please save yourself $100....do it youreslf...turn it green...and when you need to get it fixed be prepared to fork over 4x that.
Hair color is science and math. Formulating color itself is an art. Hair cuts are architecture in it's most raw form. I'm not sure where you guys are going for haircuts but a "trim" takes just as long as a full on haircut. Its the SAME thing! I spend just as much time and energy building and collapsing weight and texturizing after a "trim" as I would for someone who just cut 10 inches off...and if your hairdresser isn't doing that...go someplace else.
Also...please recognize we don't get paid what we charge you...mostly between 40-50%. We also get taxed and most salons don't offer insurance or benefits so that's up to us to pay for. So if your angry about your $80 haircut...blame your government for shoddy health insurance programs and go to great clips.
Thank you Sevin! I can't believe that most people don't know how salons are run. I own a salon and although we keep 50% of the stylists service total that pays for product (color), receptionist, electricity, water, RENT, TAXES including the taxes and fees on the credit card machine, refreshment, assistants and can I say TAXES again (we're in CA). I am a stylist too and do receive tips which is what I mostly live on. My service dollars stay in the salon to help pay the bills and there are some months I don't pay myself at all and only have tips. I think if people are complaining, go to a cheaper salon. You get what you pay for and this is a customary thing-we didn't just make it up. Me and the stylists usually get 20%.
$5 to shampoo girl on top of a ~20% tip to stylist seems a bit much for me for an average cut.
The shampoo is included in the haircut's price so it makes sense to take part of the total tip percentage to give directly to the shampoo girl.
I think 20% is reasonable. $5 for the shampoo girl is too much, unless you're getting a very expensive cut. I think the average woman will pay $30-50 for a cut, in which case $5 is too much.
Am i the only one who thinks this?
I agree with 25% tip for the stylist atleast as he is one who cares about you if you are regular
Sunil
Cash Online Get Easy cash at your door step
20% to 25% is reasonable. More if they've done an exceptional job. Remember these people are professionals who have spent considerable time developing their craft. It's always been my experience that you get what you pay for.
I usually tip about 20%, but I may be a little bias because I am a hairstylist. Anyone looking for a great place to go for a great price should try Trend Setters College.
