Why should we tip the hairdresser?

My hairdresser used to have her own small salon but refused to pay the rent increase demanded by the owner. She now rents a chair in a salon near to the old one and says that she much prefers it. She has the company of the other women and no worries about bills and upkeep of the premises.

I go every 6 weeks, £47 for roots, highlights, cut and blow dry. I've never tipped her. She gave me a little present at Christmas

I'm amazed longpinknails and wow well done Hilmix wish i had lots of hair to practise on.

My son is a hairdresser, or was a hairdresser, should I say. Fully qualified. A cut, full highlights and blow dry which took 2/3 hrs, would cost on average £70/£75 as he was not a senior stylist. The owner would take 50% of that and then what’s left, an additional 20% to cover his VAT bill. So for 3 hrs work, my son would earn just over £9 an hour. Bearing in mind too, that he and others aren’t always fully booked, he was very lucky to earn £200 a week. I’m not saying anyone should subsidise a stylists pay with tips, us please think again about how well paid they are, because they’re not, I assure you. The money is in owning a salon or shops that sell supplies.

Neaten not beaten !

I now cut my own hair. After watching tutorials online over and over and reading advice from professional hairdressers, I decided to give it a go and was very pleased. That was 3 years ago and I have saved a fortune, I think. I did buy professional scissors and now feel quite competent. My husband trims the back at the centre bottom to beaten everything off. I don't tip him !?

I noticed that no one seems to tip anymore and as my hairdresser has gone up the qualified rankings (eg junior to senior stylist) so charges a lot more I've stopped as it's too expensive. I also try to go less to combat the increase in price.

I did tip the taxi driver the other day because it was dark and I didn't want to be fumbling with the change in the dark. It was only 40p but 40p can buy a bar of chocolate can't it?

It's a minefield, isn't it? I hate tipping, so patronising and embarrassing, but sometimes I do, just because I think I should. Having read this thread I think I'll stop. My DH refuses to tip waiters and gets annoyed if others do. I used to find this embarrassing and often slipped a coin or two under my own plate when he wasn't looking but perhaps I'll rethink that now.

PS I don't tip.

At my local salon my hair is done by the owner, I have a cut, sometimes wet, and these days she blow dries it. It is always under £20. I usually take biscuits or chocs in at Christmas and sometimes Easter. I don't go very often now - keep thinking I'll grow my hair again and then lose heart and have it cut - so there can be a gap between visits.

I don't tip my hairdresser. (£17 for a wet cut, no blow dry, in my own home)
On the basis I suppose that most jobs don't get tipped, and none of the jobs I've done have ever been tipped.
(I only tip in restaurants and now thinking about that!!)

It may be cynical but I think sometimes the idea behind tipping is so that you get better service next time. A friend, who worked as a barmaid for a while, told me that the customers who tipped her most got served faster. Might not apply to hairdressers though.

Hairdressers!!..... mine chrges £70 for cut/roots tint/ dry. Takes him hour and half approx. He says most of money is the ‘time it takes’....so I’m paying him for 1.5 hours of his tim? While I’m waiting for tint to take ...approx half hour he fits in another cut and blow-dry?, no doubt charging her for half hour of his time? Or is that MY half hour?? Both of us paying for same period of time .NO I don’t tip!!

I always tip my hairdresser she does a great job and I like to show my appreciation,as she listens discusses what I want and gets it right every time,she is great. I have had hairdressers In the past who have been just the opposite and I didn’t tip them. I don’t think she is offended by tipping,I might ask her at the weekend.

That’s for wash, highlights, cut and blow dry. My hair is very short.

I live in the north of England and also pay £140. This isn’t unusual either for mainstream salons.

It is my hairdresser's business.

I don't tip my hairdresser, except at Christmas when I give him an extra £10. He charges £25 for a cut and blow dry. He doesn't appear to be hard up.

I was just so thrilled to have someone who got my hair right after many years, many hairdressers, I think i overdid my gratitude first time and now I feel I can't stop.

I think it a choice, I tip because I want to thank the people who do for me.

I use the local hairdressing college for a wash and blow dry, cost £7 so I usually give the hairstylist £5. Never had a bad hairstyle yet and often better than a salon.

No tips from me I'm afraid, even though my hairdresser is fantastic& a great person! I pay £48 for a cut & blow dry every 4 weeks which takes 30 to 40 minutes, so that's plenty. She has a lovely house, 2 dogs & a cat, takes regular short breaks in smart hotels in the UK & goes on long haul holidays - she's not the salon owner but I don't think she needs any tips from me!

I very rarely feel the need to tip people who offer services. They charge a price, that's what I pay and I expect a good job done. If they do not pay their staff well, I do not consider it my problem, I'm afraid.

My goodness, I pay £98! I get my hair highlighted, cut and blow dry. I tip the hairdresser £2 and the girl that washes my hair £1

It sets a precedent when you tip, people expect it and aren't to know if you feel flush or broke yourself. It feels a bit demaning and embarassing -there's a few pounds for you. Why don't they just put the prices up and we can pay what is needed? I can't say any of them have ever went beyond the call of duty giving me a cut and blow dry.

I only tip the apprentice there the ones that need it not the quilfied hairdresser.