Berkeley Parents Network: Tipping for Salon Services

Berkeley Parents Network

Tipping for Salon Services

Berkeley Parents Network > Advice > Beauty & Fitness > Tipping for Salon Services

Haircut Tipping Etiquette

August 2003

As long as we're soliciting recommendations for hair stylists, I'd like to initiate a discussion about haircut-tipping etiquette. In the ''olden days'' we always tipped the stylist when she worked for the owner of a salon and was probably not very well paid, but now with the upscale stylists renting chairs (which sort of amounts to their owning their own business, right?) and charging rather a lot for their services, is tipping still required, or expected? Obviously, for a special ''thank you'' it would be nice, but as a regular thing? Please enlighten!

I've been tipping my stylists between 10-15% because I didn't want to offend them. A couple of times I saw other customers paying and they weren't tipping. So recently I changed stylists and I just flat out asked him about tipping. He said, ''Some people tip, some people don't, I'm asking for $190.00 and that amount would be perfectly fine.'' So I didn't tip. I'm just so shocked at the high price now, I think I'm going to only tip as a gift (during the holidays) or when I'm feeling a bit more generous. Tipping to me lets them know how happy I am with their work, but unfortunately, they must already know that I'm happy because it's built into the price! Jenny

Funny that this should be posted today because I just came from paying $165 for a cut and color. My stylist pays only for the rental on her chair at this upscale salon, so I (guiltily) only tipped her $20 on the total. I now feel emboldened not to tip, at all (I think). Of course, she did spend 4 hours on my hair. I think that I am comfortable giving her a small gratuity from now on, not the customary 20%. Groov Stylin'

It is my understanding that the going rate is still 15-20% of the bill (actual labor only-not including product), unless it is the owner of the salon (or, I guess, chair) and then it is discretionary, ranging from 0-20%. My neighbor tips 0 to her salon owner, but I have always given them something, even if it was something less than 15% when I was unemployed, the owner did my hair, and the bill for a weave was $150. Stylists offer honed skills (my long time guy was trained at Vidal Sassoon in Italy, and regularly attended classes to update his expertise) which I think should be recognized. I know for sure there are many people who haven't done a good job with my hair, and so I really appreciate competency in this area. By the way, what I am talking about is a whole different ballgame than the local barber. I sort of look at it as part of the total cost. Now, I have often wondered what is correct to tip the assistant who may wash hair, hand over weave materials, even mix dyes, etc. Seems to me like this should be part of the 15-20%, but I usually just give them an additional $3-6 and call it a day. If anyone knows the answer to this (the tip for an assistant-how much/part of 15-20%? - does the stylist share part of theirs?), I would appreciate knowing that! JRoberts

I tip 20%, every time. anon

What I was always told by my dear mother was, if the hairdresser is the owner of the shop, you don't tip, but if he or she is *not the owner, you do. I don't think you should concern yourself with the booth rental arrangements between the owner and the hairdresser. If you really don't feel like tipping, that's always your perogative...but me, I like my hair to look decent, so I leave a tip! Neatly Shorn

Tipping for a facial & manicure

May 2004

I was wondering if someone could advise me on the appropriate amount to tip for a facial and then for a manicure/pedicure combo? I was given gift certificates last year for mothers day and am just now getting around to using them!! But I am not sure how much I should tip and I am not sure how much these services normally cost (its not listed on the certificates). Thanks for your help! kate

I give a $2 tip for a pedicure or manicure, $3 if they do a good massage. Rule of thumb is 10-15% in general. I tip

I usually tip 20% - 15% sometimes if it's a really expensive service, such as highlights, which cost $125. + Kim

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