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eld6161

A tipping question, WWYD?

8 years ago

I have started going to a new salon, which I like very much. Now though, I have a colorist and stylist, instead of one person doing both.

The haircut is $95 and the color is $95. But, if I get a glaze, it's an additional $40.

When I went to pay I was surprised at the amount and was told by the colorist that the amount was because of the glaze. She then quickly said she likes to do that the first time and I wouldn't have to do it every time. I was taken aback as in other places it was included, or if not they ask you.

The first time I used the salon, I only had my haircut, since that is the most important. Then since I liked that, the next appointment was the color.

Since it not easy to find people I like, I will let this pass. But, my question is about tipping.

Just because I get a gaze put on, which incidentally is by the person who washes my hair (so yet another tip there) am I obligated to give the colorist more than the 20 percent for the color?

Comments (28)

  • 8 years ago

    The way I look at it, most tips fall in a range. Let's say. for discussion purposes, the range is 10-25%.

    It is similar to ordering very expensive wine with dinner.

    I would choose a different point within the range I personally tip, based on the amount of effort. So I would not bother to "itemize", but I would probably not tip, say, 25% on the whole amount. Whereas I might tip 25% on a relatively inexpensive meal if it involved a lot of effort and the waitstaff was excellent.

    So in your case I would tip my stylist a slightly smaller % on the whole amount since a portion of the services did not involve their effort. I suppose you could also view that as not tipping on the glaze portion but I am less precise about it.

    As for the person washing my hair, I double the tip when they do a glaze. Glazes are priced separately at my salon,too.

    eld6161 thanked mtnrdredux_gw
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I would probably do $20 tip for each of them and $5 or $6 for the person who washed the hair and applied the glaze. The main colorist isn’t actually applying the glaze so I wouldn’t tip on that part.

    eld6161 thanked User
  • 8 years ago

    Glazes are separate at my salon as well. I agree with mtnrd about tipping on the amount of effort. While my colorist prepares the glaze (which I view as minimal effort), the shampoo person usually applies it, so I will generally add to the shampoo person's tip on days when I get glaze.

    eld6161 thanked sas95
  • 8 years ago

    What's a glaze? Is it different from color?

  • 8 years ago

    Yes, I'd like to know what a glaze is as well. Although since I'm going to the hairdresser today I guess I could ask her , , ,

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Wow, that could be confusing! Just out of curiosity, how do you tip all of these individual people? Cash directly to them? Luckily, my stylist does it all so I just add my tip on the total bill on the way out the door, usually on my debit or credit card. Sometimes I try to remember cash for the tip but usually I don't.

    Generally speaking, I agree with Mtn also about the tip reflecting the amount of effort. For example, I recently had lunch with a coworker but only had a $6 bowl of soup & water with lemon. A 20% tip would be only about $1.20 - but the waitress made the same amount of effort for me as she did my friend who had a $16 pasta dish where a 20% tip would be $3.20.

    I'll have to Google glazes too - - never heard tell of them!

    eld6161 thanked smhinnb
  • 8 years ago

    My salon doesn’t allow tips on the credit card so if I forget cash for tips then I have to run to the ATM. I decided last time that it happened that I am going to use Venmo, Cash app, PayPal or whichever one the person uses to get paid to give tips. I pay my babysitters, landscaper, kids spending money etc through these cash apps and it is super easy. I think you just need their email or mobile number to send the money. Once they set it up from their email or text message, they get the money immediately. All of them are free for friends and family payments.

    eld6161 thanked User
  • 8 years ago

    Bunny, glaze adds shine and conditioning.

    Smh, I dislike using the ting tip envelopes, so I give cash to each person directly.

    I have never been able to tip on my credit card.

  • 8 years ago

    Luckily my hairdresser now owns her own salon and she does it all - color, glaze, wash - so I tip 20% cash on the total. I know the glaze is priced separately but I've never had it done.

  • 8 years ago

    Zounds!! If I had to pay those prices, I'd never be able to afford getting my hair done!! My hair dresser/stylist of over 25 years operates out of her home and my every 7 week appointment for a cut and coloring is $72. I pay her $85. Other than her supplies, it is all income for her. And it is also a travel of over an hour to her place plus a ferry ride for me but she is worth it :-)

  • 8 years ago

    Sorry I have no advice to offer as I just can't begin to wrap my head around those prices. I can't get over thinking at that price who needs a tip.

  • 8 years ago

    I would tip the hair washer 20 percent of the glazing fee. I tip everyone in the salon 20 percent. I usually give the hair washer $5 - she only washes my hair- she is also the coat check person who takes your things and gives you a smock.

    Eld, why do you dislike the envelopes. I love them. Am I missing something?

    At my salon I just add 20 percent to the charge on my card and the cashier gives me the cash to distribute in the envelopes. The hair washer has a tip jar. She is also the coat check person.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Wow! My hair cut is $18 with shampoo and condition. The same person does everything. You hang your own coat up and hang on to your purse. If I get them to blow dry it is an extra $5. They are just trimming the ends. I wear straight and never color.

  • 8 years ago

    3katz, I was just thinking this myself. I understand tipping servers because essentially they work for tips, but why are we tipping hair stylist that work in upscale salons? Why did this become a thing?

    Maybe we have members who are stylists. I would love to know what their cut is? (pun intended) of the overall price.

    Rita, I just feel that the envelopes can easily be taken or mixed up somehow.

    I never thought to do that! I don't know if this salon would give me cash for the tips.

    Sherry, years ago we had a walk-in salon (you could, of course, make appointments) that was very reasonable. They are no longer in business.

  • 8 years ago

    I also am surprised by the prices, and I live in a relatively high cost area. I used to pay about $90 for color and cut including 20% tip. I gave up color a couple of years ago and now it costs $36 including tip for wash, cut, dry. No coat check, my stylist does everything herself. I write a check directly to the stylist, not sure if she rents the chair or not, probably does.

    A lot of places don’t like the tips on the credit card because they have to pay a percentage of it to the credit card company. If the salon gives cash to the stylist, they absorb the percentage. The nail salon I go to has a sign up about preferring tips in cash so I always go prepared.

    eld6161 thanked Saypoint zone 6 CT
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    (I'll never tell you how much my hair costs (cut, color, highlights)..

    yes they're celebrity-level salon..I didn't know that though, arrived by recommendation when I moved from my NY stylist to here. I go by recommendations only, experience taught me that. There, I took train from Southern CT to NY..here i need to get from Orange County to West Hollywood.

    But it's my small slice of home, that's where I can speak Hebrew, I feel like a newer person after every haircut(obviously I wait too long between haircuts..money and time spent and hassle..)

    They're one of the best, truly, if I ever to cut "luxury" things my haircut will come last, absolutely. During our remodel I didn't buy a thing for myself(two years)-still got my hair done there since kept me sane, among other routines

    Then I save on other things that are not important to me/can't use them anyway. Laptops, phones. car..

    Anyway, after that long passage of self justification lol, I need to say that the tipping system here is very very different from where I lived, and took me quite some time to get it, with explanations, and even scolding from my friends who lived here longer "Why didn't you give anything to the taxi driver??"

    no idea I had to!

    same with manicures (which btw I started getting only here, since everybody does..at some point I felt naked..)), hairdressers, etc

    waiters-it's 10% there..20% here

    took me time to even learn all that.

    so. while I technically don't have to give any tip to my hairdresser/s(brothers who own the salon) because beleive me they're much much much more affluent than I'll ever be lol-since they give me special price, that's lower that they'd charge somebody else, and as a token if my appreciation for their work that always leaves me a bit happier even on gloomy days-I still tip, but it's not 20%.oh no, .or else I'd indeed have to stop coming. I also leave 5$ for the lady who washes hair..and my stylist usually does color himself but if he asks another stylist to help (usually only color..he prefers taking care of highlights himself)-I'd either leave 10$ more or if I'm more broke that day, I'd say "make it such and such tip, you decide how to split it". It's very home-like atmosphere in there, relaxed..I wouldn't do it in other place but I know how things work there. Also half of these stylists are relatives..that's one huge family of hairdressers:) They also have a cousin who owns a salon in La Jolla..never been there yet. Took a number, just in case. Unfortunately, I live in the middle,,

    I asked them why won't they open something in OC, as to make it easier on me lol, but they said OC is an incredibly snobby place and out of question.

    PS I don't know what glaze is.

    eld6161 thanked aprilneverends
  • 8 years ago

    Glaze is a semi-permanent product (last a few weeks) that can add color and or make your hair shinier. You can buy it and DIY at home too.

    At my salon, the cost of a cut varies with age, gender, and the "seniority/skill" of the stylist. A child's haircut is about $30, a woman's haircut about $100. Color ranges from $65 for single process to $225 for highlights.Glazes and other treatments start at $40.

    Tips are cash only; there is an ATM tucked away on site. I often use the little envelopes because I like to write a thank you or somesuch.

  • 8 years ago

    All I can say is I am sure glad I have my stylist and the prices she charges, even if it is a major effort and a long trek to get to her!! There is no way on earth I could afford to pay $325 plus tip every 7 weeks to have my hair done. Nor would I be inclined to even if I could afford it. Those prices are ridiculous!!

    eld6161 thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I think the original question was based on having something done that the OP didn't know you were getting? My reading was that you expected to pay $95 for each service but suddenly got a $40 additional charge (and those prices do seem steep but guess its a function of where you go). I think I'd certainly have been irritated; I do not like getting charged for services when I don't know they are being done/billed ahead of time.

    I've actually had a problem the last 2 times I took my MIL in to get her hair cut. She's got dementia and can't really wash her own hair very well so it's a good way to get it professionally cleaned up too. I take her to a Hair Cuttery which is a chain with the prices posted. Twice now she has had her hair washed, cut and blow dried which according to the posted price should be $28. And twice they have added a $13 charge for additional blow drying. The first time I argued with the cashier/manager but she wouldn't budge. Second time same thing happened! I got the manager to lower the price, but then the hairdresser looked so stricken (and I confirmed the additional money would have gone to her) so I allowed them to charge the higher amount.

    MIL will wander if she gets bored and I just can't wrangle too long. Still it really annoys me. This place is so convenient to the ALF but I do need to decide if I'll go back. And oh how I wish the stubborn old....dear....would just use the damn in-house ALF beauty salon which charges $20 flat but that's not happening LOL.

    PS I had to look up hair glaze too, have never heard of that before.

    eld6161 thanked runninginplace
  • 8 years ago

    I apologize for not reading the question properly. I cannot stand being up-sold. I would tolerate what happened if I really liked the hairdresser, though. I have curly hair and like to have a wash-and-wear style, which is not an easy thing to get, so I put up with a lot of inconvenience for that pleasure. I stand by by answer to tip the person who applied the glaze in this case.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I read the q as being about tipping but the up-selling sort of made matters worse. Nothing gets me more riled up then someone trying to pull a fast one.

    As far as price, yes, it is expensive, but that is what all the salons charge around here. TBH I see a lot of bad hair color out there and it is important to me to look my best. I would not risk bad hair to save money.

    My salon does everything you can think of, but their prices are high. I use them selectively. For my hair, yes. Pedicures? No, i can get that done for half elsewhere. Massages, same thing. I have a guy who is 1/3rd less and better. Because my own hair color is very close to what I have done, I do not get it done that often. That helps.

    I have had hair people leave salons, freelance, and do my hair in my home or theirs. I still recall one guy who used to do my hair in his UWS studio apartment. It was fun because we would like, watch Jeopardy while he did my highlights in his tiny K. But I stopped going after the time I saw a cockroach skitter across his floors!

    eld6161 thanked mtnrdredux_gw
  • 8 years ago

    Although the upcharge bothered me, I really wanted to get opinions on how to tip with the additional charge of the glaze.

    I think I will give the extra to the one who will apply it. I am sure the colorist will get a percentage since it is considered part of her bill.

    I like the way the color has stayed so far, and I am happy with the cut.

  • 8 years ago

    that's most important, eld!

    eld6161 thanked mtnrdredux_gw
  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I tip 20% of entire bill and let owner distribute as she deems fit. If she cheats her workers, they’ll leave or they will stay if she’s fair. Since I like the young woman who washes my hair, I slip her a $5 b4 I ever settle the bill. The end.

    eld6161 thanked bossyvossy
  • 8 years ago

    Like bossyvossy, I would tip 20% and let it be distributed. I always tip a set rate regardless. Meaning I don't follow the example listed above of a bowl of soup vs. a meal. I'm not saying that is wrong, just that I do not look at it that way. I'm apparently lucky that in my small area I pay no where near that for a haircut. If I have the occasional highlights my bill would be around $100 for cut/color. I don't care for fancy salons where you drink wine, have 6 different people work on you, etc. That's just not my cup of tea. For one thing, I don't want to spend hours in the salon LOL. My stylist does all services. She is excellent and both my husband and I go to her. That is saying alot since we both have thick, wavy hair. (she has her hands full, literally LOL). I almost always pay with ck card and tip is added with no problems.

    As for the glaze, you had color and a glaze? I thought a glaze was in place of color or used to brighten (add shine) to existing (faded) color? I wasn't aware they would do color and then a glaze in one visit. Seems like that would be hard on the hair?

    eld6161 thanked tinam61
  • 8 years ago

    Tina, the glaze I get makes me hair shinier and softer. Definitely an upgrade. This glaze seemed last longer than others that I have had.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I tip 25%, but my wash and cut comes to about $ 25 -30. They will blow dry it just a little. If I end up somewhere pricey I'm sure I'd drop down to 20%.

    The person washing my hair has always been the one to cut. So, only one person to tip.

    I've never had my hair professionally colored. With those prices, I'm glad I haven't!