Tipping at the hairdressers????

caseyann

As i am never ever happy with how they do my hair,as they never ever do it how i ask them to :mad: I never tip.I only tip a fiver when i am semi happy.:mad:
I once had got my hair cut by a girl,and she was drunk :mad:
So when i left there i had to go to another hair dressers to fix it and i tipped her 20 euro first and only time.

Stheno

I never ever tip hairdressers, usually they are late to see me (especially when it's a lunch time appointment), witter on incessantly about ****e (last time I went in with a book as I'd an exam that after noon and they still wittered on about rubbish until I gave them a look that shut them up) and usually they do the bare minimum I've asked for. I've had two good hairdressers in my life and I get my hair cut religiously once a month. Plus they cost the earth anyway, and try to upsell endless products.

Compared to going for a meal, if I get my food in good time, it's hot, well cooked, the staff leave me to enjoy it and are not in my face, I tip 10-20% depending on the meal. If the food is bad, the service is bad, or worse a combination of both, I not only don't tip, I ask for a manager when I am leaving and then make a complaint. Did it one time in one of our "locals" where the OH had a very fatty steak, and when the waiter asked was it ok and he said "it was very fatty" the waiter said "No one else complained". I paid up, and on the way out asked for the manager, gave him the feedback, and was refunded the OH's steak.

Poor/slow service does my nut in, and guarantees not getting a tip, and most hairdressers are slow to attend to your "timed to their schedule appointment"

One of my favourite places to eat is so good on service, that the last time we were there, we were waiting 45 minutes for our main course while we were watching the rugby, the staff came up and apologised for the delay before we said anything, and when we went for the bill, had comped dessert and coffee due to the kitchen losing the order. That sort of service I will always tip highly for, but slow and sloppy with no recognition of it, you can forget it.

It's mad to hear all the bad experiences with hairdressers. I couldn't recommend mine highly enough to everyone, to be honest

Fluorescence

bluewolf wrote: »

It's mad to hear all the bad experiences with hairdressers. I couldn't recommend mine highly enough to everyone, to be honest

Really? I've never had a good experience with hairdressers.

fluorescence

fluorescence wrote: »

Really? I've never had a good experience with hairdressers.

If you want a good one in south dub PM me

Aishae

bluewolf wrote: »

It's mad to hear all the bad experiences with hairdressers. I couldn't recommend mine highly enough to everyone, to be honest

a good hairdresser that does exactly what you ask for and take cues as to whether or not to 'witter on' etc. is like gold dust though. when you find one you stick to her

Chuchoter

I never tip anyone, I think its very American and frankly just a bit flathulach and silly. I already paid you, why am I paying you again for doing it right? I need my hair cut too often to be able to tip anyway.

caseyann

fluorescence wrote: »

Really? I've never had a good experience with hairdressers.

Me either.


Do you have nice long hair?

Aishae

although i did find a good hairdresser once that cut my hair in the way i wanted and she was nice. so i went back several times. but i noticed id get a less nicer 'do each time, i wondered if this was because i didnt tip (she was a senior stylist not a trainee) so i didnt go back when it got to the stage where all i got was a trim

Fluorescence

caseyann wrote: »

Me either.


Do you have nice long hair?

No, medium length, just past the shoulder. My hair's very thin though, and every hairdresser I've been to doesn't understand how to add volume to hair. They seem to deal entirely with thick-haired people and only know how to thin out someone's hair. When they try to do the same with my already tragically thin hair I want to stab them in the eyes with their scissors :mad:. They never listen to what I'm asking them to do either! Grrrrr

Poor Craythur

Eve_Dublin wrote: »

I always tip when you're supposed to tip.

Thing is, tipping hairdressers isn't standard in Ireland. I hadn't heard of the practice before this thread. And even if it was, I believe it's up to the individual and how they personally feel about it. I know lots of people who tip in restaurants only grudgingly. Are they wrong?

magneticimpulse

my cut, wash and blowdry is €25, if i want a colour its extra €25 and I dont tip. I get a free wash/cut/blowdry after 10 visits.

Stheno

fluorescence wrote: »

Really? I've never had a good experience with hairdressers.

I've had two absolutely fantastic hairdressers, who I'd happily have tipped but didn't trust the salon ((I live by laser/visa debit and typically have about a euro in change on me) One moved to New York ten years ago, and due to job changes the other is a fifty mile drive away.

I did do the now fifty mile drive away hairdresser a favour by giving them tax advice which they acted on to their favour far greater than the odd tip though

Since then I've been on the hunt for a good hairdresser, I essentially distrust them all, one particularly crap person wrecked my hair and cut away a years worth of patient growing.

Azureus

I usually hate having my hair cut and only do it when absolutely essential to get rid of dead ends etc. I dont have it coloured or anything complicated, so the fact that they get €40 or so out of me for what I ask for is plenty imo. Ill tip in restaurants etc but not the haridressers-their prices are insane so they dont need it.

iguana

fluorescence wrote: »

My hair's very thin though, and every hairdresser I've been to doesn't understand how to add volume to hair. They seem to deal entirely with thick-haired people and only know how to thin out someone's hair. When they try to do the same with my already tragically thin hair I want to stab them in the eyes with their scissors :mad:.

This seems to be a very Irish thing, ime. I used to absolutely hate going to the hairdressers as I found I had to stay completely alert to how they were cutting my hair or otherwise I'd end up with whatever standard cut they'd decided was in fashion that decade, regardless of what you asked for, what your hair type was or the shape of your face.

I eventually gave up going to hairdressers and started cutting my own hair, which wasn't perfect but was better than anything I ever had done in a salon. After a couple of years in London I decided to try a salon cut and they just did what I asked. After that I relaxed more at hairdressers, there's a great chain that does standby Wash, Cut and Blowdry for £20, I could just go in and have them do what I want and I happily tipped £3ish for that.

Then first time back in Ireland I went to a hairdresser, forgot I should be on alert and came out with my hair thinned to a ridiculous state. I naturally have pretty good hair, it's thick but the individual hairs are fine and easy to style. Once it's well cut I do nothing but towel dry and brush it and it looks nice. I'd just wanted it tidied up but the hairdresser cut about 5" off the length and then thinned the ends of it so much that the bottom 7" or so were just weird bits that hung there. It was horrible, a month later I had to get it bobbed to get rid of the weird strands. I went somewhere else and I still had to spend the whole cut telling the hairdresser that I did not want it thinned. It was very tiring. "I'll just thin it out for you now," "No thanks, I don't want it thinned, just shaped at the ends," "You don't want it thinned at all? Well I'll just shape the ends and then we'll see about thinning it."

That was in June and I still haven't ventured back into a hairdressers.

Adelie

It's a good idea to get a hairdresser recommendation from someone who (a) has similar hair to you, (b) has a nice haircut!

I'm a student and I've only tipped a hairdresser once, because I felt sorry for the poor employees who were dealing with a mini-emergency (leaking pipe at Christmas time) while the boss was on holidays and were seriously stressing out but still managed to be friendly and do a good job. They were surprised and appreciative!

RacoonQueen

Stheno wrote: »

I've had two absolutely fantastic hairdressers, who I'd happily have tipped but didn't trust the salon ((I live by laser/visa debit and typically have about a euro in change on me) One moved to New York ten years ago, and due to job changes the other is a fifty mile drive away.

I did do the now fifty mile drive away hairdresser a favour by giving them tax advice which they acted on to their favour far greater than the odd tip though

Since then I've been on the hunt for a good hairdresser, I essentially distrust them all, one particularly crap person wrecked my hair and cut away a years worth of patient growing.

Where do you live? I'm happy to shamelessly plug my cousins salon. :pac:

Fluorescence

iguana wrote: »

I went somewhere else and I still had to spend the whole cut telling the hairdresser that I did not want it thinned. It was very tiring. "I'll just thin it out for you now," "No thanks, I don't want it thinned, just shaped at the ends," "You don't want it thinned at all? Well I'll just shape the ends and then we'll see about thinning it."

That was in June and I still haven't ventured back into a hairdressers.

That's exactly what happens to me every single time. I don't know how they can look at my stringy thin hair and think, "You know what this person needs? some thinning out." :mad:

Newbie87

I was a trainee hairdresser for 3 years, the stylist only sees a certain percent of the work they do on top of a crappy basic rate, and the junior gets a basic wage and thats it..tips are how I lived for those 3 years!! Its an art form and not as easy as it looks. I tip any person who provides a good service as its generally how they get by.

Fluorescence

Newbie87 wrote: »

I was a trainee hairdresser for 3 years, the stylist only sees a certain percent of the work they do on top of a crappy basic rate, and the junior gets a basic wage and thats it..tips are how I lived for those 3 years!! Its an art form and not as easy as it looks. I tip any person who provides a good service as its generally how they get by.

I disagree. I do a much better job on myself than any hairdresser I've ever had the misfortune to get my hair butchered by. I'm sure there are plenty of good hairdressers out there who do an excellent job, but I'm not going to subsidize poor wages for mediocre work.

convert

I'd usually give a few quid to the girl who does my hair if she did a good cut/colour, but if I'm not happy with it then I won't tip. Got my hair done last week by a different girl and I really don't like it - and the cut is really not good (she tried to do what I wanted, but wasn't really able to get it just right), so needless to say she didn't get a tip.

sam34

Newbie87 wrote: »

I was a trainee hairdresser for 3 years, the stylist only sees a certain percent of the work they do on top of a crappy basic rate, and the junior gets a basic wage and thats it..tips are how I lived for those 3 years!! Its an art form and not as easy as it looks. I tip any person who provides a good service as its generally how they get by.

thing is tho, why should I or anyone else be subsidising someones poorly paid job? it's up to the employer to pay them properly, and I don't see why the general public should make up the shortfall.

the same explanation is given for the tipping culture in the states and I just don't get it. particularly here where we have a minimum wage , plenty people get by on that without it being topped up by tips.

I provide a damn good service in my job, and it's an essential service yet noone tips me and I don't expect them to. in fact, ethically I would be obliged to return/ refuse to accept the money if they did.

MonicaBing

bluewolf wrote: »

It's mad to hear all the bad experiences with hairdressers. I couldn't recommend mine highly enough to everyone, to be honest

Totally agree, it took me years to find a decent salon in Tipp and the one i go to now, they have a stylist that listens to me and explains things to me, especially in regard to colour, she's awesome! I will literally cry if she ever leaves:o

ztoical

Newbie87 wrote: »

I was a trainee hairdresser for 3 years, the stylist only sees a certain percent of the work they do on top of a crappy basic rate, and the junior gets a basic wage and thats it..tips are how I lived for those 3 years!! Its an art form and not as easy as it looks. I tip any person who provides a good service as its generally how they get by.

Yet you get people asking graphic designers, illustrators and other graphic artists do work for free because 'it will be something for your portfolio' Drop by the Digital art and design forum if you don't believe me. So why is one 'art form' expected to get basic wage plus tips but another expected to work for free? Good illustration and graphic design is not as easy as it looks.

RacoonQueen

sam34 wrote: »

I provide a damn good service in my job, and it's an essential service yet noone tips me and I don't expect them to. in fact, ethically I would be obliged to return/ refuse to accept the money if they did.

Same with me. The best tip I can get is genuine appreciation for the work I do

I bet I don't come out with much more than a hairdressser at the end of each week.

We've had plenty of people come on and say the wages aren't very good. Any chance someone will tell us what the wages actually are instead of just leaving us guessing?

punchdrunk

I thought this said tripping at the Hairdressers,which if I'm honest would have been far more interesting for a Sunday read as a bloke!

Blush_01

Sarah Bear wrote: »

im a 3rd trainee hairdresser i work on average 45 hrs per week.. i get paid €295 euro per week (standard aprentice rates!)
I think i would starve without my tips!!! i use them to pay for lunches etc..
Although i would never expect someone to tip me or think they were mean if they didnt!
Stylists (fully qualified) get paid commision as well as a basic wage, so if you do want to leave a tip maybe give it to the girl who shampoos your hair or does your colour
Most people who tip would give 2-5 euro.

I earn about the same as you do, and the only tip I've been given so far is to take at least 20 minutes for lunch - and that was by a colleague.

cruizer101

I have to say this is one place where i really base the tip on the service. Sometimes you go to get a haircut and while it not bad enough to complain or anything there would be no way you'd leave a tip. Other times you get a great service, barber might give some advice, and just an all round good service, in these cases I often would tip.

Seraphina

I would never tip a hairdresser, the price is usually extortionate anyway, so why bother? I have a freakin Master of Science and I get paid less than this poor starving 3rd year trainee who posted earlier, and I can tell you I put far more effort and expenditure into my education, so all you have done is solidify my belief that tipping hairdressers is ridiculous. Trust me, you put up with nowhere NEAR the kind of bull**** that I do.

I think a major problem is that (excuse the over-generalisation here, but it's gotta happen sometimes) the kind of girls that get into hairdressing / beauty do so because they are often over-concerned with appearance ( i know not EVERYONE is like that but I know a number of girls who went that career route and they are all the same, girls that spend vast amounts of money on clothes and make-up, with a penchant for expensive brands) and then complain they have to use their tip money to eat? Like fun you do. Maybe if you hadn't blown £400 in BT's last week you'd be ok :rolleyes:

Rainbow_brite

When I was working full-time and on a decent salary I always gave a tip but in the last year since being made unemployed I only tip occasionally.

My cousin has recently taken up hairdressing and her experiences have really only opened my eyes as to how unfairly some of the juniors are treated for all the work they do and how little they get paid (approx €6 an hour). Also In some larger salons it is difficult to know who exactly to tip as you could be dealing with 3 different people on your visit, between the washing, your colour and cut etc. In future when I have the extra money I will make sure my tip goes to the junior/trainee who could do with the extra few bob!

ztoical

Rainbow_brite wrote: »

When I was working full-time and on a decent salary I always gave a tip but in the last year since being made unemployed I only tip occasionally.

My cousin has recently taken up hairdressing and her experiences have really only opened my eyes as to how unfairly some of the juniors are treated for all the work they do and how little they get paid (approx €6 an hour). Also In some larger salons it is difficult to know who exactly to tip as you could be dealing with 3 different people on your visit, between the washing, your colour and cut etc. In future when I have the extra money I will make sure my tip goes to the junior/trainee who could do with the extra few bob!

Will you be doing the same for ever service industry you avail of? Pretty much every business I know has junior staff work crap hours for crap pay..heck when I started working in animation I worked over 25 hours a week in retail on top of doing 40 hours of very low paid if paid at all animation PA work and going home and working on my own projects. When you go the A&E do you tip interns? They get paid very little compared to the number of hours they are expected to put in and the amount of crap they deal with. It's the difference between a career and a job.

iguana

An apprenticeship is training rather than being a professional. In many other professions people must undergo 3-4 years of college in which they get paid nothing and must in fact pay for registration fees and books.

Rainbow_brite

ztoical wrote: »

Will you be doing the same for ever service industry you avail of? Pretty much every business I know has junior staff work crap hours for crap pay..heck when I started working in animation I worked over 25 hours a week in retail on top of doing 40 hours of very low paid if paid at all animation PA work and going home and working on my own projects. When you go the A&E do you tip interns? They get paid very little compared to the number of hours they are expected to put in and the amount of crap they deal with. It's the difference between a career and a job.

I am referring to hairdressing as that is the topic of the thread. I think your reference to tipping A&E staff is going a bit OTT as I said before I am making a comment about hairdressing (and Grand it A&E staff do a superb job and should be rewarded). I myself had to work long, crappy, low paid hours in retail to get me through college so I am well aware of the hard work and money struggles thats involved in progressing your career. I am just referring to the fact that when I did tip I never considered the juniors and during the current economic climate if I was in position to tip I will take them into account from now on.

ztoical

Rainbow_brite wrote: »

I am referring to hairdressing as that is the topic of the thread. I think your reference to tipping A&E staff is going a bit OTT as I said before I am making a comment about hairdressing (and Grand it A&E staff do a superb job and should be rewarded). I myself had to work long, crappy, low paid hours in retail to get me through college so I am well aware of the hard work and money struggles thats involved in progressing your career. I am just referring to the fact that when I did tip I never considered the juniors and during the current economic climate if I was in position to tip I will take them into account from now on.

But if you do tip one services industry do you tip them all? Where do you draw the line and why?

Katgurl

I always tip my hairdresser, she's amazing and I I think the 10-15% is money well spent for how great I feel leaving the salon. I just leave it with the receptionist while I'm putting on my coat.

Sarah Bear

a first year aprentice earns just 260 euro per week for 40+ hours per week. so i dont think anyone should begrudge them getting a few euro in tips !

Sarah Bear

Seraphina wrote: »

I would never tip a hairdresser, the price is usually extortionate anyway, so why bother? I have a freakin Master of Science and I get paid less than this poor starving 3rd year trainee who posted earlier, and I can tell you I put far more effort and expenditure into my education, so all you have done is solidify my belief that tipping hairdressers is ridiculous. Trust me, you put up with nowhere NEAR the kind of bull**** that I do.

I think a major problem is that (excuse the over-generalisation here, but it's gotta happen sometimes) the kind of girls that get into hairdressing / beauty do so because they are often over-concerned with appearance ( i know not EVERYONE is like that but I know a number of girls who went that career route and they are all the same, girls that spend vast amounts of money on clothes and make-up, with a penchant for expensive brands) and then complain they have to use their tip money to eat? Like fun you do. Maybe if you hadn't blown £400 in BT's last week you'd be ok :rolleyes:

Well i can tell you that you are wrong i am a 3rd year trainee hairdress and by the time im finished paying my bills and rent i couldnt afford a paper bag in brown thomas's never mind anything else!
Part of the job is too look well. but that doesnt mean spending a fortune on designer gear.. i buy almost all my clothes in penneys!
And how dare you say you put more effort in to your career than i do, judging from your post you seem to believe all hairdressers do is stand around looking pretty. Our job demands 4 years of training for a reason.. its NOT as easy as it looks, believe me.

Fluorescence

Sarah Bear wrote: »

Well i can tell you that you are wrong i am a 3rd year trainee hairdress and by the time im finished paying my bills and rent i couldnt afford a paper bag in brown thomas's never mind anything else!
Part of the job is too look well. but that doesnt mean spending a fortune on designer gear.. i buy almost all my clothes in penneys!
And how dare you say you put more effort in to your career than i do, judging from your post you seem to believe all hairdressers do is stand around looking pretty. Our job demands 4 years of training for a reason.. its NOT as easy as it looks, believe me.

You earn what, just above minimum wage, right? What is it about your job that makes you think you should earn as much or more than, say, a trainee doctor or nurse, who earn about the same? Can you honestly say your job is more taxing?

People are perfectly entitled to question whether or not hairdressers deserve a tip on top of their salary when those in the emergency services do more useful/nec

beks101

Seraphina wrote: »

I would never tip a hairdresser, the price is usually extortionate anyway, so why bother? I have a freakin Master of Science and I get paid less than this poor starving 3rd year trainee who posted earlier, and I can tell you I put far more effort and expenditure into my education, so all you have done is solidify my belief that tipping hairdressers is ridiculous. Trust me, you put up with nowhere NEAR the kind of bull**** that I do.

I think a major problem is that (excuse the over-generalisation here, but it's gotta happen sometimes) the kind of girls that get into hairdressing / beauty do so because they are often over-concerned with appearance ( i know not EVERYONE is like that but I know a number of girls who went that career route and they are all the same, girls that spend vast amounts of money on clothes and make-up, with a penchant for expensive brands) and then complain they have to use their tip money to eat? Like fun you do. Maybe if you hadn't blown £400 in BT's last week you'd be ok :rolleyes:

Jaysus that's a bit harsh. Maybe they just really love styling hair? Like an artist really loves to paint on a canvass or a dentist really loves to work on teeth?

I know prices are crazy for the most part but IMO if you find a good stylist, it's worth the tip to keep them and know that your hair is in the best condition it could be in with a style that suits you. I'm not a hair salon frequenter, a couple of times a year is all but I consider it an investment. My hair is one of my best assets and if forking out every so often and keeping my stylist happy is what it takes to keep it that way, then so be it.

If they do a crap job though, forget it.

sam34

beks101 wrote: »

Jaysus that's a bit harsh. Maybe they just really love styling hair? Like an artist really loves to paint on a canvass or a dentist really loves to work on teeth?

I know prices are crazy for the most part but IMO if you find a good stylist, it's worth the tip to keep them and know that your hair is in the best condition it could be in with a style that suits you. I'm not a hair salon frequenter, a couple of times a year is all but I consider it an investment. My hair is one of my best assets and if forking out every so often and keeping my stylist happy is what it takes to keep it that way, then so be it.

If they do a crap job though, forget it.

that's akin to bribery though ... if you tip them enough it will keep them and encourage them to do a good job each time. how unethical is that? they have a fixed price for everything and should do their best with every customer, like the rest of us do, irrespective of tips.

sam34

Sarah Bear wrote: »

a first year aprentice earns just 260 euro per week for 40+ hours per week. so i dont think anyone should begrudge them getting a few euro in tips !

first year students in most college courses dont get paid anything, much less tips as well, and they can be in college for 40 hours or more a week.

iguana

fluorescence wrote:

What is it about your job that makes you think you should earn as much or more than, say, a trainee doctor or nurse, who earn about the same?

That's not the right comparison though is it? A trainee nurse, generally, has completed at least a 2 years associate's degree before they start earning anything. And a trainee doctor will have had to get a medical degree first, which again they don't get paid for.

sam34 wrote: »

first year students in most college courses dont get paid anything, much less tips as well, and they can be in college for 40 hours or more a week.

And unless their parents are on an extremely low income they must pay registration fees and buy quite a lot of very expensive text books.

We don't tip trainee professionals because they earn nothing during their training. We generally don't tip other apprentices because they're earning less in training like electricians and mechanics. So what makes hairdressers (and beauticians) alone so special?

Count Duckula

sam34 wrote: »

first year students in most college courses dont get paid anything, much less tips as well, and they can be in college for 40 hours or more a week.

And depending on what they're doing they can actually be paying upwards of seven thousand Euro a year too.

Fluorescence

iguana wrote: »

That's not the right comparison though is it? A trainee nurse, generally, has completed at least a 2 years associate's degree before they start earning anything. And a trainee doctor will have had to get a medical degree first, which again they don't get paid for.



And unless their parents are on an extremely low income they must pay registration fees and buy quite a lot of very expensive text books.

We don't tip trainee professionals because they earn nothing during their training. We generally don't tip other apprentices because they're earning less in training like electricians and mechanics. So what makes hairdressers (and beauticians) alone so special?

That's exactly the point I was trying to make

Amy33

I never tip my hairdresser - she earns more money than I do.

banshee_bones

I don't tip hairdressers because I feel its already rather expensive... and when I think about it, on another note, the handful of hairdressers I know personally all do work on the side which is tax free cash in hand so I'm sure they are doing ok for themselves so I don't feel guilty about not tipping.

Gunslinger92

I've never heard of tipping hairdressers. . :eek:

tchambers

I am a hairdresser, and it is entirely up to you whether you tip or not! If youre happy and you want to tip a €5, its greatly appreciated, but if the assistants have done something for you either head massage or colour, i generally recommend my clients give the tip to them, as they dont get any extra pay. Some clients tip high for special attention, some dont tip at all. I dont think the hairdressers should mind either way as long as they are happy that youre happy with your hair.
If im really lucky, i get a bottle of wine at christmas! :-D and im happy with that!

NoDice

You know, I read through this thread a few weeks ago and thought "man I can't believe people tip their hairdressers...".

I hated going to the hairdressers, everything from the idle chit-chat about the weather to the expense of it all!! I usually go for a wash, cut and blow dry and pay an arm and a leg for it, never ever even thought of tipping them.

Last Saturday I decided feck it I'll go mad (Clearly it was pay day :rolleyes:) and get a crazy colour in and change my style completely.. A girl was in that I hadn't met in there before and she was the nicest hairdresser ever! She pointed out what would look good and what wouldn't, she gave me tips on how to keep the colour vibrant in my hair at home so that I wouldn't have to keep going to the hairdressers. She just gave me so much information and styled and coloured my hair EXACTLY the way I wanted it!!! I was even surprised at how cheap I got everything done for! I was so happy at the end I tipped her 15% of what I paid.

Now I might not be able to do that everytime but I really wanted her to know that she really made my day that day. I've never been so happy and proud of my hair and I wanted her to know she did a great job. - I can't wait to go back!

Kanoe

I always tip my hairdresser, cut costs 32 and usually just give the 40. (or a fiver if I have it handy) A good hairdresser is hard to find and when I do find one I'm happy with I tend to stick with them.