Tipping Hairdressers

Tipping can be quite a tricky proposition at times. When it comes to tipping, not only is knowing how much to tip important, but so is knowing when to tip. The amount that you tip a rash cab driver is usually not the same as compared to the tip that you would normally offer a helpful bellhop in a classy hotel. Similarly, the amounts that you tip a waiter, a hairdresser, a pizza delivery boy, a masseur, a baggage handler, etc., would all be slightly different from each other. Although there is no universal rulebook as such which specifies the laws of tipping, you can, by various means, get a fair idea about general tipping etiquette. In the following sections of this article, we will have a look at how to tip hairdressers.

Tipping Hairdressers - Is It Necessary?

First and foremost, let us address the above question. Do you need to tip a hairdresser? Is it mandatory? Well, first of all, tipping is not mandatory in the exact sense of the term. Tipping is something that people do for multiple reasons - some believe it to be a way of thanking the server, others think of it as a way of ensuring better service the next time round, some do it out of gratitude, others out of generosity, whereas some do it out of guilt or purely for social acceptance. At the same time, certain countries discourage tipping and in a few places, tipping is actually illegal!

So how much do you tip a hairdresser? And how do you decide whether to tip or not? Well, if it's a fancy beauty salon that you're visiting, then yes, you should tip. However, if it happens to be a run-of-the-mill place that you have visited out of urgency or desperation, or if the hairdresser's skills are not up to the mark and you end up with a haircut that resembles a crow's nest, then maybe you can skip the tip. Whether or not you should tip a hairdresser is something that you should decide, and should you decide to go ahead with the tip, here is how much it should be.

How Much to Tip a Hairdresser?

Well, before I answer this question, let me hear what you have to say about it. How much do you tip your hairdresser? 5 percent of the bill? 10 percent? 15 percent? Not even a penny? Well, as I mentioned earlier, there is no universal rule or regulation when it comes to tipping. However, you would do well if you familiarize yourself with some proper etiquettes when it comes to hairdresser tipping. Here are some tipping guidelines for hairdressers, barbers and in general, salon services.

• Generally, the acceptable amount when tipping hairdressers is around 15 percent of the total bill amount. However, this number is subjective and by no means, universally objective. If you are looking for a range, then consider a number between 10 and 20 percent to be a suitable number.
• Of course, the actual amount that you decide upon will vary depending on multiple factors. For example, if you have visited your hairdresser for a simple haircut that cost you $40, then a $5 tip should be perfectly alright. However, if you have availed multiple services such as a haircut, a hair coloring and highlighting session, hair styling, or any hair care treatment, etc., then perhaps you could think of upping the tip amount proportionately.
• Normally, the general principle that is commonly followed is that if the services offered to you involve a good deal of personal care, expertise and individual skill, then the customer would do well to reward the attendant with a slightly higher-than-normal tip.
• So if in normal cases, you tip a barber 10 percent of the bill, you could perhaps make it a 15 percent tip for a hairdresser at a professional salon who has taken great care in ensuring that your haircut and hair color is exactly how you want it to be.

This was a short overview on tipping hairdressers. Remember, the best way to go about tipping is to be flexible in your approach i.e. use the percentage approach in some situations and the fixed amount approach in others. Last but not the least, always observe fellow tippers. It will give you a better idea about appropriate tipping.