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Original poster

If you only tip your hairdresser at Christmas…

72 replies

northtea · 18/12/2025 20:45

What do you give them?

I started going to a new hairdresser around May this year after having my cousin do my hair for years so I’m not sure of what to do. I want to give her a tip in a Christmas card but i have no idea how much I should give. My haircuts cost £55 and I go every 8 weeks usually.

OP posts:
Strictlycomeparent · 19/12/2025 04:46

Oh gosh I hate the whole tipping culture. Can’t people just charge what they feel happy to receive. It’s all some elaborate test I feel I will likely fail!

Cando6 · 19/12/2025 05:12

I would do £20.

MumChp · 19/12/2025 05:30

£55 is a lot. I wouldn't tip.

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Beauty
everardshutthatdoor · 19/12/2025 05:31

I also hate tipping. I struggle with what’s the right amount, and I hate the fact that I might be thought mean for not tipping. If the hairdresser sets the price with an inbuilt tip that’s fine by me.

Sunshineo · 19/12/2025 05:33

I tip all year but give extra at Christmas. I usually pay £50 and tip £10 throughout the year but give £20 at Christmas. I love her, she’s self employed and she’s run off her feet this time of year.

Ifeellikeateenageragain · 19/12/2025 05:34

I go with 20% of my usual amount so for uou that'd be a tenner? Rounding down as giving a note plus a coin would be a bit odd!

OctopusFriend · 19/12/2025 05:34

Strictlycomeparent · 19/12/2025 04:46

Oh gosh I hate the whole tipping culture. Can’t people just charge what they feel happy to receive. It’s all some elaborate test I feel I will likely fail!

Oh, isn't it just! It's so awkward. Someone on another thread gave their postman £5 but I'd worry that looked mean.
I just avoid it, tbh. My hairdresser charges £85, so think that's enough.

SomewhereInMyHeart · 19/12/2025 05:49

Agree with PP it’s awkward. I pay £48 4 times a year which feels a lot as my hairdresser moved from a fancy hairdresser with drinks, hand massage etc to a much less fancy one and kept price the same. I usually buy her a gin related present for about £15/£20 as I don’t tip normally. But I also find it awkward dropping it off if don’t have an appt in December!

hattie43 · 19/12/2025 06:32

I used to give my hairdresser £20 at Xmas and a £10 every time I had my hair appointment but I stopped and went somewhere else as I felt he was taking my custom for granted by never doing my hair as I asked .

FenceBooksCycle · 19/12/2025 06:39

I tip my hairdresser 10% each time (though it's nowhere near £55). If you are spending £55 every 8 weeks thats approx £360 per year so £35 or £40 would be a 10% tip but there's no obligation to tip like this

IsobellaandthePotofBasil · 19/12/2025 06:41

I give my hairdresser £10 at Christmas.

The more I think about it, the odder it seems.

Is odder a word?

CandyflossKid · 19/12/2025 06:43

£10 at Christmas and a bottle of prosecco

lemonraspberry · 19/12/2025 06:58

At £90 for a cut & blow dry (she is really good) a tip seems excessive. She has a better hourly rate than me and I don’t get a Xmas bonus.

if I felt obliged to tip 10-15% is what I would aim for.

Iocanepowder · 19/12/2025 07:06

I never tip anyone.

I have given my cleaner a Christmas present rather than a tip.

Screamingabdabz · 19/12/2025 07:12

Why would you tip? I don’t get it. Do we tip every single tube driver, sales assistant, waitress, postman, bin man etc? Where does it end? We have minimum wage in this country and hairdressers earn relatively well. It’s just awkward, ups the ante for everyone and things are expensive enough as they are. 😠

Pricelessadvice · 19/12/2025 07:14

I’m afraid I only give a £5. My hair costs me nearly £100 every 6 weeks (just colour and cut).

Lemonlimonade · 19/12/2025 07:26

Screamingabdabz · 19/12/2025 07:12

Why would you tip? I don’t get it. Do we tip every single tube driver, sales assistant, waitress, postman, bin man etc? Where does it end? We have minimum wage in this country and hairdressers earn relatively well. It’s just awkward, ups the ante for everyone and things are expensive enough as they are. 😠

I agree.

I hate the idea to give some people extra money for their jobs - why can’t they just charge a fair amount? Actually they do - my cut & blow dry is £70. So i don’t feel the need to tip!

PhilosophicalCheeseSandwich · 19/12/2025 07:27

I don't tip my hairdresser. I'm charged £120 five or six times a year. If she isn't taking home enough from that to treat herself to something, it's not my problem.

StarShapedWindow · 19/12/2025 07:30

I don’t tip either now that a trip to my hairdresser costs about £120 for colour and blow dry and more for a ‘cut’ which is actually a very quick trim.

Lemonlimonade · 19/12/2025 07:31

FenceBooksCycle · 19/12/2025 06:39

I tip my hairdresser 10% each time (though it's nowhere near £55). If you are spending £55 every 8 weeks thats approx £360 per year so £35 or £40 would be a 10% tip but there's no obligation to tip like this

Why do you feel your hairdresser deserves an extra 10% salary top up? What about the rest of the workforce?

Tipping originated in the US where waiting staff earned ZERO wages and had to rely on tips.

Iheartmysmart · 19/12/2025 07:31

I don’t tip my hairdresser. I pay him £30 every five weeks for a dry cut that takes him 10 minutes if that. Which is expensive enough.

Freysimo · 19/12/2025 07:32

My hairdresser charges £25 for cut and blow dry (home salon) and I give her £30 all year round (every six weeks) as it's worth it. No extra at Christmas though!

Berlinlover · 19/12/2025 08:01

I think tipping someone is quite patronising to be honest.

CharlotteStreetW1 · 19/12/2025 08:13

I tip £5 on £50 every six/seven weeks. I've got an appointment today so will pay £10.

Last year I had an appointment on Christmas Eve and I'd found a book which I knew she'd like so I gave her that as well.

Cars4Gov · 19/12/2025 08:19

I don't tip throughout the year as pay a fortune for a cut & colour. This year I gave a tip..from amounts here I might have been over generous. I give out cleaner a weeks money which covers the time she isn't going to work