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Original poster

Should you tip after a facial?

25 replies

gateacre1 · 29/10/2010 18:12

I was wondering in London is it the norm to tip after a massage/facial

Just had a facial with my mum and when we paid the women at the counter asked us how much we wanted to leave as a gratuity

are you obliged or is it discretionary?

OP posts:
MsSparkle · 29/10/2010 18:27

I hate that. A tip should be left at the customers discretion and the staff should never ever expect it or have the nerve to ask!

If it were me i would want to say nothing because were rude to even ask!

newpup · 29/10/2010 18:29

I never tip at the beauty salon or the hairdresser. It is sooo expensive to start with!

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 29/10/2010 18:30

No. definintely not. They get a reasonable wage and are not dependent on tips to live on.

LadyInPink · 29/10/2010 18:42

I was a self employed beauty therapist before kids came along working in my own place and i never expected tips but was very pleased to receive as knew a job well done had been done. I charged very low prices so it just added a little bonus.

I always tip at my hairdressers and beauticians, the same as in restaurants and taxi's, 10% with a little more if really happy or rounding up to nearest £1. I had a manicure costing £70 at a hotel the other weekend and didn't tip as soooo expensive to start with but my beauty girl i go to charges £10 so will always give at least £12 then.

Asking is plain rude imo!

Original poster
gateacre1 · 29/10/2010 18:48

Thanks for your replies
the facials were £65 each and my mum was quite annoyed that they had the cheek to ask when paying when we had already spent £130! so she left nothing! ( dont feel like such a cheapo now!)

OP posts:
SeaTrek · 29/10/2010 19:00

I occasionally went to the beauticians pre-children and it honestly never occured to me to tip. I never felt that it was expected, either.

The last time I went (average once every five years) was at an overpriced 'posh' hotel. I was kept waiting a good 5 mins (she had gone off when I went into the relaxation room) after my treatment so that my beatician could personally sell me a couple of products, even though I knew exactly what I wanted and they were right there in front of me along with the receptionist. I presumed though that she got commission from the sale. I wasn't best pleased about this and I felt I was already paying well over the odds for a pretty average facial, so I didn't leave a tip. I think it would be fair to say one was clearly expected, which made me want to give one even less.

It has totally put me off going again tbh.

I don't tip at expensive hair salons unless I am exceptionally pleased with the cut, as I usually feel completely ripped off anyway. I pretty much always tip at cheaper places though. I often leave a 40% tip when DS gets his hair cut as they do such a good job and are so good with him.

ForMashGetSmash · 29/10/2010 19:10

I have always been taught that when someone performs a personal service for you and you are happy with it, then it is reasonable to tip.

You can't get more personal than a massage! I always tip generously after a massage or facial.

piscesmoon · 29/10/2010 19:15

I hate tipping-I think it outdated.

ForMashGetSmash · 29/10/2010 19:21

Showing your gratitude with a small monetary gift can't be outdatd piscesmoon!

If I can afford to spend 70 quid in a shop purely on a treatment then I should be able to drop the person who provided the treatment a little thank you. How is it outdated?

piscesmoon · 29/10/2010 19:39

People should get a decent wage in the first place. In the old days it was the rich getting a service off the poor, these days the person getting a facial may well earn far less than the person giving it.

MadamDeathstare · 29/10/2010 19:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

onmyfeet · 29/10/2010 20:50

I have never had a facial, and have no idea. But I always tip the hairdresser.

Bechka · 29/10/2010 21:01

I do not tip after hair, massage, facial, threading, waxing, as these things are expensive enough already.

However, I make an exception for Brazilian wax. Always.

SocialButterfly · 29/10/2010 21:04

I always tip hairdressers and beauticians but it would really put me off if they asked me how much I wanted to leave - that seems plain rude

Want2bSupermum · 29/10/2010 21:17

Here in the US I do tip as there is no minimum wage if a certain amount of your income is from tips. As this is the case for most hair, beauty, bar and restaurants I tip about 15-20% (I go to cheap places).

I never tip in England because the treatments include paying staff a wage which is equal to or greater than the minimum wage(I pay $18 for a full mani pedi while in the UK the cheapest I could find in the NW was GBP25). I might add that those I know who work in these places are all on more than minimum wage.

redflag · 29/10/2010 21:30

I think so, if you enjoyed it.

cakewench · 29/10/2010 21:43

I often go to the local college for treatments from the beauty students there. The rates are amazingly low, so if they do a good job (they almost always do) I tip them.

If I had been in your situation, there's no way I would have tipped. I'd also be inclined to write a short letter to the owner of the salon, to tell them that an otherwise enjoyable experience was marred by the tip request at the end.

sue52 · 29/10/2010 23:51

I always tip around £5 for a facial and £3 for a manicure.

maighdlin · 30/10/2010 00:34

im a bit funny with tipping. i will if the service is excellent, but i hate being forced to do it. my sister is a complete no tipper. no matter how good the service. she says "no one tips me to do my job". which is a fair point. my dad once booked a big dinner at a fancy Chinese, they said that they require a £200 deposit but that it would be taken away from the bill at the end. we all paid and being rather drunk threw in a big tip. the next day my dad looked at the receipt and saw they hadn't took his £200 off. he phoned them up and they said that they had assumed it was a tip. he demanded it back and never went back. that kind of thing pisses me off when they expect a tip and want more than what you give instead of being thankful for it.

Pan · 30/10/2010 00:48

it's Friday night.....tipping after a facial....shorely it isn't just me....

Mooos · 30/10/2010 01:33

How outrageous for a receptionist to ask that - I would never darken their doorstep again.

Tipping is so last century - I hate it and only very very rarely do it (there are always some exceptions ie last week I lost my mobile phone and someone found it and was honest enough to hand it in...so a tip/reward)

To the poster who said she'd been taught to tip everyone who performed a personal service, does the check out girl at Tesco or the bus driver who stops to pick you up qualify?

ForMashGetSmash · 30/10/2010 01:44

Moos....putting your shopping through a scanner isn't personal...grooming you is! Other occasions when it is nice to tip might be when someone such as a bar tender has gone out of their way for you.

Mooos · 30/10/2010 10:30

I just find it very condescending to tip - so there!

Yummygummybear · 30/10/2010 10:33

I always tip the Hairdresser & Beautician but don't base it on a % of amount spent, normally I tip about £2.

piscesmoon · 30/10/2010 16:53

I find it condescending too, Moos, you are not the only one.

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