To think hairdressers are CF?

[AuntyBess]

Passing on PPE charge to customers.

Have been going 30 years to this chain.

In the last 10 since going grey, I've visited every 17 days damn you fast growing hair currently £58 per visit. Then hair cut every 3 months at approx another £50.

AIBU to think they should absorb this cost?

*he or she

Just booked at my hairdressers and they have have taken deposit for appt- which I don't mind atm but wouldn't like in normal circumstances - and they are selling masks or you can bring your own which is reasonable, i think of it a bit like socks in a soft play centre. However they should definitely give you the option to provide your own

They can only see half the number of customers, they've lost money in the last three months and had to spend a fortune.

So a couple of quid on each customer or hundreds for the hairdresser? No brainer.

It's going to take them ages to get back to a normal level of income

I find it really unfair and sexist how cheap men’s hair is to cut in comparison to women’s!

Again, it’s more the difference in the business models. Barber training is quite different to hairdresser training - it’s more precise, but the skills used in one barber cut are more or less the same as every other barber cut. This means a cut at a barbers is more of a production line, repeating the same technique over and over, so they fit in far more customers per day and thus can charge less per customer and still make enough to live.

There are some chain hairdressers who use a more barber-like business model (less time per customer) but the quality of end result tends to dip, (because they are trying to do a more varied range of services in the short time frame).

I don’t think it’s inherently sexist that a barber cut costs less than a hairdresser cut, it only becomes an issue if a woman wants an actual barber-cut style and can’t access one, purely due to being female, or is charged more than a man is for the exact same cut on the exact same premises.

Most towns have a barber that will happily cut a woman’s hair, checking in advance means not having the indignity of being turned away - some barbers prefer women go on a set day. Boys might also be offered certain days/time slots only. You can’t expect a barber to do a non-barber style though, because they almost definitely don’t have the correct training.

I think the impact on most hairdressers is so great they either pass on the cost of PPE or close. They cannot have the same number of people in at the same time, that's hard enough. I'd go short and grey rather than spend as much as you do at the hairdresser though.

I wonder how many people will have come to realise that they can go without cutting their hair for a looooonnnng time. I am lucky to not have grey hair so just cut hair 2 or 3 times a year. I resisted the urge to cut my own hair and Instead focused on conditioning it lots just to see how long I can let it grow.

I used lockdown to grow my henna out and I thoroughly recommend being grey.

Do you have any idea how much the ppe costs ? Why would any business that’s been closed for months ‘absorb the cost’ ? They wouldn’t survive
For example Pre covid a box of masks was around five pounds. Now it’s close to fifty

Hairdressers HAVE to use the ppe - otherwise they would be closed down
You’ll find a ppe charge everywhere now
Dentists chiropodists beauty places etc etc

And it’s either pay or go without the service they offer

@DuDuDuLangaLangaBingBong

I find it really unfair and sexist how cheap men’s hair is to cut in comparison to women’s!

Again, it’s more the difference in the business models. Barber training is quite different to hairdresser training - it’s more precise, but the skills used in one barber cut are more or less the same as every other barber cut. This means a cut at a barbers is more of a production line, repeating the same technique over and over, so they fit in far more customers per day and thus can charge less per customer and still make enough to live.

There are some chain hairdressers who use a more barber-like business model (less time per customer) but the quality of end result tends to dip, (because they are trying to do a more varied range of services in the short time frame).

I don’t think it’s inherently sexist that a barber cut costs less than a hairdresser cut, it only becomes an issue if a woman wants an actual barber-cut style and can’t access one, purely due to being female, or is charged more than a man is for the exact same cut on the exact same premises.

Most towns have a barber that will happily cut a woman’s hair, checking in advance means not having the indignity of being turned away - some barbers prefer women go on a set day. Boys might also be offered certain days/time slots only. You can’t expect a barber to do a non-barber style though, because they almost definitely don’t have the correct training.

I understand that, although the barbers wouldn’t take me. I think I wouldn’t mind if I didn’t have an inch taken off, straight cut, from the bottom. I just don’t get what is the extra I am paying for? I would understand if it was layers or feathered etc, but it’s very basic yet I still have to pay a lot more! If I was a man with long hair in the barbers I think it would be £10 or £15 to do my hair.

It takes 15 minutes usually to do it. I guess maybe it is because I am taking a slot that COULD make them more money?

I used lockdown for a numbervof things

1. grow out my hair and highlights. I now resemble a shaggy dog but I rather like it. I look very different already

2. stop drinking alcohol

3. stop wearing makeup

4. work lots of hours on Covid ICU. A brilliant way to get lots of perspective about the above.

£58 every 17 days works out at £1000 a year. Good job you only have one head.

As someone who was once naturally very dark haired I can understand the OP having her roots redone so frequently. I got to the stage where it was a total pain doing them myself that frequently so decided to grow the colour out with the help of my hairdresser. But going grey relatively young isn't for everyone. I've found it liberating - I like the grey and it's not a pronounced as I thought it would be - and no more faff colouring it.

I won't mind paying for the ppe, but I would like to know about in advance.

Why don't they just absorb their rent cost, electricity, shampoos etc while they're at it too? CF should cut your hair for free OP.

I find it really unfair and sexist how cheap men’s hair is to cut in comparison to women’s!

I'm sure a woman could find a barber to give her a short back and sides every month or two for a tenner.

I don’t think people who can afford to colour their hair every 2 weeks quibble about the cost of an extra £1 (or whatever) for PPE.

Why is grey hair horrendous?

Most women over 40 are grey haired at least in part.
If more of us stopped pretending we were not, ageism would reduce.

my hairdressing bills are unchanged as I do not either dye or cut my hair

@Heatherjayne1972

Do you have any idea how much the ppe costs ? Why would any business that’s been closed for months ‘absorb the cost’ ? They wouldn’t survive For example Pre covid a box of masks was around five pounds. Now it’s close to fifty

Hairdressers HAVE to use the ppe - otherwise they would be closed down
You’ll find a ppe charge everywhere now
Dentists chiropodists beauty places etc etc

And it’s either pay or go without the service they offer

Ahha yes I do! Because we need it in my business.

@AuntyBess

Thanks, everyone seems to have handed me my study arse.

I think it's just the contrast between my business absorbing PPE costs and necessarily reduced footfall for safety, and this industry not absorbing.

They're also saving on hot brink costs

In that case, isn’t the issue the fact you’ve decided to absorb all the cost (a bad business move) rather than an issue with hairdressers?

As a business owner, I’d encourage you to get support/advice on that. Many businesses will not be able to survive wo. Passing that cost down

It takes 15 minutes usually to do it. I guess maybe it is because I am taking a slot that COULD make them more money?

Probably! It’s the way the business model works :/

Frustrating, for sure. You need to find a friend with some expensive scissors and a steady hand (my mum always had a straight, long with a fringe and my Nan cut it for her for about 40 years 😂)

My husband’s hair takes 20-30 mins to cut. They don’t colour it, wash it or dry it. Mine takes three hours with washing, cutting, colouring and drying. It’s a proportionate cost when you look at the big picture.

@AnyFucker - good point. I too am involved in COVID work (not medical) and it is sobering. I rarely wear makeup now but do still have a tipple at the weekend. Rapunzel has to get her pleasure somewhere 😊

Many businesses will not be able to survive wo. Passing that cost down

Yes, and most customers currently have enough good will to accept it, judging by this thread!

It is a difficult one and increasing their prices is at their risk. We have a well known local driving instructor, ds is on the waiting list for when he turns 17, saying he will be raising the cost of lessons from £28 to a whopping £40 a lesson as he needs that to make up for the lost time cleaning cars in-between each leaner and for cleaning products, so he can earn the same as he did before.

The advice for driving instructors is to have a 30 minute "break" between lessons and also to clean all contact points between lessons. That reduces the number of lessons an instructor can do in a working day. Hence, cost per lesson has to increase.

@Honeyroar

My husband’s hair takes 20-30 mins to cut. They don’t colour it, wash it or dry it. Mine takes three hours with washing, cutting, colouring and drying. It’s a proportionate cost when you look at the big picture.

I get this, but that’s not my case at all! As I say I take about 15 minutes and it’s just a line.

@DuDuDuLangaLangaBingBong if my mum lived nearer I would ask her, she does her own and her fringe, but I don’t trust myself!

I think if you're not ready to go grey, which is fair enough, it's not for everyone, then it might be a good idea to reassess your colour if you're having to go that often for roots. Presumably your dye is very dark and that's why your roots are so obvious? Why not go lighter as some others have suggested? It can't be good for your hair/scalp either to be exposed to harsh chemicals every fortnight.

I couldn't personally put up with either the time in the salon or the cost per month, but it sounds like you were OK with both these things until the PPE charge. That being the case, presumably it's not a huge added expense for you, I imagine you're quite well off.