Should I be upset at paying £300 for haircut

[charlieginger1987]

Hi ladies,
Have waited 7 months to get my hair done and finally went today. I got a full head of balayage highlights, a root tint to cover my greys and a cut and blow dry. The website was really unclear and it said £130 for a full head of balayage. Knowing sometimes that hairdressers add optional extras I budgeted £180 just in case. I got to the till, the receptionist seemed awkward, didn't confirm the price straightaway, so I asked her what it was, and £300 appeared on the credit card machine. I can only guess that she didn't say the figure out loud because she was embarrassed to charge me that much. I didn't want to say too much in front of a full salon full of people but I simply said "wow that's expensive?" She shrugged and didn't say anything but "your e-receipt will be sent directly to you". I thought I'd best pay and then query the receipt later as I already felt so embarrassed and caught off guard.

Looking at the receipt they have charged me for:
£130 full head of balayage
£65 full head of permanent colour
£65 ladies cut and finish
£35 olaplex
£5 tip
Total: £300

Am I right to be completely shocked at the price of this?? It did take 4 hours and I have long thick hair but really? Have you ever heard of a haircut this expensive and fellow hair stylists, does this price sound reasonable to you?

Needless to say I have sent Rush an email but am I being unreasonable questioning the price of this haircut?

You are going to a top hairdressers, in central London, a couple of weeks after they re-opened after having almost no business for the best part of a year.

Best analogy I can think of is that I go for a steak at my local pub and pay 30 quid, including a bottle of wine. But when I go to Hawksmoor in Knightsbridge it costs 150 quid. I check the menu to make sure I’m not buying a 300 quid bottle of wine.

Hi OP

Even before I saw the name of the salon I knew it was Rush. Something similar happened to me during the first lockdown.

I like you was shocked that they’d charged me £55 just to blow dry my hair!

I also didn’t say anything at the time and will never go back! I usually actually go to Charles Worthington and have never been charged £55 for a blow dry!

That would devastate me I’d be like you as well just pay and be fuming for the next 6 months . Don’t go back

I feel this price is a little excessive and the hairdressers put you on the spot as I know what its like when you have your hair styled and are then shocked at the price. I have olaplex and it is not as much as this. I dont think the hairdressers has done themselves any favours as they have lost you as a customer i assume and you won't be going back. My daughter once went to a hairdressers to have a blow dry and for some curls to be put in her hair for a wedding she was going to. They chatged her an silly amount and she came out and the curls dropped out within minutes. Why cant hairdressers charge a reasonable amount and then people would return. But please don't worry and even though it cost you alot of money it wasn'
t your fault just the hairdressers.

What I find strange is the way we don't always ask how much it's going to cost, also at the vets we just take what they say but you put your car in the garage and it's a different thing

Wow, I'm assuming it's in a really good salon in Central London...?

My cut and colour started pushing £200 in Glasgow city centre. Full head colour really thick long hair, like yours - usually in the salon 4-5hrs total. Despite with being the hairdresser for some many many years, I decided the price was getting excessive.

With much trepidation I switched to a local salon and now around the £100 mark. Same treatments/style and the girl is as great if not better.

Sorry to say brilliant or not £300 is a total rip off... buy your own genuine olaplex and use it at home...

£300 for a haircut

You need your bumps felt, saw you coming a mile off

I went to Rush last summer for a quick blow dry. It was £60! I am not in Liverpool st. Even Tony and guy isn’t that much. To be fair, I didn’t check before going in as a) it isn’t Tony and guy (who like to charge all the £) and b) it was a random Thursday afternoon so not party central , this was a home counties high st branch. They seemed to think it was ok to charge the few customers they did have all the money to make up for the fact they were allowed less customers. No complimentary coffee or anything and I wasn’t even allowed to put my handbag on the floor 😂 No warning about the price. I won’t be going back.

Sadly I am used to paying a fortune for haircuts and colour (living in the south I can't seem to get away from it), but as you said it is so odd to charge you for a permanent colour and the baylayage. Surely the £130 for the baylayage (sp) should have covered the root tint as well?

Outrageous. Assuming they do nothing about your complaint, I would divide the amount by 3-7 to rationalize the cost as fictitiously spread over 7 months, use the next 30 days to find another more reasonably priced salon, and go there in 60 days.

Why o why are women paying these prices? I cover my greys once a month with nice and easy. 5 quid max. 30 mins done. I suspect hairdressers can get away with it because people like you pay it

Goodness! Upset, I'd be fairly f**king distraught - I paid £60 for the same, including the split-ends-saving Olaplex!

It is a huge amount to pay, but actually when you break it down, those are typical London prices I’m afraid. You have my sympathy.
Had a similar experience at an old street hairdresser- was quoted about £175, but ended up paying £260 - without Olaplex! Nearly puked on hairdressers floor...

Am sure it looks great though!

The trick is to find a more suburban salon with a great hairdresser- only way to avoid those prices!

Also, one for thing to add, you can buy Olaplex online for about £25 a bottle I think? This is the same they use in the Salon and there are multiple treatments in one bottle - if anyone is regularly having an olaplex treatment in a salon and paying through the nose you can do this yourself at home for a fraction of the cost.

Honestly why even go to places like that and have stuff like that done? It's all ridiculous. Are you an actor? Are you on telly a lot?
No sympathy.

As other’s have said,I’m not sure how it is possible to have 2 full heads of colour, I personally would ring them and ask that question.
However when our dd got married a couple of years ago anything to do with weddings automatically doubled
the cost.

My teenager had a quick trim last week and paid £30 rather than the £13 to £15 we usually pay.This was in Central London too.

Like most other people I think it’s extortionate! I’d imagine it’s too late to say anything now. I’ve not read all the comments so sorry if you have replied to people already. I’m getting mine done next month and to be honest with you I’m a bit scared of what it’s going to cost. After the last lockdown it was £120! I felt guilty as I’d rather spend that on my kids or buy groceries for the week. I hope your hair is nice though and it’s done now so just put it down to experience and maybe find a new hairdresser x

@Valerievalerie

"After first lockdown last year lots of clients were handing over big notes in tips as they felt so sorry for us ."

I did the same, I paid £30 tip (which I would never normally do) to the salon owner as whilst she managed to get her staff furloughed she had not had any income for herself. I did something similar last Friday when I paid for my haircut - paid much more in tips than I normally would do to help with their shortfall.

OMG I'd have died if I'd been charged that much!!
Wow, I do hope you're pleased with it though.

I've visited rush twice, both times a total disaster. The first time I arrived 5 minutes early for the appointment booked online only to be told I was late! The actually booking times don't line up with online bookings. I was told I couldn't be seen despite them having only one other customer. I was offered the next time slot but I questioned it as my husband had called up in the morning to book a trim and they didn't have his booking at all! The receptionist just said well it wasn't me you spoke to so I can't help. They were extremely rude. The second time was a few years later and I had a 50% off voucher so thought I'd try my local branch. I sat down and was asked what I wanted, I said I'd like about 3 inches off and a fringe put back in. I was then told that's a restyle and the voucher wouldn't be valid but I couldn't pay full price! I ended up with about an inch and a half off in the end but wish I'd just walked out. The stylist was so grumpy and clearly wasn't intrested. I'd never go again especially as their prices are ridiculous compared to other local 'chains'.

Knowing how rush operate I'm not surprised by the sneaky pricing. I would have expected to pay for the grey coverage but maybe £30 tops. £65 for a cut is steep as well and as for the tip!!

Hopefully you get somewhere with your complaint.

I’ve been to 2 different salons and usually pay for the same treatment around £120/£130. A few round by me can be more but that’s standard. My hairdressers usually offer the cut and blow within the colour service so that’s where they’ve stung you by the looks of it!!

I hate paying for hair cuts, because it's a regular thing that has to be done. I tend to use Groupon to get a deal if I want highlights. I always make sure I know what I am paying upfront and get a quote, whether it's for a hair cut or dental treatment or having my bike repaired.

WOW no way would have paid that without a full explanation. Even then I would be demanding a reduction.
That's just totally taking the pi** surely. 😒👿