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Original poster

Should I be upset at paying £300 for haircut

831 replies

charlieginger1987 · 16/04/2021 22:16

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?

OP posts:
BeingATwatItsABingThing · 16/04/2021 22:49

Holy shit!!! My mum, DD1 and I all had our hair cut for £10. Grin We have a family friend do it though.

I honestly could not part with £300 for someone to do my hair. I love my natural hair colour (auburn) so won’t be dying it until the grey starts/takes over. I don’t get a wild and crazy hair cut either because I don’t have the time or the energy to style it each day.

OP, I would definitely query the two heads of colour. That doesn’t make sense.

cyclingmad · 16/04/2021 22:49

Am I the onlgnpersom who asks how much it'll cost before I book or they touch my hair.

I'm waiting for my hairdresser to get back from Aus, but everytime I seen him before I always ask him how much just for my cut incase prices have changed.

Fully expecting it might go up due to covid related reasons so I'll be asking when I book so I know if I'm happy to pay the price.

solvendie · 16/04/2021 22:49

I think the prices for each part of the process are fairly standard for a high street hairdresser. However, you should not have been charged for a full head of permanent colour or £5. You will be charged for the root touch up and I don’t know how much they would charge for that but I would query the bill

Viviennemary · 16/04/2021 22:49

I've never even heard of the term balayage so I googled it. So they charged you twice for the colour seems like.

solvendie · 16/04/2021 22:50

Sorry - meant £5 tip

EmbarrassingAdmissions · 16/04/2021 22:50

Olaplex can be bought online for about £26 and the bottle lasts a few washes depending how long/thick your hair is.

Do several posters recommend Olaplex? I've never heard of it before but my hair is definitely a little out of condition that's a euphemism as it hasn't been trimmed since 2019.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 16/04/2021 22:51

@Viviennemary

I've never even heard of the term balayage so I googled it. So they charged you twice for the colour seems like.
Neither had I. I can see why it’s expensive though. Looks labour intensive.
GinAndTonicOnIt · 16/04/2021 22:51

If it makes you feel any better I have also done this. Full head of highlights and cut.

There was a deal for first timers so my first session was £65.

Second time back to normal rates - think I paid about £120?

Third time, mid session hairdresser announced 'oh I've been promoted, so my rates have gone up. Hope that's ok'. I was charged over £200.

All the exact same hairdresser, treatments etc each time. I paid the £200 odd, left and never went back. I walk past often, and it's a bit awkward as the hairdresser is clearly wondering why I never returned.

DietrichandDiMaggio · 16/04/2021 22:52

Surely you didn't think the price for balayage included the cost of a cut and finish though?

jakeyboy1 · 16/04/2021 22:53

Balayage AND highlights - doesn't that defeat the object of a balayage?

JennyBond · 16/04/2021 22:54

Sounds like they mischarged you for the colour, should have been roots only for the colour. But you were there for 4 hours. Think about how many cut and blow drys at £65 a pop they could have done in that time. 5 probably?

dillydallydollydaydream7 · 16/04/2021 22:54

@goodwinter

How are they charging for a full head of balayage AND a full head of permanent colour?!

Did they ask you if you wanted the Olaplex treatment?

I was wondering this too!

I thought that a balayage would mean that you get the ends of your hair done so therefore it wouldn't require a full head colour, just the roots doing, if that makes sense?

Also the Olaplex treatment, it's a massive thing in salons now but you should have been asked if you wanted it

As for automatically paying a tip! At that price, no! Definitely query it and tell them what you read on their website

ConeHat · 16/04/2021 22:54

I have just checked my account and I paid £118 for a root colour, balayage, tint and wet cut in October. SE commuter town in a non chain but very popular lovely salon. It's no more expensive than having a full head of highlights looking at the prices. So a colour, balayage and tint is the same price as highlights and the cut is always additional price on top as its booked as two things looking back at my booking

Phoebesgift · 16/04/2021 22:55

And of course the haircut will be separate. They did cut it i assume?

llm24 · 16/04/2021 22:55

My hubbie would be expecting a new woman for a haircut that price
Seriously though that’s a shocking price 😞

AlrightTreacle · 16/04/2021 22:56

I would have queried why you were paying for both a full head of bayalage and a full head of permanent colour, but apart from that the prices aren't totally shocking for a salon in London. Their prices are also clearly advertised on their website, just Googled it in less than a minute.

"Have you ever heard of a haircut this expensive and fellow hair stylists, does this price sound reasonable to you?"

£130 full head of balayage I'd expect to pay £80 minimum and £150 maximum.
£65 full head of permanent colour would expect to pay around this.
£65 ladies cut and finish would expect to pay £40 minimum and £65 maximum.
£35 olaplex £25 at my hairdresser.
£5 tip never tipped a hairdresser before, isn't that optional?!

Surprised you've not been charged for a toner: would expect that to be about £20, so probably £25 - £35 in London? Perhaps they mixed up the full head colour charge with the toner?

Grapewrath · 16/04/2021 22:56

Normally the cut and finish is included in the price of the balyage? That’s obscene and I hope it’s a mistske

onemouseplace · 16/04/2021 22:56

Well, I would have expected to pay for the cut and finish on top of the balayage. But I wouldn't have expected to pay for the root tint on top of that (or perhaps £5 at most for toner, but only if they were an obviously cut price salon trying to claw a bit of profit back by charging for every separate part. Although - Aveda Covent Garden, I'm looking at you for CHARGING for tea and coffee).

JudgeJ · 16/04/2021 22:56

I've had to google some of the entries!

normalsaline · 16/04/2021 22:57

That’s shocking! Although the £5 tip on a £300 service made me laugh

Megan2018 · 16/04/2021 22:57

You should have asked for the cost upfront.

It is about £50-60 more than I’d expect but most places have increased costs due to Covid.

I live in rural East Mids and that’d be in the region of £225 at my hairdressers. Depends how long and thick though.

£300 is a lot but it’s ridiculous to have bot asked at booking.

Chloemol · 16/04/2021 22:58

I don’t see how they can charge for full balayage and permanent colour, i woukd be requesting the £65 back

Along with the tip as that is optional

If they refuse I would leave a truthful review, that they overcharge etc etc

Helptonight · 16/04/2021 23:00

I knew it was Rush b4 you even said it, they are shisters and known for this! I booked my services online (selected the stylist option and NOT head technical director whatever nonsense they put on it) did EXACTLY what I had booked and then tried to charge me £100 more. I didn't have it and made a fuss and they charged me what was quoted online. Read some reviews they are well known for their scams

carawaybaby · 16/04/2021 23:00

Totally and utterly ridiculous. Why the fuck did you not check the price first?

A fool and her money are easily parted.

TableNiner · 16/04/2021 23:01

This happened to me at the dental hygienist. Was expecting it to be about £90 for a basic appointment, already v expensive in my view, then it ended up being £170. I was too embarrassed to query it but did ring later to get a breakdown, especially as they said I should come back in three months, and they did manage to justify it.

You sort of have an idea in your head (I’d checked their website) and you just get totally thrown. I suppose if someone really cannot afford it, they don’t go without double checking the cost. It’s a good lesson to maybe be more assertive in establishing the costs, sometimes it feels a bit vulgar/awkward but it’s just business.

But I also agree you have been charged for two ‘colour’ services which seems v cheeky to me.