To be upset after hairdresser visit

[carlottavaldes]

I've been going to the same hairdresser for 3 years and we've always had a good relationship. I went in today for a consultation before my haircut and colour next week. I'm dark blonde and want to go lighter so I asked for balayage - I had it done by her two years ago for £200 so was expecting a similar price. Instead she quoted me £300. She also said that if I paid less it would look unfinished, blocky, dry, not shiny, and I would be disappointed - which made no sense, as I paid less last time.

I told her that, but she kept pushing and didn't suggest any alternatives (e.g. highlights) - it was basically "pay £300 or have crap hair". I know she's trying to recoup the money she lost during lockdown, and to make the most of people's desperation for haircuts at the moment, but a 50% price hike is ridiculous.

I had been really looking forward to treating myself and being pampered and instead I found myself being pressured and manipulated and told that my budget was no good, which was upsetting as £200 is a lot for me. I don't want to go back, even for a cut, but I'm struggling to find an appointment elsewhere.

Has anyone else experienced hairdressers hiking their prices to make the most of people's need for post-lockdown haircuts? I have a feeling it might backfire for them.

@JinglingHellsBells
My friend has worked at temp asda after hairdressing was stopped between temp work and grants she earned more than she did the year before .

@Ohmygodyesthatsit

I am a beauty therapist so on a lot of professional Facebook groups. There is a huge push at the moment for hairdressers and beauty therapists to charge their worth. A lot of hairdressers and beauty therapists are barely breaking even. I think as it is a very female, working class job which traditionally the non academic do, it has been very under valued. This is changing and we are pushing to be seen in the same light as other vocational trades the training is 2-3 years initially and then ongoing it can be very expensive. As is the tools, equipment and lotions and potions.

They are worth what the market will bear, same as anyone else. You can push as much as you want but if you price yourself out of the market then you shoot yourself in the foot.

She has approached this from such a weird angle. She'd have been well within her rights to state that previously it was £200 because she left the colour cooking (or whatever it does) for x time and could fit a cut in between the dead time, but now due to covid she can't which means she has to charge more to cover that costs.

Instead she's implying that, what? She'd take off the colour early or just do a rush job and serves you right? Talk about alienating your customers!

She can charge whatever she wants for her services but if you don't want to pay that then go somewhere else! It's simple!

my hairdresser is charging the same, so i've booked in for 6 weeks time instead of my normal 10 weeks - that way he'll get extra repeat business.

I asked my hairdresser friend why men’s haircuts are £10-20 and why womens are 3/4/5/6 times that much
Her answer was that ‘men won’t pay it’

No way would I pay £300 for a hair ‘do’ What a con

I’m finding the same with beautician services. What previously cost £5 is now £25. I guess it’s the price we have to pay - but DH’s barber plucks his eyebrows and sorts his beard out for £2 on top of his £5 haircut. So it’s particularly galling

Yep my haircut cost £45 yesterday and I’m sure it’s usually more like £35 or £40.

@EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall

It takes up a lot of time, especially to do well. It's not like they can fit people in while your colour developed either like they'd usually do

My DD has balayage, toner and cut... it takes 3/4 hrs. The hairdresser has other clients in for cut and blow during this time. £300 is a ridiculous amount for 3/4 hrs work even when you take off costs.

I get a cut/single colour/blowdry for £35, it's £40 if I have foils.

£300 is crazy. Do you have thick, very long hair? I live in a large town in the SE and at the salon I go to, Balayage is between £95 - £150 depending on the length.

As an aside, I think Balayage looks good when it's first done the hair is styled wavy, but on straight hair it doesn't look anything special. I would just stick with highlights.

@Sunshineandflipflops

Some of the prices I see on here astound me! I have balayage and a cut/dry and style for £60...it was £50 pre-covid! I've been going to my hairdressers for years and always get compliments on my hair before anyone says it must be a bad job! Not a chain or anything though, an independent hairdresser who rents a seat in a local salon (midlands).

Hell would freeze over before I pay anywhere near £300 for my hair!

Me too, well about £65. Admittedly that's in a semi-rural area in the Midlands but they're so good and I always come away really happy with my hair.

I get that prices in major cities are going to be higher but some of these prices are just eye-watering and I can't help but feel some salons take the piss. I really don't see how they can justify it. (It also makes me wonder how much is being charged for root touch-ups etc, probably the amount I pay for a whole balayage!)

OP your hairdresser's talking out of her arse imo.

Colour, olaplex and cut here £60!

@GrumpyHoonMain

I’m finding the same with beautician services. What previously cost £5 is now £25. I guess it’s the price we have to pay - but DH’s barber plucks his eyebrows and sorts his beard out for £2 on top of his £5 haircut. So it’s particularly galling

I have my brows threaded for a tenner.

@osbertthesyrianhamster - I was talking about full face hair removal

@osbertthesyrianhamster oh I agree iI wouldnt pay that much at all, however I think there is a middle ground between hardly making any money and pricing yourself out of the market.
I agree £300 is vastly expensive but £60 for 3/4 hours work is far too cheap.
And I do think that there is from some a sort of direspect towards hairdressers and beauty therapists like our training and knowledge isnt worth as much as other trades.

[quote Ohmygodyesthatsit]@osbertthesyrianhamster oh I agree iI wouldnt pay that much at all, however I think there is a middle ground between hardly making any money and pricing yourself out of the market.
I agree £300 is vastly expensive but £60 for 3/4 hours work is far too cheap.
And I do think that there is from some a sort of direspect towards hairdressers and beauty therapists like our training and knowledge isnt worth as much as other trades.[/quote]
Far too cheap to you, but if that's what the market price is, that's what it is. There are a lot of professions that aren't remunerated well. It's a luxury trade ultimately, so no, it probably won't be viewed the way say, a gas fitter or a spark will be.

@BareGrylls

I have no idea what a balayage is, presumably colour. My hairdresser came tothe house last week and charged me £10 for a cut and blow dry. I was first on her list as I had an appointment on lockdown day.

How can that even be worth her while? After expenses, travel etc. she's probably not even on minimum wage.

One of our local hairdressers ( not the one I go to ) has a sign on the door saying basically that :
As the roots regrowth is longer, or hair will need more cutting off they are adding a surcharge for the next month or so !
Cheeky sods , when you are slapping bleach on roots an extra half inch takes very little extra bleach ( which costs peanuts wholesale ) or time .

@osbertthesyrianhamster fair enough I dont fully agree as what the market will bear is dependent on lots of things, expectation and precedent for example.

Haven't they been helped by the government if self employed ? They've not had nothing coming in. Also, if employed, 80% furlough.

[quote Ohmygodyesthatsit]@osbertthesyrianhamster fair enough I dont fully agree as what the market will bear is dependent on lots of things, expectation and precedent for example.[/quote]
There's no expectation or precedent that cutting hair is worth the same as installing a power shower or wiring a light fitting or installing a toilet or teaching a child to read, though. And even then, if the customers think they're being over-charged they'll go elsewhere.

Again, it's been pointed out that women already pay more than men for haircuts and treatments.

@osbertthesyrianhamster I meant the expectation of what a haircut or beauty treatment costs, for example in America nail treatments cost significantly more and people pay it (if they want the treatment obviously) as that is the expectation and how its always been.
And with mens cuts they are getting more pricey, the trend is upwards on cost, (anecdotal only no actual cold hard facts to support this).

I used to go to hairdresser for cut and colour. During lockdown I found to my surprise I can cut it and colour myself saving myself £85 plus tip every 8 weeks.

@DazzlingHaze

I've noticed an increase in price but not by that much! And £300 for balayage is a lot I think! I go to a really popular salon in a trendy bit of Glasgow and only pay about £200 including cut, blow dry and olaplex! Might be a bit more now after covid but I doubt it would be £100 more!! If possible I'd find somewhere else with good reviews and a better price and just wait for the appointment.

Where do you go ? I’m looking for a decent hairdresser in Glasgow