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Original poster

To think having your hair done is now extortionate- rant

331 replies

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 25/08/2021 11:04

So after covid lockdowns I went back to my hairdressers, didn’t know my hair dresser had been promoted and so for a full head of highlights, cut and blow dry was over £200- I’m in a London zone 3 suburb not central London!
This is extortionate so I used a local girl who works from home £85- she’s now unavailable, so this morning I’ve been calling round other salons etc- it’s an absolute rip off everywhere I call!

Last one I rang:
Highlights £70 for one colour- +£15 for an additional colour
Toner £35-£40 depending on length of hair
Cut and blow dry £40-£50 depending on length of hair

Seriously?! The length of the hair subjectivity pisses me off because I cannot plan how much it will cost me (I assume people will call anything past the ears “long hair”).
A cut and blow dry costing nearly £50?!!!
And these aren’t high end branded salons, they’re run down salons on high streets, main roads etc.
I’m not struggling but have to think before dropping over £100 on my hair- surely this isn’t right or is cutting ones hair now a luxury ?!

OP posts:
Comedycook · 25/08/2021 12:27

@TartanJumper

And its all relative, isn't it? I don't colour my hair, and have had the same boring style since I was 12. I only want a simple cut, so I pay £20 max. If I wanted a restyle, cut and colour obviously I would happily pay more.
I only want a simple cut too...still minimum of £50
MaMelon · 25/08/2021 12:27

Supply and demand. The whole beauty industry is massive, so what was a basic dye and cut some years ago has now become so complicated and time consuming.

I’m £80 for someone to come to my home and do a cut and colour with foils. The last time she did it it faded to an orangey colour so I bought a box dye and got the perfect colour for £6. I’m going back to that and a cut snd blow dry every 3-4 months, and as long as I look decent that’ll be fine. £100-plus every couple of months is not sustainable for most people.

Brefugee · 25/08/2021 12:29

I suppose they charge so much because they can

This is basic economics.

I would like highlights- yes that’s a choice-
It’s still only bleach on foil, I don’t think it should cost hundreds of pounds.

That's just like "well, Heston Blumenthal just puts food on plates"

It's not about bleach on foil, is it? It's training and skill and a service that lots of people want. She's been promoted, assuming she doesn't rent the chair in the salon, how do you think her employer should cover her pay rise? Or do you think she shouldn't get one.
My hourly rate is quite high. That of my boss is double that, previous to his promotion à bit less. Should he not ne paid more?

Original poster
OnlyFoolsnMothers · 25/08/2021 12:30

You can. Stay aware from high names, look for an independent shop or somewhere that has cheaper cuts none of the hairdressers I’ve used or called have been named brands

OP posts:
Whycangirlsbesonasty · 25/08/2021 12:32

I’ve been getting my husband to cut my hair since the start of lockdown. It’s great. Free and I don’t have to put up with any inane chitchat.

Ponoka7 · 25/08/2021 12:33

" It’s still only bleach on foil, I don’t think it should cost hundreds of pounds."

I feel the same as a plumber just putting a bit of pipe on and a mechanic just tinkering about with a wrench.
When you think what you've missed during lock down, hairdressers, along with many others have always been massively underpaid.

Original poster
OnlyFoolsnMothers · 25/08/2021 12:33

@roarfeckingroarr

Mine costs £145 for highlights and a trim every two months. Crazy expensive but worth it.
I’d pay that- i think that’s not cheap but manageable for me just every 2 months
OP posts:
Kitfish · 25/08/2021 12:36

I got colour, toner cut and blow dry for £95 on Monday. I must be lucky.

isthisareverse · 25/08/2021 12:37

OnlyFoolsnMothers
I’d pay that- i think that’s not cheap but manageable for me just every 2 months

as a poster has already mentioned above, the quote in your OP was even LESS than that Confused

Eaumyword · 25/08/2021 12:38

My hairdresser is fantastically talented.
He's £65 for highlights, cut and blow and £26 for a cut&blow.
I always tip him and spoil him with lovely Birthday and Christmas presents!
East Mids.

Lillylope · 25/08/2021 12:40

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

I think a reasonable price would be c£25-£30 cut and blow dry and highlights totalling no more than £100
You should post that offer on your local fb market place/area page and see how many wonderful hairdressers are eager to spend an hour+ on your Barnet for that price....
Comedycook · 25/08/2021 12:40

You should post that offer on your local fb market place/area page and see how many wonderful hairdressers are eager to spend an hour+ on your Barnet for that price

£30 an hour is an excellent rate of pay for most jobs

KirstenBlest · 25/08/2021 12:41

Get a wash &cut and not a cut & blow dry I pay about £35 and think it is worth it.

Highlights are £££. Dye it at home.
My friend did my highlights from a box and they looked great.

SoupDragon · 25/08/2021 12:42

£30 an hour is an excellent rate of pay for most jobs

Less the cost of equipment/overheads/etc.

Franklin12 · 25/08/2021 12:47

Drying cutting hair makes a massive assumption that someone has washed their hair before hand or at least in the last couple of days. Some dont...

Paq · 25/08/2021 12:48

@Comedycook

You should post that offer on your local fb market place/area page and see how many wonderful hairdressers are eager to spend an hour+ on your Barnet for that price

£30 an hour is an excellent rate of pay for most jobs

But it isn't £30 an hour as a rate of pay. It's £30 for a service that takes c. an hour. Out of that the hairdresser has to pay all their business expenses - salon rent/rates/fit-out/cleaning and maintenance, utilities, insurance, equipment, consumables, marketing, advertising, time spent on business administration, professional fees etc. I'm sure there's more. Even if they are mobile there's a vehicle, travel costs, equipment, consumables, marketing, advertising etc.
FooFightersFan · 25/08/2021 12:48

I agree with Brefugee…
You are essentially paying for a skill. An experienced and skilled hairdresser is worth more than a junior who has just finished their training. They have knowledge of which colors to use and the ratios required to achieve certain shades on different hair. And then there’s cutting to get hair hang or lay in just the right way.

And you are paying for their time, or rather your time occupying a chair in the salon.

Since COVID and lockdown, I know that the salon where I go cannot have as many clients in as before and they also have more cleaning to do to ensure the salon is ‘safe’.
Yes it’s a pain, but these people deserve to be paid for their skills and experience.

PinkSpring · 25/08/2021 12:49

I had a full head of foils, toner and cut/blowdry the other week - £145!! Shock Last year it was closer to £100 so the prices have been bumped up quite a bit.

I have decided that highlights are too expensive and time consuming for me to maintain, my hairdresser recommends having a full head / half head alternating every 8-12 weeks!! Once these highlights need re-doing, I am going back to brunette!

Mammyloveswine · 25/08/2021 12:49

I always book a deal on groupon!

Can get cut, highlights, toner and curly blow dry for about £45!

I'm in the north east though and use my local town salon not city centre!

Magicpaintbrush · 25/08/2021 12:59

I live in North Kent and I get a wet trim, without blow dry, at my local hairdresser for £15, plus I give a £5 tip. Then I box dye my hair blonde with garnier nurtisse at home.

The downside is that in order to avoid brassy tones I have to go a lighter shade of blonde than I'd really like. If I could afford to have it done professionally I would, but I can't.

user1487194234 · 25/08/2021 13:07

Not in London
Mine costs £85 for colour/highlights /cut and blow dry
usually give her £100
Having my hair nice is important to me and part of my professional image so I don't grudge it

Dogoodfeelgood · 25/08/2021 13:16

Over £200 is expensive - shop around. I have an amazing trendy London colourist and get cut, colour and blow dry for around £160. I am usually there for four hours, so after all their costs added in and the fact that I want my hairdresser to earn a living - that’s fine for me. I would grimace if paying over £200 though. Some places I’ve gone to are £290 and not even better than my cheaper guy. So I remain loyal!!

Dogoodfeelgood · 25/08/2021 13:17

Being blonde is expensive though if you want to do it properly.

isthisareverse · 25/08/2021 13:19

£30 an hour is an excellent rate of pay for most jobs

I absolutely hate this mindset. It's a ridiculous race to the bottom. It's usually for women, which makes it even more frustrating.

Either you are paid this, or less, and are happy about it - well great, but you don't get to decide what others will be paid - or you are jealous because you are paid too little and again, it's on you.

Or it's patronising because you earn a lot more.

Either way, it's a stupid statement.

Comedycook · 25/08/2021 13:23

@isthisareverse

£30 an hour is an excellent rate of pay for most jobs

I absolutely hate this mindset. It's a ridiculous race to the bottom. It's usually for women, which makes it even more frustrating.

Either you are paid this, or less, and are happy about it - well great, but you don't get to decide what others will be paid - or you are jealous because you are paid too little and again, it's on you.

Or it's patronising because you earn a lot more.

Either way, it's a stupid statement.

I'm not paid anything I'm a sahm.

Plenty of jobs where people have studied or trained pay a lower hourly rate than that.

As for your comment about women. Well, it's women's hair which costs this much to do. Why do man get such cheaper haircuts. Why is a barbers hourly rate so much lower?