to think this a stealth way to ask for tips?

[gingercringe]

The tips thread made me realise something I’ve been thinking about since Saturday.

I have been going to the same hair salon for ages - colour, roots, highlights and cuts & blowdries etc - always with the senior hairdresser

For the past year (Easter will exactly a year) I have been going for blowdries only (sometimes hair cut) since I don’t colour anymore and trying to grow my hair - with the caveat that after trying all the hairdressers there I realised that the most junior (cheaper) one is the best of them all when comes to cut and blowdry - her hair is very similar to mine and her hands are super gentle. So I make a point to always book her. I do it online. I go there sometime 4x a month, sometimes 1x a moth but I’m a regular.

So last Sat I had my appt and they called me asking if I could arrive earlier - no priblem.
Got there everything seemed normal.

When the junior hairdresser was blowdrying my hair, the senior came to me to say that she changed my appt from short hair to long hair since my hair is now longer and from now on I should make sure to book long hair always especially since I only want (insert junior hairdressers name) so this is to allow her plenty of time to do a good job.

I was mistfied as to why she said long hair rather than medium but thought it was because my hair was curly so thought nothing if it.
Then upon reflection, sure they should have told me the appt changed when they called me? It is not a big deal but halfway through the appt they told me it would be more expensive. Which is fine, my hair looked good - even though the time duration of the appt was the same for short hair. But I paid for long.

Is is because I never tip?
The mention that I only want XYZ to do my hair makes me think so.

My hair is shorter than this on the photo BTW. I think it is medium not long?

I feel uncomfortable going there again, will have to find somewhere else.

Sorry OP but you’re being incredibly tight here.

You book this one particular person because she is the best at drying your hair, you love the way she does it and she’s the best you’ve had - but that doesn’t warrant a couple of quid in her pocket?

Juniors in average salons get paid pittance, you should tip her 100%.

If a service is poor or average I agree no need to tip but the whole point is that you are paying “gratitude” to a great personal service - the very basis of tipping!!!

Lord, give the girl an extra few quid ffs. if you can afford a regular appointment you can afford to throw a fiver on top

What's the obsession with tipping?! I never tip and would never expect it in a job- the cost alone is expensive enough! Such an American concept.

I don’t tip hair dressers. I didn’t know it was a thing. I think they have charged you more because you have gone from senior to junior. Personally, I’d move.

But why should we have to tip people when we've already paid the price of the (already expensive for most) service? Hardly her fault if the hairdressers don't get paid much. That's a bigger issue and not one we should bare the responsibility for.

Isn’t it possible that the senior saw your hair wet, realised it was longer than she/they/you thought and mentioned it then? She should have said for next time but that seems plausible. Also, did they ask you to come earlier because the junior was taking too long for a short hair appointment and so was getting behind? That would explain the comment that you always book her; she’s slower? Maybe it was a dig at the junior and not at you? You may be overthinking this

I really don’t understand tipping hairdressers. They charge enough and if they are employed the salon should pay them enough. If they do a good job that’s just them doing their job so no tip.

Specifically always booking the lowest paid hairdresser "because she's the best" and then not tipping her seems pretty shitty to me. Juniors are paid so little.

Right, so the op should pay more than the cost of the service to make up for the fact the salon doesn’t pay enough?

Why exactly are the poor wage practices of the salon the op’s responsibility?

How many industries are we supposed to enable to underpay their employees by making up the difference?

OP's junior is living in the current system in the UK, @moonfacer.

So easy to write a outraged comment. Does fuck all for the junior. Whereas OP could follow the usual practice and benefit the person she relies on multiple times a month. She can hardly claim not to be able to afford it.

Try being the junior with a very regular client who prefers to follow the tipping culture of her home country.

I agree with leaving a generous tip but not with booking the long hair appt -

not that long yet to go beyond shoulders, when wet or straight -

But they changed my appt, charged for long hair and the appt was the same lenght as always!
The hair looked great though

If you are in the position to, I’d always tip a junior. When I trained , I was on an apprenticeship being paid £50-£70 a week. I was in council housing and barely got through. There were some clients who insisted on only tipping the junior - they were what got me through sometimes. Don’t see the point in tipping the head stylist etc when their sports car sits outside.

if you’re not in the position to tip, don’t.

I don’t know anyone who tips at the hairdressers anymore - but this is in London where a cut & colour already costs upwards of £150.
There really isn’t an expectation to tip at those prices but obviously if you want to, few hairdressers will turn it down.

You have medium, not long. It was unfair to change your appointment terms on the spot. Not ok.

I'd rebook junior at medium next time and be prepared to be firm. I'd also make a point of tipping the junior and not the senior.

Next time you have a cut, ask the manager to come over after and confirm that this length would be classed as short, as long as you rebook a cut within 12 weeks.

I'd be really pissed off with the salon for putting you in that position.

You are allowed to complain to the manager. FWIW I agree with you.

And you said about being worried about being a cheap skate...if noone books that stylist then she doesn't learn and progress. Someone has to have that appointment. It foesnt matter whether you ca afford to pay more or not. And tipping is personal.

Sounds strange. Your hair is not long!
Regarding tips. My cut is expensive in my opinion at £60. I leave a £5 tip to my hairdresser and £3 for the woman who shampoos it.

Ok so I did not choose the photo correctky because I didnt want to use a real person but my hair is a lot shorter than the pic - especially at the back

I book the junior because she is better than them all and I dont even know why she is junior tbh - nothing to do with price

I pay by card and the machine dont have a tipping option. I dont carry cash. I dont tip because it never crossed my mind

My issue is not spending the extra money but the way they did it.
Maybe they could have told me to book the long hair appt because my hair is curly rather than because they class my hair as long?
Also they could have told me on the phone rather than midway the appt?

I would be happy to book medium hair, bring some cash and give straight to hair and pay my appt by card but I think I will try and find somewhere else first

If the issue is that I’m taking chair space so maybe they shouldn’t offer short hair blow dry standing alone without cut/dye?

Or just increase the prices ffs

And promote that girl! She is better than them all - very talented

That’s not long hair and if your hair is shorter than that then it’s definitely not long hair! They’re taking the piss and have now lost themselves a customer. Other people will do the same. Good for you OP.

If the appointment lasted the same time I would definitely tell them why you won’t be back, I’ve never heard of a hairdresser doing this before, it seems very unfair. Long hair is below shoulder length, surely.

As you asked how much people tip, I have short hair and don’t go to the hairdresser regularly. I tip £5 for a cut and dry and £10 for lowlights, cut and dry. No idea what the usual is.

I would say it is definitely normal to tip your stylist however, (especially a junior who will probably be on minimum wage ) and I wonder if they are trying this tactic on clients who don’t tip.

I’m an ex hairdresser for clarity.

I don't understand why this is a tipping thread. Literally noone at the salon said anything about tips.
They just said your hair was not suitable for a short cut blow dry.
You don't agree. Because that's what you've always booked. Maybe it's always been the wrong type of blow dry and they've never said anything before. Who knows. But they've said what they want you to do going forward . Maybe it's a long or curly hair price? Again who knows because it wasn't clarified.
The thing to have done was to ask the person when they said it. And to point out they can't change terms mid appt.

You like this junior and she does a great job. Really not sure why you are cutting your nose off to spite your face here by going somewhere else if you think the long hair price is reasonable.

I always tip my DS's hairdresser because she is the only person I've found willing to cut his hair. He's 3 with significant development delay and screams, cries, kicks (usually me not her) and tantrums during a haircut so I think she deserves extra. It's not a massive tip but £11 for the cut and a £5 tip isn't that bad.
Having said that you don't have to tip (and I'm sure you don't act that way at the hairdresser). Your hair isn't long and I'd be annoyed they changed the price halfway through, especially if the cut didn't take any extra time.
I'd vote with my feet and go elsewhere. If you don't find anywhere as good you can go back but clarify the price beforehand.

I don't tip but I pay anything between £130-£150 each time I go having my hair done.
My hairdresser is great only time I would drop a tip is around the Christmas time.

Saying clients can afford to tip is not addressing the issue.

Hairdressers need to pay the LEGAL salary.

Expecting clients to prop up salaries to minimum wage via tips is ILLEGAL.

I’ve never heard of booking by hair length, unless v long hair. I think the senior stylist is a bit put out you are booking the junior and thinks you’ve done so to save money, so this was a way to increase your appointment cost. The £11 won’t go to the junior.
I tip when I’m happy with it. When I had more disposable cash, I’d give to the shampooist, the stylist, the beauty therapist, the junior. I used to go every 5-6 weeks. Used to cost a bomb but I felt great.