Hair cut and colour now exceeds what I earn in a day. Absolutely fed up.

[Burntout01]

Obviously everything is going up and up. Just went to book hairdressers- I don’t go often , maybe every four months since I went grey ( used to box dye it for 30 years before that). Its my one bit of self care.
Cost has jumped from £120 to over £170 since I last had it done in September. For full head highlights for chin length bobbed hair plus wash and rough blow dry.
It’s not that I don’t believe its worth that price and I am not knocking my hairdresser, its not about that. But I am a senior NHS nurse with 30 years experience. My job has taken a lot from me and my family. I take home £150 a day. The hair appt is 2.5 hours.
I just cannot justify the expense for myself any more.

I would try and get a mobile hairdresser they are much cheaper and can get hair done comfortably.

Same here OP. I earn about £100 for a day's work and my hair crept up to £130 for a full head colour (hardly difficult) and a cut and blow dry lasting two hours absolute tops. I stopped this farce about 4 months ago. I am still getting a cut at a walk in place nearby (£27) and when my colour is all grown out I will see if I can live with it or home colour (probably the former). I've also stopped having my eyebrows and lashes tinted. Can get the same results out of a tube!

OP, maybe it’s not useful to think of the cost in terms of what you earn in a day. It wouldn’t occur to me to compare that service to my daily wage. Why don’t you focus on the intangible worth? That is, how good it makes you feel to have a self-care treat.

Also, cost per wear isn’t bad, considering you wear your hair every day.

My hairdresser has went on maternity leave until October 10 weeks ago. I'm doing an experiment and not having my hair cut and box dying the roots until she returns.So far saved myself £250, gained a few hours and it looks really good.I've ditched the highlights and gone back to dark brown.If by October I'm still happy I'll just see her for a cut every 12 weeks instead if 6-8 and continuing dying it myself.

And? Ageing is part of life. Why are we all so scared of it?
I can’t afford to get my hair done so I guess I’m just going to have to look my actual age. No big deal. I can still afford to eat, unlike some, so I consider myself one of the lucky ones.

I just have a dry cut about every 8 weeks, costs about £25-£30 which has gone up a lot but still affordable, I get the lower rate because I'm a pensioner. I have curly hair so don't need a blow dry, it's grey but I don't want to get on the hair dye treadmill for evermore

For me it’s an investment in me which gives me confidence in my business on which my income depends

I’m with you, OP.

I just paid £170.00 for a full head of highlights, cut and blow dry, Eye watering price and that’s the reason why I only go four times a year.

Four times a year is a lot at £170 a pop!

Agreed! Nobody gives a shit about men going grey. They are silver foxes. Why aren’t we silver vixens?
I do love getting my hair done, and have nothing bad to say about hairdressers, but I simply can’t afford it regularly, and never have done. I’m getting a haircut in January because I have been saving for over a year. I’ve been growing out my highlights for over two and a half years. My hair is awful at the moment but if I can’t afford it the that’s the end of it. I can’t afford a lot of things, but that’s life.

Good for you if it gives you confidence and you can afford it.
It pisses me off that as a society in general it’s ok for men to age, but not women. It’s looked upon as we haven’t made the required effort. Same with make up, heels etc. I’m lucky I’m in a job where nobody gives two hoots what I look like, but it is a low paid job. I don’t think I would pass muster in a high flying career anyway, no matter how much money I spent on my appearance. Can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear.
What business you are in? Just interested to know why having grey hair might be a barrier to it?

I think it's demeaning to decide that women only do these things for society / men rather than for themselves.

If I lived alone on a desert island I'd still want nice hair, make up, skincare, the lot!

It's self-care and taking pride in how you look for YOURSELF.

But many people will waste that on takeaway food, coffees, meals out, or similar. I spend that amount a year on my hair. It's within my budget having worked hard for decades. The actual cost over a year is less than £10 a week.

No, I completely understand that — but for some of us, that’s still a lot of money, especially if you don’t spend your money on coffees, takeaways etc.

I try not to buy coffees out and I don’t buy many takeaways either but I couldn’t afford £170 x4 times a year. Max would be once (birthday) or prior to Christmas or a special occasion!

We are held to completely unrealistic and unfair standards compared to men. I’ve been getting my nails done a lot due to social events these past couple of months, but from the new year, I’m going to reduce to special occasions only. I don’t think social media helps us as many other women and girls look super polished on it.

Yes embrace the grey and spend some of the saving on good regular cuts

Sorry if I upset you with that. I don’t mean to demean anyone. I appreciate that you like doing it, but not everyone wants to wear make up FOR THEMSELVES. I certainly don’t. Yet I am looked down on for not doing it.
I get that you do it for yourself, it doesn’t mean that the expectation should be for every woman to go along with this, and unfortunately, whether you wish to acknowledge it or not, there is societal pressure on women to do this and not on men.

My hair has never looked better using home dye. Looks natural. Hate going to the hairdressers.

If you are all over grey, colour is needed every 6-8 weeks as for darker hair, it’s a visible grey line. It’s impossible to go every 3 months if hair is grey and you don’t want it visible. I’m well off by most peoples standards but now it’s all about cut and hair quality, not colour.

Men and society don’t judge women on hair colour. Many very chic women are grey - Christine Legarde snd many more. It’s about skin quality and looking your best, and that’s not hair colour.

I didn't say every woman should do it.
Most of my friends hardly wear any.
In fact I'm of the view that I'm the odd one out as most women I see don't use it.
And I don't care either way.

People have different incomes.
Some go to McDonalds, others to the Ritz.
No one is right or wrong just different.

I know that. Just seemed odd to comment eye watering price and then also saying they spend £680 on hair a year. Seemed a bit contradictory. Esp when there are others on the thread who may not even afford to go at all.

It is expensive. A few have commented do I not come more regularly. Lol. Dublin is pricey too for hair and then upkeep of it. I couldnt afford it regularly

I never accused you of saying anything.
I think society puts pressure on women over their appearance more than men.

I am more concerned that you only take home £150 a day after being in a job for 30 years and are now at senior level.