Should I tip my hairdresser friend?

[Solola]

I have a friend, not a close one but another mum from my son's class at school who sometimes does my hair.

I can't afford to have this done very often, but got a tax rebate last week so I thought I'd splash out and have highlights. She charges £50 which I think is pretty reasonable.

Should I tip on top of that? How much. Always feel kind of awkward paying friends and even more awkward tipping them as I feel I should be more generous than I would be with a stranger.

As a freelance beauty professional myself, I know that you get what you pay for That is so not true!

My £30 cut and highlights look bloody ace - she is a fab hairdresser and I always have to book months in advance to get my slot.

I think some just add the date on more than others, regardless of how good their hairdressing is or not to be honest.

"Most people in the business price themselves according to what they feel their worth is "
yeah, but that in no way correlates to a better cut/colour!

I used to buy into that, paying more and more for cuts/colours from the directors "top" salons and rarely happy, till I gave up and tried the other end on of the market on a friends recommendation, now I go to scruffier looking salons and book in with whoever is free and y'know what? I walk out happy more times then unhappy - total opposite to when I was paying big bucks!

Just had some great highlights for £30 quid!

that is so not true re: price and ability. I've been a hairstylist for, cough, over 20 years and I've seen allsorts. One regular of ours went to a very well known very expensive salon in London. She was horrified at what she ended up with. When she complained was snootily told 'You're just not used to fashion dear' Honestly, you'd have thought it'd been cut with a knife and fork! I also knew of someone who was really shit at hairdressing who got a job in a London salon (again high end) so the mind boggles?

I'm oop north and know many great stylists/colourists etc... who don't charge the earth. Not saying all London salons rip you off mind you as I know they have high overheads etc.. I also know people up here who I wouldn't let trim my nails never mind my hair, but of differing price ranges.

In my experience, the more you pay the more they think they know YOUR hair better than you do, and they don't need to listen to what you WANT because they are the artist!

so even if you kNOW something doesn't work on YOUR hair or for YOUR lifestyle, and YOU cannot maintain that kinda cut at home.. the top bucks ones will go ahead and do that anyway because their vision is more important than yours!

that's never a prob at the cheaper ones, you get what you ask for and noone tries to bloody massage your hands!!!

Yep, I have paid £90 for a colour and cut which was quite frankly shite!

Cherie, when I lived in my home town the best hairstylist (and one I hated leaving) owned what you'd call an old ladies salon. She was highly trained and kept up to date with techniques and it only cost me £10. I'd go back to her when I'm visiting home but you have to book in advance and I can never quite arrange it to suit.

Being trained to level 3 I would shudder sometimes when sat in the chair, knowing how crap they were. I once got up and left and did it myself at home it was so bad.

AND ANOTHER THING about the expensive stylists! if you don't walk in looking your best in the first place they do not "waste" their best work on you! I leant early on on my expensive hair quest that you have to do your hair to go and get your hair done at those places or they barely bother with you!

Can walk in out of the rain in any old clothes in cheaper salons and they try to do the best they can for you in most cases!

AND AND AND in the expensive places they keep you there ALLL DAY! so you feel you have to pay so much as you have physically been there so long.. I like the cheaper places - in-out-happy!

OH OH OH and if you say you're not happy with the result to someone who thinks they're worth top bucks they tell you you're wrong!

if you say same in a cheap place they do all the can to make sure you leave happy in the end

I didn't mean to put anyone's nose out of joint. I was just trying to stand up for someone's right to charge £50 for highlights as it's pretty labour intensive and a really good job is worth the money.

If you've had a good result for much less money then you're lucky, you've found a gem! I'd say they deserve a tip for their humility .

"Most people in the business price themselves according to what they feel their worth is "
yeah, but that in no way correlates to a better cut/colour!

That depends on whether the gauge of their worth is based on honest assessment of their skills, arrogance or being an out and out chancer! I am also talking about individuals rather than high street names.

Fwiw saying all she needs is petrol and scissors to be a mobile hairdresser is just not true. She will also have:

Business insurance for her car
Public liability insurance
Towels (and the laundry costs)
Stock (colours, perm lotions, brushes, combs, hairdryer, straighteners, etc)
On-going training courses
Advertising

Add into the mix setting money aside for tax and NI and your haircut is not exactly overhead free is it?

The main thing you pay for with any skilled professional is their time, with a mobile they have their travelling time which limits their earning potential.

She might have those things, it's not a given.