Hairdressing costs - aibu to think that this is way too pricey?

[downwiththatsortof]

I went to a new hairdresser and checked beforehand to get a rough idea of cost. I usually get a cut and colour (roots regrowth) and when I checked the cost was around £50 for cut and £50 for colour, so I imagined approx £100. When I spoke to the hairdresser, she suggested doing some highlights to break up the colour, to which I agreed and had had before (in another salon) and has cost me maybe £20 on top.

When it was finished, I thought overall it was ok, but I didn't absolutely love it and when I went to the desk, I was charged £200!! I then left feeling uncomfortable and quite frankly ripped off and when I checked the receipt, I saw the breakdown -:

Highlights £80
Root colour £50
Gloss toner £20
Cut & finish £50

I emailed the owner afterwards to say that I was taken aback by the cost and to clarify the cost of highlights - she came back to say that although there was no discussion of price, the hairdresser had talked me through all the steps.

Aibu to think that maybe hairdressers need to be more transparent about prices but also that this is too expensive for this service?

Ouch YANBU that’s a lot of money, and basically double he cost for a few highlights?

I absolutely wouldn't expect to pay extra for root colours when attending for colours due to growth- surely that's the same thing?

How long is your hair? The price sounds about right for mid length to long hair. Highlights will cost more than an all over colour, you were getting it for a steal at £20! The problem is you should have queried those costs before she begun.

Highlights and root colour seems to be doubling up. That does seem steep.

Thanks for your replies. My hair is past shoulder length. But I feel like @riverlee and @BumWad says that it feels like doubling up. Would you continue the complaint again or just put it down to "bitter" experience😊

@lavagal when you say you wouldn't expect to pay for both - they do list them as separate things, but I don't understand it either!

That's quite a jump from what you were expecting. I'm assuming you've had some highlights and then root touch up of the darker colour as well hence the double costings? I do always feel it's a bit pot luck at some hairdressers as to what the final cost will be which is irritating as other things are more transparent, I get that things change but you were anticipating close to £100 and got £200 (not saying that isn't the going rate but still if you'd known ahead of time you could have factored into your decision).

I would put it down to bitter experience. £80 for highlights is not unreasonable. Was it half head?
Personally I think the regrowth at £50 is quite steep though.

Did you ask for the toner?

@cocksstrideintheevening No, I didn't ask for the toner!😀The highlights were for half a head and I should have clarified my hair is mid length.

I had been going to my hairdressers for 15+ years, every month for a full head of highlights and a cut. Set price of £125. One of the existing girls took over the salon and changed the system. Now it was set price for highlights. They then added on money for extra length, plus money for cut plus money for toner. Sometimes they would also do a conditioning treatment (without me asking) and charge for that. It almost doubled the price and I felt that all these "added extras" were being hidden. I changed hairdressers.

I would mostly chalk it up to bitter experience, but also leave a public review clearly explaining your experience so other customers know what to expect, and to encourage the hairdressers to be clear about the cost of the services in advance.

@369E Yes, that's how I feel, that it's adding all these extra treatments without the customer being aware. And the idea of leaving a review @TheYearOfSmallThings is a good one.

To be fair I would expect it to increase over 15 years!

I think people struggle with the concept of inflation in general, and are shocked when businesses dare to increase prices to protect margins - especially small businesses, for some reason.

I find that most of S&B still thinks in ‘old money’ terms, like when you used to be able to get an outfit for £50, that sort of thing.

I would expect to pay for highlights and roots separately and pay more for the highlights.

Thats cheap for where I am in the SE. I only go every few years as its always around £300 for the works.

Same price as my hairdresser for that, not at all affluent area 🤷‍♀️

When I spoke to the hairdresser, she suggested doing some highlights to break up the colour

At which point you should have asked how much extra it was going to be.

That’s cheap for highlights and root colour. Where I go the cost is

Half head of highlights £123.00
Root colour £48.00
Cut £65.00
Toner £42.00
Conditioning treatment £36.00

If you weren’t happy with your hair at the time you should have said and given them the opportunity to sort it.

I usually get either full head or half head highlights - I've never asked for root colour as well.
I had thought that was something you'd have between hightlighting sessions to keep you going - or if you had full-colour, to touch it up. So it would be one or the other. But I am pretty minimal with my hairdressing - highlighting AND full color is not something I've even considered having done.
The individual prices look fine to me, but I'd expect to be asked if I wanted deep conditioning or toner before they did it as it costs extra (and takes up more of my time).

It seems a normal price to me.

Sounds right to me. Expecting it to be the same as it was 15 years ago is a bit mad. leaving a bad review because you never bothered asking the price is lousy.

@Swellinyewing I didn't ask the price because I assumed that she would tell me if the price differential was going to be considerable. I think a lot of people are just so used to businesses pushing up prices by stealth - I do think there's an element of deceptive practice. Anyway I've learned my lesson, I won't be going back there and I will also always check any extras they are doing.

Won't happen to you twice so...

Were you happier with the results compared to previous hairdresser?