Hairdressing advice re washing before appointment

[Anon543210]

Hi
So im in need of some advice ive not been to a hairdressers in 5 years due to a lot of anxiety and I have my 1st ever appointment on Saturday.
For context im having my hair stripped coloured toned cut and styled and I was wondering do I need to wash my hair the night before or a couple of days before? Also what is the etiquette re tipping? The appointment is costing me £120, ive googled how much to tip hairdressers in the uk and it says 10% so £12 does that sound about right or would you tip more/less? I thank you all in advance for your advice.

I would wash the day before at most. Certainly not on the day of the appointment.

I have never tipped a hairdresser. I don’t know where this tipping culture has come from. Hair dressers decide what they charge and they charge a lot.

If you wash it nightly then do so, if it's only a couple times a week do that. You don't need to do anything really different. Don't use a really heavy conditioner or leave in products though.

If you're happy with the service I'd offer a tip similar to a restaurant, so about 15%. But it's not compulsory and just adding on a fiver or whatever will still be appreciated.

If you are having a lot of chemical services, not sure what you mean by “stripping” but if it’s bleach and potentially bleach on scalp then do not wash it. You want your natural oils to protect your scalp or it will sting. Leave it two days before the appointment but don’t use any dry shampoos or root touch up sprays before hand either. Tip what you feel, £120 is not expensive for what you are describing… a colour correction. So if you’re happy with it tip what you can afford

Wash the day before so the stylist can see what your hair colour is like and how it hangs etc. No need to tip unless you want to.

I wouldn’t tip £12 unless they fed me fancy coffee. I would do £5 tip if it’s an exceptional service but that’s about it.
Our local hairdresser has a Saturday girl who does teas, coffees and wash your hair. I would have £2 or £3 coins with you in case yours has a Saturday girl as well.
dont wash hair a night before, its better to have them unwashed as PPs mentioned.

The only thing I do is makes sure I don't have any products in my hair before I go. I tend to wash my hair in the mornings and have hair appointments in the afternoon.

I don't tip. It's £140 for mine for about 2.5hrs -3hrs in a chair and for at least 1hr of that I'm sat browsing on my phone with foils in my hair or sat at a sink with toner. Happy to pay the going rate for cut and colour and the time and skill it takes but I'm not tipping on top of that!

i dont tip, never have. I do take a gift if im going close to xmas. The one time i washed my hair on the day my hairdresser was perlexed as to why id bothered. Ive sinced turned up atleast once with the skankiest hair ever and he wasnt botherd. I have been seeing him for 5 years though.

I always tip a hairdresser, although I do think the prices are generally ott

I would usually tip the young girl that does the hair washing, and makes the tea/coffee. I only started doing this when my daughter went to hairdressing college and got her first Saturday job whilst training. They don’t pay them a lot. So it doesn’t sit right with me not to tip.

Don't wash the day of or day before if you are having colour or bleach.
i tip sometimes, but my standard hair price every time is £140-£150 so i don’t always.

It won't make any difference,not according to all the hairdressers I've had. Why do you think it does? Genuine question,not being arsey.

I used to tip but don’t any more. The cost has really gone up over the last 10 years or so. I don’t tip electricians, plumbers or anyone else either.

But I do choose someone who is good, even if pricey.

Wash the day before.

Wash the day before. Color holds better on cleaner hair.

This. Tipping is ridiculous, the cost should be the cost and built into the price

Don't tip, I don't bother especially if paying a lot at the hairdresser.
Wash your hair the night before, as already suggested. Don't use products, then the hairdresser can see how your hair looks naturally.
I know you haven't asked this, but the hairdresser should make sure you have a patch test beforehand to check you're not allergic to the hair colour.

I always wash my hair as normal. I don’t actually pay for mine as I look after the salon’s social media, but before I did that I used to bring my hairdresser (who owns the salon) a bottle at Christmas rather than tip him.

Agree with pp re patch test if you’ve not had this done. We keep a little pot behind the front desk and it gets popped on with a cotton bud, no need for an appointment, just drop in.

Thanks for the advice when I went for my free consultation last week she did a patch test and no reactions so all good there.

Thanks everyone for all your helpful replies and comments so I will wash my hair tomorrow (Thurs morning) just so its not too clean for the bleach. People mentioning a patch test thank you I did have 1 last week when I went for my consultation and all good there no reactions of any kind. The reason im so thick with all this is I haven't been to a hairdressers in years as everytime I have tried 1 they've either not listened to what I wanted and took too much off or its just been mega busy in there and my anxiety has just gone into overdrive so often left wanting to cry and also get home where its quiet and not overstimulating. I've finally managed to pluck up the courage I know it sounds daft when I put it like that but it does take a lot for me and have finally found someone who actually made me feel heard and im confident that she's going to listen and not take too much off or make me leave the salon feeling like im going to cry or be overstimulated.
Its actually the 1st time in years im not dreading or anxious about going.

My hairdresser said it makes absolutely no difference to the colour if you wash your hair or not. Although he did also say he finds it rather gross when people turn up with greasy hair that hasn't been washed for a while.

I usually wash the night before (just in case he thinks it's greasy!)

If I have loose change in my purse, then I tip.

I get grey roots done every 5 weeks. I never wash hair beforehand. It costs me around £150 , so I never tip.

Wash the night before or same day if you want, it doesnt matter as colour goes on before washing so either is fine. I had my hair done last week, showed pictures and styles, came out somehow with an extra four inches off and completely wrong colour, Unsurprisingly no tip given and wont return. IF they got it right I would tip.