Ever since I opened my hair salon (and it was way back in 2003), I have always restricted my focus and services to the needs of my valued customers. If you scroll to the very last blog entry on my website right up till this post, you will fail to find anything that refers to us, the beauticians, or anything about our existence.

Hence, this is the first time I am using my blog section to highlight the fact that we, the hair care experts and beauticians, are just as valuable as our customers. Therefore, a recent post that I read on Vogue, and partly because of the very real economic misery, the issue of tipping your beautician is indeed a matter of utmost consideration on the part of the customer.

But the main question here is this: How much should you tip your beautician? While this depends on the customer himself/herself, there are certain rules of thumb that the customers can practice. These rules are considerate of both the client and the beautician so that it will not become burdensome for both.

Also, these tipping considerations are generally regarded by both economic and beauty industry experts alike. Let us know the ideal way of caring for each other – the client and the beautician.

Hair Cuts & Styling Services 

Ideal Tipping: 20% of the total price 

Trust me! This is the least our valued customers in the hair care industry can (and should) do to appreciate the effort and dedication a hair stylist puts into his/her work. This is solely not my suggestion; experts across the hair care industry agree with at least a 20 to 25% tip of the total bill incurred, whether you follow T. Cooper, Clara Leonard, Erick Orellana, or any other well-known celebrity hair stylist/groomer.

Now, if any of my valuable readers currently think that is not 20% tip too much? And since it is solely at our discretion, should we tip at all? Let me answer you all with peace! Economic times are tough, even for America.

According to the latest statistics, Hair salon revenue has been on the decline in the US since 2019. The beauty industry, as a whole, has been badly hit by the worsening economic crises in the past few years, as analyzed by the U.S. Department of Labor.

So, in such testing times, not only a huge chunk of the American population suffering financially but also professionals working in various industries, exclusively beauty care. Receiving far a smaller number of bookings for haircuts, styling, and other beauty services, we at Westport Hair & Co. are also feeling the brunt of it.

So, awarding a tip of 20% on haircuts and styling will not only be a huge favor you will be doing to your hairdresser but also strengthen the bond of kindness in hard times. And while this is just a humble request from our side, the hairdressers and stylists, it is in no way an imposition that you, our valued clients, must have to do this or otherwise you will not be served well. That is certainly out of the equation.

To sum it up brilliantly, I would like to end this blog in the words of celebrity stylist T. Cooper: “The stylist is not left wondering if they did something wrong or if you did not enjoy the service [if you do not leave a tip]. Everyone in America with a pulse knows that prices for everything have gone up astronomically, but salaries have not kept up with the rising costs. The pandemic devastated the beauty industry. So, if anyone can understand, a hairstylist can.”

Thank you for your consideration!