getting your hair done is expensive!!! Why?

I once asked my mother the same question about decorative pillows. Her reply was "they`re expensive because they`re unnecessary" I love this response. Think of really wonderful scented candles, decorative pillows, a framed print. Now think of the price of taking the garbage out. All are ways to improve the appearance/ and perhaps smell of your home, but the only necessary one is quite cheap. Haircutting is not needed at all, we can cut our own, but it is decorative and therefore they can afford to charge more. If it were LAW to cut have your hair professionally cut, I theorize that it would be much much cheaper.

I really think that your stylist is an enigma. Most stylists do not make nearly that much, they`re really poor in comparison to everyone else.

Jennifer, I couldn`t have said it better. And wow! Those prices you thought were outrageous are very inexpensive. (Unless you resign yourself to never go anywhere other than Supercuts.)

Since Feb. I`ve spent over $500 on my hair. On average I would usually spend about $120 a month. (Unfortunately with my current job - $600 a month paycut--- I have to be creative.)

And regardless, tip a good stylist! OMG, I cannot believe people don`t have a prob. with tipping a waitress well but won`t tip their stylist more than $2.00 Unbelievable. I tip $2.00 to someone who I`ve never met for only waxing my eyebrows !

Normally I tip a GOOD stylist 25-30% (I know not everyone feels this way, so I don`t need the "but some of us cannot afford that." replies I realize some cannot tip that much. Technically, I shouldn`t either. I make $8.70 an hour and I have a mortgage, credit card bills, high utils. etc.)

But, you know what? These same stylists have squeezed me in on a moments notice, rescheduled without a problem, will spend a lot more time with me, and I have never been unhappy with the results.

Basically, I aggree with the views expressed above. There is a market for all kinds of styling, both
of physical and chemical nature, and you can`t really blame the stylists for putting a price tag on
something that requires time, an investment, overhead.

However, I will make several reservations: firstly, many places have a flat rate for a woman`s cut that`s more expensive than for men. That is appalling. Don`t tell me it`s more difficult to cut womens`
hair - it depends. If a woman with long hair comes in for a straight or oval trim, that should, by
that standard, be cheaper than a carefully barbered mens` cut. If a woman gets a real short cut
(those are rare nowadays), a mullet ( :) ) or a perfectly one-length bob it should cost as much as if
a man gets the same.

Secondly, $115 for highlights? American?! Here in Toronto, I think they`d only be $50 - moose money.
Or maybe I`m still in the Java age.

$40.00 American would equals about $ 80.00 Canadian. Now does it sound cheaper for you? lol Personally I think it is worth every penny to have someone professional do the job. When I had my spiral done it cost $ 100.00 and it took four to six stylist to do mine because I have long hair so did they really make money? It took hours.
What really makes me laugh is that you can pay $12.00 to over $ 30.00 for just a haircut. Once they have their name they make the money especially here for sure.

Hi Kelly,

If those are the prices in your area, consider yourself darned lucky!

I pay $115. just for highlights.

I`m concerned when you say, " Is this a profit or what?" Do you think stylists are charity workers? Many have families (not forgetting themselves) to support.

First of all, if people don`t make a profit, then they starve! However, all the "extra" money doesn`t go into their pockets. Especially for a salon owner, there is the cost of the rental of the space or he has to buy the business or building. Then there are electricity costs and water costs. Of course, Uncle Sam takes a huge chunk for taxes. There are many, many other costs that I`m leaving out. There are not just the raw products to buy for services, but chairs, and all the equipment in the salon. Often, stylists have to pay "rent" for their stations, and if they charged much less, they simply wouldn`t make it in the world. There are exceptions, but how many *rich* stylists do you know? The average stylist is not wealthy in the least!

However, to me, there is one reason for justification for the price: experience. It`s true that some people can perform these services at home for a mere fraction of the cost, and that`s great! But I personally don`t want to mess around with chemicals and my hair at home -- especially highlighting. My hair is already blonde, and that`s a very risky process to highlight at home. Also, professional beauticians are educated in their field. You pay for a doctor and lawyer`s expertise, and stylists are no different. The more experienced and talented the stylist, *very generally* the more you pay.

Btw, I hope that you are tipping at least 15% to your stylist if he (or she) is doing a good job. A lot of young stylists that I know still live with their parents because they simply aren`t making enough money to live by themselves.

Jennifer