Tip$
Printed From: HairBoutique.com
Category: Hair Extension Topics
Forum Name: Hair Extensions
Forum Description: Hair Extensions can be the quick fix for short hair.
URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=30632
Printed Date: August 05 2025 at 1:45am
Topic: Tip$
Posted By: Syren123
Subject: Tip$
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 12:26pm
I have a question about tipping your stylist.
I understand if you're having your hair done at a salon, you definitely tip your stylist. But what about if she works out of her home? Is a tip expected then?
Thanks!
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Replies:
Posted By: norskygrl21
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 12:46pm
I always tip, and I always tip extravagantly for a job well done . Even if someone is working out of their home, they still performed the service and should be tipped accordingly, IMHO.
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Posted By: hippyhair
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 12:49pm
While we are on this topic...
My install is on Sunday, and at the most, my service will cost $750 (depends on how long it takes, though). Am I OK to leave 15% @ $115.00, or is 20% ($150) standard?
Thanks all! And sorry if this has been covered before... (I'm sure it has)
edited to say:
I generally tip up to 30% at "normal" hair appointments, and would love to tip that much on Sunday... but I've never had a service cost this much, and percentages can really get up there! LOL
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Posted By: Kalika
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 12:52pm
I always tip, doesnt matter where its getting done.
I also dont tip on a scale, everything varies, but its been so long since I've had it professionally done...
I usually tip between $50 - $150 depending on how awsome she is.
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Posted By: FinaFina
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 1:11pm
I'm a big tipper too, but I have to confess. Back in the GL days, I
simply did not tip them. Is that sh*tty?? I don't know, I just
kinda couldn't stomach it, paying them out the wazoo like that. Ya know
what though? They were always happy to see me coming again!
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Posted By: Syren123
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 1:34pm
norskygrl21 wrote:
I always tip, and I always tip extravagantly for a job well done . Even if someone is working out of their home, they still performed the service and should be tipped accordingly, IMHO. |
Right. I get that. But I always understood a tip at a salon was a) for an exceptional job, and b) because the stylist normally doesn't get the full amount of the charge for the service, so the tip was to sort of even that out.
Now if a stylist works out of her home and charges the same exact rate as in a salon, that doesn't seem right - why tip extravagantly when she's getting the full service charge anyway? It defeats the intention of a big tip.
I'd like to hear what some of the stylists who DO work out of their home think and what their experience with clients has been.
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Posted By: Kalika
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 1:52pm
but the thing is most people who work out of their home dont charge as much as they do in salons...
P.S. and I might add, I would pay more for THEM to come to MY house
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Posted By: Syren123
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 2:43pm
Exactly!! Which is why I'm posting this question!
The stylist I'm going to on the 20th who works out of her apt. charges exactly the same as one I called in LA who DOES work in a salon! It seems to be the Hairpolice standard price, if there is such a thing, because she had to call HP to ask what to charge me if I brought my own hair.
So my question is, since she's charging the same as a gal in a salon, do I tip her?
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Posted By: hippyhair
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 3:30pm
Hey Syren! 
Do you mind me asking what your gal is charging you? I'm just curious... if this is rude to ask... I'm sorry. 
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Posted By: hippyhair
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 3:32pm
PS. I personally would still tip her... although I don't know if that's right or not. I might only tip 10-15% tho - while the gal in the salon I would tip 15-20% ?? Geeez... I dunno... good question...
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Posted By: norskygrl21
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 3:33pm
Granted, I do not go to someone's home to get my hair done but I have in the past. Regardless of how much the service is or where it is done, if I am extremely pleased with how my hair turned out I tip well. That is me. When my old stylist was between salons she used to make house calls for me and I also went to her place a few times and if I remember correctly she did not cut me any breaks but I still tipped like I normally would.
I understand your point if you are saying the stylist has less overhead and therefore is going to make more money off the service anyways, so why tip as much as you would in a salon. Nonetheless I still think a tip is necessary. I am not saying an "extravagant" tip (which was a little tongue in cheek BTW) but just a little something to show you appreciate their handiwork. Is an extravagant tip necessary? NO. Is a tip necessary? YES.
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Posted By: Syren123
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 3:45pm
hippyhair wrote:
Hey Syren! 
Do you mind me asking what your gal is charging you? I'm just curious... if this is rude to ask... I'm sorry.  |
Oh good God no. That's what we're here for - the straight scoop!
For 3/4 of a head of pinchbraids for which I am supplying the hair, she is charging me $375. With hair, it's $420.
And I do intend to tip her, just not the 75 or 80 bucks I would in a salon.
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Posted By: Kalika
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 3:47pm
it just depends, tip her on how good she makes the expireance.
I occationally do some girls hair from the club, they come over, and I get them all comfortable (because it takes me HOURS lol, I never said I was a professional) - and I let them watch whatever they want on TV/DVD - or music, I let them munch out the fridge and let them drink whatever they want (well non alcoholic lol, I dont drink) or let them play on the laptop.
But like I said I dont do it often, Ive done maybe 10 in the last year
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Posted By: hippyhair
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 3:57pm
[/QUOTE] For 3/4 of a head of pinchbraids for which I am supplying the hair, she is charging me $375. With hair, it's $420. [/QUOTE]
Thanks! Sounds like we are being charged almost the same for install.
My lady is charging me $100 an hour (but she claims it won't be any longer than 4 hours... so basically $400 for install). She is supplying the hair... and is charging me $350 for it. It's supposedly H&H cuticle hair. So at the worst it will be $750, and I plan on trying to tip $150 if all goes well. She is HP trained & certified, and works in a salon.
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Posted By: Kalika
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 3:59pm
hmmm...personally I wouldnt wanna be charged by the hour. Just an excuse for someone to take their time.
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Posted By: hippyhair
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 4:02pm
Hi Kalika!
Even if she *guarantees* not to take any longer than 4 hours?
I got a verbal... do you think I should I get a written too? LOL
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Posted By: Syren123
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 4:06pm
So you're doing pinchbraids with HH? Sounds nice!
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Posted By: Kalika
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 4:07pm
hippyhair wrote:
Hi Kalika!
Even if she *guarantees* not to take any longer than 4 hours?
I got a verbal... do you think I should I get a written too? LOL
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lol, then why doesnt she just charge $400 for the install then? I just always get iffy about per hour things.
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Posted By: hippyhair
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 4:14pm
Yeppers!! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited you don't even know... I've been waiting for the day to come for awhile now!! I really like the girl whose doing my hair too!
Actually... Is it normal to be this excited?? I mean I have trouble getting a good nights sleep.... all I do is dream about hair!!! And then I end up waking myself up from being so anxious, I guess... it's really bizarre you guys!! LOL
I am just soooo happy!! I also tend to have high expectations (just being honest lol) and I hope I'm not dissapointed and it turns out what I'm hoping it will... but I'm trying to think only happy thoughts!!
I am getting it done Sunday... and I'll def. post pics Sunday pm or Monday am. I know how much we all love pictures!!! 
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Posted By: hippyhair
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 4:20pm
Kalika wrote:
lol, then why doesnt she just charge $400 for the install then? I just always get iffy about per hour things.
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Oh -- hmmm... I dunno. She did tell me that she usually takes no more than 3, but likes to tell people 4 just in case... but she specifically said NEVER more.
Yikes... I'm nervous... what if my head is a disaster to do, and I end up being her first 6 hour intall with cigarette breaks inbetween?? LOL
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Posted By: hippyhair
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 4:21pm
geeeeez... I really suck at this quoting thang!!!
edited to say:
oh, nevermind! I fixed it! lol
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Posted By: Scotchyroo
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 4:29pm
If you knew what a difference in time an install for a thin haired vs. a thin haired girl you'd see the reason. A babyhaired blond can be done by a novice in 3 hours, whereas a girl with really thick hair could take twice as much time. Why should the girl with baby-fine hair subsidize the girl with thick hair. All installs are not equal.
That said, I don't accept tips for at home work, and as a booth renter, don't accept tips at work as I own the business. Some people insist, but most like it, as they actually know how much they're going to spend before arriving.
I guess I kind of think $100 hr. for any hair service is BS, but I do live in the mid-west where cost of living is much cheaper.
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Posted By: hippyhair
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 4:33pm
Scotchyroo wrote:
If you knew what a difference in time an install for a thin haired vs. a thin haired girl you'd see the reason. A babyhaired blond can be done by a novice in 3 hours, whereas a girl with really thick hair could take twice as much time. Why should the girl with baby-fine hair subsidize the girl with thick hair. All installs are not equal.
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So at time of consultation, where she actually saw my hair, she knew that it would take her 4 hours tops just by looking at my hair?
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Posted By: Syren123
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 4:36pm
Scotchyroo, I remember 10,000 yrs ago my grandmother giving me hair stylist tipping etiquette and she said the same thing: that you don't tip the owner of the salon. I think that's an antique notion cuz nowadays I know plenty of salon owners who accept tips. I'm still having trouble with the home service, tho. I mean, why work in a salon at all if you're going to charge the same at home? Salon stylists should get a tip always, and home stylists....well, sometimes. If you make house calls, always.
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Posted By: Jenny_RR
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 7:10pm
Hippyhair:
Honestly, I think a $150 tip is MORE THAN generous. I tip $50 on a $350
service, and I think that's more than enough, personally.
I actually would encourage you NOT to tip more than $100 on your first
extensions job because A) if you love them, you'll be going back
frequently, and paying an extra $150 each time could add up to be a
lot; and (more importantly) B) 95% of extensions look great when you
leave the salon--it's how they hold up over the course of months that
really matters--and you'll only be able to determine how good the job
actually is after you've worn them for awhile and learned more about
extensions.
If this extensionist turns out to be great, you can spread the word and
post pics and tip her more later on if you want to. Also, I don't think
you should tip on the cost of hair--it makes no sense to me. So you're
actually paying $400 for the service--not $750. So, $60 would be a 15%
tip; $80 would be 20%.
:)
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Posted By: hippyhair
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 7:50pm
Jenny_RR wrote:
Hippyhair:
Also, I don't think you should tip on the cost of hair--it makes no sense to me. So you're actually paying $400 for the service--not $750. So, $60 would be a 15% tip; $80 would be 20%.
:)
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Ya know... I can't believe I didn't think of this!! Thank you Jenny!! 
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Posted By: sherrie215
Date Posted: May 11 2005 at 9:39pm
I think a $50 tip is very generous. Tips are supposed to be a gratuity. (I know as I work in a job that I depend on tips also, to earn my living, we come to 'expect' them) But I will say that standard 15-20% is really based on a more standard service of say up to $100 or so. I dont think once you get up there in the hundreds of dollars for services that its expected or the standard to tip 15-20%. I may be wrong....just my 2 cents!
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Posted By: metalgirl
Date Posted: May 12 2005 at 1:33am
I do work in a salon, and my average price for an extension install is around $400. Most clients tip between $20-$80. Some don't tip at all. I'm not too offended if they don't tip because I know that for many people (including myself) that spending $400 on your hair it a lot of money!
------------- http://www.Godiva-Hair.com - http://www.Godiva-Hair.com
http://www.MetamorphosisHairDesign.com - http://www.MetamorphosisHairDesign.com
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Posted By: zapevaj
Date Posted: May 12 2005 at 8:37am
Yeah, I find that the percentage of my tips end up being inversely
proportional to the cost of the service. I've gotten tipped 50% before,
but that was on a $40 job. I've gotten tipped $10 on a $200 job, which
ain't much, but hey, $200 is a lot of money for most people.
And good point, Jenny, about keeping the hair cost and service cost
separate. Stylists don't expect to be tipped on the cost f hair anyway
(*cough* unless they're a GL stylist and mark up their hair- bleh).
-Rae
------------- http://www.hairalchemy.net - Hair Alchemy
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Posted By: zapevaj
Date Posted: May 12 2005 at 8:43am
Oh, and about the salon/freelance thing- I wouldn't say it's safe to
assume that if someone is freelance they're making more. F'r instance,
I pay $50, at most, for a full day of using my spot at the salon. If
I'm doing house calls, then I don't have that expense, but I have other
expenses, like gas and car maintenance and travel time (which, when
everyone lives out in the suburbs, can take an hour each way). If a
stylist works out of their home, then they also have to set aside space
in their house (and possibly pay extra rent to have room for a home
salon). So it's hard to say for sure the situation that your particular
stylist works in, and how much of their fee they get to keep. I would
just say to tip based on your satisfaction with the service, rather
than where they work.
-Rae
------------- http://www.hairalchemy.net - Hair Alchemy
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Posted By: Syren123
Date Posted: May 12 2005 at 10:59am
All great advice! Thanks everyone.
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