Tipping Hairdresser

Hi

Can anyone give me a general rule of thumb for tipping hairdresser/stylist and also the person who shampoos/conditions hair. Thanks.

I'd love to hear from Douglas or D-Man about this, I never know what to do at the end of each appt! In the past I've given the shampooer about $50 and not tipped the sylist (but he owns the salon and charges accordingly lol). I guess I would tip one of his other stylists though...

Do a search on this forum and I think women regaridng 'tipping', there are a few very long threads on tipping hair dressers, manicurists, etc...

I asked a friend who has a mid-upmarket salon. Chinese (unless they grew up in the West) tip nothing or coin change - max HK$10. As for gwaipo, Americans (of course) tip most and Australians least. On average gwaipo tip the stylist 10% or HK$50, whichever is the lesser, and they typically tip the shampooist HK$20.



In "local" districts, nobody expects a tip except a coin to the shampooist.

I go to the Esprit Salons where they actually have a NO tipping policy - makes life a lot less complicated.

I don't tip my hairdresser as he is the salon owner, but I do tip the shampooist. I know it's something a lot of us do but I often wonder why people do see it as necessary to tip their stylist. I do understand that some people are going to say that unless it's the owner of the salon who's doing your hair, then the other stylists probably don't earn very much, which is a fair comment. However, they still earn a wage for doing their job. That being the case, why do people not see it as necessary to tip everyone ... shop assistants, travel agents, the person who serves in MacDonalds etc. These people are all doing us a service, the list is endless. Just wondering why we see so many posts regarding tips for hairdressers and not other professions? There are other low paid professions that people would never consider tipping ... so why are hairdressers any different? They're just doing their job, and getting paid for it, like everyone else. I do understand that it shows our thanks for a job well done, but I'd much rather express my thanks with words. I'm not a meanie, I do tip, but I do find it rather embarrassing to hand over money. Years ago, as a penniless student, I worked part-time in a salon, and found it very embarrassing/degrading when offered a tip. As a suggestion to other salons, a couple of salons I've been to provide named boxes on the counter for customers to tip whoever they wish ... I think this is a great idea as it saves any embarrassment to either customer or staff.

I missed this thread but i think its quite interesting. Its the first thread I have seen regarding tipping for hairdressers so I am not sure where you keep seeing them Saphire.

Tipping is a social and culteral gesture that not all cultures participate in. Some people like to tip and others dont its that simple. Appreciatin can be express with words and thanks as much as by giving a tip. I believe most if not all salons have tip boxes at the reception so clients do not need to pass tipes directly to staff. If not it can be left with the reception if the client is not comfortable giving the tip but as far as not being comfortable accepting i find that strange. It seems to be appreciated in most cases that i see.

As like any service industry its a choice how you wish to show appreciation for good service that you may have recieved. No one should feel obligated to have to tip as its purely personal.

I have seen assistants given anywhere from $10 to $100 and stylists (including salon owners) given anything from $20 to $500.

As I said it is pureley personal so if you wish to tip or not you should not be judged by your salon or stylist for your decision.

D-Man, I appreciate what you are saying. Maybe it is just me who felt emabarrassed at being offered tips all those years ago. However, the issue of giving tips to hairstylists has been raised many, many times on this site, I'm very surprised that you haven't seen them. So it's obvious that there is a concern amongst customers as to what is the right thing to do ... it's not necessarily about it being a personal choice, more to do with everyone else does and what's expected of them. The fact that you say some assistants/stylists are given tips of up to $100-$500, however, would make me feel embarrassed if I can only afford $20, even though you say it's appreciated. This is why I think the named boxes are a great idea ... but unfortunately they are not in all salons that I have been to.