WP article on salon pricing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hair salons are implementing hourly pricing and billing more for basic services, from single-process color to blowouts. Some customers say it’s out of control.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/of-interest/2024/03/18/hair-stylist-salon-expensive/

I found this article to be very interesting. As somebody who only gets a very basic haircut (no blow dry) three times a year, I’ve seen the price skyrocket. It cost me $95 because my hair is long (I get long layers). I don’t understand why it costs more to cut my hair because it’s long. It doesn’t take any more or less effort than somebody who has shoulder length and above hair. So how much are all of you paying who most likely get more done to your hair than I do?

You have more hair to cut. More hair = more time to cut

I’m not trying to be combative here, but 2 inches is 2 inches regardless of whether the hair is mid back or above shoulder.

It’s the drying time and washing time. And really it does take longer because there is more hair to deal with. My daughter
And I fet our haircut together all the time and I’m always done 15-20 minutes before her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My hair is relatively long, no layers. Takes 5 minutes to cut. Why am I being charged more?

If it's so easy, just get it done at Hair Cuttery. You don't need salon service for a 5 min cut.

I usually do but the person I like left them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hair salons are implementing hourly pricing and billing more for basic services, from single-process color to blowouts. Some customers say it’s out of control.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/of-interest/2024/03/18/hair-stylist-salon-expensive/

I found this article to be very interesting. As somebody who only gets a very basic haircut (no blow dry) three times a year, I’ve seen the price skyrocket. It cost me $95 because my hair is long (I get long layers). I don’t understand why it costs more to cut my hair because it’s long. It doesn’t take any more or less effort than somebody who has shoulder length and above hair. So how much are all of you paying who most likely get more done to your hair than I do?

You have more hair to cut. More hair = more time to cut

I’m not trying to be combative here, but 2 inches is 2 inches regardless of whether the hair is mid back or above shoulder.

It’s the drying time and washing time. And really it does take longer because there is more hair to deal with. My daughter
And I fet our haircut together all the time and I’m always done 15-20 minutes before her.

Washing takes the same time, drying doesn't, but I need get mine blown out and always just a trim straight across.

[Anonymous]

Hairstylists are just looking for ways to make money. Many of their client base eroded during Covid. Women figured out it wasn’t rocket science, and they can do it themselves.

My colorist complains to me regularly about how she feels undervalued by other clients and she’s changing her fee structure and adding “value add” services like massage and what not to increase her income.

Bottom line - it’s a low paying field. Maybe the days of making good money as a hairstylist are over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hair salons are implementing hourly pricing and billing more for basic services, from single-process color to blowouts. Some customers say it’s out of control.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/of-interest/2024/03/18/hair-stylist-salon-expensive/

I found this article to be very interesting. As somebody who only gets a very basic haircut (no blow dry) three times a year, I’ve seen the price skyrocket. It cost me $95 because my hair is long (I get long layers). I don’t understand why it costs more to cut my hair because it’s long. It doesn’t take any more or less effort than somebody who has shoulder length and above hair. So how much are all of you paying who most likely get more done to your hair than I do?

You have more hair to cut. More hair = more time to cut

I’m not trying to be combative here, but 2 inches is 2 inches regardless of whether the hair is mid back or above shoulder.

The drying time is what I’m missing. I’m OP and I don’t get my hair dried. I suppose I’ve been paying for it this entire time and not getting the benefit!


It’s the drying time and washing time. And really it does take longer because there is more hair to deal with. My daughter
And I fet our haircut together all the time and I’m always done 15-20 minutes before her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hair salons are implementing hourly pricing and billing more for basic services, from single-process color to blowouts. Some customers say it’s out of control.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/of-interest/2024/03/18/hair-stylist-salon-expensive/

I found this article to be very interesting. As somebody who only gets a very basic haircut (no blow dry) three times a year, I’ve seen the price skyrocket. It cost me $95 because my hair is long (I get long layers). I don’t understand why it costs more to cut my hair because it’s long. It doesn’t take any more or less effort than somebody who has shoulder length and above hair. So how much are all of you paying who most likely get more done to your hair than I do?

You have more hair to cut. More hair = more time to cut

I’m not trying to be combative here, but 2 inches is 2 inches regardless of whether the hair is mid back or above shoulder.

It’s the drying time and washing time. And really it does take longer because there is more hair to deal with. My daughter
And I fet our haircut together all the time and I’m always done 15-20 minutes before her.

Washing takes the same time, drying doesn't, but I need get mine blown out and always just a trim straight across.

The PP with the daughter said what I was going to. You can say washing takes the same time but it does not. We’ve seen it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hairstylists are just looking for ways to make money. Many of their client base eroded during Covid. Women figured out it wasn’t rocket science, and they can do it themselves.

My colorist complains to me regularly about how she feels undervalued by other clients and she’s changing her fee structure and adding “value add” services like massage and what not to increase her income.

Bottom line - it’s a low paying field. Maybe the days of making good money as a hairstylist are over.

My nothing special hair costs $300 plus a tip every 6 weeks. It takes 2 hours during which she jumps between me and another client. Is that considered low paying????

[Anonymous]

No, not compared to a teacher or a college professor in the humanities

[Anonymous]

I got mine done yesterday and it was $100 more than it was at my last appointment for the exact same thing with the exact same person. I was shocked when they told me the price at checkout.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hairstylists are just looking for ways to make money. Many of their client base eroded during Covid. Women figured out it wasn’t rocket science, and they can do it themselves.

My colorist complains to me regularly about how she feels undervalued by other clients and she’s changing her fee structure and adding “value add” services like massage and what not to increase her income.

Bottom line - it’s a low paying field. Maybe the days of making good money as a hairstylist are over.

That matches my experience. The salon I go to is still less busy than it was pre-Covid, although I also note that my stylist has chosen not to return to as many days/hours as she worked pre-Covid, even though she has demand. But I think salons are looking to maximize every dollar per hour opened instead of getting more money via more open hours.

Consumers are starting to balk at continued higher prices across the economy, according to data. I think salons will be no exception.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:yawn. I pay $650 for just my color 2x a year. If you don't want to pay professionals, DIY.

Then you are super rich or stupid. yawn.

[Anonymous]

A root touch up once the formula is determined should not cost $100+.
The color and toner for a salon brand is about $20. It takes 15 minutes to mix and apply. The rest is just processing time while you do someone else’s hair. So, I order my own professional color from eBay and do it myself for $20. So easy and I can do other things while I’m at home.

[Anonymous]

They are absolutely out of control. I When I started seeing my curly stylist her haircut was $80. Then it was $100 or $120 or something. I still forked it over since I only want to get my haircut twice a year anyway and she does a good job on curly hair.

I left and told her what she was doing is borderline unethical when she started charging $250 for a haircut that included all this other BS for a 2-3 hour appointment—mask, detox, styling lesson etc. That’s an expensive hourly rate but whatever. The insane thing is her only service option for a haircut, I can’t just pay the insane hourly rate for a haircut and shampoo that takes an hour, or even skip shampooing since she cuts it dry anyway. PLUS she “recommends it seasonally” aka you’ll get charged an additional fee if it’s been more than 16 weeks.

I don’t even live in a HCOL area or any kind of major metropolis. This is just a regular no name city on the west coast. They all started to have this mindset that they should be able to clear $100k for doing hair, or only have to take 4 appointments a day and still make a living. I don’t know. I haven’t read the article yet so hopefully it explains where this is all coming from.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hairstylists are just looking for ways to make money. Many of their client base eroded during Covid. Women figured out it wasn’t rocket science, and they can do it themselves.

My colorist complains to me regularly about how she feels undervalued by other clients and she’s changing her fee structure and adding “value add” services like massage and what not to increase her income.

Bottom line - it’s a low paying field. Maybe the days of making good money as a hairstylist are over.

I think the prices increased so much that they are shedding clients. I've gone from getting my haircut three times a year and getting highlights to skipping the highlights to just cutting my hair at home.

I would still pay someone a decent amount just to cut my hair, but they seem to all want to push products and expensive color services.

[Anonymous]

Why not as long as customers are willing to pay?
Case in point: weddings. Everything is automatically jacked up by 40%. Like the bride’s blowout or makeup is a lot more than the bridesmaids, for the same service, not more complicated or touch ups after a few hours or whatever